At York IE, we’re committed to giving our portfolio companies access to the best minds in the industry. That’s why we regularly bring in top-tier speakers such as Amy Kramer, Level Equity’s GTM Operating Group, to share real-world insights on what is working for B2B tech companies in today’s market.
Amy leads GTM strategy for dozens of growth-stage companies and recently analyzed survey data across 28 startups for. Her insights, which appear in Level Equity’s annual Go-to-Market Report for 2025, are part benchmark, part playbook, and 100% relevant for early- and growth-stage operators trying to make smart decisions with lean resources.
Here’s our favorite five things we learned:
Outbound Is Getting Harder: Here’s What Still Works
According to the data, it now takes twice as many prospects to book a meeting as it did in previous years. The reason? Buyers are overwhelmed by outbound noise, especially now that AI has made mass outreach easier. But the solution might not be more tools. It might be fewer.
Amy’s tip: Companies that continue to use cold calling as part of their outreach cadence consistently book more meetings, even if those meetings ultimately convert over email. Human connection still matters, especially in a sea of automation.
Multi-Channel Nurture Drives Results
Companies using multi-touch nurture programs such as email, paid ads, in-app prompts, and self-guided demos saw:
- More web traffic
- 28% more meetings booked
- Shorter sales cycles
- Twice as many reps hitting quota
Personalization by persona and vertical is key. With AI, you can now customize and scale content faster than ever.
Retention Wins Start with Customer Tiers
Companies that used multiple customer engagement models (dedicated, pooled, reactive, and scalable) saw higher gross and net retention. Amy recommends:
- Tiering customers based on spend and growth potential
- Offering more frequent, dedicated support to high-value customers
- Using pooled or reactive models for lower-spend customers to conserve resources
Price Increases Are More Effective with the Right Role
Companies that used dedicated account managers to handle renewals and expansions achieved average price increases of 9%, compared to 4% when handled by CS or AEs.
Why?
- CS leaders often focus on value delivery rather than commercial conversations
- AEs should prioritize net-new revenue instead of renewals
- Dedicated AMs can specialize in expansion strategy
Maximize Your Existing Tech Stack
Amy advised against adding new technology too early or without a clear plan.
- Many companies invest in tools they don’t fully use
- A CRM alone isn’t enough if it’s not integrated into workflows
- Build manual processes and segmentation frameworks before investing in platforms like CSM tools
- Take advantage of AI features already built into platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce before adding new solutions
Final Bonus Thought: Align Your Message to Your ICP
Your Ideal Customer Profile should influence everything, from sales targeting to customer success. Poor-fit customers often lead to churn, while a strong ICP match leads to higher lifetime value and smoother onboarding.
