Corporate Account Management

Most AEs fail on the phone for one simple reason: They’re cold calling people who’ve never heard of them. In 2025, that’s just lazy. Here’s how I would book executive meetings without sounding like a desperate sales rep: I used to teach cold calling techniques. Tonality. Pacing. Objection handling. And while that still matters... It’s not the reason I consistently get meetings with C-level buyers. The secret? I never cold call anymore. I warm call. Here’s how I do it: Step 1: Start with a personalized, relevant email. Do some quick research. Make it about them. For example, if I’m reaching out to a CRO, I’ll highlight a drop in quota attainment from RepVue and explain how I can help upskill their team in tough times. Step 2: That same day—a few hours later—I call their cell phone. (ZoomInfo or LinkedIn can get you that. No excuses.) DO NOT call the office. DO NOT waste time dialing assistants. If you can’t get a cell, send a LinkedIn connection request with a DM or video message. Step 3: When I call, I say: “Hi, this is Ian Koniak—did you happen to see the email I sent this morning?” If they say no: “No problem. I sent it because I saw your team’s quota attainment is down since 2022. I think I can help based on what I’ve done with other clients. Do you have a couple minutes now, or should we find time to connect on Zoom?” It’s not a pitch. It’s a reference to something you already sent that’s about them. That’s what makes it warm. Step 4: If they don’t respond, wait 2–3 days. Then reply to the original thread with more context: – Mention the training or workshops you offer – Share real results (e.g., 20% increase in quota attainment) – Ask: “Is this something you’d be open to learning more about?” Always lead with interest, not a hard ask for time. Step 5+: Stack 6–8 touchpoints total. Each one builds on the last—adding more insight, examples, testimonials. Mix in: – LinkedIn videos – Client stories – Relevant frameworks Each message = more value. That’s how you break through. It can take 8-12 touchpoints to get a meeting. Most reps quit after 1-3 touchpoints. Or worse—just send the same “following up” message. No value. No relevance. No shot. This process works. It’s not magic. It’s just real sales effort with a real strategy.

I recently talked with a fellow marketer about account scoring in #ABM.  They struggled to adapt to the recent privacy law, which made me think: We must rethink how we do this. Account scoring is evolving. It's moving way beyond simple intent data.  You need a new approach to find these high-potential accounts in a privacy-first world. I call it Account Scoring 2.0. But why? ➖Traditional intent data is becoming less reliable.   ➖Privacy regulations are changing.   ➖Third-party cookies are fading away.   ➖We can't rely on old methods.   ➖We need to be more innovative. 👉🏾 Using Account Scoring 2.0 helps you focus on first-party data. This is data you collect directly from your target accounts like: Website visits. Content downloads.    Engagement within your emails.  Collecting and analyzing this data is valuable. It's also privacy-compliant. 👉🏾 Other things to look out for are behavioral signals.  Look out for target accounts engaging with your content.    Are they attending your webinars?  Are they interacting with your sales team?  These actions show interest and suggest potential. 👉🏾Predictive modeling plays a key role too. You can use AI to analyze first-party and behavioral data.  This helps you predict which accounts are most likely to convert.  It allows you to prioritize your efforts. Remember, it's about working smarter, not harder. 👉🏾 Don't forget contextual data; it matters, too.  What's happening in the market?  Look for industry trends that align with your offerings.  Are there changes in your target accounts' businesses?  Understanding the context helps refine your scoring. Look at Account Scoring 2.0 as a strategy, not just technology. It's more about understanding your ideal customer profile. It's about aligning sales and marketing and building relationships while respecting privacy more efficiently. What are your thoughts on the future of account scoring? Have you used it before? #b2bmarketing #marketingstrategy

