For Sales Engineers, Technical Sales Representatives, Scientists, 'Techies', Engineering Consultants and other professional disciplines, and anyone in engineering, science or technology who has a sales component to their job. Practical ideas on how to sell technology, win profitable orders and find new clients for technical products and services of all kinds.

A structured method for Engineering, Scientific and Technology companies to find new clients and win profitable orders.

Lessons in sales technique for 'techies' of all kinds, engineering consultants and other professional disciplines. If you think that finding good clients is the hardest part of your job, get this book and read it today.

(By the way the title is a little misleading; it's not exclusively for engineers - that's short for all varieties of techies & scientists with a sales component to their job)

Hello,

I'm Robert Seviour.                     Are you in a hurry? - click here for a summary

Originally a mechanical engineer, in my late twenties I went into technical sales and found I had a talent for it; then twenty spent five years selling a variety of tech products and services and running my own companies. Since 1993 I have presented sales training courses for every kind of technical company, one-man-bands to multinationals. The products varied enormously, from the most advanced science, through to traditional engineering.

Doing this I discovered that very few people with a sales role in engineering or scientific companies ever have formal training in how to sell.

'How important is ability in sales and marketing to the success of your company?'

I put this question to the seminar delegates and the answers, reliably, are, 'Vital, critical, essential'. 

Then I enquire, 'How much time have you personally put into learning something about these subjects?' The reply is often. 'The last ten minutes.'

Sales Engineers need sales training

There are very good reasons to have a good level of sales skill:

• If you know that your approach to sales is correct, you feel a lot more confident;  in itself that helps you win more orders.

• Prospecting for new business is not difficult if you understand the key principles. Otherwise it can be hard and frustrating with little to show for a lot of effort.

• Recent world changes mean that the level of competition in every activity is far greater. Often for the customer there is little to choose between suppliers. The order is likely to go to the company which does the best job at selling.

• To maintain an acceptable level of profit, you need to resist requests for discounts. It is quite natural for a buyer to ask, and you need to be prepared with an effective reply.

• Many 'techie' sales presentations are simply dreadful. But it doesn't have to be like that. There is a simple, professional structure you can use to get your point across successfully.

• Some customers are difficult people. But there are ways to handle them and get the order, if you know how.

• There will always be objections. Do you have a good answer when a prospect says:

  'It's too expensive'.

  'I'm getting other quotes'.

  'We're happy with our existing supplier'.

  'I want to think about it'. 

  If you don't know what to say, you are not going to get the order and the work you have put in will have been for nothing. But there are some very effective responses. Just knowing them will make you more confident.

• Does your company have a high quotes to orders ratio?  It's a symptom of weak selling. You'll learn what to do about it

• If you are a sales manager, you'll know that there is so much additional work that your reps could be picking up if they only opened their eyes and asked a few questions when they are with customers. The problem is that many technical people are not very commercially aware. Sales education can only help. 

That's my specialty; I have personally taught over 6,000 people in 8 countries in North America, UK and Europe, an ethical, structured approach to sales appropriate for professional people.    

An exercise in progress at a 'Selling for Engineers' seminar - April 2005

The information is also contained in a range of manuals covering all the aspects of sales-improvement for 'techie' organisations. Apart from 'Selling for Engineers', there is guide to 'Sales Prospecting for Engineers' and 'How to Hire a Good Technical Salesperson'. All contain practical ideas that will make your work easier and more successful.

In-house event, May 2005

Here is a vast (really enormous - list of companies) that have either put people on the seminar or bought the course manuals.

Course topics

* Why sales is important.

* Ethical selling (and why the 'old way' doesn't work now).

* How to prospect for new business - 5 good methods.

* The essential element you must include for an effective sales letter. 

* Setting appointments - what to say on the phone and get past the 'secretary-barrier'.  

* Meeting the prospect - the sales interview:

* A structured approach to the meeting - your objectives.

* Sales interview technique - discovering the buying motivations.

* 'Qualifying' the prospect

* Professional questioning - the two key words which obtain strategic information.

* Professional listening, to capture strategic information.

The sales presentation

* Your objectives -  generate customer confidence and deal with foreseeable objections.

* A 4 stage formula which gives you the best chance of success.

* Understand the importance of the 'What's in it for me?' factor.

* The common mistakes and how to avoid them.

