Hannah Ajikawo

Helping Revenue Teams Beat The Competition & Increase Sales Velocity | GTM Advisor | Keynote Speaker | Proud 🏳️‍🌈 Mummy | Diversity Advocate | ENTJ

Doing $5M+ in ARR? You've landed on the right profile. I've worked with over 40 B2B Go-to-Market Teams. You learn a lot about what good and bad looks like when your job is to fix things.

Everyone wants to grow. They just need trusted partners that can get them into the right vehicle. That's what I do through Revenue Funnel. Faster and with less risk. 
You may have hidden issues in your sales process and go-to-market engine. Sound familiar?
❗️An unoptimised sales process leading to inefficiencies and losing winnable deals
❗️Limited pipeline creation, affecting potential revenue
❗️You are struggling to close high value deals due to ineffective sales strategies

What if you could overcome these challenges and create a robust sales process based on frameworks that have been built to adjust to changing market conditions?

I can help you 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, leading to:
- Enhanced pipeline creation at higher deal values - we're averaging 250% growth for clients in 2025
- More expansion revenue
- Better quality leads

This is designed to:
↳ Align your organization better with the B2B buyer journey
↳ Optimise every stage of the sales process so you differentiate through your customer experience
↳ Train your teams to execute effectively AND efficiently without pointless training that bores them
↳ Provide necessary enablement materials using tried and tested frameworks from 42 other go-to-market teams

You have the opportunity to transform your sales process and increase your funnel conversions. 

- Inefficient Sales Process: 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴
- Limited Pipeline Creation: these 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯
- Difficulty in Closing Deals: 𝘞𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉2𝘉 𝘉𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺

Curious to learn more? 
email me at Hannah@revenuefunnel.co.uk

CEO & Founder

On a mission to help others rethink how they deliver value to the world.

One of the best things you can do is underestimate a determined individual. Its more than a chip on their shoulder, it's an entire FUEL supply that you give them and it's unfrickinglimited.

At 15 my English teacher told me I'd never get even a C if I didn't read more.
I got two As

At university I was told only 2 people in the class of 110 would get more than a 2:1.
I got a 1st and came top of my class

In my first tech sales role, my boss advised that I should get fired.
I became salesperson of the year for my division

When an old CEO told me I wouldn't do well in sales when I moved to a larger company.
I hit 151% of my target in 6 months - coming from outside the industry with a 2x higher ACV than my team mates.

In 2020 I had £20K in debt, credit score of 515, couldn't even remortgage it was so bad.
1 year later, I flew my family out to Dubai as a surprise Christmas present.

In 2022, I was told I didn't have enough funds to get the mortgage required for my new house.
Within 60 days, I surfaced another 5 figures

When clients tell me there's no way we can rebuild their GTM in weeks, rather than months. 
We repeatedly prove them wrong.

When clients say doubling conversions in a quarter isn't possible.
We repeatedly prove them wrong.

When I tell clients WE.ARE. INVESTED in their success and they think it's white noise.
They're surprised to see us stick around even when there's no SOW and no invoices.

Notice a pattern here? 

When someone like me is underestimated, its pure fuel. I'm not here to make a quick buck. I'm obsessed with fulfilling my potential and I feed that energy into my clients.

Everything is possible. Think big. Be audacious. Blow the damn roof off.

Otherwise...what's the point?

Heading into 2026 with so much fire. Our ecosystem is growing, we're maturing and learning.

Who's with me?

Helping $5M+ ARR B2B Companies LOVE Consultants | GTM Disruptor | Proud 🏳️‍🌈 Mummy | ENTJ

Ever watched trust break in real time? I have. Many times.
The Global average of people consciously using AI in their daily lives is 82%.*  

Now, 94% of B2B buyers use it to answer theirs.  

Buyers are more informed, more validated, and more in control than ever before.  

But trust in sellers is cracking…even more.  
💡 86% of buyers say expertise drives trust.  
⚠️ Only 45% actually trust sales reps.  

We don’t have a tech problem.  
We have a trust problem.  

So if you’re wondering how to stop your buyer relationships from hitting the frying pan (literally)…  

Watch the video to find the new Sales Playbook to gain your trust advantage. 

In 2025, the sellers who’ll win aren’t the ones shouting louder, they’re the ones buyers actually believe.

