r/Sales_India

I’m posting this because I genuinely want perspective from people working in SaaS/startups in India. I’m trying to understand whether my expectations are unrealistic, or whether I’ve slowly taken on much more responsibility than my compensation reflects.

I’m 22-23, based in Mumbai, and joined an early-stage SaaS startup around Aug 2025 as an intern. I later converted to full-time around Nov 2025 at ₹40k/month fixed. No commissions initially, no incentives, no ESOPs, etc.

And honestly, the environment itself isn’t bad overall.

The founders are relatively young themselves (late 20s), the culture isn’t toxic in the traditional corporate sense, and the startup atmosphere is generally energetic/flexible compared to rigid corporates. Which is partly why I stayed and took ownership seriously.

But over time, expectations have increased significantly.

My work currently includes:

• lead research
• ICP identification
• prospecting using Apollo
• outbound calling/emailing
• qualification
• scheduling demos
• CRM tracking (Zoho mostly)
• follow-ups
• post-demo nurturing/chasing till close

The founders usually handle the actual demos, but I’m heavily involved before and after the meetings, and sometimes during negotiations/follow-ups too.

The company sells SaaS/software subscriptions to brands on a recurring monthly basis. Clients typically pay anywhere between roughly ₹20k to ₹1L+ per month depending on brand size and requirements.

This is why I’m conflicted about the current compensation structure.

Because unlike one-time sales, this is recurring monthly SaaS revenue. One client alone can potentially generate several lakhs over time if retained long enough.

And currently, the company is heavily focused on revenue growth before future investor/funding rounds.

For context:

before aggressive outbound efforts, company revenue was reportedly around ₹2L/month even after a 2-3years.

Currently it’s reportedly around ₹5L/month and growing.

Again, I’m NOT saying I alone caused this growth. Founders close deals, product matters, and obviously many things contribute.

But at the same time, I do feel I’ve contributed meaningfully to pipeline generation and recent growth because:

• many newer accounts/leads were sourced or initiated through me
• I consistently generate among the highest meetings in the team
• some of the brands I brought in are recognizable consumer/quick-commerce brands and even legacy brands
• a large portion of recent client additions came through outbound efforts I handled or initiated

So mentally it creates this weird disconnect where:

the company wants founder-level ownership and hustle, but compensation/reward structures still feel very employee-level and static.

Official office timing is 10-6, six days a week including Saturdays. But increasingly, there’s expectation to:

• stay till 7-8 PM
• “take ownership”
• work with startup intensity
• push harder for revenue growth
• think like builders rather than employees

And honestly, I understand startup realities and investor/revenue pressure.

But I’m starting to feel disconnected from the upside.

One thing that’s especially bothering me is that there still isn’t any proper upward reward structure tied to:

• revenue growth
• company growth
• campaigns
• pipeline contribution
• performance improvement
• extra ownership

I honestly expected that in an early-stage startup, as revenue and pressure increased, there would eventually be some structure where stronger contribution would translate into proportionally stronger upside/rewards.

But till now, there hasn’t really been any meaningful structure around that.

No proper revenue-linked upside.

No milestone rewards.

No campaign-based bonuses.

No meaningful ownership incentives.

No scaling compensation structure aligned with company growth.

Recently they introduced an incentive structure:

₹1k per meeting AFTER crossing 25 meetings.

Meaning:

\- first 25 meetings = nothing

\- only after that, ₹1k per additional meeting

And these are outbound meetings, not inbound warm leads.

Honestly, the structure itself feels psychologically unmotivating.

Because outbound prospecting is mentally draining work:

• researching
• finding decision makers
• getting responses
• qualifying
• handling rejection
• following up repeatedly
• scheduling meetings
• nurturing till close

And despite increasing expectations, there’s still:

• no meaningful revenue-linked incentive
• no proper campaign rewards
• no milestone bonuses
• no structured upside tied to performance growth

One incident that affected me mentally recently was a Bangalore physical-meet campaign.

Founder was travelling to Bangalore for around 1.5 weeks, and the sales team (3 people including one co-founder) was asked to generate around 10 physical meetings each within a limited timeline.

