Jeff Ignacio sits down with Brett Hovanec to discuss practical RevOps strategies across the funnel—from top-of-funnel lead management and MQL frameworks to post-sale customer success operations. Brett shares his journey into consulting, common challenges in data integrity, and tactical approaches for improving both marketing-to-sales handoffs and retention strategies.
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Key Takeaways
Consulting Journey & On the Fly Ops
Brett launched his own RevOps consultancy after realizing he could deliver the same value as larger firms.
His focus spans diagnostics, process mapping, and aligning sales and marketing teams.
Top-of-Funnel Priorities
Start with data integrity—remove duplicates, ensure accurate fields, and maintain clean records.
Clearly define ICP and lead qualification criteria.
Map handoff processes and avoid overlapping life cycle stages.
MQL Frameworks & Lead Scoring
Use clear criteria like email domain filtering and behavior-based actions.
Align marketing and sales definitions in joint workshops.
Build a lead scoring system with enrichment, weighted factors, and iterative optimization.
Lead Status & Nurture Strategies
Keep statuses simple (e.g., New → Attempted → Connected → Qualified → Nurture).
Use nurture sequences tailored to lead value and reason for deferral.
Post-Sale & CS Operations
Invest in onboarding, retention, churn prevention, and health score design.
Align sales and CS expectations with tools like deal rooms for smooth handoffs.
Focus on a crisp “unboxing” experience for new customers.
Churn & Retention Tactics
Early value realization within 90 days is key to reducing churn.
Offer full-featured trials to showcase product value.
Use targeted incentives for at-risk customers while avoiding predictable discount cycles.
Advice for GTM Leaders
Deeply understand your ICP, life cycle stages, and retention/churn strategies—these are enduring frameworks that will outlast short-term trends.
Notable Quotes
“If your data is dirty, nothing else works—start there.”
“MQL definition needs sales and marketing in the same room to agree on the rules.”
“Your onboarding is your product unboxing—make it seamless and memorable.”
Connect with Brett on LinkedIn.
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