Founders often assume that sales processes of a later-stage company are what they should be doing too, like building out an automated sales sequence. It feels grown up. It feels like the obvious thing to do.
But the average outbound sales sequence for a later-stage org is built on things that early startups just don’t have. Things like:
- A proven target market that has been sold to consistently and successfully over a period of time
- Clarity of that buyer’s honest needs
- A definition of their target buyer’s psychographics and demographics
- An understanding of how they work, talk, and think
An early-stage startup (specifically, one that has less than fifty repeatable sales to one customer type) doesn’t have these things yet. You’ll have hypotheses about these things, but they’re not proven.
You’ll want to build outreach methods that match this reality.
Building a tricked-out sales sequence without the proven inputs to make that sequence successful just isn’t the highest-return approach to booking calls. It's not what you want as the centerpiece of your outreach strategy. This has become especially true in 2025 – a year where I’ve seen buyers become increasingly skeptical, stressed, and swamped with AI-generated crap.
So if outbound sequences aren’t the most effective way to connect with your customer, what the heck is?
I’ve seen the following tactics consistently deliver results:
- Hyper-personalized outreach
- Owning your status as an early-stage startup and leveraging it to book more calls
- Narrowing down your target buyer – I mean, REALLY narrowing it down
In my free workshop on Tuesday, I’ll share more on why I’m bought in on tactics like these, how I’ve seen them work for startups I work with, and how you can start using them immediately.
And if you’re a founder or teammate who's early in the sales journey (zero to fifty repeatable sales), I'm so curious what’s been working (or not working) for you. Hit reply and let me know, or let's chat live.
upcoming events
How to Win Early Sales (even in a downturn)
Tuesday August 12 at 12 ET
Come for the underrated tricks to early-stage sales, stay for my latest takes on how to actually book sales calls in the age of AI over-saturation. Register here.
"My Product's Not Ready" and five other myths about early-stage sales
Wednesday September 3 at 12 ET
If you've found yourself mysteriously blocked on sales despite your best intentions, this workshop is for you. We'll cover the common myths that founders hold about selling and reframe them. You'll leave with new perspective, agency, and tools to win deals and manage the mental game of selling. Register here.
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This is Extra Extra, a newsletter about the tactics and mindsets that drive early sales. I’m Caroline Fay, an exited social impact founder who’s spent my career launching and selling new products. I help non-traditional tech founders build sustainable, recurring revenue.
grow revenue ON YOUR TERMS
- Early Sales Cohort Program: A new, more cost-effective way for founders to get all the curriculum and coaching needed to reach sustainable, recurring revenue. The next cohort starts on September 15. Have questions? Let's chat.
- Sales Consulting: If you’re looking for hands-on support to grow or refine your startup’s sales process.
- Trainings for Accelerators: Sales workshops for early-stage founders, from someone who's been there.
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Caroline Fay
