Sales Communication Solution Study

1. 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

2. 3 4 5 6 9 13 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 18 19 20 About the Research Analysts Our Solution Study Methodology About Demand Metric 15 17 Action Plan Analyst Bottom Line Table of Contents 3 4 5 6 9 13 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 18 19 20 About the Research Analysts Our Solution Study Methodology About Demand Metric 15 17 Action Plan Analyst Bottom Line Table of Contents

3. 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 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

4. 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? © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis Download Figure 1: Webinar Program Maturity Assessment 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? © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis Download Figure 1: Webinar Program Maturity Assessment

5. 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 © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis 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 © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis

6. ABOUT THE RESEARCH ANALYSTS © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 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. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis ABOUT THE RESEARCH ANALYSTS © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 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. Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis

7. 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 © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.  Customer Relationship Management (CRM)  Marketing Automation (MA)  Sales Communications Tools Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis 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 © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.  Customer Relationship Management (CRM)  Marketing Automation (MA)  Sales Communications Tools Sales Communication Solutions: Insights, Landscape & Vendor Analysis

8. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 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! © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 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!