Blog

The Startup Selling Blog

Doing the work isn’t enough – It’s about doing the RIGHT work
Doing the work isn't enough – It's about doing the RIGHT work. In 2016, I competed in Uberman – an
The User Buyer
“The User Buyer is the person, or the team of people, who will use your product every day. Depending on
The Economic Buyer
“The Economic Buyer is the person who will write the check—the person whose budget provisions the purchase. Depending on the
Hiring SDRs vs Outsourcing
  Hiring SDRs vs Outsourcing – Which option is better, and when should we bring in some help on our
The Technical Buyer
“The Technical Buyer is the buyer, or buyers, who have a particular domain expertise within their company. Their job in
Daily Dose: 3 Sales Hiring Mistakes That Kill B2B Startups (And How to Avoid Them…)
  The pipeline's thin. Lead gen is a grind. You’re booking demos and slinging proposals, but deal flow is slow.
Start at the Beginning…
Start at the Beginning... It's January 4th. The Internet is slow. Zoom keeps cutting out. Slack isn't working. After holidays
Is this you?
Is this you? I’m starting a group for February – it’s designed for B2b startups that want to grow by
Taking action on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
On Friday, I hosted a Clubhouse room – "Tech Founders Tackling Structural Racism: Weekly Forum" (link goes to this week's
“Would You Like The Long Demo or The Short Demo?”
Lots of good conversation happening right now on Richard Smith’s post from yesterday –“Rich - please can I just have a
Tackling Structural Racism Together
I'm no more qualified to write and share this post than you or most people – I'm a 1%-er that's
11% of the year, the Status Quo Fallacy & 10 Selling Ideas You Can Use Right Now
  I’m already hearing it … “Nobody’s buying this time of year…” “I'm focusing on Q1 deals now…” “My prospects
Pricing, Negotiations & The Transparency Sale
  If you're in this zone where deals are coming in that are way lower than what we charge, I
Daily Dose: Start at the Beginning
  Start at the Beginning... It's January 4th. The Internet is slow. Zoom keeps cutting out. Slack isn't working.  After
Sales Prospecting: How to use “Permission-Based Selling”?
  Good work! You’re off and running with your sales prospecting work for your startup:1/ You’ve built your target list
The Product Champion
The Product Champion is your coach and cheerleader. He or she is the person who is internally helping you to
You might not realize this…
“You might not realize this, but you have a distinct advantage right now as a startup—you don’t need that many
Doing the right work
In 2016, I competed in Uberman — an ultra-triathlon consisting of a 21-mile ocean swim, a 400-mile bike from LA
Daily Dose: Sales = (Contacts, Conversations, Conversions)
  It's a simple model: 1/ Contacts  – Who you contact (your target prospect) & How (how many, how often)
Finding Your Sweet Spot
“Assumedly, you started your company because you found a specific problem that the market failed to address effectively. And, oftentimes,
Start at the beginning
 After holidays every year, I feel disappointed that I didn't get all the projects done I wanted during the break.
Who are the competitors in that market right now?
“If you’re unsure of the answer to this question, talk to people. For example, find people on LinkedIn and at
Being Deliberately Emergent #gofarther
I’m not a resolution kind of guy. If I really want to do something, I’ll do it whether it’s January
Ep.114: Hiring Top-Level Sales Talent For Your Startup – An Interview with Jeremy Macleod
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Jeremy Macleod. As a proud Kiwi, Jeremy hails from
More companies die from indigestion than starvation.
“Think about Amazon. Before it sold lawn furniture, pet food, and everything else under the sun, it started with books.
How are we going to sell to all these customers?
Many companies in various industries probably suffer from the problem you solve, and the more you search for the problem,
My two cents: “5 things LinkedIn won’t tell you”
1. LinkedIn is a “jobs site” — Disagree. While it is a jobs site for many people, it isn’t for
Ep.113: Selling with Emotion: An Interview with HelloWoofy CEO, Arjun Rai
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Arjun Rai. Arjun Rai is an NYC based entrepreneur
Have you ever had a conversation with new prospects and feel like you’re talking past your customers, not talking with...
  “They’re trying to tell you about their business and their problems, and you’re focusing on your product and how
The Ramp-Up Stage of your StartUp
“The key objective of the ramp-up stage typically is all about reaching $1,000,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR). This is
Model > Mindset
Stop Hustling and Start Scaling In this video, I show you why and how you have to move from hustle
Ep.112: Your B2B Startup: Revenue Growth Despite Uncertainty?
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Tom Pisello. Known as the ROI Guy,
Ep.111: The History of Selling & Why It Matters Now More Than Ever: An Interview with Todd Caponi, Part 2
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Todd Caponi. Todd is the author of the 3x
Ep.110: Finding Blind Spots in Your Sales Process: An Interview with Doug Brown
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Doug Brown. Doug C. Brown is a highly acclaimed Sales
Daily Dose: Lead Qualification Strategy – Sales Accelerator #3
  Just because a lead requests a demo, doesn't mean they get a demo.  They have to deserve it. And
Ep.109: Pricing, Negotiations & The Transparency Sale: An Interview with Todd Caponi, Part 1
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Todd Caponi. Todd is the author of the 3x
11% of the year, the Status Quo Fallacy & Why Sales is a Numbers Game
11% of the year, the Status Quo Fallacy & Why Sales is a Numbers Game Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ I’m
I’m running a LIVE Training TOMORROW to help you convert your Q4 pipeline
I’m running a LIVE Training TOMORROW to help you convert your Q4 pipeline Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Registration link in
Daily Dose: Show Your Authority Voice – Sales Accelerator #2
  You know more about the problem your product solves that anyone – that’s why you started your company in
Daily Dose: LinkedIn Live: Funnel Filler Foundations – Sales Accelerator #1
  Lead generation and filling your sales funnel is the most important sales work your startup needs do every day.
Why is it so hard to break through to the magic $1MM ARR?
Why is it so hard to break through to the magic $1MM ARR? Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ You’ve hustled &
Ep. 108: What Every Founder Must Know About Startup Sales
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Scott Cowley. Scott Cowley began selling at
Ep.107: Rehumanize Your Business, Accelerate Sales & Improve Customer Experience – An Interview with BombBomb’s Chief Evangelist, Ethan Beute
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Ethan Beute. As the Chief Evangelist at BombBomb, coauthor
Ep.106: Fewer Prospects, More Courage and How Everything in Your Sales Process Matters – An Interview with Andy Paul
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Andy Paul. Andy has written two award-winning sales books,
Failure was always an option – That’s what made it worth trying
Failure was always an option – That's what made it worth trying Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ This is a tough
Daily Dose: LinkedIn Live: When is the Best Time to Do Your Prospecting Work?
As soon as you begin to think that there's a good time or a bad time, you've lost it. Your
Feeling scared…
Feeling scared... Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ It’s all coming together. Months of planning and training and prep. On Friday at
Sales = (Contacts, Conversations, Conversions)
Sales = f(Contacts, Conversations, Conversions) Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ It's a simple model: 1/ Contacts – Who you contact (your
“Demo” should NEVER be a stage in your sales process.
“Demo” should NEVER be a stage in your sales process. Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ In fact, your entire sales process
Lead Qualification Strategy – Sales Accelerator #3
Lead Qualification Strategy – Sales Accelerator #3 Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Just because a lead requests a demo, doesn't mean
Daily Dose: Where’s your garage? A Startup Selling Lesson From the Trail…
Every day feels like a race when you're growing your startup. But do you have a system in place to
Show Your Authority Voice – Sales Accelerator #2
Show Your Authority Voice – Sales Accelerator #2 Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ You know more about the problem your product
Funnel Filler Foundations – Sales Accelerator #1
Funnel Filler Foundations – Sales Accelerator #1 Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Lead generation and filling your sales funnel is the
When’s the best time to do your prospecting work?
When's the best time to do your prospecting work? Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Right freaking now, that's when. As soon
When’s the best time to do your prospecting work?
When's the best time to do your prospecting work? Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Right freaking now, that's when. As soon
Ep.105: The Law of Reciprocity, Physical Impressions & Baby Turtles: An Interview with Sendoso’s Nick Casale
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Nick Casale. Nick is the Director of Sales at
Ep.104: Catapulting Past Complacency to Your Next Big Thing: A Conversation with Anthony Garcia
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Anthony Garcia. Anthony is an expert in sales training, recruiting,
When’s the best time to do your prospecting work?
When's the best time to do your prospecting work? Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Right freaking now, that's when. As soon
Ep.103: Using Podcasts to Influence, Create Community and Make Money – An interview with Doug Sandler, Part 2
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Doug Sandler. Doug has over 30 years of business experience
Ep.102: How Kindness Wins You Customers – An interview with Doug Sandler, Part 1
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Doug Sandler. Doug has over 30 years of business
Daily Dose: Linkedin Live #1: Going from 0 to 1 at Blend
Blend officially reached unicorn status three weeks ago, with the announcement of their Series F – now valued at $1.7
Ep.101: Teaching the Next Generation Sales Force: An Interview with LSU’s Greg Accardo
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Greg Accardo. With over 20 years of business and
Startup Selling Lesson From the Trail: Where’s your garage?
Startup Selling Lesson From the Trail: Where's your garage? Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Every day feels like a race when
Ep.100: Thoughtful Selling & CRMs That Actually Work – A Conversation with Salesflare’s Jeroen Corthout
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Jeroen Corthout. Jeroen is the co-founder and CEO of
Scott Sambucci – live
Scott Sambucci - live Powered by Restream https://restream.io/
Ep.99: Transparent Selling, Firmographics & Tommy Boy: A Conversation with Todd Caponi
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Todd Caponi. Todd is the author of the 3x
Ep. 98: Shifting Your Field Sales Strategy, Leading Sales Indicators and Honey Badgers – An Interview with Steve Benson
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Steve Benson. Steve is the Founder and CEO of Badger
Ep. 97: SDR Development and Management – Lessons in Learning & Leading with 6sense’s Ernest Owusu
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Ernest Owusu. As the Sr. Director of Sales Development
Ep. 96: What’s in Your Water: From Performer to Data Scientist to Clean Water Expert: An Interview with Doll Avant
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Doll Avant. Doll, Founder and CEO of Aquagenuity, is
Ep. 95: Should You Hire a Rep with a Rolodex? – An Interview with Adam Springer
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Adam Springer.  Adam has been the first salesperson
Daily Dose: What Should My Startup Be Doing Right Now When it Comes to Sales?
What Should My Startup be Doing Right Now When it Comes to Sales? GROW. Because that’s what your competitors are
Ep. 94: Growing Through My Career, Not Just Going Through It – An Interview with Joseph Fung
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Joseph Fung.  Joseph is the CEO of Uvaro,
Ep. 93: The Dark Funnel, Selling to In-Market Prospects & Bringing the Kapow – An Interview with 6Sense’s Latane Conant
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Latane Conant. Latané was instrumental in aligning sales and marketing
Ep. 92: The Uncomfortable Conversation: Sharing My Personal Journey of Awareness, Analysis, Accountability, and Action to Fight Structural Racism, White...
This is an uncomfortable conversation, and that's why I'm doing it.  Over the past two weeks, I've been watching and
Ep. 91: Sales Enablement: Which, When and How to Use Content in Your Sales Process – A Conversation with Carson...
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Carson Conant. Carson Conant is the CEO and Founder of
Finding Customers Through Your Network…
It is rarely going to be a first or second-level connection. You will probably need to work through several layers.
