Digital Transformation in Sales: How to Turn a Buzzword into Real Sales Practice – A 21-Step Guide

Description

This book is a practical guide to the digital transformation of sales organizations. In 21 steps, it provides an overview of the state of the art of technologies and digital sales tools and creates an understanding of what the digitization of sales is really about.   The primary driver of digitization is the modern customer, and it is important to always keep him in mind throughout the entire sales strategy. The sole use of technologies and the pure digitization of processes are not enough to make an organization fit for the challenges of the modern business world.   All tools and processes from positioning to customer management are explained in detail in this book and illustrated with concrete examples. What do chatbots do, what are virtual and augmented reality suitable for, and what is the benefit of rapid prototyping? Which sales activities can be supported by digitalization? The author provides answers to these and many other questions and shows how sales managers can make themselves fit for the future. With concrete tips and numerous implementation aids. The Spirit of Digitalization Never So Easy and Never So Difficult Another Book on Digitalization? And What About Technology? Not Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Uber Again … Is This Guide for Me? Contents About the Author Abbreviations 1: Digital Transformation in Sales, WHY Actually? 1.1 Sales Changing 1.1.1 Top Trends in Customer Behavior 1.1.2 Top Trends in Sales Technology 1.1.3 Top Trends in Sales Approaches and Models 1.1.4 Top Trends in Customer Behavior, Triggered by COVID-19 1.2 The Drivers of the Digital Transformation in Sales 1.2.1 Market 1.2.2 Technology 1.2.3 Customer References 2: Digital Sales Transformation: WHAT Is It Really? 2.1 Digitalization in Sales: What Many Talk About and Few Really Understand 2.2 The Well-Kept Secret of Sales Organizations 2.3 Digital Transformation in Sales: What Is It Really All About References 3: 7W Strategy for Digital Transformation in Sales: HOW Do We Close the Gaps? 3.1 WHAT: Value Proposition 3.1.1 Customer Benefit 3.1.2 USP: Unique Selling Proposition 3.1.3 Trust Position 3.2 WHOM: Addressing 3.2.1 Target Customer 3.2.2 Target Markets 3.2.3 Relationship 3.3 WHEREBY: Approach 3.3.1 Sales Model 3.3.2 Sales Channels 3.3.3 Sales Process 3.4 WHY: Strategy 3.4.1 Market Position 3.4.2 Differentiation 3.4.3 Strategic Goals 3.5 WHERE: Positioning 3.5.1 Presence 3.5.2 Platforms 3.5.3 Networks 3.6 WHICH: Activities 3.6.1 Marketing 3.6.2 Sales 3.6.3 Performance 3.7 WHEREWITH: Resources 3.7.1 Organization 3.7.2 Technology 3.7.3 Partner 3.8 Development Process: From Thinking to Doing 3.8.1 Guidance for Change 3.8.2 Step by Step, but Not Successive 3.8.3 The Right Balance 3.8.4 Keeping Customers in View 3.8.5 Productivity and Efficiency follows Growth and Innovation 3.8.6 The Right Management Attitude 3.8.7 Do Consultants Know It Better? 3.9 Implementation Process: From Knowledge to Action 3.9.1 The Journey from Flipchart into Reality: Closing the Gap Between Knowledge and Action 3.9.2 A Strategy Can Only Be as Good as its Implementation Plan 3.9.3 Success Factors References 4: Sales Technology: An Ocean of Possibilities 4.1 The Technology Perspective 4.1.1 3D Visualization 4.1.2 Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing 4.1.3 M2M and IoT 4.1.4 Wearables 4.1.5 Video 4.1.6 Collaboration 4.1.7 Artificial Intelligence 4.1.8 Chatbots 4.1.9 Augmented Reality 4.1.10 Virtual Reality 4.1.11 Big Data & Analytics 4.1.12 Cloud Computing 4.1.13 Social Technology 4.1.14 Mobile Computing 4.2 The Sales Process Perspective 4.2.1 Lead Generation 4.2.2 Quotation and Sales 4.2.3 Order Management 4.2.4 Implementation 4.2.5 Customer Development 4.2.6 Customer Communication 4.2.7 Positioning in the Digital Space 4.2.8 Sales Efficiency 4.2.9 Sales Performance Management 4.3 The Tool Perspective 4.3.1 CRM 4.3.2 Sales Acceleration 4.3.3 Sales Enablement 4.3.4 Sales Automation 4.3.5 Sales Analytics 4.3.6 Customer Communication 4.3.7 Lead Generation 4.3.8 Sales Intelligence 4.3.9 Customer Service 4.3.10 Account Based Marketing References 5: Outlook: There Is No Way Back Closing Words: How Come…?