Efficiency has become a buzzword in the tech industry as software companies are exploring ways to cut costs and be more efficient. Marketing and sales teams are expected to do more with less, making tech stacks a logical area to examine for possible trimming. This has led to the rise of software solution consolidation, resulting in a new set of challenges for some teams as they craft workarounds to make everything work together. Chris Hays, President and COO at ZoomInfo, joined Mike Weir, CRO at G2, for a conversation on the GTM Innovators podcast about how software companies can achieve greater efficiency. In this post, we will summarize Chris’ perspective on consolidation and personalization at scale.
The Emergence of the “Frankenstack”
B2B software began picking up momentum in the late 2000s, resulting in a boom in Martech software solutions. Companies brought in more point solutions, and the tech stack grew at a faster pace. However, with the current economic uncertainty, companies are looking to cut costs, which has led to software solution consolidation. The problem then becomes the “Frankenstack,” where the lack of efficiency has its own cost. Despite many sales and marketing tech merging and proliferating, it’s unlikely that any one software can be the best-in-class at everything.
Personalization at Scale
Personalization is a powerful tool go-to-market teams utilize to establish a stronger connection with buyers and customers. However, the challenge is figuring out just how much customization and effort to apply. Chris shares his expert tips on how to approach personalization at scale:
Where to apply context – Depending on where the message is coming from, that dictates how much customization goes into the messaging.
Measuring sequences by persona benchmarks – Documenting these benchmarks relative to your personas and measuring your custom messaging against those typical baselines.
Impacts of call coverage – Call coverage can impact meeting rates when used with personalization.
Using the funnel as a guide – A key aspect to nail down for personalization at scale involves understanding where the message is coming from.
Why Timing Remains Crucial in Sales
Timing is everything in sales. One of the leading reasons why intent data is so impactful is that marketing and sales teams can utilize it to trigger meaningful, contextually relevant messaging in moments that matter most. When Chris and his team at ZoomInfo thought about timing in sales, they launched a series of experiments to understand the impact of follow-up times.
Other Learnings from Chris in this Episode
In episode 4 of GTM Innovators, the full conversation with Chris Hays includes other takeaways such as his framework for choosing consolidation vs. best-in-class solutions, why companies should continuously evaluate processes critically, and how to combine intent data with automation.
Conclusion
As companies search for ways to optimize their operations and cut costs, software solution consolidation and personalization at scale are two concepts worth exploring. By understanding where to apply context, measuring sequences by persona benchmarks, understanding the impact of call coverage, and using the funnel as a guide, companies can achieve greater efficiency. Additionally, by utilizing intent data and understanding the importance of timing in sales, companies can trigger meaningful, contextually relevant messaging in moments that matter most.
