We hosted our first ever virtual event in September, a Founder Led Sales Bootcamp. For our first crack at this, it was a huge success. As we prepare for our next iteration of this event in February, I wanted to share a more detailed rundown of why we started this in the first place, what we learned from the first one, and what to expect for our next one. Let’s go!
Why we started the bootcamp
We started Amplify to provide a high-touch, all-in-one sales + marketing + RevOps solution, tailored to meet the specific needs of B2B SaaS startups that are Pre-Seed to Series B. And while our high-touch model has been very successful, some startups aren’t ready for that model yet either from a maturity or budget standpoint. But they still need help. And we love to help. So the bootcamp was born.
Structured as a 5-day virtual masterclass on all things Go-To-Market for startups where we covered -
- GTM Fundamentals - Building a GTM strategy, the importance of brand, improving targeting & positioning, and more.
- Inbound 101 - A full review of all things inbound - marketing, PR, content, SEO etc. Plus, some tips to get started on a budget.
- Outbound & Nearbound 101 - How to build targeted lead lists, design outbound campaigns, build and activate strategic partnerships, and more.
- RevOps - An overview of all key RevOps components - people, process, and technology + the key metrics you need to measure (including what 'good' metrics look like). And also, how to build your first sales playbook.
- Staffing & Talent - An overview of the different sales, marketing, and success roles, staffing options, and costs. Plus, recruiting tips, and how to set your team up for success.
We created the content as a fast-track for founders and their core team’s to get up to speed on the basics of GTM and better understand their options, including how to plan and budget for scaling their technology, operations, and team. We wanted to create something that was reasonably priced, value packed, tactical and action oriented while still being scalable for our team to deliver.
What we learned
Overall, it was a huge success given it was our first run of show. And we like to practice what we preach…so we solicited as much feedback as possible from our first group of participants to find areas for iterative improvement. Good, better, best.
What we did well -
- The participants liked the virtual format and the condensed 5-day schedule. They preferred the fast pace of our program to many other bootcamps that are 4-6 weeks long.
- The content was cited as being ‘high value’, ‘tactical’, and ‘practical’. Boom. Exactly what we wanted.
What we could improve -
- The title being ‘Founder Led Sales Bootcamp’ gave some people the impression that if you aren’t a founder, it’s not for you. Which is not what we wanted. It’s totally applicable for anyone who works at a startup (or aspires to) and wants to learn more about GTM.
- While we believe the value delivered was absolutely a steal for $1,999 - it was too rich for a lot of people. Maybe forever, maybe until we have a bit more social proof, but noted.
- We hosted the bootcamp through a platform called Circle, and not everyone loved having to use yet another tool. Especially one they weren’t familiar with.
- A few participants felt overwhelmed by the number of tools we were recommending.
- A few folks requested smaller 'mini' courses versus the all-in-one GTM bundle.
What to expect for our next bootcamp
So we took ALL that feedback in and made a few changes. Our next bootcamp will be in February 2024, and…
We're making a few changes
- We’re rebranding it to GTM Bootcamp for Startups - a more inclusive title.
- We’re reducing the price to be more affordable and approachable to a broader audience. If you sign up before the end of the year, it’s only $299!! And if you sign up after Jan 1, 2024, you’ll pay the new list price of $499.
- We made the first bootcamp available on-demand, and the first day’s content is absolutely FREE. So people can get a zero-risk taste of what to expect before investing. The rest of the on-demand content is available for a-la-cart purchase, each day is sold separately for added flexibility.
- We’re also introducing a MONEY BACK guarantee. If you pay for the bootcamp and you don’t get the value you expected, we’ll give you a refund. No risk, baby.
- If you retain Amplify for consulting services in the future, we’ll apply the cost of the bootcamp to your first invoice.
Format wise, we’re maintaining the 5-day length, but we’re changing the way we deliver the content during the 5 days a little. Download the full course syllabus here.
- Day 1 & 5: GTM Fundamentals & Building your dream team - 90 mins of formal instruction on-demand + a 30 min live Q&A
- Day 2-4: Inbound 101, Outbound & Nearbound, and RevOps - We’re breaking each of these days into 2 live sessions. In the morning we’ll review the ‘what’ and ‘why’ in a formal instruction format and then in the afternoon we’ll review the tactical ‘how’, which will include technology demos. We think breaking these days up and carving out the tools and demo piece will make the information more digestible.
Who should attend?
- Pre-Seed to Series A stage startup founders and their team members who want to learn more about GTM fundamentals to accelerate your revenue growth.
- Individuals that aspire to work at an early stage startup and want to increase their knowledge to increase their odds of success.
Our promise
By the time you finish the bootcamp you will feel -
- Educated on all GTM fundamentals. You'll know what all the jargon actually means.
- Better equipped to hire resources for your GTM efforts - either agencies, freelancers, or employees. You'll know what skill set you actually need, what these folks should be doing, and how to hold them accountable.
- Better equipped to budget for said resources ^^. You'll know what the market cost is for a copywriter, an SDR, a PR agency etc.
- Ready to get started in a scrappy way with a small budget and lean team - and still see results.
Still on the fence?
- Remember, you’ll be backed by a 30-day money back guarantee.
- Watch the first module from our last bootcamp for FREE here to get a taste.
- Check our of 5 star public G2 reviews here.
- Join our free webinar on Dec 19th to learn more about the live event.
We deeply appreciate the cohort of students who joined the first bootcamp. We are forever grateful for their participation and candid feedback.