Here’s what to do next:  
1. Watch the full video to see how fragile trust really is (and how to rebuild it).  
2. Then go check out the research:  https://lnkd.in/ev3JzvW6

#AD #LinkedInPartner #TheTrustAdvantage #SalesNavigator  

*The EY AI Sentiment Index surveyed 15,000 people from 15 countries to understand how people perceive and use AI. The survey found that the global average of respondents who had consciously used AI in their daily lives in the past six months was 82%.

“We’re wondering how we can use AI for our emails…”
— VP Sales, every SaaS org ~2022
That question wasn’t wrong.

But it wasn’t enough.

Over the past 2 years, AI has evolved from inbox gimmickry to infrastructure.
From "email copywriter" to ecosystem enabler.

And while most teams debated subject lines, a few quietly re-architected their entire go-to-market.
They didn’t ask:
❌ How can AI save us time?
They asked:
✅ What would we build if GTM was reimagined from scratch — with Agents, not reps, as the first layer?

The winners aren’t replacing people.
They’re redesigning systems.

Systems that:
.Sense buyer movement in real-time
.Automatically adapt workflows and follow-ups
.Reduce operational friction (without adding tools)
.Build confidence with buyers at speed and scale

It’s not about AI vs. humans.
It’s about orchestration — and who has the clearer blueprint for agentic growth.

If you’re still wondering how to use AI for your emails, zoom out.

Reps don’t just need better messages.
They need a new GTM nervous system.

___
Thanks for reading. ♻️
I share insights from 17 years working with 40+ B2B SaaS GTM teams. I use LinkedIn to start conversations — so if this resonated, follow me to see more. And if you think I can help you — you know what to do.

Available for SKOs, Weddings, Event hosting and Adult Birthday Parties 😅

The stage is one of my favourite places. It's the feeling you get when you see a Rep or Leader have a lightbulb moment.

🎥: Sachee Katre 👾

Proud to be leading Revenue Funnel to challenge traditional consulting for SME B2B companies

Linkedin: "your post got 300 impressions."
Me: "Say less"
Throwback to my collab with Usher in 2024. 

1 year later.

It's time to face the facts.

My content isn't good enough.

People don't care about GTM Strategy anymore

Business is over

The Robots have arrived

We are all in a simulation.

But 
we had our highest revenue year

My health is better

Our clients have become our friends

My son is the fastest in his year (IYKYK)

I'm still hilarious (according to my mum)

I graced the INBOUND stage for the 3rd time - but on my own to discuss AI agents.

Partnered with companies like LinkedIn, HubSpot and Microsoft.

I still have a crush on Sybill (The new updates hit differently)

Keep crushing it. You're now "Caught up" 🎶

Shoot your shot. Be like Sachee Katre 👾
Something I've done more this year than EVER before?
Asked for help.

Do you know how much people LOVE helping others...especially when you see the person take action!

Sachee and I spoke earlier this year about her getting an SDR role. I was like, you're way too entrepreneurial. Just build your own thing.

She did.

Now Revenue Funnel is her client!

Among many others! 

Today we caught up and I love what she did.

Answered all my questions
Helped me understand next steps
Then she did something I wasn't expecting...She said

"Hannah before you go, I wanted to get your advice on something."

After all the upfront value she provided - I said go ahead. 

We then spent an extra 20 minutes simply walking through her challenge.

Value makes the world go round. How can I not reciprocate after the effort she put in to support me?

You can learn from everyone! Keep being amazing Sachee Katre 👾

side note: Haven't you been 19 for like 2 years Sachee Katre 👾 😂😂

I started my own company in 2019. Back then, I had no idea what I was doing. Then you start working with agencies and partners, and then they don't know what they're doing.

The reason is YOU.

When things aren't happening the way you want them to

When you get an output that's nothing like that you expected

When things take longer than you anticipated

When you are asked - what feels like - a stupid question.

Pause and ask yourself. 

📌Did I actually give clear direction?

The honest answer is...no. 

This isn't just internal. The same thing happens between your sales teams and their prospects.

"We'll come back to you next week?" Next week when, what day and time?

"We need to discuss this internally?" Who will be involved, discuss what exactly, and what is the final conclusion that will let you know you're finished "discussing"?

Clarity breeds understanding. Understanding it a prerequisite of the right action.

Clear up the message. Clear up the outputs.

