This document discusses sales and traction strategies for startups. It emphasizes that sales involves overcoming obstacles through persuasion to gain customers and partners. Sales are important for startups to prove revenue models and market fit to attract investors. The document provides tips for startup sales such as expecting rejection, relying on limited resources, following up persistently, sticking to values, and focusing on results. It recommends automating communications, using CRMs to track metrics, and focusing goals to develop a sales culture.

1. Sales and Traction
Michael Oikonomou
Co-founder - Ideas2life, AtYourService,
foody.com.cy
2016-02-18 Nicosia, Cyprus

2. Sales and Traction
Sales = HUSTLE
Sales is not only a customer purchasing a product.
It’s also a new partner you close.
An obstacle you overcome by persuading someone.
2016-02-18 Nicosia, Cyprus
Important. Why?
Revenue as cashflow.
Proof of revenue model.
Proof of market fit.
Investors.
SALES VS STARTUP SALES
Well defined products Agile products
What matter is results Strategy, Market fit
AND results
Salesman - employee Founding member

3. Emotional skillset
2016-02-18 Nicosia, Cyprus
How to survive the process…
Expect: Rejection
Be: Shameless
Rely on: Limited Resources…
Do: Follow-up!!! Again… Follow-up!!!
Get: Results
Stick: on your values…
Enemy = PROCRASTINATION

4. How you start?
2016-02-18 Nicosia, Cyprus
Calls, Emails,
SMS, Fax etc.
Whatever works.
Call or Meet
If you are lucky,
you will convert
a small fraction
of your
prospects.
You still follow-
up with any
active prospect.
Listen, Listen & Listen
Your goal is to
maintain a List of
objections.
Be a rock-star how
you manage those
objections.
Create a list of potential customers.
B2B you can do it manually.
B2C you can focus on a group.

5. Sales Funnel
retention
Conversion Rate =
Customers / Prospects
Account Management approach
Customer
s

6. Sales Funnel
• Check also ‘Metrics for Pirates’ - AARRR, by Dave
McLure
1. Acquisition 2. Activation 3. Retention 4. Referral 5. Revenue
http://500hats.typepad.com/500blogs
Product approach

7. Hints
Calls:
•Use scripts
•Identify fast the decision maker
•CRM – update your notes
metrics: Calls to meetups, Calls to deals
Emails:
•As short as possible
•Automate
•Follow-up
metrics: Open rate, click rate, reply rate,
Goal(s) completion rate
Networking and meetups:
•Business Cards
•Introduce yourself
•Ask for introductions
•Ask questions, talk less, listen more
•ALWAYS be ready to present yourself,
Have Fun & Enjoy 

8. Essentials
• CRM
• Email Automation
• Follow-up automation (or at least management)
massively, personalized, semi-personalized
• Tools:
CRMs: close.io, agilecrm.com, espocrm.com
Asana.com, Microsoft outlook, sidekick, mailjet,
mandrillapp, http SMS, http calls

9. Resources:
• My personal blog https://medium.com/@mikeoiko/
Testing some Sales Management Platforms
• Stelli Efti, close.io founder, “You gotta be a hustler”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfKMsdI9wJM
• Newsletter and Webinars
http://close.io/free-sales-course/
• HBR, 8 Types of Salespeople
https://hbr.org/video/4715266385001/the-8-types-of-salespeople
• HBR, Why the Best Salespeople Get So Lucky
https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-the-best-salespeople-get-so-lucky

10. Culture of Sales
• Set your “s.m.a.r.t.” goals.
Focus on and make it happen.
• Focus on what is really important for your company.
The Post-YC Slump

11. Get in touch
Michael Oikonomou
Co-founder – Ideas2life, AtYourService, foody.com.cy
(+357) 22573533
michael@ideas2life.com.cy
Twitter: @mikeoiko
Linkedin: https://cy.linkedin.com/in/michaeloikonomou
2016-02-18 Nicosia, Cyprus