Was I Screwed?

Let's revisit a meme from a couple of posts ago.

Here's the story:

I have been working on securing the opportunity to make presentations to two different potential clients. These multi-national corporations with local offices remain ideal lead clients for our solution. In both cases, I was introduced to high level contacts by Board of Advisor members and in both cases I have extensive email threads that include both political and technical correspondence. I have arranged for custom demos and I am on first name basis with managers that are responsible for, in aggregate, over a billion dollars worth of current business.

In one case a meeting was still a month away, but in the other case the meeting/presentation was within 10 days (until I was told to postpone it as v2 of the solution has been delayed).

Well, one of the investors is in a similar business, responsible for a couple hundred thousand dollars of business per year --good, but I am trying to put it into perspective with the clients-- and, due to the economic downturn, finds himself with lots of spare time.

The answer is simple, he should join our sales team. In fact, as he is in the same line of work as these potential lead clients, he should take over from me as the salesman on record for these deals.

This guy is a nice guy; but, these are my clients. Note, I am not an employee of the company, I am commissioned outside sales.

Basically, the company gives a lead to an outside sales guy. Then, after the outside sales guy warms up the lead, establishes a relationship, and starts to prepare a customized presentation, the company takes the lead back.

Was I taking too long? The company insisted I postpone the meeting.

Perhaps my track record is such that they want to give the leads to a better closer. Then they should bring one in. The guy they gave the leads to has not experience giving presentations to boardrooms full of executives and engineers. The guy they gave the leads to has no software experience whatsoever.

Am I ranting? You bet.

Was I screwed? Arrgghh...