Maybe the traditional software buyers (CIO, COO, et.al.) still need to be convinced, but that's an easier conversation to have when a number of people inside the company are already using the free/light-featured version of the service.

I'm not sure the old fashioned type of marketing the article describes is really necessary anymore.

Back in the .com boom days, I was at a startup developing online negotiated trade software. The sales team had figures where only about 15% or so of sales to large corporations are turnkey products. The remaining 85% or so are customized in some form or another. And that means rounds of communication between vendor and purchaser. I'm not sure if the actual percentages were accurate, but if even in the ballpark, and the difference in acquiring turnkey versus custom goods, then old fashioned negotiated trade, either phone/in person or electronic, will be in fashion still for quite some time to come.

[Edit] The percentages were for sales in total dollar amount.

That's always going to be true for "front door" sales (where the product is presented to management ahead of users).

But I was referring to "back door" situations: http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2004/08/19/BackDoor

I mostly agree with you in the case of "back door" sales, where groups are able to make turnkey purchases as part of a group's given budget or purchasing plan. Then it is not like you are dealing with a large corporation or a large sale which requires all the planning needed to justify the purchase.