Couple of things I noticed during a conversation about sales strategies for #startups organised by eChai Ventures in partnership with GVFL Limited.

1. Most questions were around negotiation and pricing.
It is natural to think that the most difficult part of sales is getting the customer to agree on a price point. This is because that's what we as entrepreneurs hear most objections on. It is also because that is fairly relatable and happens to all sales folks.

But it is important to remember that whatever happens in the room (or video calls) is only 5% of the sales process. 95% of sales happens outside of negotiation and pricing.

Negotiation is just one of the stages.

Building a predictable, repeatable and scalable sales engine is significantly harder than handling negotiation. I'd strongly recommend focusing on the sales engine a lot more, a lot early.

2. People do not focus enough on building trust.
Trust is one of those very few things - takes a life-time to build but a moment to lose. Most folks did not realise how valuable proofs, cases and testimonials can be if used the right way and how quick it can make the sales process.

One of the recommendations is - early on, see if you can ride on trust built by someone else. If your #agency does not have enough clients yet, work with an existing agency as a sub-contractor. If your #product does not have enough users/customers yet, launch on marketplaces like AppSumo.

3. In an effort to show our expertise, we end up ripping apart the customer.
No one. Absolutely no one wants to be told they are wrong/incompetent over and over. The customer already realises that they have a problem to be solved and that is why they are there to have a conversation with you.

Once you establish in first few minutes of the conversation that you can help them fix that problem, stop pointing out their mistakes. Consider using cases and portfolio to showcase your value. Consider existing ROI calculations to convince them on the pricing.

4. No one likes being sold to.
But all of us love an interesting conversation. Ultimately, sales is just interesting conversations. Asking open ended questions to understand them better and sharing your experiences to show them who and what you and your company are.

Doing this as a genuine individual (neither as a sales person nor a strategy) has helped us significantly at both Clientjoy (Acquired by Synup) and at Momentum Ventures.

Strongly recommend treating prospects like a person. Not like a bag of money or a record in your #CRM.

Lastly, focus on the process. Everything else will fall into place.

Thank you Jatin for considering me to join in on this discussion with Vikas from Magenta Insights and Shrijay from LegalWiz.in. It was meaningful. Looking forward to the next one.

Had a great day at eChai Startup Demo Day pitching Impler.

Just 2 minutes of pitch and a few minutes of Q&A were enough to open doors for genuine pain points and insights.

The event was filled with many amazing people, fantastic startups, and interesting questions. Even the 12th grade does join and network with people.

Nice meeting with Kshitish Dixit, Mehul Shah, Maulik Domadia, Ravi Gandhi, and Viraj Zaveri

Special thanks to Jatin Chaudhary and eChai Ventures for an amazing opportunity.

eChai Ventures and Draper Startup House will be hosting the in-person 'Startup Open House in Tallinn' with founders and startup folks on 4th April, Thursday from 6 pm to 8 pm.

eChai Startup Socials are volunteer driven small gatherings with founders and startup folks happening all over the world.

Speakers:

Small Group. Candid Conversations. Startup Folks.

This meetup is free and open for all.

Venue: Draper Startup House, Pikk 7, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia Office 1, Second floor

Date & Time: 4th April, Thursday. 6 pm to 8 pm.

Free registration at eChai.Ventures

As the echoes of The Climate Party still resonate within the walls of CoKarma and the hearts of our vibrant community, we're excited to announce the next step in our collective journey towards sustainability: the Wudbox Climate Dialogue event! ♻️🗣️

Imagine a place where your ideas have the power to morph into actionable climate solutions. That's what we are all about! This dialogue is your platform to mingle with eco-warriors in our ecosystem! 🌱🤝

- Charu Dhyani - She's not just the Founder of Pro Zero Carbon; she's a beacon of hope, leading the charge towards a zero-carbon future! 🌟🌿

- Shantanu Sharma - As Co-Founder of Pro Zero Carbon, Shantanu is here to prove that sustainability and success go hand in hand. 💼♻️

- Shruti Rawal - The brain behind Ewoke Studio, Shruti is stitching the fabric of sustainability into every creation. 🧵🌏

- Dashveer Singh - Steering Maharaja Carpets India towards green horizons, Dashveer's journey is nothing short of inspiring. 🌿🔍

- Nikhil Somani - Nikhil is here with Somani Packaging to wrap the world in eco-friendly solutions. 📦🌍

- Rashi Agrawal - As the Director of Banyan Nation, Rashi is transforming the landscape of sustainability through innovative waste management. 💼🌱

- Sundeep Singh - Sundeep, the Executive Director at C-Forth Energy, electrifies the scene with cutting-edge energy solutions. ⚡🌐

Amidst the constant warnings of a heat wave in Telangana and rising temperatures, be there to be the change. Let's make our planet proud, together! 🌟👫

🗓️ 6th April 2024 6PM onwards
📍CoKarma, Hitech City

RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eMpMUiaT