Enterprise Sales | Startup School

About this Video

• Video Title: Enterprise Sales | Startup School
• Channel: Y Combinator
• Speakers: Pete Kuman
• Duration: 00:23:07

Introduction

This Y Combinator Startup School video provides a step-by-step guide to closing enterprise customers for software startups. Pete Kuman, a group partner at YC and YC alum, shares tactical advice and counterintuitive lessons learned from his experience at Optimizely. The video focuses on the enterprise sales funnel, covering prospecting, outreach, qualification, pricing, closing, avoiding procurement surprises, and implementation.

Key Takeaways

• Prospecting: Begin with a clear sales hypothesis (e.g., "Customer X has problem Y, and our product solves it"). Use tools to identify potential customers and their contacts.
• Outreach: Prioritize inbound leads. Supplement with outbound efforts like cold emails, personalized and concise, focusing on the prospect's specific needs. Avoid contacting anyone who won't be a good customer.
• Qualification: The first call's purpose is to qualify the prospect, assessing their problem, budget, and decision-making authority. Avoid premature pitching; focus on asking questions to understand their needs.
• Pricing: Treat each pricing conversation as an experiment, learning from the prospect's reaction. Don't be afraid to charge enough; high prices can filter out less serious customers. Prepare supporting materials for internal prospect discussions.
• Closing: Understand the prospect's procurement process upfront to avoid surprises. Maintain constant communication with your champion within the organization.
• Implementation: Implementation is the seller's responsibility, not just the customer's. Proactive planning and project management are crucial for successful product adoption.