Double Down on What’s Working & Stay Focused with Eric Spett - Ep 49
Apr 3, 2025
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Eric Spett, Founder and CEO of Scalebound, shares insights on sustainable growth for CEOs. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on your primary go-to-market channel rather than spreading resources too thin. Eric discusses the pitfalls of 'shiny object syndrome' and the value of sticking with proven strategies. The conversation also dives into the significance of in-person events and community engagement, offering humorous anecdotes and personal experiences that highlight the power of authentic connections in business.
Focusing on proven primary demand channels, like organic social selling or cold calling, is crucial for sustainable business growth.
Building authentic communities and fostering meaningful human interactions is essential for successful demand generation and long-term customer relationships.
Deep dives
The Importance of Focus for Founders
Founders and executives often divert their attention to new and experimental growth channels without fully capitalizing on their current successful strategies. The podcast emphasizes that prior to embarking on new initiatives, leaders should assess the effectiveness of their existing methods, whether it pertains to social selling or cold calling. For instance, a conversation highlighted a CEO who was eager to explore outbound sales despite already having ample leads from inbound efforts, showcasing the common trap of seeking shiny new tactics. Instead, maintaining focus on proven channels can lead to sustained growth and better resource allocation.
Valuable Lessons from Early Sales Experiences
The early sales journeys of various entrepreneurs are shared, illustrating honest and sometimes humorous missteps. One notable story recounts how a founder, unprepared with pricing information, blurted out a nominal fee during a product demo, leading to the first monthly recurring revenue for their startup. Another anecdote recalls an unexpected large deal closed off a hasty quote, highlighting that sometimes swift action can yield positive results even amid uncertainty. These experiences underline the importance of taking action and learning from initial mistakes rather than waiting for everything to be perfectly in place.
Navigating the Challenges of LinkedIn
The podcast discusses the complexities of engaging on LinkedIn, particularly regarding its evolving nature into a platform that sometimes mirrors Instagram's highlight reel approach. While it serves as a crucial space for B2B interactions, the pressure to showcase success can lead to anxiety and feelings of inadequacy among users. The speakers advocate for a balanced use of LinkedIn, encouraging individuals to focus on community engagement while being mindful of the often superficial portrayals prevalent on the platform. This highlights the need for users to cultivate a mindful relationship with social media, leveraging it positively without getting lost in the noise.
The Rise of Community-Centric Business Models
The conversation pivots to the growing emphasis on community and human connection in business, especially amid the proliferation of technology and digital communication. It is suggested that creating meaningful communities, both online and in-person, is essential for companies to thrive and build lasting relationships. A successful business event in Atlanta with notable attendance exemplified how a focus on curated human interaction can foster engagement and networking. This reinforces the notion that successful demand generation and customer retention strategies increasingly hinge on building authentic, collaborative environments rather than just relying on traditional marketing tactics.
Is your main go-to-market channel driving sustainable growth? Good, double down on it, don’t start splitting up your resources into a bunch of other directions.
Eric Spett is the Founder and CEO of Scalebound, providing operator-led coaching that helps CEOs scale with clarity and lead with confidence. Many in the audience may know Eric better as the Co-Founder of Terminus and his work evangelizing Account-Based Marketing. Eric joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson to discuss the importance of focus for founders, why you shouldn’t wait to start selling until you find the perfect pricing model, and the power of in-person events and communities.
Also, Craig starts hearing voices and Matt shares his encounter with Andre 3000 in an Atlanta Shake Shack.
Critical Takeaways
Stay focused on your primary demand channel. So many companies shift focus to secondary channels prematurely. If a primary channel like organic social selling on LinkedIn or cold calling is working well, it’s crucial to thoroughly exploit this channel before diverting resources to a new one.
Avoiding "shiny object syndrome" ensures that the company’s energy and resources are directed toward proven strategies and tools that truly add value. It helps in maintaining strategic clarity and ensures the team remains aligned on critical business goals, thereby driving more sustainable growth.
Don’t overcomplicate your early-stage marketing strategies. Focus on a single selling proposition. For instance, ZoomInfo successfully built its business purely on outbound tactics. Finding and honing in on the company’s single greatest strength or 'superpower' can lead to substantial growth.
Building a community around your product or service can significantly enhance customer engagement and retention. In-person events are a great way to improve the activity and engagement within online communities.
Structured, curated communities can lead to higher customer retention and more effective peer-to-peer marketing. This helps in creating a robust, organic promotional network that can significantly impact long-term growth and customer satisfaction.
Experiment with new channels and strategies but avoid overcommitting to unproven methods at the cost of what’s already working.
Sponsored Segment
Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/
“Founders, CEOs, go-to-market executives are so quick to put a lot of focus and eggs in experimental baskets when the thing that they're doing really well is still working really well. Do it and keep doing it, keep your focus.” - Eric Spett
“I'm just really bullish on the need for human community and human connection.” - Eric Spett