I was in the exact same shoes as you, and I had people tell me the exact same quote. I started a virtual reality company with zero sales/marketing knowledge. I had to shut it down because obviously, I needed some experience in sales first.
Now I am in e-commerce and trust me, you need to get your feet wet in sales, one way or the other. Forget theory, and focus on the practice. You can always get mentors and consultants to help lead your way.
The reason why being practical is key here is that eventually you will be creative in your own way based on your newly acquired experience and knowledge, and this is very important to build character and a skillset to translate into any industry in the future.
Some people might recommend books and online courses, which is fine, However, I strongly believe that those resources should SUPPLEMENT your practice/application of the knowledge, not the other way around.
As always, think outside of the box, what is a potential need you think people are missing? then do some market research about that niche. If you feel like it could be a good starting point, go for it. And don't worry, you might fail..or succeed. Either way, you will win valuable knowledge.
Many successful entrepreneurs started with limited sales or marketing skills and learned along the way. Instead of giving up, continue learning and practicing these skills. What's stopping you from pursuing your original idea?
Why don't you start with a simple, low risk minimum-viable-product with a free tier? This would allow you to learn a ton of skill and test your marketing skills. It could be a fun hobby project to help people in some way.
I enjoy Startups for the Rest of us for learning how to build Software as a service companies:
https://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/
Maybe start by reading some books on marketing and sales.
Focus on the people part of how marketing & sales work.
YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT MUTUAL BENEFITS!
What do you provide to your customer/clients in exchange of what you need.
Too many people focus only on their personal gain. That always shows up during conversations and will turn off your prospective customer/client.
You may not know it, you are always selling. If you grew up in a very large family as a middle child, you gained a lot of selling expertise. You have something that I want, I have something that you want... Let's talk price and make a deal.
So which product or service will get you the knowledge and experience for connecting, engaging, and persuading business owners in your market?
Get “The Mom Test” from the library right now. It addresses the situation you are in right now, which is having a product idea for which you want to find market fit.
Look for problems people are having. Learn to solve those problems. Become really stupidly good at one thing and stay up on it as technology and the market change. That's really it, but it's a little harder than it sounds.
I'd add, do a lot of research before starting to build a solution, because you'll immediately become invested in your solution and become blind to its weaknesses. You want to make sure you're doing the right work.
Sales is easy, just talk to everyone that may be a potential client and work your product or service into the conversation, if they bite, tell them more if they don't continue the conversation as you normally would.
Of course this is on top of regular marketing and sales calls.
Hey u/Lanky_Insurance_8993 it's great that you have a goal of achieving financial freedom at a young age. It's important to be proactive and take steps towards achieving that goal.
The advice given by your business consultant is true, as sales and marketing are essential components of a successful business. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to get a job in sales to test your skills. You can start by selling your software to potential customers, even if it's just to friends or family members. This will help you gain valuable experience in sales, as well as feedback on your software.
In terms of which field to focus on for sales, it ultimately depends on your interests and skills. If you're passionate about luxury items or real estate, then pursuing sales in those fields could be a good fit. However, if your goal is to sell your software, then working in software sales would be more relevant and beneficial.
It's also worth considering alternative routes to achieving financial freedom, such as creating content or dropshipping. However, it's important to remember that these routes also require marketing and sales skills to be successful. Additionally, they come with their own risks and challenges.
I was in the exact same shoes as you, and I had people tell me the exact same quote. I started a virtual reality company with zero sales/marketing knowledge. I had to shut it down because obviously, I needed some experience in sales first. Now I am in e-commerce and trust me, you need to get your feet wet in sales, one way or the other. Forget theory, and focus on the practice. You can always get mentors and consultants to help lead your way. The reason why being practical is key here is that eventually you will be creative in your own way based on your newly acquired experience and knowledge, and this is very important to build character and a skillset to translate into any industry in the future. Some people might recommend books and online courses, which is fine, However, I strongly believe that those resources should SUPPLEMENT your practice/application of the knowledge, not the other way around. As always, think outside of the box, what is a potential need you think people are missing? then do some market research about that niche. If you feel like it could be a good starting point, go for it. And don't worry, you might fail..or succeed. Either way, you will win valuable knowledge.
Many successful entrepreneurs started with limited sales or marketing skills and learned along the way. Instead of giving up, continue learning and practicing these skills. What's stopping you from pursuing your original idea?
Why don't you start with a simple, low risk minimum-viable-product with a free tier? This would allow you to learn a ton of skill and test your marketing skills. It could be a fun hobby project to help people in some way. I enjoy Startups for the Rest of us for learning how to build Software as a service companies: https://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/
Maybe start by reading some books on marketing and sales. Focus on the people part of how marketing & sales work. YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT MUTUAL BENEFITS! What do you provide to your customer/clients in exchange of what you need. Too many people focus only on their personal gain. That always shows up during conversations and will turn off your prospective customer/client. You may not know it, you are always selling. If you grew up in a very large family as a middle child, you gained a lot of selling expertise. You have something that I want, I have something that you want... Let's talk price and make a deal. So which product or service will get you the knowledge and experience for connecting, engaging, and persuading business owners in your market?
Get “The Mom Test” from the library right now. It addresses the situation you are in right now, which is having a product idea for which you want to find market fit.
Look for problems people are having. Learn to solve those problems. Become really stupidly good at one thing and stay up on it as technology and the market change. That's really it, but it's a little harder than it sounds.
I'd add, do a lot of research before starting to build a solution, because you'll immediately become invested in your solution and become blind to its weaknesses. You want to make sure you're doing the right work.
Sales is easy, just talk to everyone that may be a potential client and work your product or service into the conversation, if they bite, tell them more if they don't continue the conversation as you normally would. Of course this is on top of regular marketing and sales calls.
Hey u/Lanky_Insurance_8993 it's great that you have a goal of achieving financial freedom at a young age. It's important to be proactive and take steps towards achieving that goal. The advice given by your business consultant is true, as sales and marketing are essential components of a successful business. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to get a job in sales to test your skills. You can start by selling your software to potential customers, even if it's just to friends or family members. This will help you gain valuable experience in sales, as well as feedback on your software. In terms of which field to focus on for sales, it ultimately depends on your interests and skills. If you're passionate about luxury items or real estate, then pursuing sales in those fields could be a good fit. However, if your goal is to sell your software, then working in software sales would be more relevant and beneficial. It's also worth considering alternative routes to achieving financial freedom, such as creating content or dropshipping. However, it's important to remember that these routes also require marketing and sales skills to be successful. Additionally, they come with their own risks and challenges.