Sales manager in IT: selling software to businesses
The roleWhat does a sales manager do
A sales manager in IT sells software and tech services to businesses and often leads a team of sellers. The work covers prospecting, demos, proposals, negotiation and closing deals, plus forecasting and coaching the team.
A typical deal: a mid-size logistics company needs a new tracking system. The IT sales manager qualifies the lead, runs a discovery call, brings in a sales engineer for a demo, sends a proposal, negotiates price and terms with procurement and closes a three-year contract.
B2B sales in software is often called software sales. Roles include sales development representatives (SDR), account executives (AE) and sales managers who lead them.
In software companies the sales process usually has several stages. Marketing and SDRs bring leads, account executives run discovery and demos, sales engineers answer technical questions, and the sales manager keeps the whole pipeline moving and makes sure the team hits its quarterly target. In smaller companies one person often covers several of these steps.
Day to dayB2B sales skills and tools
| Skill | What it is used for every day |
|---|---|
| Prospecting | Finding and opening new accounts |
| Discovery | Understanding the client’s real problem |
| CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot | Tracking the pipeline |
| Negotiation | Price, terms and closing |
| Forecasting | Predicting revenue |
| Coaching | Helping the team hit targets |
Getting startedHow to start in software sales
A degree in business helps but is not required in tech sales. Many people start as SDRs right after college or after customer-facing jobs.
A B2B sales course teaches prospecting, discovery and negotiation. Learn a CRM and the basics of the product category you want to sell. A short sales manager resume should show numbers: quota, deals closed, pipeline built.
The fastest way to grow in B2B sales is to measure your own funnel: how many calls lead to meetings, how many meetings lead to proposals and how many proposals close. Once you see where deals get stuck, you know which skill to improve, whether it is prospecting, discovery or negotiation.
Picked by the Hoorya editorial team: from a first beginner course to advanced level.
Master Sales Training
Master sales training.
B2B Sales Skills From Cold Lead Generation To Closing Sales
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Sales Management by Tactics (MBT)
Sales management by tactics.
Advance Your Career In B2B SaaS Sales
Advancing a career in B2B SaaS sales.
Udemy list prices in US dollars. Udemy runs frequent discounts, so a course may cost less in your region.
No budget? Pick a SaaS product, write a prospecting email sequence and a discovery call script for one target customer. Practice the call with a friend.
GrowthCareer path
Common path: SDR, then account executive, senior AE and sales manager.
Later steps: head of sales, VP of sales or chief revenue officer.
Sales manager jobs and software sales jobs are posted by SaaS companies, IT services firms and hardware vendors.
Promotions in sales depend heavily on results. Account executives who hit quota several quarters in a row move to larger accounts or enterprise deals. Those who also coach others and handle forecasting well are the first candidates for a sales manager role. Many companies ask future managers to lead a small pod of two or three sellers before giving them a full team.
What you buildWhat this work teaches you
You will learn to handle rejection and keep going.
The job also builds business understanding, because every deal teaches how other companies work.
You will also learn to listen more than you talk. The best sales managers ask good questions, understand the buyer’s real problem and only then explain how the product helps, which builds trust and shortens the sales cycle.
Pros
- High earning potential with commission
- Fast career growth for top performers
- Entry without a technical degree
- Remote options
- Skills useful in any business
Cons
- Quota pressure
- Income depends on results
- Rejection every day
- Quarter-end stress
- Layoffs when targets are missed
This career often suits the ESTP type
Take the free Hoorya personality test and see how close your profile is to this specialist’s.
PaySales manager salary in the US and abroad
Most people start as SDRs or account executives, so plan for a few years before managing a team. The BLS reports a $148,270 median for sales managers. Entry pay in this category starts around $73,170 to $100,360, while the software sales salary for top account executives and managers often reaches $207,340 to $290,540 with commission.
UnfilteredWhat the work looks like day to day
A typical week: pipeline review, a few discovery calls and demos, a negotiation with a client and coaching sessions with the team.
Quarter end brings long days focused on closing deals.
A large part of the week goes into the CRM: updating deal stages, notes and forecasts. Managers also review recorded calls with their team, plan territories and work with marketing on campaigns. Good preparation before each meeting is what separates strong sellers from average ones, because buyers expect the seller to know their business.
Career growth
From SDR to sales manager, VP of sales or CRO.
Job satisfaction
High for competitive people who like people and deals.
Stability
Good sellers are always in demand, but pay depends on results.
Work-life balance: fine, 6 out of 10
Busy weeks around quarter end and big deals.
Remote and hybrid roles are common. Stress follows targets.
