Steli Efti

Discover tips for founders on how to hire a startup’s first employees. Learn how to evaluate candidates and which traits to look for in a startup employee.

Steli Efti shares his tips for using founder-led content marketing as a strategy to fuel early stage startup growth.

B2B SaaS founder Steli Efti shares his customer acquisition strategy for startups. Learn key tactics to acquire your first 10, 100, and 1,000 customers.

Nearly every successful startup undergoes a pivot at some point. Steli Efti shares his advice for when and how to pivot your startup idea.

Close founder Steli Efti had six failed attempts before getting into Y Combinator. Learn what worked–and what didn’t–in the process.

Steli Efti shares his advice for B2B SaaS startup founders looking to bootstrap—aka launch and scale a business without outside funding.

Every small business founder faces a choice: to scale or not to scale? Learn how to build systems and operations to help you grow beyond solopreneurship.

Discover the key to supercharging your sales team by hiring the right sales consultant. Ready to boost your team's performance? Let's dive in.

Lack of cash flow is the number one reason new startups fail. So, implement these six startup marketing strategies to get powerful wins and gain market share.

If you’re criticizing yourself during a sales call, you’re going about it all wrong. There’s a time and a place for self-criticism. Understand why you’re probably going about it the wrong way and how you can use it to improve your sales mindset.

Level up your sales game with 11 sales closing phrases that convert. This guide will explain how to keep a deal moving and turn prospects into customers.

Revamp your lead generation—and outreach success—with these 15 cold email templates. Snag compelling CTAs, engaging subject lines, & 7 best practices!

Stop guessing what your customers want. Our guide to a customer-centric sales process will teach you how to meet customers where they're at and build trust.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the close. Learn how to close a sale the right way with our step-by-step process and sales closing techniques.

Inbound is booming, but is it the best option for you? Outbound is classic, but is it obsolete? Explore inbound vs outbound sales: the what, how, and why.

We all hate note-taking, but strong sales call notes can help you impress your customers (and can even affect your bottom-line)! Learn how to improve and automate your sales notes.

Struggling to close deals? Learn how the MEDDIC Sales Methodology can find better-fit customers and win accounts over for life.

Struggle with LinkedIn outreach? Follow these 8 tips + 4 message templates to elevate your game, connect with prospects, and (ultimately) boost sales.

Sales objections can feel like the end, but you can turn them around. Learn these objection handling techniques to win more deals.

Good sales management accelerates revenue growth and takes the sales team to new heights. Unlock the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of effective sales management.

Master sales data with actionable dashboards, guiding you to build effective tools that spotlight key metrics and drive smart decisions.

Enhance sales with Close: Zoom integration for better CRM, efficient lead tracking, and insightful call recordings.

Get the best leads fast with cool email finders - they're a game-changer for your sales and growth!

Mock sales calls help sales reps gain confidence + close more deals. Here's how to do them right.

You’re in the market for a CRM for financial advisors. What do you need and where should you look? Here’s everything you need to know.

Uncover the latest B2B sales trends and learn how to evolve sales strategies for success in the rapidly changing digital marketplace.

Discover top lead distribution software to streamline your sales process and boost conversions effectively in our comprehensive guide.

Want to close more deals? Then you need to create urgency in sales. The seven tips in this article will help you do it without wrecking your reputation.

Explore the shift to permanent remote sales work post-COVID, how to find and excel in these roles, and the rise of remote sales jobs in the U.S.

Thinking you might pursue a sales career? Learn the roles, skills, (dis)advantages—everything you need to know about the industry.

Explore essential inside sales metrics and strategies for achieving your sales goals, perfect for remote and in-office sales professionals.

Discover how to craft engaging job descriptions with our guide, featuring expert tips and templates for attracting top sales talent in just 14 seconds.

The better your sales reps sound on the phone, the better they sell on the phone. Here are the 3 best sales headsets to win deals this year.

