Jeff Kirchick

hey RevOps - if you're a high-velocity SMB shop selling a large number of small deals, how should you grant quota credit to AEs? 🤔 Signature date? Payment date? Contract effective date? Like most things in RevOps, simple questions like this do not have simple answers. This question was posted in the RevOps Co-op Slack group recently and the community provided some 🔥 feedback like: 📍 Signature date seems to be the most popular choice, but always with a big caveat 📍 That caveat relates to the amount of churn or turnover when it comes to signed deals that don't pay - if the AEs are closing crumby customers that don't pay, then you want to use payment date instead 📍 If you have deals that get signed far in advance of the contract effective date / subscription start date, this adds additional risk to revenue - so may want to consider using the contract effective date instead 📍 Some folks do a mix; for example, 50% at signature, and 50% at payment (or some other metric, like 6 months after deal signature) 📍 In all cases, you want to make sure the structure is set up to drive the behavior you want to encourage without a huge delay between the work done and incentive provided Anything else you'd add to this list? #revops #revenueoperations #salesops #salesoperations #compensation #incentivemanagement

25

3 Comments

In 2024 sales leaders are being asked to hit bigger targets with tighter budgets. On a macro level this can feel daunting, but if you boil it down team by team, rep by rep– the answer clearly sits in the efficiency and productivity of your rep’s day. And in order to drive that daily efficiency and productivity, you need to deeply understand the foundational systems + processes that actually allow your team to spend the bulk of their day talking to customers and prospects. If I’m a frontline manager or Dir of sales right now, I am revisiting this checklist quarterly to drive that efficiency and productivity within my teams: 1.) Revisit your deal cycle workflows and ensure your reps understand the ins and outs of the tooling and sales process. ↳They need to know how to navigate the sales methodology you use ↳They need a deep understanding of your CRM and entry and exit criteria for deal stages ↳They need to have clarity around forecasting expectations and how to keep their pipeline clean ^ All the logistics of getting the job done. 2.) Skills assessment/reinforcement and training around how to make sales conversations meaningful. ↳Revisit messaging and positioning ↳Regular objection handling practice ↳Understanding each persona, their problems and buyer signals that indicate it’s time to reach out to that specific prospect ↳Value, benefits, ROI, differentiation matters Fewer tools means less complexity. See where you can cut standalone tools and consolidate to more comprehensive and all-in-one tools (like Apollo) to give your reps a more centralized operating system and reduce the time spent navigating their tech stack. Simplicity will help your reps win. 💪🏼 The market and selling environment is changing rapidly. Your teams are growing and shifting constantly. These things should be top of mind and regularly revisited at the team and rep level to ensure they are as equipped and empowered to do what they do best (sell!) at all times. How often are you running enablement sessions with your team? Do you focus on process or skills more? #salesexcellence

138

13 Comments

Love the many practical SDR/BDR tactics documented here. What others would you add?

43

5 Comments

"You can't invest in RevOps early enough." That's a direct quote from Mark Kosoglow, CEO and Co-Founder at Operator. So why does Mark believe this? 5 main reasons 👇🏻 1️⃣ Connection 2️⃣ Automation 3️⃣ Unbiased 4️⃣ Diversity 5️⃣ Technical Oh and you know what else Mark believes? "There will be NO more important role in GTM than RevOps in 5 (3?) years." 🤩 Speaking our language, which is why we're so excited to have him speak at RevOpsAF 2025 USA in New Orleans 🙌🏻 Mark was the first sales hire and former SVP of Sales at Outreach. He was also the first CRO at Catalyst Software, a leading customer success platform. And now he's building Operator, a revenue technology company. To say he's got some experience to pull from is, well, an understatement 🤯 And he'll be joined by some other incredible folks, including: Cristina De Martini, VP and Research Director at Forrester Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Ops at Indeed Ryan Milligan, VP of RevOps at QuotaPath Wanna see what these folks have to say when they hit the stage in May 2025? 🎫 Learn more and claim your ticket at the website - link in first comment 👇🏻 #revops #revenueoperations #salesops #salesoperations #marketingops #marketingoperations #csops #cxops #gtmops #alltheops #revopsAF

