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If you hate your job and dreaming about starting a business, here’s the truth...
...nothing happens until a sale is made...
Not a logo. Not a website. Not your social media strategy.
Sales are what make your business real.
This page is your no-fluff guide to understanding what is a sales process — the exact steps that take you from "I have an idea" to "I made my first sale."
Why Sales Should Be Your First Focus (Not the Last)
You might feel tempted to spend weeks on branding, tech, or even business cards.
Here’s a hard truth: none of that matters if you don’t know how to sell your product or service.
Check this for yourself - almost 90% of startups fail.
You need to give yourself a chance to not be on the wrong side of that statistic. You need to learn the process of how to sell your product or service, first up.
If you're trying to escape your job and build something of your own, you need proof your idea works and that proof is a paying customer.
Yes, there are other factors that make a successful business. Many components that I will help you build later. These include, target marketing, business structure, recruiting, capitalization, and a multitude of other issues.
You do not need to fill your head with these at this point.
The sales process is the starting point.
Trust me, I was in business for 35 years from a startup. I have coached and mentored since retiring in 2005.
It is my aim to help as many of you as I can through this website.
It all starts because you hate what you do. I get it. I have been where you are.
My journey started from I hate my job to quitting and starting a business which I sold for much more than I could ever believe.
Let me mentor you through this exciting journey.
Hello, I’m Daryl Pratt
I am a mentor, a coach and a guide.
I mentor, coach and guide people to escape the job they hate.
I have been helping folk like you since 2005.
I created MENTORaUS.com to give practical and proven tips, tricks and strategies to move you from a job you hate to doing something you love.
Within this website I share my knowledge, wisdom and experience culminating from the hundreds of hours listening and teaching folk just like you to make a change.
It will not be easy but it will be well worth your time and effort, I guarantee.
I have been where you are.
I know what it feels like to hate your job.
I know what it is like to get out, quit, change and build a life you enjoy.
Whether it is finding a job you love or finding a pathway to building a business.
It is my turn to pass it on, to pay it forward.
Life is short my friend so the sooner you control your destiny the better.
What is a sales process. Let’s break it down.
You don’t need to be a natural-born salesperson.
You just need a process.
Here’s a simple sales blueprint for what is a sales process that anyone can follow:
Sales start with finding the right people.
Your “prospect” is someone who might want or need what you offer.
Start by casting a wide net — then narrow it down, and refine it.
Then cull and delete. This process delivers your best chance of getting in front of a 'red hot' prospect.
Think about:
Do your research.
Start small then build your list.
You’re not selling the product yet. You’re selling a conversation. That’s it.
The goal is to get the prospect to agree to a short chat where you can listen, learn, and present a solution (aka your offer). Whether it’s Zoom, phone, or face-to-face — this is the first sale the first real win.
The golden rule: sell the appointment not the product or service.
Here’s where new founders blow it.
They launch into a full product pitch before knowing anything about the person they’re talking to.
You do not want to do this. Instead, you ask questions. Then you listen.
Genuinely attempt to understand their situation.
Create and build rapport by asking feeling and fact finding questions. (This will be covered in a later post)
Then — and only then — do you show how your product or service will fix their issue.
Expect some pushback. Understand it is not a rejection — it’s curiosity, hesitation, or maybe fear.
Objections are signals that the prospect is still interested, just not convinced yet.
Address their concerns without going on the defensive.
Stay calm, stay helpful, and stay in control. (there is a process for this)
This is the moment. This is your moment of glory. This is where the rubber hits the road.
Now, ask the right closing question (we’ll go deeper into this later in 'Using Closing Questions').
“Would it make more sense to start with the full solution, or would you prefer the trial version to test it out?”
Then — and this is key — stop talking.
SHUT UP
Let them decide.
(There will be more on this later.)
You don’t have to be slick or aggressive.
You just have to be committed.
Committed to:
If you can make your first sale, even to one person, you’ve proven your idea has value in the real world.
If you can do it once, then you can do hundreds of times.
In the next part, we’ll dig into Finding The Right Prospect — and how to figure out exactly who you should be talking to, even if you’ve never sold anything before.
You’re not just learning sales.
You’re building your future.
You got this.
Let’s go.
Finding the Right Prospect.
No matter how amazing your product or service is, you can’t make a sale if you’re talking to the wrong person.
When you first start a business, it’s tempting to think, “Everyone could use this!” , "Everyone is a prospect".
But that mindset is a waste of time.
Here’s how to go from “everybody” to "my perfect prospect".
Experience isn't the best teacher, experience is the only teacher.
Confidence comes from experience