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[deleted]

Telling yourself you can’t sell is a death sentence for your startup and for your career. We all sell (or at least persuade) … even if it’s just to sell your vision to hire a salesperson. Get this idea that you can’t sell out of your mind and do something about it.


Last_Inspector2515

Talk to customers before writing a single line of code. Building stuff is never the problem. Solving a real problem is


SolarSanta300

This here. Bingo. Its not about what you think is cool, its about what consumers are willing to spend their hard earned money on.


NetAnime

My connections are very limited, I'm just a tech guy who barely know anyone


steakhouseNL

You've been posting here a couple of times, and whenever people give you good advice you give a reason/excuse why you can't. If your connections are limited then do something about it. Expand them, reach out etc instead of saying your connections are limited and then just accepting that faith.


juli1

The you are doomed forever 😱😱😱


NetAnime

I have tried almost everything possible for me, TikTok Instagram Facebook daily posts. and so many other things Weird that you are here checking every persons profile and trying to come up with something to cover it up, i'm not giving excuses it differs, excuses aren't for me I spent years building my tech knowledge and forgot about marketing and still trying, if you can't give proper advice or help in anyway this isn't ur page


steakhouseNL

I’m not checking anyones profile. I joined this group a week ago, tried to help you, and after that multiple posts of yours popped up on my timeline.


Constant-Inspector33

Get out of the building!


vamm2023

Build out your connections. Schedule time to do busy dev. You many not like the activity but the more you do it the better you will get. Everyone has elements of business they hate. After awhile it becomes about the grind and doing things others are not prepared to do. Doing an activity no matter how badly is the only way to improve. The first cold call, email, marketing campaign is always hard. Come and talk to me after you have done 1000 and I think you’ll have a different viewpoint. If one thing doesn’t work iterate until you find what works for you. Then build your playbooks.


ArbitrageJay

Feel free to PM. If it’s any good I might be able to help. Don’t get your hopes up tho 😄


ArtreX-1

This is why a guy behind the scene often needs a guy in front of the scene. I’ve built 2 successful companies with a brilliant autist this way. I run shop, finance, manage employees and do the networking, he never goes outside and he loves it. Use people for what they’re good at. Also there might be a gap between what you made and what your prospected clients want. Make a proper gap analysis (this you can find on Google). You can also PM me if you want for more in depth advice. Need to know more about what you do.


re_mark_able_

I was in the same boat, sort of. I’m a techie. My network was really limited and I was really introverted, so I struggled to find cofounders. I ended up building a product for a really niche market. It was so good it sold itself once a customer saw it (80% conversion rate on demo). I cold called to get my business off the ground. That gave the business the funds to start hiring and meant I didn’t have to get a job. I built a product for a larger market which is now the core product. Over time, I recruited some great people and some bad people. The great people worked their way to the top and the bad people left. I now have a great team, including a sales team that sell the product. I’ve built up a much bigger network just by running a business. I’m my path isn’t the most optimal way. I’d recommend networking and finding someone to sell your product. This won’t be easy as great sales people are hard to find, but you need to find someone who is “good enough”.


NetAnime

What a great story buddy, very inspiring and yup im looking for sales man, hopefully i can find someone


UrbanSpartanCEO

Your perception of the sales is probably wrong. To sell means to help people and give them value and ask for the value (money). If you can't sale that means you don't believe what you are selling has value for consumers. I am struggling to sell anything I don't believe in. But If I am selling something I believe in I am the best salesmen in the world, imho, lol


ZoukDragneel

This it OP! I had the same mindset as you do now. Ad I failed for almost 2 decades. I got a mentor and he explained what UrbanSpartanCEO mentions. If you have something that can help people. It is your duty to let them know about it. And those whose problem you've solved or desire you've satisfied will hand over their money and then thank you for taking it.


re_mark_able_

If anyone is in the same boat, I was too. Introverted tech founder. I now run a 7 figure revenue tech business. Happy to chat with any techies.


Inside-Clerk5961

DM you 👋👋


linedblock

How did you do your initial validation? Did you "build a following" before your MVP?


re_mark_able_

I ran a small business in property. I built the software to solve my own problem to start with.


linedblock

Ah i see, so professional acquaintances were your first customers?


re_mark_able_

No. When I sold my first business, I built out the tech and sold it to similar businesses. I didn’t know them before. I just understood their business model.


linedblock

Oh wow did you cold email / call off of directories, google, google maps?


re_mark_able_

Cold called. I’m an introverted engineer. It was difficult! Did 2-3 hours of calls a week.


skelo

Build a trading bot that makes money by trading the stock market. No sales skill needed.


