Common mistakes in sales and how to avoid them | Jennifer Valverde-Schäfer - Venture Development @ Atlantic Labs x FoodLabs

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Summary


In this interview, Jennifer discusses her experiences in sales
and her career development. She talks about her various sales
roles in B2C and B2B companies and how she eventually joined
Atlantic Labs and Food Labs. Dominic and Jennifer explore current
challenges for go-to-market teams, such as identifying the ideal
customer profile (ICP), adapting to different markets, and making
quick decisions. Jennifer highlights the importance of
experiments and sprints for maximizing sales success. They also
discuss startup experimentation, customer pain points, and the
significance of positioning, referencing April Dunford's
framework on positioning.





Takeaways


- Sales roles can vary significantly across industries and
companies.


- Identifying the ideal customer profile (ICP) is crucial for
sales success.


- Adapting to different markets requires precise market
segmentation and understanding cultural differences.


- Quick decision-making and experimentation are key factors for
success in sales.


- Set timelines and self-imposed goals, and use the sprint method
for rapid results.


- Sales teams play a critical role in product discovery and
understanding customer pain points.


- Effective positioning is essential to communicate a product’s
true value.





Chapters


00:00 Career Development in Sales


05:14 Challenges for Go-to-Market Teams


08:30 Adapting to Different Markets


16:41 Quick Decision-Making and Experiments in Sales


20:12 Experimentation and Pivoting


22:32 The Sprint Method


25:29 Understanding Customer Pain Points


27:23 Positioning: Communicating True Value