The DriveSales™’s Post

#Sales | In the past few years, the shift from Outside Sales to Inside Sales has grown rapidly due to the changes in the selling practice. Since technology revolutionized sales and the interaction between clients and sellers has completely changed, it forced companies to search for new ways of communication with leads for generating high revenue. Therefore, inside sales have become a priority for many businesses as they are carried out mainly through remote and technology-driven communication. #startup #entrepreneurship | The DriveSales™

𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Ross Alexander - Partner at Tidal Force Solutions 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Meet Ross Alexander, a dynamic sales strategy specialist and Partner at Tidal Force Solutions. With a steadfast commitment to driving sustainable sales growth, Ross collaborates closely with small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, offering strategic guidance to propel their businesses forward. 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: Ross brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. His background in sales strategy spans various industries, providing him with valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by SMEs and startups. Ross is deeply passionate about helping his clients achieve their sales goals by implementing tailored strategies that deliver tangible results. 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: At Tidal Force Solutions, Ross and his team are dedicated to empowering businesses with the tools and strategies necessary to thrive in competitive markets. As strategic sales growth consultants, they specialise in working with SMEs and startups, offering personalised solutions to drive revenue and expand market presence. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Ross and his team collaborate closely with clients to design customised sales strategies aligned with their business objectives. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬: Conducting comprehensive market research to identify opportunities and potential challenges, allowing clients to make informed decisions. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: Providing training and coaching sessions to equip sales teams with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Continuously monitoring and evaluating sales performance, implementing adjustments as needed to maximise results. 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Ross has a proven track record of delivering tangible results for his clients. Through his strategic guidance, numerous SMEs and startups have experienced significant sales growth and achieved sustainable success in their respective industries. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: To learn more about Ross Alexander and Tidal Force Solutions, visit their website:https://tidalforce.co.uk/ You can also connect with Ross on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest sales strategies and industry insights. Ross Alexander and Tidal Force Solutions are committed to helping SMEs and startups unlock their full potential and achieve long-term success through strategic sales growth initiatives. With Ross's expertise and the dedicated team at Tidal Force Solutions, clients can trust that their businesses are in capable hands.

A paradox in early stage B2B sales: The more sales experience, the worse your initial performance. Imagine you run a 'venture competition'. Two teams, same idea, same market, different team composition. In team A: your first 'sales agent' is a 10+ year veteran who has seen it all from SME to corporate sales. In team B: your first 'sales agent' is a non-commercial first time founder with zero sales experience. Easy pick, right? Team A, right? Turns out: more often than not the first-time founder with zero sales experience closes more deals faster than the sales veteran. But, why? Because learning is faster than re-learning. I have observed that people with 10+ years of sales experience don’t function well in the early stage, because they’ve forgotten - or never learned - how to generate demand without a finished product, a brand to rely on, a clear ICP, etc. That's the same reason why we see a lot of corporate ventures struggle in the GoToMarket motion, even with their 'unfair' advantages of market access and funds backing them. They try to solve early-stage ventures problems with steady state processes. In a corporate/steady state sales engine are clear: > ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles) > Prospect paint points > Products to remedy said pain points > Structured sales processes In the early stage, you have nothing but a rough MVP (if any) and three guiding questions: > What's the problem we are able to solve? > Who works in the context wherein said problem occurs? > Who is the problem owner? To succeed in the steady state, the sales agent focuses on process execution and efficiency. To succeed in the early stage, the sales agent focuses on learning and pattern recognition. You build the process along the way. Learn, Measure, Build, Repeat. - - - - - Hi, I am Florian, your tough love guy.  I mentor startups & corporate ventures to close their next 100 deals faster.  Reach out if you want to know how! 🥷🏻 #b2bsales #earlystage #corporateventuring

#Sales | Sales meetings/conversations with new prospects can be a tricky affair. The fact that a prospect has agreed to meet a sales rep is a great sign as prospects are instinctively inclined towards guarding their internal organizational information and are generally busy with their pressing day-to-day responsibilities. The primary reason for being frowned upon by the prospects is the air of distrust surrounding salespeople being the bottom-feeders of our commerce system honed in the art of deceit and manipulation for achieving their sole goal of selling their product or service. But much of selling success hinges on the sales rep’s ability to lead an effective first meeting/conversation and generate interest in the prospects for their product or service. #startup #entrepreneurship | MetaSales Technologies

Early stage Startup Sales is unpredictable. Defining a new category makes it a real experiment. You'll find yourself testing new verbiage, slides, and approaches on nearly every call. What works and what doesn't often comes down to a razor-thin margin. Here are three tips for Seed and Series A selling that I always keep in mind during every intro, demo, or discussion. These strategies are repeatable, even if securing a follow-up meeting isn’t guaranteed. 1. Align Goals: Identify your software's overall goal and see if it aligns with your client's objectives. If it does, your task is to demonstrate the value and ROI that would compel the client to solve the problem your way. Continuously refine your communication to clearly convey both sides' goals, leading to a shared sense of value. 2. Assess the Risk of Inertia: In a category-defining startup, you likely don’t have direct competitors. Determine early whether you’re competing against another solution or against inertia (long sales cycles and the "let's talk later" mindset). Understanding this can help tailor your approach and manage expectations. 3. Learn from Your Prospects: Your prospects know more about their problems than you do. Engage them in conversations to understand why the issue matters to them and how they discuss it internally. Use these insights to enhance your future presentations and share them with your team. Some of the best growth comes from clients you don’t sign up. Treat every conversation as a learning opportunity, and your pipeline will benefit from the knowledge you gain, allowing you to speak your prospects' language. I will mention that some startups have product/engineering orgs that want sales feedback. With much of this information, they too can start to make tweaks. That said, it's not promised and with this framework, you should be able to make an impact in sales with or without their participation.

