Sales

My client fired their entire SDR team on Tuesday By Friday, their pipeline had grown by 60% This sounds impossible It's not After auditing 50 B2B sales organizations over 10 years, I've uncovered the most expensive myth in modern selling: → The belief that MORE activity at the TOP of your funnel will fix conversion problems at the BOTTOM Let me share what actually happened: This mid-market software company was spending $350,000 annually on their 4-person SDR team - 100+ cold calls per rep daily - 17 meetings booked weekly - "Incredible metrics" according to leadership - But their close rate? A devastating 1.2% The VP of Sales was convinced they needed MORE outreach, MORE automation, MORE top-of-funnel I suggested something different: pause all prospecting for 7 days Instead, we had their account executives do something radical - engage with the 215 prospects already in their pipeline who'd gone cold after initial meetings Using a framework we developed: - 65 prospects responded within 24 hours - 41 booked follow-up meetings - 23 re-entered active buying cycles - 6 closed within 14 days (total value: $212K) The shocking revelation? - Their pipeline wasn't empty - It was overflowing with neglected opportunity. This company didn't have a lead generation problem. They had a lead nurturing catastrophe. By reallocating resources from mindless prospecting to strategic engagement, they've now: - Reduced CAC by 60% - Shortened sales cycles by 30% - 2x their close rate The counterintuitive truth: Sometimes the fastest path to growth is to stop chasing new opportunities and start converting the ones you've already earned. What percentage of your marketing and sales budget is focused on prospects who've already shown interest vs those who haven't? That ratio reveals everything about your future growth trajectory P.S. If you need help with your sales, send me a message

Branding in B2B is more important than ever. That's a fact...or better yet, facts! B2B marketing was once all about facts, figures, and rational decision-making. Creativity? That was for B2C. But in 2025, the game has changed. B2B and B2C buyers are the same humans, driven by emotions first, logic second. That’s why brand is now a company’s most valuable asset. Marketing Week reports a major shift: in 2021, lead generation ranked as the 3rd most important B2B strategy, now it’s 7th. Meanwhile, brand awareness jumped from 6th to the top priority in 2024. For years, B2B companies relied on product-first strategies, dropping most of the cash into short-term lead generation. But as differentiation becomes near impossible, with features and offerings being nearly identical, the real competitive edge isn’t what you sell, it’s how you make customers feel. AKA B R A N D. Why Brand Wins Over Product - IBM vs. cheaper alternatives? Trust. - Salesforce dominates CRM? Familiarity. Why do buyers choose one car over another with the same specs? Once again B R A N D. Branding isn’t about logos or colours; it’s about trust, credibility, and being top of mind at the right moment. But why invest in brand? - Reduces risk perception: A strong brand makes buyers feel safer choosing you. - Shortens sales cycles: Familiar brands require less convincing. - Attracts top talent: People want to work for admired brands. - Creates pricing power: Strong brands command higher prices. - Future proofs your business: Products get copied. Brands endure. 4 Key steps to build a strong B2B srand: 1: Shift from product to purpose to benefit. Stop marketing what you do. Start marketing why it matters. IBM helps businesses ‘Build Smarter Businesses.’ HubSpot helps them ‘Grow Better.’ Your brand purpose should be at the core of your ecosystem. 2: Tell better stories. People remember stories, not specs. Case studies, success stories, and founder journeys humanize your brand and build trust. 3: Invest in distinctive assets Logos, colours, taglines, music... and so on, they create instant recognition. Think Salesforce’s blue cloud, Slack’s multicolour hashtag, or AWS’s signature orange. 4: Play the long game brand building isn’t a quick win, it’s a long-term strategy. Top-of-funnel activities now drive more financial value than performance marketing, with CMOs allocating 51%+ of their budgets accordingly (Marketing Week). If branding is still an afterthought for your B2B strategy, it’s time to rethink or prepare to fade into irrelevancy very soon...In life, the best product doesn’t always win. The best brand does.

A market map with 10,000 companies is impossible to prioritize. These are the 300 to know. I was a VP of Product in sales tech. And I was frustrated with the maps I found. So I've been studying the space and speaking with experts. Here's the players you need to know: — ONE - Core: Revenue Operating System This is your CRM, your system of record - where your sales operation begins. I break this into 3 segments: Enterprise Platforms → Built for large organizations with complex workflows and high-volume deals → Salesforce, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP Growth-Stage Solutions → Designed for growing businesses that need scalable tools but with flexibility to adapt → HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, SugarCRM Modern CRMs → Startups and fast-scaling companies looking to move fast without rigid systems rely on modern CRMs. → Attio, Affinity, Close.io, Copper, Freshsales. — LAYER TWO - Engagement & Intelligence These tools power outbound outreach, automate sequences, and provide real-time data on prospects: → Outreach, Salesloft, VanillaSoft, Groove Engagement tools ensure your team hits the right prospect at the right time. — LAYER THREE - Revenue Acceleration These platforms shorten deal cycles: → Gong, Salesloft, Chorus.ai, Ebsta With real-time feedback and actionable insights... — LAYER FOUR - Data & Enrichment Your outreach is only as good as the data backing it. These platforms ensure you’re reaching out to right prospects. → ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, Clearbit, Lusha, Hunter io, Cognism — SATELLITE CLUSTERS - Modern GTM Stack These tools enhance parts of the GTM journey. AI-Enhanced Tools → Automate and personalize content creation at scale. → Writer, Grammarly, CopyAI, Jasper Product-Led Motion → Identify sales-ready leads through product engagement. → Pocus, Intercom, Breyta Sales Enablement → Equip sales teams with training, resources, and playbooks to perform at their best. → Seismic, Spekit, Allego Conversational GTM → Convert prospects directly through real-time chat. → Drift (now part of Salesloft) — SATELLITE CLUSTERS- Emerging Categories These are adjacent categories sales teams often still use. Product Analytics → Track user behaviors post-sale for better upsell and retention opportunities. → Amplitude, Mixpanel Customer Success → Ensure long-term customer retention and success beyond the initial sale. → Gainsight, Catalyst, Totango Workspace Integration → Enable seamless collaboration across sales and operations. → Notion, Slack, Airtable, monday.com Revenue Orchestration → Connect workflows across different systems to streamline revenue operations. → NektarAI, Tray.io, Workato, Boomi — This took a lot of time. Reshare ♻️ if you loved this post. What tools would you add?

Culture is everything 🙏🏾 When leaders accept or overlook poor behaviour, they implicitly endorse those actions, potentially eroding the organisation’s values and morale. To build a thriving culture, leaders must actively shape it by refusing to tolerate behaviour that contradicts their values and expectations.
 The best leaders: 
 1. Define and Communicate Core Values: * Articulate Expectations: Clearly define and communicate the organisation’s core values and behavioural expectations. Make these values central to every aspect of the organisation’s operations and culture. * Embed Values in Policies: Integrate these values into your policies, procedures, and performance metrics to ensure they are reflected in daily operations. 
 2. Model the Behaviour You Expect: * Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviour you want to see in others. Your actions should reflect the organisation’s values, from how you interact with employees to how you handle challenges. 3. Address Poor Behaviour Promptly: * Act Quickly: Confront and address inappropriate behaviour as soon as it occurs. Delays in addressing issues can lead to a culture of tolerance for misconduct. * Apply Consistent Consequences: Ensure that consequences for poor behaviour are fair, consistent, and aligned with organisational values. This reinforces that there are clear boundaries and expectations.
 4. Foster a Culture of Accountability: * Encourage Self-Regulation: Promote an environment where everyone is encouraged to hold themselves and others accountable for their actions. * Provide Support: Offer resources and support for employees to understand and align with organisational values, helping them navigate challenges and uphold standards.
 5. Seek and Act on Feedback: * Encourage Open Communication: Create channels for employees to provide feedback on behaviour and organisational culture without fear of reprisal. * Respond Constructively: Act on feedback to address and rectify issues. This shows that you value employee input and are committed to maintaining a positive culture.
 6. Celebrate Positive Behaviour: * Recognise and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees who exemplify the organisation’s values. Celebrating positive behaviour reinforces the desired culture and motivates others to follow suit. * Share Success Stories: Highlight examples of how upholding values has led to positive outcomes, reinforcing the connection between behaviour and organisational success.
 7. Invest in Leadership Development: * Provide Training: Offer training and development opportunities for leaders at all levels to enhance their skills in managing behaviour and fostering a positive culture. 8. Promote Inclusivity and Respect: * Build a Diverse Environment: Create a culture that respects and values diversity. Inclusivity strengthens the organisational fabric and fosters a more collaborative and supportive work environment.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

