Frequently asked questions

Go-to-market sales help from PDX Sales

How are engagements structured, and what do they cost?

PDX Sales works month to month. A GTM diagnostic runs two to four weeks, a fractional sales leader engagement runs monthly, and deal and founder coaching is as needed. Engagements run from about a month to several months, depending on what the company needs. Pricing depends on the scope of the engagement.

What does a GTM diagnostic cover, and what do I get?

A GTM diagnostic is how I figure out how to sell your product and build a motion around it. I get into the business and talk to your customers to understand the value. Do customers see value in the product? Where can it improve? Is there product-market fit? Who is the ideal customer, or customers? What should the pricing be? Often, as with any good startup, the product isn't exactly what the market needs yet, so I'm out finding that fit, and the goal is to give you clear guidance on how to get there. If you're close to fit, I'm ideally selling alongside you during that time. It isn't a report that shows up at the end. We talk throughout, so there are no surprises and you never wait to find out what you're getting. At the end of the period I summarize what we covered. If the product is ready to be tested by the market, the next piece of work is how to scale it.

Should I be my own first salesperson?

Yes. Selling yourself is how you learn what customers value and who they are, and it's how the playbook gets written. You should stay involved to some degree. Over time, some selling is worth passing on. Consumer sales, for example, take a lot of time for lower margins.

When do I bring in outside sales help?

When you're starting to get traction, or having trouble getting it, and when you can no longer sell while also focusing on the product and the rest of the business. Before that, make sure you know the value to your customer, whether there's product-market fit, and who the customer is. A salesperson can't sell something whose value you haven't worked out. Figuring that out is where I help. So is scaling: building the systems to sell.

When you've hired a full-time sales leader, do you leave?

The ideal outcome is that their leadership takes over and I move on. I stay as long as the company wants me to. If they need help in other areas of the business, or with the new leader's ramp (which depends on who we bring in), I can stay a little longer.

How hands-on are you?

Very. I join live sales calls and help you sell in the early days. I go into the market and talk to customers face to face. I work with your team on what's working and what isn't, as it happens.

How is AI used in the sales motion?

AI can do the research, the first-touch outreach and the booking, and that part should run without you. It isn't good at negotiation or closing, and it's weak at discovery. Those are where a buyer decides whether to trust you, and where a person has to be in the room. I use AI tools throughout my work, I recommend options, and I can set up a stack for you if you need one.

I'm a technical or product founder, not a salesperson. Can you help?

Yes. I work with both technical and product founders. I join live calls, help you sell in the early stage, and help you understand the customer by talking to them, in person and on calls.

Do you work remotely or in person?

Both. I can work by phone or video. I'm also happy to fly into your market, or drive over if it's a town away, to talk to customers in person. I'm glad to meet with you or your team.

What happens in the first 30 days?

We start by agreeing on what you'd need to see after 30 days for the work to be worthwhile: sales, customer validation, product improvements, operating processes. My first priority is to get into the market, talk to customers, and learn what's driving interest and what's blocking deals. At the same time I work with your team on the product and operating issues in the way. We test and learn every week, and you hear findings weekly.

How do I get started?

Fill out the short form on the home page: name, email, company, stage, what you sell, and optionally where you're stuck. I read every message and reply myself, within a couple of days. You'll get one automatic confirmation and nothing else: no list, no sequence. You can also email hello@pdxsales.com.