* Understand the personality type of the buyer and adapt your message accordingly.

* The trap of the friendly, helpful buyer.

* Dealing with 'difficult' buyers.

* Presenting to academics and experts.

Closing the sale

* The right way to ask for commitment.

* The best (and simplest) closing technique.

* Seven classic closes.

* Good answers to difficult objections.

* Getting a positive decision from indecisive people.

* Upselling - expanding the order .

Common reasons for lack of sales success - and what to do about them.

* Handling rejection. 

* Building your confidence.

* Keeping your motivation high  

* How to win repeat business.

* Professional complaint-handling

* How to grow fast but stay successful long-term.

As you can see, there is a lot of content, so a one-day event is fast-paced. When two days are available it is possible to spend more time practicing the key skills. With a third day, we make live telephone sales calls and arrange sales appointments.

The instruction is at a professional level and is intended for new recruits, people converting from other roles into sales, external sales representatives, business owners, sole practitioners, consultants, sales managers and even experienced sales people who need a refresher. 

'Selling for Engineers' is particularly useful if yours is a small to medium sized, specialized company, you need to win new clients and contracts and you have received little or no formal sales training.  

If you are interested in attending a public course, please send me a message and I will forward you details of forthcoming events. With six or more delegates the course can be run 'in-house' for your company, with the content tailored to focus on your specific issues. The events can be presented world-wide.

Course Manuals

The full content of the 'Selling for Engineers' and two related subjects are also contained in these manuals.

You can download the books at any time. They come in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format, which has many advantages; it's quicker and cheaper for you and me and there are no 'lost in the post' problems.

So I invite you to take a look. I think you'll enjoy them. The knowledge they contain, distilled from practical experience doing the job, is worth many times the price. 

There are three separate manuals. 

This link takes you straight to the ordering page for: 

'Selling for Engineers'   

And these links take you to information pages containing the chapter headings and introductions for each manual:

'Sales Prospecting for Engineers'

'How to Hire a Good Technical Salesperson

The 'Selling for Engineers' manual has the full course contents of the seminar of the same name. Price USD $37.00 (equal to approx £20.65 GBP).  

'Sales Prospecting for Engineers' takes you step-by-step through the process of finding new clients for any type of technical product or professional service. $47.00  (equal to approx £27.00 GBP). 

'How to Hire a Good Technical Salesperson' will greatly improve your chances of finding an excellent recruit. $47.00  (equal to approx £27.00 GBP). 

The books are written at a professional level, in an easy-to-read style and packed with 'paradigm-shifting' insights (nasty bit of jargon, but it's true) - and jokes. 

I know from the many letters and comments I've received that you will enjoy the books and learn ideas which are directly relevant to the job. But if you don't agree, there is no risk. All are offered on a money-back basis. 

Here is a customer comment I appreciate very much:

I recently downloaded your book Selling for Engineers, which I found very useful.

I'd like to get a copy of 'Sales Prospecting for Engineers' .

btw,  the collection of Engineer jokes is great!  

Cheers,  

IT Executive, Brisbane, Australia  

(His company policy doesn't permit me to say who he is or the corporation he works for, but when you think of the oldest and biggest computer company in the world, which one comes to mind?)

* * * * * * *

Dear Robert,

We were delighted with the manuals.  

I took your manuals into the first marketing meeting and left it with them. At the second review meeting the Production Director found them so good that he couldn't put them down.  

The conscience consideration (we could have quite easily put it through the automatic copier and then sent them back to you with a note saying we are not interested) was not allowed by virtue of the fact that they were so good and we were delighted with them.  

When you are driving a company forward some tools are useful and some are essential. These manuals are not only good value for money but they fill all the gaps we have been looking for.  

At our last marketing meeting I said that I was so pleased that I would be getting in touch with you. It was the realisation that you are not a large company but a small company that has put an awful lot of effort into a very good product  

Colin Dawson

Managing Director, Daletech Electronics Ltd  

* * * * * * *

The quotes are genuine. Here is a photo of the original letters blu-tacked to my office wall.

"I recently read a book entitled Prospecting for Engineers by Robert Seviour. It was written in simple, plain English and made a lot of sense from a practical point of view (totally the opposite to a lot of theoretical business books I have tried to read). I got the impression he is a very, practical, down to earth sort of guy."  

Mark Robinson

Managing Director

Starret Precision Optical Ltd.  