Ep. 90: SaaS Growth – Sales vs Self-Serve, Internal Realities & Impact Areas: An interview with Aaron Krall
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Aaron Krall. Aaron Krall helps SaaS companies drive more
Ep. 89: From Sales Productivity to Cold-Emailing Steve Jobs: An Interview with Jim Benton, CEO at Chorus
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed CEO at Chorus, Jim Benton. Jim joined Chorus.ai as
Finding the Sales Flow Again
How do you get back into a flow after time away from an important project or initiative? I see it
What’s the most effective method for “outbound” sales of SaaS products?
Question: What’s the most effective method for “outbound” sales of SaaS products? Answer: Good points from Jonathan, though I would label
Ep. 88: Listening for Sales – An Interview with Laura Janusik
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Laura Janusik. Laura Janusik is a dynamic professor, trainer,
Does the salesperson really add value to his customers in B2B sales?
Question: Does the salesperson really add value to his customers in B2B sales? Answer: Absolutely, assuming the salesperson is a good salesperson.
What are some good ways to avoid asking dead-end questions? #Q&A
Question: How can I avoid getting a short, yes/no answers? Answer: If you manage the sales process question, there is
Ep. 87: Running Your Startup’s Ultramarathon Right Now: An interview with Jason Everett
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Business Coach and Mentor, Jason Everett. Jason Everett
What do you need to know to try and become a SaaS Salesperson?
Question: Or is it just another sales job. Answer: Every sales job is different. Your product is different, your target market
Ep. 86: The Selling Formula – An interview with Brian Robinson
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed best-selling author, and coach, Brian Robinson. Brian Robinson is
How do SaaS companies typically find their first six-figure customer?
Question: Obviously, this depends on the market, product, etc. but generally speaking, how do SaaS companies land that first “big
Ep. 85 – Self Care, Celebrating Progress, and Keeping Yourself Going in Tough Times: An interview with Neil Fontenot
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I was interviewed by Neil Fontenot.  Neil is an entrepreneurial and versatile
Ep. 84: Reducing Friction in the Sales Process – An Interview with Chili Piper’s Nicolas Vandenberghe
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed CEO of Chili Piper, Nicolas Vandenberghe. Nicolas started his
Ep. 83: LinkedIn Lead Generation – An Interview with LeadCookie’s Jake Jorgovan
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed entrepreneur and Founder of Lead Cookie and Content Allies,
“What should my #startup be doing right now when it comes to #sales?”
GROW. Because that’s what your competitors are doing. Over these past 6 weeks, I’ve coached and talked with over 100
Ep. 82: Role Playing & Assessments in Your Sales Hiring Process: An interview with Aspireship’s Christine Rogers
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed President and COO of Aspireship, Christine Rogers. Christine is a
Taking the long view
I write a lot about sales and startups and making relentless forward progress. I run ultramarathons, and it might seem
Ep. 81: Founders and Their Need to Learn How to Sell in our Current Environment – An Interview with Chris...
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed author and CEO, Chris Spurvey. After consciously choosing entrepreneurship as
Daily Dose: Selling Strategies in a Volatile Market
1. Don’t believe everything you think. 2. Relationships first. 3. There’s no such thing “All” and “Everyone” 4. Christmas was
Sales Q&A For March 30
Build Your Startup’s Independence Day Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKMO2vdGKu0&feature=youtu.be  We’re two weeks into the “Outbreak of Volatility,” and I’m reading posts every day that say – “There’s so
Selling Strategies in a Volatile Market
1. Don’t believe everything you think. 2. Relationships first. 3. There’s no such thing “All” and “Everyone” 4. Christmas was
Office Hours Live Sales Q&A
What are the best practices for sending “cold” sales emails? #Q&A
      Question: The specific use case is SaaS sales but could be related to any sales process. There
Take Action: Do something, anything. Please, just start. #gofarther
I laid in bed this morning, vacillating between conscious states for nearly 40 minutes before I pulled myself out from under the
Quit blasting emails. Force concentration instead.
“A startup is not a smaller version of a large company.” – Steve Blank This goes for the sales funnel.
Daily Dose: Elevate Yourself with a Strong Peer Group — Startup Lessons from the Trail
A huge challenge in running a startup is the isolation that goes with it – building strategies, figuring out to
Build Your Sales Plan: A Startup Selling Lesson from the Trail
I’m a planner. Months ahead of my ultramarathons, I search for race reports from past years. I research the course
Daily Dose Podcast — Elevating to the Next Level: When Peaks Become the Start for the next Breakthrough
No more $10 ice cream sandwiches. It’s been two weeks since I finished the Tarawera 100 – a 100-mile ultramarathon
Information is easy— Implementation is hard.
It’s time to stop being a reader and start being an implementer. One of the most challenging aspects about building
Dials to your startup’s sales process
Think of each of these three systems as dials to your startup’s sales process. Your job is to turn these
Paying Customer Plan
The key measurements to track are: Price Per Customer: As you continue to establish your product’s worth to each new
A paying customer plan is . . .
This is the development and implementation action plan with your target customer to move them from their purchasing decision to
Selling System 3: Paying Customer Plan
“This is why we do what we do, right? The entire sales process from lead generation to product demos to
When you build and successfully execute your pipeline pull-through strategy, you will get the following:
Clarity: Clarity in your sales pipeline means that you know all the steps that you need to take with your
Daily Dose: Do The Work
  I’m 10 days from my next ultra-marathon — the Tarawera 100. The locals refer to it as “the miler…”
The Q Framework questions you need to know are . . .
Where are you with each sales opportunity?  When is the next step in the sale? This is important because your
A pipeline pull-through strategy is . . .
Your company’s process for moving your qualified sales opportunities through your sales pipeline. Think of this as your “sales map”—all
Selling System 1: Prospecting Plan of Action
Top-of-the-sales-funnel work is focused on generating qualified leads through daily marketing and sales activity, such as the following. • LinkedIn
Pipeline Pull-Through Strategy
 Moving your qualified leads through your sales pipeline requires that you have a clear strategy for taking customers from qualified
Daily Dose: Decisions That Simplify
Zach Stein joined me on my podcast, describing the decision-making frameworks he used as CEO at Osmo. (Check the comments
The key measurements to track when using a Plan of Action:
Lead Development Rate: The rate at which you are generating leads for your target market. Depending on your capacity, time
A prospecting plan of action is . . .
A master plan that describes the regular activities that you and your team deploy on a daily, weekly, and monthly
How are you finding your first customers?
“At the earliest stage of your company when you’re finding your first 5–10 paying customers, those first customers should come
“Daily Dose: Having Time vs Making Time: A Lesson from the Trail”
  I’m two weeks from the Tarawera 100-miler and I’m asked all the time – “How to do have the
The Startup Selling Sales Funnel + the Q Framework
The three phases of the sales funnel are listed here.  1. Prospecting Plan of Action: This is where you’re finding
Pilot vs. Proof of Concept vs. Beta
“The scale from “complete sale” backward might look like this.  1. Full implementation  2. Partial or phased implementation  3. Pilot
Keep Your Pilots Short and Small
“The first principle for a successful pilot is to keep it small and short— as small as possible and as
Pilot Programs Enable You to Prove Success
“Think about a new show on TV – the television network won’t know how the audience will respond until the
Ep.80: Part 2: Bonus Track! Product Demos, Lead Qualification & More Sales Talk with Richard Smith
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Refract Co-Founder, Richard Smith. Richard has over ten years
Pilot Programs Build Trust
“Running the pilot program allows the customers to see their problems being solved, thereby earning their trust in your product
Pilot Programs Reduce Risk
“Even if your sales prospects love your product and your approach to solving their problems, they just don’t trust you.
Pilot Programs Shorten Your Sales Cycle
“You have probably noticed in some of your early selling that the sales cycles for selling to large companies can
Pilot Programs Enable You to Vet Your Opportunities
“If you’ve been selling your product for any amount of time, you’ve gotten to a point where you’re juggling multiple
Six Reasons for Selling Pilot Programs
By first implementing our product on a small scale in an actual working environment, the customers can see how it
Ep. 79: Part 1: Meaningful Sales Conversations – An Interview with Richard Smith
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Refract Co-Founder, Richard Smith. Richard has over ten years
The Weekly Planner
“This version of an implementation plan is more specific and is more representative of a functional work plan that your
More Benefits of Using the 7×1 Framework
The 7x1 framework also future paces the prospective customer about the additional people and resources that will be needed to
“Daily Dose: The past is the past”
The past is the past – Startup Lessons from the Trail If you've watched my videos lately you know that
The 7×1 Framework
The 7x1 framework is designed for earlier stages in the sales process. As soon as you have someone who is
“Daily Dose: One Step at a Time”
  I just signed up for my next ultra marathon – it's in February down in New Zealand. This past
Building Your Implementation Plan
"There are a couple of ways to construct your implementation plan. The first is less formal and designed for use
Ep. 78: Signals, Places & Intent: Using Data Insights to Find Your Target Prospects – An Interview with Mark Colgan
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed TaskDrive's, Chief Revenue Officer, Mark Colgan. Mark has over
The start of your work together
“In the sales world, too often we hear about “closing the sale” and “getting to the finish line.” Guess what?
Sales Process
During the sales process, your prospects are asking themselves (sometimes you) questions about product features and functionality and also asking
The 10x ROI Rule
When selling your product, you should be able to show at least a 10x return on investment (ROI). In many
“Daily Dose: Dude – Are you good?”
“Dude – Are you good?” This kid was 8-years-old and he needed to know.  This was serious business – a
Companies Buy Solutions, Not Products
Once you’ve identified what problem your product solves, companies will buy answers to those problems.  Consider again the question from
Delivering the outcome the company wants and needs
“Have you ever had a situation where you know you’re talking with the right buyer at the right company who
Accessing Customer Data
This step is important, because it’s an accumulation of a few of the previous steps. By accessing your prospective customer’s
Communicating Frequently through Multiple Channels
Early in the sales process, you’ll likely communicate rather formally with your prospect via email, and the responses might be
Signing a Nondisclosure Agreement
“A second milestone that I like to use for larger enterprise sales is the signing of a nondisclosure agreement (NDA).
Completing a Homework Assignment
This is exactly the way it sounds—you give your prospective customers a little bit of work to do to gauge
Ten Examples of Checkpoints and Milestones
Think of these checkpoints and milestones as metrics, signals, and indicators that you’re advancing each sale. These vary across companies
Ep. 77: Name It To Tame It, Asking Questions & Making Tough Decisions – An Interview with Zach Stein
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed former CEO of Osmo Systems, Zach Stein. Zach is
Maintaining Control of the Sale
“In this case, when the prospect asked you to “circle back in a week to set up a demo with
Distinguishing between Continuations and Advances
Think about your most recent sales call or meeting with a prospective customer. Got it in your mind? Now, answer
Building Repeatability
“Creating a standardized list of checkpoints and milestones in your sales process allows you to establish repeatability. Over time, as
I don’t want to be a marshmallow!
https://youtu.be/dfxcMgJ2QAA My son was having a rough morning. He was awake at 5:07am (which is better than the 4:45am wakeup
Ep. 76: Being a Sales Sherpa, Effort vs Results & Networking The Right Way: An Interview with David J.P. Fisher
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed keynote speaker, sales coach, and author, David J.P. Fisher. David
Reasons to Establish Checkpoints and Milestones in Your Sales Process
Reason 1: Measuring Progress “Often, it’s hard to be objective because we have so much enthusiasm about our product and
When is the next step in the sale?
