Selling Software To Large Businesses • Hacker News Board

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#21

Post by bambax » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 11:34 AM UTC

> As my father always counselled me with regards to dating advice: "Don't come up with reasons for them being out of your league. Make them come up with them. Someday, someone -- perhaps someone surprising -- will say Yes."

Isn't this a line from "Shit My Dad Says"? https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays/status/4811790555

Maybe all fathers say the same thing.

More to the point, we're not afraid of BFEs because they may be "out of our league" and say no; if they said no right away we'd be fine.

We're afraid of BFEs because we fear they will absorb all of our time in endless email conversations, nitpicking, forms-filling, PDF-generating, phone calls, meetings, and eventually say no -- or even if this results in a sale it may not be worth it.

I'm not saying this is true -- I'm just trying to describe the fear. The OP clearly addresses most of those points by the way.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#22

Post by rurounijones » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 11:35 AM UTC

patio11 wrote: post #15

darkstar999 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you charge maintenance for SaaS?

Put an extra line item in the quote for maintenance. Done. Seriously, not only does that work, there are companies which will send the quote back and ask you to requote them with a maintenance contract if you don't do it the first time. (And yep, 20% is indeed quite standard at many places.)

Yep, I have worked for companies that would not buy software unless there was a maintenance contract.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#23

Post by bdavisx » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 12:11 PM UTC

_jb wrote: post #11

Incredible read patio11. I totally am totally used to think like a human (ref : Twenty times as much, you ask? No, transitioning from "pocket lint" to pennies. Stop thinking like a human.) That said, do you think of your large corporation customers reading this article? I'd be afraid that they would think like human and may feel ripped off, even though they made the right choice when comparing with the other options.

As a large corporation customer (not of Appointment Reminder, but of other software), no I don't feel ripped off. I had the "pleasure" of being the peon who brought in some software in the last year. Purchasing and legal departments both were heavily involved. The entire process took many months and hours on both sides to complete. It's a completely different world.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#24

Post by taude » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 12:14 PM UTC

This is all fine and good until your internal user needs to involve the IT department to open the firewall to your SaaS service. You'd be amazed by how many Fortune 500 companies block things like Evernote and DropBox, Google Docs, etc...

At which point, the purchasees will be going through some official channels to get at your service...

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#25

Post by swalsh » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 12:35 PM UTC

simonw wrote: post #7

I hadn't heard the concept of "suggested CCing to the internal team" before. How do you phrase this? Are you asking them to forward your email on, or to CC others on their reply to you?

I'm not sure what he's referring to, but i've seen emails that say something like "here's some points to share with your technical team...."

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#26

Post by prawn » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 12:45 PM UTC

bambax wrote: post #21

> As my father always counselled me with regards to dating advice: "Don't come up with reasons for them being out of your league. Make them come up with them. Someday, someone -- perhaps someone surprising -- will say Yes." Isn't this a line from "Shit My Dad Says"? https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays/status/4811790555 Maybe all fathers say the same thing. More to the point, we're not afraid of BFEs because they may be…

In my experience working with clients of various sizes, it is generally not the largest that are particularly painful but the smallest. The largest have staff trained and dedicated to their positions. The sole/small operators are juggling everything and most struggle to do many things well (often I'm one of those struggling).

These are the clients who, when you ask them for written content for their website, give you a scan of their competitor's brochure with the name crossed out and replaced with that of their own business. (This actually happened to an officemate of mine today.)

FWIW, I think the fear of selling to large companies is of embarrassing ourselves in comparison to larger and more experienced operations who have an SLA template, dedicated tender writers, etc.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#27

Post by balakk » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 1:13 PM UTC

> "On the other hand, when you send us an email, you may have to wait a few hours, but you'll get your response from me, every single time, and I will do my best to fix your problem. I built this product from the ground up and I am fanatical about taking care of you because you'd be my biggest customer, and if I don't take care of you, the business is over."

Honestly, I don't know about this. This might work if you have a super-duper revolutionary product that nobody in the industry has, or you have some insane reputation(college/work whatever).

Disclaimer: I've not done buying/selling at enterprise levels - just watched a few others do it.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#28

Post by HeyLaughingBoy » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 1:25 PM UTC

_jb wrote: post #11

Incredible read patio11. I totally am totally used to think like a human (ref : Twenty times as much, you ask? No, transitioning from "pocket lint" to pennies. Stop thinking like a human.) That said, do you think of your large corporation customers reading this article? I'd be afraid that they would think like human and may feel ripped off, even though they made the right choice when comparing with the other options.

I work for an organization that has been paying over $100 for a 4Gb flash drive with our logo on it for years. It takes a lot for an enterprise to feel ripped off.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#29

Post by prawn » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 1:41 PM UTC

eps wrote: post #6

Second hand re-hashing of other people's experience is the best. Seriously though, Patrick, you take an isolated episode and then extrapolate it into an assertive definitive business "theory". This is the good old armchair athletics. You appear to routinely do this and I personally find it seriously off-putting.

I think it's worth remembering that this is one guy who started with his bingo cards, was pinching himself through the small-scale success of that as a side-earner, spoke honestly of it on HN to an audience appreciative of anyone sharing figures and experiences so openly regardless of their scale. Consider too how many here would be keen for any earning side project at all.

From the cultish following that developed (in the absence of many alternatives), he picked up some consulting work and commenced further pinching and explaining of his efforts.

Then, from that consulting to more self-pinching following some success with winning enterprise clients. And again, sharing what he personally learnt.

Yes, the jump from "guys, consulting is awesome!" to "no wait, consulting has its issues, wait until I tell you about enterprise sales!" was bemusing to me, but it's a discovery anyone following along saw happen to a real-world person. Some of the writing style (NDA, etc) can be dorky/annoying, but if you remember that this is a kid in a candy shop documenting the wonders of their personal experience, maybe that will help you appreciate it.

This isn't his business theory but a series of relatable experiences enough people value to upvote any time he shares more.

Re: Selling Software To Large Businesses

#30

Post by goofygrin » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 2:35 PM UTC

bambax wrote: post #21

> As my father always counselled me with regards to dating advice: "Don't come up with reasons for them being out of your league. Make them come up with them. Someday, someone -- perhaps someone surprising -- will say Yes." Isn't this a line from "Shit My Dad Says"? https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays/status/4811790555 Maybe all fathers say the same thing. More to the point, we're not afraid of BFEs because they may be…

The biggest fear of selling to BFEs (too many multiple use acronyms here)... is actually just getting our foot in the door.

We hired a dedicated sales person recently and his ability to close far surpasses ours... really it's just a matter of him digging in and getting to the right person (basically what this article says).