Insights-Driven Selling Models

The 7-Minute Dance Every medical sales rep knows the ritual. Wait in the hallway. Catch the surgeon between cases. Make your pitch. Seven minutes, if you're lucky. But here's what we miss: Surgeons aren't avoiding your product. They're avoiding the dance. Because surgeons don't buy products. They buy better outcomes. They buy reduced risk. They buy time. And time is the one thing they can't get more of. The traditional pitch - features, benefits, ROI - it's all about your clock, not theirs. What if, instead of trying to steal their time, you became a time giver? The best reps aren't hallway hunters anymore. They're insight providers. Problem anticipators. Complexity reducers. They show up with: "Here's what your colleagues are struggling with..." "This is what the data shows..." "I noticed something in your approach that could..." Suddenly, those seven minutes aren't about your product. They're about their practice. When you shift from selling time to saving time, the hallway becomes optional. Because surgeons don't need another vendor. They need a scout. An interpreter. A curator of solutions. The game isn't about catching them between cases. It's about becoming the case they want to make time for. How would your pitch change if you measured it in insights delivered instead of minutes stolen?

My sense is that time is ripe for it a pragmatic advisory for pipeline development. Not outsourcing, not BCG or McKinsey repackaging Mary Lou Tyler, but a real operational model focusing on the inherent failings in outbound in 2025. Why now? For years, outbound sales development has been treated as a volume game—measured in activity, not outcomes. But as markets get noisier and buying behaviors shift, predictable revenue models have started to break down. I Have spent years working on this problem, observing firsthand how TOF selling lacked the adaptability and precision found in modern operational frameworks - having sat close to 700+ sales transformations in 5 years and observing why virtually all of them have failed somehow.  The breakthrough was applying agile execution—continuous iteration, real-time feedback, and structured compensation alignment—to transform outbound from a guessing game into a predictable system. It’s the most significant shift in TOF sales since Predictable Revenue, and it’s solving the pipeline problem that tech-first approaches have failed to fix. If your team isn’t consistently generating high-quality pipeline, or if outbound feels too reactive and inefficient, let’s connect. I’d be happy to walk through how we help teams bloated by tech and management burden implement a scalable, predictable system for growth. PipelineOS isn’t a tool—it’s a system for execution. We bring an agile, data-driven approach to outbound by: Embedding Agile into Sales Execution – Treating outbound as a structured, iterative process that continuously improves through rapid feedback loops. Aligning Compensation with Execution – Moving beyond static quotas to models that reward speed, efficiency, and conversion quality. Eliminating Bottlenecks at TOF – Providing clear playbooks and real-time execution insights so leadership can diagnose and correct gaps before they impact pipeline Help you maximise and engineer better use cases and system adoption of your tech investments Teach leaders how to lead in this system of excellence.

Something remarkable happened when we started bringing Customer Success leaders into our sales conversations. The traditional sales process transformed into a strategic partnership discussion that benefited everyone involved. After implementing this approach across hundreds of deals, we discovered benefits that went far beyond our initial expectations. Sales teams gained a deeper understanding of post-implementation challenges, which helped them qualify opportunities more effectively. Instead of focusing solely on closing deals, they began asking questions about operational readiness, internal champions, and resource allocation. Prospects received authentic insights into what successful implementation truly requires. Our CS leaders shared real examples of customers who thrived and openly discussed common obstacles they might face. This transparency built trust and helped prospects make informed decisions. Better aligned customer expectations from day one. When CS leaders joined these conversations, they highlighted potential roadblocks and success metrics based on similar customer profiles. This practical guidance helped prospects understand the work required to achieve their desired outcomes. This early involvement proved invaluable for our CS team. They gained visibility into the customer's vision before contracts were signed, allowing them to proactively plan resources and create tailored onboarding strategies. A surprising result was the reduction in "rescue" situations during implementation. We eliminated many issues that typically surfaced months into the relationship by addressing potential challenges during sales discussions. The data supported our approach. Deals that included CS leaders showed 40% higher implementation success rates and 25% faster time-to-value. More importantly, these customers renewed at significantly higher rates. For those considering this approach, start small. Choose strategic opportunities where CS insights could substantially impact the prospect's decision-making process. Document the outcomes and refine your strategy based on that feedback. Great customer relationships begin with the very first conversation.