#GTMStrategy #SymbioticSale #Customerjourney #Salesleadership

Not many people know this but I've spent the last 3 weeks - mostly in bed - recovering from an operation & drugged up to the heavens to manage the pain.
That's meant:

No working out.
No sitting at my desk for more than 2 hours because it hurts
No being on camera
Not creating any content (until last week actually)
Unable to walk my son to school 
Unable to lay flat in bed and sleep
No socialising
Taking calls from bed
Building out client's GTMs.... in bed

Last week I started walking more - going from 400 steps a day back to about 3000ish (mostly around the house). This weekend I pushed myself to go out like a normal person.

(For context - I usually hit 8000 steps by 9am most days.)

Was it tough - yeah a little. I was worn TF out. But I needed to get my strength back up so I could make the most of SaaStr.ai London event!

So I'll be there - in person- still bubbly and full of energy!
I may need to sit down a little more than usual.
But I'm ready to rock and roll.

I'd like to meet people for real networking. Not people that just want to add you on Linkedin and then never ever speak again - what's the point? 

We're all here to make some positive contribution in the world and that's why we build these businesses and make huge sacrifices. 

If you are someone that gets excited by meeting someone who can add value to your world - I'm here 🙋🏽‍♀️ (I'm bald though). 

p.s. Apple can we get some emojis with a nice fade?

“I got so fed up with the rep saying ‘I’m curious…’ at the start of every sentence. I get it. They want to learn more — but it feels so fake.” 
– COO, $10M ARR SaaS company 

I get this every week. 
Buyers aren’t just evaluating your solution. 
They’re scanning for signs of intelligence, confidence, and intent. 
That means fake curiosity doesn’t cut it anymore - and it’s everywhere. 

LinkedIn's new research The Trust Advantage says it best: 

Buyers don’t trust sellers. But they still trust experts. 

While 86% of buyers say seller expertise is the #1 driver of trust, 
Just 45% of them trust the sellers they meet. 

So what’s changed? 

AI made it easier to get information. 
But it also made it harder to find real insight. 

Now, the biggest differentiator is REAL value. 
Value builds trust. Trust closes deals.  

 Here’s 3 practical ways to fix the trust gap: 

1. Hit the mid-funnel harder. 
88% of buyers say rep engagement is most valuable in the middle of the process — not at the start. 
→ Stop over-optimising for top-of-funnel. 
→ Focus on how you show up when they’re stuck, shortlisting, or unsure. 
→ Mid-funnel is where the trust wobbles and where most reps disappear. 

💡 If you’re not helping buyers make the case internally, someone else is. And it’s probably a competitor. 

2. Don’t pitch. Diagnose. 86% of buyers say expertise drives trust. But most reps are still showing up with bullet points and buzzwords. 
→ Instead of leading with the pitch deck, lead with a POV. 
→ Show buyers something they hadn’t clocked yet about their current state. 
→ The question is no longer “what do you sell?” It’s “what do you help me figure out?" 
 
💡 Your job is to give buyers a clearer view of their own business than they currently have. That’s what builds trust — not a cute intro script. 

3. De-risk the decision. 
Trust beats features and price in final decisions . Buyers aren’t looking for perfect — they’re looking for proof. 
→ Make it easy to say yes: Give them stories, not stats. 
→ Anchor ROI in real-world outcomes, not hypothetical ones. 
→ Replace “this is what we offer” with “here’s how others like you solved this.” 

💡 Don’t tell buyers it works. Show them how someone just like them made it work — and what happened next. 

Your reps don’t need to be louder. 
They need to be clearer. 

They need to show up as people buyers trust to help them decide — not just people trying to hit target. 

🔗 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ev3JzvW6 

 
#AD #LinkedInPartner  #TheTrustAdvantage #SalesNavigator #GTMStrategy #B2Bsales #RevenueLeadership

“I want to be CRO…but I don’t want Marketing or CS reporting into me.”
- the subconscious mind of a CRO at a SaaS  🤷🏽‍♀️

I'm big on breaking things down. It's the ENTJ in me.
if your title is Chief Revenue Officer, let’s unpack what that really means.
➝ Chief = 1 of the most senior leaders in the organisation
➝ Revenue = The total value the business earns from what it sells
➝ Officer = A person with formal authority to execute decisions and lead

𝗦𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗥𝗢 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻.

Not just how much we make — but how we go to market to make it.

If my CFO gave me $100K today and said, “Turn this into $1 million,” I wouldn’t start with outbound, or new hires, or tech.

