TestBox

We’ve all heard the hot takes. AI is coming for our jobs. B2B SaaS is done as we know it. But one thing is certain: The playbook in B2B SaaS is changing & evolving for the future... ICYMI James Kaikis announced last week that he’s dropping a new interview series with GTM operators and experts to discuss how they are evolving with the modern buying experience. The New GTM Playbook: Winning in the Margins in B2B Tech goes live on December 3rd. 👀 Check out the URL in the video and get on our list to be the first to know when the series is live. 

I am releasing a newsletter with my interview series and would appreciate your follow: www.testbox.com/gtm We will only land in your inbox twice a month, and every newsletter will contain actionable analysis that GTM leaders can use in their business. Thank you for your support 🙏

How your reps feel trying to make sure they ONLY click on the right things in the demo environment. 😬

What does a comp plan with an aligned Solutions function look like? This is the question I get asked the most right now, and for good reason. Solutions professions are typically 80/20 or 75/25 to limit their downside (and upside). And, that is why there is friction from Solutions professionals who feel they make superhero efforts to bring deals in but don't receive the glory or compensation (aka one of the reasons I was motivated to start PreSales Collective). Let's start with a FACT: Incentives drive behavior. Here is a roadmap to changing comp plans in the aligned solutions org. Change 1: Willingness to take on less base salary to provide for more upside: 65/35 - 50/50 - Sales reps live and die on 50/50, and we typically don't want our solutions in that model, but you cannot make AE OTE without the accountability - Note: this is the most challenging change for people in the role, so a slow roll to 50/50-ish is typically the suggested path (let them experience the upside) Change 2: Prevent downside by making variable both commission and MBOs - Flat rate commission on net new, expansion, and cross-sell - MBOs for renewals - MBOs on Account Health Metrics (plays run against customers to increase value metric, adoption, utilization, etc...) Change 3: Full Cycle Solutions are included in SPIFFs - No more days of Rolexs and Spa days for just AEs. Sales is a team sport. - SPIFFs for programs run within a quarter or the year - SPIFFs can also be used instead of MBOs to increase upside (renewal, etc..) This type of comp plan may be the norm in your business, but this may likely be a [radical] shift. And for those who say this model will impact the customer experience if we are just focused on revenue, there is a reason why you use MBOs and SPIFFs to drive the proper behavior with customers (account health plays >>>>). Note: employees are not incentivized to go above and beyond for customers when your teams are at 100% or 90% base salary with no upside.

POV: When you spend 5+ hours building out an environment for an unqualified prospect.

Hot takes are everywhere.. AI is coming for our jobs.. B2B SaaS is done as we know it... One thing is certain: The Playbook in B2B SaaS is changing & evolving for the future... I am excited to announce a new interview series with GTM operations, leaders, and executives to discuss the actionable things they are doing to evolve with the modern buying experience. The New GTM Playbook: Winning in the Margins in B2B Tech goes live on December 3rd. Check out the URL in the video to be the first to access the entire series. I can't wait for you to hear from our incredible guests and apply the lessons to your business!

Stop 👏 Asking 👏 Prospects 👏 To 👏 Imagine 👏 Actually SHOW them what’s possible with your platform.

Another week, and another Solutions leader informing me that they are taking over ProServ and Customer Success. GTM role consolidation is here — a key signal that we’re already in the next era of B2B SaaS. Other signals I’m seeing: 1. Full-cycle GTM with account teams owning customer relationships, POCs are integrated into the sales process and using targeted outbound strategies. 2. RevOps and Strategic Solutions orgs act as growth drivers Finally getting a seat at the table as they become copilots to Sales, fueling efficient, profitable expansion. 3. Customer Success is a company-wide responsibility It’s all about cohesive land-and-expand strategy for customer success and retention. We’re still in the middle of a huge transition. And most playbooks that worked in the last decade won’t work in this next phase. What changes have you seen at your organization? How are they being measured? What impact will they have on the customer?

I'm closing in on 6 months here at TestBox (🤘)and can confidently say the single most important project I've accomplished in this time was talking to our customers and capturing their stories. I called it a case study blitz. - I talked to 6+ customers about they're doing with TestBox. - We dug into the pains they were trying to solve - They told me how TestBox has helped them in the ways they expected ... but also provided value in ways hadn't anticipated too. Maurits Pieper at Dixa told me how deals with TestBox proof of concepts have a 3X higher win rate. Scott Skinner at Apollo.io told me that his reps deserved a better demo environment — and TestBox delivered. Sean Bernard at Catalyst Software told me that at first he didn't believe TestBox could help them spin up pre-configured proof instances using their real, live product in a matter of seconds. I got amazing quotes and stats, stocked up our social proof library. But even more importantly it was a crash course for me in understanding our customers and the value we're providing. Best first project ever.

We blew the 🧦 🧦 off the team at Catalyst Software with our ability to spin up one-click product environments that were data-filled and fully functional, so buyers could experience their impressive, powerful user experience.