High-Value Client Acquisition

"If you want something done right, do it yourself." - I used to believe this but I was wrong! I learned the hard way that this mindset holds everyone back—including me. Real growth happens when you build a team you can trust. That's when it clicked: The strongest leaders aren't the ones with the tightest grip—they're the ones who know when to delegate. My approach? I'm not their supervisor—I'm their mentor. When a team member makes a bold decision in a client meeting, they know I've got their back. When they face challenges, I'm their shield, not their critic. Here's how we make this work: > Smart goal setting: We kick off each year by breaking down targets from HQ, involving teams in shaping their goals for ownership, and conducting quarterly reviews to stay agile and realistic. >  Real Independence My team has the freedom to travel when needed to meet clients, the authority to make decisions, and the space to innovate—and occasionally fail. >  Balance is key Clear accountability, regular check-ins (not checkups), and support when needed, with space to thrive. Their targets are my targets. Their success is my success. If they don't achieve, I don't achieve. We're in this together, but I'm behind them, not over them. As a result, they’re a team that doesn't just meet targets—they crush them. Because empowered people will always outperform controlled ones. How do you balance guidance with independence? #LeadershipLessons #TeamManagement

Dear freelancers, This year, I need you to run your strictest programme yet. No more “let’s just see how it goes” energy. We’re moving like strict businesses. okurrr. Start here: 1/ Have contracts in place. Every time. 2/ Set communication hours. You’re not a 24/7 helpline. 3/ Stick to your T&Cs. Boundaries are part of the service. 4/ Take deposits. Your calendar is not a free holding space. 5/ If a potential client is giving you the runaround, run away. 6/ Get clear on the scope before you start. “Can you just…” will finish you. 7/ Don’t undercharge yourself just to “secure the bag.” Cheap clients are rarely low stress. BUT. By doing all this, you also need to make sure your service is matching the standards you’re setting. Professionalism isn’t one-sided. So also: ✨ Deliver on time. Or communicate early. ✨ Make the process smooth, not stressful. ✨ Overcommunicate progress so clients feel secure. ✨ Take pride in the details; quality is your reputation. ✨ Leave clients feeling like they made the right investment. This isn’t just about helping yourself. It helps the whole freelance community. When you undercharge, overdeliver for free, ignore contracts, or move messy, it lowers the standard for everyone else trying to run a serious business. We can be kind. We can be flexible. But we cannot be unserious. Yours sincerely, A seasoned freelancer

If I was running ABM at a fast-growing security company (like Wiz, Snyk, or Netskope), here's how I'd avoid wasting money on bad-fit accounts. 👇 AI Segmentation. Most companies segment by industry. They say something like: "We target Tech, Retail, and Hospitality companies with 1,000+ employees." Motel 6 and Airbnb show why this breaks. Same firmographic profiles. But very different business situations, needs, and priorities when it comes to information security (or any tech purchase). You wouldn't sell to them the same way. AI Segmentation helps you uncover and target the highest value segments for your business, beyond basic industries. Here's how I would do this for a security company: 1.) Segment on business situation (not industry). -- Analyze your best customers (high NRR, high ACV). -- Group by specific situations that align to your value prop. e.g. Security Maturity Level, Security Use Cases, Compliance Sensitivity, etc.  -- Find the *natural* clusters based on value, not generic industry labels. 2.) Identify segments with AI. -- Use Keyplay AI to categorize every account in your market. -- Backtest segments against historical data to find which segments have the highest NDR, ACV, and Win Rates. -- Find new ICPs, outside generic vertical groups. 3.) Action the data -- Create ABM plays at intersections with highest win rates. -- Develop content specific to each segment combination (e.g., "Cloud Security for Advanced DevSecOps Teams in Retail") -- Refine your segmentation models as you grow. This process can reduce non-ICP Spend (waste) by 20-30% and help you find thousands of net new target accounts. Don't just throw your budget at industries. Find the segments where your solution resonates most, where you win often, win fast, and win big. That's strategic segmentation. p.s. If you want me and my team to kick-start this process for you, we're offering a free strategic segmentation analysis to CMOs at SaaS security companies with >$20M ARR. Get your report here --> https://lnkd.in/gMezS4Zk #ABM #ICP