There was no incentive/reward announced for the campaign.

No bonus.

No reward structure.

No upside.

The “motivation” said in the meeting was basically:

“Whoever gets the least meetings is gay.”

Honestly, that genuinely discouraged me and reduced my motivation toward the campaign because it made the effort feel undervalued and unserious despite the pressure and expectations attached to it.

Ironically, despite personal issues/leaves during that period and despite feeling demotivated, I still ended up generating the highest number of physical meetings in the team.

I got around 5-6 meetings.

The other BDR and co-founder got around 2 each.

And honestly, I know I could have performed even better if there was proper motivation, ownership, or reward alignment attached to the campaign.

So mentally I’m conflicted because:

• I genuinely appreciate the founders
• I’ve learned a lot here
• I understand startup struggles are real
• I know I’m still young and growing

But at the same time:

• expectations keep increasing
• ownership is expected emotionally
• hours extend beyond official timings
• six-day workweeks are normal
• pressure is rising
• but upside still feels weak and poorly structured

And in SaaS sales specifically, motivation and ownership are heavily tied to incentives.

So I wanted honest opinions from people in SaaS/startups:

1. Is this compensation structure normal for an early-stage SaaS BDR in India?
2. Is ₹1k/meeting after 25 meetings considered weak/fair/normal?
3. How are SDR/BDR incentives usually structured in Indian SaaS startups?
4. Am I undervaluing my contribution because I’m not the one giving demos?
5. At what point does “startup ownership mindset” become under-compensated labor?
6. Is six-day workweek + extended hours generally expected in startup SaaS sales at this pay level?
7. Is it normal for startup sales teams to have almost no meaningful reward structure tied to campaigns/revenue growth?

Would genuinely appreciate honest opinions from founders, SDRs, AEs, startup employees, or anyone in B2B SaaS.

TL;DR: 22-23 y/o BDR at an early-stage SaaS startup in Mumbai earning ₹40k fixed while handling outbound prospecting, qualification, demo scheduling, follow-ups, and contributing heavily to pipeline growth. Company sells SaaS subscriptions worth ₹20k-₹1L+/month to brands, and revenue reportedly grew from ~₹2L/month to ~₹5L/month during aggressive outbound growth phase.

Despite increasing pressure, six-day workweeks, extended hours, and strong “ownership” expectations, there’s almost no meaningful reward structure tied to performance or revenue. Current incentive is only ₹1k per meeting after 25 outbound meetings. Trying to understand if this is normal SaaS startup culture in India or if I’m genuinely under-compensated.

throwaway account etc.Just completed appraisals and finalized increments for a 40 member sales team in multiple countries. SaaS, consulting, custom development and Analytics. Hikes ranged from 2% to 20%. Highest fixed salary in India is 60L and globally is $220k. Commissions are typically 1x to 2x of fixed. I realised some people may be trying to understand how non-number factors influence your appraisal and increment. Happy to answer any specific questions in case it's of interest.

Yo, been down a rabbit hole for the past few months.

It started when I noticed Duolingo, Suno, and Lovable were all growing like crazy without massive ad budgets. Like genuinely outsized growth for what they were spending. I started digging into how.

Turns out all big western companies are running large-scale UGC campaigns. 

The model works because of two things: volume and velocity. A lot of content hitting at the same time creates a density that looks like a trend. Algorithms love trends. 

What bothered me was nobody was doing this properly in India. Indian brands are still stuck in the "pay one big influencer and hope" loop.

But when I tried to use the model in India, I got:

• 2M+ views
• 35k+ signups
• With just 50K as budget in just 5 days

 

It was mad easy with my structure. Curious to know what you guys think of pay per view UGC content.

