Discover the fast-paced, problem-solving world of tech sales and understand how it operates on a business-to-business model. Learn about the various roles in tech sales, how customer relationships are built, and the potential career opportunities in this booming field.
What is Tech Sales?
If you are looking for an opportunity to meet all kinds of people and make a good living, take a look at tech sales. Technology Sales Representative is an exciting job that is in high demand. In this overview, you’ll learn more about what tech sales are, what it can do, who uses it, and how to learn it so you can determine how to add this skill to your professional toolbox.
In this overview, you’ll learn more about what tech sales are, what it can do, who uses it, and how to learn it so you can determine how to add this skill to your professional toolbox.
Do you have a passion for technology? Are you always reading about new devices and what they can do, but you don’t know how to code and aren’t really interested in learning? You can turn that passion into a new career in tech sales. Selling software as a product relies less on the development of the software and more on what problems it can solve. If you are outgoing and enjoy talking about what software products can do for people, you can use those skills in tech sales. This is a rapidly growing field that offers numerous opportunities for advancement and lucrative pay.
When you work in tech sales, you can find a job in different kinds of companies. Some sales reps work for firms that sell hardware products, others develop and sell software, and others sell services. If you want to change to a different type of product down the road, that won’t be a problem in the high-demand field of tech sales. It is easy to get into and jobs are plentiful. Most businesses use some type of technology product, so tech sales is likely to remain strong far into the future.
What Qualities Do You Need for Tech Sales?
Every field requires a certain skill set and a collection of abilities, and tech sales is no different. Here are some talents and skills that can help you build a career in tech sales.
- Communication and listening–One of the most important abilities for any salesperson is good communication. The ability to listen to a customer’s story and respond to their pain points is the foundation of good customer relations.
- Relationship building–Once you understand the customer’s point of view and the problems they are encountering, you can begin to form a relationship based on meeting those needs. Building and maintaining a good relationship with customers leads to customer loyalty and repeat sales.
- Problem-solving–The ability to assess a situation and identify ways to solve problems goes a long way to strengthening the bond with customers.
- Time management–Following a schedule and meeting deadlines not only creates trust in your customers, but it improves your relationship with colleagues as well. When you hold up your end of the bargain in time and task management, life is easier for everyone.
- Sales experience or familiarity with sales methodology–Most people who go to work in tech sales have some type of previous sales experience. Whether you had a paper route, worked after school in a fast-food restaurant, or in a clothing store at the mall, if you possess the qualities listed above, you probably already have some sales experience.
- Ability to identify new opportunities–An ability related to good communication and listening skills is the ability to identify new opportunities. Being able to identify an area where a potential customer would benefit from your product helps you create new leads and increase sales.
- Knowledge of sales tools–This is not an innate ability but rather something you can learn if you want to. The type of tools you use in your career in tech sales will depend mostly on where you work, but knowing something about common tools like Google Analytics, Tableau, HubSpot, or Salesforce can be a leg up.
How Much Does it Cost to Get Into Tech Sales?
How much it costs to get into tech sales depends on how you look at the question. The answer also differs from company to company. You can build a career as a tech sales rep without spending anything, or you might want to go to college, learn about some common tools, or sign up for a training course.
Many companies prefer to hire college graduates, although they are not so particular about your major. Other companies are more interested in your abilities or experience than in whether or not you earned a degree. Tech sales is an easy area to get into, and some people find a job even if they have never been to college. This is especially true in smaller tech startups.
Tech sales reps use many different tools to make their jobs easier. Whether you need to use data analytics and analysis tools like Google Analytics or Customer Relationship Management tools like Salesforce or HubSpot, you shouldn’t need to worry about the cost because your employer will purchase the tools or pay for subscriptions.
Most companies will train you in the methods and tools they want you to use, and you should not have to pay for them. However, seeking training before you start looking for a job in tech sales can boost your confidence and look good on your resume. For example, you could sign up for classes in business and marketing skills, data analytics, or digital marketing to get a headstart on your career.
What Are the Benefits of Learning Tech Sales?
Learning tech sales puts you on the road to a career with excellent earnings and high demand. As a Technology Sales Representative, you will listen to customers and help them find the technology products to solve their problems. This is an exciting field in a booming industry with many opportunities for advancement. Because most businesses today are embracing hardware and software solutions, tech sales should be a good career for a long time.
If you enjoy meeting and talking with people of different backgrounds and perspectives, tech sales gives you that opportunity. If you are an open-minded person who likes to make connections, tech sales can be a chance for life-long learning. It could also be an opportunity to travel as tech sales jobs are available all over the world.
Read more about why you should learn tech sales.
Tech Sales Careers
A career in tech sales can take you in several different directions, depending on your interests. You might decide to work for a large company with many departments and numerous other salespeople. Or you might prefer to sign on with a smaller firm where you will perform a wider range of tasks and have more responsibility. There are some self-employed tech consultants out there, but the bulk of the workforce is employed full-time by companies. Here are some possible jobs in tech sales. Keep in mind that salaries differ depending on region and industry.
Sales Representative
Technology Sales Representative, Software Sales Representative, or Business Development Representative are common titles for entry-level tech sales jobs. Tech Sales Reps at this level identify new clients and sales opportunities through cold calling, networking, contacting past customers, and sending emails. When Sales Reps make a connection, they set up a meeting with an Account Executive. Sales Reps also spend time nurturing current clients by keeping in touch to see if they are satisfied or have any further needs. Tech Sales Reps also use tools to set quotas and measure sales performance. According to Indeed.com, the reported average annual salary for a Technology Sales Representative is $39,000.
