How Chris Walker Approaches B2B GTM Strategy in 2024

Summary

In this insightful interview, Chris Walker, a notable LinkedIn figure and founder of Refin Labs, discusses his new venture, Petal. He delves into the pressing need for better data and analytics in marketing and sales alignment, emphasizing the shift from siloed departments to a holistic go-to-market approach. Walker highlights the importance of strategic decision-making, data interpretation, and performance adjustment in driving business growth. He also shares his vision for the future of GTM, predicting significant impacts from AI and the continued rise of dark social channels.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Chris Walker is currently focused on building a new business, shifting from his previous work at Refin Labs to address unmet needs in the market.
• 🔍 There is a recognized problem in the business world where C-level executives lack the right data to make informed decisions, leading to issues in sales quota attainment and high turnover rates among executives.
• 🌐 The market is moving towards a holistic approach to marketing and sales, rather than treating departments in silos, which is a significant shift from traditional models.
• 📈 Chris emphasizes the importance of analytics, operating models, and mental models for executives to interpret data and make strategic decisions.
• 💡 He has been instrumental in the transition from lead generation to demand generation, challenging the status quo and advocating for a fundamental shift in how companies approach growth.
• 🔑 At his new company, Petto, Chris is working on strategies for companies to make better use of data analytics in a holistic manner for decision-making and budget allocation.
• 🤝 Chris sees Refin Labs and Petto as highly complementary, with Petto acting as the strategic brain and Refin Labs providing executional support in digital marketing.
• 📊 There is a significant issue with how companies currently collect and analyze data, which leads to misaligned strategies and ineffective budget allocation.
• 🔑 Chris advocates for a customer-centric approach to strategy development, emphasizing the need for companies to understand and prioritize their customers' needs.
• 📈 He highlights the rapid evolution of the internet and how it has changed B2B buying behavior, necessitating a reevaluation of traditional sales and marketing strategies.
• 🔮 Looking forward, Chris hopes for more customer-centric strategies, improved data analytics, and the potential for AI to play a significant role in the future of GTM.

Q & A

What is Chris Walker currently focused on in his professional endeavors?

Chris Walker is currently focused on addressing the unmet needs and problems in the business market that are expensive to solve. He is particularly interested in how companies can transition from siloed departments to a holistic go-to-market unit, improving data analytics, and aligning marketing and sales strategies.

What is the issue with the current system of siloed departments according to Chris Walker?

The current system of siloed departments is broken as it leads to conflicting, overlapping, and duplicating data. This results in department-level analytics that suggest each department is performing well, but when viewed holistically, the business results are flat or declining.

What was Chris Walker's role in transitioning companies from lead gen to demand gen?

Chris Walker played a significant role in challenging the conventional best practices and advocating for the transition from lead generation to demand generation. He started discussing this concept in 2019, which was initially met with resistance but is now widely accepted as a necessary evolution for effective marketing departments.

What is the new company Chris Walker is working on called?

The new company Chris Walker is working on is called Petto.

How does Chris Walker view the relationship between Petto and Refin Labs?

Chris Walker views Petto and Refin Labs as highly complementary. Petto acts as the strategic brain, analyzing data and making big strategic decisions, while Refin Labs can execute on those decisions, particularly in digital demand strategy.

What is the core difference Chris Walker has observed in B2B marketing and sales over the past 10 years?

The core difference Chris Walker has observed is the rapid maturity and evolution of the internet, which has fundamentally changed how B2B buyers get information, consume content, and make buying decisions.

What does Chris Walker see as the main lever for growth in companies?

Chris Walker sees the main lever for growth in companies as acquiring more customers for less money, or getting way more customers for the same amount of money, focusing on improving the efficiency of the customer acquisition process.

What is Chris Walker's hope for the future of B2B marketing and sales?

Chris Walker hopes that B2B companies and go-to-market leaders will become more customer-centric, leveraging insights from their target customers to inform their go-to-market strategies.

How does Chris Walker think AI will impact go-to-market strategies in the next five to ten years?

Chris Walker believes AI will have a massive impact on go-to-market strategies, particularly in areas like running outbound strategies and data analytics. However, he notes that companies need to have appropriate data models in place for AI to be effective.

What is Chris Walker's perspective on the importance of dark social channels in B2B marketing?

Chris Walker sees a continued momentum in dark social channels, such as text messages, communities, LinkedIn DMs, and private events, as influential in B2B marketing. He believes not enough companies are leveraging these channels aggressively yet.

How can people connect with Chris Walker or follow his work?

People can connect with Chris Walker on LinkedIn, follow his podcast 'B2B Revenue Vitals' on various platforms, or check out his experimental content on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.