'Know More' Selling in Gases and Welding
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Pre-call research can make or break the success of gases and welding salespeople.
Dewitt, NY - As a part of its efforts to keep GAWDA members abreast of the latest trends in internet technology, The Second Quarter 2010 issue of Welding & Gases Today (http://www.weldingandgasestoday.org), the leading online magazine for the gases and welding industries, features an article from speaker and author Sam Richter, who explains how the so-called "fourth R" - research - is integral to the sales process.
According to Richter, the Internet has changed forever the way salespeople should approach their customers and prospects. "At the core of all good sales training programs is a section that discusses how imperative it is to understand your prospects, their needs, their business issues and, as some programs call it, their pain," he says. "Buyers today get frustrated when a salesperson asks what some feel are obvious questions like company size, lines of business and competitive information. Buyers expect salespeople, even in the first meeting, to have more complex business knowledge."
How can salespeople obtain that kind of information? How can they make a better first impression in today's connected, digital world? The answer, Richter says, is "sales intelligence." The tool that truly differentiates one business or one salesperson from the next is research. "When you're armed with relevant data, you're able to ask better questions and massively increase your credibility," Richter explains. "People still buy from people they trust. And people trust people who can intelligently engage in relevant dialogue."
Richter goes on to outline multiple online sources of such relevant information, including Google, Manta, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo and more. Mastering these sites and others can be the first step to "sales intelligence" and better customer interactions.
For more information, contact Dan Vest, editor of Welding And Gases Today at dan@datakey.org or 315-445-2347.
About GAWDA
Founded in 1945, the Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its member journals (www.weldingandgasestoday.org), e-magazines, newsletters and industry wiki (www.gawdawiki.org), GAWDA connects suppliers of gases and manufacturers of related equipment as well as manufacturers of welding equipment and distribution leaders, for the purpose of safely delivering optimal solutions to the users of those products. GAWDA publications are the industry's voice for all matters related to the latest technology and the most up-to-date processes spanning welding equipment and products and services related to industrial, medical, specialty and cryogenic gases. A 501(c)3 organization, GAWDA members are located throughout North America.
