IDC presents its Top 10 Predictions and an overview of our key findings & recommendations regarding the challenges of selling in 2009. Based on extensive primary research, IDC finds that technology organizations are cautiously optimistic and that high performing sales organizations are shifting investments from direct sales and some training to inside sales, better lead qualification, demand generation and sales enablement. If you are interested in discussing these findings further or to explore the changes your organization should consider to improve the likelihood of success in 2009, please contact me.

1. Selling in 2009: 10 Ways to Find, Win and Keep the Money Lee Levitt Director, Sales Advisory Practice www.SalesAdvisoryPractice.com

5. IT Buyer Confidence At Record Lows… Monthly poll of business managers and CIOs is lower than ever (poll started in 2002); index score below 1000 indicates predicted contraction in overall IT spending

7. How Bad Could It Get? 2009 Worldwide IT Spending Downside Scenario Source: IDC Q3 2008 Worldwide Black Book, Downside Scenario Model

9. IDC Forecasts Sales Expenses to Grow Slowly in 2009 Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 , IDC's CMO Tech Marketing Barometer, 2008 , IDC’s CMO Tech Marketing Benchmarks Study 2008 and IDC Q3 ’08 Black Book Avg. % (1.7%) 3.5% 5.1% 2.6% Rate of Growth, Year over Year

11. Revenue Projections Mostly on the Upside PROJECTED REVENUE GROWTH (relative to IDC segment projections for 2009) Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 Percent of Respondents

13. The 2009 Economy Drowns Out All Other Management Issues Percentage of respondents citing factor Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 Please describe the top three factors influencing your outlook for the next six months

15. Investment Risk Taking is Not Bad… How would you characterize your organization's sales investment/activity for the 2009 calendar year? (i.e., with respect to potentially increasing hiring and overall sales expenditures) “ Continuing to hire, but locking down expenses.” “ Will invest in markets where upside is seen, but divesting in markets that are particularly bad.” Percent of Respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

16. …But Sales Plans are Seeing an Impact To what extent is your company’s sales plan for 2009 being affected by the current economic environment? Percent of Respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

19. Sales Will be Expected to Do More with Less Percent Change in Budget/Quota Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

21. Sales Must Stay the Course, Despite Changes in Other Areas TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET Percent of Respondents % of Respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 If you already have your FY 2009 plans in place for the following items, do you expect to adjust them in response to the rapidly changing global economic conditions?

23. Demand Generation and Sales Enablement See Increases while Others Cut Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 How will your overall sales investment in the following functional areas change in calendar year 2009 compared to calendar year 2008? Percentage Decreasing vs. Percentage Increasing

25. Empowering The Sales Force Seeing Top Increases in Investment Percentage of Respondents Citing Area Please identify the sales program investment areas that have received the most increase in funding for calendar year 2009? Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

26. Sales Rep Productivity of Greatest Importance Working from a total pool of 100 points, please assign a point rating for how important each of the following is to your organization's sales activities during the 2009 calendar year. Sales Activity Importance Rating (out of a possible 100)

27. Investment Continues in Emerging Markets Percent of Respondents How will your overall sales investment in the following regions change in calendar year 2009 compared to calendar year 2008? Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

30. Sales Headcount Shifts to the Inside Percentage Decreasing vs. Percentage Increasing Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 In what sales areas will you be changing headcount (in your organization) in calendar year 2009?

31. Productivity Improving, But Still Room for Improvement Percentage of Respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009 How would you rate the overall sales productivity of your sales organization?

32. Marketing and Sales Still Need Greater Alignment On a scale of 1 to 100, where 1 is mis-aligned and 100 is perfectly aligned, please indicate the alignment rating between marketing and sales along the following dimensions: Average Alignment Rating Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

34. Sales Cycles are Getting Longer… Over the last six months, how has the length of your sales cycle changed? Percentage of respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

35. …and More Leads are Needed to Win Over the last six months, how has the number of leads necessary to close a deal changed? Percentage of respondents Source: IDC’s Tech Sales Barometer 2009

36. IDC 2009 Tech Sales Barometer Executive Guidance

41. The Sales Advisory Practice Team Lee Levitt Program Director Sales Advisory Practice Phone: 508-988-7974 Michael Gerard Research Vice President Executive Advisory Group Phone: 508-988-6758