Why founders struggle to fill their pipeline (and how to fix it)
Get clear on your ICP, build a better list, and run outbound that converts.
Early on, you’re the brand, the salesperson, and the strategist.
If you’re not clear on who you serve and how to reach them, nothing moves.
This week is about building that clarity and using it to drive real, repeatable growth.
Today’s agenda:
🤝 How to turn conferences into booked meetings
📌 Nail your ICP before you ever hit send
🔍 Why we rely on Sales Navigator to build lead lists
💼 Briefly: GPT-5’s people problem, Google’s no-click future, and how to fix B2B messaging
💬 Quote of the week
🗓️ Conferences work—but only if you plan ahead
Conferences work really well for connecting with customers, but not in the way most people think.
The person chatting you up at the bar? Not your ICP.
Your actual prospects—the ones with a budget and a need—have already got their schedules locked down. They’re meeting with the vendors they came to see.
If you’re not one of them, you’re not in the mix.
👷 That’s why we build a campaign before the conference. Find the ICPs, reach out early, and get on their calendar before you ever leave for the airport.
🧢 Here’s the play:
Look for conferences your ICP is likely to attend.
Reach out ahead of time with a simple message: “Hey, saw InsurTech is coming up—are you heading there?”
If they say yes, book a time. Could be at the show, could be off-site. Honestly, you don’t even have to attend the conference.
The conference is just a hook. You’re using it to start real conversations.
🔒 This is how we help clients lock in meetings before the booth is even set up. It’s simple, but it works.
🎧 Listen to the full podcast: How to Build a Personal Brand on LinkedIn That Drives B2B Sales [Episode 199]
🎯 Know exactly who you’re trying to meet
Before you run any kind of outreach—especially something like a pre-conference campaign—you’ve got to be clear on one thing: who you’re actually trying to reach.
Most early-stage teams skip this part or overcomplicate it.
This approach is how we help clients dial in their ICP without fancy tools, endless surveys, or guesswork. It’s lean, fast, and rooted in real-world signals.
How we zero in on ICP:
Start with what you already know. Your founding insight—why you built this in the first place—is usually your best clue to who it’s for.
Go where they spend time. Immerse yourself in the communities your early customers live in. Read what they post. Listen before you reach out.
Draft simple customer avatars. Not just job titles—real motivations, pain points, and buying triggers.
Use conversation to refine. Talk to early customers. Ask what made them buy. What surprised them. What almost stopped them.
Run lean tests. Launch something small and see who engages. That’s your best ICP validator.
🤖 I like to pressure-test with ChatGPT. “Pain, Fear, and Claims” exercises help expose gaps in your assumptions. Give it your avatar and ask, “What would this person be afraid of? What claims would they find credible?”
💬 Ready to dial in your ICP and start booking the right meetings? Let’s talk.
📣 How to find the right people—fast
Once you know who you're trying to reach, you need a way to find them.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is my go-to tool, because it’s built for focused, high-signal outreach, not volume.
Here’s how we use it:
1. Set smart filters
Define your ICP, then use filters—job title, company size, industry, funding stage—to build a saved search. It updates automatically.
2. Build a list you can work
Don’t add everyone. Handpick the people you actually want to talk to. Keep it under 50 so you can stay personal.
3. Add an account list
Target companies, too. Sales Navigator lets you filter by headcount, growth stage, and more. Great for breaking into dream logos.
4. Show up before you message
Follow, comment, and engage with your list before you DM anyone. It warms up the name so you’re not just another cold pitch in the inbox.
5. Keep the outreach light
Two-message approach: first to open the door, second to introduce yourself. Keep it conversational. No pitches.
📈 When you treat Sales Navigator like a CRM for intent signals, it becomes your most reliable tool for outbound.
Briefly
🤖 GPT-5 is technically smarter—but blind tests show users still prefer GPT-4o’s warmth. As AI evolves, performance alone may not be the metric that matters most anymore.
🔍 Over half of Google searches now end without a click—and AI Overviews are rewriting the rules of SEO. Being cited in AI responses matters more than ranking, forcing marketers to optimize for influence, not just traffic.
🗣️ Brand voice is now as recognizable as your logo—and jargon is killing clarity. As content gets repackaged by AI and skimmed in seconds, sounding human and simple is the key to your startup’s growth.
💬 The real reason your stellar B2B product isn’t converting? It’s not the tech—it’s the messaging. When buyers can’t explain your value in seconds, they move on. Clarity wins.
Quote of the week
“Great founders move fast, make decisions, and don’t wait for permission.”
– Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI