Has the Internet changed the traditional sales process?

An article posted on a blog dedicated to demand generation, proposes that the internet has swept away the old way of selling - old being the way we "sold back in the 70's and 80's even 90's". Five 'assumptions' about the way companies sell are lined up to be shot down by 'realities'. The article suggests that "so many things we did in the past — that worked well — no longer work." One reality claim is "7 out of 10 buyers say they start their buying process at vendor sites, not Google." Another "Over 9 out of 10 buyers consumed content on their way to purchase — especially white papers, eBooks, webinars, podcasts, and more and more, video clips." Although not making such specific numeric claims our experience suggests there is truth in both these 'realities'.

Although a review of Google Analytics for various web sites we monitor shows Google as the number 1 source of visitor traffic, there is other evidence from keywords that Google is used as a tool to quickly locate the web site of a company the user already knows. The combination of brand name and product type in the top search terms helps support the notion that visitors arriving at the site already have an idea of the supplier and product they are looking for. What the article suggests is that 70% start at the vendor site rather than a generic search for a product category. In a previous blog we asked, 'do offline channels drive search?' so this could be evidence that old fashioned marketing methods such as display advertising , PR and direct marketing still work to raise brand awareness and associate that with products or services the buyer is seeking. Using Google, or other search engines, to find the company site is often easier than accurately typing in the URL.

That 9 out of 10 consume 'content' on the way to purchase is no surprise as this is what the web site is good at doing - providing essential background and detailed information so that vendors are more often dealing with informed buyers. As an aside, my doctor observed that thanks to the Internet many of his patients had thoroughly researched their symptoms before a consultation. What the Internet offers buyers is the same opportunity to evaluate a vendors product, to see who has bought and recommended that product, to judge how knowledgeable the company is, how they handle after sales service - all without the pressure of a salesman controlling the process. And when they are ready the customer will call up the vendor. In short much of the sales process will have taken place without the company directly engaged. That is why companies should spend more time ensuring their brand is associated in buyer's minds with the products they are seeking to buy and the content is informative and relevant to the buyer. If 7 out of 10 customers start the buying process with the vendors web site, it makes sense to put most effort into content that will drive the sale than technical issues and SEO that will only influence at most 30%. And creating the right content is where Technical Marketing Ltd can help b-2-b companies get it right.