6 ways a startup can succeed in B2B sales

written by Anna Magiera, Senior Partner, Startups & Venture Business

B2B sales for startups can be quite a challenging process. Large companies do not always understand how to work with startups and prefer the established partners. It is also hard for startups to find ways to approach corporations.

But things change, and many big companies are opening innovation departments and hiring people who are more familiar with the startup world. Therefore, as a startup founder, you might have an inside ally and try your chances to get a deal.

Anyway, what are the ways for a startup to succeed in b2b sales? Having worked both sides, we have gathered some thoughts and tips to share with you:

1. Find companies that help corporations to collaborate with startups, organizing programs and challenges dedicated to solving real problems of the corporations. There are many open innovation platforms, technology scouting companies, and acceleration hubs, sourcing startups, and early-stage companies for enterprises — just do your research.
2. One of the reasons large companies are reluctant to work with startups is that they are not sure that a startup can provide high-quality and reliable service and infrastructure. So gather a strong team of professionals with an impressive track record and in-house development — it will help you negotiate your deals.
3. Formalize the scope of work, calculate the budget beforehand, decide what might be a compromise, and what will never happen (unless you plan to work with one client forever). It will help you avoid endless customization and white label products, which often happens after you sign your first deal with the corporation. It is not something that helps you scale.
4. Calculate your unit economics. Try selling a standardized product online instead of utilizing digital sales channels. Otherwise, you won’t be able to embrace a sustainable business model and risk your sales process, making it unaffordable.
5. Measure your sales process: set KPIs for your sales team and make business goals clear. Then, continuously analyze and optimize the process, making it smooth and efficient.
6. Last but not least, don’t cut corners on talents: a good salesman is hard to find and hold, find the best, and motivate them to sell your product.

B2B sales are challenging since the market is largely resistant to change. The sales cycle takes longer and involves multiple decision-makers. Hence, make sure you build this competence within your team. And the strategies above are a good start.