Tech acumen has become something of a lost art in software sales.

Somewhere along the way, sales orgs decided reps should stop worrying about the technical parts of their product and focus only on value and business outcomes. That shift made sense in many ways, but it created a gap. A lot of sellers can speak to ROI and pain points, but they freeze the second a technical, IT buyer persona joins the call.

And here is the truth. You will deal with technical buyers. If you ever want to sell real enterprise deals, IT will definitely show up.

If your product touches the tech stack in any meaningful way, someone who cares deeply about architecture and integrations will need to get involved.

The top performers I have worked with were never engineers, but they did understand enough about what was under the hood of their product.

They could talk to a technical persona without sounding lost. They could explain how a feature supported a business outcome and why it mattered. They were product experts and business experts at the same time.

Today I want to share seven rules that helped me build my own tech acumen over the years.

Every time I doubled down on these habits, I won more deals and gained more trust with both business and technical buyers.

1. Let tech answer tech

If you have a sales engineer or solutions consultant, let them own the technical details. Do not guess. Do not try to play architect. If you do not have an SE, bring in product, implementation, or the founder in early stage environments. Guide the conversation while the experts handle the complexity.

2. Understand the why

Buyers care about outcomes. Pick a few core features in your product and really learn them. Build stories around why those features matter, how they improve workflows, and what business problems they solve. That is how you gain credibility with IT.

3. Read the documentation

I know it is dry, but documentation (docs) is one of the easiest ways to learn how your product works. Most docs include workflows, terminology, visuals, and integration notes. Even a few minutes a week reviewing will compound.

4. Learn the APIs and integrations

You do not need to write API calls. You simply need to understand how your platform connects with other tools your buyer already uses. Integrations influence deals more than most reps realize.

5. Study terminology

Every industry has its own language. The fastest way to build trust with a technical buyer is to speak that language confidently. Product docs and recorded demos are gold for this.

6. Prepare your SEs

Never throw a solutions consultant into a meeting without context. Share discovery notes, buyer goals, and a planned demo flow. When you and your SE are aligned, deals move faster.

7. Keep learning

Shadow technical teammates. Take beginner level courses. Watch product videos. Read technical resources. Curiosity helps and over time it will build confidence with every IT buyer you meet.

TLDR

Tech acumen will not replace good selling, but sellers who combine strong business acumen with a solid technical foundation become the ones who win the biggest and most complex deals.

If you want to grow into enterprise selling, this is one of the most important skills you can develop.

Good luck out there!

-Jesse

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