Discover key GTM insights from Journey's 2023 success with global Accounting SaaS vendors.
In 2023 we worked with more than 20 vendors. We helped them to execute their GTM strategy in the accounting industry here in Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and North America.
Over the last 12 months I saw a lot of things that worked really well. And I saw a lot of things that made me want to bang my head against the wall until the pain went away.
At Journey, we've had a big year of experimentation and strategy refinement.
Today I’m breaking down my key takeaways from 2023 on what worked well for the Accounting SaaS community, or at least for the vendors we were working with.
My goal here, whether you work with Journey or not, is to help you think through all the areas of your GTM strategy, what are you gaps, what is your opportunity and what are you digging into in Q1 of 2024 to get back on track.
Let’s break it down.
It's startling how many businesses overlook this.
Last year, we went the extra mile by asking our clients' customers about their product usage, the problems it solves, and their overall experience.
Our approach was comprehensive. We conducted detailed interviews and surveys, asking pointed questions about how they use our clients' products, the specific problems these products solve, and their overall experience.
This wasn't a superficial exercise; we delved into the nuances of their responses, seeking to understand not just the 'what' but the 'why' behind their usage.
The insights gained from this exercise were eye-opening. We learned that what we thought were the key features of a product weren't always aligned with the customer's perspective.
In some cases, features we considered minor were actually making a significant impact on the customers' day-to-day operations. This revelation was a game-changer in how we approached messaging and positioning for our clients.
You absolutely need to start the year by doing customer research. Write it down.
We offer this as a service and would be more then happy to show you through how we were able to capture over 400 pieces of product feedback in the past few months for our clients.
How often are you engaging with your prospects?
Relying on a single channel for marketing is a strategy that will likely fail. It's important to keep a mix of activities – both big and small – to maintain a healthy and consistent funnel.
Social media alone won't cut it, email marketing alone doesn't cut it, that FaceBook group that had 7 people tag your solution alone doesn't cut it.
The magic happens when these channels work together.
Imagine a potential customer seeing your brand on social media, then receiving a well-crafted email that addresses their specific needs, followed by an invitation to an exclusive webinar.
This approach creates multiple touchpoints, each reinforcing the other, and keeps your brand top-of-mind for prospects. The same happens when you start partnering with other brands that operate in the same channel.
Moreover, this strategy allows for flexibility and adaptability.
Different segments of your audience might prefer different channels, and a multi-channel approach lets you cater to these preferences.
It also enables you to test and learn which combinations of channels and content types work best for different audience segments.
This is a core offering at Journey. This is the majority of work we are rolling out and implementing for our clients at the moment.
The effectiveness of your sales team hinges on their structure and discipline.
We've seen the best results when roles are clearly defined – for instance, separating the responsibilities of SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) and BDMs (Business Development Managers).
Having someone do both the SDR work and BDM work, as in, all the call and all the demos will be ineffective, compared to 2 people splitting the work and focusing on just making calls and/or just doing demos.
This specialisation allows each team member to focus and excel in their area, significantly improving efficiency and deal closures.
Keep it simple and the results will flow. I do a lot of consulting on sales functions and getting this process right.
We’ve seen amazing results with some clients seeing a 206% lift in revenue in 2023 alone after we made changes to their sales and marketing flow.
Customer engagement methods are evolving rapidly.
We've embraced webinars, interactive demos, and other innovative interaction methods to keep our engagements memorable and accessible.
Webinars, for instance, offer a platform not just for education but for prospect interaction.
They allow you to delve into key themes and topics, showcase your expertise, and most importantly, engage in real-time with your audience.
Similarly, interactive website demos have transformed from standard presentations to dynamic, tailored experiences where prospects can see firsthand how your solutions can solve their specific problems straight on the website, before they’ve even spoken to anyone.
Integrating these interactions with your CRM can provide invaluable insights and streamline your sales processes.
We implemented a number of interactive demo’s last year and the results were crazy, in the first month alone, a brand new solution we helped launch had 400 interactions inside the first 30 days, before converting roughly 20% - without even speaking to the on the phone.
A critical yet often neglected aspect is the handover between marketing, sales, and customer success teams.
This transition should be smooth and well-coordinated, with each team understanding their role in the customer journey. Automating these handovers in your CRM can prevent manual errors and ensure a seamless experience.
By automating the process, you eliminate the risk of human error – no more missed emails or forgotten follow-ups.
This automation ensures that every piece of critical information is captured and made available to the right team at the right time.
Furthermore, it allows for a smoother transition of the customer through different phases of their journey, from initial engagement with marketing to sales negotiation, and finally to ongoing support from the customer success team.
Last year, I encountered too many SaaS vendors struggling with disconnected systems. A cohesive CRM system is non-negotiable.
It should be the central hub where your sales and marketing efforts converge and should be well-integrated with your website and other tools.
We’re officially Hubspot implementation partners. This is our weapon of choice but we play nice with all systems. We find Hubspot does an amazing job of bringing visibility and cohesion in your GTM team.
These insights are more than just observations; they are the foundation of a robust GTM strategy.
If your current GTM strategy doesn't align with these points, it's time for a change.
At Journey, we specialise in crafting and refining these strategies to help you scale your sales and marketing efforts.
If you're looking to enhance your approach in 2024, let's have a conversation.
This is what we do
Journey announces a strategic partnership with Adfin, an accounts receivable & payments platform designed to help businesses get paid: faster, cheaper, easier.
