Questions regarding selling products to both new and existing customers of the business.
0
votes
3answers
382 views
How do you source and hire a specialty sales agent?
I am looking for a sales representative for a clothing line that has established connections to a wide range of retailer accounts. We have put out ads and researched the market but have not been able ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
How do you know someone signing an agreement has the right to do so?
Always, wondered this, and never found a good answer. Guess the opposite applies, too -- how do you know someone does NOT have the right to enter a legal agreement on behalf of a company?
Please cite ...
4
votes
1answer
172 views
Can anybody that has used Google Merchant Center share his experience?
Can anybody that has used Google Merchant Center share his experience here? I am particularly interested in selling consumer software.
What traffic do you receive compared to other traffic sources?
...
1
vote
5answers
114 views
when do you call it quits on a prospect?
I find myself doing a lot of follows up with prospects after I have presented to them in order to close the deal, yet in certain cases I keep getting "call me in 2 weeks" OR "I need buy in from the ...
1
vote
3answers
124 views
Daily Deals on Laptops and Smartphones
I just recently launched a daily deals website but my target products are high value products such as Laptops and smartphones. Now i'm working with retailers but the challenge is setting the discount ...
4
votes
6answers
93 views
If you were knowingly buying a product or service from a start-up, what would convince you to buy it?
If you were knowingly buying a product or service from a start-up, what would YOU want to hear from the salesperson that would likely convince you to purchase that product or service?
1
vote
2answers
132 views
Pricing model for sellers in an online store
I just finished setting up an online store that involves selling digital content, tangible items like clothes, events tickets etc. However, I have a little challenge on how to charge sellers to add ...
6
votes
6answers
319 views
How do you handle the “how many customers do you have?” question when you are a start up?
So when you have little customer and I mean one what do you do when you are asked the question how many customers do you have and can you provide customer references when you are a start up?
2
votes
3answers
87 views
Accept payment over the phone
We are using paypal for a subscription software product. We are about to start selling over the phone and want to accept CCs over the phone. It seems like paypal should be able to do this, but I have ...
4
votes
4answers
537 views
How do daily deals or coupons website handle marketing?
I'm developing a startup website like groupon.com for daily deals. I'm located in Nigeria and I have my system developed already. I started marketing it myself, but this business model seems to be new ...
1
vote
6answers
266 views
What skills should i get to start?
im a system administrator and have some ideas and small amount of money to spare.
Despite i am a tech guy, i actually have a problems learning programming(trying a few times with deplhi then with ...
3
votes
3answers
245 views
What is the best way to reach decision-makers at large restaurant chains?
What is the best way to reach decision-makers at large restaurant chains? I'm thinking Chili's, Darden, Friday's, Applebee's, etc. We've had some luck reaching some individual locations, and small ...
2
votes
5answers
146 views
Negotiation with potential large customer
I am looking for some feedback regarding this situation.
We provide software in the form of SaaS.
Now, we have been working with this 1 company for over 3 years. They have 1200 employees, of which ...
1
vote
2answers
318 views
Selling through VARs and Systems Integrators
We're developing an extension to a commercial open source enterprise software product. Most customers of the product we're extending buy it trough one of its system integration partners.
To reach ...
1
vote
3answers
272 views
Pricing Sheet for Sales Reps
My company does custom web application development. We build applications based on the needs of the client, so our projects really vary in terms of requirements. We typically meet with a client, get ...
0
votes
1answer
186 views
Doing Business in China: How to identify business opportunities?
I'm preparing to do international trade business
I will be in China.
One of the main places to look for suppliers is Alibaba. Do you have experience working with providers/suppliers found there?
I ...
1
vote
5answers
279 views
A customer gives a very low counteroffer for my service, how should I react?
I resigned from my former job and begin to prepare my international trade business. Since it probably will take me a lot of time before I make a profit, I also provide language ...
0
votes
7answers
842 views
How to tell a customer the price of my service
Many customers call me or email me to ask me about my rate. They often ask, "What is the best rate?" After I tell them my rate, they don't contact me any more. They virtually disappear. How should I ...
2
votes
3answers
735 views
How to answer a business phone call? Is there any good book on that?
Some customers may call you to inquire about the rate, how to answer such phone calls tactically? Is there any good book on it?
2
votes
3answers
132 views
How can I cope with price/cost inquiry tactfully?
I'm a private English-Chinese interpreter in China. People often send Email to me to ask my rate. As soon as I tell them my rate, they often don't contact me any more. I don't think my rate is very ...
0
votes
5answers
621 views
Does Outsourcing Sales work? Do you know any good companies and what is your own experience?
We were approached by some websites that offer virtual outsourced sales teams and I'm wondering if anyone has successfully used them, and which companies are recommendable in your experience? What are ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Charge sales tax for a service provided by independent contractor in another state?
So I have a sales tax question. Yes, I will be contacting an attorney, but I figured I should do some research before spending $$$.
Here is a situation. A company based in state A (office + ...
1
vote
4answers
127 views
Coaching - software company
I am interested in connecting with individuals who offer coaching services. The criteria I am looking to evaluate are:
Individual has lengthy experience in developing 1 or more web-based software ...
1
vote
1answer
452 views
Writing a One-Pager
I am still working on a one-pager to send out to prospects and I was wondering if anyone had good blog posts or specific examples of one pagers they have received recently? In addition, what content ...
-1
votes
4answers
199 views
business ethics: Is un-illegal cheat ok in business?