Demand Capture 101. This is actual data from a $60MM ARR SaaS company. Let’s break it down 👇   How a lead/account enters your pipeline is the biggest predictor of sales velocity metrics - win rates, sales cycle lengths, even ACVs.    Because how they enter your pipeline is a surrogate for buying intent & indicator of how far they are complete in the buying process.    Here’s how to measure it & use it to drive your revenue strategy:   1. Measure the Opportunity Source in Salesforce on the opportunity record.    Campaign Source = What campaign type did they convert on to move this opportunity into pipeline? (e.g. demo request, e-book download, cold call, trade show, etc.)   Source / Channel = What source or channel did they come from in order to convert? (e.g. LinkedIn ad, organic search, account intent data, ZoomInfo, etc.)    Using both of these data points combined will literally guide your strategy.    This shows you the optimal paths to *capture demand* and is easily measurable using software-based attribution.   2. Separate conversion sources between *Declared Intent* and *Low Intent*.    Declared Intent = The buyer declares intent to buy from you (e.g. Demo Request, Contact Sales) Low Intent = You assume the buyer has intent based on their digital behavior (e.g. ebook download, webinar attendee, trade show badge scan, intent data, etc.)    3. Calculate core sales analytics between the two sources.    Calculate conversion rates, lead-to-win rate, net new ARR, sales velocity, and more.    4. Visualize how much conversion intent matters to sales velocity and sales productivity.    149X higher lead-to-win rates for declared intent conversions   Declared intent = 26 “leads” to win 1 deal for $54k ARR Low Intent = 3,868 “leads” to win 1 deal for $130k ARR   18X greater sales velocity for declared intent conversions   Declared intent = $14.2MM annual sales velocity Low intent = $781k annual sales velocity 5. Recognize not all MQLs are created equal Measuring on MQLs incentivizes teams to get the most volume of MQLs for the lowest cost (low intent conversions), which is entirely misaligned with sales productivity and sales goals. Separate these into two Pipeline Sources (Declared Intent, Low Intent). Plan and build your goals for these two sources separately.   __   Now you know exactly HOW you want buyers to enter pipeline (capture demand) for maximum sales velocity & sales team efficiency. You also know exactly WHY buyers choose to take those paths to enter pipeline & WHAT triggers / channels / tactics move them to conversion. And with all of these insights, you can re-architect your strategy that optimizes for REVENUE. #revenue #sales #marketing #b2b #gtm p.s. Every SaaS company’s data looks like this, because it’s universal to how buyers buy. Most just don’t take the 3 hours of time to analyze their own data and see it for themselves.

