Startup Sales — 5 Common Sales Mistakes by Founders
August 12, 2025
Founders are responsible for the first sales a startup will make. For many founders, this is one of their very first experiences of sales and mistakes are often made.
Today, we’re talking about how to effectively demo your startup when applying to an accelerator program, and these rules apply whether you’re in person or providing a video.
If the reviewers have questions about other products, they can ask them later. The spotlight should be on your product alone.
Make sure your audience sees something impressive within the first 10 seconds of your demo. Even with a real time demo, in person, you should be ready to start instantly. Don’t give anyone a moment to get distracted or bored. After this initial impact, then you can explain how the product works.
As you wrap up the demo, remind the audience that what they’ve seen is just the beginning. Then suggest some exciting future use cases to whet their appetite for even more.
Best of luck out there.