I’d start by operationalising revenue — by treating it like a system, not a scoreboard.

That means looking at:
! Are we forcing buyers to repeat themselves?
! Are we making promises we don’t deliver on?
! Are we measuring utility, or just activity?
! Are handoffs creating clarity, or confusion?
! Are we capturing real signals — and acting on them?

Too many GTM teams are flying blind. Or they are walking past dollars to pick up cents. One of my fave lines from Ryan Person

It’s a strategy problem.

Because at the core of all of this is one thing: having a clear, coherent plan for how you bring your products and services to market.

That’s what operationalising revenue actually is.

It’s the connective tissue between your GTM strategy and the buyer’s real-world experience.

It’s the difference between hope and precision. Between chasing revenue — and building a system to generate it.

CRO....it's a systems job. And no I dont mean technical systems.

If you’re not operationalising revenue, you’re just reacting to it.

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹:
1. Map your buyer journey and overlay your internal handoffs. Where is the friction, frustration & fuck-ups? That’s where revenue is leaking.

2. Align Sales, Marketing, and CS on shared definitions of qualification, readiness, and success. No shared language = no shared outcomes.

3. Build feedback loops into your GTM engine — not just dashboards. Revenue is a system. And systems need signals. 

#GTMStrategy #SymbioticSale #ChiefRevenueOfficer
___
Thanks for reading. I share insights from 17 years working with 40+ B2B SaaS GTM teams. I use LinkedIn to start conversations — so if this resonated, follow me to see more. And if you think I can help you — you know what to do.

LinkedIn Ads, doing LinkedIn Ads about LinkedIn Ads...

Inception at it's finest.

We're listening LinkedIn. We'll try some Ads.

“I set up weekly meetings with the leadership team — we had an agenda and the goal was to get on the same page. But no one really did the work, and action rarely got taken.”
— Global VP Sales, $12M ARR SaaS Company

Every leadership sync ends with action items.
Few end with action.

And that’s why your strategy isn’t landing.

If you can’t confirm what will move in the next 24 hours…
Your go-to-market plan doesn’t matter.
Your pipeline coverage doesn’t matter.
Your product roadmap doesn’t matter.

Because you’re in the illusion of alignment — not the reality of execution.

Here’s what I’ve seen across 40+ B2B SaaS companies:

➝ Calendars are full. Nothing moves.
➝ Meetings booked with no agendas. No one comes prepared.
➝ Deadlines aren't agreed. Just "next week" No one is held to anything.
➝ Teams think they’re aligned — because they met.

📌But no one’s checking if the ball actually moved.

Strategy isn’t what’s said in meetings.
Strategy is what happens between them.

If every weekly sync ends with the same blockers, the same vague goals, the same silence in follow-ups…

You don’t need a new plan.
You need accountability architecture.

Ask this next time you meet:
👉🏾 What decision did we actually make today?
👉🏾 What moves in the next 24 hours — and who’s responsible for it?
👉🏾 What won’t happen if this doesn’t get done?

Because GTM progress isn’t weekly.
It’s daily. And if your leadership rhythm doesn’t reflect that — you’re scaling confusion, not clarity.

#GTMStrategy #B2BBuyer #SaaSPlaybook #Symbiotic #B2BLeadership #B2BPipelineGrowth #SalesPipeline #GTMConsultants


____
Thanks for reading. I share insights from 17 years working with 40+ B2B SaaS GTM teams. I use LinkedIn to start conversations — so if this resonated, follow me to see more. And if you think I can help you — you know what to do.

Chris Cicconi

Chris Cicconi Inc

Fraction sales, leadership and business development.

Helping founders and early stage sales orgs build repeatable and scalable processes.

Powered by Gap Selling

Founder & Head of Sales

ARC Roasters

We make speciality coffee fun and accessible.

Co-Founder & Chief Caffeination Officer 

Unicrn

Founding Team Member & Jr Partner
Unicrn is a hand-selected collective of the best freelance sales, marketing, revenue operations, and enablement professionals from the world’s fastest growing companies.

Our mission is to quickly and seamlessly connect growing businesses with the right fractional talent to help everyone get farther, faster. Our GTM Pod system matches business needs with proven industry experts who strategize, document, and execute the GTM motion.

