weilun88313/B2B-Playbook

[Credential-related source omitted]

"B2B Playbook by Ivan Xu — https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook"

**[Read the library on Mintlify](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app)** · [中文简介](README.zh.md) · [Browse the playbooks](playbooks/)

| Work on this | Leave with | |---|---| | [Choose your first customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/start-here#find-your-first-customers) | One audience to explore and a question to ask them |

|---|---| | [Choose your first customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/start-here#find-your-first-customers) | One audience to explore and a question to ask them | | [Prepare an outreach test](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.

| [Choose your first customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/start-here#find-your-first-customers) | One audience to explore and a question to ask them |

| [Prepare an outreach test](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/start-here#prepare-and-review-an-outreach-test) | A relevant message and a simple way to learn from replies |

| [Plan event follow-up](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/start-here#plan-a-trade-show-follow-up-workflow) | A conversation record with an owner and an agreed next step |

- English is the main language. [README.zh.md](README.zh.md) is a separate Chinese introduction, updated alongside this page. - Read comfortably on [Mintlify](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app). GitHub holds the source and revision history

- Read comfortably on [Mintlify](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app). GitHub holds the source and revision history.

If a page helps, share it with someone working on the same problem, or **star the repository** to keep it handy. If something is confusing, [tell me which step lost you](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/issues/new?template=reader

**[在 Mintlify 阅读完整内容](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app)** · [English](README.md) · [浏览全部指南](playbooks/)

- 内容以英文为主。本页是独立的中文简介，与英文入口同步更新。 - 完整内容建议在 [Mintlify](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app) 阅读。GitHub 保存源文件和修改历史。

- 完整内容建议在 [Mintlify](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app) 阅读。GitHub 保存源文件和修改历史。

如果某一步不清楚，或例子与你的工作相差太远，欢迎[告诉我在哪里卡住](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/issues/new?template=reader-feedback.yml)。请不要附上客户个人信息或保密数据。

| Source | Focus | Grade | Access | Why it is here | Limitation | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Kellblog / Dave Kellogg](https://www.kellblog.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | SaaS metrics, sales productivity, forecast, board / CRO framing | A | **Fr

|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Kellblog / Dave Kellogg](https://www.kellblog.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | SaaS metrics, sales productivity, forecast, board / CRO framing | A | **Freemium.** ~750-post archive is public. New posts: pay for immediat

| [Kellblog / Dave Kellogg](https://www.kellblog.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | SaaS metrics, sales productivity, forecast, board / CRO framing | A | **Freemium.** ~750-post archive is public. New posts: pay for immediate access, or wait ~30 days

| [MKT1 / Emily Kramer](https://www.mkt1.co/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Early B2B marketing, team design, growth systems, AI workflows for marketers | A | **Freemium.** Newsletter has a free layer. Paid: **$99/year** (annual called out on the 

| [Growth Unhinged / Kyle Poyar](https://www.growthunhinged.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | PLG, pricing, modern GTM, AEO / GEO | A | **Freemium.** Weekly free issues. Premium **$15/month** or **$150/year** (full archive, reports, perks). 

| [Marketing Ideas / Tom Orbach](https://www.marketingideas.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | One unconventional growth or campaign tactic per issue | B | **Freemium.** Free subscribers get about one idea a month. Premium **$199/year** (annual l

| [GTMnow](https://gtmnow.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Sales and GTM guides, podcasts, webinars, benchmarks | A | **Free** core media. Events or network extras may be ticketed; no public newsletter paywall listed. | Systematic free media for pe

| [Exit Five / Dave Gerhardt](https://www.exitfive.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | B2B marketing community, podcast, events, hiring | A | **Freemium.** Newsletter is free. Community: **$49/month** or **$444/year** ($37/month billed ann

| [Refine Labs](https://www.refinelabs.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Demand gen, dark social, attribution, founder-led content | A | **Freemium.** Public essays and podcast exist. The Vault: individual **$149/month** or **$1,599/year**; 

| [Heinz Marketing / Matt Heinz](https://www.heinzmarketing.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Demand gen, sales and marketing alignment, operating templates | A | **Free** blog and public articles. Consulting and training: custom quote. | Peer-endor

| [RevOps Impact / Jeff Ignacio](https://revengine.substack.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | RevOps, forecast, Salesforce, renewals, incentive design | B | **Freemium.** Partial posts free. Paid membership unlocks templates and frameworks (list pri

| [30 Minutes to President's Club](https://www.30mpc.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Prospecting, discovery, deal execution, sales coaching | A | **Freemium.** Podcast, weekly newsletter, and toolkit are free. Courses are one-time (not a Club Pass

| [Clouded Judgement](https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Public SaaS valuation and financial benchmarks | B | **Free** weekly Substack (no public premium tier listed). | Useful weekly tape for multiples and cloud sof

| [Pavilion Topline / The Operator](https://www.joinpavilion.com/pricing?ref=b2b-playbook) | GTM trends, operator threads, manager viewpoint | A | **Paid** membership for the room the digest sits in. Associate **$1,375/year** ($115/

| [Lenny’s Newsletter](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Product, growth, B2B kickoff interviews | A | **Freemium.** Free posts and podcast. Paid: **Annual $200/year**, **Insider $400/year** (Product Pass on the 

| [Elena’s Growth Scoop / Elena Verna](https://www.elenaverna.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | PLG, growth org, pricing pages, experiment cadence | A | **Freemium.** Weekly free issues. Paid: **$9/month** or **$99/year** (about page, 2026-0

| [Brian Balfour](https://brianbalfour.com/four-fits-growth-framework?ref=b2b-playbook) | Four Fits: market, product, channel, model | A | **Freemium.** Original Four Fits series is public. Reforge courses and later essays are paid. | Metho

| [First Round Review](https://review.firstround.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | PMF levels, founder-led sales, early operating systems | A | **Free** essays. PMF Method retreat is a separate application, not a newsletter paywall. | Open-sourced L

| Source | Focus | Grade | Access | Why it is here | Limitation | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [TLDR AI](https://tldr.tech/ai?ref=b2b-playbook) | Daily AI news skim | B | **Free** weekday email. | Independently named by more than one operato

|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [TLDR AI](https://tldr.tech/ai?ref=b2b-playbook) | Daily AI news skim | B | **Free** weekday email. | Independently named by more than one operator in “what do you actually read” threads | Skim, not a GTM system.

| [TLDR AI](https://tldr.tech/ai?ref=b2b-playbook) | Daily AI news skim | B | **Free** weekday email. | Independently named by more than one operator in “what do you actually read” threads | Skim, not a GTM system. Links go stale. |

| [The Rundown AI](https://www.therundown.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook) | Daily AI briefing and workflows | C | **Free** daily newsletter. Rundown University is a **separate** course/community (not required to read the daily). | Common in the same 

| [Allie K. Miller](https://www.alliekmiller.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | AI practitioner commentary | C | **Freemium.** Newsletter and a free 5-day email course. Longer academies and speaking: paid, quoted on site. | Named in operator AI-feed 

| [Tomasz Tunguz](https://tomtunguz.com/?ref=b2b-playbook) | SaaS, AI, and investor unit economics | C | **Free** public archive. | Named in the same AI-feed threads; archive is broader than a newsletter | VC lens. Not a demand-gen or ICP m

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

| Working file | Format | Use it to | Playbook | |---|---|---|---| | [Demo scorecard](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/demo-scorecard.xlsx) | Sheet | Score a demo on what happened, not how it felt | [Demo](pla

|---|---|---|---| | [Demo scorecard](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/demo-scorecard.xlsx) | Sheet | Score a demo on what happened, not how it felt | [Demo](playbooks/02-product-marketing/demo.md) | | [Lead-sc

| [Demo scorecard](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/demo-scorecard.xlsx) | Sheet | Score a demo on what happened, not how it felt | [Demo](playbooks/02-product-marketing/demo.md) |

| [Lead-scoring ledger](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/lead-scoring-ledger.xlsx) | Sheet | Write fit, intent, negative rules, and thresholds before the MAP | [Lead scoring](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-a

| [Demand plan](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/gtm-demand-plan.xlsx) | Sheet | Turn channel volume and conversion into pipeline math | [GTM planning](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-plan

| [Sales capacity](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/gtm-sales-capacity.xlsx) | Sheet | Turn heads, quota, ramp, and cycle into a closeable number | [GTM planning](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measureme

| [CRM field map](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/crm-field-map.xlsx) | Sheet | Map legacy fields to the new org and kill empty customs | [CRM data model](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/crm-

| [Vendor evaluation](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/vendor-evaluation.xlsx) | Sheet | Split jobs, test win reasons and gaps, refuse a borrowed 9.2/10 | [MarTech governance](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-

| [Sales cadence](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/sales-cadence.xlsx) | Sheet | Put pipe-gen, forecast, and coaching on different clocks | [Sales operating cadence](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measur

| [Incentive timing](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/incentive-timing.xlsx) | Sheet | Write clawback/holdback and time-box draws as exceptions | [Incentive timing](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measure

| [GTM experiment ledger](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/gtm-experiment-ledger.xlsx) | Sheet | One hypothesis per row, with a decision the result may change | [Experimentation](playbooks/09-operations-pipeli

| [Answer visibility](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/answer-visibility.xlsx) | Sheet | Prompt-test buyer questions; clicks are partial under zero-click | [SEO and AEO](playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/

| [Onboarding welcome packet](templates/onboarding-welcome.md) | Doc | People, intake, timeline, help, and handoff notes for one logo | [Onboarding communication](playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/onboarding-communication.md) | 

| [CS-leadership 90 days](templates/cs-leadership-90.md) | Doc / Slides outline | Audit the book → charter the numbers → ship visible CS standards | [CS-leadership ramp](playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-leadership-ramp.md) |

| [CS workspace](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/cs-workspace.xlsx) | Sheet | Map post-sale fields to realization, relationship, renewal, or risk | [CS workspace](playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing

| [GTM AI maturity](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/gtm-ai-maturity.xlsx) | Sheet | Score each motion 0–4; climb one rung on a channel that already works | [GTM AI maturity](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-a

| [AI use-case score](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/ai-use-case-score.xlsx) | Sheet | Rank problems by payoff, probability, and org load—not by demo | [AI use-case selection](playbooks/09-operations-pipelin

| [AI workflow card](templates/ai-workflow.md) | Doc | Artifact, stages, gates, collapse, and send rules before you build | [AI workflow](playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/ai-workflow.md) | | [Contact data](https://github.com

| [Contact data](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/templates/contact-data.xlsx) | Sheet | Test coverage, valid line, and right-person on *your* slice | [Contact data](playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data.md

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/attio.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https:

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/attio.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://attio.com/platform/ai?ref=b2b-playbook">Attio</a></span> | AI-native | a

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/attio.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://attio.com/platform/ai?ref=b2b-playbook">Attio</a></span> | AI-native | a GTM team wants a flex

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/day-ai.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://day.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Day AI</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants calls, email, meetings

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/hubspot.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.hubspot.com/products/artificial-intelligence?product=crm&amp;ref=b2b-playbook">HubSpot</

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/common-room.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/common-room.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.commonroom.io/about/?ref=b2b-playbook">Common Room</a></span> 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/common-room.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.commonroom.io/about/?ref=b2b-playbook">Common Room</a></span> | AI-native | reps and

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/unify.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.unifygtm.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Unify</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants intent signals

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/rb2b.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.rb2b.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">RB2B</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a B2B team wants to t

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/clay.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https:/

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/clay.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.clay.com/claygent?ref=b2b-playbook">Clay</a></span> | AI-native | Mar

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/clay.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.clay.com/claygent?ref=b2b-playbook">Clay</a></span> | AI-native | Marketing or RevOps needs

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/pipe0.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.pipe0.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">pipe0</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants Clay-like search,

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/crustdata.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://crustdata.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Crustdata</a></span> | AI-native | agents, internal tools

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/fullenrich.svg" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://fullenrich.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">FullEnrich</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a team 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/moltsets.svg" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://moltsets.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">MoltSets</a></span> | AI-native | an agent, script, Clay ta

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/apollo.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.apollo.io/ai?ref=b2b-playbook">Apollo</a></span> | Established benchmark | a sales team n

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/salesforge.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="h

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/salesforge.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.salesforge.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Salesforge</a></span> | AI-nat

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/salesforge.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.salesforge.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Salesforge</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants hum

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/instantly.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://instantly.ai/outreach?ref=b2b-playbook">Instantly</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | col

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/nooks.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.nooks.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Nooks</a></span> | AI-native | an outbound team needs parallel

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/airops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/airops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.airops.com/platform?ref=b2b-playbook">AirOps</a></span> | AI-native

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/airops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.airops.com/platform?ref=b2b-playbook">AirOps</a></span> | AI-native | a content team want

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/gamma.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://gamma.app/?ref=b2b-playbook">Gamma</a></span> | AI-native | a team needs a fast first version 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/publer.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://publer.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Publer</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a small B2B team ne

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/framer.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/framer.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.framer.com/ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Framer</a></span> | AI-native | a 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/framer.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.framer.com/ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Framer</a></span> | AI-native | a marketing or design te

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/relume.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.relume.ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">Relume</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants to turn a compa

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/mintlify.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.mintlify.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Mintlify</a></span> | AI-native | product, developer-re

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/mutiny.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/mutiny.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.mutinyhq.com/products/beautiful-assets?ref=b2b-playbook">Mutiny</a>

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/mutiny.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.mutinyhq.com/products/beautiful-assets?ref=b2b-playbook">Mutiny</a></span> | AI-native | 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/metadata.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://metadata.io/use-cases/?ref=b2b-playbook">Metadata</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a B2

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/qwilr.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://qwilr.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Qwilr</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a sales, marketing, cu

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/lensmor.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="http

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/lensmor.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.lensmor.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Lensmor</a></span> | AI-native · Ow

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/lensmor.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.lensmor.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Lensmor</a></span> | AI-native · Owner product | a B2B sa

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/bizzabo.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.bizzabo.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Bizzabo</a></span> | Established benchmark | a field or e

