Bringing the sales skills of Irish software CEOs up to speed with their US counterparts has returned to the centre stage with the launch of the next phase of the Irish Software Association’s (ISA) Sales STAR 2004 programme.
In its second year, the initiative is a joint venture between the ISA, Enterprise Ireland and FÁS aimed at countering the general consensus that the sales skills of Irish software CEOs in the complex and drawn-out sales processes employed in the technology industry leave a lot to be desired.
Designed for CEOs of high growth software companies, the programme develops the strategic thinking skills necessary to formulate sales and marketing strategies which deliver competitive advantage and helps participants to craft market positioning and messaging tactics that deliver an effect value proposition to specific target markets.
In addition, the Sales STAR 2004 Programme assists attendees in designing ‘Go To Market’ strategies and tactics for direct and indirect channel development using partnerships and alliances, enhances their selling skills and provides an opportunity to network with peer CEOs as well as delivering an understanding of the key success factors for hiring, motivating and compensating sales people.
The programme will be presented by Mark Cavender of the Chasm Group, a global consulting practice focused on helping technology companies achieve market leadership position for their core products and services. Cavender has worked with numerous enterprise software companies such as Business Objects, Hyperion, and SunGard was well as growing firms such as Docent, iManage, and Logility. He has also undertaken joint strategy work with IBM and their key enterprise software business partners.
ISA director Kathryn Raleigh said: “The Programme is an excellent resource for emerging and high growth software companies to address the increasingly important professional sales and marketing requirements of software companies today. It is also specifically designed to facilitate the maximum opportunity for networking with peer CEOs. The Programme is part of the response to the increasing need for ongoing software industry sales education identified in the second annual Irish Software Association Sales & Marketing Capability Survey.”
The divisional manager of software at Enterprise Ireland, Patricia McLister agreed: “International sales and marketing experience, particularly at CEO level, is vital for the growth of the indigenous software sector. The rapid development of professional sales capability at the highest level is key to the future competitiveness of the industry.”
By John Kennedy
