|
:: contact greg :: newsletter :: homepage |
||||
|
|
|
|||
 |
|
Interviews (Interview Archive)  Greg Harris is the Vice President of Business Development with AULT, Inc. AULT is a leading supplier of power conversion products to the global original equipment manufacturers of data/telecommunications equipment, portable medical equipment, scanning and imaging equipment and computer peripherals.Greg travels extensively to develop new business and uncover new opportunities in Ault's traditional and emerging markets and manages marketing as well as multiple geographic customer sales teams. He shares his experiences, background and outlook with Sales2saleS.com. GW: Let's begin with your sales background, how would you describe your sales history? GH: My sales history is very divergent. My first experience was on a summer job selling Kirby vacuum cleaners while in college. Being away from home, all my sales were to strangers. It gave me the true feeling of 'carrying a bag'. After college I was recruited by IBM away from a large bank. I was recruiting for the banks executive management program when the IBM recruiter and I engaged in conversations. The rest is history. I started with IBM in the mainframe computer (DPD) division. We were responsible for selling large scale computers mainly to IS departments. I sold to both existing customers in particular markets i.e., insurance, manufacturing and to new accounts in a general territory. With the first reorganization I became a frontline team leader with a group responsible for selling mainframes, midrange and office systems into IBM's midsize customers. Over the years with IBM I gained experience in field sales management, and held staff positions in support of field sales. (mainframes to WP). I was also involved in major national marketing campaigns including the introduction of the IBM PC. Later I had National Account and Regional GM responsibilities at WANG as we tried to convert them to a computing verses word processing company. GW: Give us the inside scoop here, how did IBM training help you? GH: You learned quickly to understand the customer and his environment as the key to being successful. His needs were priority. Learning presentations skills and product retention was part of focusing and relating to the customer’s requirements. These skills were necessary and inherent to a smooth process. The ongoing nature of the training (and its building on itself) was key and particularly important. Learning to do customer analysis, then FAB's, then multilevel selling, executive presentations, relationship building and FOX hunting all build on each other. GW: Who did you think was a great salespeople at IBM and why? GH: John Chambers - CISCO - was great at spinning the positive and building relationships subtly to quid pro quo. GW: What was your largest sale and how did you do it? GH: One mainframe $3.8 Mill and ten distributed systems at 290k each. We developed the application solutions and agreement at multiple locations. We demonstrated that millions would be saved by material management procurement and job sharing across the regional plants. We designed an effective buy lease back on the mainframe so the company had significant tax credits, and resolved people/staff issues that prevented them from moving forward. My most rewarding however was convincing WANG corporate management to not cut my regional staff during the first layoff - when 12,000 people went away. GW: How has the arena of sales changed over the years? GH: Not as many true sale experts - people knowledgeable of complex selling strategies and the accompanying skills. GW: What do you see as future trends in sales? GH: Less face to face and more proposal writing and differentiation skills will be necessary to be in position to win business (face to face or on the web). GW: Is there a company today who stands out as a leader in sales the way IBM did? GH: Perhaps Dell in consumer, CISCO in business. GW: What one thing do you attribute your sales success to? GH: Listening, listening, and listening - with my ears, eyes, heart and soul. GW: What advice would you give people who are serious about selling in today's market? GH: Study all techniques, study all customers, and study all solutions, study. Also, find a place or thing that makes you happy to sell. GW: Greg, thank you for sharing your experience and advice with our members and partners. GH: You’re welcome. Anyone interested in learning more about AULT, Inc. and the work I’m doing can visit us online at www.Aultinc.com Contact us By Email: info@GregWinston.com By Phone: 949.388.2545 Thank you for your inquiry. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
© Copyright 2006 Greg Winston, All Rights Reserved Website Design & Development by www.idesignbusiness.com |
Terry Johnson