Making Sales in a Startup

Hearing from Evan Addams on what it was like to work as a sales rep for the startup No Wait got me thinking about the challenges and differences of sales in a startup vs sales in an established company. Evan shared the challenges he faced during No Wait’s startup days, but I wanted to research some more advice and things to expect when taking on a sales role in a startup. I stumbled across an article called, “What’s it Like to Work in Sales at a Startup?” on the blog site Planted. Here’s a summary of what to expect when taking on this type of position.

Know What You are Getting Into

Before we dive into what exactly it’ll be like, you have to know upfront that this is one of the hardest sales positions you can take. It’s the biggest sales grind you can sign up for. However, there’s no better way to learn the art of persuasion in a faster amount of time. Planted even goes so far as to say that working in Sales in a Startup can be one of the best resume sales experiences.

You’ll Face the Most Rejection

When working in a Startup your company or brand will have little to no reputation. Not only do you have to convince the prospect that they should buy a product from you, but you also have to convince them the product/service you are selling them is worth it and viable. You also have to convince them to trust you as you have no minimal to no history as a company.

Hard Work and Possibilities

Working sales in a startup can be a high-stress environment, especially when every sale counts. Expect to take on large amounts of work, leads, and calls. While all this sounds like reasons not to work this type of sales role, working in a startup allows you the opportunity to move up within the company if the company grows. By showing you have the drive to work hard and that you care you have a much better chance of moving up than a traditional sales role.