Understanding Salesperson Archetypes in IT: Hunters vs. Farmers

Sales

1. The Hunter: This type of salesperson is akin to a hunter seeking new opportunities. They're focused on prospecting, hunting down leads, and acquiring new clients or customers. They thrive on the chase, constantly seeking fresh leads, pitching to potential clients, and closing deals. Hunters in IT sales are typically good at cold calling, networking, and identifying new market segments or niches.

   Example: An IT salesperson who actively seeks out new businesses or startups needing software solutions, proactively reaching out to offer their company's services.

2. The Farmer: In contrast, a farmer salesperson is focused on cultivating and nurturing relationships with existing clients. They prioritize client retention and satisfaction, aiming to upsell or cross-sell additional services or products to their current customer base. Farmers excel at building long-term relationships, understanding client needs deeply, and ensuring ongoing client satisfaction to foster loyalty.

   Example: An IT salesperson who maintains strong relationships with established clients, providing ongoing support, updates, and offering additional services or upgrades as the client's needs evolve.

While the hunter is more focused on expanding the client base, the farmer concentrates on maintaining and maximizing the value from existing clients. Often, a successful sales team might have a blend of both types to cover both new business acquisition and client retention effectively.