Founder Sales Hacks

My first exited company began with cold calling. We learned that by making continued improvements in sales, we could grow faster.

“Am I dreaming,” asked my co-founder when we closed the first deal.

Since then, I have continually tried to improve. Some of these came from million dollar salespeople. Others, from founders with billion dollar exits. A few, I stumbled on myself.

In no particular order, here are my favorites:

🔥 Say, “I’m not even sure this will work for you.”

This statement removes sales pressure and opens the door for a conversation. One where you can find their big problem.

💯 Ask, “What happens if you do nothing?”

This question compares buying your product to doing nothing. As indecision is your largest competitor.

😎 Agree with what they say.

This is a hard one in practice. However, it works to remove sales pressure.

For example, a prospect says, “We are not ready for AI.” You respond with, “I agree.”

Then continue to ask questions about the problem they have.

💊 Use the word “funding” instead of “budget”.

The word budget signifies contraction. In contrast, funding creates a sense of preparation for the purchase. As in “we have funds for this.“

When comparing two or more options, begin with, “Based on your funding…”

📈 You cannot get someone to change their mind.

This is an old one from Zig Zigler. In short, there are no magic words where someone will change their mind. Instead, you must present them with a new opportunity to make a new decision.

For example, a prospect says, “Thank you for the demo but we are not interested.”

If you go into a monologue about why they should be interested, it just adds sales pressure. Instead, say “I agree. This is not the right product for you.” Now you can explain an alternative with a new decision to make.

🤑 Telling a story is far more influential than making a statement.

On calls, begin with a narrative. A compelling story that gets their undivided attention. A story where the customer is the hero. Just make sure it’s true.

For example, “You remind me of our first client. A midsized tech company needing to reduce overhead. Do you know John Smith? Well anyway, John came to us worried about escalating costs with his business. They had about six months before costs would force closure. Hopefully, that does not describe you? So we showed John what I am about to share with you. He was not sure. Reluctantly agreed to a short term pilot. Then quickly bought as it became clear this was what he needed. Do you want to know how the product helped him solve this problem?”

🦷 Be a Dentist, not an Orthodontist

The orthodontist provides a nice to have. They have payment plans and compete on price or convenience.

In contrast, the dentist provides a must have. People come to them when they are in pain. They don’t compete on price. No one asks, “How much?” They only say, “How quickly can you see me?”

🥶 Ask permission before making a suggestion.

When a prospect is headed in the wrong direction. For example, when someone is interrupting the demo or asking unnecessary questions. Say, “Do you mind if I make a suggestion?”

Now you have created a safe space to say what needs to be said with far less risk of causing an offense.

🖼️ Frames matter more than most founders realize

A frame is a technique to take control or power in a conversation. When a VC says, “Tell me about your company,” then sits back to listen, they are using a frame. The founder is now acting inside their sphere of control.

Think of it as who is on defense and who is on offense. Like a basketball game, if you never get the ball, you can never score. Learn techniques to bust frames so that you gain the conversational power. One of the best ones comes after the prospect admits their big problem.

🎙️ Your tone is more important that what you say.

Tonality is the volume and pitch of your voice. Just by changing tone, you can show empathy, excitement, anger, or concern.

For example, a young mom at WalMart says softly, “Timmy, we are not buying that.” We may conclude they cannot afford the item. However, if the same mom says loudly, “Timmy, we are not buying that.” Especially with an emphasis on “that.” We conclude the child is not listening.

Watch comedians on YouTube to better understand how powerful tonality is.

Sales for Founders

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