The process of selling should not be aggressive or confrontational. Companies should try to understand the questions, fears, and worries of their prospects. One tactic is to take on a teaching role that helps prospects to be smart consumers, rather than talking down to them. It's also important to clarify when your product might not be suitable and provide honest comparisons with competitors.

Understanding customer needs and industry challenges takes priority over pitching product features when entering a new market.

Effective cold emails require more than just catchy subject lines and CTAs. The Prospecting Venn Diagram emphasizes the importance of knowing your prospects' personas, accounts, personal backgrounds, as well as your product's value prop. Start with a 1-3 word subject line and personalize opening lines to show you've done your homework. Highlight a relevant challenge the prospect faces and offer a solution to demonstrate your understanding of their needs. Directly ask for a meeting instead of using indirect CTAs. Lastly, ensure your email is concise, easy to scan, and avoid using sales jargon.

Closing calls represent the culmination of a potentially long sales process. Strategic communication and techniques play a vital role in securing commitments from prospects during these calls. This article shares best practices, such as following a structured approach, addressing objections, and building rapport, for confidently guiding prospects towards making purchasing decisions.

Everyone knows “Book a demo” is equivalent to “Talk to a salesperson”. Only a very high-intent prospect who’s not an introvert, not a coder, and not busy will take up that sales call. Think about the specific goal the rest of your prospects are trying to achieve and how you can help them right away. Offer a lead magnet — something useful and engaging that lower-intent prospects will take advantage of. If prospects are coders, provide them with the code and let them experiment with it. If most of your visitors consistently have additional questions, offer Live Chat.

The crowded nature of the SaaS market means features alone will not give a product a sustainable competitive edge. To build an effective positioning strategy, companies need to address 4 crucial questions: what the product is, who it's meant for, what it replaces, and why it's a better option than the competition. Answering these questions provides the foundation for a clear and impactful message that differentiates the product, helping it stand out and reach the right audience.

Leveraging buyer beliefs is crucial for effective marketing. Marketers often assume customers have the same knowledge, which can alienate potential buyers. Use clear language to explain complex concepts, such as the importance of note-taking for productivity. Marketers should map out the customer journey, starting with existing beliefs and guiding them to new, required beliefs. Tactics include storytelling, addressing misconceptions, and providing simple demonstrations to build trust.

This post outlines a framework for rewriting a cold email targeting cloud cost optimization. Avoid 'salesy' subject lines, reduce personal pronouns, and emphasize the impact of the problem on the prospect. The revised email focuses on providing valuable insights, incorporating social proof, and adopting a softer tone to encourage response from recipients.

To enhance SaaS conversions, create concise landing pages with less than 200 words. Use exploratory headlines instead of commitment-heavy phrases to make users feel more inclined to interact. Consider removing the word 'free' from CTAs, as it can sometimes diminish perceived value and trigger skepticism. Implement time-limited discounts to generate urgency and drive immediate action from your audience. Shift from traditional 'Call to Action' buttons to 'Call to Value' messages that highlight the benefits users will receive.

Don't write headlines that read like orders - instead, make a specific promise that takes the work off your prospect and puts it on your product.

The three most common problems with value propositions are failing to make it clear what the product or service does, forgetting to mention valuable benefits, and neglecting to tell your prospect what will happen if they buy. Always use plain and clear language to describe value propositions, particularly for complex products or services. Ensure that all elements of value are listed on websites so visitors understand the full benefits. Make the post-sale experience clear so users know what to expect - this can be achieved with a future-pacing flowchart.

Pipeline building is now a shared responsibility across marketing, sales, customer success, product, and operations teams. Success depends on coordinated campaigns targeting high-value customers, moving beyond the limitations of MQL-focused strategies. This post shares over 40 ideas on how to target customers in different stages of the purchase funnel.

