2 years ago, I took this photo of “Zero to One” and many other business books I’ve had in my library.
It’s not about the books itself, but a stark reminder of a challenging time.
Jobless for three months after returning to Lithuania from Austria, with a pregnant wife, I was facing the prospect of selling my possessions to make ends meet.
My situation was dire. I’d spent hours each day passively “learning,” sending out generic CVs with little personalization, and lacked a clear career direction. Essentially, I was all talk and no action, offering little value to potential employers.
❌ The mistakes I did when trying to grow as a sales and marketing professional:
- Passively learning for 4 hours per day: Consuming information without practical application is a recipe for stagnation.
- Sending empty CVs with a link to my CV website: Impersonal and ineffective, demonstrating a lack of effort and genuine interest.
- No clear career direction: Without a defined focus, my efforts were scattered and unproductive.
- Not focusing on the key thing: I wasn’t prioritizing the activities that would actually yield results.
- Posting business content on LinkedIn with minimal experience: Sharing advice without a solid foundation of practical experience lacked credibility.
This has a lot of similaries with todays sales and marketing teams. More on that later.
👉 Then a breakthrough happened: Execution above knowledge.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and my desperate situation forced me to prioritize action.
- Execute first, learn later: Instead of getting bogged down in theory, I started putting ideas into practice and learning from the outcomes.
- Execute more, then plan and adjust: Emphasis on doing, followed by strategic adjustments based on real-world feedback.
- Do more of the main thing: Identify the most impactful activities and dedicate more time and energy to them.
- Send more CVs: Increase outreach efforts and personalize each application to stand out from the competition.
- Send more outreach messages: Proactive networking and direct communication to connect with potential opportunities.
- The market needs doers, not talkers and planners: Practical execution and tangible results are valued more than theoretical knowledge.
- Excellence is achieved through execution: Mastery comes from consistent practice and refinement through experience.
This shift in mindset landed me a job, and shortly after, led to the founding of our sales and marketing agency. The lessons learned during those challenging months became the cornerstone of our operating philosophy.
👉 This philosophy shapes our B2B sales agency today:
1.We start executing right away:
We believe in rapid implementation and agile methodologies. We avoid lengthy planning phases and prioritize getting started quickly. We utilize tools and technologies that facilitate rapid prototyping and deployment. This lean sales approach is key to small businesses with limited budgets. Check out our process.
2.Sales outreach above all:
We recognize that sales outreach is the lifeblood of B2B revenue generation. We focus on targeted outreach strategies, including email marketing, LinkedIn outreach, and cold calling, to connect with potential clients.
3. We do more of it:
We go above and beyond in our outreach efforts, exceeding industry standards for volume and persistence. We leverage automation tools to streamline processes and maximize efficiency. High-volume is the only way to nearly guarantee success
4. More leads, more testing:
We employ a data-driven approach, constantly generating leads and conducting A/B testing to optimize our outreach campaigns. We fully automate our lead research. We track key metrics such as reply rates, and conversion rates to measure performance and identify areas for improvement.
5. Iteration is key:
We embrace a continuous improvement mindset, constantly iterating and refining our sales strategies based on data analysis and market feedback. We believe in adapting to changing market conditions and staying ahead of the curve.
6. Pushing the envelope:
“If you don’t offend some one every day then you’re not selling enough”. We’re not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom and push the boundaries of traditional sales tactics. We believe in taking calculated risks and experimenting with innovative approaches.
7. No such thing as burning your TAM:
We believe that many B2B businesses significantly underinvest in advertising and outreach. We help our clients maximize their reach and tap into their full market potential through strategic advertising campaigns and targeted outreach efforts. We leverage a variety of channels, including social media, search engine marketing, and display advertising, to reach the right audience.
Our key B2B phislosphy summary:
We’re a B2B sales and marketing agency built on a foundation of relentless execution. We prioritize action over theory, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.
How can your business benefit:
Are you struggling to generate leads, convert prospects, or scale your sales efforts? We can help. Contact us now to discuss your specific challenges and discover how our execution-focused approach can transform your B2B sales performance.
Vytas Mikulenas Tweet