Selling

One of the most important positions in any technology company is that of the front-line revenue generator - the account executive or salesperson.  Sales are usually the primary revenue stream for a technology company.  Other revenue streams are available, and today's technology business should seek to develop them.  It's like divesting a portfolio.  No matter how great a particular stock is, it's probably a good idea to spread your investments around a bit, just in case.

Since selling a company's products and/or services is so important
to achieving the goal of profitability and success for a company,
this column will focus on sales as well as additional revenue
generation methods.

Successful sales can occur more frequently when sales are
considered as an integral part of a company's marketing and
PR efforts.   Taking this one step further, sales are the end
result of a company's successful marketing campaign.  Involving
the company's sales representatives in marketing is extremely
important, and marketing managers and sales managers should be
working closely together.

In the past, many technology sales efforts have been product
focused.  "We have the best backbone."  "We have multiple
network redundancy."  "We guarantee 99.9% uptime."  While these
are all admirable product features, consumers and business owners
respond better to consultative selling techniques.  This helps
prevent purchases based simply on price or on feature strengths
or weaknesses.  The salesperson takes the time to meet with the
client or prospect to learn as much as possible about that
person's business and needs.  If there's a good fit, and at the
point a presentation is created there usually is, a consultative
salesperson is able to show a client how their company's
particular product and/or service helps the client achieve their
own business goals.  The consultative salesperson helps the client
make the right business decision, which is usually to purchase a
particular product available from the company.

Marketing materials are important...they usually contain a lot
of product-focused information, and they're great tools salespeople
can use to help close sales and familiarize potential clients with
services available and information about their company.  As far as
sales techniques go, the salesperson should focus on his or her
relationship with a client, find out what the needs of the client
are, and whether or not there's a fit with products and/or service
offered by the company.  Remember that spending a few extra moments
qualifying your prospect helps them as much as it helps you.  If
the fit isn't really there, don't encourage the potential client
to make a purchase from your company.  As painful as that might
sound, you're not doing a service to your company or to the prospect
if you're not serving their needs.  A better approach is to make a
referral to a company that can accommodate the prospect's needs.
The chances are that when your prospect needs something you can
provide, you'll get the sale.  Be sure to follow up with them, and
remember to send a hand-written thank you card.

Mark Shander is Executive Producer at 1100AM KFNX and hosts
AZShowcases Radio, Saturday mornings from 7am-9am on the station.

He is responsible for Arizona's monthly Internet & Technology Showcase events.  His Web Sites are www.shander.com and
www.azshowcases.com.  Mark can be reached at mark@shander.com
or (480) 217-0030.

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