"What’s the ideal audience size for LinkedIn ads?"   ↑ An important question I get every few weeks, and it recently surfaced in the Fibbler community. Without the right audience, advertising is pointless. So what is the answer? For years, I defaulted to the classic rule of thumb: ~50,000 per audience segment, but 3 years ago, I stopped as it's misleading. I've been in and around over 1,000+ accounts now and have seen audiences from 1,000 people to 12m (y𝘦𝘴, 12 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯) achieve top 1% results. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 - your audience size is your audience size, it's just tactic dependent. The question people 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 be asking is "how do I know I've targeted the right audience?" The variables in targeting the right audience are: → Strategy (why this audience) → Segmentation (can you split it up) → Penetration (do you want new reach or to be frequent) → Tactics (brand tactics require looser audiences than activation) When thinking about 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲, the questions you need to ask are: → Who is this offer for? → Who is actually going to care? As LinkedIn is mainly B2B, I match the answer to these questions to targeting and I ALWAYS first start with the company. The 3 options: ↳ Company list (most accurate) ↳ Company size + industry (next best) ↳ Company size (for those with industry-agnostic solutions) Then I work on defining who the people we need to target are. Some variations we often use (there is no right answer here): Functions + Seniority + Skills + JT Exclusions Supertitles + JT Exclusions Functions + JT Exclusions Supertitles + Skills + Excl Function + Groups + Excl 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is the next thing to consider. The reasons you should segment: → Geography i.e. do you advertise to different time zones? → Internal structure i.e. having priority companies based on size? → Buying committee i.e. is MQL:SQL rate higher for certain functions? If the answer to any of these is yes, you should consider segmenting your audience pool by that variable. If you have a mass market product, then I'd suggest staying with as large an audience as possible. 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is achieved only by a very simple ratio Budget:Audience The higher the budget and narrower the audience, the higher the frequency. The lower the budget and wider the audience, the lower the frequency. You can control this by ↳ How many targeting variables you add ↳ How many AND layers you apply ↳ How many exclusions you appy ↳ How much budget you spend Finally, you need to consider 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜 - in short, the most important point is how tight or loose you WANT to be with this targeting. Be looser with roles for brand awareness and tighter if you have say an incentivised offer. — Bottom line: Only segment for logic and understanding, not to satisfy a rule-of-thumb number. Your audience should be exactly as big (or small) for your company/goal - nothing more, nothing less.

Listen up. I’ve coached thousands of sales calls and most reps sabotage their own deals without realizing it. When I started in 2007, I nearly got fired for not understanding how language impacts buyer psychology. Now, after helping teams double revenue in 90 days, I can spot the hidden mistakes instantly. You're probably killing your win rate with these “harmless” phrases. Here are 6 phrases that are absolutely DESTROYING your deals (and what to say instead): 1) "Sorry to bother you..." Starting with an apology tells the prospect, “I’m not worth your time.” You’ve lost before you’ve begun. Top 1% performers NEVER apologize for delivering value. They command attention through absolute certainty. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Hey Alice, Marcus here from Venli. I'm reaching out because we helped Company X increase their pipeline by 37% last quarter, and I noticed your team might be facing similar challenges..." 2) "Just following up..." This lazy phrase screams, “I’ve got nothing to offer, but want your money.” Total momentum killer. Elite reps are wildly precise with their words and always reference specific commitments made in previous conversations. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Alice, you mentioned you were going to discuss our proposal with Charles during your leadership meeting yesterday. I'm curious … what feedback did you receive that we should address?" 3) "I know you're really busy..." Say this, and you’ve just made yourself irrelevant. Game over. Remember: YOUR time matters. Top performers signal status through subtle positioning every time. ✅ POWER MOVE: "I was just wrapping up a strategy session with Lisa, the CEO over at Company X, and wanted to quickly connect about next steps before my afternoon gets packed..." 4) "What are the next steps?" This signals poor process control - no system, no playbook, no real method. The sales machines I build don’t ask for direction - they GIVE it. They own the process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Based on what we've discussed, here's what typically happens next: First, we'll schedule a technical review with your team for next Tuesday. Then, we'll deliver a customized implementation plan by Friday. How does that sound?" 5) "To be honest..." Wait, Wait... so everything before this wasn’t true? Nothing kills credibility faster. When I turn around failing sales teams, eliminating this phrase is always one of the first habits we break. ✅ POWER MOVE: "That's an excellent question, Alice. Here's exactly how our solution addresses that challenge..." 6) "What do I have to do to get your business?" Is this 1988? This pushy close screams desperation and kills trust instantly. The best reps I've coached understand that closing isn't an event. It's the natural outcome of a well-executed sales process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "It seems like you're hesitating about X. I'm curious … what specific concerns do you have that we haven't fully addressed yet?" Which of these six phrases have YOU been using without realizing it? 

Despite having referrals from employees at Google, this resume got rejected multiple times. I'll tell you why. Even a solid referral can’t save a resume that doesn’t land the basics. Let’s break it down: 1. No clear impact Saying “built a dashboard” isn’t enough. → What changed because of it? Who benefited? What results did it drive? Hiring managers aren’t guessing; they’re scanning for outcomes. Fix: Add real numbers and results. Example: Built a dashboard using React that improved user engagement by 35%. 2. Tool overload A long list of technologies doesn’t prove depth; it shows noise. → Don’t list every tool you’ve touched. Focus on the ones you’ve mastered to solve real problems. Fix: Tie tools to context and outcomes: Used Docker to streamline deployment and cut app loading time by 25% 3. Weak structure, no flow Projects and roles are listed randomly, with no clear story or direction. → A resume should feel like a journey, not a dump of everything you’ve done. Fix: Start with a short summary. Group similar experience. Lead with relevance. 4. Soft skills without substance “Attention to detail” and “great communication” mean nothing if you don’t show them in action. Fix: Show, don’t tell. Example: Collaborated with 4 developers in agile sprints to ship all features on time with zero bugs reported. Referrals might get your resume looked at. But only a strong, impact-driven resume gets you called back. If your resume isn’t getting interviews, the problem isn’t the job market; it’s the message. Need help creating a resume that actually lands interviews? DM me. I’ve helped 400+ people craft resumes that tell their story, show their value, and get results.

