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    Profile of an Information Security Sales Professional

    Joyce Brocaglia and Jeffrey Combs
    Joyce@altaassociates.com


    The job market is showing signs of improvement. A reliable indicator of this trend is an increase in the number of companies hiring sales professionals. Companies are rebuilding after going through RIFs. Potential buyers are starting to open their budgets. Corporations are refining sales strategies to meet the demands of a changing market. Companies are even launching new products and services.

    The sales professional often is left out of discussions regarding Information Security careers. I'm not sure why, but it may have something to do with the perception that sales people are not true industry professionals. This is invalid, because security sales professionals play an important role in the big picture. Sales professionals are at the leading edge of an industry that prides itself on tackling difficult challenges, developing innovative technologies, and meeting complex demands. It is the sales professional who generates the revenue responsible for supporting the growth and innovation of our industry.

    Since the demand for qualified Information Security sales professionals has been fairly strong, we'd like to share some of our general observations on the subject. Basically, Information Security sales professionals fall into two categories: those who focus on selling products and those who focus on selling services.

    The security product specialist may sell software, hardware, support, training, or all of the above. These people are almost always employed by a product vendor or VAR and have intense training in the specific areas their products service. Since they are often selling niche-focused products, they know their offerings and the environments they support very well. They must be very focused in order to compete against a growing number of vendors competing for the same accounts, and must be able to clearly define the advantages of their products if they are to distinguish them from the competition.

    The security services specialist most often sells consulting services, managed security services, advisory services, and training. A successful solutions sales person needs to have an excellent big picture view and the ability to understand broader security issues. It is crucial that they can act as consultants so as to architect viable solutions that meet the needs of the client's business environment. Solution sales professionals must have the ability to build consensuses, define project scope, and identify add-on business. It is imperative that a solution sales professional have a "board room presence" since often there is a great deal of interaction with senior management.

    Regardless of what or how you sell, there are a handful of key elements that all successful sales professionals must possess:
    1. Presentation ability
    2. Knowledge
    3. Relationship building
    4. Closing skills
    5. Pursuit of professional development opportunities
    Presentation - You must look good, listen carefully, and speak well. A groomed professional appearance and the ability to communicate effectively are necessary to gain the attention of a potential client. The ability to understand complex situations and convey a vision that represents a viable solution to the client is absolutely critical.

    Knowledge - You have to know what you are selling, understand the client's needs, and be able to bring the two together. Demonstrating true knowledge and understanding is the best way to gain credibility and respect from clients. Those who continually strive to increase their industry knowledge will be more effective at meeting the needs of their clients

    Relationship Building - This is a complex skill set with many elements, but it comes down to a few basic points. You must know how to build strong, lasting, and mutually profitable relationships with clients who provide additional business, referrals, and success stories. Further, you must be able to develop, manage, and utilize a contact database, an integral part of the relationship building process.

    Closing - The sales professional must be able to identify revenue opportunities, develop a solution, sell it successfully, and get paid for it. The ultimate goal of every sales professional is to close business. Successful sales candidates are both hunters and killers.

    Training and personal development - We cannot say enough about the value of professional sales training. Selling is a complex game with many variables and the better you understand the dynamics, the more effective you will be. Those who seek out educational opportunities, whether they are sales related or industry specific, always stand out from those who don't.

    If you want to advance your career as an Information Security sales professional, you need to stay focused on the basics. Candidates must continually strive to improve their presentation skills, deepen their professional knowledge, develop their relationship management skills, and polish their closing techniques. This will translate into big dollar rewards in the long run. For the true hunter-killer sales professional, making those big numbers is what it's all about.
    Joyce Brocaglia is the founder of Alta Associates, Inc., an InfoSec recruiting firm, and Jeffrey Combs is an executive recruiter with the firm.

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