# S6E42 Ramzi Marjaba | From Idea to Approval: Persuasion for Engineers

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2025-10-17
- Length: 56m
- Episode: 42
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers

## Summary

Ramzi Marjaba, founder of We the Sales Engineers and former Senior Solution Specialist at Keysight Technologies, explains how engineers can apply sales discovery frameworks like BANT to secure internal buy-in and external deals. He emphasizes that sales engineers at companies like Veeam Software and Pipeline Design & Engineering must diagnose root business needs rather than just presenting products, using empathy to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics. Marjaba argues that individual contributors must sell business outcomes, such as unlocking revenue or reducing risk, to justify investments in custom equipment or new ideas.

## Chapters

- [0:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=13) Introduction: Ramzi Marjaba and the role of Sales Engineering
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=188) Defining Sales Engineering and solving business problems
- [8:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=481) The importance of the discovery process and BANT framework
- [19:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=1192) Selling business outcomes: saving money, time, and reducing risk
- [24:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=1460) Navigating bottom-up sales and non-decision makers
- [27:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=1668) The application of genuine empathy in sales conversations
- [34:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=2045) Discussing budget and scope alignment with customers
- [47:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-10-17-s6e42-ramzi-marjaba-from-idea-to-approval-persuasion-for-engineers#t=2869) Selling ideas internally: qualification and incremental trust

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Veeam Software (company)
- Keysight Technologies (company)
- We the Sales Engineers (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Spirent Communications (company)
- Alcatel‑Lucent (company)
- Nortel (company)
- Easy Motion (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Why Engineering Knowledge Should Drive Marketing Messaging w/ Adam Kimmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-07-23-why-engineering-knowledge-should-drive-marketing-messaging-w-adam-kimmel) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Timeless Sales Principals and Fundamentals w/ Mike Weinberg](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-04-13-timeless-sales-principals-and-fundamentals-w-mike-weinberg) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [134: How to Sell Your Hardware Product B2B](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-07-27-134-how-to-sell-your-hardware-product-b2b) (Product Startup)
- [218: Best Sales Processes for Selling Hardware Products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-03-21-218-best-sales-processes-for-selling-hardware-products) (Product Startup)
- [089: Selling Your Hardware Product Via Remote Meetings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-08-18-089-selling-your-hardware-product-via-remote-meetings) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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