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/goldcast.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.goldcast.io/?ref=b2b-playbook">Goldcast</a></span> | AI-native | a B2B marketing team w

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/icapture.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.cvent.com/en/event-marketing-management/cvent-icapture?ref=b2b-playbook">iCapture</a></

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/crossbeam.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="ht

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/crossbeam.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.crossbeam.com/what-is-crossbeam/crossbeam-ai?ref=b2b-playbook">C

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/crossbeam.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.crossbeam.com/what-is-crossbeam/crossbeam-ai?ref=b2b-playbook">Crossbeam</a></span> | 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/partnerstack.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://partnerstack.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">PartnerStack</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/loops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https:

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/loops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://loops.so/?ref=b2b-playbook">Loops</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/loops.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://loops.so/?ref=b2b-playbook">Loops</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a SaaS team wants marke

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/featurebase.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.featurebase.app/?ref=b2b-playbook">Featurebase</a></span> | AI-native | product, sup

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/userevidence.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://userevidence.com/platform/ai/?ref=b2b-playbook">UserEvidence</a></span> | AI-native | p

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/n8n.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/n8n.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://n8n.io/ai-agents/?ref=b2b-playbook">n8n</a></span> | Modern infrastructure

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/n8n.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://n8n.io/ai-agents/?ref=b2b-playbook">n8n</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a technical operato

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/gumloop.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.gumloop.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Gumloop</a></span> | AI-native | a team wants no-code AI 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/zapier.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://zapier.com/?ref=b2b-playbook">Zapier</a></span> | Established benchmark | a non-technical tea

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/hockeystack.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/hockeystack.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.hockeystack.com/marketing-intelligence?ref=b2b-playbook">Hocke

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/hockeystack.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.hockeystack.com/marketing-intelligence?ref=b2b-playbook">HockeyStack</a></span> | AI

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/dreamdata.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://dreamdata.io/?ref=b2b-playbook">Dreamdata</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | a B2B compa

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/posthog.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://posthog.com/product-analytics?ref=b2b-playbook">PostHog</a></span> | AI-native | product, gr

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/transcend.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="ht

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/transcend.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://transcend.io/?ref=b2b-playbook">Transcend</a></span> | Modern infras

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/transcend.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://transcend.io/?ref=b2b-playbook">Transcend</a></span> | Modern infrastructure | legal, priv

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/vanta.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.vanta.com/trust-management-platform?ref=b2b-playbook">Vanta</a></span> | Modern infrastruc

| Tool | Type | Use when | Why it stands out | Validate before adopting | |---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/fathom.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https

|---|---|---|---|---| | <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/fathom.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://fathom.video/?ref=b2b-playbook">Fathom</a></span> | AI-native | a team 

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/fathom.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://fathom.video/?ref=b2b-playbook">Fathom</a></span> | AI-native | a team needs recording, trans

| <span class="tool-cell"><img class="tool-favicon" src="assets/tool-favicons/gong.png" alt="" width="28" height="28" noZoom /> <a href="https://www.gong.io/?ref=b2b-playbook">Gong</a></span> | Established benchmark | sales and CS leaders n

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

<svg role="img" aria-label="B2B Playbook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="259" height="40" viewBox="0 0 259 40"><title>B2B Playbook</title><desc>Editorial wordmark: bold B2B paired with italic Playbook.</desc><path fill="#B9A5EE" 

<svg role="img" aria-label="B2B Playbook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="259" height="40" viewBox="0 0 259 40"><title>B2B Playbook</title><desc>Editorial wordmark: bold B2B paired with italic Playbook.</desc><path fill="#7153B9" 

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="48" height="48" viewBox="0 0 48 48" role="img" aria-label="B2B Playbook"><title>B2B Playbook</title><desc>B initial from the Editorial wordmark.</desc><style>.initial{fill:#7153B9}@media(prefer

B2B Playbook with the built-in image generation tool. Their visual direction adapts the Ian Xiaohei Illustrations skill by Ian (helloianneo): https://github.com/helloianneo/ian-xiaohei-illustrations?ref=b2b-playbook

adapts the Ian Xiaohei Illustrations skill by Ian (helloianneo): https://github.com/helloianneo/ian-xiaohei-illustrations?ref=b2b-playbook Reference revision: 91b560849e8f883922cc2fa8a358a668caa94105

https://github.com/helloianneo/ian-xiaohei-illustrations?ref=b2b-playbook

<svg width='128' height='128' viewBox='0 0 128 128' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'><rect width='128' height='128' rx='64' fill='black'/><path d='M65.1251 31.2995C64.9004 30.2153 63.3533 30.2107 63.1223 31.2937L61.7029 37.942

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The full terms live in [`LICENSE`](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE) on GitHub—Mintlify does not publish that file as a docs page.

The English editorial illustrations are AI-generated for this library, with art direction adapted from [Ian Xiaohei Illustrations](https://github.com/helloianneo/ian-xiaohei-illustrations?ref=b2b-playbook) by Ian. They explain concepts; the

The reference project's MIT notice is retained in [the illustration credits](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/assets/illustrations/ATTRIBUTION.txt). Third-party material retains its own license terms.

{   "$schema": "https://mintlify.com/docs.json",

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If a step is confusing or an example feels too far from your work, [tell me where you got stuck](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/issues/new?template=reader-feedback.yml). Please leave out private customer information.

The library is published in English. A separate [Chinese introduction](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/README.zh.md) is available on GitHub.

If a page helps, [star the repository](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook) to save it or share that page with someone facing the same problem. The source is public to read; it is not published under an open-source license. See the 

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [Nielsen Norman Group: Journey Mapping 101](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/journey-mapping-101/?ref=b2b-playbook) describes journey maps around an actor, scenario, phases, actions and opportunities. This guide adapts that approach to mu

Identify the [buying committee](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee) and connect the map to [lifecycle stages](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurem

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

If the account clearly cannot benefit from your current offer, a detailed relationship map will not make it a better [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp) match. If fit is unknown, investigate the wo

The following is a **fictional continuation** of the record-correction example in [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation), [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-

GitLab's public procurement handbook, reviewed here on **September 7, 2026**, requires procurement involvement before covered purchases or work begin, with stated exceptions. Its intake options include no-cost contract reviews for demos and

Its legal collaboration guide also separates legal review from other approval nodes: the legal procurement team does not control the privacy, security, or buyer-negotiation approvals described there. Finishing one review does not establish 

If you need to find and approach relevant accounts, continue to [first ten customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers). If the main problem is explaining why your offer deserves consid

Use [account planning](../06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning.md) when an opportunity deserves coordinated work across several people. Return to [product-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buy

The real-process illustration uses GitLab's [procurement handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/finance/procurement/?ref=b2b-playbook) and [legal procurement guide](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/legal/procurement-guide-collab

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [LinkedIn B2B Institute: Category Entry Points in a B2B World](https://business.linkedin.com/advertise/resources/b2b-institute/cep-in-b2b?ref=b2b-playbook) connects brands with relevant buying situations. No universal frequency target or 

Build the repeated associations through [brand strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/brand-strategy); investigate active accounts with [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [US Small Business Administration: competitive analysis](https://www.sba.gov/counseling/plan-your-business/?ref=b2b-playbook) includes indirect competition and market context. The buyer-level decision map here is an original workflow.

Turn the differences into [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning) and a fair [comparison page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/comparison-page).

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

Use this when you have a specific offer to test with a provisional [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp), but acquiring and serving a customer is still unfamiliar work.

If you cannot describe the person, task, and proposed result, return to [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery). If the offer cannot yet be evaluated, use [idea validation](https:

Start from your [wedge](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/wedge). Describe one job for one plausible type of customer, including what they need to provide and what you will not do.

Before arranging an evaluation, confirm who needs to approve it. The [buying committee](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee) guide explains why interest, data-use permission, spending authori

Content that helps an internal decision is useful early, too. You do not have to wait for a mature marketing team to create the [decision brief](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee#help-your-

**Segment provides a useful historical example.** In a September 6, 2018 founder interview, Peter Reinhardt described launching the analytics.js library on Hacker News and attracting early customers largely from small companies whose founde

**PostHog's founder described both sides of this transition.** In his June 20, 2024 retrospective, James Hawkins wrote that early sales came from conversations with existing users and from a pricing page that listed paid features and offere

After the bounded evaluation and approvals described in [Buying Committee](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee), suppose Account A purchases a limited pilot and uses a later batch. This is th

Use [buying committee](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee) when interest is stuck inside an account, [pricing and packaging](../02-product-marketing/pricing-and-packaging.md) when the offer 

For a targeted outbound approach, continue with [account research](../05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research.md) and [cold email](../05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email.md). For evidence beyond early sales, read [product-market fit

Two dated primary accounts support the historical examples: Peter Reinhardt's [September 6, 2018 Y Combinator interview](https://www.ycombinator.com/blog/peter-reinhardt-on-finding-product-market-fit-at-segment?ref=b2b-playbook) and James H

For further reading, Lenny Rachitsky's [September 5, 2023 founder-interview collection](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-win-your-first-10-b2b-customers?ref=b2b-playbook) informed the earlier edition's channel discussion. This revi

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

If the customer problem itself is unclear, return to [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery) and [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buy

You do not need to declare [product-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/product-market-fit) complete before considering distribution or economics. Investigate them together while distinguishing ev

Brian Balfour's [Four Fits framework](https://brianbalfour.com/four-fits-growth-framework?ref=b2b-playbook) connects four relationships: market–product, product–channel, channel–model, and model–market. His [September 25, 2025 update](https

Slack's April 26, 2019 S-1 described a web-based self-service approach alongside direct sales and customer success. Sales could build on existing adoption within organizations and pursue larger deployments. The filing reported more than 88,

In a January 30, 2024 announcement, HubSpot described a seat-based pricing change scheduled for March 2024, including removal of Sales Hub and Service Hub seat minimums and the introduction of Core and View-Only seats. The announcement dist

The [PMF review](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/product-market-fit) revealed an important detail: the customer valued the founder's help gathering missing information, not only the packet software. Anoth

Use [product-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/product-market-fit) to examine customer-value evidence, [positioning](../02-product-marketing/positioning.md) to make the offer understandable, and

The four named relationships are attributed to Brian Balfour's [Four Fits series](https://brianbalfour.com/four-fits-growth-framework?ref=b2b-playbook) and [September 25, 2025 AI-era update](https://blog.brianbalfour.com/p/the-four-fits-a-g

The Slack example uses its [April 26, 2019 S-1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1764925/000162828019004786/slacks-1.htm?ref=b2b-playbook). Reported customer figures and the described sales approach are historical disclosures, not ca

The packaging example uses HubSpot's [January 30, 2024 announcement](https://ir.hubspot.com/news-releases/news-release-details/upcoming-changes-hubspots-pricing?ref=b2b-playbook). It reports announced changes and their intended rollout, not

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

If you cannot describe a person doing a specific job, begin with [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery). If you have a candidate but do not know whether the offer produces a usef

Map the relevant people in the [buying-committee guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee). Keep that account-specific map separate from the reusable profile. The ICP might say a participat

The team also reported that customers within its profile activated and retained better than those outside it. The article does not provide a controlled comparison or enough cohort detail to independently assess that difference. [PostHog com

He reports a survey score of 33% after segmentation and 58% after three quarters of subsequent product work. Those figures are the company's reported survey results, not retention rates or a controlled estimate of the effect of targeting al

This is a **fictional continuation** of the [Idea validation pilot](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation#follow-one-hypothesis-through-a-pilot). The accounts, sizes, conversations, and outcomes

Emily Kramer's planning exercise distinguishes proven, scaling, testing, and not-currently-priority audiences, then asks teams to allocate effort deliberately. This guide uses **core** for the established focus, **scaling** for a segment wi

To define the first audience-and-use-case combination you will emphasize and how it may support later expansion, continue to [wedge](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/wedge). Do not make the homepage list e

Return to [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation) when demand or the offer is still uncertain. Map the actual decision participants with [buying committee](https://b2-b-playbook

Use [wedge](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/wedge) to select the initial audience-and-use-case focus, [positioning](../02-product-marketing/positioning.md) to explain why it matters against alternatives, 

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

If you can already name the customer and problem, move to [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation). If you have customers and need to choose which ones to pursue, use [ICP](https

For B2B discovery, follow three connections. **Who experiences the problem? Who cares about its consequences? Who can authorize a change?** These may be three different people. A coordinator loses time, a department head misses a deadline, 

These starting points are adapted from [Lenny Rachitsky's founder-interview synthesis, August 8, 2023](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-the-most-successful-b2b-startups?ref=b2b-playbook). They describe routes taken by selected success

Start with a couple of conversations to improve the question. That is a scheduling suggestion, not a validation threshold. Move to [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation) when y

The observation did not immediately identify the right audience. In his account, outreach to users of legacy tools such as FileMaker attracted very few replies, all negative. Developers building internal applications, including React develo

Vanta's recap of Christina Cacioppo's 2021 talk connects her work on Dropbox Paper with an enterprise-sales obstacle: large customers wanted tangible evidence of product security. The problem was more specific than “security is hard”—buyers

There is more to the story than identifying an important topic. In a later interview, Cacioppo describes founders who cared about security but struggled to prioritize it against product development, revenue, and retention. Early security ch

Have one clear candidate? Continue to [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation). Need to narrow the customer? Use [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-an

For more origin stories, read [Lenny's original article](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-the-most-successful-b2b-startups?ref=b2b-playbook). Percentages from that selected sample and venture-scale revenue targets are not requirements

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

Bring the problem card from [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery), including the uncomfortable unknowns. “The operations manager likes it; the buyer is unknown” is a better star

If customers already buy and use the product, validation continues, but the questions become more specific: which customers to focus on, how to reach more of them, and whether they stay. The [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbook

In his February 16, 2011 account, he reports the first paying customer within four days of the product launch. The important sequence is that the initial pages and the subsequent purchase were separate events. The early click did not itself

The same article argues for understanding the problem behind feature requests and choosing feedback from relevant users. [Linear founder account, January 21, 2021](https://linear.app/now/building-at-the-early-stage?ref=b2b-playbook).

