Trusted Advisor

During an episode of Better Off Ted a friend turned to me and announced he knew why I liked the show so much. He explained: “That’s how you talk to people, and moreover how you wish people would talk to you. You just like the fast paced dialog because you want it in real life.” I laughed slightly embarrassed by the truthful simplicity of the observation; I hadn’t felt so unexpectedly and accurately pegged since the first time I took a Myers Briggs back in high school.

As a sales engineer, customers look to me for advice on how they “should” do things even though they know full well we have a highly trained implementation team standing by. Why? Perhaps for the same reason people who “don’t need therapy” often sight incidents of insightful interlocutions when they defend the claim, “why would I pay someone when I have friends like this?!?” While the idea may have some merits, I think we’d all agree, that some problems are best left to the pros. In either scenario recommending a professional can become an awkward dance, so how do we walk this line effectively? How do preserve the helpful persona while politely rationing our time?

My engineering instincts want to dive in there and specifically opining on how they can transform their business, but the salesman in me knows better; even as trusted sales advisers at times it’s best if we present the possibility and leave the specifics to the professionals, a.k.a our consultant counterparts. Like your friends who eventually give you bad advice, or perhaps simply deem you hopeless, there’s a point in every relationship when, for the sake of both parties best interest, we must move onward and (hopefully) upward.

So this week, stick up for your time. Don’t let prospects abuse your charitable advise; drive home the value of the success and on-boarding packages you offer. Not only will this position them for a better long term return on their investment, it will free you to close out the year strong.