Teams who take a “boil the ocean” approach to outbound will fail. Here’s how to fix it and build sequences that actually drive results: Step 1: Focus your team on accounts most likely to buy now, invest at a premium, and become long-term customers or referral sources. This means moving beyond “anyone who fits the ICP” and zeroing in on high-priority targets. Step 2: Create deeper, more meaningful segments from that refined group. Traditional segments are great for organizing territories but fall short for crafting sequences that resonate. Instead, you need segmentation that helps your team speak the language of specific sub-groups. Use multiple layers of data—firmographics, intent signals, and contact-level insights—to break your TAM into smaller, actionable groups. Step 3: Launch micro-campaigns that target those precise segments with messaging designed to feel tailor-made. When you take this approach, personalization becomes scalable because it’s rooted in segmentation. Your reps don’t waste time on one-off customization, and your messaging feels 99% relevant to the prospect. I've been teaching this process as #ValueBasedSegmentation for the better part of a decade. It’s the key to building sequences that drive higher CTRs, replies, and engagement without tedious manual effort. ➡️ With this approach, you’ll: - Improve email performance - Write copy that prospects actually care about - Give your team a clear roadmap for focused outbound 📌 How are you helping your team build relevance into their outbound sequences?

I'm restructuring our entire CS book this year in a way I’ve never done. Not by customer size. By product potential. For years, I segmented like everyone else: enterprise customers get white-glove service, mid-market gets a CSM with a bigger book, small customers get tech-touch. But I’m realizing that a customer’s size doesn't actually tell you what they need from you. What matters more: -Where are they in their product adoption journey? -What's their expansion potential with our platform? -What kind of relationship and support do they need from us? So I'm splitting my book differently this year. Size is still a factor, but potential is more important: Bucket 1: Enterprise relationship accounts.  These are massive customers. They move slowly. I don't expect them to buy a ton of new stuff, but if they leave, we're in trouble. So I'm assigning them to my most relationship-driven CSM—someone who can have strategic conversations about where things are headed 5 years from now. Bucket 2: High-potential ICP accounts ($20-50K).  These are our sweet spot customers. They're the most likely to love us if they actually use everything we've built…and most likely to leave if they don't know the value we provide. I'm putting my two most curious CSMs on this segment. Their job isn't to manage accounts. It's to ask questions, learn, educate, activate, and grow these customers. If a customer in this segment isn't expanding this year, I'm treating them as a churn risk. Bucket 3: Smart-touch accounts. These are smaller customers who don’t fall in our ICP and thus have lower potential to grow. They get automated workflows, AI-powered support, and self-service resources. My one CSM managing this segment focuses on one-to-many campaigns and proactive outreach based on product usage signals.  Here’s the big emphasis: I'm staffing based on what customers need to be successful, not just how much they're currently paying us. 💡 If you’re exploring this shift too, I shared a webinar last year breaking down how signals from support data can drive growth — dropping it here for anyone who wants to go deeper: https://bit.ly/4aD7Nxg It’s only January, but I feel like it’s helping my CSMs be more focused. They know exactly what they're optimizing for in each segment. How do you segment your CS book?

If your GRR is under 90%, the problem usually isn’t churn. It’s neglect. Too many SaaS or services companies obsess over New ARR, then act surprised when revenue walks out the back door. Strong GRR isn’t a retention tactic. It’s an operating system. Here are 6 practices that separate the leaders from the leakers: 1. Map the "Economic Buyer" on Day 1 Don't confuse your Champion with the Decision Maker. Before the ink dries, identify who actually signs the renewal. If you spend all year talking to the daily user, you will be invisible when the CFO reviews the budget. 2. Send "Value Realized" Memos (Not Usage Reports) Usage is a vanity metric; outcomes are currency. Send a simple, monthly executive summary: What did we save? What did we accelerate? If your sponsor has to "guess the ROI," you’ve already lost. 3. Get on a plane (For the Top 20%) For your strategic accounts (High ACV), Zoom is insufficient. Zoom maintains relationships; dinners build political capital. Visit your top accounts annually. Problem-solving face-to-face builds trust that dashboards never will. 4. Onboarding is the First Renewal Customers churn in Month 12 because they failed in Month 2. A bad first 90 days is a death spiral that CSMs cannot save. Nail activation and hit "Time to First Value" immediately. 5. Stop using CSMs as "Support Agents" You cannot play offense (growth) when you are stuck playing defense (bugs). If your CSMs spend 80% of their time closing tickets, they aren't managing success—they are just expensive helpdesk staff. Specialized roles yield specialized results. 6. The "120-Day" Rule Start the renewal conversation 4 months out. This isn't a contract negotiation; it's a friction audit. 120 days gives you time to fix a problem. 30 days only gives you time to beg. The Summary: GRR rises when customers feel like partners. GRR collapses when customers feel like transactions. If you want higher renewals, stop thinking like a seller and start thinking like a shareholder in your customer’s success. Zinnov Amita Goyal Karthik Padmanabhan Ashveen Pai Hani Mukhey Kavita Chakravarthy Saurabh Mehta Namita Adavi Mohammed Faraz Khan ieswariya k