I want to know how much do outbound tele callers with <3 YOE earn in India?

i’ve been trying to sell into clinics the last few months and honestly… cold email gets ignored, calls get screened, linkedin is just noise

whatsapp is the only place where i’m actually getting replies, purely because it feels real

most people mess it up by going straight into a pitch. “we offer xyz”, “we help clinics do this”... instant ignore

what’s worked for me is opening in a way that feels like a normal message, something specific to them, not a generic opener. something that makes them pause for a second instead of immediately thinking “this is sales”. it’s basically a pattern interrupt

for example, instead of pitching, i might say something like “quick one - tried reaching out yesterday and wasn’t sure if it went through”

it’s simple, but it feels human. and it gets a response

from there it’s not about dumping info or trying to prove how smart you are. i used to send long breakdowns, numbers, full explanations… they’d read it and disappear. zero calls

now i keep it light and just give enough to create a bit of curiosity. if they’re interested, they’ll engage. if not, they won’t

you also have to be comfortable with friction. people will question how you got their number, assume it’s spam, or just be blunt. that’s part of the channel, not a sign you’re doing it wrong

the reason it works is simple. it’s direct, it’s personal, and it hasn’t been completely destroyed yet

but you can’t treat it like email or linkedin. the second it feels like a script, it’s over

still early days for me, but it’s the only channel right now where i can consistently get decision makers to actually respond

curious if anyone else here is using whatsapp seriously for b2b?

I’m currently looking for remote opportunities in B2B sales, lead generation, or business development.

I have hands-on experience in:

• Generating high-quality leads using tools like Apollo, LinkedIn, and AI-based workflows
• Outreach strategy (cold email, LinkedIn, funnels)
• Building and managing sales pipelines
• Understanding SaaS, AI tools, and service-based businesses
• Closing and nurturing clients

What I bring:

• Strong focus on revenue generation from day one
• Practical execution (not just theory)
• Ability to build systems for consistent lead flow
• Fast learner, adaptable across industries

I’m especially interested in:

• SaaS companies
• AI/automation services
• Agencies looking to scale outbound sales

Open to:

• Full-time / Part-time

• remote

• hybrid

If you’re looking for someone who can actually generate leads and help grow your business, feel free to DM me or comment below.

We worked with an education brand in the skill development space that had a common problem: Multiple programs, but no clear system to scale leads efficiently.

So we rebuilt their entire ad structure from scratch. The Setup Duration: ~90 days Channel: Meta Ads

Instead of running everything through one funnel, we split campaigns based on intent and offer: Instant form leads Website conversions Messaging (DM/WhatsApp) Webinar registrations

The idea was simple: Different users convert differently — so stop forcing one path.

The Numbers Over the campaign period: 1.42M+ impressions 806K+ reach 660+ total results (leads + conversations) This wasn’t one viral campaign. It was multiple funnels working together.

What Actually Worked Some standout performance buckets: 152 messaging conversations (job-focused offer) 65 leads from consulting funnel (high efficiency segment) 42 website leads via webinar funnel 70+ combined website leads from high-intent campaigns

What We Learned Clear pattern: Outcome-based offers (like job guarantee) drove the highest intent Webinar funnels worked best for warming up cold audiences Generic course ads had higher costs and lower conversion rates So instead of scaling everything… We doubled down on what users already responded to.

The Real Strategy Most ad accounts fail because they try to scale ONE funnel. We didn’t. We built: Multiple offers Multiple funnels Multiple conversion paths Then let performance data decide where to push spend.

Final Takeaway If you're running ads for education or info products: Stop thinking in terms of one funnel. Think in systems.

Some users want to chat. Some want proof. Some need a webinar. Some are ready to convert immediately. Build for all of them.

That’s how you scale.

Hi,

I am planning to hire my First SDR for my Shopify Development Agency.

1. It can be full time or Part time.

2. One should have an experience in Outbound Sales.

3. Candidate should know how SaaS sales works.

4. For non full time it will be Commission based as much as 20% per sale.

There will be no upper bound.

the thing is, i am doing bsc in a worthless degree in a t67 clg and i dont wanna plan on doing masters and i have financial constraints at home soo i'd have to work as a salesperson

sooo like what should i do ??? in which sales field i should enter ???

i am quite good in speaking english and i present things confidently, and i am better at irl communication rather than phone call, sooo in which sales field should i get into ??

i know basics about sales, like there'd be small basic pay of 5-6k and its more of incentive driven thing, hence i'd get commission based on my work

I run a structured online guitar coaching program and I’m currently looking for serious sales partners who can help bring in students.

