In over 100 practical and tactical short chapters, this complete guide has a wealth of immediately-useful ideas and tactics for every technology salesperson. These include ‘Words That Work’ – real-world examples that you can put to work for you immediately. Beginning with ‘Customer Vision and why selling has changed, to tactics for reaching ‘unreachable’ prospects and handling the most challenging selling situations, you will benefit from insights and world-proven techniques for becoming an even more successful sales professional.
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About the Author
Ken Wax has led technology sales teams ranging from startups to industry giants. He has trained salespeople from Microsoft to Monster.com, from IBM to Accenture, and has been the keynote speaker at dozens of conferences on five continents. Ken has also written over 120 magazine articles published around the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
This applies to everyone, because you *should* be selling your skills and abilities...
September 10, 2011
I first met Ken Wax a number of years ago when he spoke at Lotusphere, a conference for IBM/Lotus technology professionals. I didn't have anything I needed to see during a particular time slot, so I decided to drop in on Ken's session which was on "selling" your technology and skills to customers. I walked out with a completely different mindset than I went in with. Ken shared a number of insights on communication and presentation that I still use to this day. When he contacted me and asked if I would like to read and review his new book, it was a decision that required no thought on my part... of course I would! The Technology Salesperson's Handbook: 114 World Proven Lessons and Tactics distills down his tactics and knowledge into quick and effective techniques that you will use every day on the job. It doesn't matter if you're not responsible for cold-calling clients to try and sell them something, either. You *are* selling yourself to your end-users, and these same principles apply.
Contents:
Inside the Mind of the Customer; The New Reality of Selling; It's Called the Sales Process; The Technology Salesperson's Toolkit; Mastering the Meeting; It's All in the Presentation; Advancing to a Higher Version Number
Although I'd recommend reading the whole book first and then referring back to certain areas often, each chapter is set up with a number of short tips and techniques that you can focus on to help you resolve vexing problems or improve in certain areas. For instance, the first chapter titled "Mind of the Customer" includes subheadings such as "What's the View From Across the Table?", "How Do People Absorb - or Not?", and "The Rational Model and Other Lies." If I look at the subheading for Rational Model, he explains what's really going on in the decision-making process. The "Investigate, Analyze, Map To Needs, Weigh Choices, and Decide!" model is what most techies think is going on. In reality, that's just the tip of the iceberg. What you can't see are the distractions, miscommunication, politics, desires, biases, and so on. It's those factors that are really driving the process. If you don't understand that, you're toast in terms of making the sale. I see this constantly when people complain that one technology was chosen over another in their company, even though the incumbent technology is a far superior value. It's the stuff under the waterline that drives the decision, and you have to understand that before you can understand why the decision came down the way it did.
I was personally changed during my first session seeing Ken present when he talked about how people absorb information. Using the Listen > Grasp > Fit In > Check > Next technique, I learned I couldn't just spew out facts as fast as my mouth could move. I had to give the person time to hear what I said, make sense of it, place it in context with the other information they already know, see if it still makes sense, and only then are they ready for the next important point. If I don't give them time to work through that process on important items, then I lose them early and any hope to influence them is lost.
I also highly recommend his section on advancing to a higher "version number." As technology geeks, we're used to asking what version number of the software is being run. What we don't know and don't think about is that we can apply that same concept to ourselves. If I was Thomas Duff 3.0 last year, have I done anything to upgrade myself and my abilities to be able to tout the new and improved Thomas Duff version 4.5? Or have years gone by, and I've only had a point upgrade during that time to version 3.2? That twisted my view of personal improvement, to think that I should be upgrading and improving my capabilities rather than just keeping the same version year after year. It's as the old adage goes... do you have ten years of experience, or one year of experience repeated ten times?
While the title of the book may be The Technology Salesperson's Handbook, the reality is that every technology professional needs to be selling what they do and the skills they bring to the table when working with *any* customer (even if they're a captive audience). This is one of those books I'd recommend without hesitation to anyone who is serious about being successful over the life of their career. Not only will you feel more comfortable when it comes to dealing with your customers, but you'll end up building those close relationships that make you a partner to the customer instead of just another option.
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Author
Payment: Free
Contents:
Inside the Mind of the Customer; The New Reality of Selling; It's Called the Sales Process; The Technology Salesperson's Toolkit; Mastering the Meeting; It's All in the Presentation; Advancing to a Higher Version Number
Although I'd recommend reading the whole book first and then referring back to certain areas often, each chapter is set up with a number of short tips and techniques that you can focus on to help you resolve vexing problems or improve in certain areas. For instance, the first chapter titled "Mind of the Customer" includes subheadings such as "What's the View From Across the Table?", "How Do People Absorb - or Not?", and "The Rational Model and Other Lies." If I look at the subheading for Rational Model, he explains what's really going on in the decision-making process. The "Investigate, Analyze, Map To Needs, Weigh Choices, and Decide!" model is what most techies think is going on. In reality, that's just the tip of the iceberg. What you can't see are the distractions, miscommunication, politics, desires, biases, and so on. It's those factors that are really driving the process. If you don't understand that, you're toast in terms of making the sale. I see this constantly when people complain that one technology was chosen over another in their company, even though the incumbent technology is a far superior value. It's the stuff under the waterline that drives the decision, and you have to understand that before you can understand why the decision came down the way it did.
