From Zero to High-Ticket B2B Clients: How SoftLi Launched in Just 2 Months

🧩 Client & Context

SoftLi is a tech startup developing MES software that enables manufacturing companies to monitor production efficiency 24/7.
Their audience: production and technology directors in manufacturing firms — a niche with high-ticket deal sizes in the tens of thousands of euros.
When we started, SoftLi had no leads, empty pipeline, and no clients. This was a ground-up go-to-market launch.

🎯 Goals

• Build brand visibility in the local manufacturing ecosystem.
• Enter top-of-mind awareness with production directors.
• Kick off the product launch with a working sales pipeline.

📊 Baseline Metrics

• Leads / pipeline size: 0
• Conversions / revenue baseline: 0 (complete launch phase)

⏱️ Timeline

• Marketing kick-off: early December 2022
• First event (Brunch Meeting): early April 2022
• First measurable results: within 2 months of the event

⚙️ Strategy

To move a zero-pipeline startup into paying customers quickly, we designed a focused go-to-market playbook:

• Exclusive Brunch Meeting → positioned as a VIP event with the theme “Digitalization of Manufacturing.”
• Multi-channel outreach → LinkedIn, email, and partner databases, hitting multiple contacts per company.
• High-frequency follow-ups → touchpoints every week, sometimes daily, to keep the event top of mind.
• Credibility through partners → co-hosted with Lipo.ink and the Chamber of Commerce.
• Bold, disruptive branding → unified visuals and a flagship claim: “MES you can deploy in 24 hours.”

🛠️ Execution

• Database: 162 production directors from 69 companies.
• Outreach: LinkedIn + direct email, persistent follow-ups, tracked in a central template.
• Event delivery: keynote presentations, real-life demo of SoftLi, bold messaging around 24-hour deployment.
• Offer: free 1-month trial of SoftLi MES for all attendees.

📈 Results (2 months after event)

• Event sign-ups: 32 (from 19 companies).
• Attendees: 19 (from 14 companies).
• Mailing list growth: 19 opt-ins.
• Follow-ups: 5 meetings → 5 demo installs.
• Conversions: 2 paying clients, both high-ticket, representing tens of thousands of euros in value.
• Conversion rate: 14% of attendees closed as new clients.

💡 Key Insights

1. Consistency and recency win → intensive outreach cadence led to a high show-up rate.
2. Blueprint for future events → process became the model for SoftLi’s ongoing marketing.
3. Disruption drives engagement → bold claims provoked strong reactions that turned into sales opportunities.
4. Sales-marketing synergy was crucial → immediate follow-ups by sales accelerated conversions.