Trent Dressel

Tech Sales Instructor

If you're interested in starting a career in tech sales, I'm the instructor at CourseCareers where I put together the most in depth course teaching people how to break into tech sales without a degree or previous experience required. You can use this link to start the free introduction course if you want to learn more: https://coursecareers.com/trentdressel

Lead generation for B2B with cold email | Clay [Club] lead in Bucharest | GTM advisor

Great sales expertise in software sales, mostly in marketing and financial tech. Been working with different industries including retail, construction, furniture, agriculture, and horeca.

Building exceptional knowledge and relationships in those industries.

Well-versed in managing the full sales cycle. Most frequent persona: C-level, VP, Directors, and managers.

Great listening skills, empathic and a natural problem solver. Customer obsessed.
10+ years of experience in building relationships with cross-functional colleagues on internal or external teams

Alex Baldovin

People think you need a team to scale an agency.

I just hit $460K in revenue with zero employees.

No hiring headaches. No payroll stress. No management overhead.

Just a solid partner network and the right tech stack.

Here's exactly how I did it:

1. Partner Network Over Payroll

I built relationships with specialists instead of hiring full-time staff.

→ Designers
→ GTM engineers
→ Content creators
→ Technology partners

They handle their expertise. I handle the client relationship.

Everyone wins, and I'm not stuck managing people.

2. Project Management Tools

Google Drive keeps everything organized:

→ Client briefs
→ Project timelines
→ Deliverable tracking
→ Partner assignments

One source of truth means nothing falls through the cracks.

3. Communication Stack

Slack for partners. Loom for client updates.

I record quick videos instead of writing long emails.

Clients love the personal touch. Partners get clear direction.

Everything's documented without endless meetings.

4. Automation Layer

n8n connects my entire workflow:

→ New client? Auto-creates a project in Google Drive
→ Invoice paid? Triggers partner payments
→ Project complete? Sends feedback form

I spend time on strategy, not admin work.

5. GTM tools

Data tools:
→ CompanyEnrich, Ocean.io, and Prospeo.io
Email infrastructure:
→ Luella, Maildoso, Mailforge - Cold Email Infrastructure 📈

Sequencers:
→ Instantly.ai, Smartlead, Woodpecker.co

CRM:
→ HubSpot (the one and only)

LLMs:
→ Anthropic, OpenAI, Perplexity, Grok

The secret sauce:
→ n8n, Serper, Apify, Trigify.io, Warmly, OutboundSync, RevyOps

And Clay for data orchestration

I know exactly what's coming in and going out.

No surprises. No cash flow issues.

The math is simple: $460K revenue, 30% to partners, 70% profit.

That's $322K in my pocket without managing a single employee.

You don't need a team to scale.

You need the right people in your corner and systems that work while you sleep.

I've built 50+ GTM strategies in the past 2 years.

And Claude has been the foundational tool to make that happen

This is how I'm setting up my Claude projects:

(to win clients and compress timelines)

1. Create a doc with:

→ Your GTM process stories
→ Strategy session transcripts
→ GTM landscape observations
→ Customer insights from discovery calls
→ Skills and tactics that drive the pipeline
→ Client questions about market positioning
→ ICP notes: pains, objections, buying triggers

Label each category. This is your "GTM Strategy Guide".

2. Set up your AI workspace:

→ Create a custom Claude Project
→ Upload your GTM Strategy Guide (the doc)
→ Upload this post's infographic as "guidelines."

3. Prompt it:

[Use all this information for context. I need you to understand it deeply because this is going to be the base for everything we build from now on]

4. Turn a topic into a full strategy (bonus prompt):

Ask your AI to use the "GTM Strategy Framework" from the infographic.

Disclaimer:

The first draft won't be perfect.

Use the "GTM Strategy Checklist" to validate it (or refine manually).

5. Here's how to improve it:

→ Be specific: ICP, pain point, channel, outcome
→ Focus on one thing: one market, one message, one motion
→ Rewrite positioning: test with real prospects, cut jargon
→ Ask: Does this move pipeline? Rebuild around that

6. Want more from one strategy? Try:

→ "Turn this into a 90-day launch plan"
→ "Rewrite this for a product-led motion"
→ "Make this work for enterprise vs. SMB"
→ "Add AI automation to compress the timeline"

You don't need more GTM frameworks.

