The RevOps & ABM Alignment

In this episode, Romeo is joined by Matt Bolian, the Co-Founder of RevPartners and the Co-Founder/CEO of Supered  - a company that helps turn CRM adoption into your superpower by providing training and guidance for revenue teams. Matt’s background is in the US military, where at the end of his 6 year tenure he held the title of Director of Analytics: Battalion Intelligence Officer. A lot of his daily tasks were similar to the duties of a RevOps professional - he needed to synthesize information to help people make the right calls, which is exactly how RevOps aides their revenue teams.Once he left the military, Matt found his next role at C Spire as their Chief of Staff. Initially he had thought of going into sales, but he noticed that the structure that C Spire had made for their sales team was inefficient, so he took it upon himself to fix their CRM and go from chaos to clarity.Matt’s journey to becoming the Co-Founder of RevPartners started in 2019, when the President who hired him at C Spire became a CEO of Connectivity Wireless and took him along for the ride. Initially it was planned that Matt would lead their business operations/marketing and be in charge of their ERP, although they had a Microsoft Suite, which Matt is not a fan of. During that time the CEO who brought him over left, and then everybody who he brought along for the ride got laid off - except Matt. Matt realized that his role was a quintessential part of the business, even though he didn’t have the name for it, and so his journey into RevOps began.His A-HA moment was when he realized that RevOps was a very difficult role to hire for, so upon meeting Brendan Tolleson, who at the time was a CRO, they began to brainstorm on how to effectively help companies outsource this function and avoid the trial and error that is required to successfully build a RevOps function in-house. And so - RevPartners was born.It’s no secret that Salesforce is an expensive, and often overly complex tool for most businesses. When Matt discovered Hubspot, he came to the conclusion that this was the right CRM for him to hone his specialty in, as it does all the base functions he needed than any other platform, so he went all-in.Romeo and Matt take a deep dive into how to correctly analyze your Go-To-Market strategy and what common mistakes are making revenue teams inefficient. Matt says that every company is doing RevOps in one way or another - even if they don’t realize it - and mentions that a company's revenue maturity is not an indicator of their RevOps maturity. The first things to look at are if your sales team is following a process and if your success team is all on the same platform, otherwise you’re approaching RevOps backwards.Tune into the full episode to learn more ways to turn HubSpot into your ultimate RevOps advantage!HIGHLIGHTS:02:25 Matt’s Military Background05:15 How Matt Became Chief of Staff06:49 The RevPartners Journey10:42 How Matt Started With Hubspot15:50 RevOps Role in the Current Market Turmoil20:36 How to Analyze Your GTM Approach in 202328:52 First Steps for RevOps Adoption 36:03 Does Supered Collaborate with the Hubspot Team?37:54 What Changes Hubspot is Making to Help RevOps Teams43:15 Building Sales Playbooks & Processes RightConnect with Matt:LinkedIn | Webpage Connect with Romeo:LinkedIn | Webpage 

In this Episode, Romeo is joined by Evan Dunn, Director of Growth Marketing at Syncari.Evan's career spans linguistics, marketing, analytics, and AI. He began in linguistics, transitioned to marketing and social listening consulting, and later entered analytics consulting for TV shows. Evan excelled in digital and growth marketing, having worked with unicorns and collaborating with CMOs and IT leaders across his career. Evan embraced Account-Based Marketing (ABM) at Syncari, where he is the Director of Growth Marketing, emphasizing the impact of data alignment. Evan's versatile experience makes him a valuable asset in data-driven marketing and technology, demonstrating adaptability and various insights from across diverse industries.In B2B service and software, the reliance on sales conversations is crucial, even as the SaaS market evolves. Evan points out that research from PeerSignal suggests that even PLG companies are reintroducing sales teams to maintain customer stickiness and create effective feedback loops. The guest shares two main challenges which emerge in the B2B domain: the need to track conversations and the intricate relationship between companies and individuals within them.Historically, Salesforce initially structured its data model like accounting software, leading to a mismatch in data needed for Account-Based Marketing (ABM). This misalignment created a necessity of lead-to-account matching to cater to ABM's focus on turning leads into accounts. However, smaller companies without strict procurement processes face challenges when shifting towards company targeting.In contrast, HubSpot adopted a different data architecture, reflecting their pioneering vision of cloud CRM. For growing companies, data alignment might not be a priority, but it becomes crucial as businesses scale and seek greater productivity. Data sets and IT play pivotal roles in B2B organizations, with early-stage startups needing systems that support experimentation and rapid adaptation. Accurate data alignment across systems, called operational data, is essential for effective campaigns, while analytical data is used for strategic dashboards and strategic decisions made by top level management.Creating systems that foster alignment across RevOps and ABM functions is crucial. Data and IT solutions can help these teams work towards a common goal of revenue generation. Syncari, a potential solution, emphasizes the importance of business-wide alignment facilitated by efficient systems and instrumentation. As businesses shift their focus away from high-tech sectors, data-driven insights become essential for targeting new industries. Data in the hands of front-line teams is critical for feedback loops and informed strategies, as relying solely on communication tools like Slack can result in inadequate sample sizes for strategic decision-making. HIGHLIGHTS:01:04 Introducing today's guest 02:40 Connecting the customers09:28 Relevant data structuring15:20 RevOps and ABM alignment21:25 Educating SDR's29:30 Superstar culture vs OKR culture37:15 The importance of data accuracy 43:40 Learning resources on ABM and dataConnect with Evan:LinkedIn | Webpage Connect with Romeo:LinkedIn | Webpage 

