I am a developer, several years back, a couple friends and I wrote a loyalty app/saas. The site, allowed a restaurant/shop/bar owner setup a couple types of deals ie "Buy X get Y Free" among others. Each restaurant had a QR code, and when someone would purchase something, the customer would scan it and get a "punch". The owners could track everything via the web. Due to all of us having a 9-5, and this being our first project, we failed, because we didn't realize beforehand that you had to hit the streets every day, and we didn't have the capital to quit our jobs when we figured that out. The only way, to really sell a product like this, was cold calling. Adwords, facebook, etc etc, does not work when trying to reach a small business owner/manager. They are too busy working, to go out randomly searching for stuff. Needless to say, we learned a ton about selling. So, I developed Sales Invaders!. A "sales staff as a service". Things are pretty simple right now, as I'd like to figure out if there is a market for this. If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to ask!
I think its a really great idea, my only concern is that the sales staff you hire won't be as dedicated, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about my product as I am. Sales is a core aspect to a company, and while it may be possible to outsource sales in an existing company after you've established processes, a young start up won't have that yet. Its a job the founders SHOULD be doing because you're still trying to get a feel for the market.
This is a valid concern. Another issue with outsourced sales people is the fact they are out for themselves first. Sales people are coin operated... and you want them this way. However, you must be careful and shape the way they are paid to align with your business goals.
As a start up, you may be better off hiring a direct marketing company where you can align their focus to your ideal customer profile (assuming this grows as your product develops). You pay them to set appointments at the correct title/level (which is 90% of the work in sales) and you use your dedication, enthusiasm and knowledge to get the deal closed.
I agree. If you haven't sat down with your potential customers yet, we probably aren't for you. If you have visited 5-10 places, can list the questions that get asked over and over, and have your pitch down, but just don't have the resources to hire a staff, then we can help. If you aren't sure what your customers want yet (ie haven't cold-called), we do provide the feedback relevant to a startups needs, but that is not the core offering.
