Preface: Bill Butler and I met at a conference a number of years ago. I was fascinated with the offering JourneyDXP had (and remain fascinated with it today). It’s a solution that addresses the way buying is changing, integrating digital and personal selling. But what really interested me were Bill’s perspectives on where buying and selling is headed and how we must change our engagement strategies to work with buyers more impactfully.
One of the comments I find most striking is Bill’s focus on the future of selling: “Looking back, I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of selling, growing companies, and all the great people along the way. I want to stay in the game long enough to see the old sales practices retired and the new digital selling model take hold.”
Why I’m So Interested In Selling
I worked as a finance manager for a large tech company early in my professional career. My responsibilities included building profitability models for large, multi-million deals. Initially, I provided the models to sales teams. Eventually, I was invited into customer meetings to answer questions, and occasionally, I presented the pricing models and assisted in negotiating pricing and deal structures. When these large, strategic deals closed, our team and the company celebrated the success. You could feel the positive energy, and I realized the impact sales can have across a company – I was hooked.
Reflecting on my 30+ years in sales, I realize my career had a series of phases. Like most salespeople, I started ‘carrying a bag.’ I applied for a sales position and leveraged relationships with sales leaders from my role as a finance manager. I was accepted, but it was contingent on completing a 6-month training program and passing a series of tests. It was a rigorous program, but I learned a lot and still apply many of those skills today. I developed a real appreciation for quality training and coaching to smooth out rough edges and develop confidence in my ability to engage with customers. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a strategic account manager, but the upside was limited, and I was looking for new challenges. A new opportunity presented itself, and I was ready for a new challenge. I went from a company of 100K employees to a 12-person startup company. It was a big risk for my family and me, but it turned out well. I stayed for ten years, and the company grew to $300M in annual revenue. I leveraged the opportunity to grow my career as the company grew.
Transitioning from a successful sales rep to a sales manager was one of the most challenging times of my career. I had to control my type “A” personality to develop a high-performing sales team. I learned new skills in hiring and developing people and implementing sales processes that make an impact. Lastly, collaborating cross-functionally with other leaders in the company can be challenging. It was more than just making the numbers; it was getting everyone in the company to work together to ensure our customers were successful. As the organization grew and I grew with it, I spent more time internally than externally and was ready for another new challenge.
Having established relationships with various investors and venture capitalists, I began working with early-stage companies to help them bring their solutions to market. One of the leading Silicon Valley investors discussed his portfolio of companies and stated, “We have companies with great products and weak go-to-market teams, and these companies are struggling. We also have companies with just OK products but great go-to-market teams, and they’re doing well.” I decided to “package” up my experience in people, processes, and technology. I worked closely with companies to understand their markets and apply this methodology. During this phase, I understood that B2B sales were changing. Our ability to execute successful sales cycles and manage accounts is still important, but customers are changing how they buy. B2B customers want a B2C-like experience to self-educate, work independently, and manage their research and due diligence. Digital solutions, like digital sales rooms, emerged as a way to support customers. We are still early in the market, and changing sales reps’ behavior is proving to be the biggest challenge of my career.
Looking back, I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of selling, growing companies, and all the great people along the way. I want to stay in the game long enough to see the old sales practices retired and the new digital selling model take hold.
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