Questions regarding selling products to both new and existing customers of the business.
3
votes
1answer
201 views
Small consultancy - first .NET software product out. Advice on release, marketing and selling?
About a year ago I set up a Ltd company to provide IT/Software consultancy to various firms in and around London, UK. This has been going very well and I just completed my first full years accounts ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Does anyone know of golfcentric angel investors?
I have been working on finding an investor for the LTPGA - The Less Than Perfect Golfers Association, Inc.
Finding a golf-centric angel who has a sense of humor would be ideal.
The basic math is ...
1
vote
3answers
186 views
How to convince a sales rep to take a commission job?
I have contacted a sales rep with good experience and his recommendations are good. But he is interested in salary jobs that pay 80k, with me his 25% is six figures and he only has to sign 8 clients a ...
0
votes
2answers
102 views
Sales Commision for Project
I wondering how much is the typical commission percentage for sales (third party) that helping me to winning a project ? Do the commission based on project value or from net profit ?
1
vote
3answers
643 views
How do you calculate source code value if someone want to buy it?
I wondering how do I can determine the source code value if someone want to buy it ?
For example, for $1000 product, how much is the source code value ?
1
vote
1answer
57 views
OEM Licensing Payment Term
How is the typical OEM licensing payment term?
For example if another party want to buy 50 licenses, do they need to pay in full amount ? or some percentage in initial agreement and the remaining ...
0
votes
3answers
66 views
How can a startup market its services, without having an impressive portfolio or clientele?
I am asking particularly about software and IT services company, but I think question can be answered generally as same dilemma is shared by entrepreneurs of different industries.
6
votes
4answers
339 views
What should a technical co-founder look for in a business co-founder?
This is the flip side of this question about what to look for in a technical co-founder.
If I have technical skills and can build a prototype myself, what sort of skills or experience should I look ...
2
votes
2answers
243 views
How do I effectively approach potential business customers to be involved in my consumer product?
I've created a series of mobile apps for the cruise community called Ship Mate that gets a significant amount of daily use. In it I've added the ability to highlight business in the different ports ...
5
votes
1answer
154 views
Estimating Sales Compensation
I've been operating under the assumption that I want to set the commission rate for my commission only sales reps based on: (# of sales) * (average deal value) * (r) = compensation or r = c/(N*V). c ...
2
votes
2answers
407 views
How to do effective marketing of a software design and development company to win more clients/projects?
We are a small software design and development company with expertise in the areas on facebook apps, iphone, android apps development. Most of our clients/projects have come from sites like Elance, ...
3
votes
1answer
194 views
How to set up sales bonus in case of long sales cycle?
We are selling specialized accounting software for real estate management companies. As you would guess, nobody changes accounting software every month, so our sales cycle is 1-2 years and we are ...
0
votes
3answers
96 views
What do you do if the actual costs or working hours are well over your previous estimate which is agreed upon by both parties
If you offer a service or a product(make-to-order), a prospective client asks you for a quote.You quote a price for your product or service based on your estimate. Your client agrees on your quote so ...
2
votes
3answers
225 views
How to determine competitor's pricing model when impersonating a customer is challenging
This question accompanies my recent previous question, Are there any methods you can think of to determine a comptetitors pricing model under these stipulations:
The pricing sheet is not publicly ...
2
votes
3answers
156 views
Selling using the honor system
This is sort of a follow up to a post a few months back. I recently converted a solo software project into a "business" (in quotes because it has a non-profit motivation and I make very little at ...
3
votes
1answer
75 views
Whats your opinion on using freelancing sites over other lead generation techniques
We are an outsourced software product development company from India, quite recently started. We started using freelancing sites for finding prospects as it was the easiest way to get started till ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Salesman or Distributor
I am producing a medical device which sells between 5000 and 20,000. Competition allows multiple distributors who all advertise on the web and compete by offering incentives...prices are set by ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
Registering a trademark for software
I would like to know if registering trademark for software in some countries is too expensive for us and we develop a software which is hard to copy, can we survive without trademark for software? Of ...
1
vote
1answer
200 views
How to protect my software?
I am looking forward to register business in UK (England), currently we are still in development of software but, next year we should be launching it live for the people. This is going to be a ...
2
votes
5answers
316 views
How to negotiate with a sales guy
I started developing a product in 2001. It was a one off web site for a particular client in which I retained all rights / ownership of the software. By early 2009, the code base had been extended ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Distribution to expect from a “powered by” for a SaaS service integrated on other websites?
we are working on a saas application.
Say it is a SaaS for small size businesses, that will integrate our Saas on their websites and will get immediate value out of it.
We plan to create a basis free ...
3
votes
2answers
206 views
Are software download sites generating sales?
I sell a software which I registered with some download sites. They generate a lot of traffic in downloading and distributing the demo but don't generate much visitors or sales in relation to this. My ...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
How to change my part time business in to a permanent business?
I've had a small, part time email sales business for the last 3 years which shows good potential. I do however have a permanent day job which I can not afford to leave yet but I want to increase my ...
0
votes
4answers
133 views
How to get people to pay before they can see the product or service?
One of the ideas to find out if a new product/service is viable to build is see if there's interest in it. One of the methods talked about is to gauge how many people want to buy it. That is people ...
1
vote
2answers
273 views
How to sell software through third-party distributors online
I'd like to sell a software program (that my startup developed) through third-party online sellers.
Any tips about how to approach the other sellers and structure the transaction? Is the best way ...
