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Home > Archive > Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries > January 2003 > IT Sales.
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| Anybody in sales? What kind of advice can you give on how to get into IT sales? | |
| bmckenzie 2002-12-19, 5:56 am |
| I would also like to know the answer to this question.
It seems like the never ending loop of not being able to get a sales job without sales experience and not being able to get sales experience without a sales job.
?? | |
| pseudocyber 2002-12-20, 10:09 am |
| Selling what? you have to be more specific - IT is a pretty big field with a lot of stuff to sell. You can't sell it all ...
Equipment? Consulting services? Broadband service? Software? Etc. | |
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| You must not know either. Why not just pick a field you know about and elaborate? If you have expericence in (some kind of) IT sales tell us about it. Do you think we're not aware it's a huge industry? I myself have been exposed to all or mostly all sides of the industry but have grown tired of the technical side. I want to minimize the dirty work and sell the stuff. | |
| pseudocyber 2002-12-20, 12:53 pm |
| I have no sales experience in IT. I don't really like sales.
I'm sorry, it sounded like you were new to IT, I guess I should have looked over to the left where your name and certs are.
But ... it seems to me IT Sales is like saying Manufacturing sales.
Since you're so experienced, I'll just shut up about it now. | |
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| you can obtain technical sale certification from some big corporation like novell, ibm or citrix.
I don't think you talking about those sale at the supercomputer store, right? | |
| Crutch 2002-12-27, 11:37 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by Kasor
you can obtain technical sale certification from some big corporation like novell, ibm or citrix.
I don't think you talking about those sale at the supercomputer store, right?
My previous job entailed being the Director of Systems Sales. Although, I directed only myself. Systems sales involved networking, hardware, system software, installation, and service contracts. I am certified in Citrix and Computer Associates technical sales programs. Previous to me taking the job, I was a consultant for said company. Sales were always falling through the cracks, so I volunteered to take it over. Make sure that the organization backs it's sales team with administrative support, as I was not.
My responsibilities:
Identify new leads, both internal and external. Develop tracking database. Hold 8 external client meetings per week. Have two internal client lunches per week. Analyze existing clients needs for future expansion. Perform network systems reviews for potential clients. Place and track all orders. Manage inventory of all orders. Help deliver and setup initial network installations. Serve as point man for all potential problems; i.e. billing, ROI. Develop and sell services: anti-virus, backups, etc. (I developed these "services" to allow us to go out to potential and existing client sites, check their anti-virus, or backups, and run one-time checks using our software, usually resulting in an upgrade to the client). Develop all proposals in written format. Research possible solutions for potential networking problems. Hold seminars for business public on potential risks in environment. And much more.
Basically, I got in over my head. I was working 12-14 hour days, six days per week, and I couldn't get caught up. After a year on the job, I was fired. Today, the organization has two sales people and one receptionist doing what I was doing for them.
Anyway, if you want to get into sales, the important thing is being comfortable with yourself(confidence) and being able to sell services to business owners or Controllers (the people that control the money). In my experience, many sales people I came across didn't see the whole picture. They only saw it from the sales point of view. It is important if you can see both sales and the systems side, at the same time. Many salespeople fail because they oversell their systems peoples abilities.
There are other things to consider: There is not much margin available in hardware, a little more in software, but service is where the money is. Your ability to sell services will make or break you.
Hope this helps. | |
| jayb1 2003-01-01, 12:29 pm |
| For all of you interested in IT sales, let me provide the folowing advice, BE CAREFUL!!
An Information Technology sales career can be both very rewarding, and very stressful. I have been a sales professional for nearly 6 years now, and all in some facet of IT. I started out when I was 21, working at CompUSA, not on the retail floor, but for their direct corporate sales side which operated from a set of cubicles in the back of every store. I made 72K without breaking a sweat! Sounds great right? My next big move was to go and work for Compaq, as a Client Sales Specialist (Fancy name for a guy who specializes in corporate PC's, laptop's, etc). This job operated from a home office, which Compaq paid for everything! My desk, supplies, Etc. I had a corporate AMEX, $300.00 a month car allowence, and a base salary of 50K which was over 80K with bonus. Once again sounds like heaven right? Well lets get to the part that dosen't sound so great!! First of all, any job that pays so much is going to be inherently risky. Sales jobs are usually the first to be cut when a company is feeling the pressure of a bad economy! Another thing is that you are only as good as your last month (or quarter, depending on the metrics envolved). At least as an IT professional you can be recognized for what you do on a dialy basis, how proficient your are, how deversified your skills have become. In sales, it's all about MONEY period!! You could be the brightest, and the best, and if you don't make quota, it wont mater to the bean counters. At CompUSA, I was one of 1500 sales pro's who lost their jobs in one day (I had just got back from my honeymoon to boot!) at Compaq, I was part of 10,000! One of the people at Compaq who was let go in the first downsizing was a 19 year veteran, had just closed a 13 million dollar deal, and received a 30K bonus 2 months prior! Hew was cut because he made to much money! I myself have just finished all of the MCSA training and am in the process of getting OUT of the sales business. Remember, "The light that burns twice as bright, only burns half as long." I can guarantee you that you will be blindsided by a cut at least once in your sales career. Just my thoughts.
My advice would be to find a hybrid job. Consulting is a good way to make big coin, for example. The real big money is in the Small to Medium sized businesses where the large consulting firms won't play. | |
| RATTLERMAN 2003-01-08, 9:33 am |
| Good info Jayb1
Got one question what a about sales engineers
or maybe I need to be more specific. I am talking about the technical staff that answer the tough tech questions. Would they be on a commission structure too. the reason I asked is that I have a background in financial services sales so I understand sales quotas etc etc and I have seen a few postions on job boards | |
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| RATTLERMAN...
Yes, many organizations have "Sales Engineers" or "Specialists". Usually, there is some form of bonus for these employees. At Compaq, I was a Client Sales Specialist. My job was to assist the Account Managers in closing opportunities by providing them and their clients up to the minute information about Client technology. I was paid on what is known as a 70/30 split. 70 percent of my total wages were salary, and the other 30 percent came from the atainment of the area quota for client sales. these types of jobs are fantastic, because rarely do you have to get involved in ordering, complaint resolution, etc. Your job is to know your stuff, and convince the IT manager or CIO that they should by from your company. After that, it's in the Account Managers hands, and your on to the next opportunity!  | |
| RATTLERMAN 2003-01-09, 11:57 am |
| Thanks for the info.
Because Lord knows I have the gift of gab and once I have my product knowledge down its all over.
Right now I am learning as much as possible.
In all reality i see my self doing e-commerce infrastructure stuff where I can maybe combine my Economics degree with this It stuff that I have grown to love.
It feels so good to finally found something I like to do
The IT field is hard but its fair | |
| oddduck 2003-01-12, 10:20 am |
| I couldn't even get a job at future shop. Didn't even manage to get an interview, and I know they had to be really looking, there was a big sign out front of the store for over a month. I would have though I could have been able to sell computer hardware/ games.. something like that. Oh well, I would have been happy with a part time job paying min wage while I'm in college, but I can't change there minds.
Marianne/oddduck |
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