The Revenue Cafe

So you've planned out your launch plan months ahead and now it's going smoothly. What do we want to do now? Janet Giesen, Founder and Principal at JetPath Consulting, talks about understanding why your launches are not having the impact they should and what you should do immediately after the launching.

Janet essentially gives us a blueprint for a successful launch. From planning and sorting out everything you need beforehand to what you should directly after. Learn everything in more detail in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Sometimes you need to go slow to go fast - Janet: "Rather than throwing something out there into the market, give time to plan. Maybe that's managing up or managing cross-functionally, and saying we need four more weeks to really plan this and do this pretty well. That can help people have really successful launches and just do better in the long run."

You can find out more about Janet in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetgiesen/

You have only one shot at launching something and launching it well. That essentially means that you don't have to launch something constantly. Janet Giesen, Founder and Principal at JetPath Consulting, talks about why your launches are not having the impact they should on the market.

Janet dives deep into the planning of launches and how much this process can drive your impact. Learn more by tuning in to this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Make sure that product, marketing, and sales are on the same page when launch planning - Janet: "When you're aligned and you're doing something in a unified way, you get that revenue boost. So making sure that you're launching together, that your go-to-market activities are rolling out together, and that everyone is ready at the same time."

You can find out more about Janet in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetgiesen/

More than 80% of high-growth companies take a value-based approach. So what does this mean for you and how do you first approach this? Jimmy Ku, Head of Growth for Developed Markets at Flutterwave, continues his talk about focusing on value.
 

For today's episode, Jimmy dives deep into the drivers of value. He also shares how he switched strategies over time to make sure everything becomes value-based. Learn all of this and more in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.
 

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Have a conversation instead of trying to sell - Jimmy: "For me, it is really about listening to what they are looking to do, what they're looking to accomplish,  and what their major pain points are. There are some high-level things you can do to get the conversation started. But if you are going off and continuing your pitch without truly listening and not really asking any questions, you're not connecting with who you're talking to."

You can find out more about Jimmy in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmyku/

If you really think about it, no one really likes to be sold to and so the old ways of trying to sell just don't work anymore. Jimmy Ku, Head of Growth for Developed Markets at Flutterwave, talks about focusing on value and what we can provide to our customers when selling.

Jimmy lays down the overall process for providing value consistently in both the short and long term. Learn even more in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

What are your priorities to add value? - Jimmy: "Look to add value in every interaction. Every meeting should have something new otherwise why are you having another meeting? So make sure in every meeting there's something valuable that you are providing in that conversation."
 

You can find out more about Jimmy in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmyku/

There should always be some engagement between sales, marketing, and product to make sure everyone is aligned. Joāo Romāo, Chief of Staff for Product at OutSystems, continues his discussion on the use and combination of the sales-led and product-led motions for maximum efficiency.

Joāo shares insights on how to use the best of both in order to see continuous and consistent growth and make sure you have a healthy offering that caters to different scenarios. There's a lot more to learn so tune in to in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

You might not see the results at first but they compound - Johan: "This shift from sales-led to product-led and combining them both, you must not look at it as a sprint. It's a marathon. It takes time, it takes trust, and it takes a lot of effort to make it work but the results are compounds."

You can find out more about Joāo in the link below: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaoromao/

Optimize for collaboration between sales and marketing by avoiding the "Us vs Them" mindset. Joāo Romāo, Chief of Staff for Product at OutSystems, talks about using sales-led and product-led strategies as two different options to drive growth in your company.

Joāo also discusses the main pitfalls to watch out for and avoid when integrating these two sales motions. Learn about sales-led versus product-led motions in more detail in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Start relationships with a product experience - Joāo: "For some users that are going through your product-led approach, it might be the case that they're so self-sufficient and so independent that they want to buy independently from a sales motion. For those, you always should have an escape valve for them to buy without being sold to."

You can find out more about Joāo in the link below: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaoromao/

Managing expectations internally is just as crucial as managing expectations with your buyer. Johan Benoualid, the former Chief Revenue Officer for EMEA and APAC at Akeneo, continues his discussion on the rollercoaster sales stage and helping your champion overcome their internal obstacles.

Changing the way your forecast is built and recognizing that the last mile could take longer is something you often should just acknowledge. Learn more about the essential factors for this in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.
 

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Buying decisions are being put on hold - Johan: "There is so much competition now between the different projects that a company will approve internally that you need to create this sales page to manage the rollercoaster situation and help your team to be successful."

You can find out more about Johan in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanbenoualid/

Sales is a process whether you sell to SMB, mid-market, or large enterprises. Johan Benoualid, the former Chief Revenue Officer for EMEA and APAC at Akeneo, talks about the rollercoaster sales stage which requires teams to adapt to changing buying processes of customers.
 

By understanding the challenges of the rollercoaster stage, teams can then learn to provide a better customer experience. Learn more about the rollercoaster stage and how to adapt to it in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Buying decisions are being put on hold - Johan: "We see customers becoming more mature in the ways they buy. Sales cycle can get stretched. And did I expect it by higher level of management? I think that's a reality that most of us have seen and most of sales leaders have experienced last year.

"And this year, really that situation where our customer is doing all the sales process and have the budget approves the authority, but then the foundation is on hold. And that's where we become to be in a kind of roller coaster here."

You can find out more about Johan in the link below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanbenoualid/

Salespeople must ask the right questions to diagnose a problem and provide a solution. Karl Ortmanns, VP of Sales at Agorapulse, discusses how to ask what and how questions. The demo is the prescription and it is the output of the insights that you learn to show the customer how you can make their life better.

Learn more about how demos are journeys, not destinations in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Remember to ask what and how questions, not why - Karl: "That's the whole notion of it is why questions are accusational by nature because I'm asking you, why didn't you do this? And you think of it as a parent. Why did you do that? This first question parents ask is why did you do that?"

"And kids go, I don't know. However, if you think about it from a sales context, if you start asking them, hey, what is it the solutions you're going to do? Hey, how would we get this done? If you start to ask what and how questions it provokes and drives engagement and conversation. If you ask why questions, it's going to put up a wall."

You can find out more about Karl in the link below: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlortmanns/

Doctors cannot prescribe medicine without diagnosing the problem first. Karl Ortmanns, VP of Sales at Agorapulse, discusses how the same goes for sales reps. Reps must first consider the type of sale, ask the right questions, and always seek to help rather than sell.

Learn more about making sales a two-way street rather than "I-centric" in this episode of Breadcrumbs Hot Takes Live by Revenue Cafe podcast.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

The best salespeople add to the conversation - Karl: "Maybe the best way to say this is somebody who's paying attention, they're listening, they're taking notes, and they're actually adding to the conversation, and it's trying to create a two-way dialogue."

You can find out more about Karl in the link below: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlortmanns/