Job Openings

Technical Salesperson

[Editor's Note] I apologize for the blog-style job posting, but it's a better read than a standard job description. Enjoy.

Have you ever noticed how most salespeople suck?

It's true, and I'll finish the thought in a few seconds. In the meantime, here's a quick primer on Actual Metrics: our core business is to know everything possible about Google Analytics and Urchin Software. We also work with some other products that feed data into GA & Urchin, two of which are the Google Search Appliance and the Google Mini. We work with large Fortune 500 companies, VC-backed startups, Government agencies, educational instutitions, and everything in between. We also keep up-to-date with new products by going to Google HQ for training at least once a year. We have lots of current and future client projects, and a handful of internal projects that could grow the business exponentially.

Here's the deal: we need one new salesperson (possibly two) to grow business with our existing accounts and sell new work. We have a steady flow of warm leads and solid growth potential -- it's a great opportunity get in on the ground floor of a young, growing company. That said, I'm a sales guy and I've worked on enough sales floors to have learned that most salespeople suck because they don't take the time to learn about the products or services they're selling.

If you're a salesperson in the tech industry, here's some free career advice: become your own sales engineer. You will impress the hell out of your customers, close deals faster, and make more money. Top salespeople know their products & services thoroughly.

Speaking of which, let's talk about the job opening. I am looking for someone with the following traits:

  • The ability to teach yourself new stuff
  • A good understanding of web technologies (HTML, Javascript, Databases, Operating Systems, Browsers, IP Networks)
  • Excellent verbal communication skills
  • Excellent written communication skills -- we send out a lot of e-mail
  • The confidence to walk away from a deal if your solution isn't a good fit for the customer
  • Solid organization & prioritization skills
  • A positive outlook on life and a good sense of humor
  • A love of Indian food

Well...the Indian food one isn't really a requirement. But there's a kickass Indian food buffet up the street and I usually have a hard time recruiting anyone else to go there for lunch.

Let's get back to the job description. You may have already guessed, but the goal is to hire someone who is (or will become) their own sales engineer. Previous sales experience is not a requirement. If you have previous sales experience, it might help you get an interview...but it might not. For example, we're probably not a good fit for each other if you use high pressure sales tactics, learned at a car dealership or a fitness club. That said, there are exceptions, like Parrish Nygaard at Lifetime Fitness in Chandler -- he was pleasant to deal with and stood by his word from 2 months ago when two of his shyster coworkers wouldn't, which makes him a good dude in my book.

If this job sounds mildly appealing, you can apply for the position by e-mailing the following information to:
jobs --AT-- actualmetrics DOT com

  • Cover Letter or Writing Sample
  • Resume
  • A list of personal interests outside of work
  • URLs of any websites you run

Be sure to put "Technical Salesperson" in the e-mail subject. Thanks for your time.