Partnering with the CIO: The Future of It Sales Seen Through the Eyes of Key Decision Makers

I think this book is very useful because it conveys two important messages. First, it tells salespeople something that they really need to hear: it's essential to learn how to listen to their customers. Most don't really listen, so they don't understand what challenges their customers are facing and can't properly address how to solve them. Salespeople need to understand this, or they won't be able to sell. It's that simple. Second, it shows that CIOs are actually champions of technology salespeople. The CIO tries to sell the organization on the projects that the salespeople are pitching to him. Salespeople have to understand that it's not an adversarial relationship.

This is not a book for tech sales professionals and CIOs only. Industry analysts and journalists who cover the IT arena are also among those who should read 'Partnering with the CIO.' I don't think the disconnect between vendors and users has ever been more succinctly and clearly stated. Industry-watchers need to understand the dynamics of the vendor-user relationship to get a comprehensive view of IT in the enterprise. From my point of view as a journalist, I can say that very few of us know what really goes on in the sales and purchase process. CIOs are in a constant struggle to align IT with business strategy. Meanwhile, vendors talk about "solutions," but they will not help solve real-world problems if they don't take time to truly understand the business goals of the users they are selling to. This book is a real eye-opener.

"Parterning with the CIO", gives the perspective of the CIO in the language today's sales person can understand. This is a must read if you want to be at the planning table instead of an afterthought behind your company's logo. I work for AT & T and sell global networking solutions. We get pushed to the Operational level constantly, which is a common thread in sales. I now have confidence that I can call on the CIO's in the companies that I work with and have valuable, BUSINESS orientated conversations instead of giving them a boring, redundant, smattering of tech buzz words that they could quite frankly care less about.

This is one of best business books I've read in a while. It's accurate, and very funny. Some of the sales tactics they describe will make your cringe with embarrassment -- especially if you're in IT sales! Read it and weep, or laugh out loud. If you're new to the game, this book will help you avoid some common mistakes, and some uncommon ones, too! It's amazing to think of how many IT deals fall apart because the sales reps just don't understand how modern corporations make large-scale purchasing decisions.

If you're in IT sales, you must read this book. It's on a serious topic, but it's written in a light-hearted tone that makes it easier to accept the basic message that most IT sales tactics don't work and that vendors must improve the way they sell or risk losing whatever shreds of credibility they still possess! There's also an interesting subtext, which is that IT is reverting to its earlier status as a "dark science" practiced by nerdy geeks who don't understand business. This is a truly dangerous trend that only leads to greater confusion and more abuse of the IT sales process, which is already broken.