Mastering the Art of Sales Engineering : Develop Essential Skills and Gain Valuable Insights for High-Tech Sales Engineering Success / Jeffrey Silver, Jason Mar-Tang ; foreword by Michael Huckaby.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Silver, Jeffrey, author.

Mar-Tang, Jason, author.

Contributor:

Huckaby, Michael, writer of foreword.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Software engineering.

Sales--Technological innovations.

Sales.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (316 p.)

Edition:

1st edition.

Place of Publication:

Birmingham : Packt Publishing, Limited, 2024.

Summary:

Sales engineers often need to balance their technical expertise with the soft skills needed to close deals and build lasting client relationships. This book provides a framework for both senior engineers seeking professional growth and individuals just starting their sales engineering careers. This book draws from the authors’ extensive experience in this industry and as leaders in top high-tech companies, offering real-world insights and life lessons applicable to this specialized and in-demand industry. You’ll pick up the core disciplines a successful sales engineer should exemplify, along with mastering practical, day-to-day operational aspects. Within these chapters, you will learn the roles and responsibilities of a sales engineer, as well as adjacent roles within a sales team. You’ll also develop the skills needed to navigate complex sales cycles and exceed traditional expectations. This book covers various key aspects of sales engineering, including mastering communication techniques, navigating complex meetings, managing customer expectations, understanding legal matters, and handling administrative tasks. By the end of this book, you’ll have acquired advanced knowledge to excel as a world-class sales engineer and become a valuable member of your organization’s broader team.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright and Credits

Dedication

Foreword

Contributors

Table of Contents

Preface

Part 1: Understanding the High-Tech Sales Industry

Chapter 1: Types of Organizations That Employ Sales Engineers

Large vendors offering a full product suite

Small vendors offering one specific solution

Channel partners and resellers

Selling services

Hybrid organization

Summary

Chapter 2: Typical Sales Roles and Sales Processes

The core team

Account executives

Sales development representatives

District managers

SE managers

The extended team

Product managers

Marketing team

Post-sales team

Technical support team

Basic sales process

Sales team events

QBR

Sales kick-off

President's Club

Breaking into the industry

Chapter 3: The Sales Engineer

Introduction to general SE operations

Discovery

Preparing for the discovery call

Product demonstrations

Preparing for the product demonstration

PoC fundamentals

Additional sales cycle considerations for the SE

Win wire

Request for proposals

Request for information

Security questionnaire

Closing fundamentals for the SE

Chapter 4: Types of Sales Engineer Roles

Generalist SE

Strategic account SE

Federal SE

SLED SE

Channel SE

SE product specialist

Field operational distinctions

Corporate operational distinctions

Evangelist/Principal

Part 2: Necessary Soft Skills

Chapter 5: General Soft Skills

Time management fundamentals

Tactical time management

Strategic time management

Bringing it all together

Internal relationship dynamics and call cadence

Weekly SE team call

1-on-1 with your SE manager

1-on-1 with each of your AEs

1-on-1 with marketing

Squirrel Club

Data organization

Directory file structure

Going on the hunt for information

Email organization

People information

Note-taking

Email crafting

Coachability/Adaptability

Ownership

Chapter 6: Client-Facing Soft Skills

Customer relationship fundamentals

Preparation

Reading the office and/or cubicle

Reading a conference room

Bridging collaboration points

Foundational meeting dynamics

Foundational customer-facing meeting principles

Storytelling expression

Dealing with a hostile customer in a meeting

Dealing with silence in a meeting

International considerations

SE-only customer-facing meetings

Additional client-facing considerations

OPSEC in public settings

Bad, complex situations

Dynamics with the AE

Advanced note-taking fundamentals for the SE

Proofs of concept

Product upgrades

Technical note next steps

Elicitation techniques

Provocative statement

Provocative statement and quid pro quo

Provocative statement and naivete

Bracketing techniques

Elicitation wrap-up and key points for the SE

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

ISBN:

9781835880968

1835880967

OCLC:

1453194890