In this episode, Romeo is joined by Anastasiia Binns, Head of RevOps at N.Rich - an ABM and buyer intent platform. The episode focuses on how she has implemented Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and how Revenue Operations (RevOps) plays a crucial role in enabling ABM within their organization.The guest  takes a no-nonsense approach to RevOps and proudly identifies as a HubSpot enthusiast. Drawing from experience building the RevOps function from scratch in four different companies, she shares insights into the world of revenue operations. The guest's expertise lies in establishing RevOps from the ground up, often stepping into organizations with minimal operational support. Anastasiia recounts her journey at N.Rich, highlighting the introduction of ABM as a new concept. While emphasizing and adapting to GDPR compliance in her approach, she notes the differences between the US and EU players in the space such as terminals and demand base. Anastasiia introduces herself as a team of one at N.Rich, responsible for RevOps. Her expertise lies in building RevOps functions from scratch, and she shares her journey of joining the company with the goal of setting up the RevOps function and implementing ABM.Anastasiia explains that the platform combines intent data and ABM advertising. The company targets accounts, not individual prospects, and uses advertising to engage these accounts. N.Rich's platform optimizes campaigns, focusing on clicks, conversions, and significant engagements rather than mere impressions. The platform also helps segment the audience based on intent data, making content more relevant.The guest clarifies that the company captures IP addresses and tracks cookies to understand which companies are engaging with content. They focus on company-level intent data, which is GDPR compliant. She distinguishes this approach from some US-based companies that use person-level intent data, which can raise GDPR compliance issues.At N.Rich, the company defined their ICP and categorized accounts into three tiers. The decision-making process for tiering involved aligning sales and marketing goals and ensuring consistency in targeting. RevOps played a facilitating role in these decisions.Anastasiia mentions that the company leverages HubSpot's integration to monitor account activity and engagement. The data captured in HubSpot helps the SDR team understand when accounts demonstrate first-party intent. The team uses campaign analytics for additional insights. They also modified their attribution mechanism to accommodate the changes made during the ABM implementation.HIGHLIGHTS:00:30 N.Rich's Approach to Implementing ABM10:43 Creating A-Tier Lists for Ad Campaigns13:20 The Role of RevOps in ABM17:42 Overlooking Early Stage ABM Priorities24:53 Becoming Relevant to Targeted ABM Companies28:05 Top 3 Ideas for a RevOps Roadmap31:04 Resources for RevOps and ABM LearningConnect with Anastasiia:LinkedIn | WebpageConnect with Romeo:LinkedIn | Webpage

In this episode Romeo is joined by Mallory Lee, VP of Operations at Nylas. Their platform gives developers universal access to email, calendar, and contacts providers through a single integration.Mallory graduated in 2009, when the economy was in a dreadful shape. She was determined to stay in Indianapolis, and during that time one of the only growing companies in her region was ExactTarget (acquired by Salesforce in 2020), where she began her career as a Marketing Business Analyst and stayed for 4 years, climbing up to the title of Marketing Budget & Operations Manager.During her time in ExactTarget she learned Salesforce and had the chance to work on marketing automation projects right at the time when marketing automation started to gain ground.After ExactTarget, Mallory held a variety of roles at Salesforce, Formstack, Bluebridge and Cheetah Digital until she found Terminus where she stayed for 3 years, climbed the ranks, and ultimately found her true calling in the customers journey specialty.Mallory attributes the recent popularity of RevOps to the major advancements that we’ve seen in RevOps tech and the defining of the category. Her passion in RevOps is all about connecting the dots end to end, driving efficient growth, creating enterprise value and approaching growth in the right way.When it comes to building a working GTM motion, Mallory mentions that the key need for any strategy is the need for clear and aligned communication between stakeholders. If your operations team is not on the same page, you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. One of the caveats that Mallory has noticed is that in some environments the ones who hold the Salesforce key are the ones who dictate the rules, which is not a healthy environment.Both Romeo and Mallory agree that early stage startups often try to implement a functional RevOps motion and fail due to rushing the process, often influenced by factors such as impatient investors, pressure from the market and incompetent leadership. This seems sustainable while investor money is coming in, but once that well dries up - the true damage of a misaligned GTM team shows.Tune into the full episode to learn how to create a winning revenue strategy!HIGHLIGHTS: 01:05 Mallory’s Career Beginnings05:42 Finding Her Calling in Improving The Customer’s Journey07:00 Why RevOps Became Popular10:52 Quick History Lesson in RevOps13:05 B2C vs B2B Revenue Strategies17:45 Seeing The Big Picture in Revenue19:17 Why RevOps & ABM Work Well Together23:32 Early Stage Startups and Bad RevOps Models27:52 Forrester and RevOps in 202333:10 How To Become a Winning RevOps Specialist37:32 Shiny Object SyndromeConnect with Mallory:LinkedIn | WebpageConnect with Romeo:LinkedIn | Webpage

