SalesTechStar Interview with Yair Areli, Senior VP Global Sales at DataRails

Yair Areli, SVP Global Sales at DataRails talks about a few ways in which sales teams and AEs can improve their day-to-day sales processes and operations in this catch-up with SalesTechStar:

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Hi Yair, welcome to this SalesTechStar chat, tell us more about your journey through the years and what inspired you to venture into Sales (and stick to it!)

I’ve been in sales for many years and specifically SaaS sales for 11 years. I am an engineer by education, but I felt that I would not be great at it long-term and was looking for a career where I can combine analytical and interpersonal skills. Tech sales seemed the right balance between the two. I stayed in sales and in leadership because I saw how big an impact a good sales team can have on a company’s success and vice versa, how detrimental poor salesmanship can prove for companies. Sales involves a constant high pace, and every day feels like a marathon at the pace of a sprint and the measurement (success or failure) is simple and clear. It therefore forces me to be on my toes every day. It is also very rewarding when you are successful.

You’ve just recently taken on the chair as Senior Vice President of Global Sales at DataRails, tell us more about this new role and what your near-future goals and plans will entail?

The role is exciting, and it is pretty much what I expected it to be, when I came in. I’m still assessing the situation and trying to come up with a scaled up strategic plan for the next couple of years while also making sure it will serve as a foundation for the following years. I have the luxury of working with a bunch of smart people every day and I try to push them to be the best version of themselves.

The near future plans are to lay out the foundations for a modern sales team that can repeatedly and predictably sell, as well as defining the processes and implementing the necessary tech stack to support and enforce this.

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As a sales leader, what are some of the top challenges that you see sales teams and even fellow sales team heads struggle with in today’s B2B sales market?

When a stakeholder meets an AE their guard goes up and they get suspicious. This is regardless of what the AE said or didn’t say.  I’m trying to coach my AEs to be genuinely curious about the prospective customer’s business world and to be prepared and equipped to deliver value at any interaction in order to reduce that tension. I’m also trying to teach the AEs to follow modern sales methodologies in everything they do. Another challenge is to hire middle management that will run the day-to-day activities. I don’t have that yet so I’m struggling to allocate my time proportionally

What in your view are some of the basic B2B sales fundamentals that are largely spoken about it but not strengthened or implemented enough?

Sales isn’t something you do to others. Rather, it is something you do for and with someone. A common misconception about sales is that the AEs are self-centered and care about themselves. The best salespeople are the opposite. They see themselves as an agent of change and an extension of their customers’ team. They believe that their job is to help their customers achieve their business goal and when they do it right, they will get rewarded for it.

A few thoughts on the kind of sales technologies you’ve often relied on, through your journey, to drive sales initiatives and strategies?

For me, it’s SFDC, Gong, Outreach (or Salesloft)

Some last thoughts and takeaways/predictions on B2B sales and tips for salespeople in 2022 before we wrap up?

We live in a world, in general, of slim product differentiation so in most of the cases the difference is the sales experience.  Like athletes, AEs should strive to be the best version of themselves and be lifelong learner of their profession. This means always seeking to learn new things, hone our craft and hunt for feedback on how we can get better.

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