Field sales is flat while inside sales is up 20 percent in the last few years. That’s part of the new landscape, and so is the ubiquitous use of technology. Knowing the new science of sales is what will help a salesperson to consistently meet expectations, says my latest guest on PowerViews, Chad Burmeister, vice president of corporate sales at ConnectandSell.

Chad was voted Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals by the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals 4 years in a row—2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Here is the full video of our discussions and below are some highlights.

Sales is Getting Scientific

Click to start video at this point—Personality used to be the primary attribute of a successful salesperson. Someone with charisma and quick wit still has a leg up on his or her competitors, but personality is less important nowadays than it used to be. With the plethora of scientific data available, salespeople can research potential clients and arm themselves with valuable information.

Sales Tools to Leverage LinkedIn

Click to start video at this point—There are so many sales tools available today. Chad says to be selective in choosing these tools and make sure you identify your top 3-5 objectives before you plug in these sales tools. He recommended people look into tools like Ecquire, eGrabber, and SalesLoft, all of which are taking LinkedIn information and importing it into sales tools in structured and meaningful ways.

Make People Want to Work for Your Company

Click to start video at this point—One of the best ways to obtain and retain successful salespeople is to create a company that people want to work for. But that’s just the first thing. Let people see how great your company is, Chad suggested. Create a short video that shows your office and the people who work in it. That kind of video can be shared on social media, generating buzz about your company.

Field Reps Should be Open to Moving Inside

Click to start video at this point—The traditional model of inside sales reps providing leads for the field is going away, Chad said. The technology available today is allowing veteran field reps to work in an office and not get burned out because the potential leads are largely automated. The boon in inside sales has been a benefit to sales reps and their families, since reps don’t have to spend the same amount of time in the field.

You can connect with Chad and learn more about ConnectAndSell via the following resources:

Website: www.connectandsell.com

Twitter: @velocity_sales

Chad's Blog: highvelocitysales.wordpress.com

Stay tuned for more PowerViews.

By Dan McDade