You need a system that ships.

PS. Personally, I still validate every strategy with real customer calls, but this cuts discovery time in half :)

---

Useful? Follow Alex Baldovin to keep getting this type of stuff.

"I don't know how to do cold email in 2026."

Let's solve that problem here and now:

Level 1: Deliverability Foundations

→ Use a mix of mailbox providers
→ Monitor sender reputation and bounce rates
→ Use multiple domains to protect your main domain
→ Warm up domains properly before sending volume

Level 2: List Building Mastery

→ Build your entire TAM audience
→ Segment target audiences based on your offer
→ Verify emails before sending to reduce bounces
→ Segment lists by industry, role, and pain points

Level 3: Personalisation at Scale

→ Research prospects using AI tools and social profiles
→ Reference specific company news or achievements
→ Customise opening lines for each segment
→ Use dynamic variables beyond just first names

Level 4: Copy That Converts

→ Write subject lines that get opened (not clickbait)
→ Keep emails under 100 words. Short and crisp
→ A/B test everything: subject lines, CTAs, and body copy

Level 5: Follow-Up Sequences

→ Send 2-3 follow-ups per prospect (most replies come after email 1)
→ Space follow-ups 3-5 days apart
→ Change angles with each follow-up
→ Know when to stop and move on

Level 6: Multi-Channel Outreach

→ Combine email with LinkedIn connection requests
→ Add phone calls for high-value prospects
→ Engage with prospects' content before reaching out

Level 7: Automation Without Robotics

- Use tools like Instantly or Smartlead for sending
- Set up conditional logic based on engagement
- Automate follow-ups but keep replies human
- Monitor campaigns daily and adjust in real-time

Level 8: Compliance and Ethics

→ Follow CAN-SPAM and GDPR regulations
→ Include clear unsubscribe options in every email
→ Respect opt-outs immediately
→ Build reputation through value, not spam

Level 9: Revenue Attribution

→ Track replies, meetings booked, and deals closed
→ Calculate cost per meeting and ROI per campaign
→ Optimise based on conversion data, not just open rates
→ Scale what works, kill what doesn't

Completed all levels?

Now you know.

"I don't know how to get positive replies from outreach".

I hear it all the time.

You need a system that's easy to follow.

Here's mine:

→ Listen to what your audience actually wants.
→ Understand what looks like a really good deal.
→ Add a bit of context to personalize your message.
→ And there's your offer.

Research. Personalize. Connect. Test. Repeat.

Works for founders, sales teams, marketers, you name it.

Following this does 2 things for your outreach:

1. It shows you actually understand their business
2. It makes them want to reply instead of delete

Most people skip step one and wonder why they get ignored.

They blast generic messages about what they sell.

But your audience doesn't care about your product.

They care about their problems.

Spend 5 minutes researching before you hit send:

- Check their LinkedIn posts
- Look at their company's recent changes or launches
- Find the gap between where they are and where they want to be

Then write a message that speaks directly to that gap.

That's how you get replies.

PS. Want more systems like this? Click follow.

Don't confuse buying software with solving problems.

I saw this pattern over and over.

A business adopts Clay , Instantly.ai, HeyReach.io, and because everyone says they need it.

They're excited. They move fast.

But nobody sets up reporting, attribution, master lists, or synced do-not-contacts.

Three months later, they can't answer basic questions:

- Which channel actually drives revenue?
- What's the real ROI on this tool?
- Should we double down or cut our losses?

The willingness is there. The execution isn't.

Here's what I've learned:

Speed without measurement is just expensive guessing.

Most SMBs have the data, but can't connect it to decisions.

It's just not in one place.

Here's how to fix it:

1. Set up tracking before you launch

Create a tracking plan that answers: 

What actions matter? 
What defines success? 
Where will we measure it?

Don't launch a tool until you can track its impact.

2. Build attribution from day one

Tag every lead source in your CRM. 
Connect your tools to a single source of truth.
You need to know which channel brought in each deal.

3. Create a weekly reporting rhythm

Pick 5 metrics that matter. 
Track them every week in the same place.
Revenue by channel. Cost per lead. Tool ROI. Close rate.

