In tech, sales always seemed to have an inferior image to that of other operations like development, marketing or design. I think it partly stems from the past consumer/social apps when users and traffic was prioritized over revenue and profits. It wasn’t “cool” if you had to sell your product. If I can get a million users coming to my site, I can flip on the monetization switch whenever I want. Just build a great product and users will come. 😒
I always thought the opposite. Sales was one of the most interesting and dynamic parts of an organization. It is most exciting at the earliest stage when product and process are messy and undefined. If you love having conversations and helping other people, sales is a great gig.
Not to discount how hard selling can be, especially in services or SMB tools that require a particularly acute grind. My first sales gig out of college was intense. In the early 2000s, the big name telecoms were in fierce competition for local landline and long distance business accounts. AT&T (SBC at the time) had created a massive SMB sales force to go out and sell phone service and “DSL” (internet over copper landlines). It was brutal, but it was good money and I learned a ton.
It’s through that experience that I learned engaging someone in a meaningful conversation confers powerful insights. Building trust and asking the right questions can provide a map to your audience’s challenges. When you understand what resonates with prospects, understand where they sit in their organization and how decisions are made, sales become easier and more fluid rather than forced. Learn to be empathic and if you are genuine, you can excel in any sales environment.