This is a **fictional continuation** of the record-correction example in [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery#follow-one-idea-through-three-conversations). The teams, conversati

If the problem itself remains unclear, return to [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery). If one type of customer responds differently from another, refine your [ICP](https://b2-b

When suitable customers are ready to engage, use [first ten customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers). For the cost of changing an established workflow, see [change friction](../02-p

For broader founder interviews, see [Lenny Rachitsky's original validation article, August 15, 2023](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-validate-your-b2b-startup?ref=b2b-playbook). Its selected-company observations are further readin

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- [Christensen Institute: Jobs to Be Done theory](https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/jobs-to-be-done/?ref=b2b-playbook) defines jobs through desired progress and circumstances. The interview sequence and fictional finance example h

Compare [competitive alternatives](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/competitive-alternatives), then express a [value proposition](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/value-pro

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [US Small Business Administration: market research and competitive analysis](https://www.sba.gov/counseling/plan-your-business/?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes direct research from existing data and includes indirect competitors. Its busi

Use [segmentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/segmentation) to choose groups that require different actions, then [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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If nobody has attempted the proposed job, begin with [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation). You can investigate demand before a finished product exists, but hypothetical inter

If your immediate problem is finding suitable people to approach, read [first ten customers](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers). Acquisition and product learning can happen together; you

First Round's public **Levels of PMF** framework distinguishes satisfaction, demand, and efficiency, and describes fit as developing rather than simply switching on. It is a useful reminder that enthusiastic users and an economical business

Your analytics settings matter. Amplitude's documentation distinguishes retention based on particular return windows from broader return definitions and flags incomplete observations. Record your own event and time-window choices rather tha

New-customer revenue does not belong in either retention numerator. Keep one-off fees separate from recurring revenue. Specify the period, cohort, and treatment of reactivations and other adjustments. [ChartMogul's gross and net retention e

**Superhuman offers a well-known example.** In Rahul Vohra's account, published on the company blog on November 27, 2018, the team asked recently active users how they would feel without the product. He reported an initial 22% selecting the

The example below continues the **fictional record-correction scenario** from [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp), [wedge](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/wedge)

Return to [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp) if the useful pattern belongs to a narrower customer group, or [wedge](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/wedge) if th

Continue to [Four Fits](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/four-fits) to examine how the product, market, channel, and business model work together. A promising product-market relationship is an important pa

The Superhuman case uses Rahul Vohra's [company publication dated November 27, 2018](https://blog.superhuman.com/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit/?ref=b2b-playbook), checked September 7, 2026. Its reported survey ch

Measurement references, checked September 7, 2026, are [Amplitude's retention documentation](https://amplitude.com/docs/analytics/charts/retention-analysis/retention-analysis-interpret?ref=b2b-playbook), [ChartMogul's gross/net retention ex

[First Round's Levels of PMF](https://www.firstround.com/levels?ref=b2b-playbook) supplies the explicitly attributed three-dimension framing. Lenny Rachitsky's [September 12, 2023 founder-interview collection](https://www.lennysnewsletter.c

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- [Strategyzer: common Value Proposition Canvas mistakes](https://www.strategyzer.com/library/5-common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-using-the-value-proposition-canvas?ref=b2b-playbook) cautions against combining different customer roles in one pr

Define [jobs to be done](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/jobs-to-be-done), then choose an [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp) inside the market you can serve.

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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You have a provisional [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp) and more possible workflows than you can pursue. Your website may describe an entire platform while prospects keep asking what they can ac

You can also use this before your first customers. A proposed wedge helps you focus [validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation) and early outreach. Call it a hypothesis until customers p

If the customer and problem remain vague, return to [idea discovery](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-discovery). Narrowing a sentence does not establish demand.

Do not use a wedge to justify a major expansion from one enthusiastic inquiry. And do not mistake selecting a focus for proving [product-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/product-market-fit). Yo

The audience-plus-use-case framing is also used in [Emily Kramer's wedge strategy article, March 14, 2024](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/wedge-marketing-strategy?ref=b2b-playbook). Here it is a planning lens, not a universal formula. The exe

You can test a proposed wedge before deciding whether to build the full workflow. Return to [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation) for the test design. Wedge selection decides 

This is a **fictional continuation** of the account comparison in [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp#compare-five-accounts-without-inventing-a-market). All requests, conversations, and decisions in

The company reported pre-launch use by teams including Stripe, Netflix, and Salesforce. That is reported usage, not evidence of paid adoption. [Figma launch account, April 21, 2021](https://www.figma.com/blog/introducing-figjam/?ref=b2b-pla

A later interview describes a shared feedback channel with hundreds of alpha testers and decisions about what had to ship before launch versus later. [Figma product-team interview, February 8, 2022](https://www.figma.com/blog/jamming-on-fig

At that date, Stripe reported more than 10,000 software companies, marketplaces, and enterprises using Connect. The account describes adoption across several kinds of platform. [Stripe company retrospective, April 28, 2022](https://stripe.c

If the original segment still depends on repeated custom fixes, distinguish deliberate exploration from scaling. Use the profile maturity categories in [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp#if-you-hav

Use [ICP](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/icp) to refine the customer context and [idea validation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/idea-validation) to test the offer. 

For the message and customer experience, continue to [positioning](../02-product-marketing/positioning.md), [homepage](../07-website-and-conversion/homepage.md), and [channel strategy](../04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy.md). U

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Linear's public Jira guide distinguishes a one-time import from an ongoing connection. The two paths do not carry all information in the same way. The guide also states that Jira roles and permissions do not transfer and must be configured 

Attio's CSV guide requires attention to unique attributes when matching records, provides mapping and preview steps, and explains that empty values do not overwrite existing data. It also distinguishes CSV's capabilities from other migratio

Do not conceal a broader recurring commitment inside a small-looking pilot. Equally, do not promise open-ended assistance without considering delivery capacity. Work from the actual [pricing and packaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app

Use [Demo](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/demo) to make the proposed work inspectable before asking for commitment. Use [Buying committee](../01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee.md) to understand who c

- [Linear: Jira import & sync](https://linear.app/switch/jira-guide?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the specific distinction between migration paths and the separate configuration of permissions. It does not establish a commercial outcome.

- [Attio: Import data via CSV](https://attio.com/help/reference/imports-exports/csv-imports/import-data-into-attio-via-csv?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the matching, preview, update, and content-limit examples for that import route. Check cur

- [Insight Revenue: Selling Cyber 2026](https://www.insightrevenue.com/insights-posts/selling-cyber-2026?ref=b2b-playbook), published April 17, 2026, informed the earlier edition's attention to implementation effort and shared planning. Its

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If you need the details of one prospective customer's business, start with [account research](../05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research.md). If you need to decide how your offer fits a market, use [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.m

GitLab's public [Field Flash edition sent on April 6, 2021](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/sales/field-communications/field-flash-newsletter/edition-2021-04-06/?ref=b2b-playbook) announced an analysis of GitHub's free offering and fiv

Emily Kramer's [May 6, 2026 research playbook](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/state-of-marketing-report-part-3-how-to-research-in-claude-code?ref=b2b-playbook) discusses testing collection methods, maintaining source URLs, and checking automa

Use [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning) to turn the findings into a market decision and [messaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/messaging) to exp

Emily Kramer's [June 12, 2024 positioning guide](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/positioning-guide?ref=b2b-playbook) provides background on research versus positioning; her May 6, 2026 research article is linked where its relevance is discusse

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For a pricing negotiation, work from the actual [offer](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/pricing-and-packaging). For first-use guidance after purchase, use [customer onboarding](../08-lifecycle-and-customer-

PostHog's public [Creating Sandboxes for Demos handbook page](https://posthog.com/handbook/growth/sales/sandboxes?ref=b2b-playbook), checked on **September 7, 2026**, describes an internal tool that generates realistic invented event data f

Stripe's [sandbox documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/sandboxes?ref=b2b-playbook), checked on **September 7, 2026**, describes isolated testing and simulated payments without real money movement. That is a product-specific example of an 

Use [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sales-enablement) for the broader conversation and reusable supporting material. Keep [pricing and packaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbo

Next, continue with [change friction](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/change-friction): a buyer can understand the product and still hesitate because adopting it means changing a working process.

GitLab's [Solutions Architects Processes handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/solutions-architects/processes/?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying a May 8, 2026 modification date, provides additional preparation context around intended o

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If the team cannot agree on what is currently available or which problem it is trying to solve, return to [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning). You can draft messages while investigati

If you need a full meeting structure, use [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sales-enablement). If you need a publishing plan, use [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-st

Emily Kramer's [June 12, 2024 positioning guide](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/positioning-guide?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes product research, positioning, and its adaptation into messaging. That distinction is useful background. The wor

Allyson Letteri's [May 20, 2024 messaging essay](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/messaging-mistakes-allyson-letteri?ref=b2b-playbook) discusses audience specificity, benefits, credibility, and consistency. This guide retains those concerns wit

Mailchimp's [Voice and Tone guide](https://styleguide.mailchimp.com/voice-and-tone/?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes a relatively stable voice from a tone adapted to the reader's situation. It places clarity ahead of entertainment and cautio

Microsoft's [brand-voice guidance](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/brand-voice-above-all-simple-human?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying a last-updated date of October 18, 2022, emphasizes conversational wording, clear priorities, 

Apply the brief to the [homepage](../07-website-and-conversion/homepage.md) and the first meeting through [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sales-enablement). Keep comparisons grounded with

Use [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md) to decide which questions deserve ongoing coverage. For a coordinated announcement, continue to [product launch](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-produ

If the same misunderstanding returns across several drafts, revisit [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning). The message may be exposing an unresolved decision about the offer.

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April Dunford's [positioning primer](https://www.aprildunford.com/post/a-quickstart-guide-to-positioning?ref=b2b-playbook), published March 15, 2021, connects alternatives, capabilities, customer value, best-fit customers, and market catego

April Dunford discusses this present-versus-future distinction in [Positioning vs Strategy vs Vision](https://www.aprildunford.com/post/positioning-vs-strategy-vs-vision?ref=b2b-playbook), published November 16, 2021. Her discussion is usef

In [Building a professional design tool on the web](https://www.figma.com/blog/building-a-professional-design-tool-on-the-web/?ref=b2b-playbook), published December 7, 2015, Figma co-founder Evan Wallace described a browser-based collaborat

Linear's [June 30, 2020 public launch announcement](https://linear.app/now/practices-for-building-linear-is-now-open-for-all?ref=b2b-playbook), written by Karri Saarinen, focused on software-building teams. It discussed the friction of slow

Turn the decision brief into a consistent set of messages with [messaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/messaging). Apply it to a real meeting through [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.ap

If the offer itself remains unclear, revisit [four fits](../01-strategy-and-buyers/four-fits.md) and [pricing and packaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/pricing-and-packaging). If the intended buyer is 

For publishing the resulting story, continue to [product launch](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/product-launch) and [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md).

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Coda's [billing and pricing guide](https://help.coda.io/hc/en-us/articles/39555725230989-Billing-and-pricing-basics?ref=b2b-playbook), checked on **September 7, 2026**, describes Maker billing for its paid workspaces: Doc Makers are charged

Intercom's [Fin AI Agent outcomes documentation](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8205718-fin-ai-agent-outcomes?ref=b2b-playbook), dated **July 30, 2026** and checked September 7, distinguishes resolutions from other billable outco

Be precise about tiered rates. Stripe's [tiered-pricing documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/subscriptions/pricing-models/tiered-pricing?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes **volume pricing**, which applies the selected band rate to the whole

Use [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning) to explain the relevant alternative and advantage, and [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sal

Next, continue with [demo](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/demo): show the buyer enough of the actual experience to judge whether the proposed commitment makes sense.

For the broader relationship between price, acquisition, and delivery, see [four fits](../01-strategy-and-buyers/four-fits.md). For early paid evaluations, keep [first ten customers](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md) and [pr

The earlier short edition drew on founder interviews collected in [Lenny Rachitsky's Scaling your growth engines, October 24, 2023](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/scaling-your-b2b-growth-engine?ref=b2b-playbook). That remains background

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A separate glossy video is optional. A buyer who needs to forward the scope internally may benefit more from a readable page than an impressive animation. Use [messaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/mes

GitHub's announcement on **June 29, 2021** introduced Copilot as a technical preview and said places were limited. The published next step was to sign up for that preview. See the [original announcement](https://github.blog/news-insights/pr

On **June 21, 2022**, GitHub announced general availability to individual developers and provided a commercial access route. See the [general-availability announcement](https://github.blog/news-insights/product-news/github-copilot-is-genera

Use [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning) to clarify the offer and [messaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/messaging) to explain it across the page

The next step for a team handling buyer conversations is [sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sales-enablement): make sure the person responding can explain the offer and help a buyer decide. 

