3 Tips for Building Factory Automation Sales

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Here are three (3) essential tips and other considerations to help you build sales in your factory automation business:

Tip 1. Be a Recognized Problem Solver. Ensure you are approaching every person and each opportunity with the mindset of a problem solver.

• ‘Intentional Thinking’ and a ‘Deep Understanding’ of the problems your customers face every day are essential to your success.
• People want to work with individuals they perceive are knowledgeable and able to help them solve problems.
• At a minimum, be thoroughly educated about your product and conversant about how best to use it in suitable applications for maximum benefit.

Tip  2. Make it a point to being on the factory floor. Make yourself visible In the places where these problems actually exist and with the people that are working to solve them.

• Perform a visual assessment of current automation methods and types of equipment being used in production.
  • While on the floor ask lots of relevant questions to gain knowledge. Questions that seek knowledge and understanding will win the confidence of the persons dealing wth these problems.
  • When possible, talk with the individuals actually operating the current equipment for their input and ideas.
  • If your solution involves automated assembly, test, welding or parts feeding understand incoming parts condition and dimensional conformity as a predicter of machine success.
  • Assess how the process is currently performed and what your equipment or solution will be expected to replicate at probably a higher OEE.

Tip  3. Be actively engaged early in the process. Knowing the factors that drive investment in automaton will strengthen your solution messaging and proposal content.

• End users are almost always more at ease and think it OK to answer ‘discovery’ type questions early in the life of a project and less so as the project progresses to the decision and supplier selection point.
  • What process does your company apply to adopt a ‘new’ process that can solve an existing problem?
  • How does your company make a purchase decision?
  • What factors are considered in the supplier selection process?
  • How does your company qualify a new source?
  • Does your company have a formal specification and is your competition listed as a qualified supplier?
  • Don’t forget that key performance factors for certain processes will be described in a project specification too.
  • Further, understand if there is an opportunity to improve on process performance factors as a means for creating value which is always a positive differentiator.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• The ‘Engineered Solution Sales Process’ is widely considered to be both an artform and a science. There is a ‘subjective’ and ‘objective’ side that needs to be discovered and applied in balance.
• Remember that once you are convinced your solution has merit and will help your customer, you need an actual purchase order or contract to get started so don’t forget to seek and secure the order!
• Understand that:
  • Discovering customer needs, leveraging technology, developing a strong sales team engagement, fostering long-term customer relationships, and utilizing digital marketing strategies will position you for ‘sustained’ success in this intensively competitive industry.
• High performers understand the importance of delivering value with every opportunity to be in front of end users.
  • They also understand you need to be mindful of the importance of time.
  • Be on time in everything and do not over commit in anything.
• Don’t leave your meeting without establishing the next appointment for a product demonstration or group presentation.
• Continued engagement will expand your influence, build your internal network of contacts and help you more accurately assess the account for future opportunities.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

NOTE: There is much more to this subject so stay tuned for more ideas and shared experience!

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