Head of Business Development

983 Media Productions, LLC

Working with 983 Media's founder to build partnerships with both potential clients, as well as other vendors, venues etc in an effort to deliver an exceptional eSports experience to all game developers and players.
Taking a leading role in helping 983 launch it's publishing arm - 983 Interactive. 
On air experience:
Host of "The Frontline" The Official Kards Podcast as well as all Official eSports events (a game by 1939 Games)
Gwent Qualifier Caster and Gwent Partner (a game by CD Projekt RED)
Production assistant for the Parallel World Championships

VP of Partnerships

Replicant

Led a team of 7 business development representatives selling an AI powered contact center automation tool to 5 core industries.
Generated over $48M in pipeline so far this fiscal year.
Promoted 2 BDRs to AE roles

Director of Business Development

Visier Inc.

Implemented a "Pipeline Acceleration Plan" to dig out of a pipeline deficit to meet the $59m OKR for the year, 3 months early.
This included growing the team from 6 to 12 BDRs and 2 BDR leads while implementing improved onboarding & framework to help them see success quickly.
The team set a record for the most pipeline generated in the 10+ year history of the company in July.

Senior Manager, Business Development

HRWize

Within this role, I not only handled the full sales cycle, but also hired, trained, developed and lead the full cycle sales team. HRWize is an HRIS system focus on small and medium size businesses of any industry, mainly within Canada, but with no limit to partner globally.

Sales Manager

Aerotek

While continuing to partner with my clients to deliver the highest quality of talent and service, I also manage our Professional Services division in Montreal. This entails both building out strategy and managing, coaching and developing our team of 10 account managers and recruiters to assure that we provide access to the quality candidates you need to support your business.

Continued to grow the divison to over $13M in revenue

Practice Lead - Professional Services

I became the first Account Executive for Aerotek's Professional Services Division in Canada. 
My role entailed business development and management of the fulfillment team for the Professional Services division. 
Lead a team of up to 6 individuals (recruiters & account managers) and grew the division from scratch to over $8M in revenue.
Archived 5 "President's Clubs" and multiple "Million Dollar Clubs".
Won the Director's Award in 2017

Account Executive - Professional Services

I specialized in technical staffing through Aerotek CE® (contract engineering), a division of Aerotek.

Technical Recruiter

Aerotek® Inc. is a leading provider of technical, professional and industrial recruiting and staffing services. We are part of Allegis Group® Inc., the second largest staffing company in the United States.

Sourcing Specialist

Sports Experts

I was responsible for training employees on the technical aspects of products, supervise them, open and close the store and register.

Keyholder

Paying it Forward 👉 One Day at a Time

Salesperson 💸 --> Coach ✍️ --> Leader 🙋‍♂️
Sometimes a content creator 🎥 - always a goofball 【ツ】

I love building things, but not physical things.

I have a passion for building teams, networks, processes, procedures and revenue but most importantly people. 

This had led me to helping founders pivot from founder led sales to a sustainable and scalable sales engine.

Hit me up if you want to talk sales, fractional leadership, 👟or ☕️.
--------------------
I was once given an opportunity that has allowed me to build my wonderful career.
I want to make sure others have the same chance.
#payitforward

Content Creator

Host of "The War Room: The Kards Pre-Game Show" by 983 Media (a game by 1939 games)
Host for all Kards Official eSports events, including the World Championship Series
Host of "The Frontline" The Official Kards Podcast by 983 Media
Gwent Qualifier Caster and Gwent Partner (a game by CD Projekt RED)

Chris 🦄 Cicconi

I lost 150lbs this year! 

What a ride it has been.

Except I didn't, but AI can make the pounds melt away in 30 seconds or less.

LinkedIn is already filled with enough smoke and mirrors
The "8 figure playbooks" (only $99!)
The made up close rates (seriously, I close at 108%)
The engagement bait "Comment 'clown shoes' to unlock my sales secrets"

Now that we can fake physical reality too....It's getting harder to separate reality from fiction. 

Social media is already a mental health minefield, and it will only get worse when AI can fake fitness, success, and bank accounts. 

Critical thinking isn't just a soft skill anymore, it's a survival skill. 

So don't believe everything you read (or see) on here 🙃

Building Sales @ KnowledgeNow | Still Fixing GTM. Still Roasting Bad Takes.

Imagine getting outed for liking your own post...

By a cold email where they mention you liked "Chris Cicconi's post"

Folks, the bar is so low you can walk over it without even noticing....

I should respond that "Chris Cicconi is an absolute 🤡 " and you probably shouldn't quote him in your cold email.

Cold calling is just as much what you say as how you say it.

You can have the perfect script, but if you don’t believe you’re talking to the right person, your tone gives you away.

You hesitate.
You sound uncertain.
You accidentally ask the CEO “uh….is Bob there?” 

Giulio nails it in this video.
Don’t waste time confirming, just dive into the message.

The problem? 
Most reps don’t trust their data enough to do that.

We’ve been conditioned to double-check because we’ve spent YEARS calling the wrong people.

Back when everything went through a receptionist (yes, I’m old), you always knew who you were getting.

Now? It’s all mobile dialing and half the numbers are wrong.

That’s why I use FullEnrich
Their coverage and accuracy gives me the confidence that I’m actually speaking to the right person. So when I dial, I’m not guessing. 

For a proper cold call, what you say has to match how you say it.
Having the right data is what makes it possible. 

Anybody had success with confirming who you're speaking to?
Or do you traditionally jump right into the message and assume you have the right person on the horn?

Brand partnership • Building Sales @ KnowledgeNow | Still Fixing GTM. Still Roasting Bad Takes.

Thanks for proving my point LinkedIn.

I posted on Friday about how I lost 150lbs this year complete with a before and after selfie.

Except that I didn't, the selfie was AI and all I wanted to highlight was how good AI has become.

And my comments were filled with wonderful people supporting this massive life changing event. 

Not sure if it speaks more to AI being credible or people only reading the hook of LinkedIn posts, but my point was still proven.

Don't believe everything you see, read or hear.

Thanks for proving my point

Warning: Boomer take incoming 

I'm happy I started my sales career with minimal technology.

I had Salesforce and old school LinkedIn and that was about it...

Why? 
I had to enter my own notes into Salesforce (and Siebel before that 🤮 )
I had to dial by hand - punching all 10 numbers in with my fat fingers
I had to learn how to write a proper email
I had to learn how to ask prospects and clients for their cell phone numbers

And I could go on and on, but I truly believe that it has allowed me to learn the fundamentals and appreciate all the new tech.

I can power dial, find mobile numbers with the click of a button and have something automate my CRM notes 🤣 

...I still write my emails by hand because AI ain't it. 

What process or technology dates you as a professional?

In honour of US Thanksgiving, I have a hot take.

Stuffing is the superior side.

It doesn't need to be cooked in the turkey.
It can even be with a base of boxed Stove Top.
Spruce it up and it can't be beat.

Gravy makes it better.
Putting olives in it ruins it.

And you will not be able to convince me otherwise.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends.
We need more excuses to eat stuffing.

You're allowed your opinion.
That doesn't mean I have to share that opinion.
And I'm not wrong for disagreeing.

Vicki here doesn't like being on the receiving end of permission based openers.
That's cool, not everybody does.
But it works for some people.

Should those people stop because one person cried about it on the internet? Absolutely not. 

I do agree with her last point though, be natural, be kind, be yourself and if you deliver a PBO really well, do that too.

My pet peeve?

Meeting somebody for a virtual coffee chat.

A couple days go by and all of a sudden my inbox welcomes their newsletter to it.

Just because you have my email from a calendar invite doesn't mean I want to read your newsletter.

In fact, after spending 30 minutes with you, it's probably the opposite.





...I know I saw my pet peeve as me opening line, maybe I should have written "one of my pet peeves" 🤷

I don't believe in gatekeeping coffee.

...or sales for that matter.

What do I mean?

Sure, I roast my own coffee.
Yes, I prefer a single origin Ethiopian prepared with a V60

But when somebody orders a "Double, double" (look it up, it's a 🇨🇦 thing) from Tim Hortons and looks at me expecting a disapproving look, they won't get it.

It's your coffee, you do what you want with it, you're the one drinking it.

It's the same in sales. 
I like leaving voicemails when I cold call.
I might even use a PBO every now and again.

So when somebody posts that they don't believe in leaving voicemails? 
That's cool, I believe you're leaving money on the table, but it's not my money. 

Where I draw the line? 
When you tell people how they should act.

You might not leave voicemails but don't go running around saying other people shouldn't either.

Just like I won't tell you that Starbucks coffee is basically roasted beyond death and tastes like cigarette butts to me. 

Because they still serve 10 million customers a day and I'm one person with my own preferences.

