Sales are not often traditionally thought of as a social process. But the behavior of the modern customer is changing. Customers today, in many ways that we'll explain, can increasingly be described as "social customers," prompting the contemporary sales organization and even the individual salesperson to rethink how they sell. And that can be daunting for many reasons.

The implications for salespeople are significant. They have to understand that generating leads, managing opportunities and closing deals need fresh approaches and skills in utilizing tools that help enrich customer insights. Because whether it’s a B2B or B2C sale, the customer is expecting you, the sales maven and your company, to know them and what they want. That means that sales intelligence and engaging in the networks the customer participates in are of critical importance.

In this e-book, The Customer Collective has recruited top corporate leadership and thought leaders who sell in a variety of industry sectors to guide you through this change. Understand that as industry-specific as they may be, there are universal and vital lessons to be learned from these experienced leaders in the new wave of selling:

• Learn how high-tech, non-profits, retail, sports and telcos leverage new strategies to engage with customers.
• Develop strategies to use social networks to generate leads and cultivate relationships.
• Learn how companies like newScale and ConnectandSell are using LinkedIn and Twitter.
• Participate in the conversations that your newly empowered consumers are having.

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