EPISODE SUMMARYSales can be tricky—you need to showcase your product without compromising a great customer experience. In this episode of SaaS-Story in the Making, Matt Wood, CEO of CheetahIQ, shares the importance of sales research with host Matt Wolach. Wood explains how research and prospect intelligence can prepare salespeople to perform better and close more deals. This method may sometimes be the most neglected part of the process but here’s why you need to start dedicating your time to it.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 195, “How Sales Research Can Help You Close More Deals”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Matt Wood, CEO of CheetahIQ & Founder of 10 Mile SolutionsTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEKnow Exactly What You Want Improve SDRs and AEs’ Performance Prospects Love it when You Do Your HomeworkEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSThe Five by Five Framework Prospects Don’t Trust Salespeople TOP QUOTESMatt Wood[08:00] ”The relevance during outreach and booking meetings is really about breaking through the noise and standing out so you can book the meeting.”[08:50] “Research out there says that 88% of buyers, in the b2b space, believe that salespeople are unprepared for discovery calls and because they're unprepared, they are unable to build trust, they're not becoming a trusted adviser.”[14:25] “We want to be that trusted advisor with a seat at the table– who is like the name implies– trusted by the prospects so that they look at you as someone who can help them solve problems.”[19:41] “If you can understand your market, really understand your problem and how you saw that and how you message that to the customers.”Matt Wolach[13:32] ”I love that five by five framework. That's something that I could train someone on. I could say, okay, I need five insights in five minutes. So you don't have to waste a lot of time. But you can get really good things and have a fantastic conversation with somebody or have a great positive outreach campaign that's going to work that's going to hit on things that they appreciate.”[15:35] “[Research] It works for multiple different roles, the SDR, they've got their stuff, the AEs doing their thing. So everybody can kind of see what's going on with this prospect.”LEARN MORETo learn more about Matt Wood and CheetahIQ, visit https://www.cheetahiq.com/.For 10 Mile Solutions, visit https://10milesolutions.com/.You can also find Matt Wood on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewnwood/.For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYSaaS companies often focus on arbitrary areas of marketing and tend to overlook some of the best tactics that can help them grow. In this episode, Marc Thomas, the Head of Growth at Powered By Search, shares his expertise and experiences in marketing and sales growth with SaaS-Story in the Making Host, Matt Wolach. Thomas shared the most common marketing mistakes SaaS companies make and how you can solve them.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 194, “SaaS Marketing Mistakes that Destroy Your Growth”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Marc Thomas, Head of Growth at Powered By SearchTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEWriting Sales Copy That Only Contains Product FeaturesPositioning for a General AudienceNot Understanding How to Execute a Full FunnelEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSPredictable Growth MethodologyMQL is not DeadTOP QUOTESMarc Thomas[03:18] “Most people don't need an SEO or PPC consultant. They need someone to help them work out the economics of their growth model.”[07:01] “Predictable growth methodology allows us to, say, ‘let's structure this conversation rather than just going hey, let's, let's start anew every time.‘ But SaaS businesses grow because they acquire customers profitably and retain them for a long time.’[14:32] “Lead magnets for generating effective MQLs, which will later convert into an SQL or a deal. All of this relies on a solid position, messaging, and then tactical work above that.”[23:09] “It's an old-fashioned, unsexy thing to do to create a lead magnet and then say, ‘Hey, thanks for downloading our lead magnet, here's another thing.’ But look, you know what’s sexy? Revenue.” Matt Wolach[07:42] “It's critical to know exactly what those [SaaS metrics] are. And you know how you can leverage them and use them to get them bench to the right benchmarks and get them accelerated.”[19:23] “You’ve got to have the perfect fit, right-fit customers to be able to work.”