“Think of the sales process as knowing the checkpoints and milestones in your sale or knowing when the next step is in
The Q Framework sales Process
What we need to do is develop a system that identifies checkpoints and milestones along the way for each sales
Enterprise Sales
“One of the toughest challenges in enterprise sales is balancing the customers’ buying process as compared to your sales process.
The Seven Rs of Customer Success
During implementation, focus early and often on the seven Rs of customer success.These are: 1. Reconfirm: Give your customers confidence
Stage 4: The Implementation Stage
The transition from ‘resolution of concerns’ to ‘implementation’ is often subtle. The reason it can be subtle is that we’re
Ep. 75: LinkedIn for LeadGen & How to Support the Women on Your Team – An Interview with Sarah Tuneberg
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Sarah Tuneberg, Co-Founder and CEO at Geospiza. She leads an
Stage 3: Resolution of Concerns
“In the resolution of concerns stage of the sale, you’ll receive objections about your product, capabilities, and company. If you
Confirm-Ask-Explore Framework
“Before showing your product in the business demo, make sure to collect all your findings and gain agreement from the
Pitfalls to Avoid during the Recognition of Needs Stage
“The two biggest mistakes most salespeople make in the ‘Recognition of Needs Analysis’ stage are these: 1. Showing a product
Stage 2: Evaluation of Options
The second stage of the sale is ‘evaluation of options’. Just like the name of this stage indicates, this is
The Confirm-Ask-Explore Framework
“Asking the right questions, the right way, is critical in the recognition of the ‘needs stage’ of the sale.  Confirm-Ask-Explore
Innovators vs. Laggards
“As a startup, you’re looking for “innovators” and “early adopters” as your first customers — companies and executives actively seeking
Episode 74: Creating & Delivering Killer Product Demos: An Interview with Oscar Santolalla
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Oscar Santolalla, Author and Sales Engineer at Ubisecure.  Oscar
Problem Awareness
"Either your customer is aware or unaware that he or she has the problem that you solve. If your prospective
Stage 1 of the Enterprise Sale: Recognition of Needs
“Recognition of needs, the first stage, is exactly that—analyzing the prospective customer’s need. Your job as a seller is to
The Four Stages of the Enterprise Sale
Neil Rackham and his book, Major Account Sales Strategy, influenced much of what I’ve learned about the stages of the
Sales pipeline can be a frustrating process
"Managing your sales pipeline can be a frustrating process, especially when you’re relying on the buyer’s process for buying. The
Buyer Vampires think price equals cost. Executives know price equals investment.
“It’s unusual that a single person is going to be the person who is going to make the final decision
Price only matters in the absence of value
“Whatever price you share will seem expensive or inexpensive, because the buyer has no benchmark or relative comparison. That’s why
Words of a Buyer Vampire
“All that needs to happen is a quick conversation with my manager,” or “Send over a proposal so I can
How Do You Price Your Product?
“Well, look, how do you price your product, or what are some of the factors that go into pricing?” That’s
Episode 73: 5 Phases of Early Company Growth, the Frankenstein Job Posting & Gifting Ownership: An Interview with Brett Gilliland
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Brett Gilliland, Co-Founder & CEO at Elite Entrepreneurs. As
The Five P’s of Buyer-Problem Qualification
As you are working with each buyer and stakeholder at your target customer, map them to the buyer-problem qualification diagram
The Product Champion
The Product Champion is your coach and cheerleader. He or she is the person who is internally helping you to
Selling Early Versions of our Product
“At Blend, I was selling early versions of our product to the top 50 mortgage lenders in the US. Most
Relentless Forward Progress
Relentless Forward Progress — Lessons from the Trail Cuddled in a sleeping bag around me in the back of my
The Technical Buyer
“The Technical Buyer is the buyer, or buyers, who have a particular domain expertise within their company. Their job in
Episode 72: Transactional vs Relational Sales, and Managing Your Sales Team’s Key Activities: An Interview with Joe Curtis
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Joe Curtis, Chief Operating Officer at Pango Group. Joe expertly
The Economic Buyer
“The Economic Buyer is the person who will write the check—the person whose budget provisions the purchase. Depending on the
The User Buyer
The User Buyer is the person, or the team of people, who will use your product every day. Depending on
Discovery Call
“When selling enterprise solutions, such as data, analytics, and consulting while at CoreLogic and large-scale enterprise software at Blend, I
Buyer Vampire 1: “How Much Is It?”
“Ever had a situation in which you’re talking to new prospects and five minutes into the conversation, they ask, “This
Episode 71: The REPLY Method for Prospecting & Cold Outreach: An Interview with Jason Bay
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I interviewed Jason Bay, Chief Revenue Officer at Blissful Prospecting where he
Buyer Vampires
“All that needs to happen is a quick conversation with my manager,” or “Send over a proposal so I can
Most of the people who you encounter aren’t buyers…
“As you’re engaging with your prospective customers, most of the people who you encounter aren’t buyers. They might think of
Many companies in various industries probably suffer…
Many companies in various industries probably suffer from the problem you solve, and the more you search for the problem,
You might not realize this…
You might not realize this, but you have a distinct advantage right now as a startup—you don’t need that many
Who are the competitors in that market right now, and how are they solving the problem that you’ve identified?
If you’re unsure of the answer to this question, talk to people. For example, find people on LinkedIn and at
Episode 70: Customer Success Leadership, Ownership & Responsibility to Your Customers – A Conversation with Leah Chaney
Today’s guest is Leah Chaney, CCO, and Co-Founder at BetterGrowth. Leah is a Customer Success pioneer with almost two decades
More companies die from indigestion than starvation
“Think about Amazon. Before it sold lawn furniture, pet food, and everything else under the sun, it started with books.
Grilled Cheese Saturdays & the other half of life
Last night, I got to thinking about all of the “life” I have outside of work every week a partner,
Finding Your Sweet Spot
Assumedly, you started your company because you found a specific problem that the market failed to address effectively. And, oftentimes,
Narrowing Your Target Market
Now . . . here’s the thing. Narrowing your market can take some time. It was really hard in the
Episode 69: Fix the Track or Get Off the Vehicle – A Conversation with Dan Martell
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dan Martell. Dan is
The Q Framework: The Seven Questions on the Ramp to Repeatability
The Q Framework uses seven key questions to help you identify exactly where you are with every sales opportunity and,
Episode 68: When, Who & Where to Hire Your Startup’s Sales Team: An Interview with John Messina
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with John Messina. John currently
The Scale-Up Stage of your StartUp
“Whether a startup leverages investor capital or reinvests its own cash flow, once repeatability is established, the startup is ready
The New Path Forward: Your Sales Process
“By now, you’ve probably identified a couple of places where your startup is struggling right now. Maybe you’re in the
The Ramp-Up Stage of your StartUp
“The key objective of the ramp-up stage typically is all about reaching $1,000,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR). This is
What Problem Are You Solving with your StartUp? #2
Have you ever had a conversation with new prospects and feel like you’re talking past your customers, not talking with
What Problem Are You Solving with your StartUp? #1
“When I first speak with a startup entrepreneur or CEO, I like to ask, “What problem are you solving?” Frequently,
staying SANE
Every time I tackle the next big challenge, I want to feel SANE – Scared. Anxious. Nervous. Excited.  Feeling these
Episode 67: Condoms, Storytelling & Enterprise Sales: An Interview with Susan Lindner
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with master storyteller and
Here’s What Happens If You Don’t Know the Customer’s Problem
“While at Altos Research, I was working on a sales opportunity with one of the largest investment management firms in
Episode 66: The Sales process – MQL to SQL best practices, qualification, etc.: An Interview with Erik Bulichi
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with another guest from
Episode 65: A Human Approach to Sales: An Interview with Jonathan Soares
In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Jonathan Soares. Jonathan is
Breaking Through Upper Limits
If you want to grow your startup and grow as a person, everything HAS to change. But the question is
Episode 64: Iterative Outbound Emails, Subject Lines That Work & The 3% Rule: An Interview with Alex Berman
  In this episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, I sat down with Alex Berman. Alex is the chairman and
Episode 63: Social Selling Strategies Using LinkedIn, Video & More: An Interview with Autoklose CEO Shawn Finder
In today’s guest episode I had the privilege of sitting down with CEO and Founder Shawn Finder as we discussed
Episode 62: Pleasant Prospecting, Spinning Plates & The Engagement Pyramid: An Interview with Marylou Tyler
We have a first in today’s episode! It’s our first returning guest. Joining me on the show today is Marylou
The path to $1 billion: 3 key themes from the early days at Blend
If you’re in the FinTech space, you’ve probably heard about Blend’s recent Series E funding round. I was fortunate enough to
Episode 61: Using Podcasts In Your Sales & Marketing with BeMyGuest’s Erik Jacobson & Jonathan Barshop
In today’s podcast, we have with us Erik Jacobson and Jonathan Barshop with BeMyGuest.  Erik Jacobson spent three years learning
The Buyer Mapping Exercise for Enterprise Sales
I ran a sales training yesterday, and I walked the group through an exercise called “Buyer Mapping” and I wanted
Episode 60: Making Sales the Priority & The Goldilocks Rule – Designing Your Selling Systems: An Interview with Paul Rush
Today’s guest is Paul Rush, founder of Substantial – a digital design agency based in Seattle, Washington. Substantial is a
Episode 59: Starting the Journey: From Excitement to Reality – Startup Lesson #1 from the Bryce Canyon 100
Today’s episode is a very special edition because it relates to my personal life and the lessons learned from it.
Episode 58: Build & Manage Your Startup’s Hiring Process – An Interview with Lever’s Kelly Del Curto
In today's podcast, we have with us Kelly Del Curto, Director of small business and corporate sales at Lever, the
Ep 57: Removing the Digital Shroud – Why You Should Run Live Customer Events, Plus How To Do It
In today's episode Stephen and I will be discussing 'Live Events' – why should you run live events for both
Do You Have Blue Dots or Purple Dots in Your Sales Pipeline?
