Maratón de expertos en startups 🏃 Miguel Ángel López Trujillo | Ventas para atraer inversores

The episode and conversation with Miguel Ángel López Trujillo focuses on how a startup needs to sell itself to become investable. The conversation was structured in three parts: what investors are looking for, how to meet those needs commercially, and what to do if the expected results aren't achieved. 1. What investors are looking for. For a fund to invest capital in a project, much more is needed than a good idea presented in a PowerPoint. Investors generally agree that there are three basic requirements for a startup to be attractive: that the business be viable, feasible, and investable. The most convincing way to demonstrate these three things is not with speeches, but with facts. Specifically, by demonstrating that the company—even if it's still in the MVP stage—is already capable of launching and selling to its first customers. This indicates that the team not only knows how to build a product, but is also capable of facing the realities of the market. Based on these initial sales, the startup can begin developing a better-fitting product and, furthermore, present figures that accurately reflect the business's situation, for example: Sales volume (MRR / monthly sales). Gross margin. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). Payback period (payback). And, in addition, other key indicators: Customer retention (if customers leave, there's no business). Lifetime Value (LTV). Burn rate and runway (how much customer churn occurs each month and how much time remains). These types of metrics not only help in making better internal decisions but also allow an investor to evaluate whether the project makes sense beyond the initial idea. 2. How to meet these needs from a business perspective. But of course… how can a startup meet these investor demands if it's still in MVP mode and the team is 100% technical and 0% sales-oriented? Well. In Spain, there are thousands of startups launched by people with in-depth technical knowledge of their sector, but with little to no sales training, which makes it extremely difficult to access the market and, therefore, to generate the numbers investors expect. After working with many cases like this—and having gone through similar processes myself when I transitioned from a PhD in History to selling consulting services—Miguel Ángel has developed a methodology for entering the market and starting to generate sales that not only contribute to revenue but also become solid investment arguments for funds and investors. The methodology is based on one idea: a startup can't wait to be "ready" to sell; it has to enter the market early to learn. The methodology is as follows: 1. First, clearly define who to sell to: not "companies," but specific individuals with the capacity to decide, pay, or influence. 2. Next, a conversational, non-aggressive approach is adopted: initially, the goal is to validate the problem and understand what the client values. 3. A volume-based and methodical approach is used: comprehensive lists, multiple contacts per company, and various channels to increase responses. 4. The friction of the first step is reduced: a short call (5 minutes) is requested, not a lengthy meeting. This process yields two things: initial sales and real data. This data then becomes investment justification (which client buys, which message resonates, and what the selling cost is). 3. What happens if, even so, the expected results are not achieved? When, after several months of selling, the numbers don't improve, it's important to distinguish whether the problem lies in execution or in product fit. If there are conversations, interest, and even trials, but no sales or repeat business, the problem usually lies with the product or the target audience. At this point, persistence won't solve anything; it will only lead to burnout. The solution lies in pivoting strategically, leveraging what we've learned from the market. Sometimes the change involves the target customer; other times, it's the problem being solved or the value proposition. It can also mean adjusting the price, the service format, or the delivery method. Don't miss this conversation and the rest of the talks in the marathon! --------------- 👟 JOIN THE STARTUP EXPERTS MARATHON 👟 Meet startup experts and delve into crucial topics for starting a business in Spain 👉 https://www.finanziaconnect.com/corp/... ------------------------- 📚 Download the ebook Investor Deck, surf your way to investors 👉 https://www.finanziaconnect.com/inves... 🏁 Meet other startup entrepreneurs 👉 https://www.finanziaconnect.com/empre... 📈 Finanziaconnect success stories here 👉 https://www.finanziaconnect.com/corp/... 💸 Meet some of the most relevant startup investors at Follow and Connect 👉 https://www.finanziaconnect.com/landi...