Get Sold and Get Going on Creating Your Sales Engineers
In an era where buyers need complete confidence in their business relationships, most favor vendors they can trust to provide the most understandable and least risky solutions possible. This is not surprising considering how much new technology and science is now built into most products and services they buy. And there’s much more on the way. The US News and World Report’s latest report of top careers shows why. Nearly every emerging job is in a narrow technical specialty that is exponentially creating knowledge that will need to be understood by untrained or educated buyers.
Capable buyers know they must process technical information that’s flooding in from all sides. To do so they will need more interpreters, advisers and reconcilers who can instill confidence by comfortably explaining how a technical product meets a layman’s objectives. But from where? In business it seems there is a widening gap between those who can invent technology and those who buy the results of technology. Historically only large corporations have employed staff who are technically educated, can sell product features, and then train a user in how to make money. These “sales engineers” who can leverage and communicate what they know have always been in great demand. But smart business owners like you have always served as your firm’s “sales engineer. You can seize this opportunity if you find and train sales people to sell like you do. Your sales ability, product knowledge and confidence built your business and its success. Now it is time to pay your knowledge forward. To profitably grow to the next level, you need to leverage your expertise and experience through your emerging employees. So take the cue of the sales engineer. You’re your most empathetic people and enhance their grasp of your products or take your technicians who are friendly and communicative and give them more opportunities to teach, train and sell.
In an environment where more things are being bought by buyers only as needed rather than being than sold to consumers acting on impulse, the best way to increase your sales and protect your margins is to sell your expertise and improving the experience of your customer. Do this by teaching and projecting what you do before it’s too late.
Secret #1 for Growth: Train Someone to Sell and Communicate Better Than You
I’d like to point you to a piece I’ve just written titled, “Secret #1 for Growth: Train Someone to Sell and Communicate Better Than You” which was recently published and covers the benefits of training one or more of your employees to communicate and sell – even better than you.
Because we all know, many small business owners are already wearing enough hats and as much as we may like to at times – we simply cannot clone ourselves. Below is a short excerpt from the piece:
“In business it seems there is a widening gap between those who can invent technology and those who buy the results of technology. Large corporations have historically dealt with this challenge by employing specialized staff who were technically educated, could communicate and sell product benefits, and then train a user in how to use them. These “sales engineers” could bridge the widening communications gap. They have always been in great demand.”
If you’re a small business owner and your head is heavy from all of the hats you are wearing, you may want to take a minute to read the entire piece titled, “Secret #1 for Growth: Train Someone to Sell and Communicate Better Than You.”
And always remember, a great staff can lighten your load, convey benefits, and demystify your products for your customers.
*NOTE: This article is originally published at Small Business Trends.*
Three Ways To Ensure Your Social Media Efforts Create Profitable Growth
Recently, I ranted about how blogging and tweeting are often incompatible with generating qualified leads or closed sales (“To Tweet or to Sell”).
But if you run a business, how do you know if your tweeting and blogging are making you money?
To read the rest go HERE.
This article is published on the AMERICAN EXPRESS OPEN Small Business Forum.
Make This Your Most Profitable Year Ever – Profitability Tips
Recently, Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends interviewed me during our recent webinar and came up with several excellent ideas for you including 45 ways you can improve your profitability in 2010. Read More….
