With the growth of technology comes plenty of change. Technology has made the job of the salesman easier in some ways but it is important to understand how it has affected the world of sales as a whole.
Two important terms when looking at the changing landscape of sales are information symmetry and information asymmetry. Ever since the rise of the internet, the amount of information available to the consumer has only increased. Before the internet there was information asymmetry, meaning the consumer and the salesman had different levels of knowledge about products and competitors. After the rise of the internet, a phenomena called information symmetry has come about. Consumers and salesman now have access to generally the same amount of information on the product or service in question. This has allowed consumers to do their own analysis and decision making.
For example, think about the process of buying a car. Before the age of the internet, the salesman was the buyer’s main method of learning about each model. Now, in the age of information symmetry, the buyer has access to all the same information as the salesman and can even see other price quotes around the world for a specific model of car. This is the case for almost all consumer goods now. Online sales at companies such as Amazon or Walmart have grown so much that even for larger appliances or products, the role of the salesman is completely removed from the sale of the product. Going back to the car example, there are even apps that allow you to purchase cars from your phone with no interaction with a salesman.
So where does this leave the role of the salesmen? If you as a salesman simply provide information you will be replaced. You must add value to the client or their organization. This is imperative. So next time you are tempted to talk too much about the specific features and benefits, try to focus on the value it will add to the lives or businesses you are selling to.
BoweryJE22
Technology has absolutely changed the way people sell, and the proof is in history, like Daniel Pink talks about in To Sell is Human. Selling isn’t about giving information anymore, that’s why it is so important to ask stimulating questions to a prospect, to really make them feel the pain of the problem they are going through. Whats the use in telling a prospect what your product can and can’t do if they already know how to do it?
I agree with this completely and I think the internet and technology has created a harder atmosphere for the salesmen. Information symmetry now requires the salesmen to bring more to the table and create value for the customer. It is imperative to ask questions and get to the root of the problem.