I was reading a discussion on LinkedIn today about sales engineers; that supposedly magical mix of technical expertise and sales acumen. The woman posting asserted that “the two personalities are on opposite sides of the spectrum”…and I thought to myself, “Really?” I wonder what she means…
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After all,
Great engineers figure out processes, fix things, and incorporate innovative products/services into existing systems to create efficiencies. They make things work.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers know when something won’t work NOW or ever at all and they don’t pretend that it will.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers know how to ask straight questions, get to the heart of the problem, and give straight answers.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers know when a workaround can really work — and they bring creativity to the situation — solving the problem.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers listen first and get ALL the relevant facts before they propose a solution.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers know when something else will work better and are willing to share that information freely.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers know their product inside and out and understand where it fits in the marketplace.
So do great salespeople.
Great engineers ask, “How can we?”
So do great salespeople.
You get the idea!
So, if I were a sales engineer and I was asked the tough question, “Am I more engineer or sales?” I would say “both”.
As long as I know how to listen for the problem, determine if we have a solution, and propose the right mix of products/services to either meet or exceed the client’s goals, then I can be your top engineer and salesperson every time.
Love the engineer in you UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
It’s me: the Contrarian. 🙂
I get your point here, and I like your shift of perspective. Sales can be very much like engineering. I also think that lady may have been comparing selective ELEMENTS in those 2 worlds.
Bringing facts to an engineering team are different from bringing facts to a potential client. Engineering facts could involve death, malfunctioning toys, appliances that vibrate themselves apart, etc. Facts presented to a potential client can be met with a blah, “that’s interesting.”
Can we say that all of this converges in the world of art? Engineers can come up with elegant solutions. Sales definitely can be artistic, creative, and elegant.