The earlier short version drew on Emily Kramer, Devon Watts, and Jenny Thai's [MKT1 / Dear Marketers Episode 11, July 25, 2025](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/product-launches-episode-11?ref=b2b-playbook). That discussion remains background f

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- [US Federal Trade Commission: advertising and marketing basics](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/advertising-marketing/advertising-marketing-basics?ref=b2b-playbook) explains the US expectation that advertising be truthful, non-decep

Apply the register to a [case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/case-study), [comparison page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/comparison-page) or [product 

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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You do not need to finish all positioning work before improving a conversation. Use the best current explanation, mark what remains uncertain, and feed what you learn back into [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-p

April Dunford's [Sales-First Storytelling, November 29, 2023](https://aprildunford.substack.com/p/sales-first-storytelling?ref=b2b-playbook), connects positioning with an interactive sales conversation that helps buyers evaluate alternative

GitLab's public [Commercial Sales Enablement page](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/sales/commercial/enablement/?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying a **June 27, 2024** last-modified date, lists training objectives covering meeting hosting, i

Its [Field Accreditation Program page](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/sales/training/field-certification/?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying a **January 4, 2025** last-modified date, describes both written and practical assessment and appl

Use [messaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/messaging) for the core explanation and [competitive intelligence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/competitive-intelligence)

Next, work through [pricing and packaging](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/pricing-and-packaging) to make sure the commercial offer matches the value, scope, and delivery commitments being discussed. Use [d

If the barrier is the work or risk of changing, continue with [change friction](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/change-friction). For new offers, keep [product launch](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/pla

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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- [Strategyzer: Value Proposition Canvas](https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-value-proposition-canvas?ref=b2b-playbook) relates customer jobs, pains and gains to the offer. This page provides an original briefing workflow rather than r

Establish the competitive frame with [positioning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/positioning), substantiate promises through [proof and claims](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-mark

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [April Dunford: Sales-First Storytelling](https://aprildunford.substack.com/p/sales-first-storytelling?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes the requirements of marketing narratives and sales conversations. This page develops a separate, origin

Ground the promise in [brand strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/brand-strategy), use lived experience in a [founder story](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-conten

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- [LinkedIn B2B Institute: Category Entry Points](https://business.linkedin.com/advertise/resources/b2b-institute/cep-in-b2b?ref=b2b-playbook) provides the buying-situation basis for the memory objective. The implementation brief here is or

Choose [category entry points](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/category-entry-points), then develop a [brand narrative](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/brand-narrat

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As one process example, [GitLab's public Growth Community Programs handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/growth-marketing/growth-community-programs/?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying an August 31, 2026 modification date, dist

In [PostHog's Supabase story, dated June 15, 2025](https://posthog.com/customers/supabase?ref=b2b-playbook), Aleksi Immonen describes fragmented data, adoption of PostHog, and recognizing AI-builder acquisition sources that led to partnersh

[Intercom's March 13, 2025 RB2B interview page](https://www.intercom.com/blog/videos/creating-a-lean-scalable-support-system/?ref=b2b-playbook) attributes 65% automatic inquiry resolution and more than 132 hours saved monthly to RB2B's expe

Continue to [White Paper](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/white-paper) when the task is to develop a sourced argument across evidence rather than tell one customer's story.

Use [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy) to decide which questions deserve a case study, [sales enablement](../02-product-marketing/sales-enablement.md) to help teams u

- [GitLab Growth Community Programs handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/growth-marketing/growth-community-programs/?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying an August 31, 2026 modification date: a public example of organizing cust

- [PostHog's Supabase customer story, June 15, 2025](https://posthog.com/customers/supabase?ref=b2b-playbook): a vendor-published account of a customer using data to inform growth work. Its reported acquisition result is not treated as an i

- [Intercom's RB2B interview summary, March 13, 2025](https://www.intercom.com/blog/videos/creating-a-lean-scalable-support-system/?ref=b2b-playbook): a named, dated report of AI-support outcomes. The underlying data and full interview were

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- [Mozilla: Community Participation Guidelines](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/governance/policies/participation/?ref=b2b-playbook) is a primary example of explicit behavior standards and reporting responsibilities. It is not a commerc

For existing communities use [community participation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/community); for product users use [customer community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycl

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Emily Kramer's public GACC introduction appeared on July 27, 2021; the public GACCS resource description dated July 24, 2025 includes stakeholders. These are practitioner planning tools, not a universal law of content production. [MKT1: GAC

PostHog's public writing handbook distinguishes blogs, newsletters, tutorials, and documentation by their jobs. It describes documentation as structured reference and tutorials as task-oriented paths, while blog posts can include opinions, 

Emily Kramer's September 28, 2022 essay argues for planning distribution before production rather than treating publication as the finish. The practical application here is to connect the topic, audience, and available route—not to assume e

Google's current guidance for its generative search features says that content does not need to be split into tiny pages or rewritten into a special AI style. It also makes clear that meeting its requirements does not guarantee indexing or 

Use [Founder story](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/founder-story) for a perspective grounded in actual experience, [Case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content

- [PostHog: Writing blogs](https://posthog.com/handbook/content/blogs?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the narrow example of distinguishing editorial formats and planning how work reaches readers. It is process documentation, not a causal growth 

- [Google Search Central: Generative AI search guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide?ref=b2b-playbook), displaying a July 10, 2026 update date, supports the Google-specific statements about p

- Emily Kramer's public [GACC introduction, July 27, 2021](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/the-gacc-marketing-brief-the-best?ref=b2b-playbook), [GACCS description, July 24, 2025](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/gaccs-brief-generator-and-template?

- Kramer's [planning exercises, October 2, 2024](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/marketing-strategy-exercises?ref=b2b-playbook) informed the earlier edition's storyline planning. A fixed perception count is not required by this guide.

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If you need evidence of a customer's outcome, work on a [case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/case-study). If you need a clear product explanation, work on [messaging](../02-product-marketing/m

You may already have audience perceptions in your [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy). Use them as questions, not instructions to manufacture supporting memories. If t

[Emily Kramer and Kathleen Estreich's MKT1 discussion of marketing advantages](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/find-and-accelerate-your-marketing?ref=b2b-playbook) includes founder relationships and personal brand as potential sources of credi

In [Figma's March 14, 2025 conversation with Dylan Field and Garry Tan](https://www.figma.com/blog/in-conversation-dylan-field-and-garry-tan/?ref=b2b-playbook), Field describes an exploratory beginning: conversations with Evan Wallace, WebG

In [Retool's February 21, 2023 account featuring David Hsu](https://retool.com/blog/retool-founding-story-david-hsu?ref=b2b-playbook), Hsu describes moving away from an audience associated with legacy tools toward developers building intern

Continue to [Case Study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/case-study) when you need to move from the founder's explanation to evidence of a customer's experience and outcome.

Use [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy) to decide where the story belongs alongside other material, [messaging](../02-product-marketing/messaging.md) to clarify the of

- [Emily Kramer and Kathleen Estreich, MKT1, February 27, 2023](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/find-and-accelerate-your-marketing?ref=b2b-playbook): background on founder-related marketing advantages. The chapter separates credibility, releva

- [Emily Kramer, Jenny Thai, and Devon Watts, MKT1, February 19, 2025](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/episode-2-story?ref=b2b-playbook): background on audience perceptions and consistent company storytelling. Only the publicly available discu

- [Figma, conversation with Dylan Field and Garry Tan, March 14, 2025](https://www.figma.com/blog/in-conversation-dylan-field-and-garry-tan/?ref=b2b-playbook): a limited retrospective example of an exploratory origin and shared contribution

- [Retool, account featuring David Hsu, February 21, 2023](https://retool.com/blog/retool-founding-story-david-hsu?ref=b2b-playbook): a limited retrospective example of revising an early audience assumption.

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- [Mailchimp: open tracking](https://mailchimp.com/help/about-open-tracking/?ref=b2b-playbook) explains tracking behavior and distortions from privacy and automated activity. This is vendor documentation, not an engagement benchmark.

Protect the sending route with [email deliverability](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/email-deliverability); distinguish publication from [lifecycle email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbook

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- [Spotify for Creators: starting a podcast](https://creators.spotify.com/resources/how-to/start-a-podcast?ref=b2b-playbook) covers formats, production and distribution. Check current platform capabilities before implementation; no platform

Use [thought leadership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/thought-leadership) to sharpen the argument and [creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution

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- [Edelman–LinkedIn 2025 thought leadership report](https://www.edelman.com/expertise/Business-Marketing/2025-b2b-thought-leadership-report?ref=b2b-playbook) provides survey context on thought leadership and buying audiences. Survey respons

Develop longer evidence in a [white paper](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/white-paper), then plan [content distribution](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/cont

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: audio and video media](https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/?ref=b2b-playbook) provides accessibility planning guidance. The production process and evaluation example here are original.

Use [demo](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/demo) for live buying conversations and [content repurposing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-repurposing) for ad

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- [Wistia: webinar and live-event guide](https://wistia.com/blog/webinar-marketing-guide?ref=b2b-playbook) covers planning, execution and follow-through. Its vendor perspective is supplementary; the workshop workflow here is original.

Develop the subject through [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy), then adapt the recording with [content repurposing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-ch

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If your only material is one customer's experience, a [case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/case-study) may be the clearest format. You can include a customer example within a broader paper, bu

[Stack Overflow's 2025 survey methodology](https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2025/methodology?ref=b2b-playbook) is a useful public example. It states that 49,009 responses from 177 countries were used, gives the May 29–June 23 collection wind

[DORA's 2025 report page](https://dora.dev/research/2025/dora-report/?ref=b2b-playbook) offers a full English report, abridged language versions, and a companion guide. It also exposes links to questions and errata. That is a useful example

For the web version, use real headings and meaningful structure, not merely text styled to look like headings. [W3C WAI's Page Structure Tutorial](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/?ref=b2b-playbook), updated April 8, 2026, ex

Use [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy) to decide the paper's role alongside shorter explanations, product pages, and [case studies](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app

Use [content strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy) to decide where the paper belongs, and [case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/cas

- [Stack Overflow 2025 survey methodology](https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2025/methodology?ref=b2b-playbook): a public example of disclosing collection dates, recruitment, sample handling, and percentage definitions. The underlying dataset

- [DORA 2025 report page](https://dora.dev/research/2025/dora-report/?ref=b2b-playbook): a publication-structure example, including full and abridged versions and related resources. This chapter does not claim review of the complete report 

- [W3C WAI Page Structure Tutorial](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/?ref=b2b-playbook), updated April 8, 2026: primary guidance supporting the discussion of meaningful web structure and navigation.

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| Secondary | Engine | What it is | Open this playbook | |---|---|---|---| | Content / SEO | Inbound | Durable pages and search demand | [Content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md); [SEO and AEO](https://b2-b-playb

|---|---|---|---| | Content / SEO | Inbound | Durable pages and search demand | [Content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md); [SEO and AEO](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/s

| Content / SEO | Inbound | Durable pages and search demand | [Content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md); [SEO and AEO](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/seo-and-aeo) |

| LinkedIn organic | Inbound | Memory in a professional feed—people, not the logo | [LinkedIn organic](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/linkedin-organic) |

| Peer rooms | Ecosystem | A credible intro in a community the buyer already chose | [Peer community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/community) |

| Creator / operator media | Ecosystem | Co-created artifact with overlap, not a rented mention | [Creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/creator-partnership) |

| Small table | Events | Role-locked dinner or roundtable | [Executive dinners](../06-account-field-and-partner/executive-dinners.md) | | Launch day | Inbound (one day) | Product Hunt as a one-day amplifier | [Product Hunt](https://b2-b-pla

| Launch day | Inbound (one day) | Product Hunt as a one-day amplifier | [Product Hunt](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/product-hunt)—not a standing channel |

| Syndication | Inbound (rented) | Rented fills that survive audience, verification, and post-fill gates | [Content syndication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-syndication) |

| Paid ads | Inbound capture / creation | Capture or test on Google, LinkedIn, and a few high-trust placements | [Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-media)—one job, two scoreboards. Do

If market, product, channel, and model do not describe the same company, stop here and write [four fits](../01-strategy-and-buyers/four-fits.md). If you still need the first ten names, that work is [first ten customers](../01-strategy-and-b

The three-primary-motion frame, the six-channel menu, the “optimize the primary / add one” rule, the expectation that B2B firms eventually hire sales, the caution against forced product-led growth, and the ~2 year / ~1.5-year-after-first-cu

Marketing advantages (name 1–3 real ones in product / ecosystem / brand-story before you pick a channel) draw on Emily Kramer ([MKT1, 2023-02-27](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/find-and-accelerate-your-marketing?ref=b2b-playbook)). The six-en

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For example, dbt's published community expectations require permission before direct messaging members, including on other platforms. They also specify vendor disclosure and designated places for promotional material. These are concrete rul

dbt's Developer Hub announcement, last edited June 3, 2024, described bringing community entry points, forum discussions, and events closer to documentation. It is a useful example of making participation easier to navigate, not proof that 

Discourse's introductory moderation guide treats welcoming members, encouraging helpful contributors, and communication among moderators as part of the role. Its page shows a June 27, 2026 edit. Use the [moderation guide](https://meta.disco

GitLab's forum workflow explicitly allows clarifying questions as useful replies and describes cooperation between staff and volunteer contributors. It also asks staff to review AI-generated material before publishing. This is a concrete ex

Use [channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) to decide how community participation fits alongside other routes to customers. [Creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.m

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- [Google Search Central: helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?ref=b2b-playbook) offers a reader-first quality reference; it does not establish the distribution plan or its outcome

[Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) · [Content syndication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-syndication) · [Content

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [W3C: planning accessible audio and video](https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports accessibility planning for media adaptations; the editorial workflow is original.

[Content distribution](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-distribution) · [Video](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/video)

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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You may simply need to improve the distribution of your own work: a useful email to existing subscribers, a contribution to a community where you participate, or a clear explanation on LinkedIn. Syndication is an option within [Channel stra

Google describes canonicalization as a selection process influenced by several signals, not a way to force a preferred result. A canonical annotation is therefore not a promise that a partner's copy cannot appear in search. See [Google's ca

For syndicated news articles, Google's publisher guidance recommends blocking indexing of the partner copy when the objective is to prevent that duplication. It distinguishes a News-only instruction from one covering Google Search as well, 

In its May 8, 2014 account, Buffer described building publishing relationships through roughly 150 guest posts in nine months, then offering proven articles for republication. It reported 949 new conversions from its top four syndication si

The UK ICO explains that B2B marketing rules vary by channel and business type. Corporate subscribers and sole traders can be treated differently under PECR, while processing named business contacts can still fall under UK GDPR. Its guidanc

Use [Content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md) to choose material worth distributing and [Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) to decide whe

[Creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/creator-partnership) covers collaborations that involve a creator's judgment and original treatment. [Community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.

For related search decisions, read [SEO & AEO](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/seo-and-aeo). For routing and evaluation, continue with [Lead scoring](../09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/lead-s

The [Buffer syndication case](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/use-cases/buffer-syndication) is an editorial example, not a paid-lead benchmark. Use [content distribution](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distr

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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Kit's [Newsletter Sponsorships instructions](https://help.kit.com/en/articles/11645396-how-to-run-kit-newsletter-sponsorships?ref=b2b-playbook), dated July 27, 2026, describe a structured placement model: advertiser-approved material, sched

The FTC's [endorsement guidance](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking?ref=b2b-playbook) explains the U.S. principles: endorsements must be truthful, relevant unexpected connections s

The FTC's [Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers?ref=b2b-playbook) covers connections beyond cash, including free access and employment. It recommends placing an understand

For YouTube, its current [branded-content instructions](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235?hl=en&ref=b2b-playbook) require notifying the platform through the paid-promotion setting for covered commercial content. The platform 

Use [Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) to decide whether creator work deserves attention alongside other channels.

Use [Community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/community) for ongoing member relationships rather than publication-led distribution. [Ecosystem](../06-account-field-and-partner/ecosystem.md) covers

For paid amplification, continue with [Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-media). For an upcoming launch on that platform, read [Product Hunt](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbo

- [Kit: How to run Newsletter Sponsorships](https://help.kit.com/en/articles/11645396-how-to-run-kit-newsletter-sponsorships?ref=b2b-playbook), dated July 27, 2026. Used to illustrate a structured placement model, not to recommend a platfor

- [FTC: Endorsement Guides questions and answers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking?ref=b2b-playbook). U.S. guidance on truthful endorsements, connections, and advertiser responsi

- [FTC: Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers?ref=b2b-playbook). Practical disclosure guidance, not worldwide clearance for the sample workflow.

- [YouTube: branded-content restrictions and disclosure labels](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235?hl=en&ref=b2b-playbook). Current platform instructions; no creator account or platform setting was inspected or changed.

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LinkedIn's May 18, 2022 explanation of the 95-5 Rule makes the case for considering category buyers who are not currently shopping. It is a framing for long-term demand, not a measurement showing that exactly 95% of your followers are out o

LinkedIn's March 13, 2026 update explicitly says engagement pods and automated comments are not allowed, and describes reach limitations and possible account restrictions. A coordinated group designed to inflate engagement is different from

The platform's March 12 feed update also describes efforts to reduce repetitive, low-substance content and engagement bait. It explains a direction of product development, not a formula that guarantees distribution for any particular post. 

Keep company-page access separate from personal-account control. LinkedIn provides Page admin roles with different permissions; use the role appropriate to the work rather than sharing one person's login. [LinkedIn Page admin permissions](h

LinkedIn's User Agreement also prohibits account sharing and unauthorized automated activity, including scraping and certain messaging or engagement actions. Review a tool's authorized access and actual behavior rather than assuming every e

LinkedIn's June 4, 2026 statement, originally published May 20, says AI assistance can help with writing but that posts and comments should represent the author's perspective. It also describes reducing distribution of generic AI-like conte

LinkedIn offers native scheduling for supported posts. Check the current composer and scheduled queue for the account and format you are using; do not assume every content type has identical support. [LinkedIn scheduling help](https://www.l

LinkedIn's current post-analytics help distinguishes impressions from estimated distinct members and Pages reached. It also describes saves, sends, external-link clicks including repeats, and demographic breakdowns subject to availability a

Use [Messaging](../02-product-marketing/messaging.md) when people understand the post but cannot explain what the company does. [Community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/community) covers ongoing 

For direct, person-specific outreach, read [LinkedIn outbound](../05-outbound-and-prospecting/linkedin-outbound.md). For purchased distribution, read [Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/pai

[Creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/creator-partnership) covers collaborating with another person's audience and judgment. [Measurement model](../09-operations-pipeline-and-measure

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Google's enhanced-conversions documentation describes using hashed, first-party user-provided information with online or imported offline events to improve matching and measurement. That is a specific mechanism, not a guarantee of complete 

The UK ICO says storage and access technologies used for online advertising require consent, including associated tracking and profiling. Its guidance also addresses information sharing and withdrawal across the advertising chain. This is U

Google distinguishes primary conversion actions used for bidding under selected standard goals from secondary actions generally used for observation. Its documentation notes an important exception: secondary actions included in a custom goa

LinkedIn's 95-5 explanation argues for considering category buyers who are not currently shopping. It does not measure your specific audience or prescribe an exact split of your budget. [LinkedIn's 95-5 framework](https://www.linkedin.com/b

Google's search-terms report helps inspect queries that triggered ads, and its documentation explains that reported search terms can differ from the keyword list, including close variants. The report does not expose every individual search.

LinkedIn describes prefilled Lead Gen Forms and routes for accessing responses or integrating them with marketing and CRM systems. That establishes the collection mechanism, not the quality of every resulting lead. [LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms]

Google explains that an average daily budget may be exceeded on a given day. For most campaigns, its stated daily spending limit is twice that average and its monthly limit is 30.4 times the average. Campaign types and budget changes requir

LinkedIn's conversion-window documentation distinguishes view-through from post-click credit and explains that advertisers can choose lookback windows. The credited total depends partly on those settings; it is not a direct measure of how m

Use [Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) to compare paid distribution with other routes. [LinkedIn organic](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-a

[Content syndication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-syndication) covers publisher-delivered content and records. [Lead nurture](../08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/lead-nurture.md) help

Continue with [paid search](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-search), [paid social](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-social), or [retargeting](https

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- [Google Ads: keyword matching](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/14996023?hl=en&ref=b2b-playbook) explains meaning-based matching; campaign design and example arithmetic here are original.

[Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-media) · [Landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page) · [Attribution](https://b2-b-playbook.m

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [LinkedIn: Matched Audiences practices](https://business.linkedin.com/advertise/ads/best-practices/matched-audiences-tips?ref=b2b-playbook) describes platform audience options, not a guarantee of campaign performance.

[Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-media) · [Proof and claims](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/proof-and-claims) · [Lead magnet](https://b2-b-playboo

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [Reuters journalistic standards](https://reutersagency.com/about/standards-values/?ref=b2b-playbook) provides one newsroom’s standards for independence and accuracy; the pitch workflow is original guidance.

[Proof and claims](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/proof-and-claims) · [Thought leadership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/thought-leadership)

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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Product Hunt's [featuring guidelines](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines?ref=b2b-playbook), dated March 10, 2026, focus on available products and consider usefulness, novelty, craft, and creat

The separate [unreleased-product guidance](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484932-can-i-submit-an-unreleased-product?ref=b2b-playbook) allows that some pre-launch submissions may be considered, but says an email-signup-only product

The [posting instructions](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/479557-how-to-post-a-product?ref=b2b-playbook) describe the submission fields, recommend a square thumbnail and a 1270×760 gallery, and require at least two gallery images 

Prepare a short description and a slightly longer version. The official [preparation guide](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch?ref=b2b-playbook) and posting help currently disagree on the description limit, so the live 

Use a real personal account and confirm posting access ahead of time. Product Hunt's [company-account guidance](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484973-can-our-company-account-vote-comment-or-post-on-product-hunt?ref=b2b-playbook) s

You can submit your own product. An outside hunter is not a required gatekeeper, and their follower count should not become your launch strategy. Product Hunt explicitly [permits self-posting](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/479581

If someone else is genuinely submitting a product they found useful, coordinate factual details and maker attribution. Do not buy the submission. The platform's [overview](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works?ref=b2b-pl

The dedicated [Launch Now update](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9823193-where-did-launch-now-go?ref=b2b-playbook), dated February 24, 2025, says that immediate launch was replaced by draft creation and scheduling. Some older over

The [scheduling help](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post?ref=b2b-playbook), dated February 2, 2026, describes choosing a date within the next 30 days. It also says scheduled posts can be edited and are n

Visibility is a separate setting. The [June 30, 2026 sharing instructions](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/15706445-how-to-share-a-scheduled-launch?ref=b2b-playbook) say scheduled launches are restricted to associated makers and te

Product Hunt's [sharing guidance](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2690626-how-do-i-share-my-post?ref=b2b-playbook) welcomes organic links and relevant discussion but rejects mass vote requests, rewards for votes, and coordinated vo

A later launch needs a new reason. The [July 7, 2026 relaunch guidance](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484934-can-i-relaunch-my-product?ref=b2b-playbook) calls for a significant update and generally a six-month gap for the same pr

The [homepage ranking explanation](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484938-how-is-the-homepage-ranked?ref=b2b-playbook) says ranking uses points and that one vote does not always equal one point. Product Hunt does not disclose all f

Use [Product launch](../02-product-marketing/product-launch.md) for the wider release plan, and [Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) to compare Product Hunt with othe

[Community](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/community) covers ongoing participation beyond a launch. [Creator partnership](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/c

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- [LinkedIn: retargeting](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a427551/retargeting?lang=en-US&ref=b2b-playbook) describes eligible interaction sources and member-preference limits.

[Paid social](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-social) · [Privacy and compliance operations](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/privacy-and-compl

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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Reviews and profiles may appear in search or answer-engine research. That is a reason for accuracy, not evidence that a listing or badge guarantees rankings, citations, or discovery in an AI assistant. Use [SEO and AEO](https://b2-b-playboo

Check the platform's eligibility rules rather than assuming only paying champions qualify. G2's guidelines allow trial or evaluation experiences, while noting that insufficient exposure may not pass moderation. That is not a promise that ev

The FTC's marketer guidance advises against soliciting only customers expected to leave positive reviews. It also warns that platform rules may be stricter than a general approach to incentives or connected reviewers. This is US guidance; a

The FTC explains that its rule does not prohibit every review incentive, but prohibits compensation conditioned expressly or implicitly on a particular sentiment. Disclosing an incentive does not make a five-star requirement acceptable. Oth

Capterra's published guidelines, updated May 4, 2026, identify incentive restrictions including public-sector employees and people whose employer policies prohibit accepting gifts. They describe incentive labeling as well. Do not infer that

Platform policies on reviewer-side assistance differ and can change. G2's current community guidelines permit generative drafting under specified identity-verification or submission conditions, while still requiring genuine experience and r

There is a documentation inconsistency worth knowing about: G2's Review Activity page still gives an unqualified rejection statement for generative-AI content. Its reviewer rejection help explicitly directs readers to the community-guidelin

G2's reviewer help describes verification, duplicate submissions, and other moderation reasons; it also allows users to keep identifying information out of the public display. Public anonymity therefore does not establish that a review is f

The FTC's marketer guidance cautions against using reporting mechanisms to remove honest negative feedback and against deceptive reputation-management services. Hiring an intermediary does not make the method unimportant. [FTC marketer guid

G2's current vendor-content rules distinguish reuse rights by content type and plan, and specify customer opt-in for reusing product reviews. Check the applicable terms for the exact asset; a customer email alone does not resolve the platfo

G2's badge documentation separates recognition from access to download and share assets. It says free profiles remain eligible for report recognition, while sharing most newly earned badges requires an upgraded profile; Users Love Us is an 

G2's scoring methodology describes software scores using Satisfaction and Market Presence components, with inputs beyond a simple star average, including review recency and volume. Its page was updated August 26, 2026. Do not reconstruct a 

G2 describes Buyer Intent signals from activities such as profile visits, comparisons, and alternatives research. Its documentation presents company-level insights and distinguishes company records from individual signal rows in exports. [G

For a paid test, use [Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/paid-media) to define costs, attribution limits, and the outcome window. Separate a directory's organic referrals from its paid plac

[Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strategy) helps decide whether a review platform deserves attention alongside other routes. [Paid media](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app

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Give the title a recognizable subject and a clear promise. Use headings that help someone find the part they need. Descriptive links are more useful than repeated “learn more” labels. Google also explains that result titles and snippets may

For duplicates, make the preferred URL consistent across your configuration. A canonical declaration is a signal, not an instruction that Google must obey. The declared and selected canonical can differ. Google's [canonicalization guide](ht

Be careful with JavaScript diagnoses. Google can execute JavaScript, so an initially sparse HTML response does not by itself prove that Google cannot read the page. Inspect the rendered result and relevant resources, rather than declaring e

Robots rules primarily manage crawling; they are not a security boundary. Google may know a blocked URL through links without crawling its content. Do not use robots.txt as a way to protect confidential information or assume it reliably rem

For Google, the current Search Console documentation describes a separate **Search generative AI** inclusion control, including inherited settings. It says the worldwide rollout completed August 31, 2026. That control concerns supported Sea

Google's current AI optimization guide says special AI markup is unnecessary and that llms.txt does not improve or damage visibility in Google Search. It also rejects a requirement to divide every article into tiny pieces. A readable long p

Structured data should have a specific, supported purpose. In particular, an old recommendation to add FAQ markup for a Google FAQ rich result is now outdated: Google's changelog says that feature stopped appearing from May 7, 2026. A helpf

Google's current **Generative AI performance report for Search** reports impressions for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Its help page says worldwide rollout completed August 31, 2026, while also retaining availability caveats, including insuffic

Bing's June 16, 2026 announcement describes expanded AI reporting for Microsoft Copilot, Bing, and selected partner experiences. Its **Citation Share** is the site's portion of citations for the same grounding query, not traffic share or a 

Google's spam policy addresses large-scale, low-value content made primarily to manipulate rankings, regardless of how it is produced. It does not say that every use of AI in writing is spam. The relevant question is what you publish and wh

Use [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md) to decide how this work fits the rest of your publishing. [Channel strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/channel-strateg

For evaluation content, continue with [case studies](../03-brand-story-and-content/case-study.md) and [white papers](../03-brand-story-and-content/white-paper.md). For public product descriptions and customer feedback, read [review sites](h

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

Companies House explained in its February 2024 account of expanded querying powers that incorrect information could still be accepted and published. This is a historical statement about register limitations, not a claim that the agency lack

The SEC's guide to reading a 10-K identifies the Business section as a place to understand products and markets, Risk Factors as a discussion of significant risks, and management discussion as the company's perspective on operating results.

