Approximately 150 people, mostly engineering students, gathered Tuesday night in Howe Hall to hear Robert John, a 30-year worker at IBM, speak on his experience in sales.

John said that although most of the audience was focused on engineering, it is critical to be educated about sales, especially on an international level.

“There could be somebody who is in engineering and will never touch sales, but they will still deal with customers,” John said.

John, who graduated from Iowa State in 1973 with a degree in industrial engineering, began his presentation by explaining some sales tactics that helped him succeed.

“I always like to find something that’s a common interest,” he said.

John said making a personal connection with a client can be crucial to making a successful sale.

“People buy from people they like,” he said. “Relationships are really key.”

John also said it is imperative to learn as much as possible about a potential client before trying to make a sale.

“It’s so much easier now than 10 or 15 years ago,” he said. “The Internet has enabled you to do so many things.”

John said it is also important to know as much about a competitor’s product as your own.

“Measure your product against theirs, and talk about your strengths,” he said. “Accentuate the positives of your products over theirs.”

Another important element in successful sales, he said, is the ability to be able to adapt to changing situations.

“Do be creative; be flexible,” John said. “Expect the unexpected. If you go in with that mindset, you’ll be a lot more successful.”

John also stressed that when working abroad, it is imperative to understand cultural differences.

“What might sell in the U.S. very well might not sell very well in Europe or Asia,” he said. “Don’t assume that because something works well in one place, it will work well in another.”

Mario Limonciello, senior in electrical engineering, said he felt John’s presentation had practical applications for his field.

“It’s going to be affecting us as we graduate – how the market will look and what the jobs will be,” he said.

David Johnson, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, agreed.

“It’s going to be something that I will experience,” Johnson said. “A lot of different career paths are affected by it.”

Ravi Sharma, senior in aerospace engineering, said his interest in the subject was first sparked by Thomas L. Friedman’s book “The World is Flat.”

“I have a strong interest in working abroad, so it should be really interesting,” Sharma said.