What it means to shift from 'spray-and-pray' marketing to a unified, account-based GTM aimed at your exact ICP ⤵ Last September I featured a story about how Parabola did all this (a) in under 30 days, (b) without a RevOps team, and (c) with a TON of 🔥 automation. Here’s the update: pipeline has grown by 717% since September. All with the same size marketing team 🤯 How they rapidly built a scaled ABX motion from scratch: 1️⃣ Identified - ICP-fit accounts & contacts are sourced using Clay, Sales Nav, Cargo 🧱 and ChatGPT - All data gets pushed to Salesforce 2️⃣ Aware - Accounts get warmed up with LinkedIn paid ads, scaled email, LinkedIn connections and referrals – in addition to other bespoke tactics and campaigns - They are flagged as aware if buyers start engaging via email (2+ contacts with 2+ email opens), accept LinkedIn connections, visit the website, or engage in the community - Tools: website tracking (Clearbit, HubSpot), email & LinkedIn automation (Apollo, Outreach, La Growth Machine), community (Slack) 3️⃣ Interested - Accounts progress as they demonstrate more meaningful engagement & intent - Key signals include visiting high-intent website pages (ex: pricing page), starting a free trial, attending an event, etc. - Tools: webinar (Sequel.io), trial (Redshift), website tracking, product usage data, ETL 4️⃣ Evaluating - All of the above is meant to generate high intent, ICP pipeline for sales - Accounts progress here by booking a meeting with sales or requesting a demo - This is where more manual, high-touch outreach comes into play (aimed at warm accounts) - Tools: meeting routing & booking (Calendly), marketing automation (HubSpot) The big learnings over the past 8 months:  - Content & offers are everything for getting a response  - Not all triggers are created equal when scoring account stages  - The data won’t be perfect, don’t let that stop you  - The best GTM plays involve both marketing & BDRs This is what a focused GTM looks like. Marketing, sales, CS, product and even ops all play a role in building pipeline with the right accounts. Huge shoutout to the Parabola team (Alex Yaseen, Ben Pollack, Adam Reisfield) for taking folks behind-the-scenes! PS, Parabola just launched a game-changer for anyone interested in automating workflows like ABX stages (think Cursor for Ops teams). You can check it out here: https://parabola.io/ #abx #marketing #automation

Most AEs think the fastest path to $500K/yr is mastering closing. It’s not. The #1 factor that determines if you’ll ever see that kind of money? Your comp plan. Here’s a breakdown of what a “good” comp plan looks like: I’ve coached thousands of sellers. I’ve seen every comp plan under the sun. And here’s the truth: making $500K–$1M in tech sales isn’t just about hustle, mindset, or skill. It’s about driving the right vehicle. If you’re trying to win a Formula 1 race in a Prius, it doesn’t matter how great of a driver you are. Same with sales. You need the right plan, the right OTE, the right accelerators. Here’s the breakdown of what “good” looks like: 1. OTE (On Target Earnings). SMB → $100K–$150K Mid-Market → $150K–$200K Commercial → $200K–$250K Enterprise → $250K–$350K Strategic → $350K+ (yes, I’ve seen $400K OTEs) A healthy split is 50/50 base and variable. If you’re $200K OTE, $100K should be salary, $100K commission. 2. Quota to OTE ratio. This is EVERYTHING. Good comp plans follow the “6x rule.” Your quota should be ~6x your OTE. $150K OTE? Quota ~ $900K. $300K OTE? Quota ~ $1.8M. If you’re staring at a $200K OTE with a $2M quota… you’re underpaid. Period. 3. Commission percentage. Here’s how you know if your plan is good: Variable ÷ Quota = Commission %. 10%+? Solid. 5%? You’re basically working twice as hard for the same money. 4. Accelerators. This is where reps get rich. Great plans pay more the further you blow past quota: 100–150% = 1.5x 150–200% = 2x 200%+ = 2.5x Do the math: An Enterprise AE with a $300K OTE, $1.5M quota, and strong accelerators can hit $900K+ by getting to 300% of plan. That’s not a pipe dream. That’s how you turn a $300K “job” into a $1M “career.” TAKEAWAY Stop blaming yourself when you’re stuck at $150K. Sometimes it’s not you—it’s the plan. Top earners don’t just sell better. They pick the right vehicle, with the right comp plan, and then step on the gas. Choose wisely. Because the wrong comp plan = capped potential. The right comp plan = $500K+ career. Your plan matters. A lot.