Public availability does not resolve how information may be collected, stored, shared, or used for marketing. The ICO's B2B guidance says UK data-protection requirements can apply to identifiable business contacts, including information fro

Platform access rules matter separately. LinkedIn's help page prohibits software that scrapes or automates activity on its site. An extension being available does not establish that its use is permitted. [LinkedIn prohibited software guidan

NIST's Generative AI Profile describes confabulation as confidently presented false or erroneous output, including output that diverges from the supplied input. This is a known risk to manage, not a claim that every generated summary is wro

The separate [Buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/buying-signals) guide covers signal-led work. Treat fixed windows or scores as operating hypotheses to validate, not evidence of a specif

[Buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/buying-signals) focuses on changes that may affect timing. [Message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecti

[Contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data) addresses the contact route. [Account planning](../06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning.md) is the deeper shared record for a nam

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You need the underlying account brief, the contact route, or the email itself. Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research), [contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.

Email activity has its own measurement limits. HubSpot documents filtering for suspected bot activity, including privacy filters and corporate email screeners. An apparent open or click should therefore not be treated as proof that a person

G2, for example, documents signals from profile, pricing, comparison, and other research activity, with company-level insights. Its current documentation also describes broader platform coverage that can increase signal volume. A company-le

For the UK, ICO guidance explains that publicly available business contact information can still be personal data, and that public availability does not establish agreement to direct marketing. Applicable obligations depend on the data and 

Tracking has a separate review. In its UK guidance, the ICO says storage and access technologies used for online advertising, including associated tracking and profiling, require consent. Do not assume a visitor-identification script or a v

If the signal is interesting but the business connection remains unclear, return to [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research). If the change genuinely alters who the offer 

Once you have a plausible account and question, use [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit) to test whether the offer and language connect with the market. Then use [

For coordinated follow-up, read [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence). For the actual contact route, use [contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/pla

- [HubSpot: bot filtering in marketing email analytics](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/understand-bot-filtering-in-marketing-email-analytics?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the caution about machine-generated and privacy-related e

- [G2: Buyer Intent](https://documentation.g2.com/docs/buyer-intent?ref=b2b-playbook) documents the provider's signal definitions, company-level insights, and coverage changes. Product labels and suggested actions are the provider's interpr

- [ICO: business-to-business marketing](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the UK-specific distinction between public bu

- [ICO: online advertising and storage/access technologies](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guidance-on-the-use-of-storage-and-access-technologies/how-do-the-rules-apply-to-onl

- [ColdIQ GTM Skills](https://github.com/Cold-IQ/ColdIQ-s-GTM-Skills?ref=b2b-playbook) is retained as provenance for the earlier edition's signal-family and temperature vocabulary. This edition does not adopt fixed contact windows, a mandat

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The account is outside your intended market, the number is unsupported, or a restriction blocks the contact. Work through [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) and [con

Then confirm why the route is appropriate. A number that can ring is not proof of current identity or permitted use. Keep the evidence and uncertainties from [contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospe

The UK ICO describes screening live B2B marketing calls against TPS/CTPS and internal objections, with identification requirements and specific exceptions. Its page is currently marked under review. These are UK-specific considerations, not

In the US, the FTC's 2024 amendment expanded prohibitions on misrepresentations to B2B telemarketing. “Business call” therefore should not be treated as a blanket exemption from rules. Have your owner assess the applicable federal, state, c

In the UK, the ICO includes voicemail within its broad electronic-mail discussion; do not assume the rules for a live conversation automatically settle the voicemail decision. [ICO guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marke

AI-generated calls are a different workflow from a human using AI to prepare. The FCC's 2024 declaratory ruling classifies AI-generated voices as artificial voices under the TCPA. That does not make this guide a compliance assessment for an

Coordinate through [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence), including its stop rules, rather than adding attempts independently.

Use [contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data) to evaluate the route and maintain corrections. [Account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospe

The written channel has its own constraints: see [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email). Coordinate the overall account workflow with [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.m

For an agreed conversation, prepare through [sales enablement](../02-product-marketing/sales-enablement.md) and [demo](../02-product-marketing/demo.md). Teach these habits through [SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbook

- [ICO B2B marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook): UK calling and channel context; its under-review notice is mat

- [FTC March 2024 announcement](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/03/ftc-implements-new-protections-businesses-against-telemarketing-fraud-affirms-protections-against-ai?ref=b2b-playbook): the specific expansion of mi

- [FCC 2024 declaratory ruling](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-17A1_Rcd.pdf?ref=b2b-playbook): classification of AI-generated voices; not permission to operate an automated campaign.

- [30MPC's public cold-calling framework](https://www.30mpc.com/newsletter/the-ultimate-30mpc-cold-calling-framework?ref=b2b-playbook), published July 19, 2024: earlier editorial inspiration for a clear problem explanation and next step. It

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If the larger uncertainty is whether the audience understands and values the offer, start with [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit). This guide helps you execute a

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) for the brief and [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/buying-signals) fo

Another channel can be useful when it has a distinct, appropriate role: an agreed call, an introduction at an event, or a partner conversation that actually exists. Use [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05

Use [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit) to examine comprehension and relevance through a suitable learning method. Keep the observations separate from guesses abo

For personal Gmail accounts, Google's guidance distinguishes all-sender requirements from bulk-sender requirements. It specifies SPF or DKIM for all senders and SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for bulk senders, with additional requirements including o

Open and click measurements have their own limits. HubSpot documents suspected bot activity, privacy filters, and corporate screening effects in marketing-email analytics. Those measurements should not be treated as proof that an individual

**United States.** The FTC explains that CAN-SPAM covers commercial email, including B2B messages, not only bulk campaigns. Its guidance calls for accurate sender information and subjects, clear advertising identification, a valid physical 

**United Kingdom.** ICO guidance distinguishes corporate subscribers from sole traders and certain partnerships. Corporate electronic marketing does not require consent under that PECR rule, but identity and an opt-out address matter, and U

For the account and role behind the message, use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research). For timing, read [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/0

If buyers do not understand or value the offer, return to [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit). A channel-specific copy edit may not resolve that question.

For coordinated follow-up, continue with [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence). For a live conversation, use [cold call](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/pl

If you are still finding the first customers, use [first ten customers](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). When someone else takes over the work, [SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-

- [FTC: CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the selected US commercial-email requirements. It is not a complete cross-border legal revi

- [ICO: business-to-business marketing](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the UK distinctions between subscriber types,

- [Google: email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126?hl=en&ref=b2b-playbook) describes requirements and recommendations for personal Gmail recipients. It is not approval for a cold-email campaign or a guarantee o

- [HubSpot: bot filtering in marketing email analytics](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/understand-bot-filtering-in-marketing-email-analytics?ref=b2b-playbook) supports caution about interpreting email engagement measurements 

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You have not decided which accounts are relevant. Start with [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research); collecting names does not establish a reason to approach a business.

You need to write the first email or conduct the call. Use [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) and [cold call](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospe

A verifier's result is a technical assessment with limitations. Hunter's current documentation distinguishes valid, invalid, accept-all, and unknown results, and says verification cannot be certain because mailbox conditions can change. Acc

In the UK, the ICO explains that B2B personal-data use remains subject to UK GDPR, and that channel rules and subscriber types matter. Public availability is not agreement to direct marketing. Its guidance also describes screening live mark

In the US, the FTC says CAN-SPAM covers commercial B2B email and requires opt-out handling; hiring another company does not remove the sender's responsibility. That is not a worldwide permission rule or a complete assessment of your list. [

The ICO specifically recommends maintaining a suppression record rather than simply deleting all trace of an objection, so future lists can be screened. The operational design and retention still need appropriate review. [ICO B2B marketing 

Review source access as well as model output. LinkedIn prohibits unauthorized software that scrapes or automates activity on its service; an AI label does not establish authorization. [LinkedIn prohibited software guidance](https://www.link

Return to the account hypothesis and [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit) when appropriate.

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) to decide which company and work problem justify attention. [Buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-o

When the account, person, route, and intended use are ready, move to [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) or [cold call](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-a

[SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/sdr-onboarding) helps teach the review and correction habits to a new teammate. Browse [tools](../../TOOLS.md) only after defining the data task and t

- [Hunter verification FAQ](https://help.hunter.io/en/articles/15899247-email-verification-faqs?ref=b2b-playbook) explains its verification statuses and limitations. It supports the narrow technical discussion, not a vendor endorsement, ind

- [ICO B2B marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook) provides UK-specific context. Its under-review notice matters; 

- [FTC CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the US commercial-email scope and responsibility discussion. This article does not attempt a

- [LinkedIn prohibited software guidance](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a1341387/prohibited-software-and-extensions?lang=en&ref=b2b-playbook) supports the platform-access boundary, not a judgment about every third-party inte

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [ICO direct marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/?ref=b2b-playbook) is a UK-specific reference. Applicable requirements depend on jurisdiction, recipient, chan

[Account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) · [Contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data) · [Cold email](https://b2-

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [Google: email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126?ref=b2b-playbook) is the current primary reference for personal Gmail requirements. Other receiving providers have their own requirements.

[Contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data) · [Reply handling](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/reply-handling) · [Lifecycle email](https://b2

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

LinkedIn's current help page describes free messaging to first-degree connections, and other routes that may be available through Open Profile, certain message requests, or InMail. Availability depends on the relationship, settings, and pro

LinkedIn recommends invitations to people you know and trust, and notes that ignored, pending, or spam-marked invitations and excessive activity can lead to restrictions. Both Basic and Premium members are subject to limits. This guide does

The UK ICO includes social-media direct messages in its electronic-mail discussion and cautions that professional-network use may be in an individual's personal professional capacity, not simply as a corporate representative. Its B2B guidan

If another channel is part of an approved account plan, coordinate it through [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence). Make sure the next person can see prior m

LinkedIn prohibits unauthorized tools that scrape data or automate activity, including messaging, and its community policies address spam and inauthentic behavior. Human review of a draft does not make an otherwise prohibited sending tool a

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) and [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/buying-signals) to build a suppo

For another channel, read [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) or [cold call](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-call), and coordinate t

[Contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data) covers source quality, corrections, and restrictions. [LinkedIn organic](../04-channels-and-distribution/linkedin-organic.md) covers the s

- [LinkedIn messaging help](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a554575/send-messages-on-linkedin?lang=en&ref=b2b-playbook): available relationship and messaging routes; actual access depends on settings and product.

- [LinkedIn invitation restrictions](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a551012/types-of-restrictions-for-sending-invitations?ref=b2b-playbook): invitation guidance and restrictions, not a universal sending quota.

- [LinkedIn prohibited software guidance](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a1341387/prohibited-software-and-extensions?lang=en&ref=b2b-playbook): unauthorized automation and data-access boundaries.

- [LinkedIn Professional Community Policies](https://www.linkedin.com/legal/professional-community-policies?ref=b2b-playbook): professional conduct, authenticity, and spam boundaries.

- [ICO B2B marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook): UK-specific privacy and electronic-message context; under revi

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

You need the full positioning strategy, an individual account brief, or the mechanics of a channel. Use [positioning](../02-product-marketing/positioning.md), [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-p

A company headline can help with timing; it does not replace the audience definition. Read [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/buying-signals) when the question is whether a change creat

GOV.UK's interview guidance recommends open, neutral questions and concrete stories rather than general accounts of how things should work. That is useful discipline here, though its service-research guidance is not a validated B2B messagin

For an actual controlled experiment, Microsoft Research emphasizes a clear hypothesis, appropriate metrics, adequate statistical power, and a suitable randomization unit. Those principles help frame the design; the article does not establis

Likewise, a delivery status is not proof of attention. HubSpot documents suspected bot activity and privacy-related effects in email metrics, which is one reason opens and clicks should not stand in for human understanding. That documentati

For a specific account and its timing, read [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) and [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-pros

Once the audience and message hypothesis are clear, continue with [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) or [cold call](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-

For coordinated follow-up, use [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence). When another seller takes over, [SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/play

- [GOV.UK: using in-depth interviews](https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/user-research/using-in-depth-interviews?ref=b2b-playbook) supports neutral questions and concrete accounts of actual work. It does not establish a required number of in

- [Microsoft Research: pre-experiment trustworthiness patterns](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/articles/patterns-of-trustworthy-experimentation-pre-experiment-stage/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports hypothesis, metric, power, and random

- [HubSpot: bot filtering in marketing email analytics](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/understand-bot-filtering-in-marketing-email-analytics?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the limits of opens and clicks as human-attention evidenc

- [Clay: validating cold outbound offers and finding message-market fit](https://www.clay.com/blog/how-to-validate-cold-outbound-offers-by-finding-message-market-fit?ref=b2b-playbook) is retained as provenance for the earlier edition's outb

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

If your actual question is whether buyers understand and value the offer, start with [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit). If the first email itself is the problem

LinkedIn prohibits unauthorized automation and scraping, including bots that send messages or manufacture engagement. A vendor describing its tool as multichannel does not establish that its LinkedIn features are permitted. Review the actua

For example, UK ICO guidance distinguishes live calls, automated calls, electronic mail, and subscriber types. Live B2B calls generally require checking TPS, CTPS, and previous objections; social direct messages and voicemail can fall withi

For US commercial email, the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide covers B2B messages as well as bulk campaigns. It specifies truthful identification, required sender information and opt-out handling, including honoring opt-outs within ten business days. O

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) to establish what you know before approaching the account. Use [buying signals](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/0

For the written first approach, read [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email). If the offer itself still produces confusion, return to [message-market fit](https://b2-b-playbook.mintl

Next in this chapter is [SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/sdr-onboarding): how to teach a new operator the judgment, task handling, and handoff behind the sequence. [Sales enablement](

- [ICO: Business-to-business marketing](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/?ref=b2b-playbook) — UK channel and subscriber distinctions; the page sta

- [LinkedIn: Prohibited software and extensions](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a1341387/prohibited-software-and-extensions?lang=en&ref=b2b-playbook) — platform restrictions relevant to scraping and automated activity.

- [FTC: CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business?ref=b2b-playbook) — US commercial-email obligations, including opt-out handling.

