Selling software is not like selling hardware. It is a different skillset. The impetus for the purchase comes from a different set of needs. While your SPIN, Challenger, or other sales method helps you form the basic approaches, there is another facet to software sales that is as important as the process. It is a function that requires a mix of detective skills and psychology to identify the pain points and offer solutions that won’t break the bank and won’t drive the production teams crazy. It’s a tall order!

Start the opening volley. Someone sends an email, responds to a marketing push, or meets you on a show floor. They know a bit about your product and have decided that they want to know more. You have two basic paths:

You may have already guessed that most potential customers tell researchers that they prefer the second option, while many marketing and sales operations people prefer the first. It’s not a surprise. “How many leads did we get?” is the most common question after a campaign or trade show (online or i- person). The number of leads kicks off a series of reconciliations to determine how many leads turned in to sales and the valuation of those sales. There are clear business reasons for mapping every conversation to its value as a lead and every lead to it’s potential as a sale. But, for customers, the relationship is important.