Prasid Pathak
@prasid.bsky.social
Iron-willed Growth Consultant. Will help you grow or die trying | Previously at Microsoft, Twilio, Codecademy and 5-Time Startup Head of Marketing
The solution: We created self-serve onboarding content that we could push to Closed-Wons to the moment they signed, including a Quick Start guide, and the Slack community.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
The solution: We created self-serve onboarding content that we could push to Closed-Wons to the moment they signed, including a Quick Start guide, and the Slack community.
Even worse, because of capacity planning issues, some customers sometimes weren’t getting a CSM assigned for 2-3 weeks.
So at a moment in the customer journey that should be exciting: “yay you signed” - we were ignoring customers for at least 3-4 days, and sometimes 2-3 weeks.
So at a moment in the customer journey that should be exciting: “yay you signed” - we were ignoring customers for at least 3-4 days, and sometimes 2-3 weeks.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Even worse, because of capacity planning issues, some customers sometimes weren’t getting a CSM assigned for 2-3 weeks.
So at a moment in the customer journey that should be exciting: “yay you signed” - we were ignoring customers for at least 3-4 days, and sometimes 2-3 weeks.
So at a moment in the customer journey that should be exciting: “yay you signed” - we were ignoring customers for at least 3-4 days, and sometimes 2-3 weeks.
After auditing what was going on, we realized a lot of the post-contract onboarding process was manual. Closed-Won Deals were assigned to CSMs manually, and onboarding materials were emailed manually.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
After auditing what was going on, we realized a lot of the post-contract onboarding process was manual. Closed-Won Deals were assigned to CSMs manually, and onboarding materials were emailed manually.
As soon as we started measuring, the teams started to self-correct on their own.
Micro-solution: Doing more to push fresh Closed-Wons into self-serve Onboarding
Micro-solution: Doing more to push fresh Closed-Wons into self-serve Onboarding
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
As soon as we started measuring, the teams started to self-correct on their own.
Micro-solution: Doing more to push fresh Closed-Wons into self-serve Onboarding
Micro-solution: Doing more to push fresh Closed-Wons into self-serve Onboarding
To operationalize this, we started adding “Starts” to the Marketing/Sales dashboards as the last metric in the funnel, and started adding “Closed-Wons” to the Product/Success dashboard as the first metric in the dashboard.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
To operationalize this, we started adding “Starts” to the Marketing/Sales dashboards as the last metric in the funnel, and started adding “Closed-Wons” to the Product/Success dashboard as the first metric in the dashboard.
In this case, Marketing/Sales’s portion of the value chain should extend from Lead all the way to Starts. And Product/Success’s part of the value chain should begin earlier than Start, all the way at Closed-Won.
This way both teams are accountable for the hand-off.
This way both teams are accountable for the hand-off.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
In this case, Marketing/Sales’s portion of the value chain should extend from Lead all the way to Starts. And Product/Success’s part of the value chain should begin earlier than Start, all the way at Closed-Won.
This way both teams are accountable for the hand-off.
This way both teams are accountable for the hand-off.
Macro solution: Overlapping Team Metrics
I might get a lot of heat for this one, but I strongly believe adjacent teams need to have overlapping metrics.
I might get a lot of heat for this one, but I strongly believe adjacent teams need to have overlapping metrics.
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Macro solution: Overlapping Team Metrics
I might get a lot of heat for this one, but I strongly believe adjacent teams need to have overlapping metrics.
I might get a lot of heat for this one, but I strongly believe adjacent teams need to have overlapping metrics.
Here’s how we fixed it: ⤵️
Turns out Revenue org was managing-to Closed-Won Deals; Product/Success org was managing from Customer Starts to Renewals. We realized that Closed-Won Deals weren’t lining-up w/ new Customer Starts & uncovered that many customers were falling through a crack & churning out
Turns out Revenue org was managing-to Closed-Won Deals; Product/Success org was managing from Customer Starts to Renewals. We realized that Closed-Won Deals weren’t lining-up w/ new Customer Starts & uncovered that many customers were falling through a crack & churning out
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Here’s how we fixed it: ⤵️
Turns out Revenue org was managing-to Closed-Won Deals; Product/Success org was managing from Customer Starts to Renewals. We realized that Closed-Won Deals weren’t lining-up w/ new Customer Starts & uncovered that many customers were falling through a crack & churning out
Turns out Revenue org was managing-to Closed-Won Deals; Product/Success org was managing from Customer Starts to Renewals. We realized that Closed-Won Deals weren’t lining-up w/ new Customer Starts & uncovered that many customers were falling through a crack & churning out
The teams had focused on optimizing their part of the funnel, but lost all their gains at the handoff between teams. One of the weakest hand-offs is from marketing/sales to product/success.
The Learning: As Steven Sinofsky famously said “Don’t ship the org chart.”
The Learning: As Steven Sinofsky famously said “Don’t ship the org chart.”
January 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
The teams had focused on optimizing their part of the funnel, but lost all their gains at the handoff between teams. One of the weakest hand-offs is from marketing/sales to product/success.
The Learning: As Steven Sinofsky famously said “Don’t ship the org chart.”
The Learning: As Steven Sinofsky famously said “Don’t ship the org chart.”
So the next time you’re thinking about your a branding project, ask your leaders: where’s the spice? And are we brave enough to crank it up?
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
So the next time you’re thinking about your a branding project, ask your leaders: where’s the spice? And are we brave enough to crank it up?
