Your CRM probably contains millions of dollars in imaginary revenue.
Climate tech and energy startups often mistake customer interest for buying intent. “Really interesting” and “this fits our decarbonization strategy” feel good, but they don’t pay the bills.
This episode applies lessons from The Mom Test to help founders separate compliments (like your mom would make) from real demand and build an evidence-based pipeline, not an optimistic one.
Seven things you’ll learn in this episode:
- Interest isn’t intent. A compliment from a prospect is not evidence of demand.
- Diagnose before you pitch. Spend more of the first meeting understanding the customer’s problem than explaining your technology.
- Quantify the pain. If the customer can’t put a dollar value on the problem, solving it may not be urgent.
- Find the budget. Innovation teams may love your technology without having authority or money to buy it.
- Identify the real buyer. Learn who controls the budget and who ultimately signs off.
- Demand commitment. A credible opportunity should produce a concrete next step, not another “let’s stay in touch.”
- Audit your pipeline ruthlessly. Revenue forecasts built on enthusiasm instead of budget, authority, urgency, and commitment are mostly fiction.
Read more:
https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com/p/the-sales-mistake-that-kills-climate
--
More stuff:
Join our private CEO peer group in energy, infrastructure, industrial tech, and climate tech:
→ entrepreneursforimpact.com
Join 40,000+ and read our free Climate CEOs newsletter:
→ entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
Listen to similar Climate CEOs podcast episodes:
→ The $1.5 Billion Solar Heat Project Replacing Fossil Fuels | GlassPoint: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-%241-5-billion-solar-heat-project-replacing-fossil/id1561411048?i=1000797249318
→ The $440M Bet to Reinvent Climate Innovation | NY Climate Exchange: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-%24440m-bet-to-reinvent-climate-innovation-ny/id1561411048?i=1000796086419
→ "Give First" Mindset: VC Investor Lessons That Catalyzed 4,500+ Startups | Brad Feld: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/give-first-mindset-vc-investor-lessons-that-catalyzed/id1561411048?i=1000722651181
Help our podcast guests and leave a rating or review on Apple or Spotify.
→ Thanks in advance!
Join 97,000+ and take my (possibly free) course, Renewable Energy & Green Building Entrepreneurship:
→ coursera.org/learn/renewable-energy-entrepreneurship