In business world, many companies,salespersons, businessmen are unethical, they don't tell you the whole picture or they minimize or magnify some aspects, or they ignore some aspects on purpose. Some ...
2
votes
5answers
266 views
How can we communicate our message effectively without being seen as what exists already in the market?
We provide a new software that allows service based companies to present orders, invoices and cash receipts through a web portal with matching,workflow and a communication platform for trading ...
3
votes
4answers
142 views
Semi Start-Up - Pricing Negotiation
I'd love to get your feedback on the following:
After several months of talking with the directors of this firm, I am near to closing the deal.
Overall, they love our solution and want to move ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
Sales website similar to the Answers.Onstartups format
I recently joined a startup and am glad that I found this website to help out with startup related questions etc...
I was wondering, does anyone know if there exists a similar website to that of ...
3
votes
2answers
255 views
Reseller Discounts for Annual Maintenance?
We offer our resellers (ones that actively go out and sell to customers) a 25% discount on software licenses.
We have just introduced an annual maintenance fee, at 20% of current list price at the ...
3
votes
7answers
433 views
What should be the first steps in developing leads for a start up?
I have a high tech software start up B2B ...I know in my industry that competitors market through blogs, webinars, seo, associations, broadcast emails etc... I am targeting the Canadian Small to ...
1
vote
1answer
86 views
Won't a client buy products from the factory directly after he visits it?
Now I work in a foreign trade company.We sell plastic machinery. The company has no factories. I contact buyers on alibaba.com. Clients may request to visit factories before they place an order. So we ...
1
vote
2answers
119 views
Selling ebooks when the same information is available for free
I see some people making money from selling ebooks and they doing pretty good. When I look at the titles, I know I can easily get the same information by doing some research & reading using Google ...
1
vote
3answers
294 views
How to sell to a salesman?
I admit, a little controversial title. But that is how I (as a more technical person) feel the task that is ahead of me for which I would appreciate the kind advice of the onstartup community.
I ...
4
votes
3answers
157 views
Pricing for service maintenance
To all pricing guru out there,
I've developed a web application that we've been using internally for a while and we are looking at selling it as a product in its own write. It is a very niche human ...
1
vote
4answers
197 views
How to find short term sales for enterprise software?
I understand enterprise software to large companies is a long sales cycle. What is the first step in finding some short term revenue while we wait for the long term sales to come to fruitation?
2
votes
2answers
106 views
What to say when contacting a potential partner for the first time?
I am trying to use LinkedIn to contact people that work for potential partner companies to resell my software. Can you offer any advice on what to say to gain information from them?
Would it be ...
9
votes
5answers
405 views
A/B testing a price point
Is it legally/ethically bad to run a split test on the price point of your product?
Temporary coupons don't test the right things and introduce other variables into the experiment, and changing the ...
3
votes
4answers
147 views
What Is Your Opinion On “Freebie Marketing”?
From Wikipedia -
"Freebie marketing, also known as the razor and blades business model, is the concept of either giving away a salable item for nothing or charging an extremely low price to generate ...
-3
votes
3answers
747 views
How do you sell yourself to a company? [closed]
I am a start up and need to sell myself to a company have any advice?
3
votes
4answers
175 views
Lean startups - iterations
I've been looking into lean startups. One pressing question (for me anyway). If we take a basic cycle..
build -> deploy -> sell -> feedback -> build -> deploy -> sell -> feedback....
On each ...
1
vote
2answers
60 views
Need help determining the next step in financing my company
So my company has gotten money from the bank and from government groups. We have used about 100k so far and we need at least 50-250k to achieve short term sales. We have created some valuable ...
0
votes
1answer
120 views
How do you know what industry to choose?
My technology is at the early adopter phase of the market and most players have horizontal focuses into many verticals. Occasionally you see one competitor that has taken a vertifcal focus into one ...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Challenge selling disuptive technology?
Ok so our software is typically sold to a large company who can force their vendors to deliver information to them electronically. On the other hand our same software can cater to a company who needs ...
2
votes
6answers
302 views
Do you think cold calling is dead?
I get the trend is towards social media to meet potential prospects but for high tech companies selling to mid sized organizations do you think cold calling doesn't work anymore?
3
votes
9answers
422 views
Do you start selling/advertising the product before its complete
Is better to start advertising, creating a buzz, (possibly) selling the product before its complete.??
2
votes
1answer
618 views
When does an artist need to pay sales tax?
As a free-lance artist, tax preparers tell me I am like a printer and or graphics artist ... a service and no sales tax is required. The bulk of my work is portraits, murals, and some graphic design ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Where do you start looking for the low hanging fruit for short term sales revenue?
I need to move my cash flow now but know my target customer is really a larger customer but sales cycle too long for now. How do I start with finding the low hanging fruit to get things going? Some ...
1
vote
2answers
133 views
How can I find prospects with a budget & timeline?
I need to get on the phone and start cold calling and try to find a prospect with a budget and timeline to buy our solution.How do I do this? Where do I start? Since i have sold software like this ...
4
votes
6answers
124 views
Getting coaching at the beginning of your business?
I have a software product that is a complex sale. I need someone to help me sell this product or coach me on how to make sure I am aiming at the right target and closing deals. Would you pay a sales ...
3
votes
4answers
635 views
How do you sell to corporate customers when you are a start up?
Our software product is sold to be intalled on the client side We are targeting large companies who can truly benefit from it and see the ROI. The challenge is the long sales cycles and being a ...
