# 141: Product Sales Process for Hardware Startups

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-09-14
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Scott Brogan, founder of Company Expert, explains how hardware startups can build a structured B2B sales process to sell to wholesalers and retailers. He emphasizes starting with clear goals, identifying target companies and key decision-makers, and leveraging the credibility of partners to accelerate growth. Brogan advises documenting objections, maintaining enthusiasm, and using storytelling to differentiate new brands from established competitors. The discussion covers the transition from conscious incompetence to unconscious competence in sales through repeated practice and process refinement.

## Chapters

- [0:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=50) Introduction: Scott Brogan and Company Expert
- [2:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=133) Building a Consultative Sales System
- [4:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=275) Target Market Selection and Goal Setting
- [8:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=499) Identifying Decision Makers and Pain Points
- [10:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=621) Positioning Products and Handling Objections
- [13:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=835) The Four Stages of Sales Competence
- [15:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=919) Feedback Loops and Enthusiasm
- [20:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=1225) Storytelling and Retailer Trends
- [24:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups#t=1453) Company Expert Tools and Market Timing

## Topics

- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Company Expert (company)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Fortune 500 (other)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Indiegogo (other)
- LinkedIn (tool)
- Google (tool)
- Class Door (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 39 - Starting a Hardware Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [#053 - Which one to choose - b2b or b2c for hardware startups, with Balint Horvath, your host, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-04-25-053-which-one-to-choose-b2b-or-b2c-for-hardware-startups-with-balint-horvath-you) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#066 - How to apply lean startup principles to hardware, with Ash Maurya of Leanstack, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2019-01-16-066-how-to-apply-lean-startup-principles-to-hardware-with-ash-maurya-of-leanstac) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#020 - Executing lean and agile retail growth for your startup or SME, with Benjamin Ertl of Retailbound, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-04-05-020-executing-lean-and-agile-retail-growth-for-your-startup-or-sme-with-benjamin) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#047 - RERUN - How next-generation retail looks like, with Vibhu Norby of b8ta, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-01-31-047-rerun-how-next-generation-retail-looks-like-with-vibhu-norby-of-b8ta-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-14-141-product-sales-process-for-hardware-startups. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.