Spending 20 minutes crafting ONE impactful email beats blasting out 1,000 automated emails every time. Tech sales isn't about brute force anymore—it's about insight. Here's why buyers have changed and 7 tips to help you thrive: I’ve managed 100s of reps, sales teams and managers. In the early days, success came to those who could out-work the competition. Successful reps didn’t “always” need deep product knowledge or a clear grasp of the competitive landscape. Hard sales skills were enough. But those days are over... What sets today's top performers apart is their ability to research and understand the market. Buyers want insights. The reps who thrive are the ones who bring intense domain knowledge to the table. Here's why: 1. Buyers Are More Educated Today’s buyers know more about your product than the average rep does. They expect tailored answers to specific questions. If they sense a lack of knowledge, they’ll move on. 2. Market Is Flooded with Substitutes With so many similar products, the gap between competitive products has nearly disappeared. Relying on product superiority is outdated — sales reps need an understanding of both their product and competition to offer value. 3. Knowledgeable Sales Reps ARE the True Moat As product differentiation fades, your real edge lies in your GTM strategy and a core team of AEs who can navigate complex buying cycles. Buyers trust and buy from knowledgeable sellers. Here's how sellers must adapt: 1. Stay Updated Insist on regular marketing and competitive updates from your Product and Marketing teams. Knowledge is power, and staying ahead keeps you sharp. 2. Keep it Real Don’t rely on outdated claims about being better than competitors. Your competitors make the same claims. Buyers are smart; honesty about your strengths and weaknesses builds trust and credibility. 3. Deliver Insights Provide value with deal-specific insights at every interaction. Custom content, detailed responses to objections, and actionable advice will make you a trusted advisor. 4. Be a Hub of Knowledge Share anonymized best practices and insights gleaned from your conversations with other clients, you can position yourself as THE go-to expert. 5. Create Aha Moments Your buyer is likely well-informed and eager to move forward. Don't waste their time. Cut to the chase. Spark that "aha" moment and watch the deal accelerate. Make them successful at their jobs. They'll reward you. 6. Don’t Disappear After the Sale Keep sharing best practices and stay engaged after the sale. Building long-term relationships leads to repeat business and referrals. 7. Stay in Your Domain Stick with your niche when switching jobs. Choose to work for multiple companies in the same space. Over time, deep knowledge and connections in your field will provide an unfair advantage. The days of the pushy seller are over. Buyers are more demanding than ever. They want answers, not more meetings. The question is, will you evolve?

