This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott
“I hate sales!” “I could never sell anything!” I wish I had a dime—maybe a dollar—for every time I uttered phrases like that.
My first business coach helped me break that thought pattern. Here is how the thinking goes:
- You are an engineer who excels at (fill in the blank).
- You happen to meet Chris, whose company does (fill in the blank).
- Chris mentions that he/she really needs help filling a client’s request for (what you provide).
- Upon hearing that, you say, “I/we can help you with that.”
- Chris says, “I’d like to learn more. Call me.”
Did you sell anything? No.
Did you tell Chris you could help with the problem? Yes.
Did you have to take Chris down some long sales conversation to get his/her interest? No.
Will you close the deal? The likelihood is high.
Change Your Thinking
Selling isn’t about selling in that icky, slimy way that you have perceived it. Selling is about you providing a friend/client/stranger with a solution to the problem they’re trying to address. In return for your help, you get paid.
So you want to start your own engineering practice? Becoming an independent engineering consultant can be very lucrative. It also gives you freedom over the work you do. But it is a very different lifestyle than working for an engineering firm. There are several important items to consider before taking the plunge.