4. Sync your do-not-contact lists

Build a master suppression list. 
Sync it across every tool you use.
DNC list synced across every channel.

5. Review and cut ruthlessly

Every quarter, ask: Is this tool paying for itself?
If you can't prove it with data, cut it.

The best operators don't just move fast.

They move fast with clarity

Everyone talks about engagement.

But most skip the conversion part because it's not that great. 

I turned 4592 profile views into 18 qualified calls in the last 30 days.

Here's the exact system:

Step 1: Track who's watching

Most people waste time chasing cold leads. I don't. 

I post, they engage. Then I use Warmly, and Trigify.io to capture the signal.

The result? I only reach out to people already paying attention.

Step 2: Score and segment

Every visitor goes into Clay for automatic scoring.

I get the demographics: company size, tech stack, and recent activity. Then segments them into 3 tiers based on fit.

Tier 1: Decision-makers at target accounts
Tier 2: Right role, wrong timing
Tier 3: Nurture only

I only reach out to Tier 1 and 2. No wasted effort.

Step 3: Personalised outreach

Tier 1 gets a personal video message referencing their exact engagement.

Tier 2 gets automated sequences through Instantly.ai

By the time they respond, they already know what I do.

The framework:

Post → Track → Score → Reach out

18 calls from 4592 views because I stopped guessing and started tracking.

If you're looking to implement something like this, DM me "Track".

How to convert social engagement.

I just hate networking events, cold outreach, pushy sales approaches…

Yet, this is what I do for a living.

And I've connected with many industry leaders in GTM.

Small talk drains my battery.
Conference mixers make me want to hide in the bathroom.
"Let's grab coffee" feels like a root canal.

But I've built relationships with people I once thought untouchable.

Here's what I learned after 5 years of making content and avoiding the "dreaded" network functions:

Stop networking. Start teaching.

My 3-step system:

Step 1: Create content consistently

You don't need to chase clients non-stop
Just keep posting good, valuable content. They'll know where to find you.

Your content is your signal.

I started teaching what I knew.
Cold outreach. Pricing. Business. Branding.

I built a community on Linkedin. 
(next on X, Instagram and Youtube)

Slowly, at first. Like molasses slow.

But I didn't let the numbers discourage me.

Then, one day, people started showing up in MY comments.
Sharing MY posts.
Connecting ME to other people.

Eventually, my "heroes" didn't feel so far away.
The teacher becomes the magnet.

Step 2: The 1-9-90 Rule

For every 1 person you want to meet:
• Comment meaningfully on 9 of their posts
• Do this for 90 days

Not "Great post!" garbage.
Add to the conversation.
Challenge respectfully.
Share a related story.

When you finally DM them, you're not a stranger.
You're the person who's been adding value for months.

How do I know this works?
It works on me. I notice people who show up in the comments.

Consistency beats charisma.
Build the relationship slowly, so when you show up, it's not ice cold.

Step 3: Building your small circle

Introverts thrive in small, curated environments.
So I'm creating my own.

Started a mastermind. 8 people max.
Building an online friendship. Async connection.
Strangers became friends.

The result?

Conversations with industry titans.
6-figure business.
Brand partnerships.

The introvert's superpower isn't overcoming introversion.
It's designing systems that work WITH it.

You don't need to work the room.
Let the room come to you.

I'm seeing a pattern in what's driving my growth.

It's not one thing. It's a mix.

→ 25% visuals
→ 50% information
→ 25% warm outreach.

Here's why each piece matters:

1. Visuals (25%)

People scroll fast. A clean visual stops them.

The reaction I'm looking for: "Oh, this looks nice."

It's not about being a designer. It's about creating a pattern interrupt that makes someone pause for 2 seconds.

2. Information (50%)

This is where you earn the save.

I focus on frameworks, breakdowns, or step-by-step processes people can actually use.

The reaction: "I'll save this, need to try later."

When someone saves your content, you're staying top of mind without being pushy.

3. Warm Outreach (25%)

This is the part most people skip.

I reach out to people who engaged with my content or are already in my network.

Not cold. Not salesy. Just: "Hey, saw you liked the post on [topic]. Curious if you're working on something similar?"

The reaction: "Hey, I was thinking about this, let's talk."

The strategy works because each piece feeds the next.

