Q&A With Territory Sales Manager David Weise

Meet Bishop-Wisecarver's Newest Territory Manager David Weise

David joined the Bishop-Wisecarver team this fall, bringing to the group a lot of enthusiasm! He recently met some of our customers in the packaging industry at Pack Expo in October. If you're in his Midwest region and need help with anything related to linear guides and rotary motion systems, email him at davidw@bwc.com. Welcome to the team, David!

Question: Tell us a about your background, your education, how long you’ve been with Bishop-Wisecarver and what you like most about being on the BWC team?
Answer: I’ve spent the majority of my career in sales, marketing, and business development for technical products with service-oriented industrial companies. This has allowed me to work with both OEMs and end users in wide variety of industries from automotive and automation to packaging and pulp and paper. Along with quality products and a family working environment, one of the things that drew me to Bishop-Wisecarver is the market diversity in which our products are used, ensuring the potential for growth even when some markets are experiencing a downturn.

Question: What do you like about sales?
Answer: Sales is about helping the customer find a solution to a problem or a better way of accomplishing a task.  If I’m not adding any value to the customer there is no real reason to pick my products over a competitor's. Working as a partner with the customer helps create a solutions-based sales environment.

Question: What do you enjoy most about working with engineers?
Answer: Engineers usually have a specific and unique way of looking at projects, problems, and products. They need to be creative while often working within predefined constraints. I enjoy working with engineers as a partner to help optimize their process and hopefully remove some of their constraints through the use of my products.

Question: What challenges arise from selling a product based on features and benefits?
Answer: I think the biggest challenge is to not “sell” your product, but rather to listen to the customer to find out his specific needs or problems. Once you know your customer’s objectives, you can talk about the definite features and benefits that address those needs.

Questions: What makes for a good selling relationship with a customer?
Answer: People buy from people. They tend to do more business with people and products they believe they can count on. Trust is the key element, along with follow-up and following through.

Question: If sales were a team sport, what would it be and why?
Answer: Basketball.  Each member on the team, on their own, is capable of scoring. But the true victories come when the team members work together, assisting each other toward the common goal.

Question: Speaking of sports, what’s your favorite team or teams?
Answer: The Green Bay Packers, of course.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?
Answer: I enjoy spending time with my wife and family, travelling to tropical climates (especially during the Wisconsin winter months), and am a certified scuba diving instructor (during the Wisconsin summer months).

Question: What’s your favorite coffee beverage? Cream, no cream, sugar, no sugar?
Answer: I like my coffee dark roast, black, and plentiful.

Question: Favorite quote?
Answer: “From what we get we make a living. From what we give we make a life.”  — Winston Churchill