If you are screwing around with those little mid-market accounts. You're wasting your time. You have to move. Get to the 120+ day Sales Cycle. Get to the Enterprise (Global 8000) or High Tech SaaS with boatloads of VC Money as your Account Territory.
Get out of the Mid Market. Get something with a longer sales cycle and some strategy. Yes, you will need to do forecast calls. Best thing to do is NEVER commit to anything. Put risk on everything always. Even if you have the PO in your hand.
That's just a way of life in software.
That way, you're gambling for the CFO. With their CAC Payback. That's the key to making big money as a SaaS Sales Pro.
You gotta start thinking big. The real money is made when you get wedged into a Fortune 500 Relationship with a few Big Customers.
What happens is you become part of your Customers Org and you start working against your own company. You become Red from Blacklist. Basically, counter intelligence, no one can figure out what team you're on. They just know not to screw with you because you carry the big # for the company.
Your comp plan will be the same when you get to this point. Everyone knows it's $4m to make $1m W2. If you get the relationship tight enough you end up working for your CUSTOMER and not the company anymore. Then you can set your own variables and OTEs.
BTW if you're asking what is $4m ARR? It's NEW NEW NEW NEW ARR.
Renewals don't count. Stay back. You need $4m ARR to make $1m W2. That's how you do it.
You make the company worth $40m in valuation and help the CRO/VP of Sales keep his job for 2-3 more quarters. They pay you $1m in commissions.
But you always celebrate with your real employers, your customers in the Fortune 500.
The games stop when you get to this point. It's the level you want to be at.
Top Sellers know this is where you want to be. Get out there and push for bigger accounts. Make sure you aim for Sales Cycles over 120 days, because it's harder to replace you. Ones that spend over +$500k ARR.
When you get in real good the customers know the rules. They will protect you from any harm that happens to you at your company.
Find a place that will give you the trust and keys to the crown jewels. But when you get the jewels, treat them REALLY nice. Be on their side on everything. Even negotiations, believe it or not.
The Fortune 500 always buys more than they need, it's up to you to sell it to them.
They'll even give you a cute little badge if they like you enough. You own those accounts and you protect them with your life. Everything goes through you on those accounts.
Look for the jobs where you're gambling with the CFO's Wallet.
Plus, you get another little bit of discretionary money. Expenses.
Big SaaS Infrastructure, Cloud, Consumption, Things that are hard to replace. Take loads of people and loads of SEs. Just make sure you're the person carrying the PO to your Finance Team and cashing those checks.
After exploring the data of almost 500 SaaS Companies between survey and other scientific methods.
$100,000 - 140 Days Average
$200,000 - 210 Days Average
$500,000 - 270 Days Average
I'll be around, if you need me. Always here for WR.
-SaaSData
lmk if i can help
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