Part 1 in a the 7 part series - "Seven Mistakes Companies Make Managing Sales Teams"

In 1985 I was tasked with selecting a distributed computer solution for Printing & Packaging company I worked for.  I had set up a number of presentations with the usual suspects including IBM and Wang. The presentations by these folks were grand affairs, with upwards of six sales people involved. I recall the presentations today, not because of the content, or the wonderful things their applications did.  What I remember is the way they made me feel about their company. I felt that either Wang or IBM would take care of my company. They made me feel like I "knew" their products and their employer. And they knew their stuff - what their products did, why I should care and why their total solution would fit my needs better than any other.