57 of the best sales prospecting tools (free & paid) for you to use in 2024. Sales tips and practical examples included.

Here's a fun way to broaden your sales horizon—24 of the best sales movies for sales reps to learn and study from.

It's easy to focus on the first contact-but the follow up is the key to making sales. Here's how to get it right.

Looking to create sales demos that sell this new year? Here’s your step-by-step guide as well as the industry-leading best practices you need to succeed!

Cold calling is one of the oldest forms of marketing, yet not much has changed since it first came about. Read on and see why salespeople still cold call.

Wondering how to send meeting request emails that actually convert? Here’s the basic rundown as well as 7 sample meeting request email templates.

Supercharge inside sales with B2B cold email templates! Use curiosity hook, 10X personalization + more for high prospect engagement.

CRM software helps you store customer data, create a sales process, and nail forecasting all in one. See our picks for the best CRMs for startups in 2024.

Sales funnel empty? Try these 22 killer lead generation ideas to find qualified leads and drive revenue—templates, webinars, events + more!

As a real estate agent, staying organized is the key to success. Enter: our guide to the best real estate CRMs on the market today.

The average cold call conversion rate is 2%, which sucks. But it's not the whole story. Learn how to improve cold call success rates by looking at the whole funnel.

Personal, face-to-face selling is back post-pandemic. Brush off the dust and rust, and test out these tips for closing deals during in-person sales calls.

Want to supercharge your sales? Learn the 7 soft skills salespeople need for success and actionable tips on how to help improve them.

Spend more time selling by leveraging the top sales automation software tools. Here's how to choose the right one.

Use these cold calling statistics to gain incredible insight and maximize the effectiveness of your sales calls in 2024.

What'll next quarter bring? Our free sales forecasting templates will help your sales team predict revenue and learn what works in your sales process.

Get an immediate dose of the best sales quotes to motivate yourself and your team to close more deals.

Highly targeted lead generation can be the difference between a growing business and one that’s about to tank. Learn what is lead generation, plus strategies to implement.

New to cold calling? We’re about to dive deep into how to start cold calling, why this is a key sales activity, and tips for successful cold calls.

How often do you conduct sales call reviews? Once a week? Once a month? Take a moment to answer that question.

LinkedIn is a powerful platform—if you use it right. This guide will teach you to generate leads with LinkedIn so you can crush your sales quotas.

It's not always Hunters vs. Farmers in sales: they can work together to reach their goals. Learn how hunting vs. farming works in sales.

Good cold call scripts boost sales rep confidence, engage prospects, and close deals. Get 15 scripts, + templates & examples to nail every call.

You work hard to connect with prospects and book sales meetings. That's why no-shows hurt. Don't worry, I'll give you eight tips to avoid them.

Enhance customer experience & build loyalty with 12 customer intimacy strategies. Nurture relationships like a marriage for lasting success.

Developing effective sales messaging involves using the right words to explain how your product can solve your customers' problems. Learn how to make your message stand out.

Wondering why you can't reach quality prospects with your phone calls or follow-up emails? Learn how often to follow up in sales (hint: it’s more than you think!)

Your business needs a customer relationship management system—learn how to use Google Sheets as a CRM, and get our free Google Sheets CRM template.

Forget guesswork and intuition: learn how to perform sales data analysis and end up with actionable results for your sales team.

Ready to upgrade your CRM? An Excel CRM template is a great start. Check out our guide to building a CRM in Excel (+ our free template)

The right sales organizational structure can make or break your company. Here are the most popular structures and when to use them.

Your sales team needs data—but not just any data. Track these top sales KPIs to measure performance, scale growth, and strengthen your market position.

Want to level up your cold outreach campaigns? Work to improve your email response rates. That way you connect with more prospects. Here's how to do it.

The breakup email is one of the most effective follow up email templates you can use when a prospect isn’t responding to your emails.

The best sellers build trust with prospects. This is much easier to do with a value based selling strategy. Read on to see if it's right for you.

