What I’ve learnt selling a SaaS product

It’s been a year and a half since I started selling a SaaS product in India’s fastest growing B2B startup, Freshdesk.

It was a big move, when I decided to quit my ‘meh’ job as a software tester in one of the biggest MNCs and join a smaller organisation in the sales division, with no experience. Quite a learning curve, I must say. Right from clearing the interview, to convincing my parents and finally jumping on to the sales floor, it was quite a journey that warrants a few paragraphs to itself.

Once I went live, every week, every day and every hour was an opportunity to know a new person. So why is that a big thing, you ask? Well, it is, when you are an introvert. Yes. Talking to people, strangers especially, striking up a conversation & opening up to them is something that I used to dread. I loved that I had a great chance to push the boundaries of my comfort zone by talking to hundreds of prospects every month. And the best part is, I enjoyed doing this as time flew by.

Now that I think about it, being an introvert was the biggest strengths I had. I was great at observing people, understanding what they’d need & helping them with my product. The sheer joy of watching the money hitting the bank was unparalleled and I realised a few things along the way !

When I started off, my first few calls would be monotonous. It would begin with a customary introduction, a quick roundup of all that my product could do and asking if they had any questions. I then figured this wasn’t working out.

I spent the following weekend, listening to all my recorded calls. Then I realised that, if I were on the other side of the call, I would probably be bored by now. I had to think from the prospect’s perspective. I then started looking into Linkedin profiles of prospects (we are all guilty of some social media stalking ;) ), checking the day’s weather and being more informal on the first call.

It was then about making the entire process more human by letting the prospect know I was there for them and connecting on a personal level rather than just acting as a what-my-product-does recording. The conversations became more interesting, as we discussed vacations, books, food, pets and even air pollution. I also always made it a point to schedule another call in a couple of days to talk a little more about the product. Now, they were ready to listen!

As a sales guy, I’ve had to work with multiple teams and make sure the customers get what they want. There is also the pressure of targets. One thing I learnt early on from my mentors was to ‘Do what is right for the customer’ and not make promises that I’d struggle to keep up with. Old school honesty works big time.

If a certain feature is not available, I accept that frankly and see if I can suggest a workaround. If it’s going to be available in a few months, I tell them. People appreciate that. The way you interact with a customer can sometimes even translate into this ;). An offer

When I started out, I was scared about looking foolish when the customer asked me questions. As time went by, I concentrated more on learning as much as I could about the product and was convinced it was an amazing value-add. This helped me with prospects who were evaluating multiple solutions. I was confident enough to tell them what we were better at and encouraged them to evaluate all their options before making a decision. I made sure I respected competition and never criticised them. I loved how this company compares products.

Not every prospect would convert into a customer immediately. It takes persistence. I tried to build a rapport with them and stay connected constantly. A short appreciative email when the company was in the news or a quick message during festivals always made sure I lingered in their minds. I wanted to make sure I would be the first person they’d email when they are looking for a new vendor.

Being in a company which cares deeply about customer support, I know the importance of time. You have to show customers that you care and that they are your first priority. Nothing speaks volumes like fast responses. There have been times I’ve responded to a critical customer request while having lunch on a Sunday afternoon. And when you get emails like this in return, they certainly do motivate you!

I guess I’m still that introvert who wouldn’t go around and introduce himself to new people. I’m not the typical cheerful, hyper-enthusiastic, charming guy who comes to your mind when you think about a sales guy. But I love being this way. I still have a few butterflies in my stomach that makes me prepare for every call. I still make it a point to read my emails again and again before I send them out. Which is probably a good thing!

When I look at these two years, I love what I’m doing. I’m talking to people around the world, getting to know them and building relationships. I’m helping them support their customers and making the lives of thousands of support executives easier. I’m a part of a stellar team that’s making waves across the world and growing rapidly.

Just two years into my career, there’s nothing more I could have asked for. There’s a long way to go, though :)