Just Said It

I am working with the Control Systems Integrator Association (CSIA) as a member of the Sales Excellence Council. The objective of the sales council is to document best practices which define the key sales elements for the typical control systems integrator. A control system sale is typically a complex solution sale of sophisticated technology. Both the seller and the client buyer are generally well educated and well informed. At the same time the control systems market is amass with several different technologies from different vendors which can confuse the process. There are standards which can define best practices, but the number of standards make the term somewhat of an oxymoron.

p>One of the group's current priorities is to define sales practices for making technical personnel productive in the sales process. To be successful at this we are breaking the process into three steps:

1. Define the technical person's role in the sales process.
2. Define the personality profile of the individual who can be successful in a sales role.
3. Define how to train and manage that person to be successful.

Trying to turn a technologist into an effective sales person can be done with a percentage of technical personnel, but the percentage is small and often at odds with the individual's personal goals. None the less, the complexity of the solution sale requires the direct involvement of technical personnel to build credibility and trust with the client. The more complex the sale the more involvement required from technical person to drill into the client's needs, define the technical solution, and make the client understand how the technical approach will meet their needs.

I am excited to be a part of this program with the CSIA, but at the same time I caution my readers not to expect too much. I am personally an advocate that selling is a specialized aptitude and trying to rely on the "selling technical" person to deliver all of your sales is a formula for disaster. Of the people that will fit the profile, I predict that at least 50% will, or already have, started their own business.

This is a favorite subject of mine so look for more information to come out soon.