ZVRK

Enterprise Account Executive

Valued Contributor

Selling Enterprise SaaS in the Middle East 🏝️

Good Morning Savages 😎

I wanted to get your take on something I`ve been pondering for the past 2.5 years, but let me give you a bit of context.

For my previous position (full cycle sales rep), I spent 7 years selling executive training in the Middle East, most of the time remotely, 2-3 visits per year for major events, bigger clients etc. So 100% of my customers came from Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, some Kuwait and Bahrain.

In 2020, I jumped ship and joined an HR Tech Enterprise SaaS company, where our main focus has been on North America, LATAM, EMEA and some APAC. Most of the inbound is coming from these regions, and it keeps me pretty busy. The little outbound I do, I usually do it towards the Middle East countries, trying to leverage some old connection etc.

Here`s my question/observation:

While I am pretty knowledgeable about the region, know a bit of the language too (arabic), am now super comfortable with our product, services etc. I seem not to be getting the traction i think should be there from the Middle East.

Is any of you selling Enterprise SaaS to Saudi, Emirati, Kuwait companies?

Are there any lessons learned you’re willing to share?

What works? What doesn't?

I can talk for hours about what works and doesn`t in selling executive training, but I`m in doubt about SaaS.

Looking forward to this discussion 😊

✍️ Sales advice

8

10 comments

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detectivegibbles

Politicker

3

Sales Director

I think @Maximassells in Africa. He may be able to provide insight.

ZVRK

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Hopefully, north Africa at least so that it`s relatable to the Middle East to some extend. Thanks for the tag!

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Fairly certain they're in Egypt

Maximas

Tycoon

1

Senior Sales Executive

Thanks for tagging, that's true I'm placed in Egypt right in the middle east, however I wish I could break into SaaS one day, so really sorry bud I wish I could help with that.
My sales experience is involved many other aspects though including selling Music, Meds and Real Estate, etc.. to mainly US&CAN!

Justatitle

Big Shot

2

Account Executive

I am so curious.
- do you speak multiple languages?
-what customs are there that you learned/ are learning?
- do they give you free oil and gas if they like you?

ZVRK

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

LOL 😂 I wish (the free oil). Btw, yeah, i speak English, all the south slavic languages, and bit of Greek, French, Spanish and Arabic (enough to get in trouble 😃) About customs, so many… Maybe I’ll post about this during the weekend (kids willing 😅)

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

1

AE

As an SDR, I did a lot of work in the Middle East territory and even closed some deals there. I am going to say that the Arabs are not stingy about spending if they see value and are actually friendly people too. You don't need to know Arabic and a lot of Middle Eastern companies like those in the UAE have Brits and Europeans working there.

ZVRK

Politicker

0

Enterprise Account Executive

Nice to meet you :) This is all true and I've experienced this first hand, selling high-ticket executive training in the GCC. Enterprise SaaS though, it`s a tough nut to crack for now for me, with GCC clients.. Might be that companies are not so large (in terms of a number of employees), they are not as mature etc..

CuriousFox

WR Officer

0

🦊

I do not, but this is interesting 🤔

Jaytea

Catalyst

0

N/A

I have no clue but good luck habibi and hope Ronaldo wins the Saudi league

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