How To Grow Your Software Sales Career: 7 Tips
Landing an executive sales position in the technology industry can be overwhelming, but it's worth it. The main objective of a software sales professional is to connect a tech company with potential customers to sell various services and products.
Software sales is a career with opportunities for growth and development in a rapidly growing industry. Some of the most common positions you may want to obtain in your SaaS sales career include:
- Sales Engineer
- Sales Development Representative
- Account Executive (AE)
- Sales Director
- Inside Sales Representative
- Chief Revenue Officer
However, even if you have tangible experience in the technology industry, you might lack knowledge on how to grow career-wise. There are certain strategies that can help you secure an executive software sales position. Below are tips on how to grow your software sales career.
1. Stay On Top Of Industry Trends And Developments
It's important to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest software news. Even if you're content with your current sales position, ensure you learn about the current trends in the industry.
The last thing someone would want is to look out-of-date. Learning about the latest industry news will help you boost your credibility. In addition, it will help you offer valuable pieces of information to customers and potential clients.
Reading news from relevant publications will keep you current on what's happening in your industry. It's your duty to determine how current developments will impact your industry at large.
Having this unique insight will impress your potential boss, thus increasing your chances of landing an executive sales position. In addition, you'll be an asset to current and future clients.
2. Networking
Opportunities in the SaaS sales career path are often hidden in the most unlikely places. Therefore, you shouldn't underestimate the power of networking, especially if you are looking to move up the sales career ladder.
Networking is the process of interacting with your peers, both personal and professional, to assist in career development. In addition, networking can help you achieve your set objectives and career goals.
Based on statistics, approximately 70% of people get jobs due to connections. Interacting with your professional network will keep you updated with the latest job opportunities.
Networking events and professional conferences are outstanding resources that can help you identify SaaS sales opportunities. It's challenging to identify an event that'll bring you the highest return. Recruitment agencies will usually know about the best events.
3. Understand The Metrics
Setting personal key performance indicators (KPIs) can help you thrive in the SaaS industry. These indicators will help you sell yourself during interviews.
As well as understanding your personal KPs, a modern-day SaaS professional should also know the sales goals companies have. Some of the common key performance indicators in sales are:
- Client acquisition rates
- Upsell rates
- Sales cycle length
- New leads
- Net promoter score (NPS)
- Existing client engagement
- Competitor pricing strategies
- Sales volume by location
It's important to determine how you can improve your performance. To attain the set results, you need to analyze data when coming up with the KPIs. Make sure you meet your self-set quotas.
4. Find a Great Recruiter
If you're eager to grow your career in the SaaS industry, you need to partner with a reputable recruiter. The right recruiter can be the game-changer in landing your dream role.
The main objective of a recruiter is to connect high-growth firms with the right candidates. The right recruitment company should provide you with valuable insights, especially when it comes to the interview process. In addition, the best recruiter should offer suggestions on your resume as well as the cover letter.
A good recruiting agency knows what's out there. This enables them to point you in the right direction when it comes to growth opportunities. Being transparent from the beginning will help you get the most out of a recruiter.
An ideal recruiter will schedule top-notch interviews for you. Also, you'll learn more about the growth path that suits you. All you need to do is to embrace your strengths and weaknesses. A recruiter will help you frame your weaknesses as opportunities.
5. Build a Personal Brand
Standing out in your field or specialization will give you an upper hand in career development. Most firms are looking for a candidate with unique skills that aim at attaining set objectives. Based on research, a personal brand is more valuable when it comes to career growth.
There are various strategies that can help you create a personal brand:
- Identify your strengths
- Play to your passions
- Have a consistent plan
Authenticity is a crucial aspect when building a personal brand. There are 5 A's of personal branding: affinity, authority, authenticity, artisanat, and aspiration. In addition, you need to identify your niche in order to flourish in career development.
6. Adopt a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is an essential aspect that can help you develop your career, especially in the SaaS industry. This is because your skills and intelligence can be improved through actions and effort. In addition, you'll be able to embrace setbacks because they're part of the learning process.
There are various ways to develop a growth mindset:
- Acknowledge imperfections
- Cultivate a sense of purpose
- Emphasize growth over speed
- Focus on the experience, not the end result
- Have faith in your own ability
A growth mindset empowers people to believe they can develop their skills and abilities with time. It creates a love for learning the current trends in the technology industry.
7. Learning Before Earning
Learning is a continuous process. Throughout your SaaS sales career, you should invest in mentorship programs and coaching. A coach will help you hone your technical skills to reach your short- and long-term goals. A mentor will focus more on shaping you to become the person you’d like to become.
Conclusion
Growing in the SaaS sales career can take time, but it's worth it. There are various tips that can help you grow your software sales career: networking, building a personal brand, adopting a growth mindset, finding a reputable recruiter, and understanding your personal and professional metrics.
Want To Start Working in SaaS Sales?
In a nutshell, SaaS Sales is a lucrative and rewarding industry that is not as difficult as it may seem. It requires a lot of dedication and hard work to succeed, but with the right amount of passion and commitment, anyone can become successful.