In the evolving landscape of sales and marketing, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of an ecosystem-led outbound strategy. This approach leverages partnerships to enhance credibility and drive revenue, as traditional outbound methods face significant challenges. Research indicates that deals influenced by ecosystems are not only more likely to close but also do so at a faster rate. The insights shared by industry leaders highlight practical tactics for operationalizing this strategy effectively. One of the primary advantages of an ecosystem-led approach is its ability to build trust at scale. By integrating partners into the go-to-market strategy, companies can create a credible presence in the market, which is essential for attracting potential customers. Each company's ecosystem is unique, shaped by its specific partner relationships and market positioning, providing a tailored advantage that competitors cannot easily replicate. As the ecosystem expands, the opportunities for engagement and revenue generation grow exponentially, making this strategy both scalable and efficient. To implement an ecosystem-led outbound strategy, several key tactics have emerged: 1. **Dedicated Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)**: These SDRs focus on ecosystem partnerships, participating in strategy sessions and utilizing partner data to refine their outreach. This specialization ensures that their efforts resonate with prospects already engaged with the ecosystem. 2. **Funnel GPS Calls**: Cross-functional meetings that unite sales, marketing, and partnerships are crucial for aligning strategies and reviewing the pipeline. These calls facilitate real-time adjustments and foster unified action toward shared goals. 3. **Curated Target Lists**: Assigning each Business Development Representative (BDR) a small, focused list of high-conviction accounts allows for deeper engagement and tailored outreach strategies, enhancing the chances of success. 4. **CRM Integration of Ecosystem Data**: By embedding ecosystem data into the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, sales teams can streamline their efforts and gain immediate insights into partner overlaps and relevant account information. 5. **Utilizing Partner Intent Signals**: Monitoring changes in a partner's tech stack or customer acquisitions provides actionable insights that help sales teams time their outreach effectively, making their engagement more relevant. 6. **Participation in Partner Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs)**: Engaging in QBRs allows teams to gather insights on mutual customers and identify new collaboration opportunities, directly informing outbound strategies. 7. **Segmenting Partners**: Recognizing the different roles partners play—whether as daily contributors or strategic partners—enables companies to engage them effectively based on their contributions and support needs. These tactics not only enhance outbound efforts but also influence the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to retention. An ecosystem-led strategy can reduce churn and create upsell opportunities, demonstrating its broad revenue impact across the go-to-market orchestration. As companies continue to adapt to the changing dynamics of sales and marketing, embracing an ecosystem-led approach can provide a significant competitive edge, fostering deeper relationships and driving sustainable growth.

Alexander Estner, a Go-to-Market (GTM) advisor specializing in helping SaaS founders scale their businesses, recently shared insights on effective copywriting formulas tailored for product categories. His post outlines seven specific formulas that can enhance messaging and engagement on SaaS homepages. The first formula emphasizes addressing potential objections while presenting the product category as a solution to specific capabilities. For instance, Livestorm.com exemplifies this approach by highlighting its dual capabilities. The second formula introduces a product by name, showcasing its features and the benefits it provides compared to existing solutions, as demonstrated by Ada.cx. The third formula focuses on competitive advantages, illustrating how a product can deliver key capabilities within a short timeframe, using Evaboot.com as an example. The fourth formula targets a specific audience, detailing how the product alleviates pain points associated with current solutions, as seen with breakcold.com. The fifth formula positions the product category directly for a target audience, explaining how it helps achieve desired outcomes through specific features, with Convertkit.com serving as a reference. The sixth formula outlines how a product supports its ideal customer profile (ICP) by addressing multiple use cases while avoiding common pain points, illustrated by Spherecast.ai. The seventh formula encapsulates the product category's ability to achieve a specific outcome, promoting the benefits of an all-in-one solution, as Gong.io does. In addition to these formulas, Estner notes that there are various ways to structure homepage headers (H1), including leading with product categories, capabilities, pain points, use cases, or desired outcomes. He encourages readers to engage with his content by commenting for more copywriting formulas, indicating a collection of over 70 formulas available for different sections of a homepage. Estner's expertise is further highlighted by his invitation for SaaS leaders to join his community and receive free GTM tactics, showcasing his commitment to supporting startups in their growth journeys.

This case study looks at the challenge of balancing brand storytelling with effective sales strategies on e-commerce websites. Successful sites need to merge engaging narratives with a smooth, intuitive shopping experience. However, many brands struggle with this balance, often focusing too much on visual appeal or functionality. As customers increasingly arrive directly at product pages via social media or search engines, these pages become crucial in shaping their purchasing decisions. Many sites fall short in key areas like search and navigation.

This post shares 6 ways to leverage your story to stand out in today's market. Customers today want to hear from humans and prefer a personal approach. They expect two-way conversations and need to be heavily educated before any direct communication takes place. Humor also goes a long way — tell stories of times when things went wrong or were imperfect.

Powerful product messaging is the backbone of a good marketing strategy. Your website should speak to one specific persona, not a range of segments. Instead of showing a long list of features on your homepage, it should describe the desirable transformation your product will create. Strong customer success stories, case studies, and any other third-party validation will bring validity to lofty promises. Moreover, a compelling and authentic brand personality goes a long way in differentiating your brand.

Despite 86% of B2B companies relying on outbound marketing, 53% report its declining effectiveness. To make outbound work, transition from sales-led to GTM-led efforts, target the total relevant market, and engage multiple stakeholders. Your focus should be on timing and relevance rather than frequency of outreach.