So Qwilr messaged me the other day and said...
"Hey Chris, we have this Super Mario inspired - "

And that's where I stopped them. 
Because anybody who has seen the giant Lego Bowser and Lego NES in the background of my Zoom calls knows that jumping on this was a no brainer.

I got to relive the highlights (...and lowlights) of my career in all the glory of 8 bit, music included. 

While I'm not entirely sure if Bowser roasts on BBQ night - I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

This was a blast and I love the creativity they put into everything they do.

Check out the link in the comments to play through your own career! 
For better or worse 🤣

Sh!t's simple.

Human's just like to overcomplicate things.

Yes, this is both about sales and not about sales.

I've lost a good amount of weight this year and people have asked
"How did you do it"
Simple --> Calories Out>Calories In.
Hard Part --> Cookies are delicious

The same applies to money, want more savings?
Simple --> Money In > Money Out 
Hard Part --> Getting more money and life being expensive AF

Want to do well at sales?
Simple --> Don't be a 🤡 
Hard part --> The primal desire to say things like "I hope this email finds you well" and "Just following up on this" 

In all seriousness, we want to complicate things with crazy supplements, something called the Smith Manuever (it's a 🇨🇦 money thing and I don't even know that I understand it)  or creating a 47 step automated outbound sequence. 

And we don't even have the basics down yet.

We all want to feel special, or that we're further ahead than we are.
Take a step back, check your ego and focus on the fundamentals.

The bar has become so low sales folks.

And this isn't a knock against this dude giving his talk.

The crazy part about it is that he had to say:
"Prep 1-2 questions for your meetings" 

I can't understand what that isn't just understood. 
To be honest 1-2 questions is still underprepared in my books.

Your prospects have limited time and you have even less time with them, if you can't be bothered to prepare for your meeting, maybe it's best to cancel and save everybody some time...

Can we stop "vibing" with AI please?

Why can't we just, do the thing? 

Actually, Vibe Coding is pretty cool, because I am zero technical.

But Vibe Selling? 
Can't we just sell?

Nothing AI has spit out, thus far, has been worthy of being put in front of another human being in a sales environment. 

Vibe Selling. Vibe Marketing. Vibe Investing. Vibe Product Management (yes I've actually seen this). Vibe Snacking (to be fair, THIS is my forte). 

It's become a buzzword worse than companies slapping "AI" on their product just for stock price bump. 

Yes, AI has plenty of uses in the sales world and in the world in general, but can we stop labeling it "just because"?

I usually hate the whole discounting process in sales. 

Ironically, the end of year discount is something I can support.

Why?

Because you're actually getting something out of it. 

The biggest problem with discounts is reps are handing them out like candy in an effort to close the deal, without rhyme or reason. 

But sales is a negotiation and pricing should be too. I'll happily give a client a discount if that means they can:
-Start earlier
-Start later
-Skip some steps in the approval process
-Pay sooner 
etc.

I give you a discount and I get something in return.

At the end of the year, getting revenue in to hit your number/company number is totally fine in my books (especially in my world of working with small companies)

Because you are trading off a discount with a contract being signed and/or payment being made before the end of the year.

The only caveat? Stick to your guns. If it doesn't happen and it gets pushed into the new year, the discount has to come off.

Reps who ask the tough questions close more deals, faster. 

The sad part? The questions aren't even that tough.

I was on a call this week with a client we were presenting a proposal to for an additional project.

Everything seemed to line up budget, scope etc

They're good clients, we've worked with them for years, so the presenter leaves it off with:
🗣️ "So let us know once you talk to your boss to get approval and we'll be ready to go"

Me, having PTSD from being ghosted forever and always jumps in
🔊  "Could we set up a time to follow up next week once you talk to your boss?"

The response? 
🤑 "Why don't we just go ahead and schedule the kick off call and if something goes sideways, we'll regroup"

We wait from waiting to hear back to scheduling the kickoff call. 

No, not every deal will close that easily, but you better believe next time I'm just going to ask to schedule the kick off call proactively 🤣

taplio

The Battle

Hannah Ajikawo

Chris 🦄 Cicconi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreHannah Ajikawo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChris 🦄 Cicconi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Hannah Ajikawo

Chris 🦄 Cicconi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Hannah Ajikawo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChris 🦄 Cicconi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreHannah Ajikawo's LinkedIn Performance