29

7 Comments

Amplitude Announces Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results: - Second quarter revenue of $73.3 million, up 8% year over year - Annual Recurring Revenue of $290 million, up 8% year over year - Number of customers representing $100,000 or more of ARR in Q2 grew to 547, an increase of 10% year over year This quarter was all about meeting our customers where they are. In Q2 we took our Snowflake Native offering GA, doubled down on our open ecosystem, and unveiled a self-serve portal that makes it easier than ever to integrate with Amplitude. To our customers, partners, and Ampliteers, thank you! Your trust, partnership, and hard work is invaluable! #PLG #ProductLedGrowth #DigitalAnalytics #ProductAnalytics #Retention #Acquisition #Monetization

129

5 Comments

Salesloft is in the business of helping companies create durable revenue growth, which inevitably means helping companies scale. Far and away the most common misstep I see leaders make in the scale phase is a failure to scale process and planning alongside headcount and revenue projections. It’s an absolutely critical step for business longevity. Smaller companies have the benefit of agility, but as businesses grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to make adjustments on the fly. It’s like steering a big ship – it just turns slowly. Adjusting to this new timeline can be difficult, especially for companies that have scaled quickly and within a different market dynamic than what we face today. They need to take a page from the book of their publicly owned peers and set goals for 6 or more quarters out, then work backwards to identify what needs to happen today. Every choice you make must be framed around the question, “Is this the most important body of work for our customer base, our ability to scale, and our ability to differentiate and win?” This also extends to software investments and digital transformation planning. Companies that intend to scale need to evaluate the platforms they’re considering through the lens of 2-5 years. That means making sure the option you choose not only solves the problem you face right now but can grow and adapt as your business evolves. Platform investments need to drive speed of execution, mitigate risk, and provide innovation that increases the return on investment in the future years. If you don’t trust your vendor to outpace your growth with their own innovations – or help you anticipate the challenges that will come with growth and prepare for the methodical turn toward them – then it’s not the right choice. Keep that in mind as you optimize your growth and investment strategy. #salestech #revtech #B2Btech #revenueorchestration

123

2 Comments

Frontline sales management is the toughest job in the company. The most successful frontline leaders have a disciplined approach and consistent operating cadence. In the latest Building Elite Sales Teams episode, Dana Smith,Sr. shares why consistency is critical as a sales leader: Dana also discusses the importance of hiring well, being a genuine leader who can admit when you're wrong, and not 'watering the weeds' by moving on quickly from reps who aren't working out. Check out the full episode for more of Dana's advice on developing as a leader and building high-performing sales teams.

25

5 Comments

💡 The average B2B SaaS company loses $2.5M annually due to operational inefficiencies. But here's the kicker - this number gets exponentially worse as you scale past $20M ARR. The math is simple but brutal: • Delayed time-to-value • Inconsistent delivery quality • Missed expansion opportunities Each of these compounds over time, creating a massive drag on growth. For companies in the $20-100M ARR range, poor operational alignment can mean $50M+ in lost enterprise value. The good news? This is fixable. Companies that implement a standardized value delivery framework see 40% higher net revenue retention. Share this post if you're ready to stop leaving money on the table.

4

1 Comment

Want to know some effective tactics to shorten the sales cycle? If yes, read the carousel below. Over the last few years, sales cycles have continued to grow. This is one of the biggest challenges for sales teams, as it slows down the revenue generation machine. In the article below, you can dive in and explore different tactics for shrinking the sales cycle. Is shortening the sales cycle one of your top priority goals?

