-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueSpotlight on India
We invite you on a virtual tour of India’s thriving ecosystem, guided by the Global Electronics Association’s India office staff, who share their insights into the region’s growth and opportunities.
Supply Chain Strategies
A successful brand is built on strong customer relationships—anchored by a well-orchestrated supply chain at its core. This month, we look at how managing your supply chain directly influences customer perception.
What's Your Sweet Spot?
Are you in a niche that’s growing or shrinking? Is it time to reassess and refocus? We spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche. What are their insights?
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Shifting From Prospect to Customer
February 21, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute

All art is process-oriented or procedural—a bold claim that many artists might take issue with. Still, painting with oil on canvas follows a process of building colors from bottom to top; watercolor on paper follows a different process. Learning a musical instrument follows a process, and building the skills to play music with others requires precise communication and a mastery of the song to be played. These are all procedural things.
Contrary to popular belief, selling is also more a process than a magic-filled art, and one part of the process that seems artful (but is actually procedural) is qualifying your prospect. Qualification answers this fundamental question: “Is this lead a good fit as a customer or not?”
The Process
Start with your business plan, a working business model, and a strategy. Know who you want to go after, and with what product or service. Now, how do you determine whether a prospect is right for you?
The old saw in sales is, "If you're going to get a ‘no’ from the customer, get it as soon as possible." Don't waste your time on someone whose mind is made up. This sounds reasonable, but successful salespeople will tell you to be persistent and that "no" means "not at this time." So, how do you tell the difference?
The Miller Heiman Strategic Selling method is one of the most authoritative sources on the concept of selling as a strategic partnership between the buyer and seller. In their book, The New Strategic Selling, Robert Miller and Stephen Heiman outline archetypes that help with qualifying.
The idea is not necessarily to disqualify a prospect but rather to learn what motivates the buyer so you can reach a mutually beneficial solution.
B2B transactions can be rather large and complex. The authors define it as having one or more of the following elements in place:
- The buying organization has multiple options
- The selling organization has multiple options
- In both organizations, numerous levels of responsibility are involved
- The buying organization’s decision-making process is complex, meaning that it is seldom self-evident to an outsider
The next set of categories zeroes in on the roles and motivations of the multiple decision-makers in your prospective customer’s organization.
Continue reading this article in the February 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine.
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Closing the Loop on PCB Etching Waste
09/09/2025 | Shawn Stone, IECAs the PCB industry continues its push toward greener, more cost-efficient operations, Sigma Engineering’s Mecer System offers a comprehensive solution to two of the industry’s most persistent pain points: etchant consumption and rinse water waste.
The Chemical Connection: Experience and Wisdom Gained by Doing Business
09/03/2025 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical ConnectionA well-managed company learns to adjust its strategies and processes based on what it learns during challenging times. The experience gained from making (or losing) a difficult sale is invaluable in adapting new sales and manufacturing processes necessary to make that sale the next time, no matter how painful those new processes might be.
MacDermid Alpha Awarded for Innovation: Driving Process Optimization and Efficiency with Major Indian EMS Provider
08/28/2025 | MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsMacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, a leading global supplier of integrated materials for the electronics industry, is recognized by one of India’s top EMS providers, Syrma SGS, with an award for innovation that advanced process optimization, enhanced operational efficiency, and yield gains.
Partnerships Drive Innovation for a Brighter Manufacturing Future
08/26/2025 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007When Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) opened its greenfield facility in 2023, it did so with careful attention to choosing its suppliers. In this discussion, Collin Peters, electronics business director for North America at MKS’ Atotech, and Justin Kennedy, manager of engineering at SEL, explore their unique partnership that includes collaborative efforts to develop innovative solutions like the Uniplate® PLBCu6 line.
The Art and Science of PCB Floor Planning: A Comprehensive Guide
08/14/2025 | Cory Grunwald and Jeff Reinhold, Monsoon SolutionsPCB design is an intricate and crucial part of developing electronic products. One of the foundational stages of PCB design is floor planning, a phase where the placement of components and the flow of signals are meticulously mapped out. A good floor plan ensures that the PCB performs well, is easy to manufacture, and meets all mechanical and electrical requirements. We’ll explore the essential aspects of floor planning, from its objectives and process to the challenges that designers face.