For me, being an entrepreneur has meant two long years of putting the other people in our company first (I'm talking paychecks here) while we bust our butts (along side everyone else) to build the company to profitability. When your income is on the line, you don't hesitate to ask for the sale. Not for a moment. Not if you "get it".
No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
11–20 of 30 posts
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#12it’s just contacting people you don’t know to ask/beg for favors My take on "what being an entrepreneur really means" is 179 degrees from yours: I can't wait to contact people I don't know to share what I'm doing and how it can improve their lives. If you don't feel the same way, maybe you shouldn't be an entrepreneur. I regularly go to Tech Breakfasts, Chamber of Commerce meetings, industry dinners, dev groups, and…
Some people are natural sales people, some aren't. I've noticed that the guys really really good at selling don't even think about problems of a product or social barriers to contacting people and just do it.
As I can't read their mind I'm not sure if it's a mindset they deliberately choose or just a different way of looking at life, but you definitely sound like one of those kind of people.
Great trait to have, but not everyone has it. Doesn't mean you can't be an entrepreneur if you don't have it though.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#13Different strokes for different folks, but I could count on one hand the number of business emails I've sent in the last four years that went to someone other than a customer, supplier, or "people I know well enough to invite out for coffee." This might be a weakness in my skillset, but I tend to think that outbound marketing is a very time-intensive proposition, and as a sole businessman time is something I can neve…
That works for you b/c your stuff is something an individual can find and buy/sign up for on your site.
If you were producing something more complex, such as software for companies or organizations, you would need a different approach.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#14Email is the easy part. Meetings and phone calls are the worst. I mean - they are if you've never done that before so often.
Yup, if you're a programmer (like most of us), transitioning into that role is very tough. You have to be very extroverted and it can be unsettling sometimes. I'd love to see some interviews with successful programmers turned CEO's/managers (but in smaller companies, not Bill Gates) to see how they managed it. Also, shouldn't you call people instead? Calls are generally more personal and harder to ignore than a rando…
Also, shouldn't you call people instead? Calls are generally more personal and harder to ignore than a random email from a stranger.
I find calling is more effective, too.
But I won't call someone I don't know unless I can get an introduction.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#15it’s just contacting people you don’t know to ask/beg for favors My take on "what being an entrepreneur really means" is 179 degrees from yours: I can't wait to contact people I don't know to share what I'm doing and how it can improve their lives. If you don't feel the same way, maybe you shouldn't be an entrepreneur. I regularly go to Tech Breakfasts, Chamber of Commerce meetings, industry dinners, dev groups, and…
Some people are natural sales people, some aren't. I've noticed that the guys really really good at selling don't even think about problems of a product or social barriers to contacting people and just do it. As I can't read their mind I'm not sure if it's a mindset they deliberately choose or just a different way of looking at life, but you definitely sound like one of those kind of people. Great trait to have, but…
I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling.
Are you passionate about your work? Obviously most of us are. We talk to each other here about it all the time. Do to any dev group or hacker hangout and it's hard to hear yourself think with all the chatter we share with each other about our work.
Emailing, calling, or talking to civilians is the same thing. As soon as we think it's "selling", we set up a mental block that's no good for anyone.
Just build a great product for others and share your passion about that product with them. Anyone can do it. In fact, most of us already are.
Just be yourself, let others know how your work will benefit them, and let the "selling" become a byproduct of that process. It's much easier than many of us think if we just give it a chance.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#16Email is the easy part. Meetings and phone calls are the worst. I mean - they are if you've never done that before so often.
Yup, if you're a programmer (like most of us), transitioning into that role is very tough. You have to be very extroverted and it can be unsettling sometimes. I'd love to see some interviews with successful programmers turned CEO's/managers (but in smaller companies, not Bill Gates) to see how they managed it. Also, shouldn't you call people instead? Calls are generally more personal and harder to ignore than a rando…
Watch Paul Singh and you know how it is done
http://mixergy.com/mailfinch-paul-singh-interview/
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some people are natural sales people, some aren't. I've noticed that the guys really really good at selling don't even think about problems of a product or social barriers to contacting people and just do it. As I can't read their mind I'm not sure if it's a mindset they deliberately choose or just a different way of looking at life, but you definitely sound like one of those kind of people. Great trait to have, but…
I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling. Are you passionate about your work? Obviously most of us are. We talk to each other here about it all the time. Do to any dev group or hacker hangout and it's hard to hear yourself think with all the chatter we share with each other about our work. Emailing, calling, or talking to civilians is the same thing. As soon as we think it's "selling", we set up a me…
Now you're describing the difference between an extrovert and an introvert. Appreciate everyone is not the same!
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#18Different strokes for different folks, but I could count on one hand the number of business emails I've sent in the last four years that went to someone other than a customer, supplier, or "people I know well enough to invite out for coffee." This might be a weakness in my skillset, but I tend to think that outbound marketing is a very time-intensive proposition, and as a sole businessman time is something I can neve…
But your product doesn't really suit that kind of marketing, your situation is very limited. Your product would actually become unprofitable if you had to spend face time convincing someone to buy it, most aren't.
One of pg's articles mentions that the successful YC's are ones where one of the founders is always on the phone, contacting people. That is the reality for a lot of business.
Bigger ticket items have to have some direct contact. Even trying out relatively cheap b2b software like redgate products gets direct emails (probably initially canned but I got a prompt human response to my reply to it). You will also find yourself in direct contact with Dell if you buy as a business.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#19Email is the easy part. Meetings and phone calls are the worst. I mean - they are if you've never done that before so often.
I've managed to turn my company into a mostly email based business. I have had maybe 5 meetings all year this year in person, and a couple phone calls a week tops. I've been in business almost 10 years and the act of going to meetings and having phone conversations is still a major challenge for me.
Biggest problem: I don't have time to think before I blurt something out when on the phone or in person. With email, I can craft my words, then even WAIT before I say them, think some more if needed, and I control my conversation rather than vamp and hope for the best.
Re: No One Told Me What Being an Entrepreneur Really Means
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some people are natural sales people, some aren't. I've noticed that the guys really really good at selling don't even think about problems of a product or social barriers to contacting people and just do it. As I can't read their mind I'm not sure if it's a mindset they deliberately choose or just a different way of looking at life, but you definitely sound like one of those kind of people. Great trait to have, but…
I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling. Are you passionate about your work? Obviously most of us are. We talk to each other here about it all the time. Do to any dev group or hacker hangout and it's hard to hear yourself think with all the chatter we share with each other about our work. Emailing, calling, or talking to civilians is the same thing. As soon as we think it's "selling", we set up a me…
> I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling.
It does. Whether you know you are selling or not, you are selling.
> Just be yourself
If you are a natural born salesman, then that works. If not, by all means be yourself anyway, but be aware of what sells and what doesn't, and put some effort into it.
The book which has taught me what selling really is (and why techies often fail at it) is "The art of salesmanship" (I guess that's the English translation) by Heinz Goldmann (sadly it's little known).
Interestingly, Goldmann points out why sometimes skilled and passionate people fail at selling.