I was talking to JD about blogging, and he suggested that it would be a good idea to blog about falsehoods working in sales. He suggested that “most geeks don’t like sales folk.” So in the interest of better sales/delivery relationships everywhere here are a few of my thoughts.

All sales do is drink wine and coffee

OK, its true, we do drink more than the average bear. But it is not all we do - what delivery don’t always see is the hours spent on proposals, all the customer meetings, time spent learning about customers, prospecting, writing/updating account plans, call plans (planning for customer meetings), training…..

Sales people aren’t as smart as delivery

Sales people wouldn’t always know how to do delivery’s job - granted, but it doesn’t mean we lack brain capacity. Sales people have to be able to think on there feet, have a breadth of knowledge of the product/service they are selling, and be able to communicate with people on all different levels. We are not dumb, just different

“We are honest, and you are in sales”

There is a perception that sales people are dishonest. I concede that in some cases this may be true - but good sales people, working for forward thinking companies are not dishonest. In fact, honesty goes a very long way in sales, helping build long term relationships with customers that creates value for both sides (this is the ultimate in sales). In fact if you are a dishonest sales person, or someone from delivery who doesn’t believe what they are reading, check out this great blog posting I stumbled across recently.

Sales never cost properly

Sales costing to “win the work” is something that is often complained about. This is a half truth, but I think that the point has been missed. Often sales is in the privileged position of knowing the customers budget. If the budget is fixed, then there is no point going in unrealistically high - you need to meet your customers needs within the budget available. This can be met by ensuring that scope is fixed, and can realistically fit into the budget, offering “good, better, best” options can also help.

Sales don’t care about delivery

This is one of the silliest things that I have ever heard. In sales, our job is to sell delivery. We therefore have a strong interest in deliveries success, and the individuals that ensure that success. And even more than that if delivery focus on customers, network, build themselves professionally and do a kick ar$e job, then sales jobs are so much easier. So smart sales people care a lot about delivery.

Sales don’t work as hard as delivery

Having once been in delivery I remember feeling this one myself (it would be honest to say that it even played a small role in the move into a sales roll). I know that it can sometimes seem that sales “clocks out at 5″ even if delivery are working late getting something finished. What delivery don’t always see is the late nights finishing a proposal because we have been meetings all day. Or the nights away from home on sales trips. Or the late nights out with customers (yes - this is still work!).

Filed under: Sales, Ramblings by Louie Date 23 October, 2007