The language of innovation
The AI/ML/DL/RPA & (I)IoT are some of one of the hottest acronyms and buzzwords in the technology industry. Unfortunately for us tech sales people, most of the businesses we are trying to sell into, do not work in the technology sector. If people have heard these acronyms, they may have a vague idea what this is all about and recent events like tech giants testifying before congress, a potential TikTok ban is educating the general public somewhat, but it is not what drives or motivates them. If you want to be relevant to your target customer, don’t talk about yourself or about technology, avoid these acronyms. Talk about what you are doing for your customers and what business issues you have resolved for them and what value you have delivered. This is akin to “show me who your friends are and I‘ll tell you who you are” (Confucius).
You should talk about:
- Creating a safe and compliant work environment
- How you can support social distancing
- Limiting production down time
- Increasing yield in agriculture
- Business continuity in times of a current pandemic
- Implementing omni channel sales models in retail
- Optimising the costs of operating a fleet of freight trucks
- Reducing truck roll and or the cost of servicing remote sites
- Decreasing wastage of perishable items in retail
- Personalising the customer experience, to increase revenue and increase close rates
- The enablement of new business models.
- ..
By talking in your customer’s language about the issues they care about, you are able to be far more relevant to them. If you can illustrate that with the outcomes of what you have done for other similar business, you will have a fruitful conversation!
Abel Smit
Sales Director
Data Solutions & IoT | Europe