The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

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  1

  clarkm

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Geoffrey, I don't think these predictions are all that much of a stretch. Many of them are already happening in various businesses. I was expecting a bit more, something really "outside the box". But it did make me think about my career direction as I head into the last leg.

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  2

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Re Note 1:
  Oh, I get it. It's my fault that you're too smart. Oy.

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  3

  clarkm

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  I didn't say that. I just thought more of you than the article delivered.

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  4

  bobchaif

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  I got the feeling you were making predictions for enterprise level companies only.
  Small business will press to use technology but will generally lack the formal skills to correctly use or apply the resulting intelligence.
  I see marketing being outsourced to control costs and gain access to bigger budget intelligence.
  Most of the functions you describe as being eliminated will still exist but in the form of fee for service companies. (A parallel occurred in shipping, transportation and logistical support.)
  Sales will become more skill focus as process automation will reduce the drag in the selling cycle.
  Sales people will have their duties transferred more to focusing on the product fit, close and final negotiation with expanded customer service functions.
  
  It takes guts to post any prediction; I enjoyed reading your views
  

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  5

  Phil Lauterjung

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Very interesting post, but I didn't see any prediction about the venerable (?) Trade Show. Of course, the resulting prediction could be inferred from combining some of the other predictions.
  
  It does appear that a number of these predictions are currently germinating and/or evolving even now; however, that certainly doesn't negate your predictions.
  
  Sales will always be evolving and the companies that don't adapt will become extinct.
  
  Keep going out on a limb with your posts. It makes all of us think about how we intend to continue to grow in our profession.

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  6

  K2Colo

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Change time horizon to 5 years for laggards, many smaller and more nimble organizations have already achieved many/all of these predictions.

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Re Note 4:
  It doesn't take much guts, since like everyone else by the time 2020 rolls around, nobody will remember this post, unless I remind them of it. Which I probably won't do if the predictions turn out to be "bull googie." (BTW, "googie" is my 4 year old son's word for "snot".)

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Re Note 5:
  Trade shows! Right! I was going to add those along with trade magazines. I think they're pretty much dying anyway, right?

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  07/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: The Future of B2B: Like It or Not

  Re Note 6:
  True, but you're probably overestimating the speed of the conversion. I'll bet you work in high tech, where all of this stuff is getting pretty common. And there are still (for example) hundreds of trade magazines still limping along, and even a few that are still doing well. (To use an example.) Structural change always takes longer than you think it will. The year 2020 will be here before you know it.