A presentation at TestCon Europe in in Vilnius, Lithuania by Iancho Dimitrov
Iancho Dimitrov linkedin.com/in/iancho TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius October 17th, 2019
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 2
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 3
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 4
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 5
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 6
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 7
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 8
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 9
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 10
slido.com | testcon2019 | Hall 2 TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 11
Any experience in sales? TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 12
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 13
slido.com | testcon2019 | Hall 2 TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 14
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 15
• convince • make a motivated proposal • negotiate effectively How do you define success? TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 16
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 17
QA Expert’s Work QA Expert’s Career (IT) Sales introduce automated testing new job @ a new company start-up start using a new tool promotion to a new role your own company implement a process change switch to a PM/AM role pre-sales engagements justify team size increase speak at conferences :) convince developers to… TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 18
slido.com | testcon2019 | Hall 2 TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 19
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 20
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 21
• Look for win-win cases and fits • Focus on client’s end results - and not on you or your product/service • Be 100% committed to delivering client’s success • Don’t go for the deal at all costs, ever TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 22
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 23
• know in detail and believe in what you sell • be an expert in successfully delivering value through your product/service (hardly anyone buys your product/service for the sake of having it) TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 24
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 25
• everybody has their own unique agenda and perspective • understand their business priorities (not buying priorities) • try to eliminate assumptions • look for common context TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 26
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 27
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 28
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 29
• Well done is better than well said • Achievements vs. just experience • Referenceable examples • Data and facts vs. claims/opinions TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 30
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 31
• don’t lie and be 100% precise in what you claim – be able to get into details • do discuss risks and potential problems • don’t always agree with the client • always do the right thing, even when “no one is watching you” TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 32
• know who will be listening/reading – their priorities, what they do and don’t understand, etc. • manage expectations during the process - be there for them • make it easy for them in their next steps internally – with the right information in the right format TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 33
• Comprehensible and audience tailored • Structure and format • Executive summaries / diagrams / etc. • Present effectively • Anticipate questions – and be prepared with answers TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 34
#1 Don’t Sell (consult and “be the pig”) #2 Be a Sales expert #3 Context and perspective – mind the gap #4 Third-party validation, examples, facts, data #5 Fairness, integrity #6 Stakeholders, decision-making process #7 Deliver effective content TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 36
Yes —-> pleasе raise your hand No —-> stand still ☺ TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 37
slido.com | testcon2019 | Hall 2 TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 38
QA Expert’s Work QA Expert’s Career (IT) Sales introduce automated testing new job @ a new company start-up start using a new tool promotion to a new role your own company implement a process change switch to a PM/AM role pre-sales engagements justify team size increase speak at conferences :) convince developers to… TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 39
Introducing Automated Testing Getting a New Job @ a New Company • win-win: solve the team’s “pain” while achieving project goals • win-win: discuss and understand the company and team goals • consult from the very beginning • evaluate and discuss IF and how you could be a good fit • understand concerns - and calibrate your plan and proposal accordingly • show you understand the risk the company takes - and be ready to • invest in initial research & analysis take your part in it (e.g. trial period • take your part of the initial risk at much smaller salary) • start small – phased approach TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 40
Introducing Automated Testing Getting a New Job @ a New Company • know the “what” • do your analysis – on: • know the “how” o the specific role • know the “who” o the big picture • have a plan (phased) and articulate clearly how with your skills you THINK could add value • know well any tooling that will be used TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts • strive to be proficient in the technical and process areas of interest to them 41
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 42
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 43
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 44
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 45
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 46
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 47
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 48
Introducing Automated Testing Getting a New Job @ a New Company • talk their language • verify all assumptions you might have for you being a good fit • how much it will cost – to setup and to operate • ask questions during the interviews - esp. in the beginning – so you • what would be the tangible benefits understand the context better and o man-days work saved per Sprint tailor your answers to it o shortened time to market • other factors – high-prio releases ahead, tight deadlines, etc. TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 49
Introducing Automated Testing Getting a New Job @ a New Company • reference – a team in your company • references is doing it, or you did it in the past? • public code / articles / portfolios • external research data (not tool • conferences vendor’s materials) – for similar • when asked about a skill: context? o share experience with examples • quantify both benefits and costs • commit to and track metrics/KPIs TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts o talk about achievements 50
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 51
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 52
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 53
Introducing Automated Testing Getting a New Job @ a New Company • analyze and discuss risks – and have • don’t exaggerate neither skills, nor a plan for managing them experience • don’t exaggerate expected benefits • “not really, but…” • don’t understate needed efforts and costs • be 100% professional: • provide full transparency – through regular progress updates TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts o re: past employers o re: confidential data 54
Effort Distribution (%) Sprint TA Scope DONE 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Sprint 1 New Tests Impl. TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts Sprint 2 Results Analysis Sprint 3 Maintenance Sprint 4 Framework Enhancements 55
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 56
Introducing Automated Testing • find out about: Getting a New Job @ a New Company • find out about: o Decision Makers and Influencers o Hiring Manager(s) o what is the process (approvals, int. discussions…) o HR Responsible and focus on addressing each of them • “win” them one by one in advance – ask for opinions (“don’t sell”) TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts o the hiring process steps • research the people in advance • be punctual and available “early” for each step in the process 57
Introducing Automated Testing • in your proposal/presentation: Getting a New Job @ a New Company • CV o short & long versions • LinkedIn profile o well structured • Motivation letters o easy to comprehend -> make them convenient to use and well structured o use diagrams o clearly state what you want to achieve TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 58
slido.com | testcon2019 | Hall 2 TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 59
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 60
Get guidance for learning, get challenged, get coaching TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 61
Shadow your Mentor TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 62
…and vice versa : ) TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 63
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 64
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 65
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 66
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 67
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 68
TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 69
…appetite comes with eating! TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 70
Iancho Dimitrov iancho.d@gmail.com LinkedIn.com/in/iancho TestCon Europe 2019, Vilnius – Sales Skillz for QA Experts 71
Sales skills – can they be useful to QA experts? Iancho believes they can be not just useful but actually quite important for achieving the professional and personal goals of every IT professional. Think about the broader context of selling – like convincing, negotiating and more. Here are just a few scenarios where they can greatly increase your chances for success:
*** You have an idea for a change in your project – for example you believe you need to introduce automated testing, a new tool, or a significant change in the process. And as all these cost – you need to convince and “sell” your idea to your colleagues responsible for budget related decisions. *** You are applying for a position in a new company or for a new role in your current company. Again, you need to effectively “sell” your expertise, experience and time. *** You plan to join a start-up as a co-founder or to build your own company. It’s more than clear that for your long-term success a key factor will be the company’s ability to sell well. *** You plan to advance your career in areas like Project Management and Account Management. To be successful in any of these you will definitely need to be able to “sell” well.
Join this session and you’ll hear Iancho’s point of view about selling in a broader context – and why sales skills matter for QA experts. Iancho will talk about some of the main sales approaches and principles that he uses and that have proven successful. He’ll map all of these to two real life scenarios from the QA expert’s life – and will show you how they can be applied by sharing real-life examples and first-hand experience.
for free. You
can too.