The other day I went to a fascinating event hosted by Clarify Solutions. It was a guest panel discussing issues around how to build and measure high performance sales and marketing teams in software. This was actually quite an interesting experience in its own right, both in terms of the people present at the event and the people on the panel, all highly experienced and able individuals. One of the most interesting questions that came up was whether an outstanding sales rep is born or trained.

I'd recently had a similar conversation with a colleague who almost took offence at the concept that their 'art' of sales could be trained. Having gone through gruelling IBM sales school training myself I have certainly seen individuals who have a natural flair for the role but also tools and techniques that can be used by anyone to improve their success rate.

There is certainly something about individuals who come across as 'natural' sales people - outgoing, pushy, always seem to end up convincing their friends to go to their favourite bar or eat at their favourite restaurant. But my view, and that expressed at the event, is that as naturally charismatic as someone is, at the Enterprise sales level the ability to manage the sales process and ensure there is alignment at all levels (from executive to technical) within the customer is far more important. Not only that but the software business is moving away from the second had car sales approach, and more of a consultative model - understanding the customer's business problem better than the customer themselves, and aligning the suppliers product at all levels in the organisation to the business issues.

That opens up another challenge - how do you gauge this and identify the skills required to be a good sales individual in a 60 minute interview? This was another question posed to the panel but the answer will wait for another post...

Comments

There are currently 2 comments about this blog.

Jon Mell, 9 months ago

Ed, do you think this is a difference in the product world and services world? The panel and the attendees were in the main product people, concerned with shipping servers and/or software licenses as opposed to great consultants. Or do you think the pre-sold enquiry model can work in a product business?

ed percival, 9 months ago

jon, there are a number of considerations here. 1. how do you find out about people in 60 minutes? just get them to tell you how they have done things in the past. do this with no judgement and they will open up and tell you.they reveal how are. people don't change - they are not going to suddenly become an aggressive closer when they join you if they never have been,in the same way they won't turn into consultative types if they never have been. 2.most organisations don't bother to find out how to sell their service successfully, so they don't go into the recruitment process clear about what they want.so nothing gets better. 3. enlightened companies are investing in the relationships that provide a stream of pre-sold enquiries. they go around town telling everyone " use trovus for your internet consulting, pay their fees and do as they say" that way, you just need great consultants to deliver more great work. easy, really. ed percival

Leave a Reply