If utilized properly, sales engineers can be an amazing asset. Since most decisions involve IT, our buyers are more technical and will continue to be sharper in the next several years. The need for a technical resource to support the sales team is and will continue to be necessary. Unfortunately, our sales engineers are usually stuck being the “answer guy” when they could steal the show and help you secure business.
What is the best thing to do when utilizing sales engineers? Make sure they are prepared for more than just the technical requirements. They should know the politics, personalities, and manner in which they need to perform. Many times a sales meeting will end without a conclusion because the sales engineer did what he was supposed to do: answer questions. That’s the sales person’s fault for not preparing the sales engineer. Rule #1 to utilizing a sales engineer is to prepare them and practice with them before every meeting.
At minimum, spend 30 minutes at a Starbucks reviewing this type of information.
