3 ms·

Your story sounds much like mine: using modern software to solve a complex problem for business customers. One difference is that we've been out talking and se

by ef4 13y ago

Your story sounds much like mine: using modern software to solve a complex problem for business customers. One difference is that we've been out talking and selling from day one. Our first customer was willing to be an early adopter and was sold on the vision of what we could build for them. We couldn't have mastered the problem domain without having real users and data. It's actually a good deal for both sides: the customer gets high-touch, custom-tailored software for relatively little money (because you're funding the development and you own the software). You get a proving ground and data. As long as you've identified a problem shared by other customers that you'll be able to sell again and again, it can be a big win. It also helps that we've been out selling (at least regionally) for three years now. It adds to our legitimacy. People in the industry are getting to know us, and that has made them more willing to say yes. And B2B sales cycles can be absurdly long. We have heard "sounds great, but I just finished making my budget for this year", and then eleven months later they're back with a signed contract.

mindcrime 13y ago
Sounds good. We've been out "talking" but for most of the early years weren't "selling". But part of the reason for that is that what we're doing isn't entirely novel. There's a known market for the general class of things we're doing, so we're not operating completely in the dark. It doesn't help that we don't yet have a dedicated salesperson with selling experience. So I've been working to reinvent myself as a salesperson over the years, and I think part of it is that I'm only not starting to feel like I know what needs to be done to go out and sell this stuff. That said, there are things I would certainly do differently if I could go back and do it again. :-)

by ef4 13y ago

mindcrime 13y ago

Sounds good. We've been out "talking" but for most of the early years weren't "selling". But part of the reason for that is that what we're doing isn't entirely novel. There's a known market for the general class of things we're doing, so we're not operating completely in the dark. It doesn't help that we don't yet have a dedicated salesperson with selling experience. So I've been working to reinvent myself as a salesperson over the years, and I think part of it is that I'm only not starting to feel like I know what needs to be done to go out and sell this stuff. That said, there are things I would certainly do differently if I could go back and do it again. :-)