As a Client Relationship Manager at PTR, Najd is responsible for growing and strengthening PTR’s client network across Europe and the Middle East. With over 5 years of experience in market expansion and client engagement, Najd has a proven track record of establishing and fostering valuable connections.
Prior to joining the Power Technology and Industrial Automation sector, Najd worked for two and a half years in the logistics industry, successfully developing markets in Europe, the Middle East, and ISC regions. With her degree in accounting and finance alongside her strong networking skills, Najd is well-equipped to contribute to PTR’s success in maintaining a satisfied and strong client base.
About PTR: With over a decade of experience in the Power Grid and New Energy sectors, PTR Inc. has evolved from a core market research firm into a comprehensive Strategic Growth Partner, empowering clients’ transitions and growth in the energy landscape and E-mobility, particularly within the electrical infrastructure manufacturing space.
Introduction
In the power sector, everyone is talking about megawatts, transition targets, and tech disruption. But behind every infrastructure decision or investment shift, there is something less visible but equally critical: market intelligence. Unlike selling software or training, you’re selling trust in your data.
These are my learnings from working in commercial research, where strategy, sales, and communication constantly intersect.
The Buyer Mindset
In most industries, great salespeople succeed by being persuasive, energetic, and outgoing. But in the power sector — especially when selling market intelligence — that formula does not always land. Most buyers in this space are either analytical (data-first, detail-oriented, skeptical) or driver-type personalities (decisive, impatient, outcome-focused). What they value is precision, not persuasion. They do not care how good your pitch sounds; they care whether it holds up to pressure.
That creates a natural disconnect. Salespeople are often expressive. We lead with energy, story, and connection. But when the buyer is dissecting your words instead of riding the momentum, that approach backfires. If your message lacks clarity or substance, they will disengage. In this sector, you are representing your company’s credibility, and every word reflects that. What matters is your grasp of the market, how clearly you communicate, and whether you come across as someone who can be relied on. Trust is earned through substance, not style.
Adapting doesn’t mean changing who you are. It means being concise, well-informed, and direct. And for analytical buyers, the goal is not to impress but to reassure; and that requires more than product knowledge; it demands continuous learning. If you are not staying current on regulatory changes, regional shifts, or strategic movements in the sector, you lose your edge fast. In this space, intelligence is not just what you sell, it is how you earn the right to sell at all.
Playing the Long Game
In the power sector, research sales often take months to complete. Not because buyers are slow, but because budgets are fixed, timelines are set, and decisions carry weight. You rarely walk into a call with an immediate need. Most of the time, you’re building the relationship early, so you’re remembered when the timing aligns.
That’s why consistency matters more than pressure. Staying relevant without hovering might mean showing up at the same events, sharing something useful on LinkedIn, or checking in without a pitch. When the time comes, they won’t go looking. They’ll return to who they already trust.
And when that happens, you’re not just closing a deal. You’re starting a partnership. A clear and honest first delivery sets the tone for repeated collaboration, not just a one-time win.
The Reputation Crisis in Research
One of the biggest challenges in this space is not just selling research, it’s cleaning up after those who sold it badly. Clients come in skeptical, and for good reasons. They’ve seen vague reports, misaligned deliverables, and partners who chase revenue over answers.
That is why the real skill in this space is knowing when not to sell. If the question falls outside your scope, or the data cannot support a real answer, say so. You might lose a deal, but you earn something harder to get back once it has gone: credibility. And in this industry, that is what drives repeat business.
The market is flooded with low-cost research and high-risk promises. So, the fastest way to stand out is not with volume or speed. It’s with depth, consistency, and doing exactly what you said you would.
THE FASTEST WAY TO STAND OUT IS NOT WITH VOLUME OR SPEED. IT’S WITH DEPTH, CONSISTENCY, AND DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD.
Regional Sales Mindsets: Europe vs. Middle East & Africa
Selling research across regions reveals how differently organizations value intelligence, not in terms of whether it is useful, but in how and when it is used.
In Europe, research is integrated into strategic planning. Several companies have internal intelligence teams and maintain steady partnerships with research providers. Increasingly, they are stepping away from broad, generic consultancies and turning to specialized firms that understand the technical and market nuances of their sector. They are not looking for frameworks; they’re looking for depth, access, and sharp insight.
In many MEA organizations, the default is still internal: sales teams, personal networks, and years of experience on the ground. That kind of market sense is powerful. But when it operates alone, it can miss what is shifting around it. Research is not always seen as a recurring asset. More often, it is treated as a one-time check before a big move.
This isn’t about choosing one approach over the other. The opportunity here is to show how intelligence, when integrated consistently, does not slow down decisions; it de-risks them.
It boosts local knowledge by placing it within a broader, shifting context. That is not a correction; it is an upgrade.
Sidebar: Being a Woman in This Game
The power sector is still largely male-dominated, especially in commercial roles that involve strategy, negotiation, and client engagement. You see it across regions: at conferences, in account meetings, on LinkedIn panels.
But that underrepresentation creates a kind of visibility that can work in your favor, if you know how to use it.
Research from Harvard Business Review and Gartner shows that women tend to excel in B2B sales environments that require long-term trust building, stakeholder management, and structured communication. These are the same strengths analytical buyers look for. In male-dominated spaces, you may have to prove credibility more than once, but that preparation pays off. A well-structured, fact-based conversation builds trust more effectively than volume.
Final Thoughts
Selling research in the power sector means understanding timing, focusing on credibility, and choosing honesty over hype. A patient, accurate approach builds a reputation that keeps you in the conversation long after a single deal is done. In this industry, trust is both your product and your differentiator.
A PATIENT, ACCURATE APPROACH BUILDS A REPUTATION THAT KEEPS YOU IN THE CONVERSATION LONG AFTER A SINGLE DEAL IS DONE. IN THIS INDUSTRY, TRUST IS BOTH YOUR PRODUCT AND YOUR DIFFERENTIATOR.
This article was originally published in the September 2025 issue of the Women in Power Systems magazine, which you can access here.