This weekend, I came across a 2018 study published in Science magazine – "Prevalence-induced concept change in human judgment,” by David E. Levari,
Are You Putting Yourself First? (The One Thing That We Rarely Do as CEOs and Founders)
You push and you push to make your startup grow. But are you thinking about the effects you’re having on
The Reality of the Distance: The Long F&cking Road Ahead – Startup Lesson #3 from the Bryce Canyon 100
[This article is part of a series in which I’m sharing my Startup Lessons Learned from a 100-mile ultramarathon I
Knowing What’s Ahead Makes It Even Tougher – Startup Lesson #2 from the Bryce Canyon 100
[This article is part of a series in which I’m sharing my Startup Lessons Learned from a 100-mile ultramarathon I
The Daily Dose #19: Keeping Consistent – Motivation vs Discipline: A Daily Dose Edition
In this episode, Stephen and I discussed the importance of consistency and defining the importance of Discipline vs Motivation. Discipline
Starting the Journey: From Excitement to Reality – Startup Lesson #1 from the Bryce Canyon 100
[This article is part of a blog post series in which I’m sharing my Startup Lessons Learned from a 100-mile
Intelligent Pricing (And How Your Pricing Strategy Might be Killing Your Business)
In a recent podcast, we spoke to Patrick Campbell about how to create a pricing strategy. This article summarizes some
The Seven Places in Your Sales Funnel and Go-To-Market Operations That You Need to Track
Tracking can make a huge difference to startups. This article summarizes a recent interview we held with go-to-market operations expert
Why Putting Your Self First is Important For Your Team
As a startup founder, you have undoubtedly dealt with a big issue… Your business has started to grow and you
Cold Emailing (The 7 Cardinal Rules That You Have to Follow)
Sales leaders may find themselves struggling to get their teams to execute an effective cold emailing strategy. In a recent
The One-Hour Question (And How it’ll Help You Learn More About Your Team)
When was the last time that you sat down and had real conversations with the people on your team? As
Andy Mowat’s Advice for Keeping Up to Date With Your Deal and Pipeline Quality
Are you tracking your deal quality? What about pipeline stages? Tracking can make a huge difference to startups. In a recent
Two Great Strategies for Cold Emailing
Sales experts around the world usually struggle with the concept of cold emailing This is very understandable, as it is
Ep. 56: The Process is the Process – A Daily Dose Edition
The process is the process!  In today's episode of the Startup Selling podcast, we did a Daily Dose edition. Stephen
How to Write an Effective 125-Word Sales Email
Can you write an effective 125-word sales email? Data shows that 125-word emails yield a 51% response rate. Surprised? Email
Reducing friction points for inbound sales leads
On one of our weekly coaching calls yesterday, a client shared how they were struggling to convert their inbound leads
Ep. 55: When & How to Use Cold-Calling, Partnership Programs & Vetting Your Sales Hires: Live Sales Q&A
  Today's episode is a little bit of an experiment. Every month I run what's called a Live Sales Q
Why Your Sales Team Should Be Six Months Ahead of Your Product
I remember one particularly cold, gray January day, sitting in a conference room atop a Manhattan high-rise while I was
Hustling Happy | Startup Selling
Most of the time, I’m all about systems, efficiency and predictability. But sometimes hustle is just something you gotta do.
What do trekking poles have to do with startup selling?
I did a 50k trail race this weekend.  I know… I know… It’s just what I do… My wife tells
Why Your Q4 Selling Starts Now
If I was leading sales at an enterprise/B2b startup, there’s one thing I’d be hammering to my team this month
Be The Leader Your Prospects Need You To Be
It all started so positively.  The prospect was excited to talk after they filled out the “I’d like more info”
Ep. 54: Acquire, Activate & Accelerate Your Digital Marketing Leads – An Interview with Howard Kingston
“The real secret to growth hacking is repeated experiments.” - Howard Kingston Today’s guest is a Digital Marketing Expert and
Is it time? Reset. Reboot. Restart.
It’s all come to a head. It’s all too much to handle. Too many “we gotta do this” to-dos on
Ep. 53: You Are Not Alone – Why We Do This, with Scott Sambucci
This episode is going to be more of a human to human conversation. As an entrepreneur, you're always expected to
Ep. 52: Amplifying Revenue With Go-To-Market Operations: An Interview with Culture Amp’s Andy Mowat
Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Podcast! In today’s episode, we have Andy Mowat, the VP of Growth
Ep. 51: Simple Actions to Increase Your Sales Pull-Through: An Interview with Selling Boldly Author, Alex Goldfayn
Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, in today’s episode we have Alex Goldfayn. Alex is a global
Ep. 50 – For Sales Leaders: Ideas to Help Your Sales Team Be More Productive
Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Podcast. Today’s episode is a bit different because there’s no special guest.
5-Risks Of Hiring A Salesperson at Your Startup
Hiring any salesperson too soon. If you've yet to acquire paying customers, then it's too soon. You're still in Customer
Ep. 49: Building Your Channel Partnerships The Right Way with Matthew Harrell – Google’s Head of Cloud Channel Business
Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Podcast. Today we have Matthew Harrell as our special guest. He is
Ep. 48: Head, Heart & Gut: Building an Entrepreneurial Organization – An Interview with Shannon Waller
Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Show - Talking Sales with Scott Sambucci... in today’s episode we have
Good salespeople are not “salesy”
Salespeople are masters at taking the right actions, listening to customers, asking questions, and implementing a clear strategy. Most of
The 4 Ps to Perfect Product Demos
Do you spend a lot of time and effort building the perfect demos? ….Only to get: “This looks pretty cool,
3-part pricing structure
1) Configuration & Implementation, 2) Platform & Users, 3) Professional Services 1 - Configuration & Implementation - This is all
Startup Selling
Pick. Up. The. Phone.
“The prospect asked me a question [or a bunch of question...] via email about... Price, Product, Integrations, timing, etc. etc.
How to run successful pilots
Build a PIT Crew – A Project Implementation Team Most of all, get your customer ACTIVELY involved – give them
Facebook Video 268422473806995
Ep. 47: From Users to Customers in 3 months & Startup to the Inc 5000 in 3 years: An Interview...
    Welcome to another episode of the Startup Selling Podcast, in today’s episode we have Brandon Bruce the Co-Founder
Finding Customers At Conferences
You need not attend. Simply go to the event website and find the speaker and attendee list. These people are
How Swimming Across Lake Tahoe Parallels Startup Selling #4
You need a team. And unequivocal support from your loved ones. The more I prepared for this swim, the more
How Swimming Across Lake Tahoe Parallels Startup Selling #3
You’ll be shocked by who’s willing to help you. I needed some help finding a kayaker, and Tom found Kathy
How Swimming Across Lake Tahoe Parallels Startup Selling #2
Take it one stroke at a time. When you’re starting a 10.5 mile swim, it’s easy to think about the
How Swimming Across Lake Tahoe Parallels Startup Selling #1
You start in the dark. “Meet at the dock at two o’clock and we’ll start the swim at three,” Tom
Finding Customers Through Your Network…
It is rarely going to be a first or second-level connection. You will probably need to work through several layers.
Ep. 46: Pattern Interrupts, Personas vs Titles and Warm Calls: An Interview with SDRemote Co-Founder Niko Hughes
In today’s episode of the Startup Selling Show we have Niko Hughes. Niko is the Co-Founder and COO of SDRemote.
Ep. 45: Company Culture, Experiential Incentives & the Backward-Bending Labor Supply Curve: A Interview with Disco Co-Founder Justin Vandehey
Justin Vandehay, along with his brother, Jeremy, Co-Founded Disco. Disco is a software company focused on helping teams appreciate each
Ep. 44: Post-Sale Product Adoption & Usage, Tribal Cultures & Success Metrics: An Interview with Xan Gentile, Head of Account...
In today’s episode of the Startup Selling Show we have Xan Gentile. Xan is the Head of Account Management at
Ep. 43: An interview with David Dulany The CEO and Founder of Tenbound and The Sales Development Conference
Today’s guest is David Dulany, he’s the CEO and founder of Tenbound, which is a consulting and training firm that
Facebook Video 2013045085433422
Let’s do this! 3 more sleeps until Monday’s Startup Selling Sa…
Let's do this! 3 more sleeps until Monday's Startup Selling Sales Intensive.
Ep. 42: The Selling Process vs The Buying Process in the Enterprise Sale: An Interview with PatientPing’s Head of Growth,...
Today’s guest is Brian “I Help Startups Grow” Manning, he’s the Head of Growth at PatientPing which is a company
Ep. 41: Lessons Learned from Raising $100M, Interviewing over 1000 Sales People and carrying a $25M Quota: An Interview with...
Today we have Kris “Speedhunter” Duggan on the Startup Selling Podcast. “If you’re not a sales-oriented founder, sales is a
Ep. 40: Financial Literacy for Startup CEOs: Buy-Sell Agreements, Key-Man Insurance, IULs & More: An Interview with Tim Phebus from...
On today's episode, I chat with Tim Phebus. Tim is an expert in financial planning and helping individuals, families and
Ep: 39: Sales Hiring: How to Find & Screen Your Next Sales Team Hire – An Interview with Wayne Herring
Today's guest is Wayne Herring. Wayne is an expert on coaching business owners on how to build, grow and manage
Sales Tip of the Day: Finding the Sales Flow Again
How do you get back into a flow after time away from an important project or initiative? I see it
Running 100 Miles: Lessons for Scaling Your Startup
Last month, I ran the Zion 100 – a 100-mile ultra marathon in the Southwest Desert near Zion National Park.
Growing your startup from idea to IMPACT, and why hustle & hard work isn’t enough.
Growing your startup from idea to IMPACT, and why hustle & hard work isn't enough.
The Q FRAMEWORK: The 7 Questions to Gain More… CLARITY, CONTROL & CONFIDENCE in your Startup’s Sales Process.
The Q FRAMEWORK: The 7 Questions to Gain More... CLARITY, CONTROL & CONFIDENCE in your Startup's Sales Process.
Episode 7: What are your Constraints?Why Hustle isn’t enough… LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Episode 7: What are your Constraints?Why Hustle isn't enough... LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
test
test
The 4 P’s to The PERFECT Product Demo
Live Sales Q&A Session #7: The 4 P's to The PERFECT Product Demo
Episode 38: Sales Compensation – Buying Persuasion Labor, The Cost of Selling & Paying Market Makers for your Startup: An...
My guest David Cichelli is the leading expert when it comes to sales compensation. His book - Compensating the Sales
Episode 37: How to Add Video to Your Sales Arsenal – An Interview with Stacy McKenzie
This episode of the Startup Selling Podcast focuses on how video affects the sales process. We talk about how to
Session #6: LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci Topic: Building Your Sales Team
Session #6: LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci Topic: Building Your Sales Team
Session #5: LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Session #5: LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
The Startup Selling Sales Intensive in San Francisco
Just one week to go before the Startup Selling Sales Intensive in SF. Here's what you can expect from me,
Episode 36: Recommendations To Startup Founders On How To Structure Outside Sales with Steven Benson
Badger’s tag line is “automating busy work for outside sales reps to save ten hours a week.” Badger is #1-selling
LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Episode 4: LIVE Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci (FYI - camera set up in the first 20 seconds... 🙂 Today's
Are you willing to get uncomfortable? Do three things you can do TODAY to make your company, or yourself, better.
Are you willing to get uncomfortable? Do three things you can do TODAY to make your company, or yourself, better.
Episode 35: The ONE Sales Activity In Your Company That Matters Most with Scott Sambucci
Today’s featured guest is Scott Sambucci--your podcast host and Sales Geek extraordinaire. He has spent more than two decades building
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci Installment #3: Live From Dreamforce in San Francisco
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci Installment #3: Live From Dreamforce in San Francisco
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci Episode 2 Topics: 1. Outbound Prospecting: My outbound prospecting emails & outreach
Episode 34: What is Customer Success and Why is it Important?: An interview with John Roberts
John Roberts founded Successly in 2016, a company dedicated to helping Customer Success teams make a big impact. John recently
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
A Special Message for my friends at the TINC Program about Monday’s Startup Selling Workshop
A Special Message for my friends at the TINC Program about Monday's Startup Selling Workshop
Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci
Got a Sales Question? Then join me for "Ask Scott: Live Sales Q&A with Scott Sambucci" on Wednesday, October 25th
FAQs: The Startup Selling Intensive on Oct. 16th in San Francisco
FAQs: The Startup Selling Intensive on Oct. 16th in San Francisco
What are the typical top sources for the first $100k of revenue for customers in early-stage SaaS companies?