Job advertisements play a crucial role in attracting the right talent, and the language and structure used can significantly impact the perception of a company. Stevie Buckley shares insights from years of experience in writing and reviewing job ads, highlighting common pitfalls and offering guidance on how to create more effective listings. One of the most frequent issues is the vague term "competitive salary." This phrase often fails to convey meaningful information and can be perceived as a lack of transparency. Buckley argues that providing a clear salary range is essential, as it respects the time and effort of job applicants. Common excuses for not disclosing salary include concerns about existing team members' reactions or fears of attracting candidates who will only seek the highest end of the range. Buckley counters these excuses by emphasizing the importance of fair pay and the need for honesty in job postings. Another common mistake is the requirement for a specific number of years of experience. Buckley points out that this can deter potentially qualified candidates who may have relevant skills but lack the exact years of experience specified. Instead of focusing on arbitrary experience metrics, he suggests describing what success looks like in the role within the first year, which can attract a broader range of applicants. The length and content of job ads are also critical. Research indicates that candidates take less than 50 seconds to assess job fit, and ads that are concise yet informative tend to attract more applications. Buckley advises against lengthy descriptions that delve into company history, recommending a brief overview with links to more detailed information. Furthermore, Buckley stresses the importance of transparency regarding the interview process. Candidates appreciate knowing what to expect, including the typical duration of the hiring process. Providing context through external links, photos of the workplace, and insights from current employees can enhance the appeal of the job ad. Finally, Buckley encourages companies to seek feedback from their existing team members and applicants about the job ad. This collaborative approach can lead to improvements in how roles are presented and help ensure that the advertisement accurately reflects the work environment and expectations. By addressing these common issues and focusing on clarity, transparency, and relevance, companies can create job advertisements that not only attract the right candidates but also reflect positively on their brand.

To get buy-in for customer stories, address objections like fear, inconvenience, and lack of clear benefits. Assure customers they have control over the final content and emphasize that the process is quick and simple. Keep the ask short, personal, and safe, avoiding overwhelming details. Use this 6-sentence framework: why them, why now, what's the story, what's involved, the benefits, and the next steps.

Sherpany, a meeting management platform, found in user research that its target audience saw the product as “just another meeting solution.” To better communicate its unique value proposition, the company repurposed some of its expert content into a Digital Transformation strategy guide and offered it as a lead magnet. Sherpany used this to test a completely new lead funnel, which resulted in a 58% increase in platform demo requests.

Users go through 5 stages before they become buyers: problem unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware, and most aware. This post recommends the types of content to create for each stage in order to drive more sales.

Company leadership tends to undervalue copywriting because they misunderstand what it is. It is not a quest for the magic phrase that will resonate with every single visitor, a rote restating of your company’s internal product positioning, or a list of product features. Good copy is designed to elicit a reaction and is always about conversion. Conversion copywriting should encapsulate a holistic view of the entire user journey. However, leaders often measure copy by the same bottom-of-funnel metrics.

A case study on Oatly's effective sales copy. Paint a picture of how the product improves customers' lives, beyond the surface-level benefits. Use the same natural writing voice as you use in a blog post so it doesn't come off as salesy. Address objections directly with facts rather than ignoring them. Use conversational words like “we,” “I”, and “you.” Make readers feel good by inviting them in and creating a subtle sense of belonging.

The Empathy Gap explains why we often underestimate how much a buyer's emotional state can influence their behavior and decisions. People — including your customers — suck at predicting how they'll feel and act in the future. Avoid asking customers to predict what they'll want (or buy) in the future when doing customer research and instead find the answer in their past behavior patterns. Factor in “hot” emotional states, like hunger or frustration, in advertising while also framing your product as the solution. Leverage buyers' rational emotional state to sell subscriptions by framing the purchase as a way to prevent a future “hot” emotional state.

A common blunder made by copywriters and marketers is to speak to a group when one person is the audience. Teams do not read sales letters or website pages — individuals do. Sales are made (and lost) one by one. Copy should speak to one person whenever possible, avoiding language like “some of you” or “people just like you.” Speaking insider-to-insider strengthens the copy as it shows that you are one of them. No matter how educated your audience, make your message easy to consume.

This article dissects a powerful newspaper ad for the American Advisors Group (AAG) and extracts seven useful concepts to use in your copy. The ad's headline uses curiosity and grabs attention while still being believable. It is followed by a subheadline that specifically calls out its target audience. The ad is designed for both quick scanning and in-depth reading. It tactfully addresses potential objections throughout the copy.

Brute-Force Marketing entails using your own product on behalf of potential customers and then gifting them the results as if they were already using it. This requires a lot of manual, non-scalable work, but it is a bullet-proof way to boost your acquisition rates. This author recommends identifying potential customers on LinkedIn and then DMing them the ‘gift.' This tactic works because it's unique and personalized, it shows tangible value, and your labor invested makes your product seem more valuable.

Marketers can employ the "Low Intent Match" method to identify search queries with unmet needs. This involves focusing on search intent where existing top content falls short, such as broad guides ranking for specific tools queries. By creating targeted content like "49 Best Voice of Customer Tools," they can better fulfill the exact need. The process includes deep manual keyword research, clustering keywords by SERP similarity, and analyzing groups for intent mismatches. This strategy can help content to rank quickly and draw significant traffic, even outranking major competitors.

Your value proposition is at the heart of all your go-to-market activities – particularly in the startup stages. First define the problem, while assuming that people don't want more products. Ask yourself what the risk or consequence is that's associated with the problem, which is the customer pain point. Next, list your product's capabilities and connect them to the problems you've identified in the prior steps. The more thoroughly you solve the issue, the more interested people will be. Finally, prove that your product solves the problems with customer case studies. With all of this information, you can now summarize your value proposition - use no more than two sentences.