  * * * * * * *

Dear Robert  

I am writing to you to let you know how invaluable we have found your manuals 'Selling for Engineers' & 'How to Create Powerful Technical Sales Literature'  

For a small High Tech company staffed mainly by engineers we have found the manuals so good we are delighted to recommend them to anyone that needs to focus on advertising and selling their products and services.

At first our engineers were reluctant to even look at them. However shortly after one of them took up the challenge, it became apparent we had to ration the manuals as they were all after them with an enthusiasm I have never witnessed in the company

Thank you for such a fine piece of work.

Yours sincerely,

Ronald G Kerner

Technical Director

Turning Systems Ltd  

  * * * * * * *

Dear Mr Seviour

I have just read your two books, 'Selling for Engineers' and 'How to Create Powerful Technical Sales Literature'. I found them both full of extremely wise pointers and comments. I believe the principles presented by the books are absolutely right!

Congratulations on the books.

Paul Bentley

PJB Business Development  

* * * * * * *

. . . . The price is absolutely reasonable. . . .

Rolf K. Bratli  

* * * * * * *

From those hundreds of training meetings and thousands of participants, I have one certain conclusion; engineers, typically, get little or no formal help in learning how to do the 'sales' part of their job. They have told me that, I haven't dreamed it up. There is practically no formal education for it. Check with a recent graduate and ask whether sales has been included anywhere in their science course. 

But you are only a click away from it now.

The links take you to the ordering page. When your credit card is authorised, you can download the manuals immediately.

'Selling for Engineers'   

And these links take you to information pages containing the chapter headings and introductions for each manual:

'Sales Prospecting for Engineers'

'How to Hire a Good Technical Salesperson

The delegates at my seminars pay  $600 for the same information!

You are completely safe in ordering this manual because if you don't like it, simply forward your receipt (emailed to you when you purchase) to refunds@clickbank.com and your payment will be instantly refunded. ClickBank is a neutral 3rd party that enforces the money-back guarantee. 

Here are a couple of examples of what you'll learn.

At the seminar I introduce the first idea like this;  'I've been doing all the talking. Now it's your go. Turn to the person next to you and, for a couple of minutes, attempt to sell your cellular phone to him or her. Do it as though you really needed the money. I'm going to listen to the words you use'.

This creates uproar in the room. Some people don't believe I'm serious, others get going enthusiastically. Within half a minute, the noise is terrific, they are all deep into their sales pitches and I catch snatches of dialogue, 'It's got a web browser / you can use it hands-free'. The chatter continues for about two minutes, then begins to subside, apart from the last motivated hagglers, utterly determined to get the deal.

Everybody has fun with the exercise and there is a lot of laughter, but the time comes for me to reveal the purpose. 

A fundamental mistake - which loses you orders

'Who did the most talking in your role-play, the buyer or the seller?' After a second's reflection, someone answers, 'The seller'.

'Was that the same for the rest of you?' They reply 'Yes'.

'Does that make sense, that the seller does most of the talking?'

'No'.

'What should you be doing?'

'Asking the customer questions to find out what he needs?'  

Once I've pointed this out, it's obvious. Of course you should find out what the customer needs (and wants - they usually aren't quite the same thing). Because if you don't, how can you make a sensible presentation to him or her? But the role-players do, consistently, is the reverse.

Since I give them no warning about what I am going to ask them to do, their way of acting must be directed by some instinct deep in their heads. It doesn't make sense, but it's what people do. The learning point is to be aware of this problem and use the counter-intuitive but more effective approach.

And here's a simple idea to make a strong presentation

To introduce the topic I make a remark, which I always feel could be misinterpreted.

'Fundamentally, to get a sale you have to tell the buyer what he wants to hear'. 

By that I don't mean that you have got to lie, mislead, exaggerate. But think about it, if you said something to the customer that he/she didn't want to hear, they simply won't buy.

In order to tell the customer something which makes them exclaim, 'That's good', you have to find out what it is they need and want. If you don't, the only other possibility is to happen across that point by chance. Which you probably would, of course, if you recount everything known on the subject - a very 'techie' style - but does that work? 

Unfortunately a display of 'encyclopedic' knowledge is more often a turn-off rather than a stimulant for most prospects, because with every irrelevant aspect of  his offering he talks about, the salesperson dilutes the enthusiasm generated by attractive and useful features. Even if the product itself is good, this way of describing it is boring.

