Technology Sales Specialist VS Technical Sales Specialist: The Job Functions & Massive Opportunities.
As the world evolves, more problems and gaps will exist. To solve these problems, technological solutions are created.
This is why you see so many apps and developing startups from dating apps(connecting single people) to CRM software(managing customers).
This rise in technological innovation has created a job gap in the tech industry. The Tech industry is actively looking for sales professionals with the skills to sell their products to prospective customers.
Today, we will explore the differences between Technology Sales Specialists and Technical Sales Specialists.
We will take a look at the opportunities, responsibilities and the key differences.
Come with us as we walk you through this
What is a Technology Sales Specialist?
Technology Sales Specialists are sales professionals who connect customers with technological solutions to their challenges.
The Technology Sales Specialist is not just supposed to know about the product but should also have the ability to communicate technical terms to a non-technical audience so they can understand.
Responsibilities of a Technology Sales Specialist
- Lead Prospecting and Generation
The Technology Sales Specialist identifies new business opportunities by researching organizations, qualifying decision-makers, and converting them into tangible leads.
This requires a thorough understanding of the pain point and their current challenge, and communicating how your solution can solve their problem.
Leveraging CRM tools for effective customer relationship management
Technology Sales Specialists handle a lot of customer interactions daily so they keep track of customers buying history and leverage that data to offer more products that would be useful to the customers.
Rapport Building
Strong Communication skills are required to build long-term relationships with the customer.
This ensures customer retention and finding specific solutions that are yet to be produced by the company to make the customer's life easier.
Conducting Presentations and Demos for Customers
Technology Sales Specialists perform product demonstrations for customers and present their progress to their Sales Manager or Account Executive.
So, what about salary for a tech sale person?
The Massive Opportunities For
Technology Sales Specialists
Networking: Working as a Technology Sales Specialist enables you to meet people from different industries who could help you find other job advancement opportunities.
Transferable Skills: This role enables you to learn soft skills that would be beneficial if you are looking to start a new job or your own business.
You can Learn on the Job: Most sales professionals at these companies work with sophisticated and high-end software but employers are mostly looking for candidates with strong communication skills. Technology Sales has entry-level positions that newbies can apply to.
Instant Job Opportunity: Most technology sales specialists due to surging demand don't often lack jobs. In most cases, job opportunities seem to chase them, because every tech company wants to sell their products/services. Who does the selling? The tech sales specialists.
Who is a Technical Sales Specialist?
A Technical Sales Specialist is a sales professional who has in-depth scientific and technical knowledge about technical products in a specific industry and can sell to customers and interact with them.
Unlike the Technology Sales Specialist, The Technical Sales Specialist's role doesn't just revolve around hardware, software and IT services, a Technical Sales Specialist can work in a variety of industries:
Telecommunication
Biology
Chemistry
Manufacturing
Software and Hardware Technology
The Technical Sales Specialist works for product suppliers in these industries, meeting with customers to sell these highly specialized products.
Responsibilities of a Technical Sales Specialist
- Explaining and Discussing Technical products with customers
The in-depth knowledge of Technical Sales Specialists enables them to converse with customers to determine what product suits them.
For example, If a business produces lab equipment, the technical sales specialist would know the kind of equipment that would be required for that customer depending on their demand.
- Researching Market Trends and Staying up to date with Technology
Technical Sales Specialists are supposed to constantly be on the lookout for new developments within their industry. This can be done by researching competitors and analyzing how those products could affect the market.
- Building Relationships with New and Existing Customers
This might be a technical role that emphasizes having deep knowledge of the product but there has to be a balance between technical skills and social skills.
The social skill keeps the potential and existing buyers around. This is why technical sales specialists have to be good communicators.
- Tracking Sales information and reporting to a Team Lead
Technical Sales Specialists are required to keep track of a client’s buying history and be prepared to make reports to their supervisor or team lead.
The Opportunities For A Technical Sales Specialist
- Ability to work in Diverse Industries
If you are a fresh graduate from Computer Science, Chemistry, or Telecommunications or you’ve got experience in any of these fields, the tech industry has a place for your knowledge and expertise.
- Sales Experience
Employers also look out for candidates with sales experience so even if you are transitioning from a different field, your sales experience will come in handy because it’s a core part of the job.
