Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1515304
FEBRUARY 2024 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 45 on silicon before they had a working version. Verification soware could identify poorly formed transistors in the topography and other weaknesses in the design's manufacturabil- ity. Verification could also exhaustively verify that the physical layout of the design was 100% faithful to the schematic used as the guide. It was oen at this point where pre-exist- ing tools and processes broke down. e ver- ification step required (and still does) signifi- cant compute power and could run for multi- ple days before completion. By showing that we could deliver faster run times, easier job setup, more accurate results, and easier to read reports—all leading to shorter design cycles, fewer trial runs of expensive silicon fabrica- tion, and lowered project costs—we usually found a compelling event for everyone. Yet that compelling event oen was not enough to make the sale. Using the Miller Hei- man methods, we learned to recognize that without a compelling event, we had no sale. Even with a compelling event, we needed suf- ficient personal motivation amongst all the various decision-makers; otherwise, we had no sale. With nearly all our attention as a sales team focused on the qualification process, the close just seemed to take care of itself. Conclusion A thorough study of how to qualify pros- pects is well beyond the scope of this article, but highly recommended. ere are several quality texts on the topic, Miller and Heiman's book being just one of them. Once you've refined the process, your own personal expres- sion will undoubtedly emerge. at is when art happens, when what is expressed and/or accomplished by you personally—while fol- lowing the process—begins to reflect your per- sonal style. Once you become a master of the process, bending the rules without breaking them brings creativity and art to your qualifi- cation and sales efforts, and makes your sales funnel more efficient. SMT007 Reference 1. The New Strategic Selling: The Unique Sales System Proven Successful by the World's Best Com- panies, by Robert Miller and Stephen Heiman, pub- lished in 2005. This gem of a book is an oldie but goodie. In this fast-moving world, it is amazing that a 12-year- old book is still as pertinent now as it was then, but I guess that's the true definition of a business classic. Truth be known, I just reread this book for the third time since I first read it 10 years ago, and it makes sense: The advice still applies today. The book covers every aspect of growing your business, includ- ing the sales process, something that too many companies do not spend enough time on. Sure, they tell their salespeople to get out there and sell but they don't take the time to create the right sales process. This is a short book, and the authors pack a lot into these pages. I keep it right at my finger- tips and it's a recommended read, to be sure. Every time I open this book and read a few pages, I learn something new. If you are seri- ous about growing your business, then make sure to read this book. Now, go build a great business. This is an excerpt from Dan B e a u l i e u 's c o l u m n , D a n's B i z Bookshelf; read the rest of it here. Now… Build a Great Business! 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any Market by Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy