Nicolas feuillade
Pragmatic
Boost your business growth. Expert in strategy and development, I help startups and SMEs conquer new markets
About me
Who am I ?
With over 20 years of experience in business development and strategy, I support startups and SMEs in their growth projects.
Whether it is to structure your sales, develop your network or conquer new markets, my approach is pragmatic and results-oriented.
My services
What I propose:
• Business developer: Partnership development and prospecting for startups and SMEs.
• Part-time sales manager: Sales structuring, commercial strategy, and operational support.
• International support: Market penetration in France and Europe."Do you have an idea or a product, but you lack the resources to market it? I'm here to help you generate your first commercial tractions."
According to my experiences
Areas of intervention
Business development: Definition of growth strategies, recruitment & management of a sales team, implementation of prospecting processes and development of a national or international network.
Support an investor and/or founder in monitoring and executing a startup’s commercial strategy: Guarantee the effective and consistent implementation of the defined commercial strategy.
Implementation in France or Europe: Assistance to French and foreign companies to establish or expand their activities in France. Also able to create a legal structure as well as agencies spread across French territory.
Discover my blog: a space dedicated to business growth.
Resources & Advices
In this blog, I share my expertise in business development and growth strategy to help startups and SMEs accelerate their traction.
You will find articles I write on customer acquisition, sales structuring and expansion to new markets, as well as publications selected for their relevance.
My goal: to bring you concrete and actionable insights to boost your development 🚀
A first discussion ?
Ready to take your business growth to the next level?
Contact me today to discuss.
Part-Time Sales Director: A Strategic Solution for Startups and SMEs
In a constantly changing economic environment, many startups and SMEs face a major challenge: structuring their commercial strategy and generating their first tractions, without having the resources to recruit a full-time Sales Director.
This is where the Shared-Time Sales Director comes in. A flexible, efficient solution adapted to the needs of companies in the launch or acceleration phase.Why a Shared-Time Sales Director?First sales are often the crux of the matter for a start-up or a growing company. It is not enough to have an excellent product or service, you also need to know how to sell it, to whom, and with what approach.
A part-time Sales Director immediately brings:
A strategic and operational vision adapted to the company's stage of maturity.
A rapid implementation of structured and efficient sales processes.
An optimization of sales tools (CRM, KPIs, lead management).
A valuable flexibility for companies that cannot yet hire a full-time permanent position.My Experience: Structure, Accelerate, Transform
With several years of experience in business development, I have supported companies in various contexts, ranging from international expansion to restructuring and the implementation of a scalable sales strategy.Here are some concrete examples of successful missions:
Ayruu:
Structure the Commercial Strategy and Accelerate Growth.
Context: An innovative start-up in the B2B travel sector, with strong potential but a need for commercial structuring.
Actions carried out: Implementation of a prospecting and customer acquisition strategy. Integration and optimization of HubSpot CRM to streamline the sales pipeline. Development of strategic partnerships to maximize commercial impact.
Results: 220% growth in turnover in two years and efficient structuring of the sales department.
Point Sys:
Recovering a Company in Difficulty
Context: A company in financial difficulty with an urgent need for repositioning and commercial optimization.
Actions carried out: Redesign of the commercial offer to meet new market needs. Renegotiation of customer contracts to secure recurring revenues. Implementation of rigorous monitoring of sales and margins.
Results: Repayment of €2M of debt, return to profitability and preparation for the sale of the company.
Internap Network Services :
International Development and Expansion
Context: A company wishing to develop on the French and Belgian markets.
Actions carried out: Development and implementation of an expansion strategy. Identification of priority markets and key partners. Structuring of a local sales team to ensure sustainable growth.
Results: Opening of new markets and acceleration of sales.
A Results-Oriented Vision for Startups and SMEs.
As a part-time Sales Director, I offer companies support tailored to their real needs.
Whether it is to structure a sales team, generate traction, optimize tools or accelerate growth, my goal is simple: transform a vision into commercial success.
Are you a start-up or a growing SME?
Do you need flexible and strategic sales support?
Let's discuss your challenges and see how I can help you achieve your goals.
Cold Calling in 2025: Still Effective for Generating B2B Leads?
1. IntroductionCold calling has long been a fundamental pillar of customer acquisition, but with the rise of digital and social selling, its effectiveness has been called into question. Has it become obsolete or is it still a strategic lever for companies? Discover the latest trends, figures and best practices to make it a powerful tool for B2B lead generation.2. The evolution of cold calling: from yesterday to todayThe beginnings: the era of mass callsIn the 80s and 90s, telephone prospecting was an essential sales strategy. Salespeople made calls one after the other, following rigid scripts, with the sole objective of getting an appointment or selling a product.The apparent decline: the emergence of digitalWith the rise of the Internet, email marketing and social networks, cold calling began to be perceived as an intrusive and less effective method. Many companies gradually focused on inbound marketing and automation to attract prospects in a more natural way.The revival of cold calling: a multichannel and strategic approachFar from being abandoned, cold calling has evolved. Companies understood that it could no longer work alone, but had to be integrated into a multichannel approach combining emails, LinkedIn and automation tools.
