Here are 10 sales hacks for your b2b startup that you can do today.

What does Sales Hacking mean?

If you’re a new business owner, or a startup founder, you’ve probably heard of Sales Hacking or Growth Hacking but what do those things mean and how can you sales hack your b2b startup?

Simply put, sales hacks are creative, low-cost techniques in order to get massive growth. Or, the process of using different strategies to improve sales.

Many business owners get overwhelmed thinking that they need to find innovative and complicated strategies to increase sales, but that’s simply not true. The best sales hacks are the simplest, and they involve connecting with people on a human level.

You may have felt FOMO, thinking that all of the other founders are doing extraordinary things to build an audience and grow their customer base. But you don’t need to become an overnight TikTok influencer in order to succeed in the business world today.

The truth is that what you really need to know is how to get better at sales fast so that you can get the income that you need for your business. This is especially true if you’re self financing your  your startup by bootstrapping.

Read Bootstrapping Pros and Cons: Is Self-Financing Your Startup Right for You?

What are some good sales tricks?

You may be asking “what are some good sales tricks” to get better at sales fast. While it’s necessary for a founder to have a sense of urgency in building a pipeline of potential customers, the idea of finding “tricks” may prevent you from doing the simple things that will help you to really build customer relationships and establish yourself as an expert in your industry.

That said here are 6 ways to get better at sales fast:

6 ways to get better at sales fast:

Sales hack #1 –

Love your current customers

Think of it this way — you’re about to speak at a conference and you were expecting standing room only. When it’s time to start, there are only 7 people in the room. Instead of worrying about all of the other people who didn’t show up, you must turn your attention to the people who are there, and give them everything you’ve got.

Think of this slogan “go where the love is.” I use this both in my business and my personal life. What it means to me is, when there are people saying “No,” don’t focus on them. Put your attention into the people who have already said “Yes.”

This means that your current customers are your most important customers, not your future customers who don’t yet exist, or the ones who you’re trying to convince to buy from you.

Sales hack #2 –

Leverage Industry Knowledge:

Stay informed on industry trends, news, and developments so you can connect and build relationships with your potential customers.

By knowing what’s going on in their world, you’ll be able to provide value. Think of this like putting deposits into a bank. Each time you provide value to your prospects is a deposit that can eventually pay off big.

Read industry publications and blogs, attend conferences, or join an email list. These are all good ways to stay informed on the latest trends in your industry.

Sales hack #3 –

Be Human:

Ditch the script and speak with people like you would with a friend. This means using “you” instead of “I,” focusing on their needs, not yours. And remember to listen more than you talk!

People often forget that sales is about making connections first and foremost. Think of it as a conversation rather than a monologue. People buy from people they trust, so if they get the sense that you just care about closing the sale instead of genuinely helping them out, they won’t be interested in working with you.

Sales hack #4 –

Be Responsive:

Answer emails, pick up the phone, and respond to social media messages quickly. People appreciate when their inquiries are taken seriously and responded to promptly.

It shows them that you will care about them as a customer and that you’re reliable. This builds trust, which is essential in sales.

Sales hack #5 –

Track Your Results:

Once implemented, track your progress to see what’s working and not working so that you can adjust accordingly. You may find out what tactics are having an impact on your sales or where there is room for improvement so that you can make adjustments as necessary. Tracking allows you to monitor the success.

There are many free customer relationship management (CRM) tools such as the basic version of Hubspot, or you can keep it simple with an Excel or Google Spreadsheet like the one that we’ve created for you – download your Prospect Tracker here.

Sales hack #6 –

Ditch perfection, i.e. sell even when you’re not ready

Don’t try to wait until everything’s perfect to start selling. As a new founder, most of your time should be spent between building product and selling your product. You must have a good product or service offering that solves a problem for your target market, but you also need money coming through the door.

You’ll learn more than you can imagine by selling, even before your ready. When I started FoundersGoHere.com (FGH), for example, I knew that I was ultimately building resources for founders and entrepreneurs to help make the entrepreneurial journey easier. However, at the beginning of FGH, I got money in the door by offering private one to one coaching for founders. I didn’t even have the name FoundersGoHere.com picked out yet, and I didn’t have a web site. I had a completely different product in mind. But I did know my vision and so I started selling what I had – my knowledge and experience.

By offering 1:1 business coaching as my minimum viable product, or MVP, I was able to test the market to see what founders and business owners needed the most. The result? I brought in revenue and learned more about my target market, allowing me to then build this blog.

When I started my very first company, I did it with no experience and little knowledge. I’ll never forget running into a former class mate at my 10th high school reunion who told me that they were going to start a similar business once they had 5 years of experience in that space. Mario never started his company and I was a multi-millionaire 1 year later.

Sales hack #7 –

Practice:

The most important way to get better at sales is to practice as much as possible. Practice helps you research potential customers, develop your communication skills, and sharpen your pitch until you are comfortable with it.

Sales hack #8 –

Network:

Get to know the people in your target market by attending conferences, trade shows, and other industry events. Tip: Try showing up to networking events with an attitude of curiosity about the other people. This will help you to be a better listener, take the pressure off of feeling pushy, and will ultimately lead to stronger relationships.

Sales hack #9 –

Use technology:

Leverage sales software to automate mundane tasks, track leads, and monitor your sales performance. Utilizing technology can help streamline your processes and make it easier for you to focus on closing sales.

Sales hack #10-

Set goals:

Setting measurable objectives and tracking your progress can help you stay motivated and focused on sales growth. Make sure to set realistic goals that are challenging yet attainable.

I recommend first setting a 1 year and 3 year vision. These are big goals that you’re not 100% sure how you’ll accomplish them. Then break down actions into 90 day SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.  To see how some of the most successful B2B founders did it, check out 27 Essential Pitch Decks from Top B2B Startups.

Sales hack #11-

Learn from mistakes:

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes when it comes to sales. By reflecting on your successes and failures, you can gain insight into what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to improve your skills quickly.

TLDR:

Don’t get stuck thinking that there’s a magic bullet to sales hacking your way to overnight success, or that other founders know of a mysterious way to supernaturally boost their sales. The truth is that every successful business owner hustled to get where they’re at today. Chances are, they’re still hustling, even if you can’t see it.

By taking advantage of simple ways sales hack your b2b startup, you can quickly identify which tactics and strategies are most effective for your target market and focus on optimizing your sales process. This will not only help you drive revenue faster but also ensure that you are well-positioned to scale in the future. Learn more about startup sales strategy and How Do Angel Investors Work?

Need personalized help with your sales strategy? Click here for a free consultation.