Most technical founders dread sales. But founder-led sales is not about being slick or manipulative -- it is about deeply understanding your customer's problem and demonstrating how your product solves it. Nobody can do this better than the person who built the product.
The Founder Sales Mindset
Reframe sales as problem-solving. Your job is not to convince anyone to buy something they do not need. Your job is to find people who have the problem you solve, demonstrate that you can solve it, and make it easy for them to say yes. If you genuinely believe your product helps people, selling it is a service, not a burden.
The Discovery Call
The most important part of any sales process is discovery. Before you demo your product, understand: What problem is the prospect trying to solve? How are they solving it today? What is the cost of the current approach? Who else is involved in the decision? What does their timeline look like? Spend at least 60% of the first call listening, not talking.
Demos That Convert
Never give a generic demo. After discovery, customize your demo to address the specific problems the prospect described. Show them exactly how your product solves their problem, using their terminology, their data (if possible), and their workflow. A 15-minute targeted demo beats a 60-minute product tour every time.
Handling Objections
Objections are not rejections -- they are requests for more information. The most common B2B objections: 'It is too expensive' (you have not demonstrated enough value -- go back to ROI), 'We need to think about it' (you have not created urgency -- ask about timeline and consequences of inaction), 'We are looking at competitors' (great, ask what criteria they are using and differentiate accordingly).
The Follow-Up Cadence
80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups, but most founders give up after 2. Create a systematic follow-up cadence: Day 1: Send meeting summary and next steps. Day 3: Share a relevant case study or resource. Day 7: Check in with a specific question. Day 14: Add new value (feature update, relevant data). Day 21: Direct ask about timeline.
