The hottest Sales Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

What The Freemium!?

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1061 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
💼 Business Sales
  1. Freemium is an intentional business strategy that must be carefully constructed.
  2. Freemium is about offering a limited version of a product for free while charging for additional features.
  3. The goal of freemium is to attract users and build an engaged base that can convert to paid customers.

#44: Thought Experiment 2 - Why ever not AI SDRs?

OSS.fund Newsletter • 56 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
💼 Business Sales
  1. AI agents can qualify leads, personalize outreach, and book meetings faster and more reliably than junior SDRs.
  2. AI SDR platforms cost far less and ramp in weeks instead of months, so automate qualification and redeploy junior reps to relationship-building, strategic deal work, and account management.
  3. Audit your SDR activity to tag rules-based versus high-touch opportunities; if most qualification is automatable, freeing that time will speed learning, improve retention, and raise win rates.

The Ultimate Founder & Team LinkedIn Playbook (+ Free Templates)

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 86 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
💼 Business Sales
  1. Treat your LinkedIn profile like a landing page: be crystal clear who you help, what value you deliver, and what action you want people to take by using your banner, headline, and featured section as your CTA real estate.
  2. Turn employees into a distribution engine by leading from the top and removing friction — find internal thought leaders and give them ready-to-post templates, visuals, content calendars, incentives, and challenges so posting becomes easy and rewarding.
  3. Run a content engine that covers TOFU/MOFU/BOFU and focus on the fundamentals: add real value, engage with others, be authentic, and show up consistently to turn attention into pipeline.
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The Designer-Retailer Friction Edition

Why is this interesting? • 482 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Sales
  1. Selling through big online retailers can be both good and bad for small designers. They get exposure and orders, but sales events can hurt their sales at independent stores.
  2. Designers struggle with fluctuating order sizes. A big order one season can shrink the next, causing financial stress if they've expanded their operations.
  3. Payment terms with retailers can be tough. They usually pay on their schedule, which can lead to cash flow problems for independent designers.

It’s all about trials

Elena's Growth Scoop • 904 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
💼 Business Sales
  1. Trials help showcase a product's value and can increase pricing power.
  2. Trials should be tailored to specific segments for the best results.
  3. Different trial configurations exist, including when to start, what is offered, entry requirements, duration, and type of offer.

#1 Question You Need to Crush Your Niche

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 99 implied HN points • 25 Jun 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Success takes time and effort; it doesn't happen overnight. Jim Carrey's journey shows that hard work is key to reaching your goals.
  2. Understanding your audience is crucial. Asking 'What do they want?' can help you create something they truly value.
  3. Don't just settle for the surface; dig deeper to find unique insights. This can set you apart in a crowded market.

Growth Matrix

Elena's Growth Scoop • 825 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
💼 Business Sales
  1. Invest across all growth notions for a sustainable growth model.
  2. Sequence is key due to resource scarcity and focus.
  3. Play across all growth motion x growth lever combinations for effective growth strategy.

A letter to security vendors

Frankly Speaking • 457 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Sales
  1. Security vendors should simplify the buying process for their products. Many buyers find the current process too complicated and just want to try the product quickly.
  2. Today's security teams are often filled with technical experts who want hands-on testing. Vendors need to let these teams explore products to see if they work in their specific environments.
  3. The procurement process needs to improve since it's making things harder for everyone. Companies spend too much time managing vendor relationships instead of focusing on security.

3 Essentials That Will 2x Your Landing Page Conversion Rate

Nail It and Scale It • 59 implied HN points • 15 Jul 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Make sure your landing page clearly explains what you're offering right away. If visitors can't understand it quickly, they're likely to leave.
  2. Build trust by showing strong brands you've worked with, sharing positive customer reviews, or highlighting any expert endorsements. This makes visitors feel more secure about their decision.
  3. Keep the action simple. Have one clear button for what you want visitors to do, and ensure the page loads quickly without distractions. The easier it is, the more likely they will take action.

