157 - 18 Months Until the End of SaaS? Jacco's Prophecy

Nearbound Podcast

In this episode, Jacco van der Kooij joins Jared and Isaac to discuss the importance of selling customers what they want and helping them succeed. He emphasizes the role of recurring revenue in driving impact and the need to focus on long-term profitability. They also explores the tension between AI and trust, with Jacco highlighting the need for time to build trust in AI-driven experiences. The delayed adoption of AI in go-to-market motions is discussed, along with the future of AI and the challenge of predicting its timeframe. Jacco predicts the rise of go-to-market quality management and the role of AI as the 'robot' of the go-to-market industry. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the replacement of SDRs by AI and the importance of passion and expertise in achieving success.

Takeaways

• Buyers are becoming increasingly wary of traditional inbound and outbound strategies, making it challenging to reach them effectively.
• Trust is the new data, and buyers are more likely to trust voices that have been to the places they want to go.
• Education plays a crucial role in building trust with customers, but it is important to consider the source and context of the information.
• Aligning go-to-market motion with the product can lead to faster growth and success. Industry expertise and passion are key factors in building trust and driving sales.
• Reviews and recommendations from trusted sources are more valuable than ratings alone.
• Sell customers what they want and help them succeed to drive recurring revenue and long-term profitability.
• Building trust in AI-driven experiences takes time and requires a focus on delivering value to customers.
• The adoption of AI in go-to-market motions has been delayed compared to other industries, but its impact will be significant.
• Predicting the timeframe of AI's development is challenging, but it is important to anticipate changes sooner rather than later.
• The future of go-to-market will involve the rise of go-to-market quality management and the use of AI as a key tool.
• AI has the potential to replace certain roles, such as SDRs, in the go-to-market process.
• Passion and expertise are crucial for success in any field, and individuals should focus on aligning their work with their passions.
• Embrace change and be prepared to adapt to the evolving landscape of go-to-market strategies.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

01:21 The Challenge of Reaching Buyers

06:26 Trust as the New Data

09:21 The Importance of Education and Context

13:39 The Role of Education in Building Trust

19:33 The Challenge of GTM Alignment in Different Industries

20:28 The Importance of Trustworthy Reviews and Recommendations

23:37 The Future of Sales: Experts and Passion

25:53 The Importance of Selling Customers What They Want

28:12 The Tension Between AI and Trust

29:06 The Delayed Adoption of AI in Go-to-Market Motions

30:35 The Future of AI and Predicting the Timeframe

34:57 The Rise of Go-to-Market Quality Management

38:02 AI as the Robot of the Go-to-Market Industry

41:41 The Replacement of SDRs by AI

42:57 Passion and Expertise as the Key to Success