Arya, who was already a big fan of technology and wanted to develop a future-proof career, decided to dive into tech sales and has never looked back. Thanks to his international background, Arya has been able to work with both the DACH and Middle Eastern markets, allowing him to travel regularly. In his spare time, Arya and his best friend run a music label together, hosting small events and supporting upcoming artists in London.
Did you work during your studies?
During my last year at EU, I did an internship at Allianz, which turned into a full-time internship. The day after I graduated from EU, I was back to work. I did a lot of admin work, such as preparing presentations and working on Excel sheets because I still wasn’t sure what field I wanted to go into. As I studied international business, I had a lot of options!
Could you tell us more about your career journey since leaving EU?
I was working at Allianz for a year in Munich and then found a role in London as a business development representative, which is where my career in sales began. I worked there for a few years and worked my way up within the organization. I later moved to other companies and ended up in tech sales, which is what I’ve been doing for the past five years.
What first interested you in the tech industry?
I was always very interested in technology and tried to use the latest tech. I did some research and thought that it was a future-proof industry with a lot of room for expansion. I didn’t originally intend to end up in sales, and I think most salespeople will say the same, but it turned out really well. There are so many great perks and I really enjoy the life I have. Looking back, it was a great decision!
Could you tell us about your current role?
Webflow is one of the top three players in website design. My territory is the DACH region, covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I have a book of accounts within this region and it’s my job to cater to them by selling more products and identifying new prospects and customers. I work with some of the biggest brands in the DACH region. I see how they operate as a business, which I think is a great learning experience and allows me to work with the latest technology.
I travel once or twice per month in my territory for customer meetings and sometimes attend events to represent the company. It’s definitely one of the things I enjoy about my role. As in any sales role, if you’re successful, the financial aspect is also very motivating.
Does selling tech differ depending on the region?
Absolutely. I have primarily worked with the DACH region because I speak German but I also work with the Middle East because I grew up there and understand the culture and how things operate. The cultural aspect plays a huge role. You need to understand how people conduct business in each region. For example, in Germany, everything is very structured and there is a big focus on compliance. They have very rigid processes to get something over the line. But when you work with the Middle East, everything is about building relationships. Deals take a lot longer, but you have to go there and actually meet in person.
What is key to securing and maintaining B2B clients?
You need to ensure that you don’t present yourself as a traditional salesperson who is just constantly selling. You have to position yourself as a strategic partner and show them that you care about their business and about making them successful as well. Once you’re able to do that, you’re in a much better position to become successful in your own role while helping them at the same time.
How do you explain the value of technical products to non-technical stakeholders?
I think the best way to describe it is that to be successful in business today, you need to have the latest technology and, if you’re not able to adapt, then unfortunately your business will fall behind.
Are there any resources that you recommend for learning more about sales?
There are a lot of sales books that I would recommend like “The Qualified Sales Leader” (by John Mc Mahon) or “Gap Selling” (by Keenan). There are also a lot of salespeople on LinkedIn who provide really valuable content, which would probably be the best way to ingest any new information along with staying up-to-day with the latest news. Websites like TechCrunch and The Verge are really good sources of information in this line of work.
What are the main skills or concepts that you acquired at EU that have helped you in your career?
One aspect that I really appreciate about EU is that they really help you become independent from day one and the way they treat you as an adult. You need to ensure that you always deliver the best work, and the independence is definitely something I’ve taken into my career.
One of the great things about EU is that you have students from different parts of the world, from whom who you can learn so much. They all have different experiences and ways of doing things and cultivating these types of relationships is something I’ve transferred to my day-to-day work.
Did you participate in any excursions during your studies?
We had a couple of different excursions to businesses around Munich, which were very interesting. We’d learn something in a lecture and then, literally the week after, deep dive in person at a company.
What did your time in Munich do for you in your career?
I’d probably go back to the independence. You also need to adapt to the German mindset and way of doing business, which is definitely something I would consider one of my strengths.
You have participated in an alumni panel since graduating. Could you tell us about it?
It was a really interesting event. I, along with two other alumni, shared our experiences and career path with current students. It was really insightful and also very fulfilling.
What benefits do you see in being part of the EU alumni network?
I definitely need to leverage it more because I know it’s a huge network. You can connect with so many different people in different parts of the world. EU has been around for such a long time so you can learn a lot and get support from older alumni.
Do you have any advice for current EU students who want to work in tech sales?
Regardless of what career you want to pursue, you need to ensure you get the best possible grades. But when it comes to sales, you need to be super organized and on top of your game. You also need to be very resilient because, at the end of the day, you’re going to hear “no” 100 times, but you need to push for that “yes” until you get a deal over the line. In this type of role, you need to constantly motivate yourself.
Would you say a technical background is necessary to succeed in this line of work?
No, not at all! Personally, I don’t have any technical background. As long as you have an interest in learning about it, that’s all that matters. When it comes to customer meetings and very technical aspects, you have a dedicated person to support you.
What has helped you stand out in your career in such a competitive environment?
First and foremost, the numbers speak for themselves, so you need to ensure you’re hitting them and potentially even overachieving on them. But, on top of that, when you’re in sales, it’s as if you’re running your own business. You’re like the manager of your own book of business so you need to think about it in that way and cultivate the relationships, making sure not to burn any bridges because you never know when you might need that person again.
Another important aspect is your presence on LinkedIn. LinkedIn has become a crucial aspect in terms of your profile and conveying who you are and what you stand for, as a lot of recruiters and businesses will look at that before they hire you.
