#BreakingIntoTechSales – From Business Leader to Tech Sales
Robin Whitaker, NA Business Architect Executive Advisory & Architecture at SAP Success Leaves Clues Robin Whitaker, NA Business Architect Executive Advisory & Architecture at SAP, is an inspirational, dynamic, elegant and articulate sales leader. Robin started her career path on the business side and not software as many do. Robin worked hard to master her knowledge of corporate industry and is valued for her ability to help businesses transform. From Business Leader to Tech Sales Leader Transitioning into sales for me was easy because I understood the perspective of the customer. You have many customers in sales. Your internal customer can be a member of the internal team that you’re supporting; specifically, the person responsible for the account. And of course, you have your external customer which is the entity you are trying to sell your products and/or services. I think it’s especially important when you move into a sales role that you always keep your customer and the customer’s customers in mind as you develop your strategy. Customer line of sight ensures your strategy will be impactful which brings credibility for you. This way, your customer knows that you not only know them, but you know what’s important to them. That’s how you build the relationship that is pivotal to your success. I was introduced to SAP as a Sr. Business Analyst, responsible for driving best commercial business practices for logistics and transportation. The customer was the US Army Materiel Command. They recognized that they were struggling with logistics in theater. This was an initiative that was sparked by Al Gore called the “Wholesale Logistics Modernization Program”. I was brought on board to introduce the US Army to best commercial practices. I modeled their current business processes by documenting what they were doing and how. Then I provided them with a forward-looking business model and a roadmap to where they wanted to be. Back then, we called it Business Process Re-Engineering and Analysis. It represented process improvements for the customer. Once we re-engineered the customer’s business model, then the question was, “What software would be needed to meet the new and improved business model?” And at that time, SAP was one of the software companies that had been selected. That’s how I was introduced to SAP. With my career progression, each role catapulted me to the next role. And what I liked about it was that each stretch was a split. I had deep expertise for 75% of the role, but I had to stretch my skillset another 25% as a growth and development opportunity. Don’t feel that you must know everything about a role you are pursuing. Look at it as a development opportunity. There are certain aspects of the role where you’ll be great, you bring significant value, but you also need to grow and develop in your career path as well. “Because you are worth it” Best Career Advice I would say the best career advice I’ve ever received was from my Mom. When I started my career back in the early 70’s, the environment was not what it is today. I had to overcome many challenges and basically her advice to me was to stay laser-focused on my life goals and my purpose, and not allow anything or anyone else to disrupt that focus. Whatever my central target was, whatever my reasons for doing what I’m doing, keep my eye on the prize and never feel that there’s anything that I can’t accomplish. As a lesson learned, if I could go back, I would have completed my formal education sooner. That said, every step you take in life leads you to your next adventure. And I am happy where I am today, so I don’t really have any regrets. When you change, that means everything else changes. Embrace the change with no regrets. How to Grow into a Tech Role Final Words… I would also tell women, be patient and know your worth. The number of women in sales that look like us may not be as plentiful as I would like it to be, but it’s not what it was when I first joined the organization. So, obviously we are an organization that’s moving in the right direction. We have different resources such as the SAP Black Employee Network. Stay connected to the network. It’s a haven, a safe place where you can be yourself and network with others who have a alliance with you. Keep striving and you will reach your goals. To all my Sista’s In Sales: “Remember who you are and that you have an audience of one to please in life! Always be your true and best self!” So you want to get a job in tech sales? Excellent! Join us as the panelist of Tech Sales Professionals explain how to go about getting a tech sales job, even if you lack experience. This event is a panel discussion that will detail how women of color can market themselves for tech sales positions when their sales experience is not in the tech field. Attendees will also learn the different areas of SAP that showcase the various sales roles across the company. – CherilynnChief Learning Officer, SISWATCH THE RECORDING Cherilynn Castleman, Global Sales Keynote Speaker/Trainer/Executive Coach, has been a sales executive for 20+ years. With her natural talent for teaching and a drive to sell, Cherilynn uses her skills to coach and train other executives and sales professionals. Author of What’s In the CARDS? 5 Post Pandemic Sales Strategies. Sistas in Sales, LLC (SIS) is a community for women of color sales professionals to network, advance their careers and most importantly, find sisterhood – offering events, thriving Slack community with companies hiring now, and career coaching services. Learn more about Sistas In Sales membership here, connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Sponsored by SAP Learn more about SAP here! Sign up for job alerts
