Aaron Maini

Here's the stark facts in sales today. - 31% of reps are making quota - Nearly half (44%) of deals slip - Sales cycles are double digits longer, win rates are double digits down - Inbound leads are down - Salesforce recognised the need to increase pipeline coverage to by 50% (from x2 to x3) Most of those we speak to recognise all these challenges. But they are stuck. "Do more with less" is the message. They have cut teams and fought for those remaining. Their organisations are stuck with blind hope and knives sharpening. The only solution they know is to fire and replace. Because the real problems aren't acknowledged. The market has changed and it's harder. But are teams are not more skilled. The same teams, that could achieve in the old world are failing in this one. And the last message anyone wants, is we need to spend some money to solve that. "That's your job isn't it?" cries the leadership to time-starved managers and leaders. Anyone want to guess what's going to happen to sales manager average tenure (already at an all-time low of 18 months)????

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Tech SDRs - you have a bloody tough gig in comparison to commercial hires in other industries... Here's why... 🏦 Investment Banks - no entry-level hire is expected to create new relationships. 🏗️ Real Estate - Directors/Partners win the lion's share of new projects with no new business expectation placed on anyone with less than 2 years experience. 💸 Asset Managers - your portfolio is handed to you post-probation and you're allowed the time/opportunity to build your reputation and win business. 👨‍⚖️ Law - Partners win most of the business and hand clients to the wider team. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Recruitment - Junior hires ramp by speaking with candidates until they prove themselves competent to manage their first client which would have been won by a senior colleague. But then... 🤖 TECH - SDRS ARE EXPECTED TO BOOK MEETINGS FROM MONTH 2! You learn to do the hard bit first in tech. Next time you look at your pals in other fields - remind yourself of the above. #SDR #BDR #TechSales #Sales #Recruitment

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VPs Sales, STOP managing your SDRs | Here's why... 👀 Here's the sh*t you should be doing: 💵 Focus on supporting your AE team/s close deals 🧬 Prioritise strategic collaboration with other functions 📊 Review data to set strategic direction 👔 Spend time hiring A-Grade Leaders & AEs 🤝 Give attention to customers to optimise renewals & upsells ⚙️ Implementing & driving adoption of core sales processes Here's the sh*t you either should NOT be doing or worse... MISSING: 🗣️ Coaching the most inexperienced/junior reps in the org 🔁 Hiring & promoting in an ever-changing team dynamic 👥 Providing daily support for people still finding their way as an adult 🧑‍🏫 Teaching the BASICS of how cold-call, email, qualify, etc. 🔬 Study current prospecting trends & ideas 💪 Keeping impatient and hungry young professionals motivated Be honest with yourself... 🧠 Think about where you're burning your calories 🧠 Think about whether you have the time to manage this stakeholder group 🧠 Think about whether your prospecting knowledge is as sharp as it should be 🧠 Think about whether your SDR team is delivering the results you want 🧠 Think about where you are going to have the biggest business impact ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ 👋 Hi I'm Andy, Founder of RevRocket. I specialise in building, optimising and growing your SDR function so you don't have to. Considering getting support for your PipeGen Team? Shoot me a DM ✉️

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We have just posted a blog about 'SDR fund labels – what are we hearing?' It is too long to reproduce in full here, so I am sharing the first few paragraphs. (The full text is freely available via https://lnkd.in/erxVuefP ) === The adoption of #sustainable fund labels is big news at the moment, particularly as we approach the 2 December ‘Naming and Marketing’ deadline, which require additional caution when fund managers make sustainability related comments and claims. (See full #SDR rules) Much is changing, but a key driver of current activity is that unlabelled funds will no longer be able to use the words ‘sustainable, sustainability or impact’ (or similar) in their names – although the FCA announced temporary ‘flexibility‘ in September (essentially a four month extension) for relevant funds that had submitted an application to them amending disclosures in line with ESG 5.3.2R by 1 October 2024. Evidence that we have gathered from fund mangers suggests however that we are now in a period of immense activity and change. We have sought to capture this via a range of ‘SDR labelling’ filter options on our (open and free to access) Fund EcoMarket database. Some of the current key numbers (to date) are as follows: - 103 fund managers have told us they are working towards adopting labels for named funds (we view this as a likely underestimate). - 176 funds have told us they are ‘not eligible’. (It is important for financial advisers and others to understand that many funds are not yet able to use the new labels, for example because they are offshore). - The managers of 13 funds have told us they are ‘intentionally unlabelled’ – in other words, their funds are probably ‘in scope’ – and may well be appropriate for those seeking funds that take sustainability seriously – but the manager has decided not to pursuing a label at present. (This may relate to approval process concerns.) - Fund EcoMarket shows 2 labelled funds (we expect this to increase soon). (The funds are searchable on our database here https://lnkd.in/eEn9q5pA) What else are we hearing? We understand that around 11 funds have achieved labels. 2 of these are labelled as such on our database. Some funds have asked us to hold back their labelling status until they ‘go live’ (eg aligned literature / ready to press ‘go’.) Many strong funds are in the labelling process (which starts, in many cases, with the need to amend the fund prospectus) but are struggling to gain labels because of what we view as (sometimes rather extreme) teething issues. ‘Broad based’ (comprehensive, complex) sustainable funds appear to be the most affected. The FCA has listened to feedback and sought to ease these with a recent notice giving disclosure examples, however we believe there is more to be done in this regard if we are to maximize the potential benefits of SDR.

