I just got off a call with fellow women entrepreneurs, and I had to write about something we often wish we did not need to do: sales.
And here’s the truth … entrepreneurs aren’t the only ones who resist selling.
Women in tech do, too.
Whether you like it or not, your career in tech is a sales journey.
Always has been. Always will be.
In coaching, I break the career sales journey into three parts:
Part 1: Visibility – letting people know about the who, what and why of you.
Part 2: Alignment & Agreement – the sale aka discovering the alignment and asking for an agreement to move forward.
Part 3: Delivery – doing the work you love and producing great results.
My clients excel at Part 3.
They love delivering, solving, creating, leading.
That’s not the problem.
It’s Parts 1 and 2 that feel like, “Ugh…do I have to?”
Staying visible feels uncomfortable. It triggers imposter syndrome, fear of being a “bother,” anxiety about sounding braggy. Networking, speaking up about your wins, posting on LinkedIn, building relationships—none of this feels natural for many women in tech.
But here’s the truth:
Visibility isn’t something you do only when you need a job.
It’s an all-the-time activity so people understand who you are, how you help, and why your work matters. Once you accept and stop resisting this, everything becomes easier.
But it does not stop there. Then comes the hardest part for most …
Part 2: Alignment & Agreement … aka selling
This is where you advocate for what you want:
- the interview
- the conversation
- the promotion
- the glamour project
- the raise
- the board seat
- the meeting
- the contract
When your visibility starts paying off—people reach out, invite you in, ask for your thinking—you must move into alignment and then get agreement. You must go for the sale.
The first part is the alignment. You discover, through conversation and questions, if their needs and your desires and skills align.
If it is yes to being aligned, then it’s time for the agreement, a decision, on next steps.
And agreement often requires follow up.
Not once. Not twice. But consistently and professionally … until you get the yes or the no. A no might be in the form of not ever or it could be not now or the not yet. You have a decision and can move on.
4 Steps to Your Email Sales Follow-Up Process
Day 1: The Ask
Send a clear email stating why you’re reaching out (a summary of the conversations you have had) and what you want.
Use AI to tighten up your message.
End with an implied-permission (call-to-action) CTA such as:
“If I haven’t heard back by Monday, I’ll follow up with you.” Then, they are not surprised when you do follow up, or they will take some action before your follow up because they know you will be calling.
Day 4-ish: The Bump
Forward your original email with a short note:
“I know how busy things can get. Bumping this message back to the top of your inbox. Let me know how you’d like to proceed.”
Day 7–10-ish: The Humor
When appropriate, use warmth or humor to break the ice.
As a recruiter, I used to leave voicemails like:
“Here I am again—your worst nightmare—with more candidates to solve your hiring problem.” It almost always got a call back
Today, a quick meme or video (like this Mr. Bean classic) can do the same:
“This is me waiting for your response…”
