Beyond the Hunt: Fueling Sustainable Enterprise Sales Growth

Posted on August 24, 2024 Updated on July 19, 2025

The software start-up world is obsessed with “Hunters” – salespeople laser-focused on landing new customers. Job boards are overflowing with companies in “growth phases,” desperate for new logos. Understandably, the revenue from each new customer can mean a 10-20x multiple in company valuation in the VC-fueled race toward an exit. But what happens after the deal closes? Is that frenzied growth sustainable?

The Long Game: Profitability and Sustainability

My experience leading a large business unit and running my own company has taught me that sustainable growth requires more than just a flood of new logos. Here’s why:

1. Cash flow is King: Lines of credit can vanish overnight (remember Silicon Valley Bank?). Relying solely on external funding is a risky approach.
2. Not All New Business is Good Business: Unprofitable accounts, high-churn risks, and customers with limited growth potential can drain your resources faster than you can acquire them. Efficiency matters for scalability.
3. Profits Drive Long-Term Growth: Organic, profit-fueled growth, especially when driven by innovation, creates a much more resilient and valuable business.

The Power of the Hybrid Sales Model

To achieve sustainable growth, you either need an extensive and fully integrated organization that seamlessly transitions from the sale to implementation (not many companies are able to accomplish this), or a hybrid sales team that excels at both hunting (50-70%) and farming (30-50%). Landing a new customer is hard work, but retaining and growing them is just as challenging and crucial. Customer acquisition costs are often too high to justify losing a customer only a year or two after the initial win. Treating new customers like assets (instead of commodities) is essential to long-term success.

Mastering Strategic Accounts: Turnarounds and Growth

Large, strategic accounts—Tier 1 companies with strong brand recognition and significant revenue potential—present unique challenges. In my experience, these accounts often fall into two categories: those I initially closed and then grew (ideal, as you have already laid the foundation for success), and those I inherited in a neglected state and had to turn around.

Turnarounds require a unique skill set. They demand as much time and sometimes even more effort than landing a new logo, blending aspects of both hunting and farming. It takes commitment, skill, patience, and effort to understand an organization and find new ways to deliver value. Relationships and trust take time to develop, and in this situation they are in question (or worse).

Case Study: From Churn Risk to Multi-Million Dollar Expansion

Take, for example, a large Financial Services company I inherited when their Strategic Account Manager left. The account had been neglected for two years and was riddled with problems. We lacked executive relationships and higher-level visibility within the organization. They were evaluating competitors, and we knew nothing about it! Even though they were an existing customer, we were the underdog.

I organized a day-long on-site meeting to understand their pain points. We identified immediate issues, shared our vision for the future, began building trust, and demonstrated our commitment to their success. Following this, we spent a few hours getting to know the team over dinner. It was an eye-opener for me, with them providing more information about their needs and how best to approach them.

The result? Within three months, I closed a $500K expansion deal, followed by a $500K consulting engagement and then a $3.25M two-year cloud expansion and upgrade prepay deal. My team and I rebuilt the relationship, solved critical problems (even going beyond our product scope), and provided a clear path forward with our AI-powered platform. I became a trusted advisor who was valued by their executive team. It was a true win-win.

The Bottom Line: Building a Sustainable Sales Engine

Install base growth and customer retention is critical for long-term success, especially with larger customers. The approach has to be multi-dimensional. It is a team effort, and the Account Executive is the quarterback. Relationship management, customer success teams, support, and services all play a role. Effective communication is bi-directional, where the customer has insight into what is coming down the road and input into the direction of products they rely on. This becomes a true partnership that adds significant value to both organizations.

Does this hybrid approach apply to every company? If you’re IBM or Oracle, your offerings are broad and deep, and your customers are largely locked-in. “Land and expand” is part of their DNA. And if you’re selling end-of-life products, your focus might shift towards maximizing the “long tail” through customer success and services to minimize costs and maximize profitability.

However, for most growth-stage Cloud and SaaS companies, the hybrid sales model is an essential part of their success.

Call to Action:

• Evaluate your sales team structure and compensation plans. Do they incentivize both new customer acquisition and ongoing account growth?
• Invest in training and development for your sales team. Equip them with the skills needed to excel at both hunting and farming. It can be a difficult transition, but is worth it in the long run.
• Need help building a high-performing hybrid sales team or turning around strategic accounts? Let’s connect!