MSP Sales Teams Are Not Just From IT Backgrounds Anymore
By Dennis O’Connell, Business Development Manager, HTG Peer Groups
I read an interesting interview by Jill Konrath of Brent Adamson, coauthor of “The Challenger Sale.” In the interview, Mr. Adamson talks about some of the research they have done around the point in the sale when the purchaser engages with the supplier.
His research shows that on average, the purchaser is 57 percent of the way from due diligence to closure when they reach out to the suppliers they believe can meet their needs. He goes on to say that the customers are doing most of their own research.
This research is the information that the technical sales folks used to have to deliver. I used to give presentations with how much RAM can be attached to a server and how many GB of data storage can be in a storage array.
These facts were the basis for the multi-hour PowerPoint presentations we used to give. Oh, I miss those days (not!).
As sales executives, we have moved to a relationship sale. I didn’t know why I needed to change but I saw that my interaction with the customer was changing. Mr. Adamson’s research now explains what I saw but couldn’t quantify.
We need to show our value proposition and help differentiate ourselves from our competitors. We need to ask hard questions to validate that the prospects research was valid. We need to make sure that their assumptions were correct.
Since we no longer need to talk speeds and feeds, the requirement to hire a sales executive with IT experience my not be as important. It is now time to hire a sales executive who fits your culture, has the ability to meet the needs of the company and can build relationships within the community to hopefully get invited into the conversation before the 57 percent mark.
In HTG we discuss topics like effectively training and mobilizing sales teams. We provide opportunities for sales leaders at our annual sales summits and Sales Leader Peer Groups. To learn more visit HTG Peer Groups.com.
Dennis O’Connell is part of a team of coaches and consultants serving the IT industry. Prior to joining the HTG Peer Groups staff, he spent almost 35 years in various roles on both the technical and sales side of IT companies including a large original equipment manufacturer (OEM) along with both large and small managed services provider. As a business owner, he created his own peer group to provide guidance and feedback for his company. He loves helping sales executives maximize their potential and their impact on their company’s bottom line. You can reach him at doconnell@htgpeergroups.com or on LinkedIn.