Ask good 'sales questions'

There are two words, which the moment you know them, transform your effectiveness in finding out what 'hot buttons' will make your customer go ahead and place an order. So you ask those special questions and listen actively to the answers you get Then you make sure that when you talk, your emphasis is on the points that the customer has shown interest in. It's common sense, isn't it?  But as some sage put it, 'Common sense isn't very common'.  

In selling, there is a special importance to asking questions

Let's start with the basics, do you know the difference between 'open' and 'closed' questions and when to use them? Most of the people on my courses think they do, but in fact they frequent;ly get it back to front.

So in the seminar I explain how you use these questions in a structured way to find out what matters to the prospect. We practice this in groups of three people; a role-play client, a sales person and an observer. 

How to create a winning presentation 

Once you have found out what the client needs and is enthusiastic about, you have the basis for making a powerful presentation. I suggest a simple format. P P P & C , standing for Problem, Promise, Proof and Call to Action. 

In the world of sales, 'Problems' are a good thing. 

The reason is that if you propose an improved idea to someone who doesn't have a 'problem', it is highly likely that they will say they don't need your wares, because everything is running just fine. - Imagine being a salesman for the first generation of PCs. The client would point out the typing pool and say, 'I have people to write my letters for me'.

In sales we want action, we want the customer to say, 'I like it, when can you do the job?'. For this reason, formulating your offer as a way of dealing with important problems gives you a greater chance of getting the customer's attention - and action. 'Nice ideas' though, can always be postponed. 

The next letter P stands for 'Promise'. It's the benefit you tell the prospect that your offering is going to bring to him and his company. 

'Our motors are more reliable, which will save you a lot of money in production stoppages.' 

'Our consultancy practice is multi-disciplinary, which means that no time is wasted bringing qualified people to each aspect of your project.'

Both promises have WIIFM factor - that's What's In It For Me? - somewhat crudely put in that acronym, but vital. Your presentation has to show the client that choosing your company / product / service brings benefits which outweigh the value he attaches to the money he is going to have to spend.

Now you need to supply 'Proof'.

It is not sufficient to make a claim - 'Wizzo washes whitest', because everybody says more or less the same thing and in this cynical age, we don't believe any of them. There is far more impact if you can 'Prove' what you are promising.

The tools for sales people are samples, reports, qualifications / certifications / credentials, case-histories, photos, demonstrations, visits to clients' installations and to your offices or plant. All these elements help to make your words believable. They go beyond lightweight promises to give the client confidence that he is making a choice he won't regret.

Finally you must have a Call to Action when you present to a prospect. It serves little purpose to explain all the good points of your company and products if this doesn't result in you getting closer to a purchase order. So you have to ask the client for a bit of commitment. It could be the 'full Monty' - Are you going give me an order then, mate? or you may have to be more subtle and patient; 'As this project moves forward to the next stage, will you be supporting our bid?' 

In either case, once you have uttered these closing question words, do you keep this little gem in mind; 'The first person to speak, loses'?

It's seems such a minor point doesn't it? But if you jump in after a couple of seconds with something awful, such as; 'because if you like I'll go back to the office and see if we can get you a lower price', you are doomed. I exaggerate, of course, but do you see how bad the damage can be if you can't keep your mouth shut whilst the client is focusing his mind on what you have just asked?

So here's my call to action;

Don't waste good business opportunities any longer. Download my books and begin to use the ideas they contain.

You can access the books at any time of the day or night. They come in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format which has many advantages; it's quicker and cheaper and there are no 'lost in the post' problems.

You'll enjoy reading the manuals. The knowledge you will receive, distilled from years of experience doing the job, is worth many times the price. This link goes straight to the ordering page.

'Selling for Engineers'   

And these links take you to information pages containing the chapter headings and introductions for each manual:

'Sales Prospecting for Engineers'

'How to Hire a Good Technical Salesperson

Sincerely,

Robert Seviour

Email me for information about seminars or if you have any questions.

* * * * * * *

"You will be pleased to hear that using the Seviour method I had a selling success within 72 hours that can solely be put down to your methods!"     

 Ken Wright, Wright Associates.   

That's Ken in the white shirt below

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The address above is a graphic to impede spammers, you have to type it into your email prog.