Embrace the Chaos
The only certainty is uncertainty, plan accordingly.
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Embrace the Chaos!
Yesterday, I hosted a webinar with the team at Sales Assembly on the topic of revenue planning for next year.
One of the big topics we covered was what metrics you should use as your baseline and how difficult it is because there has been so much chaos in tech over the last 3 years.
Covid happened in 2021.
SaaS boomed in 2022.
SaaS crashed in 2023.
And during that time we had: The great resignation, the move to remote, the mass adoption of AI, the list goes on and on.
I have no idea what crazy thing will happen in 2024 but if the last few years have taught me anything: it will be something.
So what choice do you have? How do you succeed in this type of environment?
In my opinion, the companies and leaders that will fail will do so because of one trait, stubbornness. An unwillingness to change and adapt to the new normal.
Stubbornness, is one of those delicate things, at one moment it can be your biggest strength and the next your biggest weakness. Ask almost any successful person and they will share that one of the things that probably made them successful was an unwillingness to accept anything other than the result they wanted. AKA - they were stubborn.
So what has served them well their entire career might actually be their biggest detriment. An unwillingness to veer off course, try new things, adopt new technology and completely shift the way your business had previously operated will be the downfall of a lot of tech companies.
The company that refuses to adopt or even experiment with AI in things like outbound, design or content creation will end up getting lapped by those who do. Unable to keep up with the efficiency and speed at which the competition can operate.
The company that is still running a sales process similar to 4 years ago and not adopting to a more buyer led process - incorporating PLG, transparency in the sales process, and being easy to work with will find their prospects going to companies that are easier to work with.
The company that doesn’t understand the way people discover products is shifting. People rely on their networks and folks they trust and know when it comes to buying tech. Most aren’t reading industry reports and filling out 5 demo request forms at 5 companies. The discussions are happening in slack groups, Linkedin and Twitter DM’s. How do you influence that as a marketer?
So as you prepare yourself, your team or your company for next year, ask yourself what you are being stubborn on. Are there areas of the business you have been struggling with that you just need to come at with a different approach at this point?
The worst thing you can do is come in with the same old playbook that delivered underwhelming results last year or “that has always worked for us”.
Drop the stubbornness and embrace the chaos because the only certainty in 2024 is uncertainty, plan accordingly.
Thanks for reading - Adam.
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