Account Expansion Starts in the Close

Account Expansion Starts in the Close

Uncommon Opinion:  your account expansion really starts in the initial closed sale. Too many go-to-market teams view closing an initial deal with a new buyer as a separate activity from expanding account value after a buyer has turned into a customer.  Sales does the...
Growing into the White Space

Growing into the White Space

Too often, go-to-market teams focus account expansion efforts on “selling into the white space” of the product capabilities that their customer has not yet purchased.  In other words, they view the area of open opportunity in terms of their own product.   White space...
Land with Your Endgame in Mind

Land with Your Endgame in Mind

To do prospecting right, you must build a prospecting narrative that connects landing the first deal to account expansion. “Land with your endgame in mind” is how Ro Saccone, Chief Marketing Officer at Planet, put it in a recent call I had with her. “We try to build...
Nailing the Product Discussion

Nailing the Product Discussion

Buyers tune out and lose interest when they hear a generic product discussion that is not aligned to their goal and priorities.   On the other hand, a product presentation can delight and engage buyers when it shows we listened and understood their goals. Rachael...
Never Product Pitch Again

Never Product Pitch Again

A product pitch is the single fastest way to alienate a buyer and kill deal momentum. Andy Raskin in a great post on The Shift In How CEOs Communicate Strategy shows how business strategy has shifted from “It’s About Us” to “It’s About You.” “It’s About Us” is...