3. Why is cold calling still effective in 2025?Figures that speak for themselvesTelephone prospecting has an average conversion rate of between 1% and 3%, but when executed well, it can reach 15% to 20% in certain sectors such as B2B.Around 92% of customer interactions still start with a phone call.Salespeople who make 60 calls per day generate twice as many appointments as those who make less than 30.The importance of human contact in prospectingUnlike emails or LinkedIn messages, a call allows for direct and personalized interaction, facilitating the building of a relationship of trust. In an increasingly digital world, voice remains a powerful vector of engagement.The impact of modern tools on cold callingToday's telephone prospecting relies on tools that increase its efficiency:CRMs allow better tracking of prospects and structure follow-ups.AI and conversation analysis help to optimize scripts and identify the best hooks.Enriched databases (Sales Navigator, Apollo.io, Lusha) allow better targeting of decision-makers and increase the conversion rate.4. How to succeed in your telephone prospecting today?1. Preparation and targeting of leadsUse data to qualify your leads before calling.Use LinkedIn to understand the prospect's professional context.Prioritize calls between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., times when the response rate is highest (+46%).2. Personalization of the approachNo more rigid script, start a natural conversation.Mention relevant information about the prospect's company.Ask open questions to create an exchange.3. Multichannel strategy and prospect follow-upCombine LinkedIn, email and call to maximize the impact.Plan 5 to 7 attempts before concluding that a lead is not receptive.4. Objection management and closingAnticipate the most frequent objections.Highlight the added value rather than a simple product or service.
Conclude with a clear call-to-action (appointment, demo, free trial).**5. Which companies still use cold calling successfully?1. Gong.io: AI for intelligent cold callingGong.io uses conversation analysis to optimize its telephone prospecting. Thanks to AI, they increased their appointment rate by 30% by adapting their scripts and call times.2. Salesforce: Cold calling as a B2B growth engineSalesforce SDRs generate 40% of the company's sales opportunities thanks to a structured approach combining CRM, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and a speech focused on business value.6. ConclusionCold calling is not dead, it has evolved. Its effectiveness today is based on:A qualitative rather than quantitative approach.Integration with modern tools (CRM, AI, enriched databases).A multichannel strategy combining email, LinkedIn and telephone calls.Rather than avoiding it, companies must learn to use it intelligently to transform this method into a powerful growth lever.💬 And you? Do you still use telephone prospecting in your sales strategy? Share your experience in the comments!
Why is commercial traction the key to raising funds?
The fatal mistake of startups: waiting to sellMany entrepreneurs think that you have to build a perfect product before looking for customers. This is a mistake. Today, raising funds without proof of commercial traction is practically impossible.
Investors want something concrete: a product that solves a problem and finds its first users. In other words, they want to see numbers, not promises.Commercial traction: the sinews of warWhy is it essential?
1. Investors want to minimize riskA product validated by the market means that customers are ready to pay. Less risk, more interest from investors.
2. A lever to negotiate a better valuationA startup that shows rapid growth attracts more investors and can negotiate better financing terms.
3. Prove the existence of a marketAn idea, no matter how innovative, is only valuable if it finds buyers. Commercial traction is the best proof.How to start your first commercial tractions?1. Build a traction-oriented MVP
A MVP (Minimum Viable Product) should not be a technical prototype, but a tool to validate market interest.
Launch a landing page to test demand.
Offer pre-orders to verify purchase intent.
Offer a beta version to early adopters to get feedback.2. Test the market immediately
Don't waste time on excessive development. As soon as possible:
Sell before you build: propose an offer even if the product is not finalized.
Launch a pilot with a small group of customers to observe engagement.
Collaborate with strategic partners to quickly reach potential users.3. Use rapid growth strategies
Bootstrapping & Growth Hacking: virality techniques, influencer marketing, SEO.
Cold emailing and LinkedIn prospecting: identify and contact potential customers directly.
Rely on incubators and startup communities to accelerate visibility.Case study: how a startup raised funds through tractionLet’s take the example of a SaaS startup that wanted to raise funds. Instead of looking for investors from the beginning, it first launched a paid beta version. Result: 1,000 first users in three months. This figure was enough to convince investors and raise €500,000.Conclusion: Sell Before You RaiseDon’t make the mistake of delaying the marketing of your product.
- Test your market quickly
- Develop measurable traction
- Use it as leverage to raise fundsImplementing an effective sales strategy from the start is crucial, but each startup is unique.
Need tailor-made support to maximize your chances of success and raise funds?
Contact me and let’s discuss your project!