[23:56] “A lead magnet is a guide or document or something of value you're sharing in exchange for usually an email…  But it's something that a lot of SaaS companies kind of miss out on and don't take advantage of. They either don't use that as a strategy, or they don't know how to convert people from it.”LEARN MORETo learn more about Marc Thomas and Powered By Search, visit: https://www.poweredbysearch.com/. You can also find Marc Thomas on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-thomas-4a91ba1b/?originalSubdomain=uk.For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYMarketing can appear complex with all of the tools and strategies that promise to help a business grow. In this episode of SaaS Story in the Making, host Matt Wolach and Founder and CEO of Box Out Marketing, Tyler Garns, talk about how an effective marketing strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. Garns shares his expertise on marketing and how businesses can employ simple actions that can lead to their desired results.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No 194., “Why You Don’t Have to Be a Marketing Genius to Create an Effective Marketing Strategy.”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Tyler Garns, Founder, and CEO of Box Out Marketing TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEStop Doing What Everyone Else is Doing Start Defining your Strategy through your Business & Pricing ModelHave Fast and Slow TracksEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSBusiness Owners Throw Money at the Marketing ProblemKeep it SimpleTOP QUOTESTyler Garns[02:17] “Most business owners are masters of their craft. They're great at what they do. [But} they're not necessarily marketers. And so what they tend to do is, they just throw money at the marketing problem.”[02:55] “The business owner and the founder– the visionary needs to take some ownership of the marketing strategy, tie it in with their big business vision, and make sure all that stuff's aligned, and then they can delegate appropriately.”[06:24] “You have to define your own land; you have to know that it's the right strategy for your business model. Once you've got all that stuff lined up, then you can go– you can go hard.”[14:07] “We spent money. And did we make money? Or did we lose money? That's the ultimate question. And if you can track that well and be confident in that data, You can go crazy [and] you can grow really fast.” [16:08] “The multi-step, multi-touch attribution stuff doesn't help unless we know the basics– the foundation and where we're at.” Matt Wolach[06:48] “They often drift or grow in circles because they're not doing the right thing at the right time, with the right amount of focus on a particular topic.[03:45] “Most of the deals are done after five follow-ups. So a large majority of people are not following up or doing it very few times.” LEARN MORETo learn more about Tyler Garns and Box Out Marketing, visit https://www.boxoutmarketing.com/tyler-garns/.You can also find Tyler Garns on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylergarns/. For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode of SaaS-Story in the Making, Matt Wolach and Mark Colgan talked about the importance of onboarding and making sure the most amount of website visitors start a trial. Colgan also shared his experiences on starting his podcast journey, what companies today are missing out on, and other things that can help B2B SaaS companies improve their onboarding process. Colgan is a co-founder and CEO of Speak On Podcasts and an onboarding specialist that helps B2B SaaS companies convert visitors into users. PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 191, “How to Get More Leads into Your Free Trial”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Mark Colgan, co-founder, and CEO, of Speak On PodcastsTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODESpeak Up and Sell YourselfConsider your Buyer’s Journey First Impression MattersEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSProviding ValueCommon Mistakes on Getting More Prospects to Sign UpReducing Sign Up Form FrictionTOP QUOTESMark Colgan[04:40] “People are looking and doing discovery before even reaching out to salespeople.”[05:01] ”It's not just about the interview and the recording like we're doing now. It’s the relationship you can build with the host… establishing partnership opportunities with the podcast hosts that they're speaking to. It's just a great first step in a relationship.”[09:02] “As a founder, you've got a unique position-- you got two angles, automatically: domain expertise, and your story.”[14:11] “If a full-blown free trial isn't going to be possible, that's fine. But give them the experience of signing up, at least getting a little bit started, if possible at all.”[16:20] “When you're the founder and you're building your set, you know what the little icons mean-- you know that you're supposed to click over here. But a first-time user doesn't have all of that bias, and familiarity with a product.”