Here is how a B2B marketing strategy SHOULD look like (and how it actually looks in most B2B companies). 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬: 1. Paid ads promoting product/demo 2. Automated email & LinkedIn outreach 3. Gated e-books to generate "leads" 4. Product pitching webinars 5. AI-generated blog articles. 6. Occasional posts on the company's social pages 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 (based on the State of Full-Funnel Marketing research): -Miserable "lead" to opportunity conversion and endless debates about the quality of the leads - Missed revenue targets - High cost of acquisition - Extended sales cycle Usually, the core problem of these companies is a lack of marketing fundamentals and a clear GTM strategy. 𝐆𝐓𝐌 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞: 0. 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬. Goals should be based on your current resources, opportunities, and historical growth, not based on wishes or unrealistic expectations. 1. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. Segmentation is the first step in developing ICP. Different segments have different use cases, buying processes, and revenue potential. You need to select the focus segment. 2. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 (𝐈𝐂𝐏). Here are 5 ICP pillars. - Firmographics - Buying committee - Account segmentation (Tiers & Lists) - Qualification and disqualification criteria - Customer research 3. 𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. During customer research, define what triggers the buying process, and what are the typical steps buyers take. But keep in mind that most customers are not actively buying. Try to figure out what channels they use for education, who they follow, and what content resonates with them and motivates them to learn more about specific solutions (demand triggers). Understand typical questions, concerns, and inhouse approval process. 4. 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. In the AI era, the differentiation, strong narrative, and clear messaging are vital. 5. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. Define programs to influence the whole buying process: — Awareness and demand generation. — Demand capturing and activation — Sales and buyer enablement — Retention — Expansion 6. 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲. Last stage is often ignored, but without an efficient CS and advocacy, your company will deal with: - Lack of case studies and referrals - High churn Build a great relationship and minimize time to value with appropriate onboarding. Embed customer research into the CS process. Leverage the opportunity to create case studies and share insights with marketing and sales for further expansion. 7. 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬. Create a dashboard with key revenue metrics and sales pipeline velocity. Define key leading indicators. Create a blended attribution model to see the impact of marketing.

Customer experience collapses when teams avoid accountability. Real customer centricity needs structured systems that consistently capture feedback, act on it, and evolve with customers. Top performers build frameworks to: 1) Collect feedback systematically. 2) Analyse patterns across touch points. 3) Prioritise improvements and hold teams accountable. 4) Adapt in real time as customer demands evolve. This disciplined approach delivers strong business outcomes. Companies that invest in customer-experience systems see up to 1.5× higher retention and repeat-purchase rates than those that don’t. Also better customer experience correlates with 8% higher revenue than the industry average. Beyond financials, teams become more aligned, responsive and motivated. Customer success becomes a company wide mission. Set up a feedback to action loop. Use standardised surveys, CRM linked feedback tracking and regular review cycles. Assign owners. Turn insights into process improvements and track impact. Customer centric growth isn’t accidental. It’s engineered with data, empathy, discipline, and accountability. Launch your first feedback to action cycle this month. Even one improvement can trigger loyalty, referrals and growth. Start building what matters! #startups #customer #growth

Client centricity is not a marketing line. It is a discipline. Every company claims to value clients. Very few build systems that prove it. Being client centric is not about polite conversations, festive greetings, or saying “we appreciate your business.” It is about response time, follow through, ownership, and consistency. It is about closing loops without reminders. It is about maintaining execution intensity even after the first three months of excitement are over. In manufacturing, repeatability builds trust. In services, responsiveness builds trust. The moment response slows, accountability diffuses, or meetings happen without measurable outcomes, trust starts eroding quietly. Not dramatically. Quietly. Long relationships do not reduce responsibility. They increase it. When a client stays with you for years, your standards should rise, not relax. Familiarity must never create comfort. Comfort is the silent growth killer in service businesses. If we aspire to work with global clients, we must operate with global response standards. Clear timelines. Clear ownership. Clear metrics. Client centricity is not emotional. It is operational. And operational excellence is always intentional. The real question is not whether we value clients. The real question is whether our systems prove it. #ClientCentricity #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationalExcellence #ExecutionDiscipline #BusinessGrowth

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟯× 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. More campaigns. More SDRs. More events. Coverage improves on slides. Win rates stay flat. Because pipeline quality isn’t a top-of-funnel problem. It’s 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲-𝗼𝗳-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. In my experience leading sales programs across APJ, weak pipeline almost always comes down to three things: • 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. Everyone counts differently. Marketing, SDRs, Sales - different standards. CRM stops being trusted. • 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Not lost. Just stuck. No structure. No next step. No urgency. • 𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁, not who is actually buying Great logos. Wrong timing. Zero conversion. If win rates haven’t moved in two quarters, adding volume won’t save you. The real question isn’t “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲?” It’s “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀?” 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟯𝗤 𝗣𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁.) 𝗤𝟭: 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱) Before Stage 1, all four must be true: • Real business problem • Engaged stakeholder (not just technical) • Timing signal • ICP fit If one is missing → it’s not pipeline. Audit aggressively. Expect pushback. Trust improves after. 𝗤𝟮: 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 (𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗶𝗻-𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲) Track where deals stall, not just where they enter: • Time-in-stage by segment • Clear exit criteria per stage • Defined “next step” for evaluations If a deal can’t move, it shouldn’t forecast. Marketing + Sales must co-own this. Otherwise velocity dies silently. 𝗤𝟯: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 (𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗖𝗣) Move beyond firmographics. Prioritise: • Problem intensity • Timing triggers • Org or budget change If urgency is missing, conversion will be too. Shrinking TAM here usually grows win rate downstream. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱: • Board conversations • Pipeline reviews • Campaign prioritisation • Sales–marketing alignment (without finger-pointing) Simple. Uncomfortable. Effective. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹? #DemandGen #RevenueGrowth #GoToMarket #B2BGrowth #SalesMarketingAlignment