But for spiciness to be tasted, you need a second ingredient: Bravery 💪
Every brand says they are playful, but very few are brave enough to put a playful monkey high-five into a serious SaaS product for a mission-critical function.
Every brand says they are playful, but very few are brave enough to put a playful monkey high-five into a serious SaaS product for a mission-critical function.
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
But for spiciness to be tasted, you need a second ingredient: Bravery 💪
Every brand says they are playful, but very few are brave enough to put a playful monkey high-five into a serious SaaS product for a mission-critical function.
Every brand says they are playful, but very few are brave enough to put a playful monkey high-five into a serious SaaS product for a mission-critical function.
So, what is Spiciness?
Professor Byron Sharp uses the term ✨brand distinctiveness✨. The way I think about it is you choose a brand attribute and crank the spiciness level up to Ghost Pepper so that it breaks-through and can be tasted by the end user.
Professor Byron Sharp uses the term ✨brand distinctiveness✨. The way I think about it is you choose a brand attribute and crank the spiciness level up to Ghost Pepper so that it breaks-through and can be tasted by the end user.
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
So, what is Spiciness?
Professor Byron Sharp uses the term ✨brand distinctiveness✨. The way I think about it is you choose a brand attribute and crank the spiciness level up to Ghost Pepper so that it breaks-through and can be tasted by the end user.
Professor Byron Sharp uses the term ✨brand distinctiveness✨. The way I think about it is you choose a brand attribute and crank the spiciness level up to Ghost Pepper so that it breaks-through and can be tasted by the end user.
That's my # 1 learning from branding projects at SoFi, Codecademy, and Codecademy working with excellent design leaders like Conor McGlauflin and Emelyn Baker.
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
That's my # 1 learning from branding projects at SoFi, Codecademy, and Codecademy working with excellent design leaders like Conor McGlauflin and Emelyn Baker.
Most branding experts talk about consistency, but there are two key ingredients to great branding that don’t get talked about enough:
The first ingredient is Spiciness.🌶️
The first ingredient is Spiciness.🌶️
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Most branding experts talk about consistency, but there are two key ingredients to great branding that don’t get talked about enough:
The first ingredient is Spiciness.🌶️
The first ingredient is Spiciness.🌶️
Either way, this quirky animation is a powerful brand moment that made the pressure of hitting ‘send’ a little lighter for hundreds of thousands of users.
January 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Either way, this quirky animation is a powerful brand moment that made the pressure of hitting ‘send’ a little lighter for hundreds of thousands of users.
By applying these principles, Nick didn’t just grow his Twitter following—he transformed it into a $150M real estate empire.
Now that is one heck of a triumph.
Read more on my Substack:
Now that is one heck of a triumph.
Read more on my Substack:
How Nick Huber Built a $150M real estate empire on Twitter
Nick is one of the most successful examples of building an empire on Twitter. I analyzed his top Tweets and follower growth to learn how we can grow our reach and drive business impact.
www.thegrowthcmo.co
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
By applying these principles, Nick didn’t just grow his Twitter following—he transformed it into a $150M real estate empire.
Now that is one heck of a triumph.
Read more on my Substack:
Now that is one heck of a triumph.
Read more on my Substack:
Once Nick had reach, just by opening-up about the types of opportunities he was pursuing, he was able to connect privately with under-the-radar but more-established operators. Together, they benefited from his reach, sourcing deals.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Once Nick had reach, just by opening-up about the types of opportunities he was pursuing, he was able to connect privately with under-the-radar but more-established operators. Together, they benefited from his reach, sourcing deals.
👑 Ask for opportunities in public, then connect with more-established lesser-known players
Data shows less than 25% of users on social platforms post regularly. The other 75% just consume.
Data shows less than 25% of users on social platforms post regularly. The other 75% just consume.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
👑 Ask for opportunities in public, then connect with more-established lesser-known players
Data shows less than 25% of users on social platforms post regularly. The other 75% just consume.
Data shows less than 25% of users on social platforms post regularly. The other 75% just consume.
It’s not until he’s been at it with that intensity for 8+ months before he something goes massively viral, helping him add 47,000 new followers in a single month.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
It’s not until he’s been at it with that intensity for 8+ months before he something goes massively viral, helping him add 47,000 new followers in a single month.
In March 2020 he was averaging 250 posts/mo, in July 500 posts/mo, and in Jan ‘21 1000 posts/mo - despite having a relatively low follower-count.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
In March 2020 he was averaging 250 posts/mo, in July 500 posts/mo, and in Jan ‘21 1000 posts/mo - despite having a relatively low follower-count.
🗣 Do not underestimate the level of consistency that’s required
Everyone’s heard “success doesn’t happen overnight.” But the level of effort Nick was expending is mind-blowing.
Everyone’s heard “success doesn’t happen overnight.” But the level of effort Nick was expending is mind-blowing.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
🗣 Do not underestimate the level of consistency that’s required
Everyone’s heard “success doesn’t happen overnight.” But the level of effort Nick was expending is mind-blowing.
Everyone’s heard “success doesn’t happen overnight.” But the level of effort Nick was expending is mind-blowing.
When everyone is talking about tech, it takes courage to take the other side. Nick's distinctive angle allowed him to stand out in a crowded space and harness the ambitions of an under-served audience.
January 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
When everyone is talking about tech, it takes courage to take the other side. Nick's distinctive angle allowed him to stand out in a crowded space and harness the ambitions of an under-served audience.