Before you send in your next SaaS sales job application, start from these 6 foundation tips with actionable steps.
Are you telling this to yourself every day but your heart is burning passionately to become an awesome number crunching tech sales rep in the SaaS industry?
I get it
You’re yearning for the breakthrough to get a SaaS sales job in the middle of a no-where-island.
SaaS industry is a bit like Guindy Kathipara Flyover, if you aren’t aware of the routes, you will never know which way to head.
In this post let’s get you prepared to present yourself as a “novice expert” in the SaaS industry.
So when your day comes, grab that offer like a marvel hero
Talk Tech
Don’t freak out
I am not requesting you to sit and code. However, knowing a thing or two about them would do more good for your SaaS sales job.
It isn’t about learning syntax codes of JAVA, IoT, AI, or other fancy coding languages, but setting the foundation—basic principles, objectives, and operations of technology on par with business needs.
In the sales market, specifically in SaaS, the reps who speak tech fluently get the upper hand in persuading the prospects quite easily. Also, clients love sales reps comfortably conversing about the technology.
Actionable Steps
- Conduct research on product specifications
- Subscribe to technology-based newsletters, blog posts, and Podcasts. Ex: TechCrunch, inc42,
- Read case studies in SaaS industries to understand how each firm used technology to leverage its success.
SaaS Sales Terminologies
Be a roman in Rome.
Just like the trending millennial slang, SaaS sales reps have their own accent with quite a fancy vocabulary. So learning a few jargons of the industry would pave the path for your SaaS sales job. Moreover, in the interviews, you could feel your confidence oozing the nerdiness compared to other candidates.
The SaaS words aren’t hard. They are practical with a simple meaning behind them. It’s also a sort of gate pass to build connections. Even the top sales managers, VPs of sales, are also keeping tabs to not feel left out.
Terms vary based on the subsets of the SaaS industry you are in, but few from the below article can help you to wear the SaaS sales hate easily.
RELATED: Essential terminologies for your SaaS sales job
Understand the Business Model of SaaS Companies
The reason why you should understand the SaaS business model is purely for your SaaS sales career growth.
Out of all business models in the world, SaaS companies are the most complex ones. SaaS companies’ growth has different phases; early-startup, hyper-growth, and enterprise. Depending upon the growth phase, SaaS sales job description—the roles and responsibilities, salary, goals—career growth will vary.
This knowledge sometimes comes in handy like, finding opportunities for your company’s growth: early SaaS startups love sales candidates who possess this entrepreneurial skillset.
Actionable Steps
- Dive deep into funding models of SaaS business.
- Find the similarity and extremes of the US and Indian SaaS market.
- Follow the tech investors, CEO, and founders in social media.
Art Of Prospecting – key to your job
Out of all things, I would rate this as the most important thing to learn. You can skip the rest, but if you have this one stuff in your bag, then you are definitely going to be the next LinkedIn Sales Voice.
There are many tools, techniques, and hacks to carry prospecting. 80% of successful sales reps claim prospecting is their reason to achieve consistent success in their SaaS sales jobs.
Actionable Steps
- Study about cold outreach methods
- Practice organizing skills
- Sales reps you admire to find their hacks in prospecting
RELATED: How to do smart saas prospecting?
Networking – key for job & growth
Despite the 21st century filled with online funnels forcing digital shopping and virtual living, people want people. After all, we are all humans who look for personal connections everywhere, and SaaS is not exceptional.
Sales, everywhere and in the SaaS industry, happen only because of human connections. So it’s best if you learn to network. Your goal is to meet people who are from SaaS and SaaS sales. This can later help you close lots of deals in your career too.
Although many top SaaS companies claim their sales are happening via an online funnel, the truth is they have a sales support team to boosts sales through relationships and connections.
Also, early startup founder always hires fresh talents for their sales team by leveraging their social connections only. If you network correctly, you can land up getting a job also.
Actionable Steps for networking
- Attend events—both online and offline.
- Be an active participant in online forums.
- Practice a tiny personal branding in social media, especially on LinkedIn.
- Build online connections using LinkedIn.
- Meeting SaaS marketers can be helpful because they are practically your siblings in the career world.
Interpersonal Skills – important in Saas Sales
A lot of sales reps reveal interpersonal skills as their secret card in the SaaS sales job. When you cannot interact meaningfully with the prospects, it kills their interest in your product.
When you develop interpersonal skills, your communication becomes solid and, your sales negotiation calls go the way you want.
Unlike other skill sets that are mostly technical, interpersonal skills depend upon your overall personality. It is crucial to maintain an adaptive mindset to develop that personality with the right attitude as a sales rep.
Also, the industry is full of tech geeks, entrepreneurial material people, wishing to do business with people who have high standards for themselves and others too.
Actionable Steps
- Read or listen to content around communication skills, personality development, and human psychology.
- Be human. The more human you are, the higher the prospect affinity.
- Practice listening. The more you listen, the easier to gain trust.
- Offer a comprehensive solution that solves all conflicts including emotional ones too.
RELATED: 10 SaaS Sales Interpersonal Qualities
Conclusion:
I know the SaaS industry is a competitive world. But what’s wrong with a little competition?
It gives a good adrenaline rush for your SaaS sales job.
With this 6 must have things from the above post you will no more be just another sheep in the flock.
The SaaS sales industry is about to become bigger in a short period and be that early bird grabbing the best spot.
If you still think you are unable to find your spark plug to enter into the SaaS sales industry then just hit the button to have a coffee chat with one of the successful SaaS sales reps to get the magical blessing and join our upcoming bootcamps.
