XXII Ventures’ Post

#iceage for tech marketers! The 3rd one I am experiencing as a marketer. (the first one was after the dot come bubble, the second one after the Great Financial crisis). Let's face reality - all #startups and #scaleups underperform - even the few great ones that still grow at respectable pace are not making their plans. The reason for this, of course, were the #excessivevaluations of the past: multiples of 50x or more required businesses to come up with highly ambitious business plans, which even in more prosperous economic times would have been hard to achieve. Interestingly, as a reaction at the board room level I have been observing two main strategies. 1. Businesses, who hitherto have grown via inbound, suddenly bet big on outbound; 2. Businesses, who in past were sales-led, suddenly bet big on inbound. In either case, often without significant proof points. What an irony! And definitely a big challenge for marketers. In the first case, you may find yourself with a much reduced scope or even without a job. And in the second case, you may have to live up to overhyped expectations as to the results you can deliver short- or midterm. In either case, you need a strong backbone and excellent execution communications and relation-building skills. Kiyomizu Growth Advisory B2B Practitioners

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There's no silver bullet as to metrics startups need to track. I researched what are the most important based on accelerators, investors, advisors Metrics are only a part of securing series A, B, C. Arguably consistent, profitable growth in a large TAM is a large part of convincing investors in today's market. Pipeline, revenues, customer behaviour and margins are the basics The 11 key metrics that you need to track to grow as a startup are Marketing / pre sales: (ideally > last week or month. Definitely > last quarter) 1 # Sales meetings held (B2B) / # new emails signups (B2C) 2 # Demos done (B2B) / # trials or free plans (B2C 3 $ Bookings - $ closed sales or # new logos Revenues: 4 $ net monthly recurring revenue (MRR) 5 % ARR growth 6 % Net dollar retention (NDR) Quarterly Annualised NDR % (QA NDR) 7 % Cohort NDR growth Customer behaviour  8 % Net user retention %  9 $ Customer lifetime value - LTV per cohort Margins  10 $ customer acquisition cost (time adjusted) (reduce) 11 $ GM (80%?) While this is a good starting point, as you grow build out the metric trees below these as well as focusing more on input than output metrics. ----------- We're building something that helps startups and scaleups automate how you get all your metrics together from all your systems to make decisions, track progress amongst your team and ensure trustworthy comms with investors Primary sources * Y combinator  * Iconiq * Various sales and marketing advisors for startups (rampd, fluint, gong etc)

The Consultancy world is changing. ... We specialise in propelling Consultancy Businesses into a new era of growth and efficiency. As an entrepreneur passionate about innovation, I established IA with a vision to revolutionise the consultancy industry. Our mission is straightforward yet transformative: to assist consultancy founders in scaling their businesses effortlessly through cutting-edge LinkedIn automation, AI integration, and engaging content strategies. What sets us apart? -Innovative AI Solutions: Harnessing the power of AI, we streamline operations, enhance client engagement, and drive meaningful results. -LinkedIn Mastery: Utilising LinkedIn's vast network, we automate key aspects of your business presence to maximise visibility and lead generation. -Content that Converts: Our team creates engaging, industry-specific content that resonates with your audience, establishing you as a thought leader in your field. Why do Consultancies Choose IA? -Growth Focused: Every tool and strategy we offer is aimed at sustainable, scalable growth for your consultancy. -Partnership Approach: We believe in working alongside you, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities in your journey. -Expertise & Experience: With years in the industry, we bring a wealth of knowledge and proven success stories. Whether you're looking to streamline your LinkedIn presence, integrate AI into your business processes, or elevate your content strategy, IA is your partner in growth. Here's to your success in 2024, Craig

**Mediocre way to scale to erode client value, fees, and brand trust.** 1) Build systems around client deliverables. (Not outcomes or ROI since you can’t control results, right?) 2) Streamline services and remove CEO as bottleneck in fulfillment. Success! 3) Congratulate yourself for watering down your services, taking no responsibility for client transformations, and becoming another commodity service ripe to be wiped out in the upcoming Agency Apocalypse via cheap technology, AI, and increasingly sophisticated global talent. … Don’t shoot the messenger. 🔫 What to do instead? Solve bigger problems. Deliver bigger transformations. Fill your business with only the top clients who you can deliver that for. That means saying no A LOT more. And it means stopping leaving growth to chance. It means building a pipeline and proactively getting in front of the right clients. Scale all that! Build systems around that. Then you’ll have a real business where the owner isn’t needed to run delivery or sales. Because they’re not buying the founders brain 🧠 anymore. As a bonus, they’ll choose your service over all of your other competitors. And be willing to pay twice as much… if you figure out the right way to sell it. This can increase net profits per client by as much as 500%. Imagine scaling company like that! It’s not easy, but scaling is not easy. And it’s only right for the very best agencies that actually deliver real tangible results for clients. The best brands will find the agencies who want to *make it their responsibility* to delivery tangible results. Will you be one of them?