🔥 Funnels are dead... Here’s what replaces them and why it powers the future of GTM 👇 Yesterday, Colin Fleming at ServiceNow said it best: → "We said goodbye to the funnel. No tears." Funnels gave a false sense of control. → Stages → Playbooks → Reporting → Forecasts → Attribution But they missed the one thing that matters. Context. → What’s the buyer trying to solve? → What messaging will land? → What proof do they need? → What drives retention? Funnels were a workaround for missing context. And without context, GTM turns into: → Guesswork → Spray-and-pray → Disconnected experiences 🧠 What Replaces It? A GTM Value Map It’s not a static ICP or persona doc. It's a live, learning model running for every Account, Contact and Opportunity: → Goals and Pain → Triggers and Objections → Messaging and Proof that Converts → Confidence Level + Supporting Signals All continuously updated by data from web, product, CRM, calls, email, and support. And here's how it works across the full GTM lifecycle. ✅ 1. Better Prospecting & ABM It starts with a hypothesis. Agents scan CRM, web, product, email, and social: → What’s the account trying to solve? → What messaging will resonate? → What’s the confidence level? Accounts and contacts are auto-scored, segmented, and routed into: → The right campaigns → The right sequences → With the right message - at the right time ✅ 2. Better Sales Execution It becomes the business case. As AEs run discovery, agents learn and evolve the map: → What’s validated? → What’s missing? → What will win the deal? The Value Map becomes your sales asset: → Objection handling → Deal strategy → Competitive response → Forecast confidence Sales stops guessing. It starts compounding insight. ✅ 3. Better Customer Experience It becomes the customer success plan. Post-sale, the Value Map doesn’t disappear. It powers: → QBRs → Adoption strategies → Expansion plays CS knows what matters. Product gets true feedback. Leadership sees what’s working — in real time. One system. Every team. Learning together. 🤖 Powered by GTM Intelligence Infrastructure → Agents capture data → Context is built → Signals trigger workflows → Execution improves with every cycle 📉 Funnels were fixed paths. 🧠 Value Maps are dynamic engines. From SaaS-native GTM: → Funnels. Forms. Guesswork. To AI-native GTM: → Context. Signal. Action. Learning. If you’re still running GTM on funnels - you’re flying blind. 🔔 Follow for more AI and GTM insights and product drops 📩 Want to build your GTM Value Map? Drop me a DM. 🚩 Reimagining GTM with AI? Get in touch. I'd love to learn more.

ABM? Demand Gen? Call it whatever you want. I don’t care what you name it. What I do care about: ✅ Deeply understanding who your ideal customers are (and aren't) This means going beyond basic firmographic data. It means understanding the complex web of decision-makers, influencers, and gatekeepers within your target accounts. It means knowing their industry challenges, their personal career motivations, and the internal barriers they face when trying to drive change. Without this foundation, even the most sophisticated marketing strategy will fail. ✅ Meeting them where they already spend time and attention Your perfect message is worthless if it never reaches your target audience. This requires genuine insight into your prospects' information-seeking behaviors. Which communities do they trust? Which publications do they read? Which events do they attend? Which social channels do they actually engage with (not just scroll past)? Success comes from becoming a valuable presence in these existing spaces, not trying to force your audience into your preferred channels. ✅ Creating valuable touchpoints that build genuine trust Every interaction with your brand should deliver real value. This means moving beyond the surface-level "thought leadership" that floods LinkedIn feeds. Instead, focus on creating content and experiences that help your prospects succeed in their roles, whether or not they ever buy from you. Trust is earned through consistent demonstration of expertise and genuine commitment to your audience's success. ✅ Equipping your sales team with context for meaningful first conversations. Marketing's job isn't done when we generate a lead or book a meeting. We need to ensure our sales colleagues are equipped with the context and insights they need to continue the value-driven conversation we've started. This means sharing not just basic contact information, but deep insights about the prospect's engagement journey, the specific challenges they've shown interest in, and the contextual factors affecting their buying decision. Whether you call it ABM, demand gen, or just good marketing, the goal is the same: 📈 Get in front of the right buyers, 🤝 Earn their trust, 💰 Drive revenue. Too many teams waste time debating terminology when they should be focused on execution. The best marketing leaders don’t get caught up in labels—they build systems that generate demand and convert it into pipeline. I've been using Clay recently to understand deeper information about prospects who come into our database, and automate: 📰 Pulling news about the companies they work 📧 Building a waterfall to translate personal emails into business emails 🔎 Leveraging Capterra to get their pricing and competitor information ✍ Write a draft of an outreach email to them

