Selling Deep Tech Solutions

This workshop consists of a group session on November 27th as well as a 1:1 follow up with the trainer, Kalev Kaarna, two weeks later (dates TBC at the workshop).

The session addresses the unique challenges of selling deep tech solutions, and especially provides guidance for those founders with a scientific or engineering background.

1. Demystifying sales

   • Insights into modern business-to-business sales:
   ▪ — 40-60% of sales end with no decision by a company (Fear of Messing Up)
   ▪ — the role of the salesperson as trust builder and curious educator
   ▪ — how businesses make purchases of new technology
   ▪ — concept of conditional contract
   ▪ — why founders are the only ones who can build trust and convince first 10 customers to buy

2. What makes a good prospect?

   • Unique Features-Consequence-Value of deep tech products
   • Ideal customer profiles

3. Creating a lead list

   • How to find high-value leads (and the opportunity of those in new roles)
   • Harsh reality of Early adopters and Pragmatics, and how to cross the chasm
   • Searching for right people – making an initial list of 10-20 leads

4. Writing a sales script

   • Why asking for problems from customers in the beginning of sales meetings does not work any more
   • Modern approach to sales script structure (April Dunford approach)
   • Objection handling and taking risk off the table (JOLT principles)
   • Writing a sales script & outreach messages
   • Timelines of outreach methods

Kalev Kaarna is a seasoned fixer of sales and fundraising for tech startups.  He is a team member and mentor at Creative Destrcution Lab (CDL) global growth program for early-stage tech startups. Graduates of CDL program have raised their equity value over €23B.

This is an Aalto internal event and only for our internal community.

Host: Niko Downie