Learn about the importance of developing and executing a powerful sales strategy so that your startup is positioned for growth and success. This presentation will share some insights into how to start developing your sales process, what to consider, what pitfalls to watch out for, and how to extract the right value prop from your product and service so that it resonates with your target audiences. Everything from making the first sale, to hiring multiple Sales Managers and building out a fully functional Sales Department.

1. From Startup to Exit:
The Importance of a Powerful
Sales Strategy for a Startup
By Steven Tulman
Email: stulman@icmconsulting.com
Twitter: @StevenTulman
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/stevetulman

2. From Startup to Exit:
The Importance of a Powerful
Sales Strategy for a Startup
1. Want to raise money in venture capital,
2. Looking for angel investors for your
business
3. Growing your business organically

3. About Me
• MenuPalace.com
• Dealfind.com
• The Biz Media
• SEOlogist
• Info-Tech Research Group
• ICM Consulting & Media Corp.
• One Core Media – Ecommerce Solutions

4. What is Sales and Why is it
Critical to Growing Your
Business?
• Sales is the culmination of all other company
activities
• Specific Actions at Specific Times = A Sale
• Sales is both Art and Science

5. The Evolution of Sales
Providing Solutions
Mid 70’s to late 90’s
Building Relationships
1950 to 70’s
Building Partnerships
Late 90’s to Now

6. The Elevator Pitch
• Who you are
• Why they should buy your service
• State your immediate goal and book a
meeting
Tell your prospect 3 things:
*Remember to secure your next step (a meeting or a call)

7. • Clearly define position and responsibilities
• Hire the NEAR GREATS!!
Building a Sales Team

8. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation
7. Influencer Approves
8. Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves
9. Purchasing Approves
10. Product/Service Delivered & Payment
Received
As seen in the QUOTA Sales Training System

9. • Define your target market and decision makers
• Start with the top decision maker – The VITO
• Choose methods to prospect
• Prepare prospecting scripts and templates
• Follow a prospecting schedule
• ALWAYS finalize specific next steps
Step 1 – The Prospecting Stage
* Suggested reading: Selling to VITO, the Very Important Top Officer -
by Tony Parinello

10. Step 2 – Qualifying Stage
N.U.B.I.T.
• Need
• Urgency
• Budget
• Influence
• Timeline

11. Step 3: Initial Meeting
7% Verbal
55% Body
Language
38% Tone of Voice
1. Brief intro about you and your
company
2. Ask about customer’s business
and challenges
3. Demonstrate product features
and
benefits relating to their needs
* Professor Albert Mehrabian’s Communications Model

12. Step 4: Needs Analysis
B.C.H.U.B.S.
• Background
• Core Challenges Questions
• History of Critical Events Questions
• Urgency Questions
• Benefits Questions
• Solutions Questions
*Suggested reading: SPIN Selling - by Neil
Rackham

13. Step 5: Product/Service Demo
* Remember to secure the nest-step
F.B.I
• Features
• Benefits
• Improvements

14. Step 6: Proposal/Quotation Presentation
• Verify spelling and grammar of EVERYTHING
• Verify ALL calculations
• Don’t forget promises made
• Review with contact before sending final version
• Check, Check, Check!!!

15. Step 7: Influencer Approves
• Review contract with your prospect
• Suggest meeting with influencer & DM or deciding
committee to present
• Determine timeline
• Book next step-date

16. Step 8: Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves
Decision Making Criteria
• Reliability
• Relevance
• Quality
• Cost
• Continued Service
• Don’t celebrate just yet..
• Potential roadblock from
Purchasing or Finance
• Present to the Roadblocker
• Perform mini sales cycle
• Get their buy-in

17. Step 9: Purchasing Approves
• Purchasing can still stall or vito sale
• Present to Purchasing if necessary
• Learn, Repeat, Teach

18. Step 10: Product/Service Delivered &
Payment Collected
SOLD!!!
WOOOOHOOOO!!!
• Closed 1st Deal
• Celebrate & Thank
• Learn, Repeat, Teach

19. Post Sale: Customer Onboarding,
Engagement, and Experience
• Educate and train customer on using product or
service
• Follow up and continued support
• Ensure customer satisfaction
• Probe for further needs
• Discover upsell opportunities
• Present upsell options

20. • Your network
• Universities
• Online
• Recruiters/Headhunters
Finding Talent
Top 4 Places to search:

21. • Review resumes – Shortlist 20
• Phone interviews – Shortlist 10
• In person interviews – Shortlist 5
• Reference check
• Make an offer
Interviewing Candidates

22. • Don’t half-ass it
• Don’t rush through it
• Do combine formal classroom style, web research,
on-the-job training and shadowing
• Do perform regular coaching
On-boarding and Training
*Suggested readings:
Coaching Salespeople Into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives
– by Keith Rosen
Coaching for Performance: Growing Human Potential and Purpose – The Principals of and
Practice of Coaching and Leadership – by John Whitmore

23. Q & A
The End
By Steven Tulman
Email: stulman@icmconsulting.com
Twitter: @StevenTulman
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/stevetulman