Sales Life: Patrick Dalvinck, Trend Micro

Our regular feature ‘Sales Life’ invites senior salespeople to give their views on key sales issues.

This quarter we talk to Patrick Dalvinck, Regional Director Benelux, Trend Micro.

What is your job title and what do you do?

I am Regional Director Benelux for Trend Micro. We provide internet security s olutions and my main objective is to make sure my people are driving sales of our solutions and covering the territory effectively.

How long have you been in your present role?

I’ve worked in the IT industry since 1989 and in security since ’94. I took up my present role in 2007.

What is the top sales challenge you and your team are currently facing?

Our number one challenge is to convey the added value that Trend Micro offers, in what many customers see as a commodity market. Security threats are far from commoditised – you would be amazed at the ingenuity that is applied to developing new ways of stealing commercially valuable data. To combat this Trend Micro has developed revolutionary approaches like our Smart Protection Network, where we use “the cloud” to reinforce the protection provided by our security solutions. To explain the real benefits of this unique new approach I have had to convert my salespeople from being the “Techy’s friend” to becoming consultants that work closely with the business executives in our customers. It is the C-level executives that see the financial impact of inadequate security; the costs associated with damaged reputation, reparations and fines and the loss of productivity while systems are cleaned up.

What is the best piece of sales advice you’ve ever been given?

I had a Sales Manager back in the ‘90’s who insisted that salespeople made 10 phone calls a day. He knew that this would lead to 4 meetings which would result in 2-3 opportunities and probably at least one sale. Of course it is no use calling the wrong company or the wrong person, but for me it is important that salespeople never lose the motivation to make cold calls, no matter how senior they become. Cold calling is an important way of making contact with new people and new prospects.

What is the most important new development in your industry?

Without a doubt: cloud computing. The move towards virtualisation and cloud-based computing is gathering momentum fast and it is exciting for us because every company considering this move needs to look again at its security. Virtualisation makes traditional approaches to security extinct and companies that are trying to make their traditional approach work in a virtual world are meeting more and more challenges – which is where we can help.

How can Marketing best serve Sales?

Put simply – by doing what we ask them to do! But this puts a big responsibility on Sales. I tell all my salespeople “You are in contact with the customer. You should know what you need from Marketing and it is your job to tell them”.

Who in your industry do you most admire?

Steve Jobs. He has revolutionised our industry twice: with the iPod and the iPhone, and maybe he is doing it again with the iPad. That takes fantastic vision and great drive.

To take part in Sales Life or to nominate a colleague please email or call +44(0)1702 586742.