In preparation for a new year, most companies hope to get a Fast Start and generate momentum by capitalizing on growth opportunities presented by the existing customer base. To kick off strong, the first two quarters worth of renewal and expansion opportunities are pulled forward. The commercial team engages in these conversations in hopes of driving growth. At first glance this seems strategic, but these early moves often backfire for companies that fail to achieve a fast start.
When commercial teams sync too closely to the established customer lifecycle, they unintentionally stall. Early renewal conversations become casual check-ins, and that’s where the action ends. Customers feel little-to-no urgency, leading to a slow drip of intent signals rather than revenue driving decisions. The result is a sluggish start when growth in the first quarter is critical.
Data-Driven Targeting
Fast starters take a different approach. They abandon generic customer lifecycle touchpoints and invest in precision. By leveraging data-driven customer insights and triggers, fast starters identify accounts that are ready to take action.
Fast starters understand that the first quarter is not about reaching more customers. It comes down to reaching the right customers at the right time to turn the existing customer base into real growth drivers.
GTM Coordination
As the new year brings many changes to roles, products, and pricing, it’s not uncommon for commercial teams to feel completely uncoordinated and disorganized. Fast starters ensure their teams are fully equipped and aligned on their roles before taking action. Updated playbooks, role expectations, and clear boundaries are created. Communicating and reinforcing these changes ensures that any initial feelings of misalignment and confusion are gone by the time customers are added to the equation.
Slow starts are the result of reactive strategies. Getting off to a slow start delays momentum and creates a ripple effect that is hard to recover from. When early conversations lack urgency or outcomes, they drain resources and lead to frustration. The longer it takes to turn Q1 momentum into tangible results, the higher the risk of long-term delays.
Fast starters, on the other hand, take control with timely, proactive strategies that drive real growth. By targeting the right opportunities and properly equipping teams to execute flawlessly, they transform early conversations into revenue.
Dive deeper into the research report, How a Fast Start to the Year Defines Your Growth Outcomes.