[21:34] “The one that I get the most responsive support from, the one that's easiest to use, the one that gets me to my aha moment as quickly as possible, is likely to be the one that I'm going to go with if the pricing is right. Matt Wolach [05:37] “It can be even more powerful to be a guest on a show than starting your own, especially if your own show is a guest type of show… In that situation, the guest comes on and shares about their expertise. And the conversation goes around what they know.”[09:16] “Do not gate case studies. Those are some of the most powerful things in converting your prospects.” LEARN MORETo learn more about Mark Colgan and Speak On Podcasts, visit: https://www.markcolgan.co.uk/ & https://speakonpodcasts.com/ For Product Onboarders, visit: https://www.theproductonboarders.com/ You can also find Mark Colgan on LinkedIn at: https://pt.linkedin.com/in/markcolganmarketingFor more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, Alan Gleeson, Work with Agility’s Chief Marketing Officer and SaaS Marketing Consultant, shares his expertise in marketing with SaaS-Story in the Making Host, Matt Wolach. He is focused on working with B2B SaaS companies, providing marketing leadership and expertise to help them on their journey. Gleeson shares with us everything there is about marketing attribution and why it is necessary despite it being complicated.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 190, “Here’s what you need to know about Marketing Attribution for B2B SaaS Companies”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Alan Gleeson, Chief Marketing Officer of Work With AgilityTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODECommon Mistakes Businesses Commit & How to Fix ThemBe Skeptical About DataHire a Fractional CMOEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSImportance of Marketing AttributionComplicated Attribution ProcessSegmenting & Resource PrioritizationTOP QUOTESAlan Gleeson[05:32] “But, in marketing, what you're trying to understand is where you should allocate your focus. It's a tricky function; you're endlessly overwhelmed.”[05:45] “You're looking for patterns to try and see where you should prioritize.”[13:07] “The big trick in B2B SaaS marketing is resource prioritization.”[16:03] “They're probably thinking it's an easier problem to solve than it is.”[18:13] “Google will get rewarded from an attribution point of view, be it a search organic, or a director, be it in a paid point. But it's the offline piece that's triggered.”[20:46] “We're drowning in data. We got to be a little bit skeptical and just kind of be careful in this area.”  Matt Wolach[08:21] “It's tough for us to determine where it's [attribution] coming from.  That's why I said we're kind of struggling with it ourselves." [22:12] “With something like this that is so technical, you have to stay on top of it. If you're an early-stage software leader, you have so many things you're doing, you have so many hats you're wearing, so many irons in the fire, that trying to put a bunch of focus right here on this thing is super difficult.” LEARN MORETo learn more about Alan Gleeson and Work with Agility, visit: https://www.workwithagility.com/about-alan-gleeson. You can also find Alan Gleeson on LinkedIn at: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alangleeson.  For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, SaaS-Story in the Making host Matt Wolach sat down with Founder and CEO of Criteria Corp, Josh Millet to discuss how science-based assessments are key to making better hiring decisions. Being around 15 years in the industry, Millet shares with us the importance of having objective and science-based assessments on hiring employees, how data can help support your decision-making process, and the importance of building a great team for your company’s success. PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 189, “How Science-Based Assessments Help You Make Better Hiring Decisions”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Josh Millet,  Founder, and CEO of Criteria Corp.TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEWhat’s more Important, Potential or Experience?Increase Hiring Success and Reduce Turnovers using Science-Based Talent AcquisitionApply the Moneyball ApproachEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSImportance of Data-Driven DecisionsThe Great Talent Migration and the Great ResignationMessage for the StartupsTOP QUOTESJosh Millet [14:37] ”Data has really transformed how we transact and think about our businesses in almost every area.” [16:01] ”What we're doing is arming them with the data to make more informed decisions. But ultimately, the decisions are still there.” [18:50] “I think that the problem with the way hiring works is that everyone thinks that the roles they're hiring for are highly specialized, where experience is an absolute must. And actually, the evidence suggests the contrary.” [20:08] “As humans, we do want to work with people we like and that's a real dynamic.”