For most security companies, sales professionals are expected to build the relationships with the architectural and engineering firms, and security consultants. For many reason, this expectation can be very challenging. First of all, the sales person is expected to perform this month. Any productive work with a specifier will pay dividends in a year or more. Another factor is the limited time this audience can spare for sales people. They are billable, and when they’re meeting with someone, they’re not billable – you do the math. Finally, sales people typically aren’t trained how to most effectively work with architects, engineers, and consultants. This week we’re going to discuss three best practices in working with A&E firms and security consultants, and hopefully will make this daunting job much simpler.
Imaging that you woke up tomorrow morning and your plumbing in one of your bathrooms had backed up. Would you call a general contractor? No, you’d most likely jump on the internet and find a reputable plumber. Now, imagine that you knew of a strong plumber in the area because they’ve proven their competence to you in one way or another. Would you still invest time searching the internet? Most people would simply call the plumber they knew was an expert. This anecdote leads us to Best Practice #1…
Become a Specialist. Although it’s usually in the design phase, a specifier is often dealing with some type of an issue. If you can position yourself as the expert in a certain area, you’ll get the call. Your specialty can be a vertical market, an application, or a technology. For example, you could be known as the transportation guru, a point of sale video authority, or an expert of managed access control. Hopefully your company will develop the core messaging and direction, but you don’t have to wait for them – just move forward. Obviously, pick something that is congruent with your company’s vision and deliverable, but don’t be afraid to move forward and create your own specialty.
Remember, no one calls a generalist anymore. Become that expert, and you’ll be shocked how many calls you get about other items… simply because specifiers want to talk with people that they can trust.
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