Pipedrive: From Sales Struggles to Success: The Journey by Founders Timo Rein, Urmas Purde, and Martin Tajur.
Company profile
Company business details
Motivation to build the product
The founders were motivated by their own experiences in sales and the challenges they faced in managing sales processes. They recognized the need for a tool that could simplify and enhance the sales experience for teams, leading to the creation of Pipedrive.Problem that their product solves
Pipedrive solves the problem of disorganization in sales efforts, which is a common issue for sales teams. The end users are small and medium-sized businesses that need a structured way to track potential customers and manage sales activities. Solving this problem is important for these businesses as it leads to improved sales performance and efficiency.Their unfair advantage
Pipedrive's unfair advantage lies in its user-friendly interface and focus on sales pipeline management, which allows sales teams to visualize their processes and collaborate effectively, setting it apart from more complex CRM systems.Strategies
Pre-Launch (Product Development & MVP)
Community Relaunch
The founder noticed that the startup community chapter in Italy had been inactive since 2018. To address this, he decided to relaunch the chapter by organizing events with great speakers, similar to those he enjoyed in Barcelona. He underwent six weeks of training with fellow chapter directors to prepare for this initiative, aiming to revive the community and provide a platform for networking and learning.
Global Market Approach
Pipedrive's co-founders decided to approach the global market from day one, recognizing that their home market in Estonia was too small to sustain their business. They understood that targeting salespeople, rather than executives, would fill a significant gap in the market. This decision was driven by their personal experiences in sales, which highlighted the need for a user-friendly tool that catered to the complexities of sales processes. By thinking globally from the outset, they were able to create a product that resonated with a diverse customer base, leading to a more sustainable revenue model.
Launch Stage
Building a Global Community
The founder's startup, Hello Expert, aimed to create a global community of travel experts and travelers. This involved connecting individuals to share travel knowledge and experiences. By positioning the company as an official partner of the startup chapter, the founder leveraged the existing community to promote the startup and attract users.
Initial Subscriber Acquisition
To acquire the first subscribers for Pipedrive, the founding team leveraged their personal networks. They reached out to contacts who were likely to benefit from the product, offering them a chance to try it for free. This grassroots approach helped them gain initial traction and valuable feedback before officially launching the product.
Customer Support as a Conversion Engine
Less than a year into the business, Pipedrive scaled its support team significantly, transforming them into a key conversion engine. The support team was tasked with engaging trial users, answering their questions, and assisting them in onboarding. This approach not only helped users navigate the product but also effectively turned support interactions into sales opportunities, as the team became instrumental in converting trials into paying customers.
Learn more about Pipedrive
Timo Rein (Pipedrive) - How we built a Unicorn: The story of Pipedrive
Timo Rein on growing Pipedrive from 1,000 customers to over 30,000
