Sales Development Executive

SUMMARY OF THE ROLE

The Sales Development Representative is essential in driving revenue growth by actively engaging and negotiating with clients. This role focuses on lead generation, qualifying prospects, and managing the sales cycle for products and services to build strong client relationships and meet sales targets.

Responsibilities

1. Market Research & Targeting:

• Objective: Deepen industry knowledge to identify trends, pain points, and strategic opportunities within the insurance and financial sectors.
• Process: Use industry insights, competitor analysis, and customer personas to identify companies and stakeholders most likely to benefit from the company’s software solutions.
• Outcome: Develop a well-defined list of target accounts and contacts, including decision-makers in insurance companies and financial institutions.

1. Leveraging Existing Networks:

• Company Network: Utilize relationships established by the company with current clients, partners, and affiliates in the insurance sector. Reach out to connections who may benefit from additional services or referrals.
• Employee Networks: Encourage employees across the company to connect the sales team with relevant contacts in the insurance or financial sectors. Use internal tools, events, or networking sessions to discover valuable connections.

1. Outbound Lead Generation:

• Cold Outreach: Employ targeted cold emails, LinkedIn messages, and calls tailored to the insurance industry, focusing on specific challenges like automation and claims management.
• Sales Enablement Tools: Leverage tools like Outreach or ZoomInfo to automate and optimize outreach.
• Industry Events & Networking: Attend insurance and tech industry conferences to connect with potential clients and expand the pipeline through personal introductions and shared connections.

1. Partnership Development:

• Strategic Partnerships: Identify and engage with complementary companies, such as consulting firms, technology providers, or insurance associations, to co-market or cross-sell solutions.
• Collaborative Outreach: Work with partners to create joint lead generation efforts, including webinars, content collaborations, and industry reports, enhancing visibility and credibility.
• Partner Referrals: Work with partners  to generate qualified leads through trusted partnerships.

1. Inbound Lead Generation:

• Content Marketing: Collaborate with marketing to create and distribute industry-relevant content that showcases expertise and attracts inbound leads.
• Website & Social Media Engagement: Use the website and social platforms to capture leads through whitepapers, case studies, and contact forms.

1. Lead Qualification & CRM Management:

• Lead Scoring: Implement a lead scoring system to prioritize leads based on fit, engagement, and readiness to buy, using CRM tools such as Pipedrive or Salesforce.
• Follow-Up Strategy: Develop a structured follow-up cadence to maintain engagement with qualified leads, ensuring consistency and attentiveness throughout the sales cycle.

1. Data Analysis & Optimization:

• Performance Tracking: Analyze data on lead generation effectiveness, conversion rates, and channel performance to refine strategies.
• Continuous Improvement: Adapt outreach tactics based on data insights, client feedback, and evolving market trends to maximize impact and ensure a high-quality pipeline.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: 

• A Bachelor’s degree 

Experience: 

• 3+ years of B2B sales experience, ideally within software sales or selling to insurance companies or financial institutions, understands their  workflows and digital transformation needs. A proven record in driving lead generation, managing complex sales cycles, and exceeding sales targets.
  
• Relevant experience working in any of the following IT sales, insurance or financial services, Fintech, consulting and business services, Telecommunications, Digital marketing or health tech

SKILLS

• Sales Skills: Demonstrated success in closing high-value, long-cycle sales (6 months or more), consistently meeting or surpassing targets in a competitive, fast-paced environment. Demonstrating a high level of financial acumen and complex deal structuring.
• Team Collaboration: Ability to collaborate effectively across departments, working closely with technical, product, and support teams to drive customer success.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; capable of delivering impactful presentations and handling executive-level negotiations.
• Data-Driven Sales: Proficient in data analysis to track and optimize outreach strategies; strong command of Excel for sales performance tracking and analysis.
• Relationship Management: Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to cultivate and sustain long-term client relationships.
• Technical Proficiency: Tech-savvy and comfortable discussing technical solutions, with a proven ability to quickly grasp and explain complex technology in a way that resonates with clients.
• CRM Proficiency: Experienced with CRM tools (e.g., Pipedrive, Salesforce, HubSpot) to manage and track pipeline and sales activities effectively.
• Industry Knowledge: Strong understanding of the insurance industry and its unique challenges, with the ability to develop effective, industry-specific sales strategies.