AE_newbie

Account Executive

Selling next-gen service that is out in the future.

My question is about your experience with a similar situation and how you went about it from a sales strategy perspective to address this issue, as well as personal job advice perspective (do I stay or look for work elsewhere).

My company's next generation service is 5 years out in the future. The time lag of 5 years is due delays in the project feasibility studies, the size of the backend infrastructure build, and the financing required to support the service.

Unfortunately, competitors already have a similar service available today. Our service holds the promise to be significantly better though but it's far out in the future.

Part of this year's OTE for me is a function of contacting existing accounts about the future service, and signing contracts for said service. My accounts are blowing me off because I got nothing to sell today. The remaining of my OTE is a function of selling legacy services where we have a foothold but revenue is not what it used to be.

Thanks

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20 comments

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antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

3

Bravado's Resident Asshole

It just sounds like you should really just focus on selling what you can currently push to market, not worrying about the "future" products. What is the industry?

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

Niche telecommunications

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

thanks for your feedback

jefe

Arsonist

3

🍁

I do not envy you..

nomdeguerre

Executive

3

Account executive

I’m sorry, but this makes no sense. Why would anybody even want to hear about a product or service that might exist in five years.

Frankly, we humans can’t even predict what the future will look like in 1-2 years. In 5 years pretty much everything could have changed, so your prospects won’t even know if they’ll need this future product in 5 years.

Unless you can make a living selling your current products I would say get out.

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Right about that. Thinking geopolitics.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

so ive worked at a few companies where the future vision is bigger and more impressive than what we actually have today.

What you are looking for are "innovators" people that like the vision. this is probably 5 % of all companies.

if they are asking you to sign contracts on something you cant actually give them, i would 100% leave. that is not only SUPER hard but also border line unethical.

the times it has WORKED is when the existing product you can sell fixes a current need that has product market fit and then the vision for the future gets them even more excited.

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Thank you. My accounts are a mix of early and late adopters (definitly not innovators). It seems I should focus on selling existing product and manage up expectations.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

yes always focus on selling existing products. use the vision as a little something extra to remember you but they should REALLY be buying from you because of what you deliver TODAY

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Exactly so.

That your company has a vision and a roadmap should be a reason to invest in you now. Don't sell the vaporware.

ChumpChange

Politicker

1

Channel Manager

This is ROUGH. Clients typically expect a short team solution for addressing a particular task/need. Not being able to provide that type of solution means your not selling a GTM product. You're essentially garnering interest on a project your company is still working on. TBH this is a ridiculous idea to put on your quota knowing there's some much uncertainty.

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

Yes. In this particular slice of my job, I sometimes think I am working for product management and not sales.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

0

Sales Rep

5 years out, what is leadership saying why customers should buy now

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

to fill the backlog

braintank

Politicker

3

Enterprise Account Executive

Would you sign a contract today for something that may exist in 5 years?

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

Only if I was crazy.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Are you really asking if we think you should be looking for another job?

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

Everything else being equal - what would you do?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

If they are really pushing you to sell something that's five years out but that your competition already has - I'd be looking. Just seems like beating your head against a wall.

Maybe go work for the competition. Then you could boomerang in 5 years when the new stuff is ready - and you'll have industry expertise to help you sell.

But who knows what 5 years from now will bring? Which is why I'd be looking for something else that has a good dose of reality behind it.

AE_newbie

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

Yep. I will start networking in that direction. Cheers and thanks

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