The Week In Recommendations 5.10.23

Rich Text • 727 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🎭️ Culture Sales
  1. Profile of a fraudster, buzzy TV shows, and Mother's Day sales featured this week
  2. Discussion on the New York Times profile of Elizabeth Holmes and differing perspectives on it
  3. Reviews on TV shows like 'Ted Lasso' and 'Dead Ringers', along with a Bridgerton prequel

The Best of MRR Unlocked 2025

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 43 implied HN points • 28 Dec 25
💼 Business Sales
  1. Build a strong GTM foundation before you scale: be clear on one primary ICP, your positioning, and your dominant go-to-market motion so growth is repeatable, not random.
  2. Continuously analyze and refine your ICP and messaging as your product and market evolve, and keep that messaging consistent across website, content, outbound, and demos.
  3. Use founder-led channels like LinkedIn intentionally so content compounds, and focus on one or two high-impact growth channels plus a simple, documented sales process to drive wins, retention, and expansion.

Tool, Bring Me The Horizon, Anberlin

Stream N' Destroy • 334 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🎶 Music Sales
  1. Bring Me The Horizon's song 'Kool-Aid' debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.
  2. New Brit certifications for Blink-182, Disturbed, and Korn for their music achievements.
  3. Updates on album sales, streams, and attendance from various rock bands and artists.

Dinners are the new trade shows. Here’s how to run them well

MKT1 Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
💼 Business Sales
  1. Dinners and small hosted events are a high-leverage B2B channel because they let you control the guest list, create real human connection, and focus on active pipeline accounts instead of spraying money at trade shows.
  2. To make a dinner worth it, be strategic: pick target accounts, treat each dinner like a campaign with pre/during/post touchpoints, and nail the three Ps—people, place, and programming—so conversations actually move deals and surface insights.
  3. Make dinners repeatable and measurable by building systems: track campaign influence in your CRM, standardize invites and personalized 24–48 hour follow-up, and document a playbook so you can scale and prove ROI.

Meet more of the Clipboard Sales team

Creating Value from Nothing • 53 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
💼 Business Sales
  1. The Clipboard team values real connections, giving employees a lot of freedom and support to build relationships with clients. Strong leadership is present in the field, not just behind a desk.
  2. Employees at Clipboard experience fast growth and ownership in their roles, allowing them to take on responsibilities quickly. This makes their work exciting and fulfilling, creating strong team bonds.
  3. There’s a positive company culture focused on learning and impact, where feedback is welcomed. This environment helps employees tackle bigger challenges and feel proud of the difference they make in people's lives.

The definitive product positioning framework

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 749 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Choosing the right customer segment is crucial for your product's success. Different segments have different needs, and you need to focus your strategy accordingly.
  2. Positioning isn't something you can just test quickly with A/B tests. It's more of a strategic choice you make at a higher level, affecting how you market and present your product.
  3. Your homepage is the best place to show your product's positioning. It should be clear and accessible, so everyone inside and outside the company understands it.

Caveat emptor: product-led growth in cybersecurity can be a great idea, but it can also hurt or even kill security startups

Venture in Security • 235 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Product-led growth in cybersecurity can be beneficial for growth and reaching security practitioners.
  2. Product-led growth can harm cybersecurity startups by undermining traditional sales channels, causing revenue cannibalization, and leading to misplaced focus.
  3. Startups should carefully consider if their product is suitable for self-serve, avoid jeopardizing sales opportunities, and focus on value over rapid implementation of PLG.

🚗beep beep, I'm on a road trip

Mehdeeka • 4 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
💼 Business Sales
  1. Only sell features before they're built if the launch will happen within your average sales cycle, and be upfront about timing with clear “coming soon” messaging.
  2. Artful, minimalist ads can do heavy lifting for positioning — spending on creative brand moments signals luxury and makes higher prices feel believable.
  3. Keep messaging simple (ELI5), start early on EOFY campaign and sales-incentive planning, and get customer insight now by talking to sales, listening to calls, or checking dashboards.

The 10 biggest mistakes I made bootstrapping to $1M ARR

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 788 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Launching on Product Hunt was a big effort, but it didn't really help with getting customers. It was a good learning experience, though, and helped shape our messaging.
  2. Hiring digital marketing agencies didn't work out well because we didn't understand marketing ourselves. We realized we needed to learn the basics to direct our strategy effectively.
  3. Spending a lot on affiliate marketing and event sponsorships didn't pay off. Having a great product isn't enough; you need a solid plan to get others to promote it effectively.

