The out-of-office reply is a lead
An out-of-office reply isn't a dead end. It names delegates, reveals the org and tells you when to follow up. How to read one and what to send next.
3 min read
Blog
The Stage 1 blog Page 9
How services firms find accounts getting ready to buy, get in through people they know, and open conversations worth having. Written by Kevin French.
The 3x3 for a public company
Public companies publish more about their problems than any other buyer. How to run 3x3 research on one and turn the filings into a sharp hypothesis.
3 min readFollowing up on an intro that went quiet
The connector said yes, the intro went out, and nothing happened. How to follow up without burning the buyer or the person who vouched for you.
3 min readSelling to asset managers
Asset managers face fee pressure and aging operating platforms. Who buys services there, which signals show up first, and how to open the conversation.
3 min readPublic tenders beyond the RFP
By the time a public RFP posts, the requirements are often shaped. The notices that come before it are where services firms can still get in early.
3 min readSelling when the economy tightens
When budgets tighten, services buyers don't stop buying. They stop buying the wrong things. How firm leaders should adjust what they sell and to whom.
3 min readA migration announcement is a funded program
An announced cloud move or mainframe exit is funded, dated and staffed with outside firms. Get in before the partner list closes, or find the gaps.
4 min readSelling to a business unit president
A business unit president owns a P&L and answers to the CEO every quarter. What they're measured on, what they ignore, and how to open the conversation.
3 min readFunding rounds and the 90 days after
A funding round opens a short window for services firms. What happens inside a company in the 90 days after the money lands, and when to reach out.
3 min readHypotheses for management consulting
Management consultants sell judgment. How to write a misery hypothesis that proves you have some before the buyer ever takes a meeting.
3 min readReply rate is the wrong north star
Reply rate rewards clever subject lines and volume. For large services deals, measure committee meetings and buyer corrections instead.
3 min readWhen they say they're not the right person
A "not the right person" reply is often a referral in disguise. What it usually means and the short reply that turns it into the right meeting.
3 min readWhy volume outbound breaks for $250K deals
Volume outbound works for small deals with one buyer. Here's why it breaks on $250K services engagements and what to run in its place.
4 min readA missed launch is a capacity problem first
A public launch delay or outage looks like a technology problem. Usually it's a capacity and delivery problem first, and that's work you can help with.
4 min readDouble opt-in intros done right
A double opt-in intro asks the buyer before connecting you. Done right, it protects your connector and gets you a warmer first meeting.
3 min readInfluencer engagement is the weakest signal
A buyer liking an industry voice's post tells you little alone. Why influencer engagement ranks last and when it earns a place in your research.
3 min readHypotheses for agencies and creative services
Agencies sell taste, and taste is hard to put in an email. How to write a misery hypothesis about the marketing problem instead of your portfolio.
3 min readSelling to energy companies
How services firms sell into energy companies, from who signs to the pressures driving spend and the signals that show up first in filings.
3 min read