Being a strategic account seller is more of a mindset than a title. Here are 4 real-life examples from my career: 1.) SMB: LOCAL TV ADVERTISING - Challenge: Get the largest local auto dealership group running ads on our station - Approach: Developed a Charter Program that leveraged group buy-in, offered the very best exposure, and monthly ideas to create creative commercials - Outcome: Locked in $12K MRR and got into the 6-figure earners club for the 1st time as a young pup 2.) MID-MARKET: IT OUTSOURCING SERVICES - Challenge: Get a large regional restaurant chain to notice us - Approach: Hand delivered an open letter to their office asking to hire their entire IT staff - Outcome: Got the meeting that later led to taking over all IT functions for the group for $1.2M annually 3.) ENTERPRISE: DIGITAL COMMERCE - Challenge: Get a major retail brand to take our small company seriously - Approach: Invited them to go “on tour,” including visiting our fiercest competitors before coming to our office in San Francisco - Outcome: We sold the cool factor of a youthful startup, but I personally rallied our top leaders to demonstrate the maturity of a Big 4 consulting firm - we won the bid 4.) STRATEGIC: SELLING CX TRANSFORMATION - Challenge: Circumvent a pending RFP and get the attention of the C-Suite at a top 5 global cable company - Approach: Delivered a $504M unsolicited bid taking over their entire customer experience and consolidating all of their contact centers into a “digital center of excellence” -Outcome: Closed a $6.6M initial deal in less than 9 months There is room for creative strategy at any level in sales if we allow ourselves to tap into it. Strat sales = more vibe than a fancy account list. Don’t forget that! 🐝

Old vs New Account-Based Marketing (ABM). 1. 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋𝐒. Old ABM: We need more leads. New ABM: -Focusing on new logos with a high probability to buy -Expanding business with existing clients -Preventing churn of the key accounts 2. 𝐈𝐂𝐏. Old way: Broad firmographic + decision-makers. We sell to CFOs from the US-based helathcare organizations. New way: -More specific firmographics and technographics -Qualification criteria -Tier segmentation -Detailed Buying committee -Account enrichment (business insights, common connections, where account is in their journey) 3. 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆. Old way: Sales wish lists + databases. New way: - Check 1st party intent and engagement data - Define accounts that fit ICP and demonstrate a high level of engagement or interest 4. 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. Old way: Vertical or job-role message distributed through programmatic, landing pages, and email outreach. New way: - In-depth account research - Content aligned with the buyer's journey and buying committee - Personalization based on in-depth account research 5. 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌 𝐔𝐏. Old way: Programmatic display ads + sales outbound cadence (that infamous 21-touch). New way: - Multithreaded engagement with the buying committee on social and communities - 1:few or 1:1 events - Content co-creation - Personalized content hubs 6. 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 & 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓. Old way: Lead handover from marketing to sales when an account clicks ads, downloads gated content, or sign ups to the event. New way: - Alignment on GTM elements: target segments, ICP, buyer journey, message, warm-up and activation - Joint playbooks that include interactions with the buying committee -Joint reports - Weekly ABM programs and pipeline review meetings 7. 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐒. Old way: ABM success is measured by new leads only. New way: - Revenue that is generated from new logos, existing pipeline (accleration) and existing customers (expansion) - Sales pipeline velocity and revenue metrics: ACV, win rate, sales cycle length - Leading indicators for every program ---- ABM ≠ lead generation. Don't be fooled that you can buy an ABM platform, prospect thousands of accounts with programmatic ads and automated outbound cadence. ABM requires good GTM fundamentals and close collaboration between marketing and sales to: - Select accounts with a high probability to buy your product - Creating awareness and demand through manual engagement with the buying committee members and personalization - Thorough playbook planning and review It requires a lot of manual work. But this is the only way to generate enterprise, 6-7 figure deals. On 19th Oct I'm co-hosting a webinar with Leanne Chescoe from Demandbase to share practical examples of Sales and Marketing's Collaborative Journey to Revenue Acceleration. Save your spot here: https://lnkd.in/dYzjX2_w #abm #accountbasedmarketing