My observation on sales in general, and this applies especially to software: - If you can only sell when your product has every feature, and the cheapest price

My observation on sales in general, and this applies especially to software: - If you can only sell when your product has every feature, and the cheapest price, then you're not really selling. You're taking orders. - The sales job creates value by convincing customers to pay up for added value in the product, or accept less value (or benefits or features) if they want to pay less. - There are two types of salespeople who find a way to add a lot of value. 1 - Those who are in so deep with their customers that they are almost indistinguishable from their own employees. You know you have it when they're invited to join their customer's company softball team, or the customer's security guard waves them through with a smile. The insight they bring back is priceless, and they allow you to preempt most competition. 2 - Those who are fully knowledgable and networked within their company, and can efficiently bring the full power of the organization to bear on the customer problems, making credible promises to the client. Either 1 or 2 can add a lot of value. It's 1 in 1000 that has both, so that's too much to ask for. The author of the article seems to be asking for #2. I'd suggest that #1 is incredibly valuable too.