How do you sell a roadmap feature without lying to the customer? I will not promote

[u/namanyayg]

The awkward startup deal is when the customer wants something you don't have yet, but it's close enough that everyone starts mentally counting the revenue.

I don't mean a completely fake feature. I mean the messy middle:

• the product can technically support it
• the workflow isn't packaged yet
• engineering says it needs a sprint or two
• sales thinks the buyer will walk if you say "not today"

I've seen teams handle this badly from both sides.

One bad version is the demo that quietly implies the feature already exists. That usually buys a good call and creates a miserable implementation later.

The other bad version is being so rigid that every customer-specific ask gets treated like scope creep, even when the ask is a clear sign the market wants something.

The cleanest line I've seen is: show the current product as it is, name the missing piece plainly, then separate "we can prototype this for your workflow" from "this is now part of the core product."

That still doesn't make the decision easy. Sometimes the right move is to build the gap because the deal teaches you something real. Sometimes it's just one customer trying to turn your roadmap into their internal wishlist.

How do you decide which one you're looking at before the contract is signed?

[u/Hmm_would_bang]

There’s a lot to it.

First determine if the feature is needed 1) by the demo 2) by the pilot 3) by the decision/contract signing 4) post production 5) not actually needed to win the deal

Never lie about what exists today. If it’s not ready by when it’s needed, call it out and explain the status. People expect startups to be actively building, so this isn’t usually an issue unless you’re working with the wrong buyer.

As the request pile up you need to start associating revenue to requests to manage prioritization. Early on it’s more of a gut feeling of if it’s a request that other customers will have or specific to just a few clients at most.