Over the last 5-plus years, the high-tech industry has gone through a revolution - a customer revolution. While we've all felt the effects of enormous disruptions to the world's economy, we've also been lucky enough to have witnessed and contributed to an incredible transformation in how we communicate, share knowledge and work with one another. As a result, our prospects and customers have taken near-complete control of the sales cycle. Your prospects are actually 70% through the sales pipeline BEFORE ever talking to a sales rep.

1. The Hunt for the Coveted A Lead
Adapting Your Pipeline to Marketing’s New Dynamics
ADTRAN Channel Webinar – June 2, 2014

2. 2© 2005 Paramount Pictures // 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
57% of B2B customers feel that their sales
reps are not prepared at the first meeting.
33% of deals are being lost because of circumstances within your reps’ control

3. 3
Why?

4. 4

5. 5
1980’s – 1990’s: Calls & Closes
More Calls = More Leads = More Wins
© 1992 New Line Cinema

6. 6
1990’s – 2000’s: Process, Integration, Insight
Know the Process, Work the Process, Build the Pipeline

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We were in control.

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Then cracks started to show.

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21%
15%
35%
24%
4%
48%
32%
10%
18%
11%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Service Price Products Brand Sales
Team
2nd Choice
1st Choice
Source: 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
Relationships with
our sales reps no
longer guarantee
consideration.
Top consideration factors in a
complex b2b sales cycle…

10. 10
Buyers started having and
using more options than
sales reps to find what
they needed to know.
Source: B2B Content Marketing Report

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We turned from buyers into researchers.
Source: 1999 20th Century Fox

13. 13Source: 2013 gyro “The At-Work State of Mind Project”
Work became a state of mind.
It's imperative to understand their motivations, emotional attitudes and
levels of satisfaction with round-the-clock, all-device messaging.

14. 14
Customers
Suppliers
Co-
Workers
Family
Friends
Personal
Networks
Social
Networks
Review
Sites/Blogs
Buyer

15. 15
We’re living in a four-screen world.

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It Created a Huge Challenge…
Source: 2013 gyro “The At-Work State of Mind Project”

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Self-Directed Decision Making
Prospects/customers started to delay purchasing
conversations with suppliers.
Due Diligence Begins First Engagement
w/ Sales
Purchase
57%-70%
We’ve All Heard it By Now…

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Buyers Have Taken Control.

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It’s no longer simply about “what” you
sell, but “why” and “how” you sell it.

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78%of B2B tech buyers feel that a brand’s reputation
is very important when looking for business
products/services.
Source: Google B2B Customer Study, June 2012 (n=629)

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“Today, B2B sales and lead generation
are about your brand assets,
thought leadership and emotions
built from the vast amount of information that
prospects now have access to.”

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The Search for the “A” Lead is Ending…
YOU ARE THE “A” LEAD

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So…what do we do now??

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Step 1: Stop passing the baton.

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Help my team be better. Help me make good
decisions.
CIO
Peers
CIOs
C-LevelsIndustry Influencers
Competitors
ProvidersExperts
CEO
Investors
Board
Analysts
C-Level
Peers
Lines of
Business
Channels
Partner
Suppliers
Customers
IT
Department
Competitors
Providers
Peers

28. 28
Customers
Suppliers
Co-
Workers
Family
Friends
Personal
Networks
Social
Networks
Review
Sites/Blogs
Buyer

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Death of the Funnel as We Know It
AWARENESS
CONSIDERATION
PREFERENCE
PURCHASE
CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND
SUCCESS MANAGEMENT
“It’s time to abandon the
traditional sales and
marketing funnel and instead
adopt an approach that
revolves around building an
ongoing relationship with the
prospect/customer.”
Source: Forrester Research, 2014

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It’s not about inbound.
It’s not about outbound.
ALLBOUND™

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Step 2: Obsess Over Value

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Price ≠ Value

33. 33Source: 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
43% of IT buyers are willing to
change vendors to save time.

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“You talk to more CIOs in a week than I do in a year. Teach me something.”
"First ask what problem we were trying to solve…
didn't start with a solution.”
"Provide a good demonstration of the product.”
”Go the extra mile to understand my needs and those of my customers.
Then give me excellent communication and accurate quotes.”
”Take me through examples of other companies using the solution and send me examples of
independent research and reviews from companies with similar issues.”
"Follow-up, timely follow-up, let me know you are looking
into it and getting back to us regularly."
“Help me create the bill of materials needed for a project.

