Chris Perrine

Introducing GTM Mentors APAC, a new series by talking tenets. Episode #1 Nathan Schubert: The new SaaS economics of Go To Market - Implications for Sellers & Sales Leaders A GTM and RevOps expert with a unique background, he's also been an AE. Most recently he was Head of GTM - New Products with Go1. He believes that unit economics are broken in many SaaS orgs. Lean is better to combat the challenges of unit economics and the importance of optimizing CAC payback time. The way in which SaaS companies achieve this can have far-reaching implications for AEs. If done well, AEs could find greater support from a unified sales, marketing and RevOps team, be laser focused and intentional on a the right customers, at the right time. Done poorly, AEs will face more pressure to do much more, with less support. 🔗 Listen or Watch now (Links in comments).

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For RevOps & GTM Systems Pros: Why Normal Forms Are Your Secret Weapon You didn’t need a CS degree or IT certification to get where you are. You got here by building systems, untangling integrations, and owning the SaaS stack when no one else would. But as your org scales, so does the complexity of your systems—and your data. That’s where Normal Forms come in. They’re not just for database admins; they’re a framework to structure data, avoid duplication, reduce errors, and build workflows that won’t break. 1NF: Each field should hold one value, and every row should be unique. Example: Split a field like “Regions Covered” with values like “North, East” into separate records or fields. Why? Filtering becomes impossible when you cram multiple values into one field. 2NF: Every field should depend on the full primary key. Example: If you’re tracking “Deals” with a key like “Account + Deal Name,” don’t include unrelated data like “Rep Hire Date.” Keep that in its own table to avoid bloated data. 3NF: Fields should depend only on the primary key—nothing else. Example: If “Pricing Tier” determines “Discount Percentage,” pull Pricing Tier into its own table rather than calculating downstream. Keeps dependencies clean and reduces unexpected errors. 4NF: Don’t store multiple, independent sets of data in the same record. Example: If a customer has multiple “Preferred Products” and operates in multiple “Regions,” split these into related tables. Keeps relationships consistent and scalable. 5NF: Break down tables into the smallest meaningful pieces while keeping relationships intact. Example: Use a junction table to track reps managing multiple accounts across multiple territories. Makes data modular and easier to maintain. You’re already making these decisions every day—whether something should be a custom object, a related table, or a simple field. Normal Forms give you a framework to get it right, helping you build cleaner systems that scale with your business. How are you handling data structure challenges today? Let’s compare notes in the comments 👇

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Zapier and the Evolution of GTM Ops: Over the past decade, GTM Ops (Go-To-Market Operations) has evolved from a niche role into a critical function that connects multiple operational disciplines. What began as Sales Ops—focused on managing sales pipelines—has grown to include RevOps, Marketing Ops, CS Ops, and BizOps, all working together to support the entire customer journey. This transformation reflects the increasing complexity of business growth, where teams need to be more aligned and data-driven than ever. The initial shift came as companies recognized the importance of integrating sales and marketing. Early on, Sales Ops optimized lead generation, territories, and sales performance. With the rise of renewals and upsells, RevOps was born to unify sales, marketing, and customer success in managing revenue holistically. Marketing Ops soon followed, automating demand generation and nurturing leads, while CS Ops focused on post-sale processes like onboarding and retention. BizOps then emerged to drive cross-functional alignment and operational excellence at a strategic level, ensuring every team contributed to business objectives. Together, these functions formed the GTM Ops ecosystem, where operations professionals automate tasks, break down silos, and drive efficiency. Throughout this journey, Zapier has played a pivotal role. Since its early days, Zapier has empowered ops teams to connect systems and automate workflows without coding. It was the first no-code tool many ops professionals used to scale processes, eliminate manual work, and drive efficiency across the business. As GTM Ops continues to grow, Zapier remains central to helping teams automate increasingly complex workflows across sales, marketing, customer support, and more. In RevOps, Zapier ensures data flows seamlessly between systems, while in Marketing Ops, it powers lead handoffs and campaign automations. For CS Ops, it helps streamline onboarding, retention, and customer feedback loops. Zapier continues to support GTM Ops’ evolution by enabling operations professionals to build automations, connect platforms, and scale their efforts. As the role of GTM Ops expands, Zapier remains essential in helping businesses execute efficiently and drive growth. As Head of Enterprise Innovation at Zapier, I’m excited to get even closer with GTM professionals to ensure we continue powering their growth in this new age of AI. With larger enterprises recognizing the critical role of GTM Ops, we’re committed to delivering the tools and innovations they need to thrive. Stay tuned for more as we work together to push boundaries and evolve what’s possible in the GTM landscape!