Question: What are the typical top sources for the first $100k of revenue for customers in early-stage SaaS companies? Answer:
3 Reasons Why You Should Only Run PAID Pilots With Your Prospects (Hint: if it’s not paid, it’s just a...
3 Reasons Why You Should Only Run PAID Pilots With Your Prospects (Hint: if it's not paid, it's just a
What’s the most effective method for “outbound” sales of SaaS products?
Question: What's the most effective method for "outbound" sales of SaaS products? Answer: Good points from Jonathan, though I would
At the Nordic Innovation House
At the Nordic Innovation House
The Startup Selling Workshop & The HealthTech Nordic Community
The Startup Selling Workshop & The HealthTech Nordic Community
As a consultant, how can I improve my presentation skills in front of an executive audience?
Question: As a consultant, how can I improve my presentation skills in front of an executive audience? Answer: Certainly not
Handling Objections: Those pesky last-minute questions from your prospects…
Handling Objections: Those pesky last-minute questions from your prospects...
Prepping for “The Big Meeting” – One key trick to make the most of your time
Prepping for "The Big Meeting" - One key trick to make the most of your time
Product Marketing: We are an early stage software company and our solution falls at the intersection of a couple of...
Question: Product Marketing: We are an early stage software company and our solution falls at the intersection of a couple
Remember your progress, because it matters.
Remember your progress, because it matters.
What do you like most about networking with people?
Question: What do you like most about networking with people? Answer: That I learn something new from every conversation, even
What is the ideal structure of a web marketing team in a mid-sized B2B company?
Question: What is the ideal structure of a web marketing team in a mid-sized B2B company? Answer: As small as
What are the basics of marketing a B2B product online?
Question: What are the basics of marketing a B2B product online? Answer: Find your voice. It used to be that
“What’s the best way to convert sales leads from our trade show booth?”
"What's the best way to convert sales leads from our trade show booth?"
“What do I do if I can’t access to the final decision-makers on the sale?”
"What do I do if I can't access to the final decision-makers on the sale?"
I am new to technology sales. As an offshore enterprise software services vendor, how can I effectively answer the following...
Question: I am new to technology sales. As an offshore enterprise software services vendor, how can I effectively answer the
The 3 Key Elements to a Product Demos That Sell
The 3 Key Elements to a Product Demos That Sell
What’s the best way to plan out my weekly sales focus, especially when I’ve got the rest of the business...
"What's the best way to plan out my weekly sales focus, especially when I've got the rest of the business
The 4 Key Questions to Build Your Sales Process
The 4 Key Questions to Build Your Sales Process
Should I set up a Reseller Programs for my startup?
"Is it too early to set up a Reseller Program for my startup?" In helping clients build their 100-Day Sales
Should I run my startup full-time or part-time?
Question: I'm going to run a startup, but I am struggling on whether to go full-time or do part-time. I
Should early stage startups worry about generating revenue? Why or why not?
Question: Should early stage startups worry about generating revenue? Why or why not? Answer: Yes, absolutely, and as early in
The 60-Day Sales Sprint: Sell Your Way to Series A
The 60-Day Sales Sprint: Why you need to reserve your spot for the "Sell Your Way to Series A Workshop"
Is LinkedIn a worthwhile networking tool?
Question: Is LinkedIn a worthwhile networking tool? Answer: Yes, depending on your definition of "networking." Personally, while I always enjoy
Sales Lead Qualification: The 4 Ps of Problem-Prospect Fit
Sales Lead Qualification: The 4 Ps of Problem-Prospect Fit Lead Qualification is one of the most important and challenging parts
What are some solid ways to do customer development for a startup?
Question: What are some solid ways to do customer development for a startup? Answer: On the tactical side, I developed
Should I accept people’s invitations on LinkedIn who I don’t know but they have a pretty good profile and similar...
Question: Should I accept people's invitations on LinkedIn who I don't know but they have a pretty good profile and
What are your top sales objectives in 2017?
Question: What are your top sales objectives in 2017? Answer: My top sales objective for 2017 is to 3x REVENUE
When do growing companies usually create sales quotas?
Question: Does it usually revolve around a level of revenue, number of salespeople, number of total employees, or something else
What are the best approaches to find guest bloggers who are interested in writing about apps, SaaS and tools?
Question: We just launched our blog for a new social bookmarking platform for Apps, SaaS and Tools. I'm trying to
Ahhhh!!!! I cannot STAND this…
Ahhhh!!!! I cannot STAND this...
What are the biggest challenges and inefficiencies you see in enterprise sales?
Question: What are the biggest challenges and inefficiencies you see in enterprise sales? With a focus on business to business
What tools/software do salespeople use to stay motivated/productive?
Question: Everyone has a CRM of some sort but I'm looking more for a piece of software that would allow
5 Lessons Learned from last night’s Portland Timbers match
My sister scored tickets to last night’s the Portland Timbers match. Despite what I knew would be a fun and
Facebook Video 1621956334542301
My skillset is in sales/bizdev. For our new startup, is it best I stay focused on just that or should...
Question: My skillset is in sales/bizdev. For our new startup, is it best I stay focused on just that or
What are the best tools you use in terms of ROI when you want to increase your sales?
Question: What are the best tools you use in terms of ROI when you want to increase your sales? Answer:
What are some generally overlooked costs aside from SEO that are likely to blindside a first time startup?
Question: What are some generally overlooked costs aside from SEO that are likely to blindside a first time startup? Answer:
Facebook Video 1598328183571783
What are the best tools you use in terms of ROI when you want to increase your sales?
Question: What are the best tools you use in terms of ROI when you want to increase your sales? Answer:
Does the sales person really add value to his customers in B2B sales?
Question: Does the sales person really add value to his customers in B2B sales? Answer: Absolutely, assuming the salesperson is
Live from Atlanta Tech Village, teaching a Startup Selling Workshop, all about Pilot Programs for the Atlanta Bridge Community startups...
Live from Atlanta Tech Village, teaching a Startup Selling Workshop, all about Pilot Programs for the Atlanta Bridge Community startups
Live from Atlanta Tech Village, teaching a Startup Selling Workshop, all about Pilot Programs for the Atlanta Bridge Community startups...
Live from Atlanta Tech Village, teaching a Startup Selling Workshop, all about Pilot Programs for the Atlanta Bridge Community startups
Facebook Video 1589404234464178
What are the main dynamics driving the accelerated scaling of SaaS startups?
Question: What are the main dynamics driving the accelerated scaling of SaaS startups? As manifested by higher valuations / multiples.
Facebook Video 1587536244650977
I’m going to run a startup, but I am struggling on whether to go full-time or do part-time. I find...
Question: I'm going to run a startup, but I am struggling on whether to go full-time or do part-time. I
What are 3 things you would like to change about your sales process?
Question: What are 3 things you would like to change about your sales process? Answer: [Thanks for the A2A!] You
The Bridge Community Atlanta: Final Workshop Prep
Here's backstage look of my final prep for The Bridge Community Atlanta: http://bridgecommunity.com/ If you're joining me for this workshop
From Startup Selling workshop attendees & clients
Kari Thor Runarsson, CEO & Co-founder of Authenteq Malin Weiss, CMO at Speedment:     Isaac Szymanczyk, Principal and Creative
Is telesales a good approach for B2B startup sales?
Question: Is telesales a good approach for B2B startup sales? Answer: Think “inside sales” instead of “telesales,” and it’s a
How do you write a script for outside sales?
Question: I've just started going out and seeing customers and realised that I need a script to maximise the information
Episode 33: The Right Way to Set up your Partnership, Reseller & Affiliate Strategy: An Interview with Jen Spencer
About Allbound: Problem & Solution Definitions: Channel Partners vs Referral Partners vs Co-Marketing Partner vs Reseller vs Affiliates Listen to
How can I prove my sales ability to a potential employer if I don’t have a sales background?
Question: How can I prove my sales ability to a potential employer if I don't have a sales background? Answer:
I’m new to SaaS sales and I am seeking advice on how to best find/contact IT managers and their respective...
Question: I'm new to SaaS sales and I am seeking advice on how to best find/contact IT managers and their
The Startup Selling Workshop: Sell Your Way to Series A
The Startup Selling Workshop: Sell Your Way to Series A In this video, Scott Sambucci describes The 4 P's to
I want to optimize the use of our contact lists in the long term: what is the state of the...
Question: I work in a very big company with dozens of products, we run many campaigns every year and I
Episode 32: The Cardinal Rules of Cold Emailing with Damian Thompson
This episode of the Startup Selling Podcast focuses on cold email strategies and best practices when hiring and developing an
What can I learn by working in a B2B sales organization? #Q&A
Question: What can I learn by working in a B2B sales organization? I am not involved in selling and have
Let’s do this! The Startup Selling Workshop starts tomorrow @ …
Let's do this! The Startup Selling Workshop starts tomorrow @ 9:30am One last check in from our venue - PARISOMA
Generally speaking, are SaaS companies more likely to be successful starting with small customers or big customers?#Q&A
Question: A lot of fast-growth SaaS startups seems to focus on smaller companies first (examples include Salesforce, Hubspot, Marketo, etc.).
What are some good ways to avoid asking dead end questions? #Q&A
Question: How can I avoid to get short, yes/no answers? Answer: If you manage the sales process question, there is
What is the best CRM for a startup/ business?
Question: What is the best CRM for a startup/ business? Answer: Thanks for the A2A. Please note that my answer
Episode 31: What’s Your Box of Awesome? An Interview with Dan Waldschmidt
Dan Waldschmidt is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and business strategist. He’s been a successful entrepreneur, a failure, and a
What are critical success factors for SaaS applications? #Q&A
Question: What are the key success factors (like simplicity vs complexity, usability, marketing,  pricing, buzz etc.) for SaaS products? Answer:
Facebook Video 1538726156198653
How many cold calls should a top notch sales person make in a day? #Q&A
Question: How many cold calls should a top notch sales person make in a day? Answer: The short answer is:
In San Francisco and on the move… What are you most excited about in May?
In San Francisco and on the move... What are you most excited about in May?
That’s a wrap in the Startup Selling Workshop with the TINC Program! Clarity. Control. Confidence.
That's a wrap in the Startup Selling Workshop with the TINC Program! Clarity. Control. Confidence.
Startup Selling @ Stanford University Spending the day with Nordic country startups Teaching three sales models today: 1. The Q...
Startup Selling @ Stanford University Spending the day with Nordic country startups Teaching three sales models today: 1. The Q
What challenges are faced by startups selling enterprise software?
Question: The sales cycle with enterprise software is typically long. Unless the product being sold is unique, it will be
What are some ways a salesperson can speed along the procurement process when dealing with large Fortune 1,000 companies? #Q&A
Question: We're seeing major lag times with large customers from the time we have a "handshake" agreement and when our
What is a reasonable first year quota for a new business salesperson for an outsourcing company? #Q&A
Question: I was recently offered a quota of $8k of recurring revenue per month in new business, each month, and
First Dibs On My Next FULL-DAY Sales Workshop (plus a whole lot more…) [The Friday Four – 4/21/2017]
Let’s get right to it… 1 - ANNOUNCEMENT: FULL-DAY SALES WORKSHOP Do you need to… … Qualify your Leads into
Sales Recruiting: What are the biggest risks in hiring a salesman at your startup?
Question: Also, what are the biggest risks in hiring a salesman too early at your startup? Answer: Hiring any salesperson
What do you need to know to try and become a SaaS Salesperson?