#LevelUp Your Sales Career: Consider Taking a Leap
Making the leap into sales from a different field can be daunting. Kelley Johnson, Customer Success Manager at Dataminr, knows that all too well. Kelley is a results-driven manager extracting value from publicly available information, but she didn’t start out that way. Originally working in finance, Kelley made the switch to tech and has never looked back. She has a creative and agile leadership style that cultivates a highly productive and engaging team dynamic. I asked Kelley, what skills do you need to level up, in order to break into and become successful in sales? 1. Be Confident I always say, “don’t second guess yourself.” That’s my biggest advice. As a young Black woman, I wasn’t confident and at times experienced imposter syndrome. To counter this, it was crucial for me to remember my successes, aim to build upon them, and replay them while seeking the next challenge. As with confidence, exuding positivity is just as important. I maintain a positive attitude when engaging with colleagues and customers, and hope that it inspires others. When I started at Dataminr, I was excited to be a part of an entrepreneurial environment where my voice was heard and I was able to make an impact. Although my background was in finance, I was able to apply my client service learnings to my role at Dataminr. 2. Be Curious It’s important to be curious about your customers and their business, but also about the company you work for and what it has to offer. Dataminr’s customers want us to listen to their needs, engage in dialogue, and understand the business challenges they face — but they want us to do so as an informed consultant able to bring our knowledge and assets to the table. Sales success often boils down to connecting customer needs with your company’s capabilities. This means not only being curious, but being a proactive learner and engaging with the right stakeholders. This is also applicable to the world outside the office. Stay on top of current business trends and world affairs, as these things could well be affecting your customer’s businesses, and your familiarity with them could give you an edge in the market. 3. Networking Having a strong network is key. I learned about Dataminr and was referred by one of my mother’s previous interns. Almost every job that I’ve had came through a referral. And sometimes even if your background doesn’t align with the job description, reach out to people on LinkedIn and try to network your way through. Combat the negative thoughts and reach out. Make sure that you have advocates and coaches in your network, both internally and externally, to help you throughout your career. I think that’s huge. I received that career advice from my grandmother. She’s an executive coach and she’s always told me, “if you have a strong network, you can get far.” 4. Relationship Management I think that having strong relationship management is essential because that’s something that you can translate into almost any role. The ability to foster strong relationships with your customers, with anyone that you’re working with on a day to day basis, is important because you want someone to vouch for you when you’re not in the room. And whether they’re vouching for the company, the product, or for you as a person, you want them to be able to say positive things when you’re not there. As a new people manager, I’ve learned that you have to focus on the success of the team rather than yourself. Ensure your team has the tools to reach their personal goals which, in turn, will help me reach my goals. A mission-driven organization is amazing because every day you go in and you know that you’re making an impact, whether it be direct or indirect.” – Kelley Johnson, Customer Success Manager at Dataminr 5. Mission-Driven Organization The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging over the past year, especially the past two quarters. Believing in the product or platform makes a difference. The work we are doing here at Dataminr is significant. We help customers detect, understand and mitigate risks. We help them get ahead of potential threats to their business. About Kelley Kelley works hard and plays hard to maintain a healthy mind and body. She pursues an active and natural lifestyle, loves a good workout session, and enjoys spending time with her 3-year-old Shih-Poo and best friend, Leo (a cross between the Shih Tzu and Toy Poodle). Whether you are looking to level-up your skills, your career, or your network, Kelley has shown us a successful approach – believe in yourself and take a leap. You may find yourself in an exciting new industry or company. Join us on Wednesday April 28th from 2-3:30 PM to #levelup your sales career with help and insight from savvy, global sales thought-leaders. Register Here – CherilynnChief Learning Officer, SIS Cherilynn Castleman, Global Sales Keynote Speaker/Trainer/Executive Coach, has been a sales executive for 20+ years. With her natural talent for teaching and a drive to sell, Cherilynn uses her skills to coach and train other executives and sales professionals. Author of What’s In the CARDS? 5 Post Pandemic Sales Strategies. Sistas in Sales, LLC (SIS) is a community for women of color sales professionals to network, advance their careers and most importantly, find sisterhood – offering events, thriving Slack community with companies hiring now, and career coaching services. Learn more about Sistas In Sales membership here, connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Sponsored by Dataminr Learn more about Dataminr below! Sign up for job alerts