While this pre-assumption is somewhat true,I would rather approach this from different perspective.

For example: Ever read the 48 laws of power? The concept is,use others and get credit for it.Engineers and scientists have great,innovative and creative minds but the problem is,we lack the "mapping"/bridging between the academia world and the business world.How is the innovative we(Engineers and scientists) helping the organization add value to organizations/business.How will such solutions add the shareholders returns.The moment we bridge this gap,then we can make more money than sales people who likes to make alot of "necessary noise".

Secondly,not all sales people make alot of money.The angle that you sell your solution is an interplay of many factors.Assuming that am selling an internet solution/web solution,and I want to sell you the product.If I am selling this to a strategic manager,I would use scenario cases where my solution adds value to the business.Something that solves a potential challenge/problem the business is experiencing.For example,how does the product enhance communication,promote corporate culture,collaboration and by studying the organization's operations,I can use Real situations to highlight how my solution will solve and add value to the business.A wrong approach would be:"This solution has this feature,that feature" eg this solution has document management module which enhances document management.I would use the following example/scenario: "I have noticed that your organization has several offices across the country/region.Sharing of ducuments over the email might be a challenge to you as some documents may be huge enough to be attached to emails.Moreover,you use alot of money and time sending documents via Courier to other offices.Your documents,I understand are located in different locations and requires/has extra investments coz of file server acquisition".My solution solves this problem as follows.The solution organizes the documents in different categories such as common documents eg leave application documents,departmental documents eg sales and marketing documents which will available to marketing dept.The company deploys projects which draws employees from different departments eg computer expert,sales person,engineer,project manager.The solution allows creation of a group eg "Project ABC" where all these employees share documents,exchange ideas and feedback,IM each other on the progress etc.etc.I believe this is a better approach I guess

To a techie,sell features such as scalability,multiplatform support,security,backup and recovery ability,easy management etc still highlighting how it can help in realizing the ultimate business goals.

Thirdly,read widely.See and research what competitors are doing.Try to study what you can add/do to make it even a better product.

Finally,a great product is self selling.Even if its expensive,the value complements this.

Thats my approach.[Ever wondered why grade C/Pass/2nd lower guys employs the 1st class guys yet the Pass guys have more cash than the 1st class guys]?Bridge the gap and you will definitely sell.



"Try reading Sales Classic books eg 'How I raised myself from failure to success in selling'"


Thats my approach:

steve

http://www.stevemutungi.com
http://stevemutungi.blogspot.com

On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 5:09 PM, Philip Musyoki <pmusyoki@gmail.com> wrote:
If history is anything to go by, it is the engineers who have made the money. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Michael Shuttleworth and the list is endless. The salesmen have made money that has trickled down from the engineers. These are Steve Ballmer and the ilk.


On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 5:06 PM, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
Quiet an absolute mathematical conclusion, but doubtful if I consider
the salespeople in Kenya!

On 26/06/2009, I. Ati <mueni0@gmail.com> wrote:
> Engineers and scientists will never make as much money as salespeople. Now a
> rigorous mathematical proof explains why this is true:
>
> Postulate 1: Knowledge is Power.
> Postulate 2: Time is Money. As every engineer knows...
> Work/Time = Power
> Since Knowledge = Power, and Time = Money, we have:
> Work/Money = Knowledge
> Solving for Money, we get: Work/Knowledge = Money
>
> Thus, as Knowledge approaches zero, Money approaches infinity regardless of
> the Work done.
>
> Conclusion: The less you know, the more you make.
>
> --
> Q: Why are politicians proof of reincarnation?
>
> A: You just can't get that screwed up in one lifetime.
>


--
Solomon Mburu
P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi
Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041

Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all
the same way to the side of a hill!

AND

It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
_______________________________________________
Skunkworks mailing list
Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke
http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks
Other services @ http://my.co.ke
Other lists
-------------
Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce
Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science
kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general


_______________________________________________
Skunkworks mailing list
Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke
http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks
Other services @ http://my.co.ke
Other lists
-------------
Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce
Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science
kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general




--
steve mutungi
System Developer/programmer
[ www.stevemutungi.com ]