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21%
16%
14% 14%
12%
10%
5%
13%
16%
18% 18%
6%
14%
1%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Business
Leader
IT Leader
Source: 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
Most Valued Content in Decision Process

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Self-Directed Decision Making
Prospects/customers started to delay purchasing
conversations with suppliers.
Due Diligence Begins First Engagement
w/ Sales
Concierge
57%-70%
Be the Concierge…

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Step 3: Stop the BS & Execute

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THIS IS NOT PERSONAL.

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#LOL

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Select the right tools and use
them to get your message to
market most effectively and
most cost efficiently.

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Usage
Effectiveness
Industry Press
Emails
Direct Mail
Website
SEO
Word of Mouth
Events/Webinars
Peer Review Sites
Online Communities
Blogs
White Papers,
Videos, Webinars
Advertising
Calling

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Source: UBM, “The Mind of the Engineer” study, 2012
The Mind of the Engineer in 2014…

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Source: Google/Compete Tech B2B Customer Study, Jan 2013. (n=1024 Tech B2B customers)
+30B Searches in IT B2B in 2013

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Source: Google/Compete Tech B2B Customer Study, June 2013
91% of Tech B2B customers make purchase
related searches from a mobile device.

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Source: Google/Compete Tech B2B Customer Study, June 2012. (n=1024 Tech B2B customers)
Product/Service Features Customer Reviews “How To” Instructions
66% of Tech B2B customers who view a video are likely
to search for more information or visit your website.
What’s the Worlds’ #2 Search Engine?

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19%
81%
81% of IT Buyers Say they Do Not
Think Social Media Impacts Their
Purchasing Decision Making
Source: 2013 EAG Buyer’s Experience Survey; n=200
So….
• IT buyers don’t think they use
social to buy.
• Use Social to LISTEN (blogs,
communities, forums, LinkedIn
groups, twitter) then become part
of the discussion.
• But they do use social media
to develop trusted peers and
sources because…

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52%Feel that their colleagues’ opinions are very important
when looking for business products/services.
Source: Google B2B Customer Study, June 2012 (n=629)

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Social Also Builds Credibility

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BUT….

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Step 4: Enable Sales.

52. 52© 2005 Paramount Pictures // 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
57% of B2B customers feel that their sales
reps are not prepared at the first meeting.
33% of deals are being lost because of circumstances within your reps’ control

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40%
22%
12%
9%
9%
6%
2%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Ability to understand & solve my challenges
Industry knowledge & expertise
Ability to leverage company's resources
Technology expertise
Likability & personality
Ability to communitcate differentiators
Product knowledge
Top Sales Rep Attributes in Terms of How They Influence Buying Decision
Source: 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview; n=204
What Do Your Prospects Want?

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Business
Leaders
IT
Leaders
Overall
Knowledgeable about their
products/solutions
88% 88% 88%
Understands my issues and where
they can help
34% 43% 38%
Can relate to my role and
responsibilities in the company 38% 29% 34%
“When you meet with a vendor salesperson, how often are they
prepared for the meeting with you in the following ways?”
Source: Forrester Research, Inc. (n= 166 North American enterprise business and IT decision makers)
What Are They Receiving?

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But I Want
“A” Leads!

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#SMH

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“A” Leads are out
there looking for
“A” vendors.

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THE #1 FOCUS OF ANY B2B
ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE….

59. 59© 2005 Paramount Pictures // 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
Sales Enablement:
The delivery of the right information to the
right person at the right time in the right format
and in the right place to assist in moving a
specific sales opportunity forward.

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The #1 reason companies don’t hit their sales quota isn’t
because their CRM system doesn’t sync with their sales
methodology, they don’t have enough leads or they aren’t
active enough on Twitter.
It’s because salespeople don’t
know how to articulate value.

61. 61© 2005 Paramount Pictures // 2013 IDC Sales Enablement Overview
Salespeople spend 7+ hours/week looking for
information to help them prepare for sales calls.
50% of sales tools are pushed via email and only
10% is made available in a useful format.
Is it any wonder that one of three deals is lost due
to the lack of sales preparation?

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6 Key Takeaways:
1. Buyers are in control
2. Know your why
3. Align sales/marketing
4. Understand “value” and go the extra mile
5. Stop the B.S. and execute
6. Enable sales

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The Customer Revolution is Here…
Isn’t it nice to feel wanted?

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Scott Salkin
Founder & CEO
ssalkin@idstm.com
602.881.1718
@scottsalkin
@idstm
IDS is a business-to-business (B2B)
marketing and lead generation firm
whose mission is twofold:
1. to help technology companies
and startups GROW through
smart, impactful sales and
marketing, and
2. to help our communities GROW
through technology and
entrepreneurial advocacy and
mentorship.