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Sales Letter For Sales Manager

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This letter produced an interview and job offer as sales manager. In a follow-up letter to me, Bill said, "I was aware that this letter breaks most of the rules, but I decided to approach the prospective employer with a 'concept sale' rather than a 'brand sale.' That is, rather than sell myself, I felt I needed to convince a technically oriented business manager that what he really needed wasn't a better technological mouse trap, but a sales manager.

"My decision was based on my observation that engineers and other technically trained managers tend to think of business success largely in terms of technical excellence of their product, rather than as a result of the efforts of their sales force. Whether my assumptions or my approach were entirely correct I cannot say, but the letter worked."


WILLIAM E. POWELL
34 Cypress Point | Abilene, Texas 79606
C: 916-692-2408 | H: 916-699-2552 | wpowell@gmail.com


October 23, 20––

Mr. E. A. Breitenbach, Chairman
Scientific Software-Intercomp, Inc.
1801 California Street, Suite 295
Denver, CO 80202

Dear Mr. Breitenbach:

Few people understand the role of sales in a technical industry. Technical competence, while necessary for repeat business, is not enough to ensure growth. If you produce quality, but find your sales disappointing, chances are you're lacking an effective technical sales force.

No matter how excellent your product, there are certain things you need to do to realize your market potential. First, you must identify your market. This means finding out who needs and wants what you provide and has the funds and authority to buy. Second, you must establish rapport and credibility with the prospect, so that he trusts your motives and respects your technical competence. Next, you must communicate what your services can do for him in terms of specific benefits that he can relate to his own business and personal needs. Then, after you make the sale, you must deliver excellent service to the client, as perceived by him. Finally, you need to follow up after the job to support the benefits of your service and uncover additional needs that can lead to future sales. This, in a nutshell, is the role of technical sales.

I have battle-proven capabilities in technical sales management, line management, and technical sales, plus a strong background in science, mathematics, and liberal arts. I can develop a professional sales team that will ensure that your business meets its sales objectives. I would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss your needs.

Sincerely,

W. E. Powell

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William S. Frank, M.A.,
            President/CEO
25 Reasons I love consulting.
by William S. Frank
  1. Brand. You are your own brand, and you can define it any way you want. For many years, I provided outplacement to the ex-employees of Schlumberger, the world's largest oilfield service corporation. When departing employees left the company, they didn't request outplacement in their severance package. They said, "I want Bill Frank."
  2. Demand. The world will always be full of terrible problems that need solving.
  3. White Hat. I can be a helper and get paid for it.
  4. Pay. I can be paid to do things I'd gladly do for nothing.
  5. Variety. Every day is different.
  6. Happiness. At this stage of my career, I only work for people I respect and care about. If a client micromanages me or is otherwise no fun, I complete the assignment and replace them.
  7. Talent. I'm using 110% of my talents and stretching myself to the max.
  8. Change. I can change my focus any day I want. If you're a McDonald's franchisee, you don't say, "Hey, I've got this great idea for a meatball sandwich—let's try it out today." In consulting you can adjust your focus hour-by-hour, as long as your clients still understand and appreciate what you do.
  9. Income. No one else would pay me as much as I pay myself.
  10. FUN. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.
  11. Retirement. I can write and consult as long as I am physically and mentally capable. Peter Drucker worked into his 90s, and when asked which book was his best, he said: "My next one."
  12. Job Security. Although clients come and go, no one can come into my office and say, "Pack up your stuff . . . You don't work here anymore." In 29 years, I've only had one employer: ME.
  13. Travel. I don't have to travel unless I decide to. I travel if it's both FUN and profitable—or at least FUN.
  14. Commute. I live five minutes from my office, a corner office in an upscale six-story tower. In winter, I leave a heated garage at home and drive to an underground heated garage at work. There's seldom time to hear even one song on the radio.
  15. Vacation. Consulting is more fun than vacation (except on Wailea Beach in Maui).
  16. Friends. I have developed hundreds of close acquaintances and several lifetime friends.
  17. Time. I can work as much or as little as I like: four-hour days or 18-hour days. (Of course, my income will reflect that.)
  18. Employees. I can work with employees, subcontractors, partners, or alone—I've done it all.
  19. Passive Income. I've developed several products that provide "mailbox money." I earn while I'm sleeping.
  20. Ethics. I've never had to violate my values or personal code of ethics. I've never had to lie, purposely deceive or harm others, or promise things I can't deliver. I go to bed with a clear conscience. That doesn't mean there's never any conflict. But the conflict is conducted according to generally accepted business practices.
  21. Virtual. My career is fairly portable. With the Internet, e-mail, cell phone, and FedEx, I can work nationally, even internationally from my office—or anywhere in the world.
  22. Purpose. I make a difference in peoples' lives every day. I see it in their faces, hear it in their voices, and read it in their thank-yous.
  23. Experience. Every painful or joyful life experience makes me a better consultant. So does every person I meet or book I read. Grey hair can be good in consulting.
  24. Structure. I have to work very hard, and the clients expect superb results—but I get to structure my days, weeks, months, and years.
  25. Boss. Most of the time, I love my boss.
As I was posting these letters online, I realized I want to communicate my love for consulting. It's just a great business. The single letters, taken together, may create a picture of enjoyment, but in a burst of creativity I listed some of the reasons consulting is such a good fit for me—and perhaps for you, too. They are not prioritized; this is just how they came out.