1
vote
2answers
358 views
price comparison business model
I would like to know how price comparison websites make money. Do use pay per click or other revenue models? Please be as detailed as possible and cite your sources.
Thank you!
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Can anybody recommend a wholesaler with a good reputation for getting small retailers started for tech products?
I am starting a small retail shop for computer sales, accessories, peripherals, service and support etc. Picture a small Best Buy if you will. I have a solid initial inventory list and a 20,000 ...
6
votes
2answers
161 views
Using technical evangelism\advocates
In the context of a software company, when does it make sense to hire a technical evangelist (also known as advocates now). Big companies have them and I've seen plenty of smaller companies with their ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Need guidance/suggestion on tough situation
We gave a free product trial for 2 months with our first potential client. It is a unique product, there's a great learning process and we have had an amazing response from both students and tutors.
...
1
vote
2answers
307 views
Innovative ways to market a niche B2B product
My partner and I have developed a product that is focused on a very narrow industry vertical, and which fills a very specific need. In the grand scale of software, this particular type of software is ...
3
votes
2answers
264 views
Exclusivity Contracts, good or bad?
Recently at a meeting with a prospective client, my co-owner and I were introduced to an interesting situation.
Our product will be going into beta fairly soon, and we are making the rounds to local ...
2
votes
2answers
268 views
Head of Sales/BD/Marketing Equity Share for Prefunded Startup?
I'm considering joining a great team/early startup.
Founder A engineer / mba, brought the vision.
Founder B phd relevant to product
C head of Product - person poached from another company very ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the hourly rate of a freelance marketing consultant?
I am in a start up with very limited financial liquidity (less than $10,000)
I reached a stage where my online store is taking shape, I have a stock of product now and enough to start a sales team. I ...
3
votes
4answers
411 views
Interviewing sales people: what do you do to check their claims without asking for past W2s?
One of the favorite parts of my job is to recruit people for my company. From experience I have come to realize that no matter how busy you are, outsourcing recruiting and hiring is very shortsighted ...
1
vote
2answers
292 views
Affiliate Marketing Sales Statistics
How do i go about forecasting sales for a new affiliate marketing / e-commerce website? Are there any relevant statistics for this industry available for free?
2
votes
3answers
479 views
My foreign client requested me to send him a copy of my passport page
I am a business translator/interpreter in Hangzhou, China. A British client said that he is going to China and he will hire me as his interpreter when he is in China. He asked my bank information ...
2
votes
2answers
236 views
Good sales strategy for startups?
I am one of the first employees of a start-up and joined with a technical background. Now a few years down the line, I would like getting into sales. While I am getting good results, I know they can ...
2
votes
4answers
70 views
Comunications Skills
I have technical background and founder of software startup. Now, I started learning the importance of Communications Skills in demos and meeting with prospective clients.
Any books or courses ...
1
vote
3answers
155 views
Cold calling mentoring or coaching?
I have collected books on the subject out the wazoo and they aren't helping. Most of them assume that you're already a sales person, or you have a corporate career background related directly to your ...
20
votes
13answers
1k views
I'm a terrible salesperson. What can I do about it?
I'm a designer / developer. My product is ready for beta, so my focus has to shift towards sales and marketing. My problem is that I just cannot sell. I have an irrational fear of annoying people ...
1
vote
2answers
57 views
Shipping goods to restaruant startup in caribbean [closed]
I have a restaurant startup in the Caribbean and I'd like to ship some frozen goods there. Believe it or not food is much cheaper here in the U.S (a big surprise to me). I especially want to ship ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
How to project product pricing for medical college/school
Our clients are medical schools/colleges. We have given a free product trial for 2 months with our first client. It is a unique product, there's a great learning process and we have had an amazing ...
3
votes
2answers
166 views
Should a free listing in a niche directory include full features?
I have built my own web directory for a niche business market.
The directory is still in its early days.
I have currently kept the basic plan completely free and I am not restricting the information ...
3
votes
3answers
216 views
Lead Generation as a Business partner.
A bit of background….
I have worked for IT consulting firms (B2B) for the past 8 years. More recently with Firms that are business a partners with major vendors. I have held just about every ...
0
votes
2answers
170 views
How to scale a startup?
We build a profitable startup In 2 years without any outside investment we are building enterprise software(and producing hardware) for Customer Service Improvement in different ...
2
votes
2answers
175 views
Profit sharing with sales person
I am trying to start yet another offshore development company. I have couple of people (onshore) who might be generating leads for us and closing the sales.
Now the point is that these guys are not ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
putting new and not cheap product on global market
we aren't exactly a startup because we've been in business for 4 years, developing products for telco companies in my country. What I insisted in last 2,5 years is that we sponsor development of one ...
1
vote
4answers
164 views
Dear Customer… What do you want?
Background:
I am an entrepreneur who has a product that will now be sold to retail outlets. The sales team is expected to sell 10 units to 5 clients per day. With this, I want them to get feedback ...
1
vote
1answer
242 views
What questions do new clients ask themselves before trying/buying your service or product? [closed]
I would like to know what goes on in the mind of a client when she first encounters a product/service offering? What questions are they asking themselves before they make a purchase decision?
1
vote
2answers
190 views
CRM to track indirect sales (resellers, distributors etc..) [closed]
Can you recommend 2-3 CRM applications that are solid towards Indirect/Partner Sales Management?
Thanks!
-Danny
