What I've learned about selling (as a developer)
Twelve months ago is about when I started my company, and I now alternate between coding and selling. I consider "selling" anything related to marketing (I know there is a distinction), lead generation, sales calls, product demos, quotes, contract negotiation, etc.
The most important lessons that I've picked up so far are:
- Get good at networking. Events are a big part of this.
- Networking is hard if you're not doing anything interesting. If you are, then it's quite easy.
- If you're doing something interesting and start meeting a lot of people, then leads seem to come your way.
- Leads are your lifeblood, so getting your network to provide a majority of these for you vs. you going out an hunting them yourself is critical.
- Most developers I know (including me) are a bit rough around the edges even if we're not dicks. We just tend to be more straightforward about almost everything. You have to learn how to smooth that over, but most of the smoothing process just comes from screwing up by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and then not doing it again.
- A corollary to being a bit rough around the edges means there is probably a lot of subtext that you are missing. It took me several months to pick this up, but executives and sales people who are used to interacting with high-octane clients seem to read a lot into slight gestures, certain phrasings, etc. that I previously would have thought nothing of. As it turns out, quite a bit hinges on these subtleties so it behooves you to pay attention.
- Acquiring the skill of situational awareness (also related to above). When you walk into a new client's office, there is a lot that you don't know. Your job is to learn as quickly as possible about their business, pick up their vocabulary, listen for the subtexts, discern cliques in the customer's team, and more. Beforehand, you can learn a lot about your prospect by reading their financial statements (if they're public), website, executive bios, social profiles, LinkedIn Profiles, etc.
My own situation is perhaps a little unique as I went from being a developer / development manager in San Diego to an entrepreneur in Japan in less than 30 days, so I've had to do the above in Japanese, which has its own complexities, of course. But in some ways, I really appreciate the Japanese market because prospects are generally very courteous and interested in ideas / technologies from the West.
I'm still quite a beginner in sales and probably not that good but I love it and, well, I'm still here. :-)