JDL

CEO

Selling a new product

Your company is developing a new product, and the management is not allowing you to sell it yet. No pricing, not enough product specifications, no market specific adjustments (one product globally, even though countries have different needs).

How do you cope with this?

Just leave?

I am asking as it happened to me.

I managed to get Sales one pagers, some product descriptions and a sales price for one market.

Unfortunately it didn't help enough. Customers wanted to see live use cases. The company was not willing to do a free POC for a prolonged period of time.

Eventually I did not sell this product. Its been 18 months since its initial beta release.

✍️ Sales advice

🗝 Sales Enablement

☁️ Software Tech

24 comments

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oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

You're a bot, aren't you?

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

Not yet but with the speed of AI development I might as well be soon.

Maximas

Tycoon

Senior Sales Executive

Nice to meet you Mr(s). Bot:)

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

It looks like this product is not on the radar or the company is not serious.

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

Definitely with you on this one

RandyLahey

Politicker

Account Executive

Tell me, Mr. Altman, how long did it take you to prompt this post?

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

How? Just clanking at the keyboard

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

so I can tell you that if you go to market with a product too early it can be a disaster. first impressions are a big deal and finding early adopters is even more of a big deal.

If they released a beta 18 months ago are they still looking for early adopters? do they want you to help with that?

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

I think they don’t need my help but need a psychiatrist. There is still no pricing for the product.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

The product doesn’t exist, so why are you selling it? You set yourself up for failure and a bad CS experience.

HVACexpert

Politicker

sales engineer

No one wants to be the Guinea pig with a brand new product. It will have to be priced well, or more fully vetted out. Sounds like your company might not be ready for it anyways

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Was this the only thing in your bag?

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

Not I was able to reach my targets in April last year. I wanted to really help the company forward but I felt hitting a brick wall….

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

It’s hard to sell something that isn’t supported. If you don’t love everything else and they’re losing the thread (possible red flag) could be time to take a look around.

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

Thanks, I actually did leave and start my own company. I was just wondering if people here would do differently but it seems I made the right decision 🤘🏼

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Out of curiosity, is the product on the market now?

thekid898

Good Citizen

BDR

I'm in a somewhat similar position. We have 1 customer for our product (A large public sector org) and are looking to expand to other government organizations. The product, however, is specifically built for that one customer, so prospects in other agencies don't give a crap about our product.

I've pretty much been a product research expert for the past year. The product team doesn't want to build jack until they see revenue but won't see revenue until they build something. The product team can be a huge roadblock if they are too conservative...

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

Bring them in on calls with the customer: make sure they don’t say stuff that can set off customers so make sure to script the most important points and ask them to sit in mostly to hear what are the customer pain points regarding the product.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yeesh I dunno I could sell something that is basically non existent.

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

It exists

pirate

Big Shot

🦜☠️ Account Executive

Sell something else? Do you have other products?

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

So…. Like basically, you don’t sell new products? The complete opposite of the subject headline.

falcon108

Member

Business Development Manager

You need to be honest with yourself! Be in the shoes of the buyer. Wait for the product to be launched and focus on selling on other products meanwhile.

Maximas

Tycoon

-2

Senior Sales Executive

That's normal,your company see that it's not yet ready,believe that they still do have some concerns about the launch date just like some missing features to be added or some enhancements to be done.
As a salesperson, I'm selling what I'm being told to sell and try to maximize my commission from it.
Any updates on what I'm selling,any prices change to it,or a full replacement of the product for a new one I simply don't care as long as you're paid well!

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JDL

Selling a new product

24 comments

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