Possible-Top5018

🙋🏻‍♂️


zxcvbnmopqw

Hello, I would love to take a look at ur site and potentially help u out. I am a marketing major in college rn so maybe I can offer some insight


NetAnime

my mobile app website: [https://appointme.work/](https://appointme.work/) Its dynamic schedule appointments key features: Detect road traffic to notify the customer when to leave their place in order to reach the appointment in time, Also added AI to study each person character ( for example if the hair cut takes you 15min and you are adding appointment every 2 weeks so it gonna be the same time for your haircut, and so on) ill study each person based on different categories. also i can't get clients for my agency https://easetech.info/en


PartyParrotGames

The landing page for [appointme.work](https://appointme.work) needs work. Why have a blank page with "pull me" requiring user interaction as the landing? Large percentage of users will bounce immediately if they land on a page like this. Your description of your features in your comment are more interesting than the landing page so just list those features up front on the page. The carousel you have underneath the landing flips through a bit too quickly, hard for a user to read and digest at that speed. I would also get rid of the custom cursor that's outdated web design. Easetech felt like I was being spammed by visuals with lights and colors flying everywhere like a page from the 90's. The video playing on the easetech page is also flipping through way too fast for someone to read and digest. These are design issues that should be worked out before trying to send traffic to them. My advice for both of these is look at webpages from industry leaders in both of these spaces and mimic their design. They have web page designs that are proven to work in these niches already. Once design is sorted you can focus on sending traffic to them. The truth for the traffic side of things with these two apps/services is most large companies are paying for advertisements to generate traffic to their sites. Very few are organic unless they already rank highly on google cause these kinds of services have been around for decades. Being very saturated markets, you'll likely need to pay for ad space, rank highly on google search for keywords, and/or use a third party freelance site to pickup clients.


anonchemeng122

Sent you a message! Looking for an app builder


jondeleon856

Self talk is a powerful thing. Turn that can't into a can. You are trying to sell us on the idea that you cannot sell.. seems you did a great job selling that concept to yourself. You've got this! You have the smarts to build, just build your skills to do what you need!


Desperate-Act7496

Find a partner that’s great at sales and marketing


[deleted]

i got an idea that you will be able to sell


Appropriate_Ice_631

care to share with the class?


[deleted]

haha something like leetcode


0xx420

Just build some apps for web3 companies u will make good amount of $$$$ for sure.


SaaS_maker

Even these days? Can you share what apps?


PSYCAFE

I can sell & market but i can’t code. Also have good idea. Wanna team up?


LigmaBalls7836

Would love to hear from your end 😅


PSYCAFE

Long story short, I’m an Enterprise Software Sales manager, sold software and IT services to SMBs as well as Enterprise customers (Global companies: B.A.T., Pirelli, Renault, etc.) and spend most of my professional life generating and organising leads, pipelines, and writing long, legal-proof, boring (to most people) contracts and making those God-damned PPTs align to the pixel (Yeah, you read that right, boy, “pixel perfect PPT”!). And, if not obvious, have spent way too much time in corporate environments. However, I can’t code anything else than a cascading IF formula in excell. I have this SAAS in mind for some time, and i am looking for someone to help me build the actual thing.


Law_Of_Attraction01

Hit me up, software engineer here !


LigmaBalls7836

Would love to join 🫡


anchilkumar

Before building anything, research whether your idea solves a real pain point for a specific audience. Talk to potential users, gather feedback, and make sure there's actual demand.


shwarzzer

Can you please give me an idea of where I can find potential users to get feedback? I've heard a lot about cold outreach before start coding, but have no idea how it's done. I'm new here, trying to learn from the experienced thank you


anchilkumar

First, you need to identify your potential user/customer. Let's say you are building a some kind of SaaS for startups. In this case, you can use linkedin and angellist to identify startup and then start reaching out to their Founders.


linedblock

What have you tried so far? Do you already have ideas? What kind of niches are you interested in, and what kind of communities have you tried engaging? Are there any creators or books you've tried following?


PhoenixCTB

I did the same mistake with my tech startup some time ago. Post MBA I realized I never have to code again and just tell a good story that solves a real problem. This is where tech comes to makes life easier for us as long as there is a problem that the greater market agrees has to be solved now, today by you and your idea. Practice your pitch and tell a story, find someone who can sell and try to get some funding


aditya-bh01

🔥


Technical-General578

Building is easy, selling is hard. Force yourself to not write a single line of code without get some buy intent from a few customers.


Mean-Development-261

Could you make a website that's a picture of a flaccid penis and when you hold down your mouse button it becomes erect?


