Why a strong sales team is the backbone of business growth: From startups to industry giants
In any technical or manufacturing-driven sector, innovation often grabs the headlines. Product launches, cutting-edge R&D, digital transformation – these are the visible markers of progress. But if you’re serious about growth, there’s one engine you can’t overlook: your sales team.
Regardless of company size, whether you’re a startup carving out your niche or an established OEM defending market share, the quality and structure of your sales function directly impacts how fast your ideas reach customers and how deeply your solutions resonate in the market.
Startups: Sales Is Your First Market Test
For startups, especially those introducing new technologies or disrupting traditional workflows, the sales team does more than close deals. They are your frontline researchers, customer educators, and product translators.
In early-stage businesses, sales often happens before the product is fully mature. You’re selling vision just as much as value. That means your team needs to wear multiple hats: part business developer, part engineer, part evangelist. Agility, curiosity, and the ability to build trust quickly are essential.
The best startup salespeople know how to listen first, sell second – feeding real-world insights back into the product team and helping shape the roadmap based on customer pain points, not just assumptions.
OEMs: Sales Is About Scale, Structure, and Strategy
For large, established companies, the challenge shifts. It’s less about proving your concept and more about deepening relationships, navigating complex procurement processes, and maintaining consistency across large teams.
At this level, sales is often specialized: key account managers, vertical market experts, and regional leads all play different roles in a more complex machine. Success comes from systematizing what works – leveraging data, refining playbooks, and continuously training teams to stay sharp in competitive markets.
A strong OEM sales team is one that combines deep technical expertise with process discipline. They know how to sell at scale without losing the personal touch and how to align internal teams across product, marketing, and operations to meet big-market demands.
Shared Truth: Sales Teams Build Momentum
Whether you’re pitching a prototype to your first customer or negotiating a multi-year contract with a global client, one truth holds: your sales team is not just a support function. They are your engine for momentum.
They turn product features into business outcomes. They bridge the gap between engineering and customer success. Perhaps most importantly, they carry the voice of the market back into your company, helping you stay aligned with what customers actually value.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
There’s no single blueprint for the perfect sales team. But there is a right fit for where your business is today and where you want to go. Startups need adaptability and vision. OEMs need consistency and scale. But all great sales teams share one trait: they make your business more than just a product. They make it a partner.
If you are looking for opportunities, or you are looking experienced sales leaders to join your team currently, feel free to reach out to Luca at luca@akkar.com