19

2 Comments

This was an incredible interview of Chad Peets with Harry Stebbings of 20VC If you are a sales leader or your hire sales people or involved in building GTM teams in anyway, then there is some great value in this one! Chad work with Chris Degnan the CRO Snowflake in the early days to build the sales team and as well as being an early investor there, and the stragies and tactics used to build at scale are great to hear. In particular, it was super interesting to hear how the recruitment process was streamlined for efficiency and the dislike for 'Hiring Panels' (as everybody should)! - The decision should be binary: you either want to hire them or you don’t. - Anyone not uniquely qualified to qualify or sell should not be a part of the interview process. - Having a sales engineer on the panel is risky & slows everything down. According to LinkedIn Chad was MD at Sutter Hill Ventures and now is Managing Partner Riverpoint Capital where he has been an early investor in Snowflake, AppDynamics, Lacework, Clumio, Sigma Computing etc.... Please from the link below; https://lnkd.in/dRY8X4Yb #CRO #Revenue #GTM #software #sales #recruiting #recruitment #hiring

6

2 Comments

New product or new sales motion? Launch a new cycle of product-market fit. Last week on the Pavilion Topline podcast (link in comments) the hosts discussed a CRO forum question regarding differing effectiveness in selling two different products and whether the founder and revenue leader should launch a new sales team to improve the effectiveness of selling this new product or leverage and train an existing team to sell the product that was not selling. This question struck at the core of 🐶 Jacco van der Kooij and Winning by Design’s (WbD) approach to understanding and managing your growth stage and GTM strategies using WbD’s GROWTH MODEL. The WbD Growth Model “S-Curve” is pictured below. I will also provide Jacco’s quote from the WbD / Pavilion Revenue Architecture class in June 2021, ... “The launch of a new product, entry into a new region, or selling into a new segment all require, even briefly, to reenter the product development cycle (and validate product-market-fit).” This means the GTM team must re-establish product-market fit, Go-to-Market fit, etc. for that new product, region, or segment that a company launches. This explains why, for the original question referenced above, one product can sell effectively, while another product does not. Again, each new product, sales motion, geography, or segment has to re-enter and establish product-market-fit and go-to-market fit before pouring gas on the fire and scaling. What happens if you ignore this principle? Multiple GTM strategies/GTM motions too early in the growth cycle without first establishing product-market-fit, result in spreading an organization’s resources too thin and potentially not executing anything well or burning too much cash before you learn to sell your product and nail down an ideal customer profile and key buyer persona. IMHO - I think the WbD product and their revenue architecture course are excellent. I also find their content and approaches incredibly useful. If you find this Growth Model framework interesting, explore the Pavilion WbD revenue architecture certification class. You could also join WbD in Santa Cruz on June 3 and 4 for their revenue architecture summit. Links are in the comments. My questions - are you aware of examples in which too many GTM motions were supported simultaneously before attaining product-market fit? If so, how did the organization suffer? Alternatively, are you aware of instances where the WbD growth model framework and its principles do not apply? Thank you!

43

7 Comments

In this climate it is definitely crucial to do more with the pipeline you have and focus on quality, than to cover high early leakage by pulling in more low quality pipeline. Nate Nasralla loving the content here!

11

It’s no secret that in-person meetings have become rarer in the sales world. We have Zoom, Teams, and every digital tool imaginable to connect instantly across time zones. But as convenient as this is, are we losing something essential? Meeting face-to-face isn’t just about closing deals—it’s about building relationships. It’s about taking the time to understand a client’s world on a level that digital meetings can’t replicate. Here’s what’s often missing when we rely solely on screens: 💼 Stronger Relationships: When you’re in the same room, trust builds faster. You’re there, invested in their time and space. It’s a level of connection that’s challenging to recreate online. 👥 Learning Personalities: Everyone has unique quirks and preferences. You can see how they respond to ideas, notice their enthusiasm (or hesitation) as the conversation shifts, and pick up on non-verbal cues that a webcam might miss. 🔍 Observing Communication Styles and Preferences: People communicate differently face-to-face than over video. Maybe they’re quiet on calls but animated in person, or vice versa. Getting a feel for these preferences can shape how you approach the relationship going forward. 🏢 Experiencing Company Culture: Walking into an office, you feel the environment—the way people interact, the vibe of the workspace, the organization’s values in action. It’s a peek behind the curtain that’s hard to replicate virtually and can give you insights into how best to serve them. 🍽 Sharing Meals & Stories: Breaking bread together or sharing stories over coffee is powerful. These moments of connection foster goodwill and allow you to see each other as people, not just business contacts. In the process, you might uncover stories and insights that no video call agenda would ever reveal. At the end of the day, these moments help us to go beyond transactions and build relationships that last. As much as digital convenience has transformed sales, we may want to revisit the art of showing up in person. There are some things you just can’t download. 👥 Would love to hear your thoughts—has in-person interaction become a lost art in your industry?