Journey, the leading go-to-market (GTM) agency for accounting technology, announces a strategic partnership with Adfin, an accounts receivable & payments platform designed to help businesses get paid: faster, cheaper, easier. This partnership will help to launch Adfin’s platform to the market, available for use both by accounting & bookkeeping firms, and their clients.
Getting paid isn’t easy. Late payments, high payment fees, and fragmented systems mean that managing & chasing payments is a time-consuming and expensive exercise for many professional service businesses. Adfin plans to tackle this challenge by providing a single platform containing automated invoice sending, chasing, and reconciling, along with a world-class payment experience consisting of direct debits, card, and open banking payments, providing a complete solution for businesses to manage payments efficiently.
All of this is supported with a simple, no-nonsense, transparent pricing model. No tiers, no monthly fees, just a flat rate that will only ever come down. Read about Adfin’s ‘Transparency Manifesto’ here.
“We’ve been working with Adfin on some early product feedback and all of the signals suggest there is a strong need for this, both with accounting & bookkeeping firms directly and their clients’ businesses,” said Jordan Vickery, Global Director and Head of EMEA at Journey. “It’s an exciting product combining fragmented payment methods together into a single platform with some intelligent workflows for chasing and failed payment options. We’re excited to partner with them on their journey”
Tom Pope, Co-Founder at Adfin, added, “Partnering with Journey is a significant step in expanding our reach and impact within the industry. Their extensive experience and deep understanding of the accounting-tech market will be invaluable.”
Key features of Adfin include:
You can learn more about Adfin and get started here.
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Journey has entered a multi-year partnership with ACCA UK. This collaboration will focus on two key initiatives aimed at enhancing professional growth.
New collaboration to deliver national roadshows and member benefits focused on the future of accounting tech.
Journey, the leading GTM agency for accounting-tech, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with leading global accountancy body ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. This multi-year partnership will see Journey become an events partner for ACCA UK, organising national roadshows and providing exclusive member benefits through access to innovative software solutions.
Journey, renowned for its expertise in go-to-market strategies for accounting technology, has entered a multi-year partnership with ACCA UK. This collaboration will focus on two key initiatives aimed at enhancing the professional growth and technological advancement of ACCA UK members.
The first initiative involves Journey taking on the role of an events partner for ACCA. This partnership will kick off with the 'Accounting Futures' roadshow in October, which will tour six locations across the UK. The roadshow will feature industry experts discussing critical themes such as People, Process, Technology, and Sustainability. Attendees will gain valuable insights and learn directly from peers about solving the challenges of today whilst preparing for the future of tomorrow.
"We are thrilled to partner with ACCA UK on these national roadshows," said Jordan Vickery, Global Director & Head of EMEA at Journey. "Our goal is to provide ACCA members with unique opportunities to engage with industry leaders, explore new technology, and equip themselves with the knowledge to navigate the evolving landscape of accounting."
In addition to the events, Journey will collaborate with ACCA UK to offer exclusive member benefits. By leveraging its portfolio of innovative software vendors, Journey aims to provide ACCA UK members with access to the latest technological advancements designed to support their firms and clients effectively.
"Partnering with Journey allows us to deliver significant value to our members," said Mark Jackson, Partnership Development Manager at ACCA UK. "The combination of expert-led events and cutting-edge technology solutions will empower our members to stay ahead in the dynamic field of accounting."
Last year's roadshow organised by Journey attracted over 500 ACCA members from various UK locations, demonstrating the strong interest and demand for such initiatives. This new partnership aims to build on that success and further support ACCA members in their professional journey.
About Journey
Journey is the leading GTM agency for accounting tech globally. SaaS leaders work with Journey to accelerate revenue growth, scale brand awareness and eliminate wasteful spend using 30+ years of proven playbooks, industry knowledge and global connections.
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Journey have been announced as the marketing partner to help launch Tax Torch in order to revolutionise real-time tax planning for accounting professionals.
London, UK, [10th July]: Journey, the leading go-to-market (GTM) agency for accounting-tech, is proud to announce its partnership with Tax Torch, a real-time and proactive personal tax planning product set to launch in September/October 2024. This partnership aims to provide accounting professionals with new tools to deliver personal tax planning at scale.
Tax Torch offers a suite of features designed to simplify and enhance the tax planning process, allowing accountants to deliver proactive advice and real-time updates to their clients. This innovative product is expected to set a new standard in the industry, helping firms & their clients to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving financial landscape.
"Journey is excited to support Tax Torch in their mission to transform tax planning," said Jordan Vickery, Global Director & Head of EMEA at Journey. "Our experience with over 20 vendors across the UK, Australia, and the United States positions us perfectly to help drive the success of this innovative product in the accounting channel."
Robert Davidson, Co-Founder of Tax Torch, added, "Partnering with Journey ensures that our product reaches the right audience and achieves its full potential. Their expertise in the accounting-tech market is invaluable as we prepare for our launch."
About Journey
Journey is the leading GTM agency for accounting tech globally. SaaS leaders work with Journey to accelerate revenue growth, scale brand awareness and eliminate wasteful spend using 30+ years of proven playbooks, industry knowledge and global connections.
About Tax Torch
Tax Torch is a new cloud-based personal tax planning product, combining an individual's personal income, business performance and goals. Tax Torch aims to create consistency and value while lowering the barriers of entry and making easy tax planning available to all.