In this episode, Romeo is joined by Steffen Hedebrandt Co-Founder and CMO of Dreamdata.io - a company that Automatically extracts, cleans and simplifies your B2B go-to-market data, and empowers your team through revenue impact.Steffan's journey into the world of B2B marketing and growth began shortly after graduating from university in the early 2010s. Throughout his career, he has honed his skills in various marketing and growth-related roles, gaining invaluable experience in the B2B go-to-market landscape. His professional path has consistently led him to startups and scale-up companies, where a digital focus reigns supreme.By applying a deep-rooted growth mindset and a data-driven approach, he has successfully scaled businesses and built teams at companies like Upwork and Airtame. At DreamData, Steffen and his team empower customers to understand their customer journeys, optimize costs, and strategically allocate resources. His role as Chief Marketing Officer underscores his commitment to solving the challenges of scaling marketing and growth. Steffen's journey exemplifies his dedication to helping businesses thrive in the dynamic B2B landscape, making him a notable figure in the field of marketing and growth.Steffen's perspective on Chris Walker's self-made attribution approach emphasizes its low implementation cost and the additional data points it provides that aids in understanding customer journeys. He recommends its adoption in most companies, drawing from his own company's experience with a sample of 100 demo calls, revealing that people often don't remember their funnel entry points, highlighting the inconsistency of self-reported answers. While it appears  easy to implement, Steffen cautions against viewing it as a universal cure for businesses. The self-reported attribution, which involves open-field questions about referral sources, is relevant in B2B SaaS companies. Still, DreamData offers a more comprehensive solution that goes beyond merely asking customers how they heard about a product or service.Steffen suggests that self-reported attribution can help identify instances where marketing stands out, though it risks confirmation bias, potentially exaggerating the impact of certain marketing efforts. Tune in to the full episode to learn how to approach revenue attribution in 2023!HIGHLIGHTS01:00 Introducing Steffen02:25 Take on self-made attribution08:50 Navigating a cookie-less world11:25 Addressing attribution challenges 19:09 The usual missing components for prospect accounts25:00 The road from trial to winning30:10 The challenge of evengalazing clarity in the customer journey36:20 Learnings from GTM campaigns41:45 Communities for B2B SaaS, RevOps and ABM researchConnect with Steffen:LinkedIn | Webpage Connect with Romeo:LinkedIn | Webpage 

Welcome To The RevOps & ABM AlignmentIn this inaugural episode of The RevOps & ABM Alignment, guest host Ed Purmalis interviews the Co-Founder & CRO of MAN Digital - Romeo Mann.Romeo loves to ask questions to absolutely everyone, learn the why behind complex issues, and break down complicated concepts to present them in a simple manner.This weekly podcast will bring a specialized and strategic approach to a variety of topics in the B2B Go-To-Market space, with a heavy emphasis on two effective and often misinterpreted motions - Account-Based Marketing and Revenue Operations.You can expect to hear from subject matter experts that work with data on a regular basis and walk the walk - CFO’s, RevOps Leaders, VC’s and CRO’s. You can also expect newer adapters that have seen the magic behind a truly effective GTM strategy.So WHY?Both RevOps & ABM are getting more and more popular due to the amazing pace at which GTM technology is evolving.The goal of the show is to dissect why you need to implement these motions, how to properly do it, and to make sure you’re doing what really matters - gaining net new revenue.The aim of this show is to answer some hard-hitting questions such as:Are you correctly interpreting the data?Is your data even correct?How do you set the right KPI’s for revenue teams?How do you achieve alignment between Marketing, Sales and Customer Success?How do you target your prospects with true relevance?How do you empower executives to be self-sufficient when looking for answers?What technology should you prioritize and implement?..and much more!Speaking of technology - this episode highlights the importance of connector tools like Zapier, data enrichment tools such as LeadMagic, and of course - ChatGPT with all of its wonderful plugins.We look forward to hearing your feedback. If you love listening to this show, please subscribe, share, and give us a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps lock in higher profile guests for you to hear from!***This episode is brought to you by MAN Digital - RevOps and ABM & Demand agency helping B2B companies with long sales cycles build revenue engines. How? Our senior guys dive into your strategies and CRM, identify growth levers, and launch integrated campaigns to grow a pipeline that converts into revenue.