Selling a sophisticated product.

Hi, we are a company that provide Business Process Management software. It all our own design, web based and covers quote to invoice. The company has been running for about twenty years. Up until now we have operated on a word of mouth basis with large, medium and small businesses. In the last two years we rebuilt and packaged our product and now I need a sales team. Trouble is, this product requires someone who understands business process and workflow.

Most sales people seem to me to be relationship builders and maybe not so much of product specialists these days. I need someone who is half business analyst and half sales and looking for a longer term prospect. I have initially approached Business consultants but I'm not getting much of a response.

Can anyone give me advice on how to approach the marketing of a product that needs a little time with clients before they see the concept.?

 

The right person or persons have to also match your company. To get the right person, you have to be the right company!

I'm going to make some assumptions here and you may bristle with justified indignation if I am wrong -

I assume that you have made no efforts to put up a stand at such fairs as the Hannover Industriemesse or the CeBIT. I also assume that you have not even put up stands at local UK business fairs.

I further assume that your product(s) have little sales documentation and that what little there is, is in English only and that this too would need to be completed.

Another assumption I am making, is that your sales to date are local to the Yorkshire and Humberside area and rely on a salesperson (you?) schlepping along to Mrs Millie Tooley's Suet and Tripe Emporium, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, to explain the benefits of your SW.

If most of the above is on the money, then what you need is either an in-house marketing manager, or an external rep who turns your whole operation into something that looks, feels and smells like a hungry software company that is going places.

That requires time, effort and investment, aka money.

So my questions are -

1. Does the company have the ability ($) to invest in proper marketing?

2. Are you (is the company) hungry enough to take the next step into becoming a proper SW company?

3. Have you tried to work with outside reps/agencies and if so, what was the reaction?

 

Apart from the fact that half your assumptions are wrong - you also are making the assumption you have the interpersonal skills to reply to a question like this. Blatantly you don't. Go waste someone else's time with your rants.

 

That was not a rant - I was actually trying to help by asking some questions, so as to put some meat on the bones. I made those assumptions, because that is what you imply in your OP.

If you get shirty and take offense over a few basic questions, how the hell is anybody going to be even close to being able to help you?