Struggling to close deals, scale your sales process or transition from founder led sales to a dedicated team? You’re Not Alone.
Everyone talks about product-market fit and funding, but few address the make-or-break skill of sales.
This B2B Sales Programme is an intensive series of workshops covering process, tools, sales economics, target markets, channel sales, understanding the buyer's organisations and the sales journey of the founder.
With 5 workshops across 4 days,the workshops will be delivered by Kent Summers, lead instructor of B2B sales at MIT, who developed and delivers the programme internationally. After the 5 workshops participants will have the knowledge and tools to positively impact in their business.
Attendees will:
- Learn a framework to improve team sales focus, efficiency and performance
- Acquire critical new selling skills - including prospect engagement, forecasting, negotiation and closing techniques, reflecting the different skillsets needed to establish first paying customers in a startup environment and building out sales at scale
- Abandon common sales practices that waste valuable time and undermine customer confidence
- Reinforce the disciplined mindset and behaviours of successful sales people
- Be upskilled in sales techniques to aid strong growth for their scaling businesses, with a range of tools and skills that can be applied immediately to improve their business revenue
- Be exposed to ‘best practice’ local founders and support from ecosystem organisations at the sector events
Who is it for?
Founders and key team members of early stage and growth B2B businesses, providing 'how to' sales skills for high growth ventures.
What is included?
- Intensive sales workshops delivered across 4 days, covering topics including process, tools, sales economics, target markets, channel sales, understanding the buyer’s organisation and the sales journey of the founder (workshop content can be seen in download below)
- 10 selected founders will receive 1:1 coaching (6 x 90 minute sessions per participant across 3 months) to apply the concepts and practices learned in the workshop to the unique needs and priorities of each company. Founders will be selected based on stage of business and timing for support to be beneficial
- 4 x market specific events (Nov 2024, Jan, Feb, Mar 2025) showcasing best practice in the region’s key sectors (energy, life sciences, food, drink and agriculture and one general round table event)
The workshops will be delivered in person (45 participants) and online (unrestricted numbers) by Kent Summers, Lead Instructor of B2B sales at MIT. With significant entrepreneurship experience and reputation, Kent has founded, grown and exited 5 ventures and now works to build sales readiness and execution skills for founders and their teams from startups to scaleups.
What does it cost?
The programme is funded by Opportunity North East, Barclays Eagle Labs and UK Government, there is no charge for programme participation.
Additional 1:1 coaching for ten founders of scaleup ventures
- In addition to the workshop series, ten founders and their teams will be offered 1:1 coaching for 3 months following the sales training workshops, worth $7,500 per team. Coaching participants will be selected based on stage of business and timing for support to be beneficial
- Building of a sales framework designed to strengthen pipeline, develop and close new customers, and grow existing customers with a target to grow sales to £10m within 5 years
- An understanding of the skills needed in their team to execute the sales framework and support in developing those skills
- Development of their B2B Sales Toolkit: including pilot agreements, service level agreements, product pricing schedules, revenue forecaster and account review forms