[20:48] “We want to focus on the objective things that we know predict outcomes, right?” [24:53] “Over investing in a product early on to the extent that you can is not a bad thing.”Matt Wolach[14:07] “They're making science-based decisions for their roadmap and for their marketing. Why not with your people as well.”[20:28] “In the hiring process, emotion is a huge part of it.” LEARN MORETo learn more about Josh Millet and Criteria Corp, visit: https://www.criteriacorp.com/ You can also find Josh Millet on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-millet-23ba192 For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, Matt Wolach and Andrew Butt talked about how Andrew finding niche has allowed his company to scale. Andrew also spoke about B2B rebates and why SaaS leaders should consider tracking their rebates easier and better. Andrew is the CEO and founder of Enable, a collaboration platform that allows B2B leaders to maximize the performance of their deals while improving financial transparency. Software and services are limited for the B2B and supply chain, so Andrew saw the opportunity to build a solution to an often neglected problem of B2B owners: unclaimed rebates. PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 188, “How to Scale Up by Niching Down”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Andrew Butt, CEO, and Founder of EnableTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEManage Your Rebates CorrectlyFocus on Your DecisionsProve Your Product’s EfficiencyBuild a Team of Good HiresEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSHow B2B Rebates WorkThe Future of Rebate ManagementEducating the Market on B2B RebatesDealing with Customer & Team ChallengesTOP QUOTESAndrew Butt [05:59] "The overall principle is similar [between B2C and B2B rebates], which is it's trying to drive behavior."[09:48] “We're already talking to a market that understands the importance of [rebate management] and why it needs to be done.”[11:50] “I think what's been important to Enable is to be laser-focused on what problems are we solving, how can we solve them better than anyone else, and then developing a great solution for that and being quite narrow and deep.”  Matt Wolach[11:10] “Just giving them the content, the videos, all the different ways that they can understand how this is going to make a change for them. That's huge.”[15:36] “ I've seen that a lot. Enterprise companies, big companies, they don't really have a lot of trust in a new startup.”[16:52] “It's all about taking that risk minimized or eliminated altogether. And that's when your buyers are going to be able to make good decisions for you.”[20:42] “Focus is absolutely critical.”LEARN MORETo learn more about Andrew Butt and Enable, visit: https://enable.com/.You can also find Andrew Butt on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awbutt/.For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode of SaaS-Story in the Making, Matt Wolach interviews Nelson Gilliat, the CEO of Buyer Centric Revenue and the author of The Death of the SDR: And the Birth of Buyer Centric Revenue. Nelson presents a different perspective on prospecting sales. With an alternative model called the Buyer Centric Revenue model, all marketing is inbound.Nelson shares how this unique perspective on sales can effectively liberate marketers and sellers from the usual sales models like the Predictable Revenue. There will be no buyer handoffs via sales assembly, no commissions in favor of a salary, and no more short-term quotas. His new approach can set up businesses for success.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode No. 187, “A Different Perspective on Prospecting Sale - with Nelson Gilliat”Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorGuest: Nelson Guilliat, CEO at Buyer Centric RevenueTOP EXCERPTS FROM THIS EPISODEI don’t agree with everything Nelson said in this discussion, but it’s always interesting to hear different perspectives and viewpoints.Allocate Your Resources WiselyAutomate Demo QualificationPut Your Name Out ThereEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSWhat is the Buyer Centric Revenue Model?Why Prospecting Can Harm SellersProper Marketing RedefinedTOP QUOTESNelson Gilliat[12:47] “It's marketing's job to generate demand for sales. And there are so many ways that they can do that.”[15:38] “You need to take into account that prospecting is extremely resource-intensive.” Matt Wolach[03:21] “Too many people have kind of a negative connotation with sales, and salespeople need to change that.”[02:55] “For me, I always love seeing new views, points, or perspectives.” LEARN MORETo learn more about Nelson Gilliat and Buyer Centric Revenue, visit http://www.buyercentricrevenue.com/. You can also find Nelson Gilliat on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelson-gilliat-2b260574/. For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.