Many Sales Engineers worry that they will appear too salesy or that they will be perceived as peddlers by their prospects.
As a result they are reluctant to engage in conversations with prospects that could help them to identify additional opportunities to sell their product or services.
To address this all too common situation you need to do two things; flip your perspective and work hard to add value.
Flip your Perspective
You are not a peddler, you are a valuable resource to your prospect or customer and you can provide them with insights and ideas based on your knowledge and experience. Begin your next customer interaction by thinking about how you can help your customer and not just push a product. You and your customer will immediately sense the difference. What was once an uncomfortable situation now becomes a mutually beneficial conversation.
In practice this is a simple as switching from talking about your product or service to asking questions about your customer’s situation, goals and issues.
Add Value
Just flipping you perspective is not enough. To succeed, you must deliver on your promise of delivering value and working hard to help your customer. In practice this means you must stay abreast of developments in your market, technology and products and that you use your knowledge and experience to help. If you stay current, you will always be welcome and will be perceived as a trusted advisor.
So, get out there and help your customers and prospects and watch your sales grow.