Thoughts from the trench - by Prakash Muralidharan

September 23, 2008

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What image does your customer have of you?

Filed under: Account Management, Selling, Pitching — Prakash Muralidharan @ 12:26 am

Seth blogs about the importance of intagibles- those things that have no numerical value but are priceless- enthusiasm, speed, peer pressure and generosity.

One of the intangibles in selling software services especially within an account (farming as oppossed to hunting) is 'image'. What does the customer think about you? At one end, he can think of you as a thought leader who can be relied on for ideas. At the other end, you might be seen as a great executor who can get things done. He can see you as a flexible partner who understands him and is willing to work through problems patiently. Or does your customer see you as an able and strong willed "Rottweiler" type personality? No one image works for all situations and neither can one be a chameleon, switching colors at the drop of a hat. It is however helpful to know one's natural style and then be prepared to flex depending on the context. You can even choose people in your team who can complement your natural image! Here are my thoughts:

What image works in your situation? I'd love to hear.


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