Question: Or is it just another sales job. Answer: Every sales job is different. Your product is different, your target
Is there a good way to set a marketing budget in an early-stage SaaS company? #Q&A
Question: We're laying out a plan for 2014. We'll do $500 thousand in revenue in 2013 with an aim to
How do you drive a “sense of urgency” when selling SaaS or enterprise software? #Q&A
Question: Companies like Gilt Groupe and Fab drive a sense of urgency around purchasing in that if you don't buy
Is it possible for an SaaS product to penetrate the enterprise without a dedicated sales force? #Q&A
Question: How can a small and resource-constrained SaaS enable adoption at enterprise-level without spending (much) time or money? Answer: Yes,
LIVE SALES TRAINING: Ending the “Send me a one-pager…” in your sales funnel
Need an immediate boost in your LEAD CONVERSIONS? Cool. I’m hosting a LIVE SALES TRAINING this week. Click here for the details, or
How can I let go of my negative perceptions of what sales is, in order to be the best salesperson...
Question: I generate B.A.N.T. qualified sales leads for IT firms via cold-calling/e-mail marketing. As a recent college grad, I do
In terms of sales, what are the three most important things to know about psychology? #Q&A
Question: You can only choose three. I have read a lot about how psychology is important for sales, but never
How can I get sales off the ground for my enterprise SaaS company? #Q&A
Question: I've read all of Aaron Ross's (great) content (book + videos) as well as a lot from Jason M.
Predictable Prospecting, Podcasts & Selling Confidence [The Friday Four – 3/31/17]
It’s the last day of Q1. Do you know where your sales are?   I just wrapped up a round
How quickly should you hire salespeople in a SaaS company? #Q&A
Question: The faster you hire the quicker you can grow your revenue (in theory). However, it can be a danger
How should I prepare for a mock sales presentation? #Q&A
Question: I have had an in-person interview with a web/mobile analytics company in San Francisco, and they want to bring
It’s been way to long… and that’s my fault…[The Friday Four: 3/24/17]
It’s official. I’m a slacker. It’s been more than two months since sending out my so-called weekly “Friday Four.” The
Is it a good idea to offer a discount for the launch of a Saas B2B service?
Question: I'm wondering if offering something like a 50% rebate, available only at launch time would be a good idea
What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects? #Q&A
Question: What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects? Answer: A few of concepts: Continuation vs.
How do SaaS companies typically find their first six-figure customer?
Question: Obviously this depends on the market, product, etc. but generally speaking, how do SaaS companies land that first "big
What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects? #Q&A
Question: What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects? Answer: A few of concepts: Continuation vs.
At age 30, should I think twice about taking a year off “work” to pursue my interests/learn new skills by...
Question: I've worked at the same company for the past 8.5 years in various management/consulting roles and have done fairly
My bonehead mistake & what you can learn from it… Yesterday, I did something REALLY stupid – I got emotional...
My bonehead mistake & what you can learn from it... Yesterday, I did something REALLY stupid – I got emotional
What are the best ways to directly approach/reach-out to potential customers for SaaS app? #Q&A
Question: I'm looking for a little detail on how best to approach and/or reach-out potential customers without coming across as
SaaS Sales: What’s the best way to respond when a potential customer wants a longer free trial than you are...
Question: We do a two-week free trial for our SaaS app and really want to hold to that length. Often
Episode 30: Predictable Prospecting: Target, Engage & Optimize Your Sales Funnel, and Why Introverts are the Best SalesPeople: An Interview...
Marylou Tyler is the author of Predictable Revenue and Predictable Prospecting. She has worked with a number of co-authors and
I’ve just started at a new company, I’m going to be selling a new SaaS product, with no current customers...
Question: I want to treat this as my own business (as I get commission based on sales) and build it
Ep. 29: Who to Hire and How and When to Scale Up Your Sales Team: An Interview with Dionne Mischler
About this episode: Dionne Mischler is a sales expert. She is the CEO and Founder of Inside Sales and by
How do I become a better salesperson? #Q&A
Question: How do I become a better salesperson? Answer: Be mentally and physically fit. Subscribe to Audible.com. Listen to books
The 7×1 Implementation Plan: A Simple Framework for Sales & Customer Success
The 7x1 Implementation Plan: A Simple Framework for Sales & Customer Success
Should I give up on my failing startup?
Question: I'm currently 25 years old. About 2 years ago (at the age of 23), I quit my job and
SaaS Marketing: What are the best customer engagement strategies when it comes to product’s adoption? #Q&A
Question: SaaS Marketing: What are the best customer engagement strategies when it comes to product's adoption? There's a gap between
Using LinkedIn for Live Event Sales Leads
Is there a "right" way to use LinkedIn for sales leads? Using InMails vs Connection requests from live events and
How do I train for an Ironman with the goal of finishing in 11 hours and 50 minutes?#Q&A
Question: How do I train for an Ironman with the goal of finishing in 11 hours and 50 minutes? Answer:
Sell First. Market Later. Why “Demand Gen” is a waste of time…
Sell First. Market Later. Why "Demand Gen" is a waste of your startup's time... Think: Motive --> Metrics --> Message
How hard would it be to start a sea cargo business if money to buy cargo ships were not a...
Question: How hard would it be to start a sea cargo business if money to buy cargo ships were not
Improving Your Product Demos with the “Color Advance” Improv Game
Improving Your Product Demos with the "Color Advance" Improv Game
What should be the main responsibilities of a sales manager?#Q&A
Question: What are the most essential differences between sales officers/ account managers/ key account managers and a sales manager? What
Heading on stage in 3… 2… 1… Live from San Diego and The Bureau of Digital Owner Summit Let’s talk...
Heading on stage in 3... 2... 1... Live from San Diego and The Bureau of Digital Owner Summit Let's talk
How is ramp-up time handled in SaaS sales comp plans?
Question: We are hiring inside sales reps with a base of $45K and OTE of $90K. How do we handle
What are the best practices for sending “cold” sales emails? #Q&A
Question: The specific use case is SaaS sales but could be related to any sales process. There has been a
What are the best practices related to auto-renewal of SaaS/enterprise software contracts? #Q&A
Question: Every contract is different but, in general, do enterprise software and SaaS companies typically set their contracts to automatically
How do you tell (in an interview) if someone has the potential to become a great B2B salesperson? #Q&A
Question: When hiring for a low-level B2B sales position that doesn't require previous sales experience (i.e. appointment setter, intern, sales
What is the best way for a SaaS company to deal with long sales cycles? #Q&A
(I'm assuming that we are discussing an enterprise-wide SaaS platform or service that is priced at $25K-100K+ per year, or
How should a 21-year-old aspiring entrepreneur go about developing business talents? Should I stay in college or take a “crash...
Question: I'm a 21 year old that lives in silicon valley. My passion is business and everything that revolves around
Hiring ahead of growth… #enterprisesales #startupselling SaaSTr Conference
Hiring ahead of growth... #enterprisesales #startupselling SaaSTr Conference
Ep. 28 – Converting Free Trials, Soft Contracts & Why Sales Prospects Love Video: An Interview with Showpad’s Louis Jonckheere
Louis Jonckheere is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Showpad. Showpad activates millions of pieces of content for over 850 companies around
SaaStr Annual Conference: Sales Questions
What sales questions do you have? I'm at the 2017 SaaStr Annual conference today!
Are you selling to the right customers?
Are you selling to the right customers?
Doing lots of outbound? Follow this Batch & Plan Approach
Doing lots of outbound? Follow this Batch & Plan Approach
A sneak peak behind the scenes…. just a few days before our Startup Selling Workshop: Sell Your Way to Series...
A sneak peak behind the scenes.... just a few days before our Startup Selling Workshop: Sell Your Way to Series
Is your enterprise startup on the Ramp to Repeatability?
Is your enterprise startup on the Ramp to Repeatability?
Ep. 27: Hiring Incarcerated Women & Acting “As If” In Your Sales Calls: An Interview with Factor 8’s Lauren Bailey
Lauren Bailey has been voted "Top 25 Most Influential Leaders in Inside Sales" by The American Association of Inside Sales
Startup Selling: Sell Your Way to Series A
Is your enterprise startup grinding through this "sales thing?" Get out of Sales Purgatory and on your 10x Ramp to
Planning to raise a seed round or Series A this year? [The Friday Four: 1/20/17]
Can I still say “Happy New Year?" I mean, it’s still January and this is my first email to you
Take Action: Do something, anything. Please, just start. #gofarther
I laid in bed this morning, vacillating between conscious states for nearly 40 minutes before I pulled myself out from under the
Mind Games & Project Management to Endurance Training
I wrote about working in sprints last week. I think the same goes with workouts in whatever training you’re pursuing.
Put Your Self First #gofarther
I failed this morning. I knew last night what I was going to write about. I devoted part of my Morning
Go Farther Strategy #3: Work in Sprints #gofarther
Accomplishing bigger outcomes requires the completion of small tasks. When you “Schedule Everything” and “Make Time,” you can complete at least
How Early Customer Define Your Destiny, Customer Money & Getting Better: SaaStr CoSelling Space Speaker Series Event
Last night's SaaStr Speaker Series event  – “The Real Secrets to Happy Customers & to Making More Money” – hosted Byron Deeter
Go Farther Strategy #2: Make Time #gofarther
You’ve got to make time for what you want to do. Then schedule it. (See yesterday’s post – “Go Farther
Working in “Sales Sprints”
Working in "Sales Sprints"
Go Farther Strategy #1: Schedule Everything #gofarther
In Friday’s post – “10 Strategies To Do More, Be Happy & Surprise Yourself” – I wrote: If you don’t
10 Strategies To Do More, Be Happy & Surprise Yourself #gofarther
Yesterday, I wrote about being “deliberately emergent.” In that post, I talked about the foundations and structure in my life that
Being Deliberately Emergent #gofarther
I’m not a resolution kind of guy. If I really want to do something, I’ll do it whether it’s January 1st
The Friday Four: Which are you: ! ? . or __? Plus Burning Sales Questions…
1 - Got a BURNING Sales Question? Cool. I like questions, especially sales questions. Sign up for... “The Burning Sales
The “Go Live” Roller Coaster – Don’t worry if you puke, just be sure to smile for the camera…
The "Go Live" Roller Coaster - Don't worry if you puke, just be sure to smile for the camera...
A sneak peek… The Startup Selling Boardroom
A sneak peek... The Startup Selling Boardroom
Next Year Starts NOW! Your Insights, Actions & Questions from Live Training
Next Year Starts NOW! Your Insights, Actions & Questions from Live Training
Walk Your Customers Through the Sale
Walk Your Customers Through the Sale
New office, New Beginning
New office, New Beginning
The Friday Four: Live Training, Vendor Mgmt, Hiring & A Free Worksheet
Has it already been a full week since Thanksgiving? The leftovers are long gone but I’ve yet to work off
Does the sun ever come out in Portland?
This was a real question from my 4-year-old son last week… #honesty We spent Thanksgiving Week in the City of
ATTOM Data Solutions
Build Your Close Plan #startupselling
Build Your Close Plan #startupselling
Ever hear – “Send me a one-pager?” Here’s what to do about it #startupselling
Ever hear - "Send me a one-pager?" Here's what to do about it #startupselling
Pssst… about your 2017 sales strategy… Next year starts NOW!