Here’s EXACTLY how our best customers (fast-growing b2b companies like Iterable, Ashby, Thoropass) are thinking about account selection going into 2025: First, here’s what they’re NOT doing. - NOT spraying & praying to their TAM. Growth at all costs died in 2022. - NOT treating this as a one-time project. ICP is an ongoing program. - NOT guessing on ICP. They’re using data & statistics to validate an ICP model. Here’s how (5 simple steps): 1.) Describe your ideal accounts (with words, not filters) This template might help: ”We are best for {{specific types of}} companies, in {{specific markets or situations}}, with {{specific problems}}.” Starting with a vivid and detailed description of who you serve best helps you turn that detail into an ICP Model that actually works. 2.) Use “better if” statements to get deeper. This will help you get more concrete and translate into signals. Here are some examples for my business: - Better if growing AE and/or SDR teams. - Better if using Salesforce as source of truth. - Better if selling to multiple verticals. - Better if a territory planning project is coming up. - Better if RevOps team in-house. 3.) Translate into an ICP scoring model. Once they have a vivid description of their ICP, they translate that description into a model. The model is based on both their market insights AND customer analysis. The model is backtested against historical pipeline and customers. You can use Keyplay for this part or build something in house. 4.) Pick accounts and segments. Use their scoring model as the key input, they build account lists, territories, and prioritize plays to the best-fit accounts and segments. They use back-testing data to find segments with the best long-term economics (CLV) and/or the areas with high short-term potential (win rates, ACV, velocity). 5.) Practice “surround sound” marketing. Now they know where to focus. So instead of “spray and pray” they can double or triple down on the top tier accounts. They can create a surround sound effect for the best accounts, rather than a faint murmur for their entire TAM. Account selection isn’t the most glamorous work. But selecting the right accounts is some of the highest leverage work a gtm team can do. It’s upstream of everything. Working on this right now and want some help? Feel free to dm me. #b2b #marketing #sales

2024 New Logo Pipeline goes to teams that double down on: 1. PROSPECTING TARGET ✨ Target Accounts: Organizations with the highest likelihood of becoming successful clients based on market research, customer interviews, company data, roadmap, and real recorded buyer conversations. - TAM and ICP are not the same. - Niche down. - Don't leave prioritization of 2K assigned accounts up to salespeople sans arming them with data and research. ✨ Target Contacts: Prospect into the best entry points of an organization. - Map out the personas impacted by the problem you solve down to the end user (Morgan Smith calls this "Mapping the Earthquake"). End users are an excellent source for intel gathering + referrals to earn the attention of decision-makers. They're also more likely to respond or pick up (💜 Will Allred). You may even find a "mobilizer" to champion your narrative... esp. if you use Aligned. 2. POINT OF VIEW ✨ Answer "Why you? Why now?" in your messaging (source Jeff Hoffman). Document: - Observable indicators of the problems you help solve. - Where to find them. - What to search for. - Set up auto-notifications or sequence entry when possible. ✨ Show up with insights and a perspective on the problem vs. product intel. Years of experience shouldn't be required to have an in-depth understanding of the buyer's world: - Goals & Obstacles - Day in the life - How specifically does the problem show up - why is that frustrating? - Status quo for solving - Cost of Inaction - Customer hero stories Insight Revenue's most recent study found that sales teams rate themselves the lowest in providing "Unique Insights" among 27 attributes. Buyers weigh this attribute the highest in their buying experience. 3. SELLER PREPAREDNESS ✨ Enable up, y'all. - Prepare your team with the context, skills, and individualized plan to work backward from the big goal. - Base the plan on individual territory, strengths, weaknesses, and conversion metrics vs. one size fits all. If you don't have this data... get it. - Create the space for P2P learning and leaders to step up. Encourage the sharing of both wins and losses. 4. PROCESS & TECHNOLOGY ✨ Invest in clean data. Period. Additionally, the first step in any sequence should validate that the contact is still a good fit. ✨ Do the job of your direct reports for a day/month or quarter. Shadow their workflow and find inefficiencies in their process. Document the ideal prospecting workflow based on your findings. ✨ Timeblock prospecting based on your work back from quota plan. Schedule based on the times prospects have the highest likelihood of picking up the phone based on connect rate data. Want to gameplan about any of the above? ⚡ The New Logo Pipeline Program⚡I helped design with Insight Revenue is ready to be delivered starting January. Send me a DM to discuss and get on the list! #Sales #WomeninSales

