Sales as an art form...

What does it take to be successful in sales for the IT industry? Tim Arpin, Regional Sales Manager for NY/NJ at Service Express, a data center maintenance company, has a candid conversation with Phil and Nabeel about the world of sales — the good and the bad — and what he loves about providing value through consultative sales for the data center industry.Arpin always had a natural proclivity for sales. While in his teens he started selling golf equipment in a sporting goods store. He then worked at Enterprise Rent-A-Car as a sales manager and went on to do sales and business development for several firms. A former manager from Enterprise invited Arpin to join him at Service Express as a senior account manager. He soon realized how attractive the IT industry was:“IT sales now is like pharmaceutical sales in the eighties and nineties…there’s a lot of success to be had, a lot of growth in the industry…a lot of IT spend, with lots of companies looking for salespeople.” Arpin became conversant with the technical aspects of the industry through a combination of online research, on-the-job training, and developing relationships with clients and vendors.Arpin speaks with pride about his work helping to support his company and their customers. He shares his commitment to sales as a profession — how he is in it not just for financial rewards, but also to solve problems, find value, and build relationships. He references the book “Selling with Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work That Makes You Proud” by Lisa Earle McCleod which emphasizes the importance of finding your reason, the “why” behind your selling, and believing that what you’re selling is providing value and having impact.“The consultative process of sales is an art form…the need to become a high-level consultative seller has forced me to become a better salesperson — a better listener, a better relationship builder, a better problem solver.”In terms of advice, Arpin highlights the importance of staying current and actively pursuing knowledge. He also recommends attending industry events where one can make or deepen relationships with vendors, colleagues, and end users.“AFCOM has by far been the most beneficial for me…I get to walk through the latest data and learn…there's always guest speakers and different companies talking about their products…that stuff's invaluable.”He shares the following insight:“The biggest thing that helped me honestly, was just conversations with end users when I didn't know something. Being open to admitting that and asking them to explain it to me, because I wanted to learn.”Tim Arpin is the Regional Sales Manager for the New York/New Jersey Market for Service Express, a third-party Data Center Maintenance Provider. Arpin has been with Service Express for over four years and has fifteen years of sales experience starting with a job selling golf equipment at a local Sports Authority store while he was in high school. Arpin manages a team of eight sellers and lives in North Jersey. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Marketing from Eastern Connecticut State University.