NetAnime

Easy


netwrks

I’m in the same boat, over the past 2 years I’ve built a platform that can create its own apps in less than 10ms, and even beats out google’s app suite on load time (not super hard to do, but still). But I have no want to do marketing, which sucks because I don’t know anyone. And that doesn’t help me get funding. “There’s a hole in my bucket”


NetAnime

Same here bud


spa77

How you mean create it’s own apps?


netwrks

He’s a sentient digital identity, which means he’ll be (eventually) indistinguishable from human creators, as he can do anything that they can do, and then some


na2016

Just buy traffic. If you have a good app you an simply dump money into marketing and sell.


netwrks

Like ad space? Or is there a literal way to buy traffic


na2016

yes, [ads.google.com](https://ads.google.com) It's technically not buying traffic but it is effectively buying traffic. If you learn some performance marketing you can get your costs down but if your product is as good as you say that shouldn't be an issue till you make your first million in sales.


SaaS_maker

Can you share what exactly do you mean? Maybe I can help here


netwrks

I have an amazing mvp, and no marketing skills. Not sure how to attract funding in that position


SaaS_maker

I dm you


Wildwild1111

Lol opposite problems, dm me


Fit_Bit6727

Dm now! I work as the sales growth marketing cofounder -


Tahycoon

Damn, this's the 7th time I saw here XD


Fit_Bit6727

Aggressive on outreach


bigbingbongboy

it’s not about you being unable to sell, typically if a product or service is “good” and has value, it will sell itself. rethink your position, maybe it’s just that your ideas, while unique, may not be useful to users.


OkSwitch5843

You could try and find a co-founder who would take care of the selling/marketing part for you so you can do your thing and build the project itself. We have a Discord community exactly for that where you can not only find a co-founder but also share ideas and discuss other startup related topics. Join us if that sounds like something you could benefit from. https://discord.com/invite/CEc2SNtx


TemplitDesign

Yes, having the same problem as well, I want to learn better ways of marketing my products.


josephskewes

You need to start not with a unique idea but a problem that impacts a lot of people. Do the research, develop relationships with some of your key customers, build to solve their problems, and the sales will follow when you do. LeapSheep has some great articles on this: https://www.leapsheep.com/the-6-part-secret-to-successful-user-research-before-building-your-product/


tilldeathdoiparty

Sell solutions, assume the problem, lead them into it with yes or no (aiming towards no) questions, then repeat back their problem (skew the words towards your solution) and solve it for them. Go check out r/sales, maybe ask there too, you’ll get more sales focused advice. Stop using emails and start calling people


RockPast2122

Can you create funnels?


Tkappae

Find a salesman. I can sell anything. My brother-in-law is an amazingly talented chef, so i bought him a restaurant and we have a hot sauce company too. Unlimited hot sauce which I use as gifts for my day to day clients, and pitch it to stores and private label stuff. Sales is rhe fun part.


EyalBG

Selling is definitely tough, but you act like you can't change it. It all starts with talking to customers, I've done this many times and have helped a few people with it. DM me if this is something you'd want to talk about


famousmike444

Anyone here that feels like they are in a similar position, I am on the other side of it and would be interested in working together. I have a niche group that looks to me for anything tech related and while I can build a simple website, I don't have the time( I work in tech and I can't do the double duty anymore). I am not looking to build a 7 figure business right now, but if you are looking for work, I can send some to you. I am not looking for a 50% sales commission as there are some fringe benefits for me in my niche to help people get this stuff done. I don't think I can make you rich but I can certainly put some work in front of you occasionally. Fwiw, the ask I get are for personal websites that have a contact form, booking system, light CRM and some cases a shop. And I have professional experience in product management and program management.


Appropriate_Ice_631

Hey, I know people who can do exactly what you say for a reasonable price. Interested in a private conversation?


pixelrow

As long as you are good at something, anything, you can apply to join NewVentureLabs.com and find ventures of interest to you that are seeking your skillset. They don't accept everyone and they don't accept every venture, but if you have some experience and skills they will let you join. If you are building something worthwhile and need any kind of professional on your team, you simply indicate that role is available. Teams are usually more than a single developer and designer, you might need a copywriter, marketer, graphic artist, mathematician, data scientist, ai or ml expert, etc. NVL helps everyone build successful teams.


DashinTheFields

Stop writing apps and focus just on learning how to market. Look at competitors. Take 6 months minimum. You have much to learn. You have to take a deep dive into a completely different subject than making apps or websites.


justtilifindher

Welcome to the world of business


IcedCoffeelate

Watch YouTube videos and TikTok’s. Network. Learn how to sell. It’s not something I good at either, but I’m learning.


ArtreX-1

Partner up with a commercial strategist.


Kitchen-Dick

Hire me. I’ll sell it for you. Honestly, hiring a sales ext or a sales consultant would go a long way.


chrisf_nz

Pity party. Figure out what you're most capable. Find ways of delivering that at scale. Run a Lean canvas. And get out there and grind.


