Habits of Effective Sales Engineers

I was hired to be a Sales Engineer and had no idea where to start - then I came across this book. I read it in two days, it is terrific! Chris shares not only strategies but his experiences that have formed them. One of my favorite parts is how he includes common pitfalls and things to avoid (all of which I would have easily made had I not read this book). Another great attribute is how he shares counterpoints to each habit so you fully appreciate where each recommendation is coming from. Whether you've been doing this for 10 years or it's your first day on the job - I highly recommend this book. Also, follow him on Linkedin for a lot of great content.

Whether you are new to the industry, or a seasoned professional Chris’ book offers something for everyone. While it focuses on successful demonstrations, the advice works for all aspects of being a Sales Engineer. This book focuses on communicating, building better relationships and forging connections. These skills are must-haves no matter whom you are dealing with. The book starts with two basic assumptions, everyone is a seller and everyone can learn from other perspectives. It is easy to read and contains practical and easy to understand examples from someone who has not only been around the block but also learns from his stumbles and from other reviews of his work. Being a Sales Engineer is not only about technology and “being a geek,” but also about human emotion and the science of effective communications. This book breaks the science down into six easy to understand habits that can help anyone, be they a sales engineer or not.

The content is great as someone looking to pivot from consulting to technical sales. I would recommend this book. I took off a star simply because the book is riddled with so many grammatical mistakes. Take page 59 as an example: “We will discuss what it is that we should be probing for when do get the opportunity.”

I wish this book existed when I started out as a Sales Engineer. Chris uses his experiences and person journey to create 6 actionable habits that stand out as a practical guide for SE’s at any skill level. The Six Habits is not just a book but a toolkit for excellence in technical sales, offering a blend of inspiration and practical advice that can impact your effectiveness as a sales engineer. I highly recommend reading it.

I recently discovered this book after it was recommended by Amazon. They were right, I can use this book! This is easy to digest, not overly long, and very to the point. We are here to prove that our products can solve issues; and here are six steps to make that happen. I would argue that this is one of the best short books i've gotten on demo'ing. Very happy to have it on my shelf, and i'm looking forward to using the advice in real life soon.