What Entrepreneurs Get Wrong

Reprint: R1305D

Salesmanship is central to a start-up’s success, but many entrepreneurs ignore this simple fact. They may believe that their idea will sell itself or that there’s no point visiting a prospective customer without a finished product in hand. Those who search for sales advice find mostly tools and techniques for established companies.

In a study of 120 entrepreneurs in six countries, more than half fully developed their products before getting feedback from potential buyers. Looking back, most said that was a mistake. Those who did start selling early did not spend enough time listening to prospects’ reactions. Other mistakes included offering discounts to close initial deals, making early sales to family and friends, and failing to choose first customers strategically.

When they did go on sales calls, the entrepreneurs fielded tough questions about the efficacy of their products, their credibility and experience, the size of their companies, their prices, and the cost of switching to an unproven offering.

A sales model geared to entrepreneurs accounts for the fact that information gleaned during the sales process can be crucial in designing (or redesigning) the product itself. The model calls for meeting with prospects as soon as an idea is conceived to learn if it has broad appeal. The answer to that question determines whether the entrepreneurs jettison the idea, return to the drawing board, or proceed to prototype development and further testing with potential customers.