For guidance in Selling 2.0, look back a century or two

Selling 2.0, the application of social networks to the sales process, is the hot topic of the day. Marketers and selling professionals worldwide are scratching their heads to determine how to approach this new customer psychology. What many don’t realize is that the underlying framework of social networks is based on old school values, such as authenticity, trust, and personal relationships.

In the 1800’s, sales were made based on groups of customers sharing information. Guilds, clubs and informal networks were the driver behind purchasing behaviors. Few sales were “made” by a dedicated salesperson, who didn’t have much influence in industry until the next century. Certainly the modern interpretation of ‘brand’ had very little to do with it. And most of last century’s marketing channels such as broadcast did not exist then.

What did exist was authentic trust relationships and customer referrals. Bankers attended the same church as their customers, tool makers marketed to farming groups and were person to person, and people relied on others to suggest and recommend the products they bought.

Selling 2.0 is all about these things – but with the added impact, speed and network effect of online technology.

What’s old is new again.