The Evolution of Sales Part 2

 

Guest articles > The Evolution of Sales Part 2

 

by: Daniel Milstein

 

Other than predicting that subprime loans would eventually create havoc with mortgage lending and the nation's economy, and to make regular forecasts for Gold Star's sales volume and related statistics, I have avoided making generalized conclusions about the future. Armchair prognosticating is a risky pastime; too many predictions are off the mark and even the wisest experts make major mistakes. However, I have become fascinated with the evolution of the sales profession and the varied changes that we can anticipate in the next 10-20 years.

Following are my observations, based on experience, discussions with other successful salespeople and, of course, some creative thinking.

Expanded Opportunities--There definitely will be a wider variety and a greater number of opportunities for salespeople. An increase in products and services across all industries will mean more sales career choices. Product offerings will become even more refined as new product development in auto manufacturing, consumer finance, insurance, electronics and other industries becomes increasingly sophisticated and aggressive in meeting customer demands.

A Virtual Sales Force--One of the most interesting developments will be a more extensive use of the virtual sales force. Various industries already have part- or full-time salespeople working from 'home' offices, and this will be even more prevalent in the near future. More companies will see the wisdom of minimizing the 'brick and mortar' expenses of adding new office space, and instead have salespeople work from home offices networked to headquarters, with all of the appropriate support. As this book was being published (May 2011), Gold Star was about to introduce its own Virtual Loan Officer Platform. Our plans included adding a number of experienced loan officers who would work from their own offices and receive the full range of Gold Star's extensive support services. In addition to eliminating the need to open a series of new offices in key markets, we are taking advantage of the availability of many veteran originators, including some who are semi-retired and want to work on their own production schedule. The Virtual Sales Force concept will eventually be adopted by many other industries.

In the upcoming years many sales advancements will appear. Whether it be a virtual sales force working from home or greater sales opportunities, I am excited to see what the future holds for the sales industry.

 


Daniel Milstein is the bestselling author of ABC of Sales. For more information, visit: http://amzn.to/ABCARTICLES.


Contributor: Daniel Milstein

Published here on: 05-Oct-14

Classification: Sales

Website: http://amzn.to/ABCARTICLES