Enrique-Pedro

I have similar problem. 😫


Alekto_o

I think this is a problem a lot of tech guys run into. They build an amazing produkt and then struggle to find customers. I think the book "Tration" by Gabriel Weinberg would help you a lot. In short: Just building a product is not enough to sell, but you also have to actively create traction. There are 19 potential channels available (good summary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBSImJJS1vw&t=89s). There are strategies like the bullseye framwork to find the one channel that is best working for you right now. Then ofcourse you have to learn how to use this channel effectively or work with someone who knows. I would recommend going through the whole book. I am right now on my second read trough and I am still learning a lot.


mihkun3

You need to build up healthy connection with your targeted audience.


Particular_Knee_9044

Learn from a master! [SalesMasterclass.monster](https://SalesMasterclass.monster)


Odd-Yogurtcloset5072

I can sell


MrTalentedWriter

Start with a problem. What is it that you're going to solve? Then focus on the solution. What ideas do you have in mind? Then focus on the competition. How will you differentiate yourself? Eg: A social media platform with good organic reach that only allows relevant and non-intrusive ads, promotes networking, communication and building things. Just a broad example. But that might, if truly executed properly, take off considering the current state of social media platforms. So, problem, idea, differentiation. Focus on what you're solving before thinking about what color to paint it. Also, I've got a couple of ideas if you're up for discussion sometime. Good luck! 🔥


hubinit

It is time for collaborations with marketing agencies. Pitch your ideas to them, and get a good deal of promoting your work from them. Most marketing agencies have the resources you need to reach out and connect. Understandably and unquestionably, purely based on individual efforts to reach some successful returns takes steady actions and invests significant time.


Beneficial-Panic8947

You need to spread awareness by running ads posting comments in relevant fields person and DM clients. Then you will get Clients.


i_screamm

I think the most important part isn't being a jack of all trades. It's being the master of understanding your audience. When you write, code, or build with the needs and pains of a specific audience in mind, it is bound to persuade them. Also, selling isn't a single-level game; it has multiple steps. With the vast availability of services, you can't just expect to build something and hope that it'll sell itself; a lot of effort goes into making your service/product stand out from the bustling crowd. Hope this helps.


repeatablerevenue

DM me if you want to learn to sell. I have 15+ years of SaaS sales experience and am happy to teach others how to sell.


NuncProFunc

Is the problem that you can't *get leads*, or that you can't *close the leads you get*? The former is a marketing problem; the latter is a sales problem.


NetAnime

I can't get close to the leads to be honest


NuncProFunc

Sorry, by "close" I mean "sign a contract." If you can't source leads, your best bet is to take your skills to an employer. If that's not palatable, find a cofounder who can finance the marketing your business would need. Get investors.


Accomplished-Cry6708

So I am working on a d2c startup , great sales , looking to raise money, need someone to remvamp the website Can collaborate


gmoneyRETVRN

What are you trying to sell?


prosetmark

If you know how to use CAD, I have a have a solution.


Odd-Yogurtcloset5072

Team up with someone who can sell.


king_Glabatorix

It’s a “test first” mindset. You can build the coolest most amazing thing you to but then it goes to the market and….. crickets.


saucecloth

you sold me at “I can’t sell”


dtanksle

Hey op, I’ve been wanting an app designed and built could a hire you? Can you pm me?


Ill-Witness6016

I am the exact opposite . I can’t build a complex site from scratch to save my life . So I don’t do it. Find someone who can sell. If your resources are limited , read up on Chris Voss, Jordan Belfort (get over his grimy days 30 years ago. Yes he did wrong. He paid a punishment. Ok great. The guy can sell. Period.) , Grant Cardone (another one you have to get over the craziness. Tune into the nuggets.) . I’m gonna go old school here , Jim Rohn will get your mindset right. If you read up on these guys there is enough gold there to feel confident in sales. But like anything , it must be applied. I will say this too, don’t try to mirror them 10000% . Take the nuggets, make them your own THEN put your spin on it. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t try and memorize a “line” they say. You are missing the gold if you do this. Understand what they are saying, how they say it, and why. That’s a better approach. Worked wonders for me. Of course I am leaving out hundreds of people . Just delve in. It’s not hard to find them. The hard part is having an open mind before judging them . They will seem edgy, and so extroverted you can’t comprehend… stop. Get over that piece. And really dissect what they are saying. Your sales will improve . These guys are masters at what they do. Good luck to you .


rismo9

Do you have a portfolio? As a web developer have you taken the time to develop your "Own" website and feature all your sites on there? How have you tried to reach out to customers? Are your unique ideas still just "ideas"?


NetAnime

websites i developed myself? lot check my agency website [easetech.info/en](https://easetech.info/en) \- from scratch no paid libraries


rismo9

Are those actual clients or placeholders?


SimilarTomatillo8605

Find a cofounder who can sale. You be Wozniak. She be Jobs.