What is tech sales, and how do you break into it?

Finding a good position in tech sales isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. The tech industry is constantly churning out new products to sell, and it needs good salespeople to communicate the value of its products to a public overwhelmed with options.

Luckily, many companies are willing to train the right people. In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials of tech sales and what you’ll need to begin applying for work in this competitive field. Even without years of direct experience, you can still communicate the value of your other skills to land a job in tech sales. You just need to know where to start.

How to get a job in tech sales—the basics

Let’s begin with a clear-cut tech sales definition. Tech sales is the process of selling technology as software, hardware, or an IT service.

That’s a pretty broad definition. As a tech sales rep, you might be selling only one kind of tech product, such as a cloud CRM platform. Or, you might sell a product that combines different components, like a wearable tech device with embedded software.

Here’s a breakdown of the three kinds of products you might sell as a tech sales rep:

1. Software products. Software solutions can be sold as on-premise programs that are directly installed onto the customer’s computer or as SaaS (software as a service), which runs on the vendor’s servers and operates through an Internet browser. These kinds of products include CRM software, accounting and document-signing programs, email automation apps, and many others.
2. Hardware products. Tech hardware is the physical product used to run the software. This includes laptops, desktop computers, servers, tech accessories, phones, and other physical devices.
3. Tech and IT services. Lastly, a tech sales rep might sell consulting and troubleshooting services to companies that don’t have a dedicated IT staff. Whether these tech wizards have a single specialty or a wide range of IT skills, it’s the salesperson’s job to land clients who need that knowledge and are willing to pay for it.

For traditional salespeople, the main objective is to see if their product or service could solve their client’s problems. But tech sales is a slightly different beast.

As a sales technologist, you’d be working with organizations that offer their services through multiple forms of technology. For example, a company that sells computer software might offer organizational tools or cloud CRM software to keep their client info in order.

The bulk of tech sales is working with customers to find exactly what challenges they’re facing and what technology exists that will help them out. Some companies may just need a new line of laptops. But with higher-value accounts, they could need many different technologies such as sales trackers or automation tools to scale up their productivity.

What does a technology salesperson do?

Technology sales teams have a wide range of responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. And it’s all with one goal in mind—to connect their customers with solutions. Tech sales reps must have extensive knowledge on the product they’re selling. They’re also responsible for some of the following tasks:

These daily tasks also apply to IT sales, but there are a few key differences between the roles.

IT sales vs. technology sales

IT sales and technology sales look similar on the surface. Both involve working with clients to find any challenges they might be facing and designing a set of hardware and software that can solve these issues. However, IT salespeople place their focus on assisting the client after they close the sale.

While tech sales reps are all about selling, IT sales representatives stick around to help clients who have questions or concerns. They also check to see if a company works well with the software or if they need a few more tools to really pick up the pace.

Essentially, tech salespeople focus on selling products to a variety of companies, while IT salespeople continue to solve a company’s problems once a sale is complete.

Why work in tech sales?

Everyone is looking for a paycheck for their own reasons. But outside of the customary short-term payoffs, there are a few long-term benefits of working in tech sales.

Stay up-to-date on technology trends

The next technological breakthrough is always right around the corner. As a tech sales representative, you’d be one of the first people to learn about modern software and hardware trends. You’ll also get an in-depth look at the important features of new technology, which can give you technical experience with the product.

This can be a great way to find new sales opportunities. You can even act as a consultant for these types of products. You’d be able to offer your expertise and advise companies on how each product works, which could lead to a wide range of career growth options.

Since you’re working with a tech company, you’ll also have access to some of the industries’ best sales force automation (SFA) software, which would keep you at the forefront of automation advancements.

There’s always new technology to sell

There will always be a need for salespeople in the tech industry because companies are constantly looking for new breakthroughs to solve their buyers’ problems. Whether it’s a tool that can shave a few minutes off the daily operations or a program that can restructure and streamline an entire process, there are typically great tech innovations just around the corner. And someone will need to be there to sell them.

Startups and existing companies are constantly looking to fine-tune an existing product or revolutionize their industry with new ideas. If you manage to land a long-term role with a company, you’ll understand the benefits and uses of different types of advanced technology and stay ahead of the curve.

These traits make tech sales a stable industry to work in. Whether you’re working for a wide range of businesses or looking for a position with a single company, you won’t have trouble finding tech products and services to sell.

Meet plenty of industry-relevant people

Every company has its own set of challenges, and they’re continuously looking for a way to boost earnings. Working in the technology space gives you an opportunity to interact with professionals from a wide spectrum of fascinating and high-profile industries.

Whether you’re speaking with someone face-to-face or CCing them in an email, the simple act of interacting with different people will help plant your name in the minds of important players in your industry. Those contacts could be invaluable if you decide to change your career path.

That said, if you prefer to stay in tech sales, there are plenty of opportunities for mobility. You’ll have connections with a variety of other talented salespeople who can share strategies or lucrative job opportunities.

Of course, in order to reap the benefits of working in tech sales, you need to get the job first.

How to break into tech sales

Between consulting skills, sales strategies, communication skills, and numerous other responsibilities that come with nailing the selling process, it can feel like tech sales positions have a lot of barriers to entry—especially if you’re transitioning from another field.

But if you’re looking to break into tech sales, there are some steps you can take to land a position without years of experience, technical knowledge, and a fancy tech degree.

How to get into IT sales

IT sales simply requires more technical skill, making it harder to break into than tech sales alone. Since IT salespeople provide additional consulting after the sale goes through, they need to fully understand how each product works and be able to explain its use to other people.

Having a background in electronics or software development is preferable for highly technical roles. However, similar to technology sales, there are ways to get your foot in the door without this type of expertise.

Internships and demos can be great ways to learn the details about each product and prove your motivation toward getting a job in IT sales. Keep in mind that this line of work requires an innate appreciation for technology. So if you’re the kind of person who gets flustered by tech issues easily, IT sales might not be the best trajectory for you.

If you’re looking to get into tech or IT sales, one of the most powerful ways to get started is to become familiar with a simple CRM like Zendesk Sell—an essential tool used by sales teams. Request a demo of Zendesk Sell today.