Sales representatives are professionals whose task is to sell the products or services that are provided by the company. They directly work for the manufacturer or the provider of the products, goods or services. Sales representative’s customers are usually other companies or organizations who then sell their products to final consumers.
Speculations suggest that there will be 3.5 million empty job positions by the year 2021 for cybersecurity. As there is a serious rise observed in cyber-crime and the increase in the amount of malicious digital attacks on many organizations, cybersecurity will cost about 6 trillion dollars per annum by 2021.
As we know, there is always a good thing behind every bad thing; similarly, the bad news about information security is technically good news for the cybersecurity industry. And when something bad like this happens, there is a demand for talent. One field that is feeling the full effects of this extension is cybersecurity sales representatives.
What is different about cybersecurity sales?
We collected information about many cybersecurity sales representatives and comparing their success, behaviors, and competencies to understand what sets the best ones apart. Here is a list of some facts that we have assembled to understand the best potential of these representatives.
Let’s compare selling cybersecurity and ERP; both are sold into the IT department. It is hard to sell ERP, but the output is very predictable. On the other hand, cybersecurity is vaguer and more difficult to wrap around your brain. New threats and digital attacks are observed every day. The impact evaluation of these breaches on business and assets is a process of learning. Attacks blow up in unexpected ways, and all these perceptive computing leads to yet unknown cyber-crime.
There are limited ways, talents, and resources to overcome these cybersecurity attacks. Firstly, the evaluation takes place against who cybersecurity has to protect the system, what are the insider threats, who are third party attacks, how to protect the ERP systems, business applications, and customers and organizations.
Qualities of good cybersecurity sales representatives
The best cybersecurity sales representatives are those who identify that ambiguity is the nature of this industry, and they are very relaxed with it. This work is not for those who use a planned and rigid selling approach. Most of the time, the professional salespersons who understand the industry and customer pretty well, trip up even though they had already planned the scenarios sometimes. A good cybersecurity sales representative knows and reacts efficiently to situations that are not in the playbook. He must reach the composed state as the sales representative by:
- Following all the other testing procedures that he must.
- Trying something new very often.
- Reading widely and enjoying multiple experiences and getting more perspective on the upcoming changes.
- Taking less reaction time and course of action if things are messed up badly.
- Expecting the worst-case scenario with the customers to be and the rate of recovery.
- Sounding unabashed about the failures and always finding ways to cope up with the substantial changes.
- Looking beyond the checklist and hitting clients outside the reach of regular sales representatives.
- Having excellent technical know-how of the products and services they are selling.
- Collaborating with the marketing teams to support the development of communication programs and successful delivery of the sales pitch.
- Being a team player
- Interacting with business stakeholders of different types from finance executives to technical managers.
One of the major cybersecurity sales representative’s capabilities is that their clients understand the uncertainty of the cybersecurity industry, and it eases the pressure from reps’ shoulders.
Cybersecurity sales representative’s career
It means that if you are a sales representative and you will have the opportunity to consider your career’s trajectory and take the offers about what you feel the most challenged and valued about, then here is a list:
- As a sales engineer
Managers whose duty is to hire cyber sales engineers know that the competition for new talent is severe even though it is an entry-level job. Hirers know that sometimes they may have to push the budget to get the talent to keep the company’s or customer’s data protected. So, if you impress the hiring managers, then we can easily say that your job as a cybersecurity sales engineer is safe.
- As sales director
The sales director is a part of a high-performance leadership team and has to report to the Vice President directly. He must be responsible enough to lead the security presales engineering team and support the sales and services of the organizations. The ideal candidate for this job should have brief leadership qualities with security sales and engineering
- As a sales account manager
If anyone of you is highly motivated and a self-starter who likes to get up in the morning, have a cup of coffee, and roll-up their sleeves to make a huge difference in the company, then this job is preferred for you. The job is tangible, and you have to keep an account of the company’s cyber accounts.
- As a sales account executive
Sales account executives in cybersecurity are passionate and solutions-oriented people. They are considered to be a success seeker with a background all filled with success. He can build genuine and supportive client relationships.
- As regional sales manager:
His job is limited to a certain territory, and his work includes selling of cybersecurity products and services to potential customers. This person uses solution-selling concepts and maintains current customer relationships. He can also expand the territory by selling additional products and services.
Responsibilities of cybersecurity sales representative
We know that being a sales representative for a cybersecurity firm is very tough work. But we have made it easy for you, so here’s a list of some common responsibilities that you have to take as a cybersecurity sales representative.
- Looking for potential new clients and buyers and also explaining the benefits to them to promote and build loyalty to their company.
- While servicing the existing clients, they have to manage the client’s relation through all the phases of the sales cycle.
- Achieving weekly, quarterly, monthly, and annual volume and margin sales targets.
- Writing and submitting periodical reports based on sales and any other occurrences.
- Staying up-to-date with current market changes and trends.
- Monitoring market fluctuations, tendencies, and trends as well as following the competitor’s activity.
- Being responsible for new business development by searching, qualifying, selling and closing different software and hardware solutions by promoting their services and products
- Drafting contracts and overseeing all purchase agreements while managing the sales data and prices and keeping activity records.
- For account plan development for organizations and channel resources, the professional sales executive will develop and prepare an actionable strategic sales plan.
- Documenting strategic sales and account plans, which include long-term goals.
- Participating and partnering in contract negotiations for accounts within the organization.
- Maintaining awareness and status of contractual obligations within an assigned list of the accounts.
- Resolving customer complaints by investigating problems, developing solutions, and making recommendations to management.
- Maintaining professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops.
- Bachelor’s degree is preferred in a technical field or equivalent applicable work experience.
- Heavy customer-facing experience with C-level Executives and technical leaders is valued.
- They must be able to obtain and maintain a top-secret government clearance.
- Several years of solid pre-sales experience focused on security are appreciated.
- They must have an extensive deployment experience in enterprise security, r/s, and wireless security
- Progressive experience with cisco security, source fire security, Palo Alto Ngfw, wildfire, traps, tenable, Fidelis, or other security systems is appreciated.
Job requirements for cybersecurity sales representative:
Cybersecurity sales representative’s salary
As we know, that with an increase in work demand comes an increase in the range of salary. Entry-level sales engineers made an average salary of $100,000 and above in 2017 in areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia in the United States. Cybersecurity sales engineers having more than eight years of experience can make an average salary of $135,000 annually.
Conclusion:
The technical world is growing, and now it has an environment where talent is at its finest, and the demand is taking over the supply. Therefore the candidates who are in the market are often fielding competing offers.
People who want to work as cyber-sales representatives must understand the key opportunities and difficulties their prospective clients are facing, and how they can offer a consultative approach.
Similarly, employers always look for people who are confident in their skin and are willing to learn new skills or knowledge in the tech field. If you’re flexible to new ways of working, then you will be the first choice of employers.