- Product Training
Employers organize training conferences to educate employees about new and existing products. This enables technical sales specialists to stay updated on new trends in the market.
Shall we even talk salary for an entry-level technical sales specialist? Take a look below!
The Key Differences Between Technology Sales Specialists and Technical Sales Specialists
Even though a technology sales specialist and a technical sales specialist may have quite some similarities in their job descriptions, these roles are different owing to some peculiar differences. These include:
- Target Industry:
Technology sales representatives focus on selling products and services primarily in the Tech industry and its sub-markets, including cloud infrastructure, SaSS, Artificial Intelligence, and more. On the other hand, technical sales specialists cover a broader spectrum of industries. These include the tech industry and other sectors like manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, scientific products, services, etc.
So, while a technology sales specialist may share similar roles with a technical sales specialist, the technical sales specialist can also work in other industries apart from the tech industry.
- Skills Employed
Both roles require professional skills like effective communication and negotiation skills and a strong business drive. However, in addition to this, technical sales roles also require advanced analytical skills and more technical depth when dealing with customers.
For example, a technical sales representative trying to sell products and services in the manufacturing industry requires a solid grasp of engineering concepts. While a technology sales representative can get by without necessarily requiring a background academic degree, a technical sales representative would be at a significant disadvantage without in-depth technological know-how.
- Customer Interaction
Technology sales specialists often have to interface with customers at different levels of technical understanding. Therefore, the emphasis is usually on presenting the product in the most understandable way to the client and highlighting how the product or service can solve the client's needs. After this, most of the job shifts to client nurturing and post-sales client management.
On the other hand, technical sales specialists have to deal with clients with a high level of specialized experience. As such, they are often required to address complex questions and provide technical demonstrations to effectively resonate with the prospective client base.
This is important because while technology sales specialists mainly focus on selling software-based products, technical sales reps may also have to sell physical goods that involve complex use cases or machinery.
- Sales Process
The sales process is another fundamental way technology sales specialists differ from technical sales specialists. Technical sales specialists often play a more significant role in product development, effectively working with engineers, developers, and other stakeholders to develop a product closely aligned with prevailing customer requirements.
As such, they serve as an essential bridge between the production team and end users. Technical sales representatives also play a critical role in developing custom solutions for clients since they can leverage their technical background to relay clients' needs to the development team with clarity.
On the other hand, however, technology sales specialists often focus on different elements of the sales pipeline. These include client prospecting, lead generation, discovery calls, lead nurturing, lead qualification down to the actual sale moment, and post-sales management of the client.
A technology sales specialist will typically be more involved with the customer, the marketing team, and other sales professionals. While Tech sales specialists also work with technical teams, the emphasis is often on maximizing the product effectiveness for the end user and less on granular technical details.
Technology Sales Specialist VS Technical Sales Specialist: Choosing Between the Two Career Paths:
In deciding whether to pursue a Technology sales role or opt for the technical sales route, there are a few factors to consider;
- Academic Background
Suppose you have a purely technical background like Engineering, mathematics, or other pure sciences. In that case, consider a technical sales specialist role in an industry that aligns with your academic background.
This will give you an edge in your job application process and furnish you with the necessary skill set you need in the field.
If you are from a non-technical academic background but still interested in the sales industry, you should check out the technology sales specialist field. Entry-level roles like sales development reps (SDRs) are in demand and can help you break into the sales world.
- Personal Evaluation
If you're more analytical and interested in the technical aspects of products, consider a role in technical sales.
However, if you are more interested in actual sales dynamics and building customer relationships, you will probably do better in a technology sales specialist role.
Also, consider your past job experiences and strengths and weaknesses in communication, technical knowledge, and salesmanship. These can provide powerful pointers as to which career field you should choose.
Other factors like lifestyle preferences (do you prefer a role that involves more traveling or less?) and working preferences (remote or in-office) should also be considered.
- Career opportunities
It's essential to research which of these roles offers more career opportunities in your preferred location. Especially if you'll be working from a physical office, consider factors such as job competition, industry growth, and the alignment of each role with your long-term career goals.
Conclusion:
Choosing a career can be a life-changing decision. We hope this article will provide the necessary guidance to make the most of your career.
Go get it; we're rooting for you!