This is not a link-spamming role. The work involves having real conversations with potential students, understanding their goals, and guiding them toward enrollment.

If you’re good at communication, can build trust, and are willing to put in consistent effort, this can become a reliable income stream.

What we offer to students: • 1-on-1 live classes (60 mins, twice a week)

• Every session is recorded for revision

• Personal dashboard with structured roadmap

• Feedback on practice between sessions

• A guided learning system, not random YouTube learning

Plans & your earnings:

• Plan 1: $60/month → you earn ₹1,000–₹1,200 per enrollment

• Plan 2: $160 (3 months) → you earn up to ₹3,000 per enrollment

Why work with us: • Payout within 24 hours of each confirmed enrollment (UPI)

• Performance bonuses (₹500 for 3 enrollments, ₹1,000 for 5)

• Full onboarding support so you can confidently pitch and close

• Opportunity to move into base pay + commission for consistent performers

This is best suited for people who are serious about building income through sales, not for those looking for quick, low-effort money.

If this aligns with you, send a message or apply and I’ll walk you through the details.

This will be a bit of a long post. But for anyone running an online business, it could save you months off your learning curve, and at the very least, you'll leave with insights that took me years to learn.

Founders, coaches, consultants, and business owners across industries are slowly waking up to the same harsh truth: Distribution is the new moat.

No matter how good your product or service is, if you don’t have a strong way to get it in front of the right people, you’re basically invisible. 

That’s why the smartest ones are shifting their focus from just creating better stuff to building better distribution channels.

However, the number one mistake I see people make (especially on Reddit) is they build an audience and immediately start selling to them. Sometimes, people don’t even bother building an audience first. They just jump straight into selling.

Let me tell you why this is a losing game. 

The barrier to entry for creating content and marketing is basically zero now. That means insane competition. Everyone’s fighting for the same eyeballs. People are skeptical of anyone new, they’re overwhelmed by too many options (paradox of choice is real), and even if you manage to build some trust and relevance, there’s always someone willing to undercut you on price or hype.

On top of that, the attention you get is rented, not owned. Likes, views, reach, and algorithm love are all temporary and completely out of your control. Even followers and subscribers aren’t fully yours. The platform still owns the relationship.

(Quick note: Substack is one of the few public platforms that actually lets you do this well because you own the subscriber list from day one — but that’s a topic for another day.) 

So, what is the solution?

Use public platforms to grab attention, then quickly convert that attention into your own private distribution channel (email list, SMS list, or a private community) by offering something irresistibly valuable for free in exchange for their contact info (lead magnets).

This list is pure gold because it’s filled with people who have already raised their hand and said, “I’m interested in what you do.” 

Once they’re on your list, you can nurture them properly. You keep giving them value, create a positive reinforcement loop where they actually look forward to hearing from you, and slowly build real trust. 

By the time you make an offer, they’re already invested in you. The trust issue is mostly solved, and they feel like you’re more relevant than the random competition, and your conversion rates end up way higher.

Why Building a Private Distribution Channel is Non-Negotiable

A private distribution channel is basically your owned audience and consists of your target audience who have willingly given you permission to contact them directly. This usually means an email list, an SMS list, or a members-only community like Slack, Discord, or even a WhatsApp group.

Here’s why it’s honestly non-negotiable if you’re running an online coaching, SaaS, or B2B business:

a) Predictability: You’re in full control. You decide exactly when to send something and what to say. No algorithm gets to randomly bury your message or kill your reach on a whim.

b) Higher Conversion: The people on your list already know you, like you, and (most importantly) trust you. They’ve been positively reinforced to get rewarded for engaging with you. That’s why good email lists regularly see open rates between 20-40%, compared to the pathetic <5% organic reach most people get on social media these days. They’re way more likely to actually pay attention… and eventually buy.

b) Real Asset Value: A list of just 5,000 genuinely engaged subscribers is worth infinitely more than 100,000 “followers” who barely see your stuff. Businesses sell or leverage their lists for six or even seven figures. It’s a real, tangible business asset.

d) Long-term Control: Platforms rise and fall. Algorithms change overnight. But your list travels with you forever.

