The selling dynamic has changed dramatically in the last four years. A recent study revealed that 80% business-to-business purchases start with prospects searching online and finding a solution themselves. Only 20% of sales result from sales rep taking the first step and contacting a prospect.

If you're not engaging that 80% that are actively looking, you're missing a huge number of leads and potential sales. Does this mean you don't need to make cold calls or make time for traditional prospecting? Of course not. But what it does mean is that you need to allocate resources to getting in front of and connecting with that majority of qualified prospects  searching for what you have to sell.

Connecting with qualified leads is more like fishing than it is hunting. Since most of the qualified leads are already searching for a solution online, you just need to be in front of them at the right time. Put the right bait in the right places and you can create a steady flow of leads contacting you.