Client Background:

A B2B SaaS startup selling a mid-ticket subscription to operations teams. The product was strong, inbound interest existed, and the founder was investing in content + webinars + partner mentions. The problem wasn’t lead volume — it was what happened after the lead arrived.

The team was lean (founder + 1 sales rep), using a CRM inconsistently, and running on “best effort” follow-up.

Challenge:

Leads were leaking in predictable places:

• Forms, webinar signups, and inbound emails all landed in different places.

• There was no shared definition of what counted as MQL, SQL, or “hot.”

• Follow-up relied on memory. If the founder was busy, leads went cold.

• The CRM contained partial truths; the real pipeline lived in Slack threads and spreadsheets.

They couldn’t answer the most important question:

“When a lead comes in, what exactly happens next — every time?”

Solution:

We installed a Lead Follow-Up Operating System designed to make lead handling predictable, measurable, and fast.

The goal was not “more tools.”
The goal was one governed system that:

1. routes every lead correctly

2. enforces definitions (MQL/SQL)

3. triggers the right sequence automatically

4. escalates only qualified leads to a calendar

This wasn’t a “brand voice” project, but messaging clarity did matter for conversion and follow-up.

We ran a short discovery to standardise:

• core ICP and buying triggers

• the 3–5 strongest pain statements

• the proof points used in nurture emails

• the tone: calm, direct, operator-to-operator (no hype)

This ensured every follow-up message sounded like the same company — not a patchwork of founder improvisation.

Service Descriptions (what we installed)

1) Lifecycle Definitions (the language layer)

We defined and documented:

• Lead → MQL → SQL → Opportunity → Customer

• entry criteria for each stage

• exit criteria (what moves someone forward or disqualifies them)

This prevented internal confusion and made reporting meaningful.

2) Routing & Segmentation (the sorting layer)

We built segmentation rules based on:

• source (webinar / inbound / partnership / content)

• role & company fit

• intent signals (requested demo vs downloaded asset)

Every lead was tagged and routed into one of three lanes:

• Cold (not ready, nurture)

• Warm (interested, education + proof + soft CTA)

• Hot (qualified, booking CTA)

3) Follow-Up Sequences (the conversion layer)

We installed 3 core sequences:

• Cold Nurture (7–14 days)
  Education + proof + problem framing. Designed to raise intent safely.

• Warm Conversion (5–10 days)
  Objections, case examples, “why now,” and a clear next step.

• Hot Booking (1–3 days)
  Speed-to-contact, short messages, and booking prompts. Calendar access only when qualified.

Each sequence had:

• clear stop rules (when they book, reply, or disqualify)

• escalation rules (when a human steps in)

4) CRM Hygiene + Ownership (the governance layer)

We installed:

• a single pipeline view (no shadow spreadsheets)

• mandatory fields for stage movement

• “next action required” property so nothing stalls

• a weekly operating rhythm (15 minutes) for review

5) Speed Improvements (the automation layer)

We automated the boring but critical:

• instant confirmation + “what happens next” email

• internal alerts for hot leads

• reminders if no response within X hours

• meeting booked → pipeline updated automatically

Client Testimonials and Success Stories (how we collected proof):

Instead of vague praise, we asked the client to confirm:

• what felt different day-to-day

• where leads used to leak

• what improved immediately after install

We also captured a short “before/after” narrative for future Case Files.

Results:

Because this was an operating system install (not a long-run campaign), results were measured as operational reliability first, then conversion second.

Immediate operational outcomes:

• Lead handling became standardised end-to-end (every lead routed into a defined lane).

• Follow-up shifted from memory-based to system-based.

• Hot leads received faster responses due to automated alerts and booking logic.

• CRM became the single source of truth (replacing spreadsheet shadow-pipeline).

Short-term commercial outcomes (typical after install):

• fewer leads “ghosted” due to missed follow-up

• more consistent conversion from warm → booked

• clearer visibility into which channels produced qualified intent

Testimonial

“Before this, we had leads coming in — but we weren’t running a system. Now every lead is routed, followed up, and tracked properly. The biggest change is consistency: we don’t lose opportunities because we’re busy.”

Founder, B2B SaaS (UK).

This case study demonstrates…

…what happens when you stop treating growth as a set of marketing tasks and start treating it as an operating system.

Tools don’t create predictability. Operating models do.

Routing + definitions + follow-up + governance is what stops revenue leakage — and makes growth measurable.

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Start with an OS Diagnosis

If your pipeline depends on memory, you don’t have a system. We’ll map the real journey, identify the top revenue leaks, and recommend the smallest install that makes growth predictable.

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