Big news! I’m excited to announce a LIVE webinar for you - “Next Year Starts NOW! Proven Strategies to Fill
Friday Four [11/11/16]
Most importantly, thank you to the veterans out there for your service to our county. It’s certainly interesting times, and
Ep. 26: Working on Your Genius by Outsourcing Company Tasks & Hiring Virtual Assistants: An interview with Mia Paulus
Mia Paulus is the Founder & CEO of The Admin Center. I’ve worked with Mia over the years and The
The Friday Four: Why Free Trials Suck, Driving Urgency & Productivity Ideas
Much goodness for this week, so let’s get right to The Friday Four… 🙂 1 - Why Free Trials Suck
Ep. 25: Content Selling vs Content Marketing, The Amway Hack for Webinars & Value-Based Pricing: An interview with Christien Louviere
Christien Louviere is a Brand Coach and the Managing Partner of SellPersonal where he helps CEOs fix their marketing problems.
I got out of the building for The Lean Startup Conference
I got out of the building for The Lean Startup Conference
The Lean Startup Conference: The Innovator’s Breakfast
The Lean Startup Conference: The Innovator's Breakfast
Live from Stanford – The Startup Selling Workshop with TINC
Live from Stanford - The Startup Selling Workshop with TINC
Why Free Trials Suck for Your Enterprise SaaS Startup
Why Free Trials Suck for Your Enterprise SaaS Startup
Ep. 24: Selling a $40,000,000 Gulfstream Online, Negotiating with Vendors & Surviving Cancer: An Interview with Gina Danford [Podcast]
About this episode: Gina Danford is a business coach and owner of Red Zebra Coaching. We talked about the operational
Ep. 23: Capital-Raising, Avoiding “Legal Debt” & Going From Idea to MVP: An interview with Chris Combs [Podcast]
About this episode: Chris Combs is the Co-founder & COO at LinkSquares. In this episode, Chris talks about his experience raising
One Week to Uberman: Productivity & Time Management Ideas
One Week to Uberman: Productivity & Time Management Ideas
Show me yours and I’ll show you mine…
I’ve been experimenting with Facebook Live - it’s kind of like a podcast and radio show smashed together. Check out
Swimming Across Lake Tahoe: Lessons in Startup Selling
I swam 10.5 miles across Lake Tahoe Sunday morning, from Cave Rock to Emerald Bay. It’s a course that Tom,
The Friday Four: Join me on Facebook LIVE!, PICK. UP. THE. PHONE. & more…
  1 - GOT A BURNING SALES QUESTION? Join me next week on Facebok LIVE! on Tuesday, July 5th @
The Monday Morning Challenge: Focus on Now now. Worry about Later later.
Focus on Now now. Worry about Later later. As a startup founder and team, you have a scores of priorities
A Q&A Edition of The Friday Four: Find Customers, Grow Revenue, Build Process
Installment #14: My podcast interview with Lincoln Murphy, Prospecting Target Buyers, Pricing Your Pilot Programs and Product Demos. It’s been
Lincoln Murphy on Customer Success & Your Customer’s Desired Outcome [podcast]
"Desired Outcome is the Key to Customer Success." -Lincoln Murphy Lincoln Murphy helps you make your customers wildly successful. He
The Friday Four: Product Demos, Dealing w/ Dead Sales Leads, Pricing Strategies & List-Building
This week's topics: Product Demos, Dealing with Dead Sales Leads, SaaS Pricing Strategies & List-Building 1 - PRODUCT DEMOS: Are
The Monday Challenge: Throw away your ideas. Take Action instead.
I'm a "list person." I make lists constantly - in the mornings as I'm planning my day, on trains, on
Sales Prospecting, Asking for More $$, Pick up the Phone: The Friday Four
The Friday Four, Installment #12 awaits you below - Sales Prospecting, Asking Customers for More $$, Pick up the Phone. Read
Sales Prospecting: How to use “Permission-Based Selling” [video clip]
Startup Sales Prospecting Good work! You're off and running with your sales prospecting work for your startup: You’ve built your
5 Laws of the Startup Sales Universe: What most startup CEOs never learn about sales?
Startup sales means finding your first paying customer, then ten more. Here are five (5) laws of the startup universe
Sales Prospecting: The Monday AM Sales Challenge
Sales Prospecting & Your Sales Funnel Yep, I bet you get shivers just thinking about it. Every startup CEO and salesperson
Sales Prospecting, Pricing Pilots, Pipeline Reviews & Live Sales Training: The Friday Four
Here we go with Installment #11 of The Friday Four - let's talk about sales prospecting, pricing your pilot projects,
Prospecting, Pricing & Pipeline: The Monday AM Sales Challenge & Sales Workshops
“I never knew how the BEFORE and AFTER prep for my product demos impacted the sale." Exactly! April has been
Grab a stopwatch for your product demos: The Monday AM Sales Challenge
My big focus this month is helping you to plan, deliver, and execute on “The Big Meeting” - you know
Prepping for Your Sales Presentations the RIGHT way: The Monday AM Sales Challenge
This month with my Startup Selling members, our focus is on how to plan, deliver, and execute on “The Big
The Friday Four: It’s all about “The Big Demo!”
Installment #10 of "The Friday Four." Throughout the month with our Startup Selling members, we’re focusing on the “The Big
Startup Selling Podcast Ep. 21: Product Demos the Right Way, & Avoiding the “IKEA Demo:” An Interview with Peter Cohan
The Startup Selling Podcast is brought to you by SalesQualia. If you’re a startup looking to Find Customers, Grow Revenue
Prepping for “The Big Demo” – The Monday Morning Sales Challenge
Today's Monday Morning Sales Challenge is all about "The Big Meeting." You know the one - the Big Demo, the
The Friday Four: Ralph Macchio, Walmart parking lots, Private Investigators & 50 Shades of Grey
It’s April 1. Welcome to Installment #9 of The Friday Four... 1 - Podcast Panel: My interview with Donald Trump
The Friday Four: Why your customers can’t buy from you – Risk aversion, Loss Aversion & the Tech Buyer
This has been a primary topic of reading and research for me lately, and the answers are scary… Really scary…
Monday AM Sales Challenge: How big of a RISK are you?
Yes, of course your prospect loves your product and how you're going to lead them to the promised land. Here's
The Friday Four: Pricing strategy, Satisficing, Status Quo & Procurement departments
After one week hiatus, I present to you Installment #7 of “The FridayFour." Want to get The Friday Four sent
The Monday Morning Sales Challenge: Handling the “price question”
If you’re finding yourself getting beat up about your price, it probably means you’re doing something wrong in your sales
The Monday AM Sales Challenge: Be Positive [3/7/16]
It's easy to lament on losses and negative events. My challenge to you this week is to be positive. Focus
The Friday Four #6: Trish Bertuzzi, a conference tip, prospecting & David Cummings
Installment #6 - Here we go... Click here to add yourself to the mailing list and have these posts sent straight
Monday AM Sales Challenge: Review your recent losses [2/29/16]
After acquiring a few new customers in a row, it's easy to feel like you're in a groove and you've
The Friday Four: A podcast interview, Productivity Apps & Dharmesh Shah
Installment #5. A podcast interview on selling after the sale, three productivity apps, and a presentation by Dharmesh Shah, founder
Monday AM Sales Challenge: Can you be vulnerable? Can you ask for help? [2/22/16]
Over the past year, I read a couple of books by Brene Brown and Amanda Palmer - "Daring Greatly" and
The Friday Four – Revenue Acquisition Portfolio, Team Selling & more…
Four (4) not-so-random ideas to help you find customers, grow revenue & build your sales process...  Enjoy. 🙂 (BTW- if you'd like
Monday AM Sales Challenge: Who’s in control of the next step?
You have a great meeting with an early lead - a solid needs assessment conversation or an awesome demo. The
The Friday Four: 4 sales ideas you can use right away
Four (4) not-so-random ideas to help you find customers, grow revenue & build your sales process...  Enjoy. 🙂 (BTW- if
Monday AM Sales Challenge: Pick up the phone & call your free trial leads
Good news! You have inbound leads. People are signing up for your free trials or free versions or free whatever.
Startup Selling Podcast: Box.com’s Melanie Wong on Prospecting for Big Customers, the 7-Touch Rule & Working with Aaron Levie
If you're selling to the enterprise, you HAVE to check out my Startup Selling podcast interview with Melanie Wong. Melanie
Quit blasting emails. Force concentration instead.
"A startup is not a smaller version of a large company." - Steve Blank This goes for the sales funnel.
Monday Sales Challenge: How far can you take the sale WITHOUT showing your product?
It's easy to fall into the "I've got to show my product" trap. Don't! Challenge yourself to see how far
The Friday Four – 4 Sales Ideas to finish the week strong
Every week by email, I'm sharing four (4) sales lessons, ideas, strategies, tactics. Pretty much anything I think will give
Startup Selling Workshop Thursday night in Seattle
Last week in San Francisco, and this week in Seattle. Excited to be working with General Assembly for the first
Monday AM Sales Video: Selling Advice from Shark Tank’s Daymond John
On the way to San Francisco this morning, I listened to the James Altucher show interview with Daymond John. If you
Startup Selling workshop @ PARISOMA this week
I'm super excited to be working with PARISOMA Workspace in San Francisco to host my Startup Selling workshop on Tuesday, Jan
It’s Monday, Jan 11th. Do 5 sales calls today. You’ll be glad you did.
The second week of the year is here! Where are you with your 2016 sales plan? If you're off track,
[VIDEO] Your Sale Process: Make this ONE change. I challenge you!
A question I get all the time is - "How should I change my sales process?" Wow. That's a big
Live workshop: Build Your 2016 Sales Plan
A quick post about tomorrow's very live, very virtual event. Details & Details & registration here. Three hours to make
I did my 10 sales calls and a funny thing happened
15 total calls: 10 new outbounds 3 calls resulting from previous outbounds and referrals. 2 calls with previous customers The
Can you do it? 50 sales calls in 5 days
50 sales calls in 5 days. I bet you can’t do it. They don’t even need to be phone calls.
10 Sales Email Strategies & Tips
Is anything more frustrating than sending a follow up to a prospective customer only to get nothing back in reply?
Recruiting Sales Talent & Getting Hired: Sales Leadership Night Meetup Group
A HUGE thank you to Entelo and especially Vivek Reddy for hosting and moderating our Startup Sales Circle Meetup Group
Episode #1: Startup Selling with Conference Escorts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/salesqualia/Salescast_1-Startup-Selling-Conference-Escorts.mp3 This SalesCast is brought to you by, well, SalesQualia. Check out the Startup Selling Program, a 90-day program focused
Your customers are lazy cows & it’s not their fault
Cows don’t know any better. They wake up, they eat grass, they walk along windy, crooked paths simply because some
Stop Doing Product Demos
This week, I responded to an outbound sales email from a software company focusing on customer success. The last line
Don’t take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed
I was talking with the sales rep from a telephony company yesterday. She said: “We have 100% guaranteed up time. For every
Sales Tip of the Day: Never travel for just one meeting
As we walked up to the building, I turned to the account manager and said - “Wow. There are a
Startup Selling Lessons Learned: Confirm the “Why” of a sales presentation
The Situation: Big meeting with a C-level executive at the top, top, top of the org chart. We’d been working
My two cents: “10 things LinkedIn won’t tell you”
A friend forwarded an article to me last night - "10 things LinkedIn won't tell you" - and having spent considerable
Startup Selling Lessons Learned: The Projector
The Situation: Big meeting with a C-level executive at the top of the org chart. We’d been working with several
Using LinkedIn for Sales: My UI suggestions to LinkedIn
Last night, I tweeted: And received this response: I consider myself a LinkedIn power user. I'm a Premium subscriber and
Buyer Remorse and Enterprise Sales
Let’s look at two emotions that many customers, in both B2C or B2B sales, experience after a purchase - whether
The 7 x 1 Framework for Customer Success
“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 I’m a paranoid. I did a
Two examples of how meeting planning paid off
I'm traveling this week visiting a very major client and initiating the sales process with future clients (a.k.a. "prospects"). The
Net Promoter Score in action
Our pricing decision for the new “Startup Selling” course on Udemy
Our "Startup Selling: Sell More Stuff" course on Udemy is now live, and it's free. Straight up - choosing a
The 3rd Third – Creating solutions to client problems
In "Think Better: An Innovator's Guide to Productive Thinking," Tim Hurson discusses the concept of "wave thinking." Examining a problem
Hooray! I got a D!
