Sales Communication Solution Study

Sales Communication Solutions:
Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis
© 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Solution Study
By: Clare Price, VP Research
With: Kristen Maida, Research Analyst
April 2014

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Executive Summary
What is a Sales Communication Solution?
Benefits of Sales Communication Solutions
The Sales Communication Solutions Landscape
Communication Solutions Deployment Lifecycle
Vendor Selection Criteria
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About the Research Analysts
Our Solution Study Methodology
About Demand Metric
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Action Plan
Analyst Bottom Line
Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis
Effective Sales Enablement is a multi-stage process. In our Sales Enablement Solution Study Series we examine each key stage of Sales
Enablement from initial marketing and sales alignment to the final deal close and revenue capture.
In this report, we focus on the rapidly changing area of Sales Communication Solutions. From their legacy roots in primitive video
conferencing (Citrix, Connex, Webex) for enterprise meeting and collaboration, marketing and sales Communication Solutions have become
comprehensive platforms for everything from sales meetings to full scale 3D virtual tradeshows. It is safe to say that there is a Sales
Communication Solution available today for every size of company and budget.
The insights and analysis presented in this report are given to provide marketers with a comprehensive understanding of the Communication
Solutions landscape from the perspective of marketing and sales alignment and Sales Enablement. This Solution Study will cover:
 Definition of the Solution
 The Benefits of the Solution
 The Communication Solutions Landscape
If your organization is considering a sales communication platform for meetings, events or webinars; currently implementing a sales
communication platform system or providing a sales communication platform-related product or service, this report will provide you
with fresh insights on the technology, strategies and vendor solutions.
 Communication Solutions Deployment Lifecycle
 Vendor Selection Criteria
 Action Plan & Toolkit

In brief, Sales Communication Solutions make it easier for sales
teams to connect with customers and prospects, either live or
remotely through audio, video or web interfaces.
At Demand Metric, we define Sales Communication Solutions
as comprising the strategies, processes, technologies and tools
the support one-on-one, one-to-many or many-to-many sales
connections. These connections occur through content
development, participant/audience attraction, content
packaging and presentation, delivery, participate/audience
experience and metrics.
Assess the maturity level and capabilities of your current Sales
Communication Solutions with Demand Metric’s Webinar Program
Maturity Assessment.
WHAT IS A SALES COMMUNICATION SOLUTION?
Download
Figure 1: Webinar Program Maturity Assessment

Sales Communication Solutions are the lifeblood of the sales
connection. Without an effective way to reach prospects and
customers, sales teams struggle and often fail. The first priority,
and key benefit, of a Sales Communication Solution is simply
to connect sales teams to potential customers.
Today, with web, social media and mobile access and the increasing
sophistication of web casting, webinars and virtual events, that
simple connection point offers so much more to the Modern
Marketer intent on creating an enabled sales process. These
benefits include:
 Brand, Product & Service Awareness
 Demand Generation
 Lead Generation
 Lead Nurturing
 Shortening the Sales Cycle
 Streamlining the Sales Process
 Opportunity Management
 Prospect Engagement
 Product, Service & Solution Education
 Sales Presentations
 Training
 Customer Support
 Virtual Company Conferences & Events
 Virtual Tradeshows
BENEFITS OF SALES COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS

ABOUT THE RESEARCH ANALYSTS
Clare Price, VP Research – Demand Metric
Clare is an expert in marketing strategy, branding, strategic communications, sales enablement, social media marketing,
content marketing and leveraging marketing technologies. Clare is a former Gartner Research Director and helped build
their Internet Strategies Services division with clients such as Microsoft, IBM, HP, Cisco, Proctor & Gamble and Wells
Fargo. Her specialties include: brand strategy, brand development, customer acquisition and relationship development,
content and digital marketing strategy, sales enablement and social media marketing.
Kristen Maida, Research Analyst – Demand Metric
Kristen has worked with Demand Metric for the past 4 years, learning about and gaining experience in all aspects of
the organization. She has developed job functions in almost every department to help with Demand Metric’s rapid
growth. Her specialties include: social media marketing, digital marketing, content marketing & management and
business process development.

OUR SOLUTION STUDY METHODOLOGY
The Modern Marketing landscape is an ever changing, ever evolving environment in which new strategies, technologies, vendors and products
appear continually. Demand Metric Solution Studies provide marketers with a focus on a specific technology solution set or focus area so that
they are armed with the knowledge, information and tools they need to development effective strategies and action plans for their organizations.
Each Solution Study involves hours of analyst research, draws information from interviews with vendor executives and established vendor clients
for a specific technology solution and is usually accompanied by a mini Tool-kit of practical resources. Solution Study Tool-kits are designed to
provide marketers with the tools & templates they need to plan for an initiative in a given focus area, analyze the vendor landscape and select the
best vendor for their organization.
Our Sales Enablement report series includes Solution Studies on:
 Enablement Knowledge Management
 Configure, Price Quote (CPQ)
 Sales Intelligence
We provide a comprehensive overview of Sales Enablement in the companion report – Sales Enablement in 2013 Best Practices Report
 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
 Marketing Automation (MA)
 Sales Communications Tools

Solution Study
ABOUT DEMAND METRIC
Demand Metric is a global marketing research & advisory firm serving a membership community of over 40,000 marketing professionals,
CEOs, and business owners with advisory services, custom research & benchmarking reports, vendor studies, consulting methodologies,
training, and a library of 500+ tools and templates.
Using Demand Metric resources, members complete projects faster and with greater confidence, boosting respect for the marketing team and
making it easier to justify needed resources. Our 1,000+ clients range from start-ups to members of the Global 1000.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DEMAND METRIC
To read the rest of this Benchmark Report, become a Demand Metric member today!

Sales Communication Solution Study

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