Everyone gets ICP wrong. What people think ICP stands for is 'Ideal Customer Profile.' But here's the problem: Most companies define it like this: → 200+ employees → Technology industry → Series B or later → VP of Sales is the buyer That's not an ICP. That's demographics and firmographics. I want you to think about ICP differently. ICP = Ideal Customer PROBLEMS. Your real ICP isn't a company size or an industry. It's the customers who have the specific problems you solve. I was recently speaking at a conference with 150 CEOs in the room. I asked them: "What problems do you solve?" Four or five of them answered. Every. Single. One. talked about benefits. Not problems. "We help companies scale faster." "We improve operational efficiency." "We drive revenue growth." Those aren't problems. Those are outcomes. Problems sound like: "Our reps are wasting 3 hours a day on manual data entry." "We're losing deals because our follow-up takes 5 days." "Our managers have no visibility into pipeline until it's too late." THAT'S the level of specificity you need. Here's the truth: There are plenty of 200-person tech companies that don't have the problems you solve. And there are 50-person companies outside your "ICP" that are DESPERATE for what you do. Firmographics are just prerequisites. They increase the likelihood of the problem existing. But the problem is the actual qualifier. When you take a problem-based approach: → Your prospecting gets sharper → Your messaging gets clearer → Your discovery gets deeper → Your win rates go up Stop defining ICP by company size. Start defining it by customer problems. This will change how you target, who you target, how you message and most importantly how quickly you can close.

Loyalty is failing. Gen Z & long-term commitment. 22% of Gen Z consumers consider themselves loyal to one brand is a clear warning for legacy loyalty strategies. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z doesn’t see brand loyalty as a long-term commitment, they’re loyal to moments, not just names. +43% increase in engagement and sales conversions among Gen Z Beauty brands offering "limited-edition drops" and collaborative experiences. +71% Gen Z say they would rather spend money on an experience than a product. >>Loyalty is FAILING, but why<< +Transactional systems feel outdated: Point-based rewards for repeat purchases don’t excite this audience. They expect more than discounts or free samples. +They’re brand-agnostic but experience-driven: Gen Z freely switches between brands if the experience, aesthetic, or values feel fresher or more aligned with their identity. +They buy into stories, not just products: They want to align with brands that represent something, social causes, cultural movements, or communities they relate to. >>DYNAMIC LOYALTY<< What’s this? as it name indicates its a system that rewards interaction, aligns with their values, and constantly evolves. And that is what your brand needs. → Create experience-driven loyalty programs: Offer early access to limited drops, invite-only events, or backstage content. Think like a fan club, not a punch card. +Example: A loyalty tier that unlocks tickets to a pop-up experience or an exclusive AR filter. →Let them co-create: Invite Gen Z customers to co-develop product ideas, designs, or campaign themes. Give them ownership in your brand’s creative journey. +Example: Voting on packaging designs or joining beta tester groups. →Align with their values: Sustainability, inclusivity, and social good aren’t nice-to-haves. they’re expectations. Use loyalty programs to reward actions too, like recycling, sharing causes, or supporting small creators. +Example: “Earn loyalty points by returning empties or attending a sustainability workshop.” →Deliver constant novelty: Rotate limited editions regularly. Use scarcity and surprise to create FOMO and buzz. +Gen Z doesn’t commit to a single brand, but they’ll keep returning if each visit feels fresh and share-worthy. →Go omnichannel but social-first. Should live across TikTok, Instagram, pop-ups, and web. Let them earn or unlock rewards through social engagement, not just purchases. +Example: A user gets exclusive content or perks for creating UGC with your brand. Bottom Line. Loyalty must be earned over and over through experience, relevance, and emotional connection. Think dynamic loyalty: a system that rewards interaction and go for it. Find my curated search of examples and get ready for your next HIT. Featured Brands: Balmain Benefit Chanel Charlotte tilbury Cerave Fennty L’Oreal OGX YSL #beautypackaging #beautybusiness #beautyprofessionals #experienceretail #luxuryexperiences #genz