How to Push Back on High Quotes or Pricing

Nail It and Scale It • 59 implied HN points • 13 Jun 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. There are different pricing models like Cost Based Pricing, Value Based Pricing, and Competitive Pricing. Each has its own approach, and knowing these can help you negotiate better.
  2. When facing a high quote, compare it with multiple offers to push back effectively. This gives you leverage and helps you find a fair price.
  3. Being clear about what you're willing to pay and understanding the value of the service can help you have better negotiations without getting stuck on high quotes.

6 founders sharing their mistakes & tips going from 0-1

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 56 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
💼 Business Sales
  1. Focus on one clear, painful problem and validate it with real paying customers before you scale. Do regular discovery, prioritize their feedback, and keep iterating until you reach product–market fit.
  2. Own and double down on reliable go-to-market channels instead of depending on rented platforms; build community, integrations, referrals, and launch often. Start manually (onboarding, outreach) to learn what works, then scale the proven plays.
  3. Hire and structure the team smartly and keep product craftsmanship disciplined: bring in senior people early, avoid premature VP titles, be ruthless about hires, and pay down tech debt. Keep onboarding and pricing simple so customers don’t get overwhelmed.

Challenging the Status Quo in Shipping

Startup Pirate by Alex Alexakis • 235 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Harbor Lab helps shipping companies automate and manage port expenses efficiently.
  2. Traditional industries with low tech adoption present immense opportunities for startups.
  3. Harbor Lab's vision includes building a marketplace to connect shipping companies directly with suppliers, cutting unnecessary costs.

FDE Should Mean Forward Deployed Executive

Tippets by Taps • 12 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
💼 Business Sales
  1. Customers will pay to embed experienced leaders into their organizations to lead AI and data strategy, not just to buy software.
  2. Being embedded as a leader turns you into an extension of the customer, revealing real constraints and feeding those insights back into your product and roadmap to build more value and trust.
  3. Reframe the FDE role from a scrappy implementer to a forward-deployed executive whose judgment and experience drive decisions, which changes hiring, pricing, and the kinds of customer relationships you pursue.

Last Call to Save 25% on Your Subscription

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 695 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. You can get a 25% discount on an annual subscription to The Free Press, which costs $60.
  2. The subscription offers full access to articles, investigations, and popular columns, as well as the chance to join discussions in the comments.
  3. Subscribers will also get early access to tickets for special events, including debates and book talks.

The state of B2B merch in 2026

Mehdeeka • 8 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
💼 Business Sales
  1. Treat merch as a strategic, measurable marketing tool tied to revenue; focus on converting the undecided audience and run A/B tests to prove impact.
  2. Make merch useful and experiential — personalisation and on-site customisation or problem-solving items increase keep-rate and memorability.
  3. Use small-batch, targeted activations for ABM and earned media by sending thoughtful, timely gifts with digital tie-ins and repurposing designs across channels.

Book publishing's sonic boom

SHuSH, by Kenneth Whyte • 235 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
📚 Literature Sales
  1. Audiobooks continue to experience significant growth, representing a considerable portion of book sales.
  2. Audible, owned by Amazon, remains dominant in the audiobook market, with a large lead over competitors like Spotify and Apple.
  3. The audiobook industry is crowded, with various retail platforms and production houses vying for content and market share.

When should you offer a productized service?

Kenny’s Sub • 199 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
💼 Business Sales
  1. Productized services are service offerings that are made to be like products with clear packages and prices. This helps both service providers and clients understand exactly what to expect.
  2. There are many benefits to productized services, such as easier pricing, scalability, and clearer communication. However, this model isn't for everyone and might limit customization for clients with specific needs.
  3. To create a productized service, it's important to define what you offer clearly, set up attractive packages, and build trust with potential clients through testimonials and clear terms.

When should you cross-sell?

Startup Real Talk • 291 implied HN points • 21 May 25
💼 Business Sales
  1. Don't rush to cross-sell. In the beginning, most customers may not buy extra products from you, so it's better to focus on growing your customer base first.
  2. Avoid getting distracted by cross-selling. Stick to what you do best to keep your business moving forward.
  3. Wait until your customer count is larger before cross-selling. The more customers you have, the better the chances of successfully selling additional products.