Our 100th Show. What’s changed in sales since #1? With Bridget Gleason [Episode 580]

Bridget Gleason is VP of Sales for Logz.io and my regular partner on Front Line Fridays.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

This is 100th episode of Front Line Fridays — almost two years to the day. There have been changes. Bridget is at her second job in the same industry. AI, machine learning, and sales stacks have grown along with Account-Based Everything.

Andy would like a better understanding of the ROI of these tools. Are we closing more deals than without them? We can’t go back to the time before the tools because the environment and the tools have changed for everyone.

The tools continue to evolve. We haven’t brought the customer into the process yet, with tools to help them make the decision. Bridget wonders what those tools would look like, besides the internet they already access.

Sales Enablement tools provide content to the salesperson to send to the customer, but is all focused on the sales process, not the buying process. Some of the tools help the prospect by helping the rep identify good candidates.

 Andy suggests that content management and asset management are managing a greater quantity of content that is differentiated less and less by piece because there is so much of it. Bridget asks what has not changed in two years.

Andy was in a conversation online recently about all the me-too content. The other party wants to see something new. Person-to-person interaction will not change much, but all people will still be impacted by changing technologies.

We need more conversations about the changes technology will bring, instead of another conversation about giving a good demonstration, writing an effective subject line, or making sure you don’t pitch before asking questions.

Andy feels we haven’t changed the conversation about sales enough to prepare people for the changes to come. The basics are worth reading about, but who are the new tech experts sales reps should hear — besides Front Line Fridays?

Andy recalls that Front Line Fridays had episodes early on with subject matter expert recommendations. Maybe it’s time to do more of that regularly. Curating the information that’s out there is a service.

Bridget talks about hiring. Great salespeople are always hard to recruit because they’re already at a great company. Bridget has a VC who helps her to recruit. The hiring process seems time-compressed but Bridget won’t be rushed.

Andy compares Bridget hiring to a buyer. If a buyer doesn’t get the information they need on time, they don’t buy. Sometimes the hiring agent doesn’t know just what they need.

Andy again compares that to the buyer’s journey. It’s impossible to map because it changes as they go along it. Even when you address the right contact, they may not be educated enough about their need to know what they need.