Building Sales at a Startup

Life at a startup can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be challenging and unpredictable. 

When leading Sales one of my favorite parts is the opportunity to create and build something great. If you haven't done it before, it can be daunting. Whether it's creating something from scratch or there are a few things in place that you need to analyze to tweak or build on. 

Here are some areas you need to focus on:

1. Identify Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): One of the first things a sales leader needs to do when joining a startup is to identify the company's ideal customer profile. This will help you understand who your target customers are and what they need, so you can better tailor your sales strategy and messaging to appeal to them. REMEMBER to try to stay as narrow and specific as possible.

2. Develop a Sales Strategy: Once you have a clear understanding of your ICP, it's important to develop a sales strategy that aligns with your company's overall goals and vision. This may involve setting sales targets, identifying key performance indicators (KPIs), and outlining the steps your sales team needs to take to meet those goals.

3. Establish a Sales Process: A well-defined sales process is crucial for a startup to grow its revenue and scale its operations. This includes everything from lead generation to closing deals and beyond. Make sure you have a clear process in place that outlines the steps your sales team needs to take at each stage of the sales cycle.

4. Utilize a CRM: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can help you keep track of all your sales activities, from lead generation to deal closing. This tool can help you manage customer interactions, track deals, and generate reports on your team's performance. Pay attention to what you are tracking and focus on what data will help you make better decisions. 

5. Find Leads: To build a pipeline of potential customers, you need to find leads. There are various tools you can use to find leads, such as LinkedIn, lead databases, and lead capture forms on your website.

6. Use Engagement Tools: Once you have leads, it's important to engage with them in a way that is personalized and meaningful. You can use tools such as email marketing, social media, and live chat to engage with prospects and nurture them through the sales funnel.

7. Utilize a Phone: Despite the rise of digital channels, phone communication is still an important part of sales. Make sure your sales team has access to a reliable phone system that enables them to make and receive calls efficiently. Ideally, a way to track and record all calls for coaching. 

It can be overwhelming, to say the least. Take it 1 step at a time. The key to all of this is to have a clear sales strategy, process, and tools in place when building a startup's sales team. Keep in mind that you need to stay adaptable and make pivots as needed.