How to Get People Lining Up to Be On Your List

You don’t build a list by begging people to subscribe. That never works.
Instead, you create something so valuable that people WANT TO hand over their email in exchange for it. That’s what a strong lead magnet is.

There are many ways to think about lead magnets, but I’m going to borrow Alex Hormozi’s lead magnet framework for now. 

He breaks it down simply: strong lead magnets usually fall into 3 types and can be delivered in 4 formats.

The 3 Types of Lead Magnets

a) Reveal a problem: Show people a gap or issue they didn’t fully notice. This creates urgency and makes them want a fix. (Think audits, quizzes, scorecards, or assessments.)

b) Free trial / sampler: Let them experience part of your service or product. Once they feel the value, trust builds fast and conversion gets easier. (Free trials, sample lessons, limited-access tools.)

c) One step of many: Solve one small part of a bigger problem. They get a quick win but quickly realize they need the full system to finish the job. (Templates, scripts, mini-guides, even free service.)

The 4 Delivery Methods:

You can deliver these as software/tools (spreadsheets, calculators), information (guides, short courses, playbooks), services (audits, reviews, free setup), or even physical items (books, branded stuff).

Bottom line: A good lead magnet either exposes a hidden problem, gives them a real taste of your solution, or solves one step that naturally leads them toward your paid offer.

But here’s the thing: competition is getting brutal, and AI is flooding the market with generic info and basic knowledge that is way too easy to create. If your lead magnet is just another mid “10 tips” PDF or recycled advice, people will sniff it out instantly and bounce. You need to deliver something exceptional, unique, or genuinely original. Stuff that feels fresh, actionable, and actually worth their email.

An Alternative to Traditional Lead Magnets

Some businesses can even skip the traditional lead magnet route entirely and go straight to building a private community (Discord, Circle, Skool, Facebook Group, or even a simple WhatsApp group).

Communities are powerful because they do two jobs at once: they act as the irresistible free offer that pulls people in (will explain why in a second), AND every member automatically becomes part of your owned list. The ongoing conversations keep them warm and engaged naturally.

I saw this work really well for a client I was working with in the coaching space. We built a community that hit 100+ members in just 30 days and closed their first paid client from it without YouTube, LinkedIn, or paid ads. 

They positioned it as a space for people on the same journey. The value was exclusive insights they don’t share publicly, plus direct access to the coach answering questions and clearing doubts personally (instead of one-way content). 

The real hook was giving them a small taste of the coach’s attention and effort in a group setting. They get quick, actionable answers, but not full 1-on-1 hand-holding. If someone started asking for more and more, they’d gently point them toward my paid one-on-one coaching.

This approach works especially well for high-ticket coaching and consulting businesses because people get to experience your style firsthand, which builds way more desire than weekly emails ever could.

No matter whether you use a classic lead magnet or a community, though, getting the contact is only step one. The real challenge is what happens next. You have to follow up with consistent value and real relationship-building. Otherwise, even the best lead magnet turns into a one-and-done transaction, and people will eventually ignore, forget, or unsubscribe.

You Can't Build a Private List Without This Step First

You can’t build a private distribution channel in a vacuum… obviously. You still need an audience to convert in the first place.

That’s where public platforms, like X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, etc., come in. Think of them as your acquisition layer. However, you don’t need hundreds of thousands or millions of followers to do this. You just need enough of the RIGHT people consistently seeing your content.

Plus, what matters more than big numbers is platform fluency. Every platform has its own culture, acceptable tone, and content formats that work (or get completely ignored). Master the culture, and even a few high-quality posts can drive hundreds of sign-ups and inbound DMs. 

For example:

• On Reddit, obvious self-promotion flops. It has to feel subtle and genuinely helpful.
• On Twitter/X, strong opinions and sharp, short insights tend to win.
• On LinkedIn, storytelling and professional takeaways perform better.

(And yeah, your content still has to actually be good. I’ve shared my take on the future of GOOD content in a previous post).