Stop presenting insights. Start selling them. Think about real estate. A great agent doesn’t just sell a house. They don’t pitch square footage and floor plans. They sell the feeling of morning coffee on the porch, the sound of kids playing at the park, and the life that buyers could have. User research is no different. If you’re just delivering reports, presenting findings, and expecting action, you’re doing it wrong. Your stakeholders need to see the value, feel the urgency, and believe in the opportunity. Here’s how to stop dumping data and start making your research irresistible: 1. Sell the vision, not the numbers Numbers are forgettable. Impact is not. Instead of: “20% of users struggle with checkout.” Say: “Fixing this will unlock $1.5M in additional revenue next quarter.” Stakeholders care about revenue, retention, and competitive advantage. Make it crystal clear. 2. Paint a before-and-after picture The best real estate agents help buyers visualize the transformation. Do the same with your insights. Instead of: “Users find our mobile experience frustrating.” Say: “Our mobile experience is costing us 40% of potential revenue. A seamless experience means happier users, higher retention, and more referrals.” When you sell the potential future, teams are eager to buy in. 3. Make it a competitive weapon In real estate, location is everything. In business, insights are everything. Instead of: “Users aren’t engaging with our feature.” Say: “Competitors are eating our market share because they’re solving this better. Acting now gives us a chance to lead, not follow.” Tie your research to beating the competition and winning market share. 4. Position yourself as the strategic advisor, not the data provider No one remembers the agent who just opens the door. They remember the one who shows them why it’s the perfect fit. Your stakeholders don’t need more research; they need better decisions. - Turn insights into recommendations that align with business goals. - Stay involved after the report. Track impact and iterate. - Show how research de-risks big bets and drives growth. 5. Make insights impossible to ignore A good real estate agent follows up relentlessly, knowing the right moment to close the deal. Do the same with your research. - Keep sharing insights in meetings, Slack, dashboards—wherever decisions are made. - Tie research back to quarterly goals and KPIs. - Don’t wait to be invited; make insights an everyday conversation. Your insights should feel like an opportunity—not a report. Want to turn your insights into influence? Inside the User Research Membership, we teach you exactly how to: - Sell your research so stakeholders take action—every time - Align insights to business goals and strategy - Position yourself as a strategic leader, not just a researcher Spots are limited, and we’re welcoming new members right now. Join today and start turning your research into results Image via Midjourney

Selling today feels like navigating in the dark. The old maps don’t work anymore. The routes we relied on are full of dead ends, blind turns, and unexpected detours. Modern buyers don’t follow a straight path. They drift in and out of the journey. They read a case study here, talk to a peer there, and research in silence for weeks before surfacing. Some will circle the problem for months. Others will pounce on a solution the same day they feel the pain. In that kind of environment, information isn’t the finish line. It’s the starting point. To win, you need more than names on a list. You need to know who matters, when they matter, and how to engage in a way that moves the conversation forward. That means understanding signals in real time and knowing how to act on them before the moment passes. #GTMintelligence is what makes that possible. It’s the connective tissue between signals, personas, and timing. It turns scattered bits of information into a living system that surfaces the right accounts, the right people, and the right actions at the right moment. When those elements align, it’s like plotting a constellation. Each signal, each piece of context, each trigger is a star. On their own, they’re points of light. Together, they form a clear picture that guides you forward. This is where execution outruns insight. The teams that thrive are the ones that turn intelligence into action without hesitation. They’re not chasing opportunities. They’re orchestrating them. Every move is intentional. Every touchpoint fits the arc of the buyer’s journey. The result is a GTM motion that feels less like guesswork and more like gravity. Opportunities don’t slip away because you’re always where your buyer needs you to be, whether they’re at the very start of their journey or making the final call. The future of selling belongs to those who can see the whole picture and act on it in real time. GTM intelligence isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the new operating system for growth, and #RevOps is at the heart of it.