Altar of the Demo Gods

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton welcome Ahmed Usmani , a Senior Sales Engineer with over a decade of experience in both technical support and sales engineering. The conversation covers Ahmed's unique career journey and insights into the role of a sales engineer, from his beginnings in platinum-level support to becoming a cloud success coordinator and...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton sit down with Jose Barajas , VP of Worldwide Sales Engineering at AttackIQ. The conversation dives into Jose’s career progression, from his early days as a security researcher to transitioning into sales engineering , and eventually moving into leadership as the VP of Sales Engineering . Jose shares valuable insights on...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton welcome special guest Evgeniy Kharam , author of the book Architecting Success: The Art of Soft Skills in Technical Sales . They dive deep into the world of soft skills, especially in the context of sales engineering, discussing how these often-overlooked abilities can make or break success in technical sales roles. Evg...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into the topic of documentation in sales engineering , emphasizing its critical role in the sales process and beyond. They discuss how effective documentation can reduce friction, improve clarity in communication, and ultimately help close deals. From early discovery to proof-of-concept (POC) engagements, having a s...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the world of sales engineering culture and how it impacts team performance, retention, and overall success. Drawing from their personal experiences across various industries—from the military to startups—the duo explores the importance of positive work culture and its far-reaching effects on sales teams. They discus...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into the complex world of ethics, integrity, and legality in sales . Picking up where they left off from the previous episode on building trust and rapport, they now explore how having a solid ethical foundation is critical for long-term success in technical sales. Keith and John share anecdotes about the fine...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton discuss the crucial topic of building trust and rapport in sales engineering and technical sales . Drawing from their extensive experience in cybersecurity, they explore strategies for establishing genuine connections with clients who are often cautious and skeptical. Keith and John delve into the importance of authenti...

In Episode 39 of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the critical topic of sales forecasting and why it’s a make-or-break element for any company, especially startups. The hosts discuss the importance of accurately forecasting revenue and how failing to do so can lead to catastrophic results, particularly for startups relying on investor confidence. John, who’s especial...

In Episode 38 of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton explore the art of competitive analysis in sales engineering. They kick off the episode by reflecting on last week's deep dive into the perils of business travel and how they've evolved in their approach to achieving travel status. Shifting gears, they focus on the critical role of understanding competitors in the sales...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the unexpected chaos of the recent CrowdStrike incident that disrupted travel plans worldwide, including John's personal trip to Aruba. As they recount the challenges of navigating airport delays and airline mishaps, they pivot into a broader discussion about the travel hacks and tips that every sales engineer a...

In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by Charles Herring, CTO of WitFoo, to delve into the intricacies of value frameworks and ROI calculators in the context of sales engineering. The discussion centers on how sales teams can effectively communicate the value of their products to potential customers by quantifying benefits and calculating return on investment (ROI). Key Discussi...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods , Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by Charles Herring, Chief Technology Officer for WitFoo, to dive into the world of sales collateral. From white papers to use case studies and blog posts, the trio discusses the importance of creating effective sales materials and the SE’s role in this process. Charles shares anecdotes from his career and the value...

In this episode, Keith and John dive into the intricacies of Salesforce (SFDC) and its role in the daily life of a sales engineer (SE). They cover the basics of Salesforce, its importance, and how it differs from other CRM tools like HubSpot. The discussion includes the following key points: Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs): A recap from the previous episode on how CVOs and value propositions a...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive into the world of Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs). Understanding CVOs and effectively leveraging them can transform your sales approach. Join Keith and John as they discuss the importance of aligning CVOs with value propositions and how to measure success in your sales process. In This Episod...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! This week, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into the critical topic of discovery in sales engineering. Whether you're conducting discovery calls, Zoom meetings, or in-person sessions, understanding how to uncover your prospect's pain points is essential. Keith and John share their insights on effective preparation, asking the right...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! This week, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined once again by Larci Robertson. In this episode, we delve into the importance of building your personal brand on social media and sustaining professional relationships both in-person and online. Larci shares her insights on how to effectively use social media for career growth, the significance of...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! This week, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by a special guest, Larci Robertson. Larci shares her unique journey from a 10-year Navy career to becoming a successful technical sales engineer. Tune in to hear her insights on transitioning from military to corporate America, the importance of relating to customers, and how her intelligence ba...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! In this week's episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined once again by Jayden Belcher. Together, they dive deep into the art of identifying stakeholders and understanding who's who in the zoo of your sales process. They discuss the importance of precise targeting, the pitfalls of misidentifying key players, and share insights into...

Welcome back to another riveting episode of "Altar of the Demo Gods"! Hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton, alongside our special returning guest Jayden Belcher, dive into the nuances of fashion's role in professional settings and its surprising intersection with personal branding and sales strategy. In this episode, we delve into outbound campaigns, strategies, and best practices, dis...

Welcome back to another episode of "Altar of the Demo Gods" where we dive deep into the nuances of sales and marketing. Joining us again this week is Jayden Belcher, who continues to share her insights on the role of a Sales Development Representative (SDR). This week, we focus on brand awareness and its crucial role in lead generation. Jayden, along with hosts Keith Wilson and John Mort...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods." In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton are joined by a special guest, Jayden, a senior SDR at Britive. With Jayden's insights, we dive deep into the roles and responsibilities of Business Development Representatives (BDRs) and Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), exploring the essential functions and challenges of these positions...

In this enlightening episode of "Altar of the Demo Gods," hosts Keith Wilson and John Morton delve deep into the intriguing world of artificial intelligence. Join them as they explore how AI is revolutionizing tasks and efficiency within sales engineering and beyond. Keith discusses his latest work on AI security, and both share personal anecdotes about their use of AI tools like Microso...

In this episode of Altar of the Demo Gods, Keith Wilson and John Morton explore the intricate world of sales automation. They discuss the pivotal role of CRM tools like Salesforce and HubSpot in managing customer relationships and automating tedious sales tasks. The hosts delve into how these tools not only store data but also actively assist in lead scoring, email campaigns, and follow-ups, enhan...

Welcome back to Altar of the Demo Gods! In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into time management strategies that have profoundly impacted their professional and personal lives. From the transformative power of LinkedIn learning courses to the disciplined routines honed in the Navy, they cover it all. Keith discusses the importance of owning your calendar to prevent others from...

Welcome back to "Altar of the Demo Gods"! In this episode, Keith Wilson and John Morton dive deep into the world of public speaking, especially focusing on its relevance and benefits for sales engineers and technical sales professionals. They explore why public speaking is crucial in building confidence, enhancing personal brand, and establishing oneself as a thought leader in the indust...