Last night, I sent out an cold "InMail" yesterday to a "D" contact and got a reply. My first reply
More Customer Development – My dog food tastes better today.
Had a very good call block yesterday. My goal was 12 calls, and I hammered out 16. 🙂 An early trend
Eating my own dog food
I failed. I teach clients to set daily goals when I'm teaching clients how to manage their selling days. Yesterday,
Three things to know about Enterprise Sales
Thanks to Atlas Accelerator for the opportunity to present at their Fall 2013 Symposium last night. And a special thanks
Sales Tip of the Day: The 4 Conversations in every sales call
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what
Sales Vanity Metrics
Check out our upcoming Meetup event Thursday, July 25: Startup Sales Circle with Featured Guest Matthew Harrell, Enterprise Sales Manager
This biggest lie in sales
"To be good at sales, you need to be good at dealing with rejection." I remember a call with a
Find the Spider
Find your spider. In 1994, Nancy Krieger wrote a landmark paper in the field of epidemiology - "Epidemiology and the
Force Concentration – Get your first customer first
"Force Concentration is the practice of concentrating a military force, so as to bring to bear such overwhelming force against
Systems Thinking for Enterprise Selling
Think of your target companies as complex systems... ... not just a group of individuals choosing to buy your product
What I write about
Sales Tip of the Day: “How do I become a better salesperson”
[I first published this post on Quora.com. Because I received such a positive response, I wanted to share here on
Group Dynamics & The Purchasing Committee
Your Product Champion assured you that the budget is there along with the appetite to unseat the existing software that
Workshop: Enterprise Selling for the Lean Startup: How to Find Customers & Talk to Them
When: Wednesday, March 6; 5:30-8:45pm Where: Runway San Francisco @ 1355 Market Street, Suite 488, San Francisco, CA Why: Hosted by
I’m hosting two workshops in two weeks!
Wednesday, January 30: "Selling for the Lean Startup: How to Find Customers and Talk to Them" | 5:30 PM To 8:45
What I learned yesterday from the Lowe’s Installed Sales Associate
I unhinged the door in our extra bedroom this weekend to move my son's bed there. In the process, I
Event Horizon: Sales in a Lean Startup
Attended the Lean Startup conference this week and hosted with Sean Murphy our "Engineering Your Sales Process" workshop there. ReturnPath's George
“Engineering Your Sales Process” at the LeanStartup Conference next week
Who: Sean Murphy, SKMurphy, Inc. | Scott Sambucci, SalesQualia What: "Engineering Your Sales Process" Workshop Where: Lean Startup Conference 2012 When: 2:00pm, December 4 in
Agree. Agree. Agree.
From Tom Peters on Twitter last night:  
Sales Tip of the Day: A new old sales term: “Satisficing”
What is it? Organizations eschew the "optimal" decision for an "acceptable" decision. (Think "satisfying + sacrificing.") How does it relate
Sales Tip of the Day: Rationality & Decision-Making
This Quora question - "In terms of sales, what are the three most important things to know about psychology?" -
Check out the SalesQualia Board on Quora.com
I spend lots of time on Quora answering sales questions because, well, I'm a sales geek. 🙂 And so, I've
From this week’s Sales Mapping Workshop
Mapping your sales call is essential to successful selling. This week in San Francisco, we offered our in-person "Sales Mapping
Quora Question: What are the most effective direct marketing strategies for a SaaS product?
(I usually stay close to home talking sales, but was "Asked to Answer" this question on Quora about marketing, so
Sales Tip of the Day: Ask “Why do you ask?”
Questions, questions, questions. Everyone will tell you that sales conversations are a series of questions. You're told to ask open-ended
Sales Tip of the Day (video): Situational Analysis
Before you present your products or hop on a demo, start the sales conversation with questions about the client's situation
Sales Tip of the Day: Is your “Differentiator” critical to the decision?
"Your such-and-such feature is really a differentiator."  Be careful here - clarify what your prospect means ASAP! Does she mean
Sales Tip of the Day: Pipeline Tracking is not Sales Forecasting
Asking your sales team - "Where are we in the sales process?" is different than "What is the probability that
Sales Tip of the Day: Focus, Focus, Focus in your product demos
You're proud of your product and the 27 features your developers built. Great. Just know that during your sales demos,
HBR Article: Plan Your Sales Strategy
Dad used to tell me - "Make a list. If you make a list, you won't forget anything." Makes sense
Sales Tip of the Day (video): Implementation matters
The sales process doesn't end with a signed contract, in fact, it may have just started. An enterprise sale may
Sales Tip of the Day (video): Demo something relevant – make it personal
Before you jump into a standard demo, tailor your presentation to your prospect. If your client is based in the
Sales Tip of the Day (video): Asking questions
If you choose one aspect of your sales calls to improve upon, it's your questioning strategy. Play a game with
Sales Tip of the Day (video): Taking Leadership of the Sale
For example, when a prospect requests a trial of your software before presenting to senior management, ask the prospect -
Sales Tip of the Day: “The Three-MInute Rule” – Anthony Tjan
Last week, Sean Murphy of SKMurphy reintroduced me to The Three-Minute Rule. It's very simple: You can learn a great
“What are some ways to speed along the procurement process?”
[This is an abbreviated version of my complete answer to this question on Quora. Click here for my complete answer.] 1.
Sales Tip of the Day: Mapping your sales calls
Map your sales calls before you pick up the phone - create a "Call Map" and a "Conversation Tree." This
“Ten Reasons People Resist Change” – HBR.org article
Written in context of general leadership, this post has direct applications to Sales Leadership. Introducing a new product or service
Sales Tip of the Day: The Principle of Independent Judgments
From page 85 of Daniel Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow": The principle of independent judgments (and decorrelated errors) has immediate applications
The Scarcity Effect & SasS/DaaS Sales
Tell me if this sales anecdote seems eerily familiar: After observing the couple so engaged, a salesperson might approach and
Considering a price increase to motivate your prospects?
First uncover what is really motivating your prospects decision or indecision. If you're considering a price increase to motivate your
Sales Tip of the Day: Where you sit matters
Where you sit during your "Big Sales Presentation" matters. Too many times in a group setting, I've watched my colleagues
Sales Tip of the Day: “I have another patient just like you…” – The Principle of Social Proof
Me: "I've been thinking about Lasik. What do you think?" Doctor: "You know, I'm mixed. I have a patient -
Sales Tip of the Day: The Werther Effect
The Werther Effect is a contagion effect. When a particular event is publicized, the publicity itself leads to an increased level
Sales Tip of the Day: The Law of Least Effort
Described by Daniel Kahneman in "Thinking, Fast and Slow" - A general “law of least effort” applies to cognitive as
“What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects?” (Answered on Quora…)
What are some rules of making successful follow up calls to prospects? A few concepts... Continuation vs. Advance. This is
Control your sales environment or face jail time
When you're blasting through your daily calls, it's impossible to know the psychological state of everyone you're calling. For me,
Startup Sales Circle – Meetup Group
Yep - it's official. We're now the official organizers of the Startup Sales Circle Meetup Group. What to expect in
Sales Tip of the Day: Check out SalesBuzz
Definitely worth taking. With Altos Research, I required our sales team take this eight-week course (along with myself). Really, really,
Your Business Model is not your Sales Model
I spent yesterday at Launch: Silicon Valley watching companies pitch to the crowd and a panel of VCs. Lots of
CRMs for Startups: 5 signs it’s time to throw away your Excel spreadsheet
As an early-stage start-up, your lead tracking process might be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet or the free version
A good sales rep makes her manager do the crap work
Why? Because: 1. Crap work is crap work because there are poor systems in place that managers must fix within
Don’t be Vincent Van Gogh
Cutting deals to win customers? Don't do it.  Read this article from today's LA Times on American Airlines and their
Submitted! “Startup Selling: How to sell if you really, really have to and don’t know how”
The writing, revising, and proofreading is over.  I've just submitted "Startup Selling: How to sell if you really, really have
Startup Selling: 5 Sales Management Tips for the Technical Founder
Mark Suster authors "Both Sides of the Table" and is one smart dude. He's posted a number of articles are
Hanging with Hans Rosling at TEDx San Francisco
You might know Hans Rosling of TED.com fame for his presentation with the best stats you've ever seen. And while
Measuring Sales Effectiveness and Monitoring Performance
Came across an interesting micro-study on pharmaceutical selling from RM Consulting. Think about "message leakage" as the quality and delivery
Dear Kevin,
We're lame - we didn't post to the commonred contest. Yet, here we are with the audacity to ask for
“Your competitor isn’t requiring a minimum order per month”
After walking through the sales process with a prospect over four months time, we reached the final evaluation stage.  We'd
Hear us roar!
Fast forward to 1:10 of the video.  It's the only presentation worth watching anyway (or at least the best one...)
Props. Major Props to…
1. The Startup Weekend San Jose organizers: Naureen "Nora" Nayyar, Dutiee Joseph Okafor, MyRoomie Darius Dunlap, Support UX César Salazar
Yes we did. The Sales Analyzer is ready to go.
Spent the weekend in San Jose at the San Jose Start-up Weekend.  Why not? Had a couple of product ideas,
Pick. Up. The. Phone. [Redux]
Yesterday I received an referral email from another vendor in the industry to one of the "Too Big To Fail"
Pick. Up. The. Phone.
Gearing up for a conference we attended this week, our sales rep plowed through a list of attendees cross-matched with
What about booth babes?
Do you spend money on a booth, or should you just do LobbyCon? Go to the events and avoid registration
My 8 Sales Tenets (so far…)
[UPDATED: 2/13/12] Sales Tenet #9: Be nice. No matter what - always be nice. Why "Tenets"? Just sounds better than
Starbucks Via, Altoids, Power Bars, a big bag of raw nuts, & Purell at your conference booth #protip
If you're working a conference booth, bring Starbucks Via, Altoids, Power Bars, and a big bag of raw nuts with
Edison was a better salesman
From Wired today: Jan. 4, 1903: Edison Fries an Elephant to Prove His Point Edison had established direct current at
“I’d like to import 100,000 records as test”
Stop right there and send a contract. You know this lead - his budget is tight, however he's been forthcoming
5 Questions to Ask on Every Sales Call
Have some courage - you're allowed to ask questions. It's a conversation, not an interrogation. 1. How do you mean?
Good enough. We’re launched.
The decision is made - we're now officially live. (Of course, we've been hit with our first technical slowdown -