By Ed McLaughlin and Wyn Lydecker

Before we discuss the process of building a sales team, let’s take a step back and talk about the two vital roles that contribute to an organization’s success. Internal producers develop products, and external producers sell products. The required skill sets are different.

Capable product developers are steeped in hard skills, which include design, engineering, production, manufacturing, and distribution. On the other hand, effective product sellers have an abundance of soft skills including strategizing, proposing, influencing, qualifying, selling, and closing. As the business leader, you need to make sure that your organization includes a balance of each type of producer. Many times we hear of entrepreneurs who develop new products and exclaim, “This product is so innovative, it will sell itself!” The road to the entrepreneur’s graveyard is paved with the remains of businesses that held this belief.

Products do not build themselves, and products do not sell themselves. You need external producers – or salespeople – to sell your products.

Copyright © 2014 by Ed McLaughlin All rights reserved.