A Sales Guy I Wish I Knew How To Code

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Knowing how to code will be one to of the greatest skills we can have. I really believe this to be true. If my girls ask me what they should learn in school, what electives they should take, I’m going to tell them to learn to code.

I’m not talking about becoming a full-time developer as a profession, but to have the ability to code as a secondary skill, the ability to build your own website, or blog, and to create your own simple applications etc. Being able to code will be a huge benefit in our lives.

Software is everywhere around us. It continues to power more and more of what we do everyday. Software is no longer just used in business applications for big business or to create off the shelf consumer apps like Quicken. Software has permeated all aspects of our lives, especially if your life has moved online. Bloggers know exactly what I’m talking about. Knowing the simplest of HTML code is a huge benefit.

The complexity of application development is increasingly becoming more simple. Developing applications can be done in days instead of weeks and months. What once took tens of people and 100,000′s of dollars can now be done with a few people for a few thousand dollars. Teams of one are cranking out popular IPhone apps at record breaking speeds. It no longer takes a hoard of developers and a bunch of money to create cool, fun, functional applications.

Knowing how to code will create all kinds of advantages. It creates less dependency on professional coders. It will allow folks to create their own personal applications. I love this. How cool would it be to create your own slew of personal applications that make your daily life easier. People who know how to code will have a stronger, more attractive online presence. Knowing how to code will bring a number of advantages.

App’s are becoming even more ingrained into our day to day. They are getting to be easier and easier to make. Being part of this ecosystem will be huge.

I don’t know how to code and it kills me. I have to hire someone every time I want to update my blog. I can’t build my own applications. I can’t participate in this burgeoning ecosystem.

I’m making it a goal to learn how to code. Looking forward, it’s the right thing to do.

What about you? Do you want to learn to code?

toddyoungblood

Although my genetic code is clearly SALES, I've been a closet IT geek for years. It's done more than save me $$$, it's been huge in terms of getting a quicker/better grasp on the applications of new IT.
leosalazar

Coding is so retro. It's like learning to become a typewriter repairman.
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

Great point, Todd. I can see that as a huge benefit.

//keenan
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

What's new then?

//keenan
http://onefinejay.com/ Jayvie Canono

There are two keys to learning how to code. One is to lose the fear of breaking something. The second is to be able to set up a system of keeping track of what you do, whether through non-destructive editing (using blocks of commented-out code), or even pen and paper. In fact, the second key enables the first.

I will submit, though, that while I'm keen on HTML and CSS coding and minimal PHP coding, there seems to be an almost magical, unique way by which programmers perceive the world around them. There's a second-nature ability to improve what is observed. It's an elusive quality, for sure.
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

I think there is something to what you say about how programmers see
the world.

It's a true talent.
http://www.aaronklein.com/ AaronKlein

You probably have to learn how to code to do this, but I think the biggest thing is to understand how software is architected. When you know that, you begin to understand the stress points of software systems and understand where to look when things go wrong.

That kind of knowledge is applicable whether you're trying to sync your iPhone or find lost frequent flyer miles with an airline.
http://www.waterhousegroup.com/ Steve Waterhouse

I can't disagree with you more. Coding, at the level you suggest, is a low level task that is easily hired out. Tell you children to become good at selling and use elance or some other site to find great coders.
leosalazar

I don't know about you, but I've moved on from having to know the basics of how to build applications, and am focusing more on what I can create with them. You don't need to know how to forge metal to build a shovel to create a beautiful garden. I mean, we have people for that.
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

There are some things we need to do ourselves. Hiring someone takes too long, leaves much to interpretation and more. It's just easier to do yourself.

I had a very cool start-up called cre8Buzz. It came in second in Mashables Web awards. One of the key failures was we didn't have a developer as a founder. It cost us WAY too much to develop the site as we had to outsource every little thing, even the simplest of tasks.

Developing is becoming easier and easier, yet the outcome of the development is increasing. You'll be able to accomplish A LOT with low level coding in the future. It will be a great skill.
spinhead

The title of the post and the content don't actually say the same thing, so while I completely get the title, I disagree with the post.

If you *already knew* that stuff, it would be great. I'm an author, but it sure is nice to crack the whip and have WordPress jump through flaming hoops; to be able to monitor and manage my own computer network.

But, to go learn it, now, on purpose? Nah.

Look a little higher on the page; you know, where it says what you *really* do?

Why does a sales guy need a skill which is completely unrelated to sales? Do what you're best at, what you're passionate about, what pays the bills.

Find someone who really really gets it to do the other stuff for you. (Note: I could easily be that guy, since I'm a geek from way back, and also teach selling to small business professionals . . . )

But let's say you really think you could love coding. Be aware that you're going to follow one of two curves: either you'll burn a lot of your selling time in order to learn coding sooner (say, able to assemble a simple website in only a year from now) or you're going to do it in your 'spare time', and be at that stage in about three years.

At which point, you'll already be behind, because web technology changes pretty seriously every 18 months or so.

I will say, though, that good coding is absolutely *not* a low-level task, unless you've also engaged an *architect* who'll write a bulletproof specification for the 'low level' coder to follow. When I outsource code, I only work with coders who I know are good business people as well, or they'll never really get what's important.

I could go on for another dozen pages, so maybe I'll just take this rant to a guest post at JerryKennedy.com . . .

I Wish I Knew How To Code

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