In my portfolio’s B2B SaaS companies, the best client acquisition strategies focus on understanding and addressing stakeholder needs. Help your leads advocate for your product by giving them clear tools and data to showcase its value. Tailor your messaging: small business owners care about cost savings, while managers need case studies and stats to convince higher-ups. Share real customer success stories to build credibility and show tangible results. Proactively reach out, understand your prospects’ challenges, and connect your product to their goals. Success comes from building trust, meeting needs, and delivering value in every interaction.

Almost 10 years ago, I stepped away from my Head of Marketing role. Not because I didn’t love marketing, I did. A lot in fact. But because I wanted to solve the problem that I, and lots of my marketing peers were being tripped up by ↓ The disconnect between campaign and core. Companies often prioritise the performance customers see, but overlook the experience they feel. Brands craft powerful marketing messages promising simplicity, customer-centricity, or innovation, only for customers to experience the exact opposite once they interact with the business. 👎 A “customer-first” company with an impossible-to-reach support team. 👎 A “seamless” experience riddled with friction. 👎 A personalised campaign that leads to a generic, frustrating journey. And it's why I became a service designer; to bridge the gap between the customer experience and how teams show up, interact and deliver it every day. It’s not enough to talk about customer-centricity, because your customers are gonna see right through that. It has to be seen, actioned and felt in how teams work, make decisions, and design experiences - with your customers need at the core. Because this is the production behind your performance. At The Marketing Meetup last night, I shared my journey of building customer-centric cultures, and the three key steps that make it happen (OK, caveat here, this is a massively over-simplified version): ✅ Understand Customer insight isn’t just a marketing function. Every team should be plugged into real customer conversations. Dive into the data then push it further; spend time in their shoes, immerse yourselves in their worlds and bring those experiences into your daily team interactions. ✅ Embed Align your values and ways of working with your brand promises; map the experience gap by comparing brand messaging with real customer experiences. Train teams to think customer-first, ensuring CX is part of daily decision-making, and recognise and reward employees who bridge the gap, turning customer-centricity into action. ✅ Operate Customer-centricity must be a business-wide way of working, we're talking about moving from slogans to systems; Design cross-functional engagement strategies that span the 5Es: entice, enter, engage, exit and extend and develop customer journey ownership models - set up squads that are clear on who is responsible for each stage, and how teams work together to improve the end-to-end experience. Great brands don’t just tell great stories. They live them, from campaign to core. What companies do you think are doing this well? I would love to crowd-source a list of these examples, let me know in the comments below 👇 #CustomerCentricity #BrandExperience #ServiceDesign 

"Can you believe they completely ignored our feedback?" The prospective client's voice was filled with frustration. "It feels like they've forgotten we exist." This was more than just a complaint— and I knew right then that something had to change. We often talk about customer centricity, but how often do we truly reflect on what it means? My career started in a call center, where the customer was everything. Every call and every interaction was a reminder that the customer wasn't just a part of the business—they were the reason for it. As I've grown in my career, this mindset of "client first" has stayed with me. But hearing this client's dissatisfaction made me pause and ask: Are we really putting the customer first in everything we do? In the rush of targets, processes, and metrics, it's easy to lose sight of the customer. But when we do, the consequences are real—disconnected relationships, unmet expectations, and ultimately, lost trust. So, how can we ensure that customer centricity isn't just a buzzword but a guiding principle in our work? Here's what you can consider: 👉🏻 Listen, Really Listen: Take the time to understand your customers' pain points. What are they unhappy about? What's missing in their current experience? Truly listening can reveal insights that lead to better solutions. 👉🏻 Be Proactive, Not Reactive: Waiting for a problem to escalate is not the way to go. Anticipate your customers' needs and address potential issues before they become real concerns. This proactive approach not only prevents issues but also shows that you're not just meeting expectations—you're exceeding them. 👉🏻 Personalize Your Approach: Customers appreciate when you remember the little things. Whether it's recalling past interactions or tailoring your service to their specific needs, personalization makes a huge difference in how valued they feel. 👉🏻 Collaborate, Don't Dictate: Work with your customers, not just for them. Involve them in the process, seek their input, and make them feel like true partners. This collaboration builds trust and fosters long-term relationships. 👉🏻 Reflect and Improve: After every interaction, take a moment to reflect. What went well? What could be improved? Continuous reflection ensures that you're always aligning your work with your customers' evolving needs. Have you ever had a moment where a customer's feedback made you stop and think? I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you have for staying customer-centric. #CustomerCentricity #ClientFirst #CustomerExperience