Episode 14: Why relationship building is key to RevOps success
Unlock the power of relationship building, open-mindedness, and resilience with Shriya Ravikumar, Business Strategy and Development at Spruce Health.
We're diving deep into the world of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and Account-Based Experience (ABX) with Ali Rastiello, VP of RevOps at Health Catalyst, and Co-host Matt Volm on this episode of the RevOpsAF podcast. Hear how Ali dissects the crucial role RevOps plays in aligning sales and marketing efforts to ensure that ABX strategies are not just well-executed, but strategically impactful.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is about aligning campaigns and messaging to target specific buyer personas within an account. The term Account-Based Experience (ABX) takes this a step further. It’s a well-coordinated effort between marketing and sales, ensuring that the right message reaches the right person at the right time.
It’s not just about marketing; it’s about the entire experience the buyer has with your company. When you have a centralized RevOps function, you can ensure that your marketing and sales motions are aligned.
Jump to clip to learn about improving the buyer experience
RevOps leads by making sure that all parts of the organization are in sync. When we’re mission control, we set up the processes, define the buyer personas, and ensure that the right accounts are targeted with the right messaging at the right time. This prevents common pitfalls of misalignment which leads to a disjointed experience for the buyer.
“Aligning teams and ensuring smooth handoffs—whether in account-based marketing or selling—is the core responsibility of Revenue Operations.” — Ali Rastiello
Jump to clip to hear why RevOps should lead the ABX charge
When ABX is done well, the messaging is consistent, the timing is perfect, and the buyer feels like they’re getting a personalized experience, not a scattershot marketing blast. You see a more engaged pipeline, shorter sales cycles, and happier customers who feel understood and valued. Poorly executed ABX can result in longer sales cycles, disengaged leads, and, ultimately, lost deals.
“Think of RevOps as the maestro, orchestrating a symphony where marketing and sales each take their turn, ensuring the whole organization plays in harmony.” — Ali Rastiello
Jump to clip for tips on executing your ABX strategy
The most common pitfall is failing to involve the right stakeholders early on. It’s crucial to form a cross-functional team that collaborates from the get-go, ensuring that everyone’s on the same page about the goals, messaging, and processes. Put together a tiger team of people from marketing and sales to work together to identify and define the core data and inputs that you’ll be feeding into your systems.
Jump to clip to understand common pitfalls
A quick win in the ABX space often comes from identifying and leveraging sales champions within the organization. These are the salespeople who are enthusiastic about new initiatives and willing to pilot them. Start small with 5 or 6 participants that are really going to be your champions. This ensures that when the full rollout happens, there’s already buy-in from the sales team, making the transition smoother and more effective.
“Getting buy-in from the sales team can be a challenge, but it starts with finding those five or six passionate individuals who can become champions of the program.” — Ali Rastiello
Jump to clip for quick wins that have a high impact
The key to elevating RevOps from a support function to a strategic partner is to adopt a consultant’s mindset. Rather than simply taking orders, RevOps professionals should focus on understanding the underlying business problems and offering strategic solutions. By positioning themselves as consultants, RevOps teams can guide the organization toward the most effective strategies.
“The real game changer is transitioning from being an order taker to a consultant. When your ops team starts advising on the best strategies instead of just executing tasks, that’s when you become a true strategic partner.” — Ali Rastiello
Jump to clip for how to position RevOps as a strategic consultant
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