2

What's it like selling to the enterprise with a company insider in your corner? Here's a recent example, pulled straight from the transcript of an Emissary session. 🖼 The scene — strategic AE is assigned a new prospect account, and has to get to work navigating a path to the CIO. Instead of googling an Account Plan together, he starts by asking an Emissary to help craft an account strategy. 🚫 The old approach in this case — manual research, guesswork, or (please don't...) asking ChatGPT for a plan — would have been a disaster with months wasted on reading interviews, investor decks, and other signals trying to infer what this CIO wants to achieve. The problem? Read the transcript to find out. 🕺 The win — in a 45 minute call, the rep learned the hidden power structure of the IT org, 3 senior execs to target, the levers to use to get their attention (not all included for brevity), how to show up aligned with company culture, and a wealth of other sales guidance that didn't fit in the carousel. One example of thousands. There is a new way to do Enterprise sales. Will you be first in your category to adapt, or...?

23

CS teams NEED to start "managing up" with execs and the board by talking about REVENUE. Yes, you can keep talking about sentiment and feelings, but start with the $. Don't lead with churn- Bottom-line-focused execs don't like that headline, so you need to tell the story better. An informal poll had CS teams owning over 50% of the revenue of many SaaS companies. Lead with this and have it be your first talking point. From there you will be able to get more things done with other departments, as your requests will be revenue-focused Need to get a Customer Success Platform as you scale? Point to revenue and the potential to lose revenue without efficiencies Need to hire more to prevent burnout? Point to Revenue potential with renewals and upsells Talk in the language your execs and board want to hear.

44

13 Comments

I've noticed that the products and services that perform the best have a robust and efficient sales process. But how do you build that inside a large organization? It's a question I'm often thinking about and working on with clients. Here are 6 things we know that work. 1. Establish a Repeatable Sales Process: Create a consistent and scalable framework that your team can follow. 2. Prioritize Target Accounts: Focus your efforts on high-value prospects that can drive the most revenue. 3. Harness Technology: Utilize CRM systems and automation tools to streamline your sales activities. 4. Cultivate a Strong Sales Team: Invest in training and development to build a knowledgeable and motivated sales force. 5. Adopt a Consultative Sales Approach: Engage with your customers to understand their needs and tailor your solutions accordingly. 6. Adapt to Change: Stay flexible and responsive to changes in the market and customer preferences. What else would you add?

17

2 Comments

What are your thoughts on seeing their deals mapped out in a deal velocity scorecard? This is part of the performance dashboard we're building for MidFunnel. The idea is that sellers can see how their deals are faring. Managers can quickly get a pulse on deal progress. The velocity is calculated based on the responsiveness of communication. Next we're considering adding qualitative insights on prospect eagerness as well. #sales #sales-tech

17

1 Comment

Pipeline pitfalls 1. Target your ICP properly. Are you booking unqualified appointments? 2. Make sure they are interested in moving forward. Are you just creating pipeline to create pipeline? 3. Don’t just follow up to follow up. Do you have defined next steps? 4. Make sure you are talking to the right person. Do they have buying power? 5. Are you advancing the opportunity or moving too slowly? 6. Are you sitting on dead deals that need to be closed lost?

47

12 Comments

Pipeline Heroes use scripts in cold calls. Scripts that induce: Curiosity Dont target the meeting as the only purpose of the call Scale follow-ups and next actions for those in ICP, but not in market Treat conversations as reconnaissance and a cornerstone of a relationship with a stranger PipelineHeroes use scripts because they are professionals and want to be Accountable Measurable Scientific

24

2 Comments