Hone your sales development process + team to qualify leads, boost growth, and close deals—faster and better than ever before.

Rejection is never fun—especially when it comes in the late stages of a deal. Fortunately, these tips will help you deal with sales rejection effectively.

Are you a good listener? As a salesperson, nothing is more important. Learn how to improve your listening skills with these 8 practical tips.

A sales voicemail script helps you nail your next cold outreach call--even if you get their voicemail.

A couple months ago, you hired an ace sales rep named Mike. When he started out, he was out in the field crushing it every day, making 150–160 cold calls a day, setting up demos, and closing new customers.

B2B vs B2C sales: they share some similarities, but they’re also very different. Learn about business buyers vs individual consumers + tactics to win.

Ready to launch a new product? Follow these 17 steps to make sure your product launch strategy is on point. You'll be glad you did!

Looking to pour rocket fuel on your sales team? These 11 sales optimization strategies will help your department run like a well-oiled machine.

Want to close more deals? Use these 15 pipeline metrics to optimize your sales process, get better quality leads and boost your bottom line.

What’s the future of AI in sales? How have things changed since 2017? Let’s find out about the good sides of using AI and some weak spots (that are still there.)

Annual contract value (ACV) measures how much revenue a single customer brings in every year. Learn how to use this to prioritize accounts and get context for your business.

A well-defined sales cycle turns cold leads into customers. Here's how to create a well-oiled revenue machine, including templates, tips, and strategies.

What is an account executive? This role is a crucial part of the sales team, with responsibilities including acquiring and managing new clients & customers.

Maximize your potential with this comprehensive guide to startup sales. Learn from Close's founder about what it takes to achieve long-term success and scale up.

Sales discovery meetings are like the first dates of the sales world. Use this 7-step agenda to guide your meeting and make a memorable first impression.

What does it take to become a sales manager? Here are the top skills you need to take your sales career to the next level.

What is B2B sales? Basically, it means selling your products to another business. Learn more about the B2B sales process + how to overcome challenges.

If you want to succeed in SaaS, you must master SaaS sales. Unlock your team’s full potential with these 10 strategies.

Planning a virtual retreat for your company? We've walked that path. Here are 7 tips we learned. Implement them to ensure your retreat is top level.

Inside Sales vs. Outside Sales: is one option better? In short, no—you need to see which is best for your specific company & sales goals.

Not sure how to respond when prospects "dont' have time"? Here's what to say next if you want to close the deal.

Ready to supercharge your lead generation efforts? Invest in an email extractor tool. These are the 13 best ones on the market in 2024.

Want to know how to get past the gatekeeper? Don't stress! Do your research, provide value, and show them respect. (More tips inside!)

Facing a price objection? Remember—it’s not always about the price. Learn 18 strategies used by sales professionals to overcome price objections & win deals.

Which sales methodology is right for your sales team? Check out the 15 most popular methods, then learn how to create your own in this article!

Realtors that use cold calling are some of the highest paid and most successful due to connecting with quality leads. It's time to start cold calling.

Discover the benefits of in-person customer visits, and learn how to plan successful client visits to boost customer loyalty and gain valuable feedback.

Enterprise sales is the sales process you use to sell to large companies. Learn strategy tips for enterprise sales and how to get started.

Identify and avoid tire kickers in sales with 10 tips and 7 strategies. Focus on genuine prospects and save time.

Maximize the value of your lead lists with an email checker tool. It'll translate to significantly increased email delivery, open, and response rates as part of your outreach and marketing campaigns, helping your sales team connect with prospects more effectively.

Learn about the best alternatives to RocketReach to find emails, phone numbers, and other contact details to help you build business relationships and generate leads.

The one thing most beginning salespeople lack more than anything is the ability to sell with confidence. Being able to confidently deliver your pitch and answer the prospect's objections is one of the most important skills to master on your way to becoming a sales pro.