Institute of Sales Professionals - Anyone here a member?

[Kermit power]

Evening all,

Going through a CV review with PH's very own Rog007 this evening, we were talking about the potential value of membership of professional bodies on a CV as evidence of a focus on continuing professional development.

I know that this is pretty fundamental for engineers, scientists, surveyors and the like, but it wasn't a conversation I'd had for sales before, and wasn't actually aware that the Institute of Sales Professionals existed!

Given that there are a number of other sellers on here, I'd be interested to hear if you have membership of this or any similar bodies (ideally as an individual, not through your company) and whether you feel it has been of significant value to you? It would also be useful to know what industry you're in.

Thanks in advance!

[Kermit power]

Bump for the morning crowd.

[WY86]

I am in SAAS enterprise sales, i am not a member of that institute and to be honest i never knew it existed. At a guess it might be good to reference as a source from where you gained some sales methodology(Meddic, MEDDPICC, Spin, ETC) training from, but apart from that not sure what value it would show to an employer.

[Kermit power]

WY86 said:

I am in SAAS enterprise sales, i am not a member of that institute and to be honest i never knew it existed. At a guess it might be good to reference as a source from where you gained some sales methodology(Meddic, MEDDPICC, Spin, ETC) training from, but apart from that not sure what value it would show to an employer.

Thanks, that pretty much exactly mirrors my thoughts!

[WY86]

Kermit power said:

Thanks, that pretty much exactly mirrors my thoughts!

Though i could imagine one of their seminars or get togethers could break the world record for the number of Patagonia fleeces worn in the same location.

[Kermit power]

WY86 said:

Kermit power said:

Thanks, that pretty much exactly mirrors my thoughts!

Though i could imagine one of their seminars or get togethers could break the world record for the number of Patagonia fleeces worn in the same location.

[RC1807]

WY86 said:

I am in SAAS enterprise sales, i am not a member of that institute and to be honest i never knew it existed. At a guess it might be good to reference as a source from where you gained some sales methodology(Meddic, MEDDPICC, Spin, ETC) training from, but apart from that not sure what value it would show to an employer.

I’m in the same game as you. This “Institute” sounds like a crock.
Applied methodology plus sales records / earnings are a better gauge.

WY86 said:

Though i could imagine one of their seminars or get togethers could break the world record for the number of Patagonia fleeces worn in the same location.

Midtown Manhattan is more likely for the Patagonia sleeveless fleeces.

[StevieBee]

Membership of professional bodies can be a good indicator of dedication to your trade..... providing your play an active role in whatever organisation you join. If you're just after the kudos of adding it to your CV, then I'm not saying you should just say you're a member.....

Active role means attending seminars and events, contributing to the journal, attending training they provide and so on.

Personally, I'd ignore the ISP and instead joint the Institute of Marketing. Sales is a function of Marketing and the IoM is a respected, known and credible organisation that does really good things.

[deckster]

StevieBee said:

Sales is a function of Marketing

<sucks teeth>

Fight! Fight! Fight!

[cavey76]

I came from being an engineer so member of the IEE latterly the IET. Love sales and the performance element and the lack of need to do this sort of old school training. My dismissiveness is probably unfair but i learned sales (SW now SaaS) through understanding product, customers & their needs, the industry, segments etc - its really very simple ultimately.

I've always been an autodidact - as an engineer i was constantly looking for the next thing to learn (Cisco, MSc, etc). I have invested in some training in the last few years, subject areas adjacent to what i do through this company.

https://www.sectionschool.com/

The front man is a mouthy american professor who is disparaging of how US tertiary education has become super exclusive and now condenses MBA quality materials to 3-6 weeks modules. I am a subscriber and as a 15 year sales veteran i find it insightful and elightening. YMMV.

Like others have mentioned CIM is kinda adjacent to sales. Marketing being a group that help you generate interest/leads/events....alas the delta is they dont have to carry a number like the sales guy/gal.

Would love this to be a thing but in reality it smells a bit boll*cksy

[FrankAbagnale]

WY86 said:

I am in SAAS enterprise sales, i am not a member of that institute and to be honest i never knew it existed. At a guess it might be good to reference as a source from where you gained some sales methodology(Meddic, MEDDPICC, Spin, ETC) training from, but apart from that not sure what value it would show to an employer.

Agree with this.

If they offered some discount on one of the four pillars of SaaS clothing - Ralph, Patagonia, Gant, Arigato - I’d consider joining.

[StevieBee]

deckster said:

StevieBee said:

Sales is a function of Marketing

<sucks teeth>

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Ha! - Well, yes, the point is sometimes moot and I guess if we're getting all Business School about it, Sales and Marketing are technically distinct.

Based on my own experience of having worked in both, I'd say that those companies that coalesce the two as a single unit tend to prosper the most and that Marketing provides a 'step-up' opportunity for many sales people. Sectors and businesses differ of course. Thus membership of the CIM (not IoM as I typed previously) demonstrates a certain level of ambition or at least, appreciation of a bigger but relevant picture.

[dibblecorse]

Hi, as an in house recruiter into tech for more years than I can remember and with a strong bias to sales and commercial roles I have never had an organisational membership either required or given any weight in the selection process, that's across start ups, scale ups and global market leaders.

Join one if it helps your networking, but it won't carry any weight in the selection process.

[Pit Pony]

deckster said:

StevieBee said:

Sales is a function of Marketing

<sucks teeth>

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Get the marketing right (ie working out what your customer wants to buy. the right product requirements) and providing Engineering sticks to.the brief, and manufacturing can make it to the definition, then it sells itself. Marketing is not advertising and sales is not either.
Get it wrong at the start and you might need a decent sales person to convince the buyer the product is worth considering.

[Kermit power]

dibblecorse said:

Hi, as an in house recruiter into tech for more years than I can remember and with a strong bias to sales and commercial roles I have never had an organisational membership either required or given any weight in the selection process, that's across start ups, scale ups and global market leaders.

Join one if it helps your networking, but it won't carry any weight in the selection process.

That's useful, thanks!

I am thinking that I'd like to move from partner sales into partner marketing (still for SaaS) so I'm wondering if the CiM membership might be valuable in developing credibility in that respect?

[dibblecorse]

Kermit power said:

That's useful, thanks!

I am thinking that I'd like to move from partner sales into partner marketing (still for SaaS) so I'm wondering if the CiM membership might be valuable in developing credibility in that respect?

CIM is nice but on the marketing side they will want to see practical experience of executing marketing in its various forms, its a minefield that pays nowhere near as much as Sales, if you want to drop me a PM I will share with you my LinkedIn and if you think I could help with an objective chat, happy to help.

[Kermit power]

dibblecorse said:

CIM is nice but on the marketing side they will want to see practical experience of executing marketing in its various forms, its a minefield that pays nowhere near as much as Sales, if you want to drop me a PM I will share with you my LinkedIn and if you think I could help with an objective chat, happy to help.

Thanks! I've just dropped you a message.

[dibblecorse]

Kermit power said:

dibblecorse said:

CIM is nice but on the marketing side they will want to see practical experience of executing marketing in its various forms, its a minefield that pays nowhere near as much as Sales, if you want to drop me a PM I will share with you my LinkedIn and if you think I could help with an objective chat, happy to help.

Thanks! I've just dropped you a message.

And just dropped you a LinkedIn connection request with a note.