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🚨 Are you a UK Business that has exposure to EUR? 🚨 With GBP/EUR currently operating at a 22 month high, why not get in touch to see how Revolut customers are protecting their margins with FX Forwards. 💱 Hedge your bets by locking into the current rate (up to 12 months) to avoid your future margins being compromised. Your rates won't change, even if the markets do! https://lnkd.in/eXS3_4iZ Please email on [email protected] or DM me for further info. #FXForwards #RevolutBusiness

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New data shows UK VC funds raised significantly less in Q1 2024 compared to last year, causing a decrease in “dry powder”. VC funds raised £700m across 10 vehicles from January to March, on track for £2.8bn this year, down from £7.4bn in 2023. Smaller firms are taking more LP capital, and dry powder decreased as deal activity stayed robust but fundraising struggled. Despite this, Dealroom reports $25bn raised over three years, indicating some dry powder remains. VC investments totaled £2.3bn in Q1, a decrease amid a challenging macroeconomic environment. UK private equity funds raised half of 2023's total in Q1, with notable closes from Permira and Apax. London led with £87.7bn in VC investment from 2014-2024, followed by Cambridge (£6.8bn) and Oxford (£4.4bn). #UKTech #StartupFunding #Innovation #TechNews #HealthTech #Fintech #ClimateTech #Cybersecurity #EdTech #EnergyTech #Startup #Fundraising #uk

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Why are PAYSTRAX expanding into the UK Market? As a successful European Acquirer, we are broadening our geographical reach and over the next couple of years expect the UK to be our largest growth region. With fair and transparent pricing, simple on boarding, generous partner commissions and a much more flexible approach to medium and high risk merchants, we are well placed to grow. Check out the recent Department for Business and Trade UK case study regarding our strategic move to the UK here: https://lnkd.in/ehPCsiyb Reach out to me today, if you would like an alternative acquirer that will give you more scope and more potential. #payments #partnerships #acquiring #growth #paystrax

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One repeated cold call sales mistake: mentioning my name too often so that it become obvious I am being sold to. Nobody wants to be sold to. Another - following the sales script robotically. And in general - does cold calling actually stil work?

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Most SDRs want to be AE's as quickly as possible. Nothing wrong with being ambitious. The problem is there are very few roles about and for those roles that do exist there's often good AEs with experience looking too. Rather than seeing this as a hard luck story see it as an opportunity. According to The Bridge Group for SDRs with less than 11 months of experience, the failure rate is a massive 55%! Instead of trying to get promoted ASAP. Focus on becoming a master of your craft. I personally was an SDR for over 2 years and made me a way better AE when I finally made the leap. I watched many who were promoted way before me struggle. In sales, sometimes you have to slow down to speed up.

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SDRs can be taught to be AEs SDRs can be taught to be CSMs [shoutout to Eric Partaker for the post inspo] Also... SDRs can be taught to be Managers SDRs can be taught to be Marketeers SDRs can be taught to do almost any role Fact: It's better to hire someone who is 60% ready with the right behaviours. Than 100% ready with the wrong ones. SDRs deserve a chance. Do you agree? PS. Share ♻️ with others in your network. And follow Chris Ritson for more sales content like this.

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As 2024 concludes, several key developments have shaped the FinTech payments industry this year... Understanding the key trends and shifts is crucial for startups looking to make their mark in the payments space, especially with some companies that have been very exciting to watch this year, particularly - NomuPay, SumUp, iwoca, Apron, Crezco, PingPong Payments. I'm noticing 👀 - Higher demand for personalised payment - Increased investment in mobile wallets - Tap-to-pay features - The rise of net banking So what's beyond 2024? I'm predicting 👀 - Further simplification of cross-border payments - Surge in digital currencies and cryptocurrencies - Sustainable and green finance - Increase in embedded finance How to stand out? Be authentic. Be agile. Be responsive to the changing dynamics. #FinTech #Payments #DigitalPayments #PaymentSolutions #RealTimePayments #CrossBorderPayments #PaymentProcessing

