Complexity of Selling

Came upon a blog today: http://www.gapingvoid.com/ and in it, it has a posting from Cardboard spaceship on the complexity of selling:

Understanding the Market
Understanding the Offering
Finding likely customers
Prospecting
Initial discussions
Engagement
Managing the Sales process – External Sale
Managing the Sales process – Internal Sale
Handling the Competition
Qualification
Handling Objections
Demonstrating capabilities
Negotiation
Closing the Sale
Handing over the delivery team
Managing the post sale
Account Management
Extending the footprint
Managing the support and services revenues

This looks like a long list, and it is. Complex selling is exactly that, and the ability to manage this complexity successfully is one of the main reasons that it is a rewarding.

This reminds me of my managing the sales function course that I took last term.