I’ve been contemplating a career change for a while, and I’ve been noticing a lot of job ads for software salespeople. So, I have a few questions, for those of you who earn a living in this way:
-software seems like a product whose total utility takes a while to realize-how hard is it to convince the customer that release 5.1 of “Oraparadox” will solve all of his inventory problems?
-how do you keep the customer buying upgrades (I know how Bill gates does that…but nevermind!
-who is the hardest guy to convince? Does the CEO commonly have to approve a software purchase?
-Finally, when things go wrong: say you’ve just sold a multi-million program, and the client has just gotten it up and running..and the system shuts down! How do you handle the %#&^!! complaints (or is that what the marketuing staff is for?)
Anyway, it looks like a good fiels to be in-or is it?
It’s a really tough market right now. IT spending in general is way down and it is hard for a company to justify a million dollar purchase to simply “upgrade”. There are not too many “killer apps” out there that somebody’s just got to have.
If you’ve done some “regular” sales, say of widgets, then be prepared for something completely different. In an enterprise wide sale, the cycle is going to be around 18 months, and you are going to have to hold the hands of everyone from the Sys admin to the CFO and make them all feel that they are making the right decision. After all, if they screw up and but the wrong product, they can lose their jobs. In some ways this is a good thing, because price becomes less of an issue. The CEO in some cases would sign off on a purchase, but it’s unlikely that she’d bet involved in the decision. At this level of sales, there are only a few companies (Oracle, SAP) and to get the job you need a glorious resume. If you dont make at least $150K, you’ll probably get fired for lack of production. You’ll also get very familiar with the airline schedules and hotel rooms. Home life will be a memory.
At a different level (where I am) is a niche software product that usually does one specific thing really well. It can be anything from inventory control for publishers to sales tracking systems to automating libraries to medical office billing. In this type of sales, you usually have fewer people involved in the decision and the sales cycle is shorter, maybe 6-12 months. You need to learn the technical side and learn everything there is to know about your industry. Travel is generally a bit lighter and you can have a semblance of a home life. Pay ranges from about $60K to just about anything.
Upgrades are usually bundled into “tech support” so your customers keep paying for it. The “system shutting down” nightmare doesn’t really happen much anymore. Glitches are common, but dealt with by a technical crew. Companies(for certain) and government agencies (mostly) have very sophisticated IT staffs and can deal with most things that come up. Software companies that produce buggy products don’t last very long.
Who is the hardest guy to convince? That’s hard to say. The CFO who writes the check is always a problem for me, but they really just need to be given all the information in a way they can digest it. How is this going to save the company money? is the way you phrase every answer, regardless of the question asked.
The IT director (CTO) won’t believe a word you say, regardless of how well versed you are in the product. You just introduce yourself and then put them in touch with your technical staff.
Overall, it is a good field to be in. The money is good and the better you get at your job, the easier your life gets. Many folks don’t make it past the first two years. They either burn out or BS the customer and get a reputation that they will never shake. The pressure is always there, and sometimes it can be enormous. It is not an easy job. Most software apps are moving from site-based to browser based, so knowledge of web technology is crucial. Once you get the hang of selling this way, you’ll never go back to feature-benefit crap.
You might try reading “Strategic Selling” or “Selling to VITO (very important top officer)”. Another good book, although dated, is “Crossing the Chasm”
Good luck!