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📣 The UK sweeps a third of European tech funding in 2024 as London and Cambridge boom: https://lnkd.in/d-n3xbWx ▶ VC investment in the UK tech sector came in at £7.4bn for the first half of 2024, up 16 per cent 📈 from the same period last year and representing 32 per cent of the European total 💰, according to figures from Dealroom. - Global investment in FinTech was $15.9 billion across 1,566 deals in H1 2024. - The US maintains its leading position with $7.3 billion (45.6% of the global share). - The UK secures $2 billion in investment, representing 12.7% of the global share, surpassing the combined total of all other European countries. - Early-stage deals dominated the landscape accounting for 81% of all deals globally, with an overall average deal size of $10.2 million. - FinTech has created over 75,000 jobs in the UK and continues to drive financial inclusion and growth, demonstrating that FinTech is truly a force for good. #uk #tech #funding #vc #growth

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The UK's banking landscape is on the brink of a significant transformation with the scaling of Confirmation of Payee, aiming to reduce payment fraud drastically. If your organisation is set to navigate this journey, Bottomline's Erez Nounou provides essential insights on key changes, timelines, and what it means for Group 2 onboarding.

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If you’re a Sales / GTM candidate and the only numbers on your CV are your phone number and employment dates, I’d highly recommend making a few changes! Your CV should include the following if you want to standout: 🎯 Performance against target  🎯Your actual target (900% of a 5k ramp target isn’t as impressive as it sounds)  🎯Average deal sizes 🎯Sales cycles  🎯Your position in the sales team – top 10%? Scream about it It's just the best when you see a CV with all this info on there! 😍 Hiring mangers or my lovely competitors, what am I missing from this list? 😎

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A significant milestone achieved by Revolut with a UK Banking license soon to follow for sure. The decision to grant a banking licence (expected to be weeks away) is one many in the industry will be watching closely and for sure, there will be quite a few sceptics out there but one thing is for certain … Revolut is not standing still. #Banking #Revolut #Digital #FinancialServices #FinTech #DigitalBank #License #Money #CNBC [Read more here: https://lnkd.in/emFHtb7Y]

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Venture capital firm Voyager Ventures, run by two former Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Sarah Sclarsic and Sierra Peterson, say they are backing London despite challenges presented by the budget. One of the fund's first investments in the UK was in Packfleet, the all-electric courier company started by former Monzo Bank exec Tristan Thomas. https://lnkd.in/eFit_bMf #entrepreneurs

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This is a big one today…I’m absolutely delighted to announce that we’ve just raised £850k! 🎊 Massive thanks to Tom Bradley and Ted Mallett at Salica Investments for leading the round, and to Maria Barsuk from Tanzanite Capital and many amazing angels who also participated and believe in our mission. 🔙 The background I met my co-founder Mitchell Nick just over a year ago now, and we immediately clicked despite being almost 8,000 miles apart! (I’m in the UK, he’s in Bali). Given our backgrounds, we both wanted to use AI to support go-to-market teams in overcoming their most urgent problems, which really boiled down to: how do you stand out and engage prospects in this new world? 💯 The result? A platform to power AI-driven ABM for every marketing team. RevvedUp makes it 10x faster and cheaper to increase qualified pipeline with AI-driven ABM that scales to reach every prospect in your total addressable market. 📈 Early traction We quickly launched an early beta product back in Sept, and iterated like crazy to release our first commercial product in March. Since then we’ve built up an amazing customer base, with the kind of positive feedback that just fuels you to go further and faster. 🥇 3 key benefits have come back from those early adopters: > We can stop chasing only the 3% of buyers in-market and connect with our whole Total Addressable Market (TAM) > Overcoming the decline in outbound conversion rates and growing our brand at the same time > Saving 8-10 hours per FTE a week on manual research and copywriting 💰 Why raise now? With clear pull from the market, a very clear and hugely ambitious roadmap and nowhere near enough hours in the day to achieve everything we’re trying to for our clients, we decided external funding was the route for us. After bootstrapping for 12 months we feel it's time to pour some fuel on the fire and take everything to the next level. The pipeline crisis is real and urgent for everyone we speak to, so slow and steady just isn’t the right choice for these kinds of problems! 🌅 What’s next? We’ve really investing in 3 areas: the product, the team and content. This means you’ll see more impactful features shipped faster; world-class customer experiences; and a focus on creating valuable content and insights for marketing leaders who need to unlock new ways of generating qualified pipeline. 🙏 It takes a community... Thank you so much to the countless folks who've helped and supported us along the way (too many to mention by name)! And with your ongoing support + the injection of capital to help accelerate things further and faster...LFG! 🚀

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🗞 Great news for start-ups 🗞 Carta now allows UK startups to generate Advance Assurance, close S/EIS rounds, and sync with Companies House 🎉 Get in touch if you would like to hear more 💡 #UKStartup #EIS #SEIS #AdvanceAssurance #Fundraise #Carta #VC

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