Recently, I was recalling my first year working for a Dynamics GP and CRM VAR when they sent me to the very last (but my first) Convergence. I remember walking the aisle at the Expo Hall in awe of how many companies had built their entire business around Microsoft Dynamics. As a young salesperson, I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of “add-ons” available for Dynamics GP and CRM. When I would work with consultants, they would rattle off all the add-ons that would be needed for an implementation… how did they remember all of these?

Fast forward a few years in, and I was rattling off add-ons to new salespeople as well. I had gone through the trenches and knew all the key ISVs that would be needed for a successful implementation. Then, Microsoft released Dynamics 365 Business Central. I felt like I was back at square one, having no prior Dynamics NAV experience. This is where I learned the importance of leaning on our best ISVs for sales training.

Technical folks engage in a lot of training, but it’s often an afterthought on the sales side. Salespeople rely on their gut instincts, people skills, and the knowledge of their technical counterparts to help them win deals. And while that may have been all you needed before, today’s prospects already know just as much as you do about your product when they contact you. A great personality will only get you so far; you really need to know your stuff and bring more to the table for those prospects. Understanding the ISV landscape is key in Business Central deals and is often the aspect of the implementation that a prospect understands the least.

ISV training is vital for a successful Dynamics sales team. Just like in the Dynamics GP, SL, AX, or NAV, Business Central relies on the ISV community to make it a great Business Application. eOne Solutions, Integrity Data, Rockton, the list goes on and on. As a Dynamics salesperson, it’s imperative you understand these solutions. Licensing and pricing, product positioning, lead qualification and implementation costs all need to be understood inside and out, because solutions like SmartConnect and Popdock are often just as critical as Business Central itself.

Reach out to your ISV reps! Partner Development Managers are here to help you. We want to train you on all the aspects I outlined above. If you feel you have an ISV rep that is constantly reaching out to see if you have any deals, but not much else, tell them you want training! You must understand the product in order to sell it, so they will be more than willing to train you on this. It will also give you a great understanding of when that product is NOT a fit, which is just as important as recognizing when it is. Your ISV partners should be an extension of your sales team. eOne has trained over 130 partners since the beginning of March, and counting. Make sure your team is part of this awesome opportunity!

If you want to learn more about training opportunities or eOne products, feel free to reach out to us at sales@eonesolutions.com or give us a call at 1.888.319.3663