Account Executive
Once the Tech Sales Rep sets up a meeting, it is up to the Account Executive to make the deal with the customer. After that, the Account Executive manages the customer’s account in order to support and grow the account. Most companies employ Junior and Senior Account Executives, according to their level of experience. The duties of a Junior Account Executive are similar to those of a Technology Sales Representative. A Senior Account Executive oversees sales strategy, makes sure accounts are profitable, and sales goals are met. Indeed lists an average yearly salary for Account Executives as $45,000.
Sales or Account Manager
Account and Sales Managers help existing customers with products and try to sell them more.
Sales Managers set quotas and train new employees, while Sales Directors oversee Managers, analyze data, report to the team, and help create plans and strategies. Managers earn around $70,000 a year.
Vice President of Sales
The Vice President of Sales for a company oversees the entire sales department. They make budget decisions and presentations to key stakeholders. Tech executives at this level make $100,000 or more a year.
How to Learn Tech Sales
Besides good communication and listening skills, Tech Sales Reps need to have business knowledge, and one way to get those skills is by taking classes. Some companies prefer to hire people who have degrees in business or marketing. It is possible to get into tech sales without a degree, although some business skills are always helpful.
You can sign up for various business and marketing classes to build your tech sales skills. One option is a live in-person class in a classroom setting. The advantage here is that class sizes are small and you can get individual attention from the instructor. This is also an opportunity to meet other students and do some networking. But what if there aren’t any in-person classes near you? Another option is a live online class. This is a hybrid of a video session and an in-person class, where there is a real-time remote instructor who can answer questions, but you log onto a video conferencing platform to attend class. No need to commute!
On-demand classes are also a possibility for learning business and marketing skills. This type of class tends to be less expensive than in-person or live online sessions, and on-demand videos are convenient. You can watch the videos from your home or office whenever you want. The downside is that you don’t have an instructor available to answer questions or give advice.
You can also find free resources to help you gain the skills you need to get a job in tech sales. Noble Desktop has several free seminars that could help you in a business setting. Top 10 Beginner Excel Tricks You Need to Know can save you time at work, and PowerPoint Presentation Design can teach you what you need to know to put together sales presentations. Videos like Intro to Google Analytics can get you up to speed on collecting and using data. There are also blogs to teach you business and marketing skills.
Read the full guide on how to learn tech sales.
A Brief History of Tech Sales
Tech sales fall into the category of “B2B” or business-to-business sales. That means that the Sales Representative reaches out to other businesses to sell their product or service rather than the general public, and this is what happens in tech sales. The first companies to sell technology and services were IBM and Xerox.
International Business Machines, or IBM, began selling computers to businesses and government agencies in the 1940s, but sales really took off in the 1960s and ‘70s. The computers IBM sold were nothing like the desktop models of today. They were mainframes that took up entire rooms and sometimes a whole building. Sales Reps sold the hardware, software, and service agreements, and provided consulting because the software was written specifically for each computer.
Xerox Corporation introduced the first commercial photocopier in 1959 and controlled the market throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. The company is famous for its training program for Sales Representatives called a “Needs Satisfaction” approach that focuses on selling solutions rather than a product. This is the foundation of today’s tech sales approach.
Comparable Fields
The field of tech sales involves time and resource management, collecting and interpreting data, and marketing, so some comparable fields might be project management, data analytics, and digital marketing.
Project Management
Project management involves overseeing a process to accomplish a goal. This includes five different stages: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closing. Successful Project Managers are organized, strategic thinkers, with the ability to act quickly to solve problems.
Data Analytics
Technology runs on data, and data analytics is the science of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data in order to plan business and marketing strategies. Tech Sales Reps use data to set sales quotas and other metrics.
Digital Marketing
Another field with similarities to tech sales is digital marketing. As a matter of fact, some of the sales techniques Tech Sales Reps use are also common in digital marketing. Both seek to build a relationship with customers, find out what they need, and present a solution that will lead to a sale. Tech Sales Reps are dealing with another business, while Digital Marketers use social media, email, and content to connect with their audience. Both also use many of the same tools for data analytics, like Google Analytics and HubSpot, for marketing and customer relations.
Learn Business & Marketing Skills with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
You can learn project management and digital marketing through Noble Desktop. Noble’s Project Management Bootcamp covers methods for running projects effectively and managing scope, time, and resources. Noble’s Digital Marketing Certificate covers creating internet marketing campaigns, including SEO, social media marketing, paid and unpaid search, and analytics. Noble also offers classes in Excel, Python, and SQL if you want to take your business practices further.
Classes are taught by industry professionals who have real-world experience in their subjects. Class sizes are small, and you can choose between in-person training and live online sessions. Each class offers a free retake option within a year, and upon completion, you will receive a digital certificate that you can attach to your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Key Takeaways
- Tech sales is a good career for someone who loves technology but isn’t interested in learning to code.
- It’s a great way to make a good living doing something you love.
- Some qualities and skills to have for tech sales:
- Good communication and listening skills
- Relationship building
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Business and marketing
- Identifying new opportunities
- Knowledge of sales tools
- There are many career paths in tech sales:
- Sales Representative
- Account Executive
- Sales or Account Manager
- Vice President of Sales
- Some comparable fields to tech sales are:
- You can receive comprehensive tech sales training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.