New market launch that hit pipeline targets in 90 days
Strong in DACH, starting from zero in the US
This European SaaS company had built a profitable business across the DACH region. They had product-market fit, solid retention, and a proven sales motion. When their Series A investors pushed them to expand into the US market, they realized their existing playbook would not translate.
Their ICP was defined for European buyers. Their messaging referenced GDPR compliance and European regulatory nuance. Their outbound sequences were written in a tone and cadence that worked in Germany but felt off in the US. And their HubSpot instance was configured for a single-market, single-language operation.
The board wanted a US pipeline target hit within 90 days. They had no US-based sales team, no localized content, and no market-specific infrastructure.
- ICP validated only for DACH market — US buyer profiles were assumptions, not data
- No US-localized messaging, case studies, or competitive positioning
- Outbound cadences designed for European buying culture — different pacing, different norms
- HubSpot configured for single-market ops — no multi-region pipeline, no timezone-aware sequences
- Zero inbound presence in the US market — no SEO, no content, no brand awareness
- Board target: generate qualified US pipeline within first quarter
Build the GTM machine before hiring the team
We worked with the founding team and their first US-based hire to build the complete go-to-market infrastructure for US market entry — ICP, messaging, outbound sequences, CRM configuration, and attribution — before scaling spend or headcount.
Discovery
Ran a competitive landscape analysis of the US market: 12 direct competitors, pricing models, positioning, and channel strategies. Interviewed 8 existing US prospects from their waitlist. Analyzed the DACH win/loss data to identify which value propositions would translate. Mapped the US buyer journey differences (shorter cycle expectation, higher competitive pressure, different compliance concerns).
Design
Built the US ICP with firmographic, technographic, and intent data criteria. Defined 3 buyer personas with US-specific pain points. Wrote US-market positioning and messaging (not a translation — a rebuild). Designed a multi-channel outbound strategy: email sequences, LinkedIn touchpoints, and event-triggered plays. Architected the HubSpot multi-region setup.
Build
Built 6 outbound sequences in HubSpot Sales Hub with timezone-aware send scheduling. Created US-specific email templates, LinkedIn message frameworks, and call scripts. Configured a separate US pipeline in HubSpot with stage definitions matching the shorter US cycle. Built a prospect list of 2,400 qualified accounts using Apollo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and intent data from Bombora. Set up UTM tracking and attribution for all US channels.
Launch
Launched outbound in 3 waves over 6 weeks, testing messaging variants and sequence structures. Ran A/B tests on subject lines, send times, and value propositions. Trained the first US AE on the playbook, the sequences, and the qualification criteria. Built a daily metrics dashboard tracking open rates, reply rates, meetings booked, and pipeline created.
Optimize
After 60 days, doubled down on the two highest-performing sequences and retired three. Refined ICP criteria based on actual meeting-to-opportunity conversion data. Added an inbound content play targeting the top 5 US search terms identified during the competitive analysis. Built the repeatable playbook the team now uses to onboard every new US AE.
Q1 target hit in 90 days with one AE
The company hit their US pipeline target on day 87 — three days early — with a single account executive running the playbook. The meeting-to-opportunity conversion rate exceeded the DACH benchmark by 8 percentage points, proving the messaging and ICP work had landed.
- €2.1M in qualified pipeline — generated from outbound alone in the first 90 days, exceeding the board target by 15%
- 90 days to target — from zero US presence to a functioning sales pipeline with predictable weekly meeting flow
- 34% meeting-to-opportunity rate — well above the 20-25% industry benchmark, reflecting tight ICP definition and relevant messaging
- 3 closed-won deals in the first quarter, totaling €340K ARR, with 7 more in late-stage pipeline
- Outbound reply rate of 11.2% across sequences — 3x the cold outbound industry average
- The playbook was codified and used to onboard two additional US AEs in Q2
- Inbound content started generating organic US traffic within 8 weeks of publish
We almost hired a US sales leader and told them to figure it out. Instead, Checkpoint built the entire GTM infrastructure first, and we handed the new AE a working playbook on day one. We hit our pipeline target before the quarter ended. That is the difference between strategy and execution.
Entering a new market?
Let’s talk about building the GTM infrastructure first — so your first hire walks into a working system, not a blank canvas.
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