These tips are OK, but they miss, in my view, two essential components. My background is ten years as CTO and sales lead from founding to cashing out at a B2B software startup.
The two key points:
1) Know your product. Know it inside out, what it can do, what it will do, what it can’t and won’t do, and why those things are the case. You should be able to answer any question, and you should know the metrics you’ll inevitably be asked about like your mother’s phone number. If you’re a founder doing sales, this is doubly important, as it not only answers the question, but shows that you are deeply involved in the business/product, which brings me to
2) Passion. If you’re passionate and excited about your product, even the most stone-faced pessimist will be wanting to sign a contract by the end of the pitch. Enthusiasm is contagious. Have your story and why you set out to provide this solution ready to go, and tell it. Narrative tells people why you’re passionate, and allows them to share that narrative, that passion.
I converted almost every pitch I made, to the tune of £100M or so over the years - early days, sales of £10k each, a dozen a year. When I left, I was selling as many £5M three year contracts each year with the same core two points. I don’t say this to brag, just to underscore that these aren’t scale-limited factors, and that as a founder, this is a pretty solid strategy - particularly if you’re selling to other founders.
The hardest hurdle was filling in the RFPs - always different, always asking the wrong questions. All that worked there was putting in the hours.
I just started a B2B software startup and my cofounder and I are looking for all the sales advice/mentorship we can get. Is there any chance we could talk to you sometime? My contact info is in my profile.
The two key points:
1) Know your product. Know it inside out, what it can do, what it will do, what it can’t and won’t do, and why those things are the case. You should be able to answer any question, and you should know the metrics you’ll inevitably be asked about like your mother’s phone number. If you’re a founder doing sales, this is doubly important, as it not only answers the question, but shows that you are deeply involved in the business/product, which brings me to
2) Passion. If you’re passionate and excited about your product, even the most stone-faced pessimist will be wanting to sign a contract by the end of the pitch. Enthusiasm is contagious. Have your story and why you set out to provide this solution ready to go, and tell it. Narrative tells people why you’re passionate, and allows them to share that narrative, that passion.
I converted almost every pitch I made, to the tune of £100M or so over the years - early days, sales of £10k each, a dozen a year. When I left, I was selling as many £5M three year contracts each year with the same core two points. I don’t say this to brag, just to underscore that these aren’t scale-limited factors, and that as a founder, this is a pretty solid strategy - particularly if you’re selling to other founders.
The hardest hurdle was filling in the RFPs - always different, always asking the wrong questions. All that worked there was putting in the hours.