
Day #1 of my startup: Making sales calls. - chulipuli
<i>My startup currently does not have a blog (nor does it have a finished website), so I decided to post this here as a way to assist others in breaking the ice on day #1.</i><p>After worrying for about 2 weeks about how to get sales, I decided to jump right on it, and start cold calling / faxing / prospects.<p>Now, my startup is nothing new or even exciting: I sell low-cost, ready-to-use websites for small business.<p>You might say "Wait, that's not a startup!"<p>Well, after I get around 5 or 6 paying customers, I will launch an online business directory that will feature some useful apps for the local market.
The apps are not yet coded completely, but (I guess) that qualifies it as a "startup" startup.<p>Anyway, I woke up early, went over my sales script, went over my marketing materials, and sat in front of the computer for about 2 hours.<p>I was terrified. The idea of picking up the phone and calling a total stranger (to sell them something!) was absolutely terrifying.<p>So I postponed and lost a lot of time while thinking of ways to get me to make the calls.<p>Life, eh? We dream of getting things, and accomplishing goals, but when the time comes, we get scared.<p>What is it about fear that makes up want to drop our dreams? Is fear more important than our goals?<p>Nope.<p>For me, it is not.<p>I finally sat down, picked up the phone, and called my first prospect.<p>To my surprise, they did not hate me. Hell, they treated me very well!<p>Not only did I realize that the enemy within was harming me more than anything else, but that sales require a lot of organization.<p>I did 4 more calls (a record for me), and decided to stop. I stopped to organize my sales related stuff. Without an organized system (term used loosely), you really can't call fast enough.<p>Here is what I learned on day #1:<p>1. Your fears will try to stop you from achieving your goals. Don't let it stop you. You are way more powerful than fear.<p>2. People are open to hearing your ideas, if you treat them properly.<p>3. Sales is more about the salesman, and less about the customer.<p>4. Being organized is a must. Prepare a prospects list before picking on the phone.<p>5. The fax is still a worthy tool of communication.<p>6. Realize that a startup is about building something. This will require you to roll up your sleeves and get "dirty".<p>7. There is no time like the present to get things done.<p>8. After all, you will realize that getting what you want is way more fun than settling for what you don't.<p>Even though it may seem like I did not accomplish anything (plus I did not make a sale), the lessons of today will allow me to continue working towards my goals.<p>I must go now.<p>Have a nice day, and kick some ass.
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HeyLaughingBoy
This brings back memories of me 15 years ago with the phone in one hand and
Thomas Register in another, trying to drum up business.

Tons of calls, not a single sale. But the education was worth it. Be
unfailingly polite, "smile" at the phone and never forget that the worst thing
they can do is hang up on you.

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chulipuli
Thankfully, I'm dumb enough to keep trying.

Thanks for the input.

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toumhi
Good to read that as I'm currently going through my call calling scripts (not
for selling but for interviewing potential customers to get a feel of the
market).

I also find it scary, coming from a technical background, to pick up the phone
and ask for things to strangers.

Thanks for sharing that!

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tom29lp
Can you explain what you mean in #3 a little bit more? I just want to
understand better. I'm about to start making calls as well. Thanks.

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chulipuli
It is about the salesman, because it is you who has the choice to either stay
at home or go out and sell. People will always buy, but they wont buy from you
if you sit on you ass all day.

It isn't some secret, sales motivation comes from survival: if you sell you
eat, if you don't, well, you don't eat (and if you got kids they don't eat
either).

You have to realize that the sale is about you: your food, your car payment,
rent, dipers, hell even the power bill.

The more you see it like that, the less likely you are to pussy out and be a
chicken.

I hope that explains it well.

Sent from my C64.

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toumhi
I disagree: I would say it's about the customer since you have to imagine what
it's like to be him in order to sell well. Sure, you need to make the sale to
live, and maybe you need some visualizations of what will happen if you don't
sell and that could motivate you, but in the end, it's all about how you can
relate to the customer's world to understand what he needs and sell it to him.

If you think only about yourself, you're not going to be empathetic with the
customer.

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karterk
You should definitely drop by here to keep us updated on how things go! All
the best.

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tren
Thank you for this, time to make some mistakes

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meeech
remembering the worst thing they can do is say no is helpful when I'm in a
similar situation.

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chulipuli
It is helpful, but somehow that did nothing for me.

You are going to laugh but I had to go and get a medal I won after running a
5K, and put it on. Somehow, reminding myself that I've done bigger things, let
me acquire some much needed courage.

Weird thing is that it was a very enjoyable experience, and I want to keep
doing it more and more.

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mapster
call me if you want to run your sales call by me. email in profile

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chulipuli
Thanks!

Will do tomorrow.

