I want to share my perspective at how transactional sales are similar to selling commodities.
A commodity is a highly standardized, interchangeable good. Oil and water are commodities.
So what does this have to do with tech? In our world, too, certain things are becoming commodities - data storage, CDNs, task management, electronic signatures, etc.
Products and funxtionalities that entire companies have built on. At some point, new and existing market players appeared and simply copied the technology.
Most products from SaaS companies sooner or later become commodities because they are simply copied. Technological edge only lasts for a while and then new products have to be created.
Of course, highly standardized products can also be sold. After all, hardly any software is exactly the same. In addition, entire markets have already emerged in which price is by far the most important factor. Here it is important to realize that if the differentiating features/USPs no longer exist, a lot of work has to be done with discounts.
My learning: Products need strong USPs in order to negotiate attractive prices. The competition never sleeps - an entire market can change in just a few years. When choosing a job, it is super important to be in the right place at the right time and to sell the latest and hottest shit. This is much more important than your own talent or hard work.