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While I initially thought my Singapore based SaaS product would seamlessly fit into the US Markets I quickly realized the nuances and complexities of the American market were quite different from Singapore Here are some of my learning’s * The size of the SMBs in the US is much larger than Singapore (ICP is different) * Cold calling doesn’t work best in New York (The GTM strategy had to be redefined) * The Digital Marketing Costs are much higher (COA and other Unit economies had to be relearnt) * The product had to be reworked to suite a different size and kind of user Anyone out there who has overcome these challenges and expanded to the US Markets from Singapore? #SaaS #USMarket #BusinessLessons #goingglobal #expansion #singaporetoUSA

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I see so many SaaS companies lose millions in APAC! 🌏 Why? Because they choose the wrong sales model. It’s a common mistake, but one that sales and marketing leaders can avoid with the right approach. Here’s what you need to remember: ➡️ APAC isn’t one market - it’s 40+ unique ones. What works in Singapore may fail in Thailand. Direct sales might close enterprise deals in markets like Singapore and Australia, but for medium-sized businesses or markets like Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, or Korea, you need channel partners. Here’s why local partners are essential: ☑️ Deep cultural understanding 🌏 ☑️ Language expertise 🗣️ ☑️ Existing relationships 🤝 ☑️ On-the-ground support at scale 🚀 ☑️ Compliance and legal know-how 🏛️ ☑️ Streamlined delivery and implementation ⚙️ I’ve seen companies burn millions by taking a one-size-fits-all approach-focusing only on direct sales. Without local partners, they lose time, money, and deals. 💡 Want to win in APAC? Don’t copy and paste your strategy. Take the time to understand each market. Align your sales model to what works in specific regions. The key is adaptability. The APAC region is a massive growth opportunity, but only if you approach it with the nuance and strategy it deserves. #saasmarketing #APAC #strategy #channelpartners #b2b #marketing #globalgrowth #gotomarket

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Between September 2023 and January 2024 I spent hours with leaders in APAC in different roles, different industries to try and learn where the biggest gaps where and this is what I learnt. 1️⃣ AE leaders DO NOT think your SDRs are ready to be in the AE seat but you as an SDR leader do 🔋 2️⃣ Leaders who aren’t ready to be leaders. Businesses lost a lot of senior leaders through all the redundancies and now we have a huge skill gap where we promoted junior leaders into senior roles too soon. The result? Churn, employeee satifaction goes down and burnt out leaders not knowing what they did wrong. 💣 3️⃣ Metrics / Cross Functional Allignement .This may sound obvious but from enablement to CSM to AE to SDR if we do not have a metric that matters to us all, it will always be a combination of competing priorities, lacks of alignment and it doesn’t matter how many operating principles your business has, you need to be clear about what you want from your teams and it needs to be aligned. 📈 🎦 Tomorrow I’ll do a video about a fix to these 3 points! #leadership #saas #talkingpoints

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WE DON’T WANT TO REPLACE SDRS Agent Frank was never meant to replace your sales team. Sure, it can help you reduce some costs - for example, instead of hiring 2 new reps, you can just hire one and onboard Agent Frank - https://lnkd.in/e69mGgBG But the goal was always for Agent Frank to work WITH your team and enable them to focus on the best part of being an SDR: Closing deals 🚀

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The general public often underrates the importance of enterprise sales. These thoughts are based on interviews with salespeople in Asia and on my experience as a founder of the sales tech product (Introdex). Although sales are the key driver of growth for B2B companies (SLG), salespeople are usually not the most popular within teams. When you explain that you are solving problems for companies that want to increase sales and generate more revenue, it hardly sounds like saving the world. KPIs for salespeople and revenue for big corporations? Who cares? Consequently, participation in public pitch contests usually doesn't lead to the finals because, despite the traction, jury members do not view such pitches sympathetically. Startups that work on social initiatives are generally more admired. However, if we delve deeper, sales are fundamentally why big companies enter new markets — they create jobs, add economic value to the country, and foster new talent who can innovate further. Consider Singapore, which is home to over 4,000 multinational companies. It could attract even more, but before these big companies land in Asia, they want to test the market first. Therefore, sales are crucial. And what do you think about it? William Jones 👋 Gael Tang #sales #b2bsales #enterprisesales #corporations #growth