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [ICO direct marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/?ref=b2b-playbook) is a UK-specific reference. Applicable requirements depend on jurisdiction, recipient, chan

[Cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) · [SDR handoff](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/sdr-handoff) · [Routing and SLA](https://b2-b-playboo

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [Salesforce: sales pipeline](https://www.salesforce.com/sales/pipeline/?ref=b2b-playbook) provides a general progression reference. The acceptance contract and example here are original operating guidance.

[SDR onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/sdr-onboarding) · [Buying committee](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee) · [Pipeline model](https://

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

You need the mechanics of a particular message or sequence. Use [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/cold-email) and [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-ou

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) to distinguish known account facts from hypotheses. A current job listing may suggest a relevant workflow; it does not prove a

Use the current [multichannel sequence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/multichannel-sequence) as the operating reference. A new channel needs a job and its own review; it is not a reward for finishi

GitLab's public [sales-development handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/sales/sales-development/?ref=b2b-playbook) provides a useful organizational example: it separates general onboarding, role-specific work, training, and manage

The US Institute of Education Sciences' [learning practice guide](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguide/1?ref=b2b-playbook) recommends spaced learning, worked examples paired with problem solving, and retrieval practice in educational s

Use [account research](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/account-research) to teach how an account hypothesis is built, [cold email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospec

Next in this chapter is [contact data](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/contact-data): how to check whether a contact record and route are accurate, appropriate, and usable before anyone acts on them.

Use [SDR handoff](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/sdr-handoff) for the acceptance contract, context transfer, and feedback loop. Converting a record alone does not complete the transfer.

- [GitLab: Sales Development handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/sales/sales-development/?ref=b2b-playbook) — an example of an organization documenting role-specific onboarding and manager responsibilities, not a performance benc

- [Institute of Education Sciences: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguide/1?ref=b2b-playbook) — educational guidance on learning and practice. Workplace applications here are

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- ICP is empty. Stay in [ICP](../01-strategy-and-buyers/icp.md). - You do not yet have ~10 matching customers. Handmade rings are [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need the 30/60/90 for one logo. That is [

- You do not yet have ~10 matching customers. Handmade rings are [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need the 30/60/90 for one logo. That is [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06

- You need the 30/60/90 for one logo. That is [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning).

**Tier first, then tactics.** Start by deciding how many priority accounts your team can realistically support this quarter. That gives you a practical limit for the program. Use [one-to-one ABM](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks

| Tier | What it is | Default resources | Stop if | |---|---|---|---| | **T1 · 1:1** | One account, one [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) | Named AE/CS + marketing hou

|---|---|---|---| | **T1 · 1:1** | One account, one [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) | Named AE/CS + marketing hours + optional [dinner](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlif

| **T1 · 1:1** | One account, one [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) | Named AE/CS + marketing hours + optional [dinner](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06

- Outbound sentences still need [message-market fit](../05-outbound-and-prospecting/message-market-fit.md). - Proof is a [case study](../03-brand-story-and-content/case-study.md) or comparison URL, not a new brand. - Field is a [dinner](htt

- Proof is a [case study](../03-brand-story-and-content/case-study.md) or comparison URL, not a new brand. - Field is a [dinner](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/executive-dinners) or [show](https://

- Field is a [dinner](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/executive-dinners) or [show](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/trade-shows) aimed at named seats.

- Partners sit in [ecosystem](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/ecosystem).

- [ ] A short signal list exists; inbound is not the only front door. - [ ] T1 count ≤ plans we will actually keep alive. - [ ] Every T1 has or will get an [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-par

- [ ] T1 count ≤ plans we will actually keep alive. - [ ] Every T1 has or will get an [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning). - [ ] T2 shares a problem, not only a vertical

- [ ] Every T1 has or will get an [account plan](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning).

- Personalized assets nobody sends. - Measuring MQLs from a tier-3 form. - Skipping [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) and running “plays” into a void.

- Skipping [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) and running “plays” into a void.

The file for one T1 logo is [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning). A small table is [executive dinners](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-a

- **Treat selected accounts as the market; coordinate marketing and sales; measure the account.** Public ITSMA / Bev Burgess account-based marketing definition, stated as a **method**, not as a membership or a book you must buy. Vendor orch

- Capacity-before-list and “T3 is not ABM” are this library’s judgments, paired with [account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) and [channel strategy](../04-channels-and-di

- Account-driven GTM as the **foundation** (TAM and ICP in the CRM, account + contact, signals, inbound as one signal not the only door; not “ABM the whole TAM”; not a substitute for brand) draws on Emily Kramer ([MKT1, 2025-02-12](https://

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Which logos deserve this file is [ABM strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/abm-strategy). Seats still live in the [buying committee](../01-strategy-and-buyers/buying-committee.md). Outreach ins

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- [FTC: endorsement questions and answers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking?ref=b2b-playbook) covers US endorsement and affiliate-disclosure guidance; the economics are illustrat

[Partner marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/partner-marketing) · [Referral program](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/referral-program)

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- [Microsoft: co-sell overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/referrals/co-sell-overview?ref=b2b-playbook) illustrates collaborative selling in one ecosystem. Its program rules are not universal partner requirements.

[Partner marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/partner-marketing) · [Sales enablement](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/sales-enablement) · [Customer onboarding

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- [Microsoft: co-sell overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/referrals/co-sell-overview?ref=b2b-playbook) illustrates collaborative selling in one ecosystem. Its program rules are not universal partner requirements.

[Partner marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/partner-marketing) · [Webinar](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/webinar) · [Content distribution](https://b

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- [ICO direct marketing guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/?ref=b2b-playbook) is a UK reference for assessing marketing data use. Gift and recipient rules need their own

[Account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) · [Executive dinners](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/executive-dinners) · [Contact res

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The flywheel, complement map, coverage/composition filters, win-win-win bar, and “start narrow then expand” sequence draw on Emily Kramer’s ecosystem growth guidance ([Lenny’s Newsletter, 2025-11-11](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/ecosy

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Define roles, run of show, account or audience experience, capture rules, escalation, and follow-up before launch. For exhibitor and conference execution, use the [trade-show playbook](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account

If the format is a booth, the spend split and follow-up live in [trade shows](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/trade-shows). If the format is a small, role-locked night, that is [executive dinners](h

This is an owner-maintained operating synthesis. The 40 / 20 / 40 allocation belongs in the specific [trade-show playbook](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/trade-shows), where it is presented as a he

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- The ICP cannot name who should sit down. Stay in [ICP](../01-strategy-and-buyers/icp.md). - Nobody is available to handle the promised follow-up. Arrange ownership before inviting people. - You need a booth. That is [trade shows](https://

- Nobody is available to handle the promised follow-up. Arrange ownership before inviting people. - You need a booth. That is [trade shows](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/trade-shows). - The goal i

- You need a booth. That is [trade shows](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/trade-shows).

Every name has a reason, a [account](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) note if they are named, and a why-them. Invite fewer than you want. A no from the right seat is better than a y

- [ ] [Event](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing) score still says host or attend.

- A fifteen-minute product slot “because we paid.” - One recap to the whole list. - Skipping [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing) and hosting because dinners are fashio

- One recap to the whole list. - Skipping [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing) and hosting because dinners are fashionable. - Calling a 40-person reception a roundtable

- Skipping [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing) and hosting because dinners are fashionable.

Whether the night should exist is [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing). A booth week is [trade shows](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-

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- [Salesforce Trailhead: account-based marketing](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/einstein-account-based-marketing/get-started-with-einstein-account-based-marketing?ref=b2b-playbook) provides the account-focused strat

[One-to-one ABM](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/one-to-one-abm) · [Segmentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/01-strategy-and-buyers/segmentation) · [Event marketing](https://b2-b-p

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- [Salesforce Trailhead: account-based marketing](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/einstein-account-based-marketing/get-started-with-einstein-account-based-marketing?ref=b2b-playbook) provides the account-focused strat

[ABM strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/abm-strategy) · [Account planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/account-planning) · [Buying committee](htt

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- [Microsoft: co-sell overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/referrals/co-sell-overview?ref=b2b-playbook) illustrates collaborative selling in one ecosystem. Its program rules are not universal partner requirements.

[Ecosystem](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/ecosystem) · [Co-marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/co-marketing) · [Channel marketing](https://b2-b-pla

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Use the [event-marketing playbook](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing) first to decide attend, sponsor, exhibit, or skip.

Same shape as [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/event-marketing): T1 account, champion booked, trigger = questionnaire losses, next step = working session with the operator, not a ba

The meetings you booked still need a story: [sales enablement](../02-product-marketing/sales-enablement.md). Whether a show should exist at all is [event marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/e

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- The alternative has never appeared in a win/loss note. Do not manufacture a rival for search volume. - Legal or brand has forbidden naming that company and you have not agreed a category-level frame instead. - You need the commercial numb

- You need the commercial number. That is the [pricing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page).

The number they will defend next is on the [pricing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page). The walk after they agree the job is [demo](../02-product-marketing/demo.md); the form that book

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- [Microsoft Research: diagnosing sample ratio mismatch](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/articles/diagnosing-sample-ratio-mismatch-in-a-b-testing/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports the experiment-integrity check; this workflow and example

[Experimentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/experimentation) · [Demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) · [Dashboards](http

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The walk itself is [demo](../02-product-marketing/demo.md). How short this form is allowed to be—and whether chat is a second queue—is [forms and chat](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/forms-and-chat). 

- Short decision forms, hand-raisers skipping the point ladder, and high-value URLs (pricing, demo) as routing—not “+1 per page view”—are already on [lead scoring](../09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/lead-scoring.md). - Open-text “How

- Open-text “How did you hear about us?” on **declared-intent** forms, with no leading suggestions, is the public Refine Labs method ([Attribution Mirage](https://www.refinelabs.com/blog/attribution-mirage?ref=b2b-playbook); hybrid framewor

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- [Diátaxis](https://diataxis.fr/?ref=b2b-playbook) is the primary source for the four documentation needs; implementation and review steps here are original.

[Website strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/website-strategy) · [Customer education](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-education) · [Self-

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- The path is a scoped walkthrough. That is [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request).

- The path is a campaign promise. That is a [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page).

**The form is as short as the intent, and chat is not a second demo queue.** If you cannot write what happens in the first hour after submit, delete the form. If chat cannot hand a scoped request to the [demo](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify

| Education / optional file | Work email, or nothing | Send the URL; do not notify sales | | Event / webinar | Email, name | Register; nurture state = known | | Hand-raise | [Demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-web

| Event / webinar | Email, name | Register; nurture state = known | | Hand-raise | [Demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) rules + HDYHAU | Human SLA | | Signup | What activation n

| Hand-raise | [Demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) rules + HDYHAU | Human SLA |

Default ungated for [comparison](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/comparison-page), category, and [white paper](../03-brand-story-and-content/white-paper.md). Gate a working file only if someone will us

- [ ] Every live form has a written job and owner. - [ ] Hand-raises use the [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) path, not a generic contact.

- [ ] Hand-raises use the [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) path, not a generic contact.

- HDYHAU dropdowns on newsletters. - Popup to “save the bounce.” - Building a new form per campaign instead of a [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page) with one door.

- Building a new form per campaign instead of a [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page) with one door.

The high-intent special case is [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request). Campaign URLs are [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/lan

This is an owner-maintained operating synthesis. Short-by-intent, progressive profiling, and high-value URLs as routing already live on [lead scoring](../09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/lead-scoring.md) and [demo request](https://b2-

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- Positioning is empty. Finish [positioning](../02-product-marketing/positioning.md) first. A prettier hero will not invent a category. - The work is one paid campaign’s promise. Use a dedicated [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify

- The work is one paid campaign’s promise. Use a dedicated [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page). Do not hijack `/` for a quarter’s ad.

The homepage introduces. It does not replace the [comparison page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/comparison-page), the [pricing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conve

A campaign click that must not land on `/` is a [landing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/landing-page). The commercial number on the site is the [pricing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/

The second pass (who it is for, what it is, why it is better, product type on the hero) draws on Emily Kramer’s homepage-copy guidance ([MKT1, 2022-11-28](https://newsletter.mkt1.co/p/homepage-copy?ref=b2b-playbook)). The paid homepage wire

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- The promise is the standing story. That is the [homepage](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/homepage).

| Traffic job | Door on this page | |---|---| | Capture (query, competitor, high-intent) | [Pricing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page), [comparison](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playb

|---|---| | Capture (query, competitor, high-intent) | [Pricing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page), [comparison](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/compa

| Capture (query, competitor, high-intent) | [Pricing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page), [comparison](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/comparison-page

Awareness register: email. Hand-raise: the [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request) rules (including HDYHAU if this *is* the hand-raise). Do not put a 12-field gate on a creation cl

The standing scan is the [homepage](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/homepage). The durable URLs a campaign should eventually earn are [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.m

This is an owner-maintained operating synthesis. Message match (ad promise = page hero) is standard paid-capture hygiene, not a Unbounce recipe. One door and kill dates are this library’s judgment, paired with [homepage](https://b2-b-playbo

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- [W3C: accessible forms](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports form usability and accessibility; gating strategy is original operating guidance.

[Forms and chat](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/forms-and-chat) · [Content distribution](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/content-distribution) · [Lead nurture

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The high-intent form that should skip the leisurely score ladder is [demo request](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/demo-request). The scan that must still work if they never open `/pricing` is the [hom

- **Show the number; unit in five seconds; three-to-five plans; summary then waterfall; no pop-ups; add-ons when use is minority; tabs do not discover the second product; unique-visitor conversion; contextual in-product upsells.** Distilled

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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- [Strategyzer: Value Proposition Canvas](https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-value-proposition-canvas?ref=b2b-playbook) provides a customer-job/value reference; the page structure is original guidance.

[Value proposition](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/value-proposition) · [Proof and claims](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/02-product-marketing/proof-and-claims) · [Pricing page](https://b2-b-

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

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- [Stripe Checkout documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/checkout?ref=b2b-playbook) is one provider-specific starting point. Follow its linked fulfillment guidance for implementation; the business workflow here is original.

[Pricing page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/pricing-page) · [Documentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/documentation) · [Customer onboarding](https://b2-b

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

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- [Nielsen Norman Group: journey mapping](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/journey-mapping-101/?ref=b2b-playbook) supports thinking in user goals and stages; this website planning workflow is original.

[Homepage](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/homepage) · [Product page](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/product-page) · [Documentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintli

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- There are no customers. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need the CS operating system for ICs. Write [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-mar

- You need the CS operating system for ICs. Write [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success) first; this ramp *uses* it.

- You need implementation clocks. That is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding).

Reset with Sales, Marketing, Product, RevOps: segmentation; renewal and upsell **homes** (same fight as [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success) and [sales compens

Visible, dated wins: a QBR shape run on **top** accounts; onboarding relaunch with milestones the customer already has in [onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/onboarding

**Support lead in a CCO title.** Tickets are a path; they are not the mandate. **Agency-in-week-two as strategy.** Partners can add capacity later; they do not replace seeing the book. Your network is not a substitute for [customer success]

The book those 90 days inspect is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success). First value is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-li

The 30 / 60 / 90 CS-executive verbs (audit the book and journey → charter, metrics, coverage → visible QBR/onboarding/health wins and cross-functional role) are distilled from a public CCO first-90-days mini-guide ([Kickstand / Pavilion Uni

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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- There is no CS job sentence. Write [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success) first.

- **Realization:** which object holds outcomes, milestones, TTV (see [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding)). Usage may feed it; usage is not it.

- **Relationship:** last strategic touch, next QBR, tier, owner. Cadence is a date, not a vibe. - **Renewal:** opportunity or equivalent, amount, date, stage language that matches [forecasting](../09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/fore

- **Risk:** the weekly at-risk list’s fields—why red, owner, next action. Champion-left, gone-dark, unpaid, expected vs surprise churn are **plays** on [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-custome

- Migrating unused Gainsight fields. - Treating vendor ARR claims as evidence your schema will work. - Building the workspace before [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/custome

- Building the workspace before [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success) names who owns renewals.

The jobs this record serves are [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success). Implementation clocks are [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbo

The four-job test (realization, relationship, renewal, risk) and the instruction that properties, workflows, and views must serve those jobs—or they do not belong—are distilled from a public operator landing page for a HubSpot CS workspace 

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [FTC: endorsements, influencers, and reviews](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/advertising-marketing/endorsements-influencers-reviews?ref=b2b-playbook) provides US guidance on honest endorsements and material connections; the partici

[Case study](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/case-study) · [Review program](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/review-program) · [Customer success](https:

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- [Mozilla Community Participation Guidelines](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/governance/policies/participation/?ref=b2b-playbook) is a public governance example, not a customer-community performance benchmark.

[Community-led growth](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/03-brand-story-and-content/community-led-growth) · [Customer education](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-education)

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

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- [Diátaxis](https://diataxis.fr/?ref=b2b-playbook) distinguishes learning-oriented tutorials from other documentation needs; lesson design and assessment here are original guidance.

[Documentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/07-website-and-conversion/documentation) · [Customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding) · [Customer 

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- There is no signed customer. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - The product is truly self-serve and the only job is an email series. Use [lifecycle email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/

- The product is truly self-serve and the only job is an email series. Use [lifecycle email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/lifecycle-email) for that communication—do not invent a profession

- You need the ongoing CS operating system. That is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success).

The ongoing book is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success). What they receive in writing is [onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playboo

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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1. Agreement signed; the facts CS needs are in the system of record (not only in the AE’s head). 2. Sales introduces the people who will live through onboarding, invoicing, and day-to-day. 3. CS (or implementation—see [customer onboarding](

2. Sales introduces the people who will live through onboarding, invoicing, and day-to-day. 3. CS (or implementation—see [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboard

3. CS (or implementation—see [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding)) owns kickoff, the project tool, and the success metric the customer already heard.

First value is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding); what they receive in writing is [onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbo

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- There are no customers. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need who owns the book. That is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/custo

- You need who owns the book. That is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success).

- You need the renewal clock. That is [renewal marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/renewal-marketing).

**Do not expand an account that has not realized the first purchase.** If launch is still open, or they cannot name the result, another SKU is how you create contraction. [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecy

Write the sentence [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success) already demands: *renewals live with ____; expansion lives with ____; they are paid on ____.* If both a

Do not email the whole customer list a new SKU. Segment on realization + trigger. A base-wide “what’s new” is [lifecycle](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) later—and even then it is education,

- [ ] Commercial owner is written and does not secretly fight CS pay. - [ ] Realization is visible in [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-workspace).

- [ ] Realization is visible in [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-workspace).

The clock that must not be a surprise is [renewal marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/renewal-marketing). The leak expansion must not hide is [revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mint

This is an owner-maintained operating synthesis. Realization-before-ask and “do not let expansion hide gross” are this library’s judgments, already implied by [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- They already raised a hand. That is [demo request](../07-website-and-conversion/demo-request.md) speed-to-lead, not a drip. - They are a customer. That is [onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycl

- They are a customer. That is [onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/onboarding-communication) or later lifecycle pages.

The pages you are allowed to send are [content strategy](../03-brand-story-and-content/content-strategy.md). The form that must not enter this stream is [demo request](../07-website-and-conversion/demo-request.md); how much a quieter surfac

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [Intercom: Series FAQs](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8780861-series-faqs?ref=b2b-playbook) illustrates platform-specific entry, exit, and re-entry behavior. Verify equivalent semantics in your own tool.

[Onboarding communication](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/onboarding-communication) · [Email deliverability](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/05-outbound-and-prospecting/email-de

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

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- There is no signed customer. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You still mix education and implementation in one job. Split that in [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/

- You still mix education and implementation in one job. Split that in [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding) first.

- The product is truly self-serve and the only job is in-app empty states. Do not invent a professional-services packet. Define the relevant states before configuring [lifecycle email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecyc

Before you talk: confirm the people who must be there (including IT if migration is real). On the call: introductions with roles and locations; timeline and intake due date; where help lives; their current process and the outcome they bough

Working file: [onboarding-welcome.md](../../templates/onboarding-welcome.md). The journey and clocks stay in [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding).

The work those messages sit on is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding). Who owns the book after handoff is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintl

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [FTC: endorsement questions and answers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking?ref=b2b-playbook) is a US reference for disclosing material connections where recommendations are endo

[Customer advocacy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-advocacy) · [Affiliate program](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/affiliate-program) · [SD

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- There are no customers or no terms. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md) or write the contract fields first. - Launch never happened. That is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbo

- Launch never happened. That is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding).

- You need expansion of a second job. That is [expansion marketing](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/expansion-marketing).

- You need the churn math. That is [revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/revenue-churn).

[CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-workspace) creates the renewal record N days out. Write N. Write who is notified. Write what “on track / at risk / save” means in one line ea

Cancel goes into [revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/revenue-churn) as gross. Use [win-back](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/win-b

- Price-change rule (early / none / exception): - What marketing is *not* allowed to send: - Where a no is recorded ([revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/revenue-churn)):

- Where a no is recorded ([revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/revenue-churn)):

- [ ] Renewal owner and pay are written on [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success).

- [ ] Date and risk are visible in [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-workspace).

The book is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success). The record is [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing

This is an owner-maintained operating synthesis. Horizon, value-before-commercial, and risk-as-human-path follow the four jobs already on [CS workspace](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/cs-wor

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

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- There are no customers. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need the weekly CS operating system. That is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-ma

- You need the weekly CS operating system. That is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success).

Gross up → product, onboarding, packaging, or ICP. See [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-onboarding) and [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/pla

Who runs the book is [customer success](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-success). First value is [customer onboarding](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-c

Gross vs net revenue churn, the five MRR movements, the warning that net can hide the leak, and negative net as an expansion property are distilled from a public metrics explainer ([ChartMogul, *Revenue churn*](https://chartmogul.com/saas-m

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [FTC: soliciting and paying for online reviews](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/soliciting-paying-online-reviews-guide-marketers?ref=b2b-playbook) provides US guidance; check the relevant platform and current applicable re

[Review sites](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/04-channels-and-distribution/review-sites) · [Customer advocacy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/customer-advocacy) · [Proof and cl

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [Intercom: Series FAQs](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8780861-series-faqs?ref=b2b-playbook) provides a technical example of re-entry conditions; the business eligibility and win-back method here are original.

[Revenue churn](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/revenue-churn) · [Lifecycle email](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing/lifecycle-email) · [Custome

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/08-lifecycle-and-customer-marketing) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [HubSpot: lead scoring tool](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/scoring/understand-the-lead-scoring-tool?ref=b2b-playbook) illustrates scoring records from actions and properties. The prioritization model here is original, not a required vendo

[Lead scoring](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/lead-scoring) · [ABM strategy](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/06-account-field-and-partner/abm-strategy) · [Buying signals](htt

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- There is no ICP and no number. Stay in [ICP](../01-strategy-and-buyers/icp.md) and [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning).

- You already picked the problem and need stages, gates, and recovery. That is [AI workflow](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/ai-workflow).

- You need a bake-off once the job is named. That is [MarTech governance](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/martech-governance).

When the bet is chosen, it becomes a row in the [experiment ledger](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/experimentation): hypothesis, decision, kill date.

| Problems killed because the math failed | Framework vs shopping | | Frontline still using the thing at day 60 | Adoption vs launch | | Experiment rows with a decision | Selection connected to [experimentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintli

| Experiment rows with a decision | Selection connected to [experimentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/experimentation) |

Where the motion sits on the ladder is [GTM AI maturity](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-ai-maturity). How the chosen job is staged is [AI workflow](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/

Problem-first selection, a full possibility set, payoff × probability versus organizational load, and adoption as the scarce skill are distilled from a public write-up of a use-case method ([Cannonball GTM, *The Five P’s Framework*](https:/

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- The problem is still a shopping list. Return to [AI use-case selection](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/ai-use-case-selection).

Human-in-the-loop on anything that leaves the company. The first ten live runs are a review, not a celebration. Candidate jobs that usually deserve this discipline: a pre-call brief, an inbound classification plus draft, a derivative-conten

- Building complex agent-to-agent arrangements before one workflow works reliably with human review. - Copying a fractional-consultant 90-day price ladder as your plan. - Building the workflow before [AI use-case selection](https://b2-b-pla

- Building the workflow before [AI use-case selection](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/ai-use-case-selection) names the problem.

The bet this workflow serves is [AI use-case selection](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/ai-use-case-selection). The ladder the company is on is [GTM AI maturity](https://b2-b-playbook.mint

Artifact-first stages (gates, collapse, recovery, attack-the-design) are distilled from a public operator worksheet ([Jason Hubbard / Sacred Loop, *AI Workflow Architect Worksheet*](https://substack.sacredloop.ai/p/ai-workflow-architect-wor

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- [Google Analytics: attribution](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10596866?ref=b2b-playbook) defines model-based credit allocation and current platform options; the three-touch arithmetic is a custom illustrative example.

[Measurement model](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/measurement-model) · [Experimentation](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/experimentati

[Chapter guide](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement) · [All playbooks](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks)

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/copyright).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- Strategy inputs are empty. Fill [marketing-strategy-inputs.md](../../templates/marketing-strategy-inputs.md) and [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning) first.

- You need who to hire for fuel vs engine. That is [marketing org](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/marketing-org).

- You need the weekly forecast call. That is [forecasting](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/forecasting).

Top-down without bottom-up is a number nobody can create. Bottom-up without top-down is a hobby. Put both on the table with [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning). If

Then reconcile: if leftover cannot fund the engines in the demand plan, cut scope, slip a hire, or change the revenue target. Do not keep the hire plan and the paid plan as if both were free. [Marketing org](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.a

Break the year into months. Put the summary next to the [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning) one-pager: revenue target, efficiency diagnostic you are steering to, h

- Top-down number and owner: - Bottom-up number ([GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning) reconcile):

- Bottom-up number ([GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning) reconcile):

- Locking paid and events before people. - Changing conversion cells so the budget “fits.” - Hiring plan from [marketing org](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/marketing-org) with no monthly

- Hiring plan from [marketing org](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/marketing-org) with no monthly cost.

Whether the funnel and the sales floor can meet is [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning). Who sits in the seats is [marketing org](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app

Iterate budget with top-down and bottom-up forecasts, start with a range from efficiency diagnostics, **split total CAC** into marketing vs sales, **model headcount by month** at fully loaded cost, then allocate the remainder and reconcile 

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).

Canonical source: [github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook)

- The founder still sells the first logos. A company calendar is costume. Stay in [first ten](../01-strategy-and-buyers/first-ten-customers.md). - You need the weekly sales meetings. That is [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.m

- You need the weekly sales meetings. That is [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/sales-operating-cadence).

- You need next year’s demand vs capacity math. That is [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/gtm-planning).

- You need the budget and monthly headcount that follow that plan. That is [budget and planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/budget-and-planning).

- [ ] One shippable rock is named for the next strike. - [ ] The strike sits in month two, not on the close. - [ ] Weekly sales meetings still follow [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipel

- [ ] The strike sits in month two, not on the close. - [ ] Weekly sales meetings still follow [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/sales-operating-cadence)—this page 

- [ ] Weekly sales meetings still follow [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/sales-operating-cadence)—this page did not absorb them.

The weekly sales clock is [sales operating cadence](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.app/playbooks/09-operations-pipeline-and-measurement/sales-operating-cadence). Whether the year can close is [GTM planning](https://b2-b-playbook.mintlify.ap

The two-system picture (sales–finance vs product–marketing), quarterly rocks rather than endless sand, a mid-quarter lightning strike, offsetting close and launch, January 31 as an optional year-end, and the 50–500 employee window draw on D

Copyright © 2026 Ivan Xu. All rights reserved. See the [copyright and reuse terms](https://github.com/weilun88313/B2B-Playbook/blob/main/LICENSE).