→ Visuals get attention.
→ Information builds trust.
→ Outreach drives conversation.

If you're looking to implement something like this. My Dm's are open.

I'm seeing a trend in AI skill-building that I hate.

"Learn Claude, here's Lovable, Cursor can code better."

Here's what nobody's telling you:

You don't need to learn every AI tool that drops.

You need to learn the ones that:

1. Gives your time back.
2. Makes you more money.

That's it.

I see people spending hours learning:

→ AI image generators (when they don't create visual content)
→ Complex automation tools (when they have no workflows to automate)
→ Video AI (when they don't make videos)

They're collecting skills like Pokémon cards.

Meanwhile, their actual work isn't getting easier or more profitable.

Here's the filter I use:

Does this tool new skill helps me:

1. Get more accurate work, faster?
2. Automate redundant manual stuff?
3. Help me create a new service line?

If it's not a clear yes to at least one, I skip it.

Examples that passed my filter:

→ Claude Projects: Trained AI on my frameworks
→ n8n: Manual workflow automation
→ Ideogram: Visual branding feeling

I ignored dozens of other "must learn" tools.

My output is still multiplied.

The FOMO is designed to keep you distracted.

Stop chasing every new release.

Start asking: "Will this make me more time or more money?"

If not, move on.

Focus beats FOMO every time.

If you post over 3 times a week on LinkedIn and sell B2B, you NEED to see this

Valley V4 just launched and it's replacing the entire 6-tool workflow everyone's been struggling with. Instead of PhantomBuster → Clay → ChatGPT → HeyReach, Valley automatically finds your LinkedIn profile viewers, qualifies them against your ICP, and sends personalized outreach.
 
Every single day. The pilot users are seeing 47% reply rates (vs 8% for cold outreach).

See what Zayd Syed Ali built 👇

Founder & CEO, Valley | The Smartest LinkedIn Outbound Engine | 2x Exits | Angel & LP

🚨 🚀 Today, we're launching the biggest ever update to Valley! 



Making us the first Warm Outbound Platform for LinkedIn.

Think: LinkedIn native signals + incredible personalized message execution. All in one.

Here's the difference:

Cold outbound = Blasting strangers who've never heard of you
Warm outbound = Reaching people already showing interest in your company

Someone viewed your profile yesterday. Engaged with your post. Followed your company page.

They were interested. They were warm.

And you had no idea.

By the time you noticed - if you noticed at all - they moved on. Talked to your competitor. Became someone else's closed deal.

This happens dozens of times a week.

Most teams do one of two things:
→ Hire a $150k GTM engineer to build it themselves
→ Spend months in "tool-stack hell" with 7+ different tools

We built Valley to replace that entire mess.

Here's what happens now:

Every day, Valley automatically:

✓ Captures your profile viewers, post engagers, and followers
✓ Qualifies them against your ICP (no more messages to competitors)
✓ Researches each prospect across 60+ data points
✓ Writes messages in your exact voice
✓ Sends them on LinkedIn
✓ Notifies you when someone responds

The results from our pilot:
47% average reply rate (vs 8% for cold)
4x more meetings booked

One-time setup. Zero manual labor. No GTM engineer required.

You just keep showing up on LinkedIn, and Valley handles the engine for you.

Companies like Bolt , UiPath, Warp, Stub Hub, and Bennie are already using Valley to build 8-figures in pipeline.

Valley will actively find the leads who already know you, reach out, and win the deal.

Comment "Sure" and I'll have the team send you a special discount code + lock your price in and help you get this up and running asap.


Jeff Becker Roslyn Jin David Kaye Raed A. Masri Mussadiq Lakhani Adam Caplan Chris Minor M.S John Pleasants Christopher Denny-Brown Dan Green ♻ Chris Stone Jeff Ruby Matt Loop Munish Gandhi Kyle Poll Dan H. Romy Newman Kevin Gillies Kyle Stout Aaron N. Mike Weir Nicholas DeMarinis Garrett Marker Michel Lieben 🧠 Alex Vacca 🧠🛠️ Luke Shalom Marc Gaudett

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The Battle

Trent Dressel

Alex Baldovin

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance ScoreAlex Baldovin's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Trent Dressel

Alex Baldovin

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Alex Baldovin's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreAlex Baldovin's LinkedIn Performance