Dec 7, 2023
8 lessons from top revenue leaders to boost productivity in 2024
Sam Taylor
How do the best sales teams perform at their peak? We asked some of the top revenue leaders for their advice. Here’s what they said.
One of Merriam-Webster’s words of the year is ‘authentic.’ It’s funny, given AI’s spike in popularity, but this is exactly why it should resonate more than ever—especially with revenue teams. We're in a world where personal touch will make or break a deal.
But how do we keep things genuine without drowning ourselves in extra work? Is there a practical way to bring that real, human touch into what we do—at scale?
We invited the pros (seriously… together they’ve managed 2,000+ people and booked $1B+ in revenue) to Endgame’s Last Mile Summit, where they shared their best ‘aha!’ moments.
Thanks to Lara Caimi (President of Worldwide Field Operations, Samsara), Yvonne Wassenaar (Board Director & former CEO at Puppet), Jessica Arnold (VP Sales Development, Amplitude), Renu Gupta (SVP Revenue, Pachama), Kelly Bray (VP Customer Success, MongoDB), Lauren Schwartz (VP Enterprise Sales, Fivetran), James Lee (GTM Operations and Strategy, Writer), and even Joe Montana (yes, the legendary 49ers quarterback, but also Managing Director of Liquid2 Ventures) for these top 8 takeaways to help revenue leaders boost productivity in 2024.
1. You can’t build trust—you have to earn it
Earning trust begins with authentic engagement. That means that sales and revenue leaders have an important mission: to foster genuine interactions internally and externally.
Before revenue leaders can convince customers to trust them, they must first build a culture of trust within their teams—an environment where everyone feels valued and their contributions are acknowledged.
“It’s in the little things where you begin to see where trust comes in. And you never know when it's gonna happen, but it's something that you have to build and earn from your people.”
Only then, can you focus on your customers. Go beyond scripted sales pitches. You need real conversations to fully grasp customer needs, empathize with their challenges, and offer solutions that address the root of their problems.
We need our customers to trust us—people buy from those they trust. Internal trust in your team is the foothold of building a long, happy relationship with your customers. And in 2024, the ability to earn and maintain trust can be your most significant differentiator.
2. Experiment your way through the chaos
Set a target... forecast against it... hit the target. Simple, right? Not in 2023!
That may have worked once upon a time, but today exceptional revenue teams aren't just setting goals; they're painting a clear picture of their business's future— what does product evolution look like? Geographic expansion? Revenue growth? At the same time, they’re being scrappy enough to iterate when it matters most.
It’s a tricky balance to simultaneously commit to the strategic ‘what’ we want our company to look like 3-5 years in the future, while remaining flexible on ‘how’ we get there. But consider the impact:
Yes, keep your eyes on the horizon (and keep it responsibly consistent), but don’t lose sight of how real-time execution is helping (or hurting) your ability to get there.
3. Want to drive more impact? Connect your business values to your personal and customer values
I often talk to peers about how to empower GTM teams to share an authentic story (and not just land another pitch).
It always comes back to painting a true picture of the mission and values—and including the entire company.
The benefit is twofold:
- Your team is more invested. Seeing your own values and goals reflected in your work is exciting. And when your team is excited, they’re naturally more committed. Now, they’re not looking at this as ‘just another job;’ it’s something they believe in and want to be part of.
- You build stronger customer relationships. When you know your own values and how it ties into your company’s, you can more easily connect with customers on a deeper level. This gets to the meat of what’s important to them, both professionally and personally.
When employees can align their own purpose to the company’s, it becomes a chain reaction to help customers achieve theirs, which in turn helps their customers.
That’s storytelling in a real, human way.
4. Building a repeatable sales motion starts with clear cross-functional definitions
It's easy to fall into the mindset that every deal is a one-of-a-kind challenge–especially when moving up market. But real growth comes from finding common ground in your sales processes and building a standardized approach around them. This doesn't mean losing the personal touch; it's about creating a reliable framework that allows room for tailored solutions.
The heart of building this scalable system is that everyone in your organization—from sales and marketing to product development and customer service—is on the same page about what makes your product or service valuable. This is how you get to deliver consistently and effectively, no matter the customer or situation.
"The reality is: the only way to scale a business and enterprise is to build a repeatable motion. That requires the same language cross-functionally, not just on the sales team."
One potentially overlooked responsibility for revenue leaders is to break down barriers between departments and nurture a sense of unity and shared purpose. That way, you create a seamless experience for the customer. And when customers feel like they’re dealing with a well-oiled machine—one that genuinely understands them—they tend to stick around.
5. Meet the customer where they are
Customers are overwhelmed with generic communications—endless emails, automated 'hellos,' and invites to events they'll never attend. It’s a copy-paste palooza, and frankly, customers are tuning out.
Instead, think about your sales strategy from the perspective of a modern customer. What do they want? And how do you create more ways for them to fall in love with your product?
Instead of mass emails, consider interactive channels like customer portals, webinars, and online communities. Each of these platforms caters to different customer preferences, helping you quickly (but thoughtfully) create more meaningful and engaging experiences.
6. RevOps’ job is to point out contradictions
RevOps leaders are like the safeguards of a strategic plan. They operate at the intersection of systems management and company objectives, providing a unique vantage point. They’re the ones who connect the dots, the people who can spot when things don't add up.
In a meeting, a RevOps leader is the one who notices, "Hey, what we're discussing here doesn't align with what we heard from another department. We need to address this."
They ensure strategy coherence and consistency, and help revenue teams avoid any missteps along the way. It’s this role—spotting contradictions—that plays a pivotal part in identifying critical business indicators.
"By building those leading indicators, you're able to have proactive conversations, like ‘Hey, we don't have enough capacity. What can we do about it?"
And with the right modern tech stack in place, RevOps teams are driving efficiency and impact like never before – it’s no surprise that RevOps is one of the fastest-growing professions in America today!
7. Always lead with value
Customers don’t just want a product; they want a solution that slots comfortably into their day-to-day operations. You have a limited window to capture their attention, so you need to demonstrate the value of your product right from the outset. They want to see:
- How fast it is to get your product up and running (because nobody has the time for long, drawn-out implementations anymore). Show them how quick and easy your product is to launch and exactly how it integrates with their tech stack.
- How your product is going to help them grow, adapt, and thrive—not just today, but as they scale. They know how your product meets their current needs. You need to illustrate how your product is a partner for their future growth. Explain how it can evolve alongside their business, helping them overcome both current and upcoming challenges.
- How your pricing works. It's about striking the right balance—offering pricing structures and packages that are not only competitive but also resonate with your customer's budget and business model. A transparent pricing model removes any ambiguity, making it easier for customers to understand ROI.
Show the value of your product upfront, and make it easy for customers to see how it fits into their immediate and future plans.
8. First team = executive team
Senior revenue leaders– your team isn't the sales team. Yes, you read that right.
Yes, you’re their leader. Yes, you’re ultimately accountable for whether they hit or miss the number. Yes, your compensation is impacted by their performance. And yes, you care about them and have a shared responsibility for their success. But they’re not your first team. Your team is the executive team, first and foremost.
Leading an entire company to hit revenue goals requires each senior leader to focus on orchestration across disciplines. It requires alignment, shared vision, accountability, and dedicated time.
When things are gelling with your first team, your sales team will thank you.
At Endgame, we empower sales teams to do their best work. That’s why we host the Endgame Summit each year—to have seasoned sales and revenue leaders share exactly what's worked, and what hasn't. Sign up for our newsletter for more market insights.