I personally hate anything with a 2.0 on it – but like a software release – it does say that something major has changed and it might be worthwhile to check it out. Sales 2.0 is a challenge – unfortunately it’s not like everyone is even at the Sales 1.0 level yet! Sales skills are all over the map today (case in point of having a solid sales process to track and measure against).

Let’s just hope that whatever old/new stuff Sales 2.0 becomes – it aligns with the customer’s buying expectations. That’s what really counts in the end.

I think there are plenty of Sales 1.0 principles that still apply and always will. My point is that simply because they’re not being practiced doesn’t make them Sales 2.0. Maybe it’s semantics, but if you’re going to say something is innovative, I think it should be innovative. I like how you paraphrase me: “if it’s new, it may be 2.0, and if it’s old, it cannot be 2.0.” I’d agree with that statement, with an emphasize on the “may” and “cannot.”

New techniques aren’t always the best ones. So I’d agree with your other comment, too: “Sales 2.0 may be “new,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a step forward.”

With each day that passes it will become increasingly harder to sell with high pressure tactics. As the economy and buyers change their preferences inbound marketing strategies will become increasingly important and integrated with how sales reps target customers.

If your worried about the definition of Sales 2.0 you’re on the wrong path. That is the path of fear and resistance. Instead, you should be doing everything you can to learn how the sales profession is changing and how Sales 2.0 can help you become a better sales rep.

But some “new” stuff actually moves the ball forward, and other “new” stuff moves the ball backward. True customer focus has been around since Dale Carnegie, though rarely practiced in a clean form. Jill Konrath practices it–and by your own suggestion she’s 2.0.

On the other hand, Craig Elias (see his comment above) is all about timing–getting in at the right time to close more sales. I’d say that’s about efficiency, and very seller-centric.

What I notice is that a great part of the sales field is increasingly about sales efficiency–how many sales can I close with how little cost. The more you focus on that, the more you turn the customer into an object–and destroy customer focus. There’s an insidious risk of becoming seller-centric.

Sales 2.0 may be “new,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a step forward. See for example Mark Slatin’s thoughtful critique of sales benchmarking at

http://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/487/Sales-Benchmarking–What-to-Measure-in-a-Tough-Economy

“New” has always been a catchy phrase, but it’s value-neutral–it can be good or bad, depending on how it’s used. I find very useful the comments above by Dale (sales and marketing) and Nigel (sales and buying) because they put “new” in a context that lets us see larger issues–the organizational context of the sales function, and the infinitely rich realm of how sellers and buyers relate.

If we use “Sales 2.0″ in a way that’s intended to be complimentary, then mightn’t we talk about more than just “new” or “improved?” And while improving our inner machinery and efficiencies is a good thing, that alone can’t carry the weight of adulation we seem inclined to put on 2.0.

The best of 2.0 alters fundamental things, old things, things that have been around for ages–customer focus, relationships, value propositions, time to market, integration, supply chains, fast-tracking, contracting, value delivery, envisioning, participation.

If Sales 2.0 can give customers more value more quickly, that’s something to really scream about. If Sales 2.0 gets bogged down in faster closing and cheaper metrics, then it’s considerably less exciting.

We used to be educators…now anonymous customers educate themselves.

We used to give presentations…now customers view Webinars on-demand

We used to value customer references…now we have 100s of Case Studies

We used to be able to contact prospects…now they hide behind voice mail

Sales made a critical mistake in allowing Marketing to exclusively own the company website. Of course, the original websites were nothing more than electronic brochures so it was a logical choice. Not so anymore.

Marketing has raced forward embracing the possibilities of web marketing without considering the impact on basic sales interaction. Competing marketing groups leap frog each other by putting more and more sales content on the web, further displacing the sales person and making it tougher to “engage” serious prospects. No wonder serious prospects never fill out the “contact us for more information” pages, what else is there?

Sales 2.0 is not about warming up old processes and “selling smarter”, it is about taking back control of the sales process…and that includes having a say about a company’s web strategy. Sales management must demand a seat at the web marketing table.

For me ALL the Sales 2.0 tools are about one thing – Timing…Getting in front of customers at EXACTLY the right time and how do you close more sales when you do.

We’ve all had it happen by luck or circumstance in the past…Get in front of a highly motivated decision maker at EXACTLY the right time and the sale almost happens by itself. When it happens you experience few, if any, challenges getting to the buyer, understanding the problem, presenting a solution, or closing the sale.

Sales 2.0 is about understanding what made it happen and then putting in place the tools and processes needed to make it happen, again, and again, and again.

For me its’ that simple…

Good points. The CEO at Genius, David Thompson, is writing a new version of his Sales 2.0 For Dummies Booklet. In the book he talks about how Sales 2.0 is about technologies and techniques that facilitate a faster, higher volume sales process– and how now more than ever– your entire enterprise needs to be Sales 2.0. Look for the new book in March.

Nigel, I agree. Sales 2.0 is real, and the profession is changing. Much of the age-old advice I highlight in the post is still valid — listening skills, selling benefits over features, etc. — it’s just not “2.0″ to coach people to continue to use those skills.

To me, 2.0 is about incorporating new approaches and, sometimes, new tools, in order to remain successful as a sales professional. The Internet has definitely changed things and requires professionals to adapt or be left behind over the next few years.