Commercial Skills for Engineers

In order to achieve improved performance, an engineer's technical expertise must be supplemented by a broad understanding of marketing and business strategies. This workshop will be run in an informal and participative manner to encourage engineers to understand basic sales and marketing principles, and to apply these to their own company and products.

SAMPLE COURSE CONTENT
Understanding Opportunities
- How opportunities develop
- Staying in the communications loop with your network
- Ensuring your contacts know the breadth of what your company can do
- Moving product features and benefits into customer value

Conversation Control
- Discovering budget, and delegate authority levels
- Managing customer expectations (affordability, value for money)
- Handling pricing
- Questioning and listening skills
- Questions that surface opportunities
- Drawing the line between free advice and billable consultancy

Presentations and Proposals
- Getting the audience with you and retaining them
- Incorporating the benefit and value statements for managers
- Commercial concerns: legality of fax, letters, emails.
- Expressions to avoid