I was personally changed during my first session seeing Ken present when he talked about how people absorb information. Using the Listen > Grasp > Fit In > Check > Next technique, I learned I couldn't just spew out facts as fast as my mouth could move. I had to give the person time to hear what I said, make sense of it, place it in context with the other information they already know, see if it still makes sense, and only then are they ready for the next important point. If I don't give them time to work through that process on important items, then I lose them early and any hope to influence them is lost.
I also highly recommend his section on advancing to a higher "version number." As technology geeks, we're used to asking what version number of the software is being run. What we don't know and don't think about is that we can apply that same concept to ourselves. If I was Thomas Duff 3.0 last year, have I done anything to upgrade myself and my abilities to be able to tout the new and improved Thomas Duff version 4.5? Or have years gone by, and I've only had a point upgrade during that time to version 3.2? That twisted my view of personal improvement, to think that I should be upgrading and improving my capabilities rather than just keeping the same version year after year. It's as the old adage goes... do you have ten years of experience, or one year of experience repeated ten times?
While the title of the book may be The Technology Salesperson's Handbook, the reality is that every technology professional needs to be selling what they do and the skills they bring to the table when working with *any* customer (even if they're a captive audience). This is one of those books I'd recommend without hesitation to anyone who is serious about being successful over the life of their career. Not only will you feel more comfortable when it comes to dealing with your customers, but you'll end up building those close relationships that make you a partner to the customer instead of just another option.
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Author
Payment: Free
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The Technology Salesperson's Handbook is as delightful and entertaining to read as it is insightful, thoughtful and packed with amazingly generous advice. Ken's writing style is conversational and natural, as if you're sitting across the table from him, enjoying a cup of coffee. It is evident that he practices what he teaches. So many people writing business books these days take themselves far too seriously, but Ken, for all his wisdom and experience, seems to have checked his ego at the door and traded it in for a hearty dose of empathy for his readers. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it not only to salespeople, but anyone who wants to learn more about the invaluable art and power of storytelling.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
I just came back to direct sales after years in channel sales. My company provides scads of training including, of course, Solution Selling. The big gap in training is found right here in this great book. Practical tools you can use immediately and easily. I've already reaped the benefits of applying the tools. Also, an added benefit to this book - it's interesting and funny. So many of these other books are dry and painfully boring. Huge thumbs up.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ken Wax Quick opinion of the Tech Salespersons Handbook
We had Ken work with our sales teams last year on enabling executive level conversations for newer more "dispuptive" technologies - Ken is a Pro in understanding how executives... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kirk T - VP of Sales
Logic drips from each page.
Open up to any random heading in The Technology Salesperson's Handbook, and your eyebrow will raise in Spock-like logical agreement. Read more
Published 11 months ago by H. muckler
Great book
Ken's book is full of valuable information and easy to use tactics. I've worked with Ken in the past and he always keeps your interest, provides valuable revenue generating ideas... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mark C. Sullivan
Buy it -- it's unlike other sales books sitting on your shelf! It's...
Ken has a way of getting to the point, unlike most authors in his field. This book is a great resource for everyone in the business of selling technology. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Wendy S.
The Technology Salesperson's Handbook
I highly recommend The Technology Salesperson's Handbook by Ken Wax. Ken has an exceptional grasp of the sales process and relates well to anyone in technology sales. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mike
Ken Wax; Sale Professional's Trusted Advisor
I've worked with Ken for twenty years. He was always focused on a logical, effective, repeatable process for increasing results. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dan Tyre
Short and to the point, many times over
As mentioned in numerous other reviews, I think Ken Wax does a great job of introducing the idea of how vital perspective is to the salesman. Read more
Published 12 months ago by The Ryan Abrams
This book should be on every technology salesperson's desk
Ken's book is full of great tools every technology salesperson should be using. His ability to look at selling from the perspective of the customer in order to foster a better... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Marty Schmitt
Put Ken Wax's book in your briefcase!
Page after page of valuable insights and techniques you can use daily in every customer call, meeting or negotiation. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Janette Racicot
It's not about features and benefits...it's about making dreams come...
Ken will enlighten you with h proven methods of making the more complex message easier for your customers to grasp. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Meccaman
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