Author: Barry Witonsky



Unlocking the Potential of AI-Driven ICPs for Your GTM Strategy

November 21, 2024
Barry Witonsky

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed how companies define and leverage their ideal client profiles (ICPs). With AI-powered tools, businesses can now analyze a vast amount of data from firmographics, websites, LinkedIn, job postings, reviews and more — creating ICPs with unparalleled precision.

However, the complexity of AI models can often make them feel like a “black box,” leaving leadership teams skeptical about using them as a basis for go-to-market (GTM) decisions. So, how can you build trust in an AI-based ICP and ensure it supports, rather than confuses, your strategy?

THE POWER AND THE PUZZLE OF AI-BASED ICPs

AI tools are powerful. They can aggregate more than 500 data points, providing a holistic view of accounts. The best of these tools, like the one we use at Mereo, let you build custom signals across this data, tailoring insights to your business’s specific goals. Advanced analytics tools’ ability to create a robust, data-backed ICP has never been better.

Yet, AI’s strength — its ability to handle vast, complex datasets — can also make it hard to understand why certain accounts are prioritized over others. For business leaders, especially those at the helm of marketing, sales, and product departments, the prospect of using AI to guide major decisions about GTM strategy, account-based marketing (ABM) and outbound messaging can be both exciting and daunting. Before you bet your strategy on an AI-powered ICP, you need to understand more of the “why.”

THE SCIENCE AND ART OF CRAFTING A TRUSTWORTHY ICP

Creating an ICP demands a blend of data science and human insight. This human insight, the “art” to data’s science, results from qualitative insights that only real conversations can provide. What defines a strong account? Which personas need to be engaged? How do you best approach an account to usher them along the buyer journey with your company?

By combining the data science approach with the human insight art, you can create ICPs that are not only accurate and effective but meaningful to the teams who will be using them.

And once you have an initial AI-driven ICP, you must bring the rest of your organization on-board. Socialize the ICP, modify it and dial it in for organizational buy-in and until all key stakeholders feel comfortable. Once you do that, you are now ready to base your GTM strategy on the ICP.

AI-BASED ICP SUCCESS STORIES

But how does this apply in the real world? Consider the case of a company that initially rejected an AI-based ICP because they did not understand how the model prioritized accounts. We helped them overcome their hesitancy by blending AI capabilities into their legacy ICP approach. Once leadership understood why accounts scored high, they gained enough confidence to base their 2025 GTM plans on AI recommendations and outputs.

In another example, a CEO was skeptical following an AI approach. But, as we tailored the model to include custom signals specific to her top customers, she began to see the power of this tool. We ran the model on accounts recommended by her board, which her team spent nearly a month evaluating. AI replicated the top 10 accounts in minutes, and she was amazed and ready to base her GTM strategy on this approach.

WHAT IS COMING NEXT?

In this series, we will dive deeper into each stage of aligning AI-based ICPs to work across marketing, sales and product teams. You will gain practical steps to ensure AI enhances your GTM initiatives rather than complicates them. Stay tuned as we explore how to make AI work for you — turning data-driven insights into GTM success with confidence.

Ready to take your ICP to the next level? Do not let a “black box” mindset hold back your GTM potential. Book a call with our experts to assess your current ICP and explore how AI-driven data combined with the art of human insights can strengthen your organization’s targeting and drive sustainable revenue performance. Schedule 30 minutes with me today.



Make Your Revenue Plan Come True With a Risk Assessment

February 22, 2024
Barry Witonsky

By now, heads of sales everywhere have their revenue plans in place for 2024. And whether or not you took part in the creation of the plan, as the head of sales you now own the commitment to see it through for your team, your investors and your organization.

But your plan is only good as its weakest link. What would happen to your organization, your people, your own role, if the revenue plan is not met and that could be avoided?

Last year 49% of companies were adjusting their growth projections already in March. This year, 70% of companies, too, are seeing average deal sizes flatten or shrink. You cannot rely on one big deal to help you hit the target.

You can set your organization up to stay on track to meet — and exceed — your plan by training your eye on key revenue operation KPIs. A risk assessment exposes your risks and helps you keep a pulse on performance. We’ll show you how.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE YOUR REVENUE PLAN?

From win rates and deal sizes to market size and average churn, a number of KPIs, metrics and assumptions can give you insight into your risks and opportunities in meeting your revenue plan and achieving sustainable performance. Yet many heads of sales don’t know these numbers.

Can you answer these questions about where your team hits on a revenue plan risk assessment?

Funnel Conversion Rates
What do your conversation rates need to be to meet your plan? Did they fall in 2023?

Ideal Client Profile
Do you know who your best client targets are?

Ratio of Revenue from New Logos versus Clients
What percentage of your revenue is coming from new logos? What percentage from existing client?

Headcount Turnover
Are you appropriately covering your market territory?

Pricing
Did you raise your rates in 2023? Can you do it again in 2024?

Quota Attainment
What are you counting on in 2024? In an Ebsta report, 73% of reps missed quota.

UNCOVER YOUR RISK

If you have a clear line of sight on what you and your team must do to meet the revenue plan, great. If you are headed into this year not fully aware of the assumptions in your plan and hoping for the best, let’s talk.

Our experts can help you take charge of meeting your revenue plan by bringing to light hidden assumptions and risks.

Sign up for a free two-hour plan review with our leading B2B revenue planning expert. We will help you develop a risk assessment and see where your team stands for making your revenue plans come true.

 

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