In Episode 38 of Altar of the Demo Gods, Keith Wilson and John Morton explore the art of competitive analysis in sales engineering. They kick off the episode by reflecting on last week's deep dive into the perils of business travel and how they've evolved in their approach to achieving travel status. Shifting gears, they focus on the critical role of understanding competitors in the sales process.

The duo discusses practical strategies for gathering competitive intelligence, whether through direct observation at industry events, reviewing public resources, or simply engaging with existing customers. They also delve into the importance of framing your competitive edge in a way that highlights what your product does the same, what it does better, and what it doesn’t do at all. The goal? To equip you with the knowledge needed to effectively lay traps, differentiate your product, and ultimately win the sale.

Listener Questions: Keith and John also tackle a listener's question on maintaining a balance between being technical and being customer-focused as a sales engineer, offering advice on continuous learning and applying technical knowledge in a customer-centric way.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Reflections on the previous episode about travel woes and status.
• Competitive analysis: What it is, why it’s important, and how to gather intel.
• The significance of battle cards in competitive analysis.
• Strategies for positioning your product against competitors.
• Balancing technical knowledge with customer focus in sales engineering.

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the unexpected chaos of the recent CrowdStrike incident that disrupted travel plans worldwide, including John's personal trip to Aruba. As they recount the challenges of navigating airport delays and airline mishaps, they pivot into a broader discussion about the travel hacks and tips that every sales engineer and frequent traveler should know. Whether you're a seasoned road warrior or prepping for your first business trip, this episode offers practical advice to make your journeys smoother.

Keith and John also share their experiences with airline and hotel loyalty programs, debating whether the perks are worth the effort. From the value of having status to the unexpected downsides, they explore how travel has changed in recent years. They also offer some light-hearted moments, including an amusing late-night hotel experience that’s sure to make you chuckle.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The CrowdStrike incident and its impact on travel plans.
• Airline and hotel loyalty programs: Are they still worth it?
• Practical travel tips for sales engineers and frequent flyers.
• The importance of quality of life while traveling for work.
• Personal stories of travel mishaps and lessons learned.

In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by Charles Herring, CTO of WitFoo, to delve into the intricacies of value frameworks and ROI calculators in the context of sales engineering. The discussion centers on how sales teams can effectively communicate the value of their products to potential customers by quantifying benefits and calculating return on investment (ROI).

Key Discussion Points:

1. Introduction to Value Frameworks:

   • Definition and importance of value frameworks in sales.
   • How value frameworks help in articulating both qualitative and quantitative reasons for making a purchase.

2. Understanding ROI Calculators:

   • The role of ROI calculators in pre-sales and post-sales scenarios.
   • How these calculators help customers understand the financial benefits of investing in a particular solution.

3. Challenges in Selling Value:

   • The difficulty of connecting the value framework to customer needs.
   • The potential pitfalls of relying solely on ROI calculations, especially when dealing with different types of customers (e.g., government vs. commercial).

4. Real-World Examples and Insights:

   • Charles shares insights from his experience in the military and cybersecurity, highlighting the importance of understanding the unit of work when calculating ROI.
   • Discussion on the hidden costs and risks that can impact the success of an ROI-based sales pitch.

5. The Human Factor in ROI Calculations:

   • The impact of organizational changes on staff morale and retention.
   • How qualitative factors like user experience and operational efficiency play into the overall value proposition.

If you enjoyed this discussion or want to dive deeper into the topics of value frameworks and ROI calculators, be sure to check out our previous episodes. Subscribe, like, and share our podcast to stay updated on future episodes!

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by Charles Herring, Chief Technology Officer for WitFoo, to dive into the world of sales collateral. From white papers to use case studies and blog posts, the trio discusses the importance of creating effective sales materials and the SE’s role in this process.

Charles shares anecdotes from his career and the value of having well-crafted white papers and use case studies. The discussion covers how white papers have evolved, the importance of first-person narratives in use cases, and the practical benefits of blog posts for educating and building trust with potential customers.

They also touch on the practical aspects of creating these materials, emphasizing the need for authenticity and the strategic use of different types of collateral to address specific customer needs.

Main Points:

• Introduction of guest Charles Herring, CTO of WITFU, and discussion on holidays.
• Overview of white papers and their evolving role in sales and AI.
• Insights on use case studies and the power of personal stories.
• The value of user group meetings and bringing in happy customers.
• Importance of blog posts for product education and marketing.

Contact Us:

• Website: demogodspod.com

Join us next week as we delve into the world of sales tools, focusing specifically on Salesforce and how SEs can maximize its potential!

In this episode, Keith and John dive into the intricacies of Salesforce (SFDC) and its role in the daily life of a sales engineer (SE). They cover the basics of Salesforce, its importance, and how it differs from other CRM tools like HubSpot. The discussion includes the following key points:

• Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs): A recap from the previous episode on how CVOs and value propositions are tied together to ensure successful sales processes.
• Salesforce (SFDC): Introduction to Salesforce as a CRM tool, its history, and how it helps manage customer relationships, track deals, and automate processes.
• Key Features and Benefits:

Key Takeaways:

• Always update your notes promptly to ensure data accuracy and provide a clear history for anyone else working on the deal.
• Use Salesforce to automate routine tasks and integrate it with other tools like email and video conferencing platforms to capture all customer interactions.
• Regularly review and clean your data to maintain high-quality records.
• Understand that while SEs may not spend as much time in Salesforce as AEs, keeping detailed and accurate records is crucial for team efficiency and personal accountability.

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the world of Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs). Understanding CVOs and effectively leveraging them can transform your sales approach. Join Keith and John as they discuss the importance of aligning CVOs with value propositions and how to measure success in your sales process.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The definition and significance of Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs).
• How to differentiate between CVOs and value propositions.
• Techniques for discovering and defining CVOs with your prospects.
• The importance of aligning value propositions with CVOs throughout the sales process.
• Tips for measuring and articulating the value of CVOs to close deals.

Don't forget to:

• Subscribe to our podcast for more insights and strategies.
• Leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.
• Follow us on LinkedIn and join the conversation.

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! This week, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into the critical topic of discovery in sales engineering. Whether you're conducting discovery calls, Zoom meetings, or in-person sessions, understanding how to uncover your prospect's pain points is essential. Keith and John share their insights on effective preparation, asking the right questions, and building genuine connections to drive sales success.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of discovery in the sales process.
• How to prepare effectively for discovery meetings.
• Techniques for asking smart, revealing questions.
• The significance of understanding your prospect's pain points.
• Tips for transitioning from discovery to closing the deal.

Don't forget to:

• Subscribe to our podcast for more insights and strategies.
• Leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.
• Follow us on LinkedIn and join the conversation.

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! This week, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined once again by Larci Robertson. In this episode, we delve into the importance of building your personal brand on social media and sustaining professional relationships both in-person and online. Larci shares her insights on how to effectively use social media for career growth, the significance of in-person connections, and practical tips for maintaining these relationships over time.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of creating and maintaining a personal brand on social media.
• Strategies for building genuine connections online and in-person.
• How to identify and avoid fake social media profiles.
• Tips for leveraging social media to support your career goals.
• The value of in-person networking events and how to maximize their impact.

Don't forget to:

• Subscribe to our podcast for more insights and strategies.
• Leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.
• Follow us on LinkedIn/Twitter and join the conversation.