danbad

BDR

Figuring out your niche and maximizing it...

I'm working to break into tech sales and have a question - when assessing today's market and looking into the future, which verticals or niches do you think will be most fruitful (fruitful = demand)?

I want to be as strategic as possible when selecting my first company and would love any feedback you might have on the best technologies to target if you had to start over again as a BDR/SDR.

Also, for those of you who have transitioned from one vertical or niche to another - was one sale easier (i.e. cybersecurity vs. database)?

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TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

So I have done the second one.

I started off my saas career in digital marketing.
I know sell into life sciences.

I think digital marketing was easier but ive made way more money and had more success in life sciences. especially because i am in a niche that I have built experience int.

BUT

for your 1st tech sales role, it doesnt matter. the first thing ppl look for when hiring is saas experience, then industry experience. so get the saas experience any way you can.

Its really hard to say specific vertical is the best in the future.

Things that seem to be here forever: CRM, Cyber security, data storage, anything to do with taking large amounts of data and making it actionable.

but the thing that will make the BIGGEST splash in the future is probably not around yet.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Excellent post! I agree.

What I sell is still in the bucket of "digital marketing" and doing well. It hasn't gone away. It's not a flash in the pan, nor is it a stale tech, so I'm contented.

To your last point: I bring this up all the time, but usually in the context of people wondering what they'll do when they grow up. The job I have now didn't exist when I was in college. You just don't know!

danbad

Good Citizen

BDR

Wow thank you so much for sharing this knowledge with me. It was very insightful

ThatNewAE

Big Shot

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

1. Which verticals / niche : Look around you, look at the businesses around you and then note down what are the 'Must have tools' and 'Nice to have tools'. Seek for 'Must have tools' as your fruitful sector. Example: For online businesses, a payment processor is a must have. Email automation is a nice to have.

2. Yes it was a smooth transition. Just make sure to be thorough with industry knowledge.

danbad

Good Citizen

BDR

I see cybersecurity as a must have tool which is why I want to sell it.

As someone who doesn’t have industry knowledge… this might sound dumb… but is AI and database technology a must have or a nice to have?

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Database is must have, but there are tons of them.

AI is mostly bs.

ChumpChange

Politicker

Channel Manager

I hate to tell you this but that's a silly strategy. The more specialized the role... the more industry/technical/sales knowledge is to be required. IMO just getting your foot in the door to understand the actual " Saas sales" portion of the gig is going to set you up regardless of where you go. That experience alone is going to unlock opportunities. Just because you're an expert in CybSec doesn't mean you know how to sell it CONSISTENTLY. Limiting yourself to a niche will also limit yourself to possibilities. Learn the ropes and successfully execute your role. Then you can get picky.

danbad

Good Citizen

BDR

Love that, thanks for the insight here. I see what you’re saying and value the comment

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Any vertical you can break into will be a good start. Good luck.

danbad

Good Citizen

BDR

Hey thanks for your positivity!

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

sales role is a sales role. it gives you experience to jump into another market. Best of luck.

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danbad

Figuring out your niche and maximizing it...

11 comments

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