I strongly disagree with this comment (needing an MVP). For a serious B2B product you need a team, sales process and social proof/track record that convinces the customer you will deliver on your promises.
But above all, you need a product which solves a tangible, significant problem for the customer!
If the willingness of a customer to sign a prelaunch sales agreement comes down to the quality of your MVP, something has gone wrong in your sales process and the customer is just looking for an excuse to decline.
I think parent is saying something similar to you, but you've just laid it out in more detail. They didn't say the other things you've mentioned don't matter. They said that the product can't be a scrappy MVP.
Perhaps. I understood 'the MVP needs to be in good shape in order to win and keep clients' as meaning 'in order to win (and keep) clients, you need a (good) MVP'.
I was objecting to the idea that you need an MVP at all to win clients (although obviously retaining them is a different story).
But above all, you need a product which solves a tangible, significant problem for the customer!
If the willingness of a customer to sign a prelaunch sales agreement comes down to the quality of your MVP, something has gone wrong in your sales process and the customer is just looking for an excuse to decline.