Right now in 2026, Reddit remains one of the highest-leverage platforms for many businesses for three big reasons:

• Insanely high-intent users (people go there specifically to solve problems)
• Zero ad spend needed if you play by the rules
• Perfectly segmented subreddits full of your exact target audience

Let’s say your target audience is Shopify owners. There are Shopify-related subreddits with 100k+ members, full of store owners who are exactly your ideal customers. Building that same audience from scratch on YouTube or Instagram would take years. I’m not saying you shouldn’t post there eventually (you should), but Reddit gives you much faster access to people who are actively looking for help.

But most people completely butcher Reddit because they treat it like regular social media. It’s not. It’s a community-first platform where people expect real peers, not marketers pushing products with zero social awareness. You can’t just promote your product/service directly in those subreddits or you’ll annoy people and risk getting banned.

The key is understanding Reddit’s culture: create genuinely useful, relevant content for the subreddit while staying close to the problem you solve. Don’t mention your product at all in the posts. Instead, write in a way that sparks curiosity and pulls people to check out your profile.

That’s where you can talk about your stuff more freely: pinned post, strong CTA in your bio, link to your lead magnet, etc. And importantly, all your CTAs should sell the lead magnet, not your actual service. 

This approach works especially well for SaaS/tools that solve real problems, niche education/coaching businesses, and B2B services where expertise is the product. 

I’ve done it many times across niches and industries, so I’ve gotten the hang of it but if you’re starting out, it'll take some trial and error to get fluent at it. 

That said, I’m not telling you to pick just one platform and ignore the rest. For building your private list, you should show up on as many platforms as makes sense for your business. The trap is trying to create original content from scratch for every single one. 

This is where repurposing and AI come in. One strong piece of content can become 10–15 pieces across different platforms.

Pick the highest-leverage platform that’s working best for you right now (for many niches, that’s Reddit or LinkedIn right now) and create the original “source” content there first. Then break it down and repurpose it everywhere else.

For example, if Reddit works for your niche, write a clear, detailed, genuinely useful Reddit post. From there, it’s way easier to turn it into a YouTube script, reframe it as an email newsletter, or pull out the best points for a Twitter thread.

This is exactly where AI becomes super useful. Once you’ve written the core idea and insights in your own voice, AI can speed up the whole repurposing process of reformatting, adjusting the tone, or restructuring it for different audiences. What used to take entire teams now happens in minutes.

One solid afternoon of focused creation can fuel weeks of content across multiple platforms, all while consistently driving people back to your lead magnet or community. That’s how you turn public attention into a real, owned distribution channel.

Anyway, that's all I've got. Now I want to hear from you. Agree, disagree, or have something to add from your own experience? Please comment below.

I’m currently working in the SAP ecosystem (Integration Suite / CPI / S/4-related work) and exploring different ways to grow without hiring a traditional full-time sales team.

I’ve been thinking more about a partner-led model instead of hiring SDRs/AEs:

• Someone already connected with enterprise clients
• They bring opportunities
• Delivery is handled by our side
• Revenue is shared per deal

For those who’ve worked in enterprise sales / consulting:

• Have you seen this model work well?
• How do you structure incentives to make it attractive?
• What usually goes wrong in these partnerships?

Genuinely trying to understand from people who’ve done this in real scenarios.

Happy to connect with anyone experimenting with similar models as well.

Hi,

I’m currently working on SAP Integration Suite (CPI) / S/4HANA-related projects and looking to collaborate with people who have experience in outbound sales or enterprise consulting.

This is not a typical SDR role.

I’m specifically looking for someone who:

• Has exposure to SAP ecosystem / enterprise IT
• Is comfortable with outbound or client conversations
• Ideally has some connects with companies using SAP

Engagement:

• Full-time / Part-time / Freelance
• Commission-based (can go up to 3–5% per deal)
• Deal Size are more than 10L+
• No upper cap on earnings

We handle the delivery side you focus on bringing opportunities.

If you’ve worked in SaaS / IT services sales or have been around SAP environments, this could be a good fit.

Happy to connect and explore.