I often wonder if I’m the only one who has noticed how salesmanship has changed in the last decade. It doesn’t seem that long ago when salesmanship was only about providing a product and/or service to a customer in a geographical region. Well, how times have changed, thanks to social media.

As technology advances, the way our customers research products also changes. Some think exploring cyberspace is merely a matter of keystrokes and moving a mouse. Most of us have found that social media is imperative to sales success, but many of us haven’t a clue how it all works. Today’s technology, like social media and CRM (customer relationship management) software, leave us looking for ways to comprehend it all. This makes it challenging for CEOs, owners and sales managers. Benjamin Franklin said it best. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

As we look to the future, the traditional sales approach of answering phone calls and making personal cold calls may end up being lost. The focus is shifting to electronic communications and social media. However, in this climate, connections such as those made and strengthened at in-person events such as the annual CBSA Convention are ever more important.

In addition, keeping CBSA members abreast of the copper industry news, CBSA has developed new technological ways to present value by means of online webinars, two free monthly e-newsletters (Capsules and Flash) and now the quarterly publication presented by our Chief Economist Alan Beaulieu, CBSA Advisor.

Many of the computer generation millennials prefer the email approach, so hopefully, social media will be their method of choice to keep building business relationships effectively. After all, isn’t that what sales is all about?

Dicky Farmer

CBSA President