How to Scale a Startup to 1000 Customers Scaling a startup to 1000 customers requires a strategic approach that includes identifying key competitors, conducting a competitor analysis, and leveraging the insights gained to position the startup differently and gain a competitive advantage. This comprehensive report will outline the steps involved in this process. Identifying Key Competitors To identify key competitors, it is crucial to look for companies with a competitive advantage. These are the companies that have the potential to take your customers, even if they do not sell the exact same products or services1. Additionally, conducting competitive research becomes essential as it can be challenging to scale a startup without knowing who the competitors are. This research will help in finding and identifying both direct and indirect competitors2. Furthermore, it is important to prioritize key competitors in the market. To start this process, create a list of all potential competitors and then narrow it down to the most significant ones3. Conducting a Competitor Analysis A competitor analysis is a crucial step in understanding the target audience, marketing strategies, and unique selling propositions of key competitors. By researching their strengths, weaknesses, products, and marketing techniques, startups can gain valuable insights that will help them differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage4. Competitor analysis goes beyond simply identifying competitors. It is about becoming aware of who the startup is in relation to the competition. This knowledge is essential for learning, growing, and staying ahead in a competitive market5. By identifying key competitors and conducting a thorough competitor analysis, startups can gain a deeper understanding of their target audience, analyze the strategies employed by competitors in the market, and determine their unique selling propositions. Armed with this knowledge, startups can position themselves differently and effectively gain a competitive advantage in their industry.

Startup Activator Session Two: CX Trends and Building Your CX Strategy For Scale Join Manchester Digital on Tomorrow - 27th February, 2024 Online for session two of our new Startup Activator programme. We will have an interactive session covering the following points: - Why Startups can benefit from great Customer Experience. - Retention vs Acquisition - what matters more - Trends in CX for 2024 and how Unicorns are approaching these. - Ai in CX and how to harness its capabilities - How to build a CX strategy for your Startup Get 6 months free of Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM Zendesk is a service-first CRM company with support, sales, and customer engagement products designed to improve customer relationships. With Zendesk for Startups, Manchester Digital Startup Activator portfolio companies receive VIP benefits including 6 months of free access to Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM, 15% off their first annual subscription and access to the community and office hours support. This offer is only available for Manchester Digital Startup Activator startups that are new customers with fewer than 100 employees and no more than Series B funding. Key Benefits: 6 months free of Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM (any edition) 15% off first annual subscription after initial 6 month free period VIP access to our community programs, experts, and events Sign up here!

Resource availability, including capital, manpower, technology, and expertise, significantly impacts a company’s ability to pursue opportunities using hot pursuit or cold pursuit strategies: Capital: Hot Pursuit: Companies with ample capital resources can afford to invest quickly and decisively in pursuing opportunities. For example, a tech startup with a significant amount of venture capital funding may aggressively pursue market expansion through rapid product development and aggressive marketing campaigns. Cold Pursuit: Conversely, companies with limited capital may opt for a more cautious approach, carefully allocating resources and focusing on steady, sustainable growth. For example, a small family-owned business may prioritize long-term stability over rapid expansion, conservatively reinvesting profits to gradually grow the business. Manpower: Hot Pursuit: Organizations with a large, skilled workforce can mobilize quickly to pursue opportunities, whether through product development, marketing initiatives, or entering new markets. For example, a multinational corporation with a diverse team of experts may rapidly deploy teams to explore and capitalize on emerging markets. Cold Pursuit: Companies with a smaller workforce may need to prioritize tasks and opportunities more carefully, focusing on incremental growth and efficiency. For example, a boutique consulting firm with a limited number of consultants may take a more deliberate approach to pursuing new clients, focusing on building long-term relationships and delivering high-quality services. Technology: Hot Pursuit: Companies that invest in cutting-edge technology can gain a competitive advantage by quickly adapting to market changes and capitalizing on emerging trends. For example, an e-commerce retailer with advanced data analytics capabilities may rapidly develop personalized marketing campaigns to capitalize on shifting consumer preferences. Cold Pursuit: Companies with outdated or limited technology may need to take a more cautious approach, focusing on incremental improvements and cost-effective strategies. For example, a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer may gradually invest in upgrading its technology infrastructure to support online sales, rather than attempting a rapid expansion into e-commerce. Expertise: Hot Pursuit: Organizations with specialized expertise in a particular industry or market segment may have a competitive advantage in rapidly identifying and pursuing opportunities. For eg a pharmaceutical company with a team of experienced researchers may quickly develop and bring to market new drugs to address emerging health concerns. Cold Pursuit: Companies lacking expertise in a particular area may take a more cautious approach, seeking partnerships or consulting with experts before pursuing new opportunities. For example, a small software startup may collaborate with industry experts to validate market demand before investing in large-scale product development.

📣 Founders, tomorrow the 2nd Manchester Digital #StartupActivator session is brought to you by Zendesk As well as expert insights and tips to your Customer Experience strategy, founders can receive 6 months free of Zendesk Suite and Zendesk CRM. Sign up link in the comments

Startup Activator Session Two: CX Trends and Building Your CX Strategy For Scale Join Manchester Digital on Tuesday 27th February, 2024 Online for session two of our new Startup Activator programme. We will have an interactive session covering the following points: - Why Startups can benefit from great Customer Experience. - Retention vs Acquisition - what matters more - Trends in CX for 2024 and how Unicorns are approaching these. - Ai in CX and how to harness its capabilities - How to build a CX strategy for your Startup Get 6 months free of Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM Zendesk is a service-first CRM company with support, sales, and customer engagement products designed to improve customer relationships. With Zendesk for Startups, Manchester Digital Startup Activator portfolio companies receive VIP benefits including 6 months of free access to Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM, 15% off their first annual subscription and access to the community and office hours support. This offer is only available for Manchester Digital Startup Activator startups that are new customers with fewer than 100 employees and no more than Series B funding. Key Benefits: 6 months free of Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sales CRM (any edition) 15% off first annual subscription after initial 6 month free period VIP access to our community programs, experts, and events Sign up here!