By Wayne Bly
Businesses have been boosted by the news that the UK has seen the best October sales for seven years, according to new research.Figures released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for October 2009 showed a like-for-like rise of 3.8 per cent on the same time last year, when sales had fallen by 2.2 per cent in the face of the financial markets crumbling.
Overall, sales rose 5.9 per cent against a 0.1 per cent decline in October 2008.Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said that the results were "encouraging" for people in sales jobs, illustrating the best like-for-like and total October sales growth since 2002. "With less than 50 days to go before Christmas, retailers will be hoping improved consumer confidence will be sustained during the festive period and beyond. Shops have already started to battle it out for customers with a string of promotions and discounts," he added. Mr Robertson also commented that 2010 had many uncertainties in store for people in sales jobs, including the likelihood of rising taxes.
Earlier this month, the BRC reported that consumer confidence had risen to its highest point for 18 months, with indexes showing an increase to 75, a ten point increase from the all-time low of 65 in April.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Sales professionals embrace changing technology.
by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill
Of all the challenges faced by UK sales professionals, a survey has found that changing technology is considered the least difficult aspect of sales.
The sales industry is increasingly adopting ever advancing technology. The use of social networking and viral marketing in sales is becoming common place. Yet, fewer than 3% of respondents to ‘The State of Sales 2009’ are intimidated by changing technology and changing sales methods.
The survey which was conducted by Aaron Wallis, a Sales recruitment company asked 644 sales professionals what they considered to be the most difficult aspect of the. Of the eight possible answers, changing technology and sales methods was the least popular response by a large margin.
Women were found to be the least intimated by changing technology, with less than 1% of female respondents selecting this as the most difficult aspect of sales. This compares to 3% of men. None of the respondents who earned over 100K a year found changing technology and sales methods the most difficult aspect of the role.
Overall, getting clients to make decisions, followed by cold calling and sales admin/paperwork were cited as the 3 most difficult aspects of selling in 2009. Finding new prospects, chasing money, and meeting clients expectations were among some of the other possible answers to the question.
The survey was conducted in July this year and was live for six weeks. Respondents to the survey were from a broad age, salary and geographic range. The survey results are available for free download from www.survey2009.info
Of all the challenges faced by UK sales professionals, a survey has found that changing technology is considered the least difficult aspect of sales.
The sales industry is increasingly adopting ever advancing technology. The use of social networking and viral marketing in sales is becoming common place. Yet, fewer than 3% of respondents to ‘The State of Sales 2009’ are intimidated by changing technology and changing sales methods.
The survey which was conducted by Aaron Wallis, a Sales recruitment company asked 644 sales professionals what they considered to be the most difficult aspect of the. Of the eight possible answers, changing technology and sales methods was the least popular response by a large margin.
Women were found to be the least intimated by changing technology, with less than 1% of female respondents selecting this as the most difficult aspect of sales. This compares to 3% of men. None of the respondents who earned over 100K a year found changing technology and sales methods the most difficult aspect of the role.
Overall, getting clients to make decisions, followed by cold calling and sales admin/paperwork were cited as the 3 most difficult aspects of selling in 2009. Finding new prospects, chasing money, and meeting clients expectations were among some of the other possible answers to the question.
The survey was conducted in July this year and was live for six weeks. Respondents to the survey were from a broad age, salary and geographic range. The survey results are available for free download from www.survey2009.info
The Old School Ways Still Work!
by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill
Traditional sales methods are still considered the most effective, a survey has revealed.
The sales industry has been revolutionised in recent years by business potential in the digital market. Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are increasingly being used for viral marketing and business generation.
It may come as a shock therefore, that a survey conducted by Aaron Wallis, a sales recruitment agency has revealed that sales professionals almost unanimously favour conventional methods of selling. When asked to rate in order of one to five which methods of sales were the most effective, 94% of sales professionals placed non-digital methods the highest, at number one.
Of the 644 respondents only 3% would consider social networking the most effective form of selling. A further 3% favour online meetings/webinars and teleconferences.
By contrast, an overwhelming 82% still believe that that the best way to make a sale is through a face to face meeting. This research may raise questions in the sales industry about whether the internet is as integral to the modern sales industry as many would have us believe.
Rob Scott, the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis has done considerable research into the use of online methods of business generation. He said: “The Internet is without doubt one of the most powerful tools available to any sales professional for research and managing contacts. However the adage ‘people buy from people’ still remains. With the advent of Twitter, Facebook and the likes for business development we are on the cusp of change in the way that we develop business but this survey confirms that face-to-face selling is still the most powerful method”
Exhibitions, Telesales Networking Events, and Marketing campaigns all received a higher proportion of respondents who rated them above social networking as a method of business development.
The number of sales professionals who consider exhibitions as the most effective form of selling has in fact risen since a similar survey was conducted in 2007. Surprisingly, exhibitions have replaced telesales as the second most effective method of business development
Traditional sales methods are still considered the most effective, a survey has revealed.
The sales industry has been revolutionised in recent years by business potential in the digital market. Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are increasingly being used for viral marketing and business generation.
It may come as a shock therefore, that a survey conducted by Aaron Wallis, a sales recruitment agency has revealed that sales professionals almost unanimously favour conventional methods of selling. When asked to rate in order of one to five which methods of sales were the most effective, 94% of sales professionals placed non-digital methods the highest, at number one.
Of the 644 respondents only 3% would consider social networking the most effective form of selling. A further 3% favour online meetings/webinars and teleconferences.
By contrast, an overwhelming 82% still believe that that the best way to make a sale is through a face to face meeting. This research may raise questions in the sales industry about whether the internet is as integral to the modern sales industry as many would have us believe.
Rob Scott, the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis has done considerable research into the use of online methods of business generation. He said: “The Internet is without doubt one of the most powerful tools available to any sales professional for research and managing contacts. However the adage ‘people buy from people’ still remains. With the advent of Twitter, Facebook and the likes for business development we are on the cusp of change in the way that we develop business but this survey confirms that face-to-face selling is still the most powerful method”
Exhibitions, Telesales Networking Events, and Marketing campaigns all received a higher proportion of respondents who rated them above social networking as a method of business development.
The number of sales professionals who consider exhibitions as the most effective form of selling has in fact risen since a similar survey was conducted in 2007. Surprisingly, exhibitions have replaced telesales as the second most effective method of business development
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