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42 The PCB Magazine • December 2016 Here is a little sneak peek into the daily life of a PCB salesperson. Prospecting: Somebody who is not in PCB sales might get a little laugh, but those of us in the trenches see this and and think, haha, is that me? Yes, it is! It is incredibly hard to get in touch with PCB buy- ers or designers and when someone answers the phone, we do a little happy dance. Then if they don't say "no thanks," we are sure they will one day be a customer. We just have to be patient. When a customer calls: I know…someone is reading this and think- ing, "Really? The PCB salespeople I know like to take long lunches and spend their afternoons golfing. They don't want to help me." Old ste- reotypes are hard to overcome. But I have been in PCB industry a very long time and have had the privilege of getting to know many PCB salespeople that are very good at what they do. In my opinion that is often because they tru- ly enjoy getting to know their customers and helping to solve problems. As I was thinking about what I wanted to say about PCB sales in this column, I thought it would be both interesting and educational to ask both customers and manufacturers their thoughts on PCB sales. I was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiastic response I received. ——————————————————— Question #1: In your opinion, what traits do good PCB salespeople have in common? From PCB Users: • A better than average knowledge of PCB construction • The ability to offer suggestions and solutions when we struggle with a new design and technology need • Respond quickly when there is a request or issue • Provide follow-up to the details so I don't have to worry about what is being completed • Know the line between persistence and annoyance. PCBs aren't the only thing on my plate • Excellent communication skills • Understands when I call with an issue and helps work with manufacturing or engineering to resolve the issue so I can focus on other things A Glimpse into PCB Sales FEATURE COLUMN: FLEX TALK by Tara Dunn OMNI CIRCUITS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM