Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. Specifically what is often not in the DNA of founders are sales skills. The result is a lack of knowledge of the process and of sales people themselves. We focused together on improving our sales methodology, our training and our comp plans.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 11, 2021

Linktree leads the space, securing a recent $45 million Series B raise to build out e-commerce features, but Beacons boasts competitive creator monetization tools with just a $6 million seed round in May. Snipfeed is free to set up, but if you make sales, the company takes 15% — this percentage is inclusive of any transaction fees.

Platform 286

Platform Commerce Startup Tool 286

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

There are dozens of sources to help you construct your business model, and a good example is a classic book by venture capital investor Elizabeth Edwards, simply named “ Startup ,” which is really designed as a handbook for launching a company for less. This segment should have specific demographics, and the means to buy your product.

Sales 102

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2023

In my experience in large businesses as well as years of advising startups, I see far too much focus on product skills, and too little on people and process skills. His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. Opening relationships and creating opportunities.

Startup 154

Startup Sales Entrepreneur Customer 154

Berkonomics

APRIL 16, 2020

Do you still need marketing costs when there is no-one out there buying new product? Are you salespeople making few if any sales because your prospective customers are distracted by their own problems? It is easier to keep them off the books than increase overhead again, especially with come of your payroll lay-offs.

Layoffs 218

Layoffs Sales News Marketing 218

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

Overall I like the principles in the classic book “ Robert’s Rules of Innovation: A 10-Step Program for Corporate Survival ,” by Robert F. New product process. Creating intellectual property, including patents, is the kay to long-term value and a sustainable competitive advantage. Failure is the best teacher. Accountability.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

Waste in a startup is any activity that burns resources, but creates no value or competitive advantage in the eyes of customers. Much has been written about this subject in the world of manufacturing, stemming primarily from the 1990’s work by Taiichi Ohno, called the Toyota Production System (“Lean”). Bottlenecks to team productivity.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Competitors, seeing a successful development of a niche, flock into the competitive void with products or services built with a fresh view of the current environment. Not so long ago, Basil Peters wrote his book, “Early Exits,” after analyzing 150 young companies and their exits.

Pricing 156

Pricing Invest Equity Entrepreneur 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2014

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Product 101

Product Entrepreneur Summary Activity 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. Yet most of the startups I see these days are providing a solution that is easier to use, more fun, or more productive.

Product 95

Product Case Study Customer Custom 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

The most memorable businesses, like Starbucks and Apple, no longer sell products, they sell ‘experiences’ with a product at the center. The challenge is to transform and hardwire your entire team to think in these terms, rather than the default focus on distinct towers of product quality, closing the sale, or fixing a complaint.

Customer 106

Customer Custom Startup Competition 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2023

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. Yet most of the startups I see these days are providing a solution that is easier to use, more fun, or more productive.

Case Study 89

Case Study Customer Custom Study 89

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 31, 2012

If you haven’t read Adam Lashinsky’s awesome new book about Apple , you should. Jeff (also an HBS alum) co-teaches the LTV course with Professor Eisenmann about a student of theirs who had written a blog post about sales taking on some of my previous assertions. My guess is that we are likely in total agreement.

Startup 319

Startup Sales Course Competition 319

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. Yet most of the startups I see these days are providing a solution that is easier to use, more fun, or more productive.

Case Study 174

Case Study Startup Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2020

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Summary Product 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

I saw these highlighted well in a classic book, “ Get Smart! ” Constant search for ways to increase sales and profitability. More sales are the only way to reach real business success. Entrepreneurs relish change and new technology, which lead to new sales. Maintain a meaningful competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Sales Customer Custom 117

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2021

Some investors seem to focus wholly on the strengths of the management team, or a sustainable competitive advantage, and in reality these are the core attributes for every funding equation. I found many of these in the classic book “ Great From The Start: How Conscious Corporations Attract Success ,” by John B.

Education 151

Education Customer Custom Sales 151

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2020

The most memorable businesses, like Starbucks and Apple, no longer sell products, they sell ‘experiences’ with a product at the center. The challenge is to transform and hardwire your entire team to think in these terms, rather than the default focus on distinct towers of product quality, closing the sale, or fixing a complaint.

Customer 168

Customer Custom Services Startup 168

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2022

Trying to do everything is a sure way to maximize stress, lower job satisfaction, and minimize productivity. If you are a genius at invention, for example, then that is the role you should seek to keep you motivated and productive. In my experience, competition is the biggest challenge here.

Activity 108

Activity Satisfaction Metrics Startup 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The sales professional.

Technical Advisors 123

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2022

I saw some real guidance in the classic book by Loc de Brabandere and Alan Iny, “ Thinking in New Boxes.” For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box.

eBook 111

eBook Metrics Examples Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2016

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Product 55

Product Startup Summary Entrepreneur 55

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

You need to first create a compelling product. Compelling in the sense that you solve a real problem a target group of potential customers has with a product that is significantly better than the alternatives on that market. You need product / market fit. Product / market fit is everything. ” True.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

Every business needs repeatable processes to grow and thrive, but modern business processes need the right people to make them efficient and productive. In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Of course, some balance is required.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

In my experience in large businesses as well as years of advising startups, I see far too much focus on product skills, and too little on people and process skills. His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. Opening relationships and creating opportunities.

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Startup Sales Customer 134

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2021

I saw some great insights on how to do it in a classic book, “ More is More ,” by Blake Morgan, a top thought leader and expert in this area. With every business being global in scope and always-on, a phone-in service available in a local time zone during work hours only, is not competitive. Products must be designed for easy support.

Customer 171

Customer Custom Social Media Design 171

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2010

In my own effort to keep up with the times, I just finished a new book by Landy Chase, titled “ Competitive Selling: Out-Plan, Out-Think, Out-Sell to Win Every Time.” Establish the competitive playing field early. Do a real client needs analysis before you start pitching your company value, employee role, and customer product.

Competition 92

Competition Entrepreneur Startup Customer 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2022

They skimp on the design of their website, procrastinate on the rollout to make sure the product is perfect, and get so excited about technology features that they forget about creating value for customers. I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It! Don’t waste your time following up.

Marketing 141

Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2012

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it really means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 96

Sales Customer Custom Competition 96

Tech.Co

MAY 26, 2020

Since April 21, Amazon has slashed its rates across a wide range of product categories, in some cases dropping as much as 70%. Here are some of the top options available in 2020 to anyone who wants to earn a living or a side hustle by recommending products online. Amazon started with books, so we will too. The impact?

Technical Review 129

Technical Review Buzzfeed News Networking 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2011

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 93

Sales Customer Custom Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2022

According to the classic book “ Data Crush ,” by Christopher Surdak, data in all formats will soon be the largest source of new opportunities for startups, or death. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. exabytes per month at the end of 2017, of which more than half was video. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 126

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 126

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2021

If you are in the almost 30 percent of all small businesses who still ignore social media, you need to read the book by Dave Carroll, “ United Breaks Guitars.” population now using social media, at least 30% look at profiles on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn before buying any product or service. Keep up with the competition.

Social Media 142

Social Media Media Platform Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2023

I found some help in catching up via a classic book “ Sell Local, Think Global ,” by marketing message expert Olga Mizrahi. A UVP sells a product or service because it differentiates it from other products or services that are available. The broad-brush push-marketing is no longer competitive.

Marketing 107

Marketing Technical Review Startup Innocal 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2023

This point was highlighted well in the classic book, “ Disrupting Digital Business ,” by R “Ray” Wang, CEO and Principal Analyst of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research. These dedicated fans and partners believe so much in your brand, your cause, and your product, that they do all the force multiplying work for free.

Social Media 106

Social Media Software Review Course Networking 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2023

Every business owner and entrepreneur like you I work with wishes they could better predict product demand and sales, for managing inventory and long-term business planning. I was impressed with the analysis and recommendation offered in a recent book, “ Trust the Plan: Demand Management For Business Leaders, ” by Greg Spira.

Metrics 81

Metrics Demand Statistics Sample 81

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

My perspective on this role is outlined in the classic book “ Rapid Realignment ,” by the experts in this space, George Labovitz and Victor Rosansky. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Social Media 143

Social Media Startup Framework Course 143