Re: How To Sell
This is definitely a topic worth discussing for IT folks. As many have pointed out, it's ultimately a skill that any businessperson ought to have (or heck, any person at all - even stay-at-home parents need to negotiate with their kids!), but it's also fair to point out that IT people are particularly likely to have a lack of this training in their history, and extra need of a brush-up. At the same time, though, I'm nervous about how far any given piece of advice can get you when it comes to this skill. Isn't it something that can only come with experience, and indeed, when it does, doesn't it kind of defy explanation? Maybe it's best to think of any list like this as a starting point, rather than a full guide.
I like SaneIT's point about not taking things personally, and I'll second Chris in saying that Daniel's point of 'if this is such a great idea, then why hasn't it been implemented already?' struck me as a great point. I also think that these two points go hand-in-hand. Remember that you're just one person, at one point in time, pitching one idea. Whether or not it strikes paydirt has a lot to do with your presentation, but it also has a lot to do with many external factors. The result is not the end-all be-all for you, and it's also not a referendum on the technology you're vouching for. Sometimes the chips just fall how they fall.
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7/18/2014 | 3:22:05 PM