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🚀 ABM for Enterprise Deals: The Power of Sales & Marketing Alignment 🚀 In enterprise-level #ABM, aligning your Sales and Marketing teams is essential for driving high-impact results, especially when targeting the C-Suite. 🏢💼 Here’s how you can ensure a smooth alignment to win those big enterprise deals: 🎯 Unified Strategy: Collaborate early to ensure both teams are aligned on target accounts, buyer personas, and messaging. Position ABM as a direct revenue driver to gain C-suite buy-in. 🔍 Executive-Level Insights: Utilize intent data and account insights to understand the pain points and priorities of C-level prospects. This allows for crafting hyper-personalized outreach that speaks directly to their business challenges. 📊 Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage AI-powered tools to optimize both outbound and inbound strategies, ensuring you’re engaging the right accounts at the right time with tailored solutions. 🤝 Collaborative Outreach: Coordinate your efforts—while Marketing personalizes the message, Sales delivers the value. Seamless handoffs between teams ensure C-suite engagement that feels relevant and timely. 📈 When Marketing and Sales work in sync, you unlock the full potential of ABM for enterprise deals and consistently deliver results. #ABM #SalesMarketingAlignment #MarketingStrategy #ABMstrategy Let’s chat if you're ready to take your ABM to the next level! 🔥

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𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀! 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗔𝗜-𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆!    Imagine AI working in the background to surface critical account insights for your sellers, giving them the edge to win new business and grow key accounts!    𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀:    • AI handles the heavy lifting, so sellers can focus on selling  • AI identifies key account goals, initiatives, and growth opportunities  • AI auto-populates account data while sellers validate and sharpen insights    𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼!    #SalesAI #Salesforce #Agentforce #AccountPlanning #Altify

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The genAI impact on sales chatter is relentless atm. Lots of (company self serving) positions are being taken. Some arguing the total eradication of B2B sales humans vs others arguing we will have highly productive ‘AI enabled’ B2B sales humans, with limited impact on key sales functions such as SDRs, Sales Engineers and Reps. In my opinion we will end up somewhere in the middle. More importantly though, many of these debates miss the most fundamental point: how is buying behaviour evolving and what is the role of GenAi in this evolution? Over the past few decades, consumer buying behaviour has transformed dramatically. From booking travel, consuming digital media, online shopping (even for big-ticket items), self-checkout at grocery stores, app-based banking, and even buying cars online, many (though not all) consumers now prefer technology-enabled, self-service buying experiences. Just as in the B2C world, B2B technology buying has undergone significant shifts. Organisations increasingly spend time researching and informing purchase decisions without engaging with B2B sellers, and sometimes avoid them entirely through PLG enabled purchase flows, where the product itself drives buying decisions and adoption. With this context in mind, here’s my take on the impact of GenAI on B2B technology buying: GenAI will undoubtedly continue to enhance self-service research, purchasing, and post-sales workflows. While there will be varying levels of impact across all B2B purchase cycles, some areas will experience more disruption than others. The extent of this impact will depend on key factors such as buyer characteristics, solution complexity, and brand trust. To assess the potential impact of GenAI on your go-to-market (GTM) strategy, begin by understanding these three critical dynamics: Typical Buyer Characteristics: A buyer’s digital maturity, familiarity with the product/solution, cost sensitivity, and decision-making preferences determine their preference for AI-enabled self-service efficiency or human-guided expertise. Solution Category: The complexity, perceived risk, and customization requirements of a product or service influence whether buyers gravitate toward standardized self-service models or tailored, consultative solutions. Brand Reputation/Trust: A trusted and familiar brand reduces the need for human reassurance, while newer or less-established brands often require personal interactions to build confidence and credibility. Instead of fixating on whether AI will replace or complement sales professionals, organizations should align their sales and marketing strategies with the evolving preferences of their buyers. By leveraging the capabilities of AI while staying attuned to buyer behaviors, companies can position themselves to thrive in this new era of B2B sales. After all, the future of B2B sales isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about reimagining how we meet and serve buyers where they are.

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Salesforce Sales Cloud just released its 6th State of Sales report last week aggregating insights from 5500 sales professionals across 27 countries 🌎 Sales growth is back where 79% of sales leaders say revenue has increased over the last year 📈 Sikkkk! But the "how" looks different this time around... For example: Partner selling is contributing to growth in meaningful ways. Enablement is rightfully emerging as a top growth lever 🔑 Another surprising stat: 83% of teams that adopted AI saw an increase in revenue over the past year vs 66% of teams without AI. Causation or Correlation? 🤷‍♀️ Yet another stark reality is that 70% of a sellers time is spent on non selling tasks. 😫 Everything from researching accounts to manually entering things into the CRM to sitting in hours n hours of internal meetings... I dream of a world in the future where AI can help us with rethinking : 1️⃣ Smart list building 2️⃣ Automated pipeline management and 3️⃣ Real time enablement in the future!! Just imagine a world where you don't need to trainings or the same forecast call every week!! 🔥 Check out the report in the first comment for more sales insights!! #stateofsalesreport #salesforce #genai #salesorgs

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Presales is a critical phase in the sales lifecycle, as it serves as the bridge between initial client interest and the final deal closure. Here's why presales is significant....

