SaaS Sales: A Guide to the Growing Sales Industry

Key takeaways

• SaaS (software as a service) is a rapidly growing industry that delivers cloud-based software applications through the internet with subscription-based pricing.

• SaaS sales careers offer strong earning potential across multiple roles from sales development representatives to account executives to sales managers at companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, and Adobe.

• Success in SaaS sales requires product knowledge, understanding customer needs, data-driven strategies, and strong networking skills to generate leads and close deals.

If you're ready to start building the foundational knowledge needed for technology sales, consider enrolling in the Fundamentals of Technology Sales course, offered by the University of Maryland. In as little as four hours, you could explore career opportunities in emerging technologies such as cloud computing and develop your knowledge of how to sell to different markets.

What is SaaS sales?

Businesses can purchase applications and services that offers a cloud-based alternative to physical software products, providing more widespread accessibility to these applications via the internet. Each SaaS provider has specific benefits based on their needs, such as customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning software. As a SaaS sales professional, you'll help customers identify the right one for their business needs, budget, and company size.

Your day-to-day activities typically involve researching prospective clients, making outbound calls and sending emails to generate interest, and conducting product demonstrations to show how the software solves specific business problems. You'll spend time qualifying leads by asking detailed questions about their current processes, pain points, and goals to determine if your solution is a good fit.

Much of your time is dedicated to relationship building, including following up with prospects through multiple touchpoints, addressing objections and concerns, and guiding them through the decision-making process. You'll also collaborate with internal teams like customer success and technical support to ensure prospects get accurate information and smooth onboarding experiences. Successful SaaS sales professionals become trusted advisors who understand both their product's capabilities and their customers' industries well enough to position solutions that deliver real business value.

Overview of the SaaS industry

SaaS applications provide value for businesses across many industries and provide extensive opportunities. Various companies succeed in the SaaS space, offering diverse solutions built to fit the differing needs of individuals and organizations alike. In 2024, the industry was worth more than 266 billion, according to Fortune Business Insights [1]. Projections anticipate this number will reach $1,131.52 billion by 2032 due to an 18.4 percent growth rate across the industry [1]. Some of the largest public SaaS companies are Adobe, Microsoft, Alibaba Cloud, IBM, Google, and Salesforce [2]. 

Read more: What Is a Cloud Engineer? Building and Maintaining the Cloud

SaaS sales jobs

SaaS sales offers structured career progression with various entry points and advancement opportunities. As the industry continues to grow, companies need skilled professionals at every level, from lead generation to leadership roles, with compensation that typically increases with experience and performance.

Entry-Level Positions

• Sales Development Representative: Identify and create interest from prospective customers, generate leads for account executives

• Business Development Associate: Qualify leads and move potential customers through the initial sales pipeline

Mid-Level Roles

• Account Executive: Close sales by helping customers understand how products solve their problems and maintain ongoing client relationships

• Account Manager: Develop long-term relationships with existing clients and provide post-sale support

Leadership Positions

• Sales Manager: Oversee sales teams, track performance, and ensure team members reach sales targets

• Vice President of Sales: Drive overall company sales success, build sales staff, and develop growth strategies

Earning Potential: Entry-level positions typically offer competitive base salaries with significant commission opportunities, while leadership roles can provide substantial total compensation packages exceeding six figures when including bonuses and commissions.

How to succeed in SaaS sales

As a sales development representative, you will likely hear  “no” often, but it's important to maintain your confidence and build strategies to overcome and minimize objections. Developing the following skills can help you find success more consistently in your sales career:

Understand the product

Understanding the product you sell down to the last detail helps you answer any questions or concerns about features and allows you to be confident when presenting your product. To take your product knowledge to the next level beyond understanding features and benefits, read customer testimonials to learn any problem areas from people using the product. 

Understand customers’ needs.

Develop and utilize active listening skills to grasp your customers' needs and ensure they feel heard. Doing so allows you to understand customers’ unique pain points and ask relevant questions. Ultimately, customers who feel heard and understood can feel confident in your solution.

Use data to your advantage.

You can implement data-driven strategies in many ways to optimize sales success. By leveraging data, you can identify which leads are more likely to convert into customers, saving you time attempting to sell to people who are unlikely to buy. You can also gain valuable insight into which communication methods and strategies lead to successful sales more often. Knowing simple things, such as the best day to reach out to a potential customer, can help optimize your sales approach.

Read more: What Is Data-Driven Decision-Making (DDDM)?

Network

Networking offers a valuable way to generate leads and find more opportunities to make sales. One reason networking is so important is its ability to give you referrals from your existing network. LinkedIn is useful for identifying potential connections and promoting your expertise, but focus on building quality connections online rather than sheer volume. 

Read more: What Is Networking? How to Grow Your Network

Tips for getting a SaaS sales job

With the SaaS industry projected to grow steadily in the coming years, job opportunities will remain available for those with the necessary skills and work ethic to succeed in this competitive industry. Completing a tech degree, while not required, can be valuable in demonstrating your ability to understand SaaS products. Developing transferable skills, such as communication and negotiating skills, can help smooth the path forward. Sales experience in industries other than SaaS is also beneficial and a great way to gain relevant experience without working in tech.

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