🚀 Founding Sales: The Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook by Peter Kazanjy is a must-read for startup founders new to sales. It guides you through the unique approach to startup sales, emphasizing work that doesn’t scale. 🧠 Adopt a sales mindset: move quickly, maintain an "abundance mentality," and treat each sale as inevitable until clearly rejected. Use CRM software to track customer info and metrics. 📜 Craft a compelling narrative: describe the problem, current solutions' inadequacies, and your solution's value compared to its price. Start with lower pricing but avoid giving it away for free. 🎨 Prepare customized sales materials: tailor your slide deck, emails, and demos to each client's specific needs. Invest in marketing materials like videos to support sales efforts. 🔍 Qualify prospects efficiently: focus on medium-large local accounts and use LinkedIn for the most current info. Avoid outdated contact lists. 📧 Founders should handle initial outreach: convince prospects to commit to a demo, use tactics to keep them engaged, and leverage LinkedIn for warm contacts. 📝 Capture and qualify inbound leads quickly: respond within five minutes to maintain their interest and ensure they meet your criteria. 💬 Perfect your pitch and demo: review the client’s needs, engage in discovery questions, and customize your demo. Ask for the sale and provide multiple proposal options, prepared for common objections. 📊 Track your sales pipeline: monitor each stage to prevent deals from stalling and prioritize high-value customers. Once the process is proven, hire junior sales reps to scale. 🔄 Ensure customer success: provide training, be accessible for support, and keep key decision-makers updated to ensure renewals. 🏗️ Scale the sales organization: hire SDRs for prospecting, AEs for selling, and CSMs for post-sale relationships. Track metrics, conduct performance reviews, and establish clear processes and career paths. 👥 Hire the right salespeople: look for persistence, intelligence, positivity, and attention to detail. Conduct thorough interviews, offer performance-based compensation, and provide comprehensive onboarding and training. #Sales #Startup #GoToMarket #Founders #BusinessGrowth #SalesStrategy

#Sales | Back in 1975, Frank Watts, who was an employee at Wang Laboratories at that time, developed a new approach to selling, which would become to be known as solution selling. This new sales technique had a radically different selling process than the most popular sales methodology of the time — product selling. Solution selling has an amazingly simple premise: A salesperson has to diagnose their prospect’s pain point or need, and accordingly recommend the right set of products and/or services to resolve the situation. The prospect might not even know if a problem exists, how urgent or important it is, and how to resolve it. This is where the salesperson comes into the picture as an important resource that can help a prospect to understand as well as react proactively. #startup #entrepreneurship | MetaSales Technologies

#Sales | Back in 1975, Frank Watts, who was an employee at Wang Laboratories at that time, developed a new approach to selling, which would become to be known as solution selling. This new sales technique had a radically different selling process than the most popular sales methodology of the time — product selling. Solution selling has an amazingly simple premise: A salesperson has to diagnose their prospect’s pain point or need, and accordingly recommend the right set of products and/or services to resolve the situation. The prospect might not even know if a problem exists, how urgent or important it is, and how to resolve it. This is where the salesperson comes into the picture as an important resource that can help a prospect to understand as well as react proactively. #startup #entrepreneurship | The DriveSales™

Sales Strategies. Inbound-led sales stand out as a power of attraction, drawing prospects in through valuable content and engagement. Unlike outbound approaches that push messages outward, inbound-led sales brings potential clients inside by providing solutions to their pain points and business challenges. This method allows companies to position themselves as thought leaders and problem solvers within their targeted industries. Inbound-led sales is a longer term strategy that may be more expensive, especially in the beginning with timelines that must be met. Great questions to ask are...are your ideal prospects using Google to try and find solutions? It's important to understand where your prospects are and the costs and conversions at the source level for maximum impact on lead generation and new customer acquisition. Stay tuned as we unpack the dynamics of Product-led sales next and explore how it can fit into your unique business. elvis works dot com #b2bsales #saleseffectiveness #marketingeffectiveness #salesandmarketing #founders #cofounder #salesdevelopment #salesgrowth #newbusiness #startups #b2b #CEO

In the fast-paced world of startups, building a high-performing sales team is crucial. But here's the secret: it's not about finding clones with identical skills. Diversity is the secret weapon! Our team at Traqo™ is a living testament to this. We have introverts who craft compelling emails and extroverts who light up the phone lines. We have data wizards who dissect trends and storytellers who weave captivating pitches. These differences are what make us strong. Here is how we complement each others: *The Hunter & The Nurturer: We have the go-getters, the relentless closers who thrive on the thrill of the chase. And then there are the patient cultivators, building relationships and trust with clients over time. Together, they become a dynamic duo – one fuels the pipeline, the other ensures long-term success. *The Big Picture & The Details: Some see the forest, strategizing the overall sales landscape. Others meticulously comb through the trees, focusing on the finer details of each deal. This complementary approach ensures no opportunity slips through the cracks. *The Extrovert & The Introvert: Our extroverts light up a room, connecting with customers on a personal level. Introverts, meanwhile, excel at research and crafting compelling proposals. Together, they create a well-rounded sales force that can cater to any client's needs. How We Make the Magic Happen: *Embrace Transparency & Communication: We openly share our strengths and weaknesses, fostering trust and collaboration. Open communication becomes the glue that binds our diverse team. *Celebrate Each Other's Wins: A win for one is a win for all. We celebrate individual achievements, knowing they contribute to our collective success. *Continuous Learning: We learn from each other's styles and approaches, constantly evolving as a team. In the world of startup sales, it's not about finding carbon copies. It's about bringing together a kaleidoscope of talent, fostering collaboration, and celebrating each other's strengths. That's the recipe for a truly unstoppable sales force.