What sets Sales Engineers apart from other consultants?

Being a sales role sometimes engineering backgrounds are turned off. While there is a sales focus, the sales engineer works to help prove to the customer that their solution will actually change their business. I prefer not to commission sales engineering roles because it helps to keep them honest. They can spend time trying to uncover the technical risks and address them head on, rather than trying to dance around them in fear of losing a sale.

Sales Engineers bridge the gap between sales & technical teams, requiring in-depth knowledge of the product or service they sell. This technical proficiency sets them apart. Unlike general consultants, Sales Engineers design tailored solutions to meet specific customer needs and budgets, emphasizing practicality and feasibility. They excel at demonstrating how products work, giving customers a firsthand experience, which general consultants may not offer. Sales Engineers possess deep industry knowledge, enabling them to provide valuable insights and advice to customers beyond what traditional consultants can offer. Collaborating closely with sales teams, they ensure that technical details are effectively communicated to potential customers.

The difference of technical Sales engineer or application engineer to a "normal" consulting is that most of the time the client has a problem and do not know what is needed to solve it. The important part is the engineering to find the most technical and economical solution to solve the problem. Therefore, often a deep education of the technical possibilties, even with equipment from other suppliers, is needed. With a trustfull relationship between customers and Sales/ Application engineer the business can grow. It's about helping and supporting the customers and not just selling equipment.

Yes it is true, to be a technical sales engineer, it is required to understand complex concepts and technical aspects of products you sell and advise on. But at its core, all that is needed is a good personality, a strong appetite to learn and consume information. customer service is at the forefront of any sales position, technical or not. I have had individuals with degrees/masters in engineering etc, that have not performed half as well as individuals that have no technical background, but good work ethics and customer understanding, enthusiastic and positive individuals succeed in any sales role. The technical aspect will come with a good team and good training.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The best trait that sets successful sales engineers apart from the rest, is their ability to critically think. Of course, you have all the standard skills needed in sales... relationship building, negotiation, product knowledge, etc. But critical thinking allows you to help the customer problem solve beyond the scope of what you sell. By providing value through insight, a sales engineer can make themselves indispensable to a customer.

They're the ultimate translators, bridging the gap between tech jargon and client understanding. Conveying complex technical concepts in a way that's clear and relatable is in their DNA. You explain potentially complex scenarios in a way, that even your grandma will understand them. The SE also has a sales talent because a successful closing is also beneficial for PreSales

A Sales Engineer embodies a blend of service-oriented and product-focused expertise. Unlike a consulting engineer who offers open-ended suggestions, a Sales Engineer deals with tangible services or products that require selling. A successful Sales Engineer hinges on persuasively conveying comprehensive knowledge of the solution offered. I want to let you know that proficiency and unwavering confidence in the provided solution are paramount. The trust you exhibit in your product translates directly to the customer, influencing their decision-making process. In addition to handling client requests, the engineer must possess technical product management and operation skills. The skills will come in handy during the solution failure phase.

Die F?higkeit, Produkte und Prozesse technisch zu verstehen und dieses technische Verst?ndnis auf die Anforderungen sowie Anwendungen bei Kunden anzuwenden, bildet die Basis. Ein Vertriebsingenieur ist auch immer Probleml?ser und sollte in der Lage sein, Problemstellungen zu erfassen und diese mit unterschiedlichen Zielgruppen zu diskutieren. Die F?higkeit zuzuh?ren und zielgruppengerecht zu kommunizieren sind daher elementar. Weiche Faktoren wie z.B. Offenheit und Empathie runden das F?higkeitenprofil ab

In a complex sales environment, possessing the expertise to effectively demonstrate the viability of your solution, while confidently addressing unique and challenging technical questions, provides a significant competitive advantage. This positions you as a "one-stop shop" for the customer, offering both comprehensive solutions and expert guidance.

"The benefits of a Sales Engineer" should be about the benefits to the customer and organization he or she works for...not to the Sales Engineer. That would be "The benefits of being a Sales Engineer." The benefits of a Sales Engineer to the customer are in helping the customer navigate complex products and decisions by providing personalized solutions to help them achieve their goals. A customer can learn a lot from the internet, books and podcasts, but it is the experience that a Sales Engineer has, or can pull from on his or her team, to fill in the gaps of "book knowledge" that really bring value and benefit to the customer.

The tech world never stands still, and neither do they. Constant learning is part of the job – new tools, methodologies, and industry trends keep them on their toes and always evolving. Nothing is that constant than change!

With all the conversations around AI and its threat to tech workers, the Sales Engineer role still has a bright future. The Sales Engineer stands at the cusp of both technology and the people using it. While a chatbot or AI agent can answer questions, it can only do so if the right questions are asked. A primary function of a sales engineer is to understand the needs of the prospect in their own words, know how the technology can help, and be able to communicate it in a way that the prospect will understand. As long as there is technology, especially tech that will cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars, prospects will prefer a human liaison over any insight an AI agent can offer.

The growth of the Sales Engineering role is directly tied to the complexity of interacting with more and more complicated solutions and organizations. The projection assumes that both solutions and the way they interface with an organization will continue to change in ways that require clear communication and technical experience. That means more Sales Engineers!

Sales engineering has been, and will continue to be a great career. The need is as high now as it has ever been. Sales Engineers fill a unique gap in the industry because of their ability to critically think when engaging with customers and their problems. Not to mention, there is still value in just showing up. Countless of my sales relationships were simply built on the fact that I consistently made the drive to show up at customer sites.

There are at least four types of Sales Engineers and only one of them has a strong future: the Collaborative Salesperson. The rest...the milk-run salesperson, the relational salesperson, the catalog salesperson, etc... are going away because they are all being replaced by technology. Relationships are still very important, but only when there is technical aptitude and value behind that relationship.

5 tips out of many! 1. Embrace the state-of-the-art in digital tooling. Are you spending your time on repetitive tasks? Stop. Make time your ally! 2. Effectiveness before efficiency. 10x-ing bad processes is easy but it'll hurt you. 3. Constantly refine your discovery skills. The more accurately you understand the customer's needs, the better you can tailor your solutions. 4. Collaborate effectively. You're not a one-person army. Build strong relationships with AEs and CS and together you'll hit your number. 5. Learn to translate value into $$$ - articulate the business value of your solution in monetary terms. This skill is invaluable in making the case for your solutions and will help stakeholders see the financial impact clearly.

Serving the customers, putting their goals at the forefront of your mind, really helps you to see projects and goals from their perspectives. This builds trust in the relationship prompting them to share information that they wouldn't otherwise share. But, don't EVER break that trust with them!

Me parece que es fundamental la honestidad y el ofrecer soluciones, es más importante tener un cliente que confía en ese ingeniero de venta que llegar a la meta

Sales Engineers can bring different types of "value" to customers. Some bring the technical value. Some the relational value between companies providing gateways to various resources. Others bring "management" value to get things done. Knowing what a customer wants and values takes some practice and good old-fashioned question-asking to understand.