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All CEOs know revenue target for runway & valuation at next funding round (& CROs their number for equity release / bonus) BUT crazily few think about (& take ownership of) resource allocation to achieve these GTM objectives. Despite 1)Efficient growth & sales productivity being top C-Suite priority 2) Where you play being top controllable determinant of how you win. To maximise revenue growth & margin in your business you must 1) Know what you are doing today that works / doesn't work across sales, marketing and CS: clarity of input and attribution / cause & effect / unit economics of GTM components 2) Learn what you are not doing that is proving successful outside your business that is worth testing / integrating 3) Apply "first principle" and "80/20" thinking to knowledge blocks 1 & 2 4) Re-engineer process with sero-based budgeting to make strategic bets by re-allocating resource to where most likely to get bang for buck within your resource constraints. After 100s of audits I've learned that you can reliably - Cut > 25% of current sales & marketing budget - AND increase revenue growth by > 50% YoY - obviously with better margin / runway / valuation So much of revenue success is - Despite current process / from not following playbook - Accidental as opposed to intentional - Limited by not knowing a) what works and can be scaled / improved b) what doesn't work and can be cut with near zero downside You can't do everything and you don't need to, but you surely must intelligently allocate resource to where you are most likely to win and not dilute resource effectiveness by doing what doesn't work? Too many leaders focus on making what is not effective more efficient, rather than actually leading the change to establish what is effective #ceo #managingdirector #founder #salesleadership CRO Connected RevGenius Pavilion GTMfund Modern Sales Pros

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As we've released G2's 2024 Buyer Behavior Report, I also wanted to dive into more of what we saw here in APAC in this research. 4 Trends Shaping Software Buying in Asia-Pacific: https://lnkd.in/gq7Q4By9 The 4 APAC trends we identified from our research are: APAC buyers most optimistic on tech & software spending: Among all respondents, those in APAC were more optimistic about expanding their spending. More than half (57%) of APAC buyers anticipate their company’s software and tech spend will increase in 2024 compared to 2023. The rise of the security conscious buyer: APAC buyers (91%) say their organization requires a security or privacy assessment when purchasing software more often than their EMEA (76%) and North American (78%) counterparts. IT & Information Security teams are crucial to decision-making: While IT and Information Security play a role in software buying decisions around the globe, their role is even more prominent in APAC. High levels of trust, usage, + high expectations for AI: 77% say they trust the accuracy and reliability of AI-powered software solutions - vs. 66% of those both in EMEA and North America. More details and stats in the article and if you would like to read our overall 2024 Buyer Behavior Report, you can access it at https://lnkd.in/gA7W-WYd

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As G2 has started partnering with Attribution Software providers (and especially with Factors.ai here in Asia Pacific & globally), we are seeing some really interesting data around how G2 performs and how we perform with other complimentary platforms like LinkedIn. Here is some data on what Chameleon saw by measuring their attribution from G2: With Dreamdata, Chameleon can determine more than 1/3 of their pipeline, has a first touch on G2 and is the most significant source of awareness for their brand/product. Deals with G2 as a first touch close 33% quicker than the average (from meeting booked to closed/won). Thanks to Dreamdata’s multi-touch attribution, Chameleon saw that 14% of closed/won deals were impacted by G2 activity this year. Optimizations to paid ad budgets and targeting using Dreamdata Paid Performance increased return on ad spend (ROAS) by 2X and a 50% reduction in cost per acquisition (CPA) between Q1 and Q2 of 2024. 

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Spot on. Of course, the leads have to be qualified and many will take nurturing to convert to opportunities. But the REAL takeaway is that you gotta start creating the 'demand'. And that takes time, and perfecting the right 'mix' of inbound and outbound strategies. In the age of AI that means: Experiment, Experiment, Experiment. #AI #GTM #Customergrowth #saas

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Partner Incentives - Misaligned, Crude and Blunt READ POST HERE: Partner Management: The Fool’s Hope of Asking What They Need – Starting in Partnering: What most Tech CEOs get wrong #8 https://rb.gy/2x0dkh #SalesChannels #PartnerEnablement

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Partner Incentives - Misaligned, Crude and Blunt READ POST HERE: Partner Management: The Fool’s Hope of Asking What They Need – Starting in Partnering: What most Tech CEOs get wrong #8 https://rb.gy/2x0dkh #SalesChannels #PartnerEnablement

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