Subject Matter Expertise and selling technology

I've talked a little about the Sales Identity, and am well aware that in technology, becoming a product or category expert is a handy way of deflecting self-doubt.

And it's little wonder: Product enablement is probably the loudest voice in the enablement choir, so becoming VERY knowledgeable about the widget itself is often the path of least resistance. And if you were to ask a customer what they expect of a salesperson, at the very least it's knowledge of their product or service. Therefore, I'd acknowledge this path as valid, but there's a big 'but' associated:

Your subject area of expertise, and how it relates to customer business outcomes is directly proportional to the size and type of deals you'll end up closing.

If you want to be doing large & strategic deals, let the other folk on your selling team handle the technical detail and solution focus. That gives you the space to prioritise expertise orientated to your customer's industry, their business & strategy, the people, politics, funding cycles, etc. You're playing a leadership role, and that in of itself gets you credibility higher up the food chain.

If you're happy doing volume, tactical deals, then focus on how the widget works. Let the best demo win!
No judgement, I know lots of people in this arena, that are perfectly content doing this. But be clear about your focus, and the path you go down.

If you are stuck in widget world, and you want to start doing larger, more strategic deals, then you're going to have to haul your expertise to new levels. As you haul, your previous expertise will naturally morph to be more effective and appropriate to the broader range of buyers you'll be experiencing.

This morphing SME layer cake looks a little like this:

Naturally there’s a piece here on how these areas of expertise play out in the various deal sizes, but this relates more to the topic of account & opportunity planning. For another day.