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Startup Sales — How to Get Your First Potential Customers

ashrust.substack.com

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  1. After you’ve committed to an idea for your startup, get feedback from potential customers as soon as possible. Insights from your first potential customers help direct product strategy, increasing your likelihood of making a sale. Here’s the first part of the startup sales process — how to find, assess, and contact your first potential customers: The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product. Do:Limit the type of companies your product will target, as it’s almost impossible to be a game-changing product for every type of customer. Start with industries where you have domain expertise, ideally with companies similar to those you’ve worked with in the past. Then narrow further by looking at the potential customer’s location, revenue, total employees etc. For example, if you worked at Cisco, you can you may have an easier time selling to public tech companies than selling to local restaurants.

    In Founder network outreach

  2. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product. Limit the type of companies your product will target Don’t:Don’t assume your first ideas for target company profiles are correct, test your hypotheses and always dedicate some time to experiment, to ensure your ideas move forward. Don’t target companies you can’t help; e.g. if you’re selling farm equipment, you shouldn’t target clothing retailers.

    In Founder network outreach

  3. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product. Start with industries where you have domain expertise, ideally with companies similar to those you’ve worked with in the past. Don’t:Don’t assume your first ideas for target company profiles are correct, test your hypotheses and always dedicate some time to experiment, to ensure your ideas move forward. Don’t target companies you can’t help; e.g. if you’re selling farm equipment, you shouldn’t target clothing retailers.

    In Founder network outreach

  4. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product. Then narrow further by looking at the potential customer’s location, revenue, total employees etc. Don’t:Don’t assume your first ideas for target company profiles are correct, test your hypotheses and always dedicate some time to experiment, to ensure your ideas move forward. Don’t target companies you can’t help; e.g. if you’re selling farm equipment, you shouldn’t target clothing retailers.

    In Founder network outreach

  5. After you’ve committed to an idea for your startup, get feedback from potential customers as soon as possible. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product.

    In Founder network outreach

  6. Insights from your first potential customers help direct product strategy, increasing your likelihood of making a sale. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product.

    In Founder network outreach

  7. Insights from your first potential customers help direct product strategy, increasing your likelihood of making a sale. The first step in identifying potential customers is selecting the types of company that might buy your product.

    In Market-entry validation

  8. Do:Limit the type of companies your product will target, as it’s almost impossible to be a game-changing product for every type of customer. Start with industries where you have domain expertise, ideally with companies similar to those you’ve worked with in the past. Then narrow further by looking at the potential customer’s location, revenue, total employees etc. For example, if you worked at Cisco, you can you may have an easier time selling to public tech companies than selling to local restaurants. Don’t assume your first ideas for target company profiles are correct, test your hypotheses and always dedicate some time to experiment, to ensure your ideas move forward. Once you’ve identified the company profile of a potential customer, you’ll need to assess the people within the company.

    In Market-entry validation