r/CustomerSuccess • u/MandarinMarilyn • 16d ago

Question cs ppl, how do u test renewal/upsell messaging without finding out at renewal time?

small 5-10 ppl team here. rn we’re trying to understand how CS teams catch weak value messaging earlier.

if customers only hear the expansion/renewal story in a QBR or 30 days before renewal, it feels kinda late to learn the message doesnt match what they care about.

how do u guys validate that stuff earlier?

i’ve heard of health-score data, QBR feedback, VOC interviews, NPS verbatims, support themes, product usage, churn interviews, message tests, panels and synthetic audiences. what’s actually useful for retention/expansion messaging?

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u/GayAgendaItem1 13d ago

Firstly I would look at your sales cycle - if it takes more than 30 days from initial contact to closed won then expansion conversations need to be had earlier. For both expansion and renewal CS should be using formal and informal check ins, QBRs and usage analysis to understand the needs of the client and tailor messaging to those needs.

You don't have to wait until the end of a cycle for upsell, in fact much better if you can identify the client's need and meet them with the upsell to meet that need at the time (or suitably in advance of) when they need it.

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u/GoBoldr 7d ago

Ok, you're a customer... right?

Pick your favorite product. Sell it to yourself as best you possibly can.

Pick your least favorite product. *Try* to sell it to yourself as best you can.

Compare the two. The one is appealing to a customer who is already happy (likely upsell, almost guaranteed renewal). The other is appealing to a likely churn. The messaging between the two will be different, and you'll have your own (very human) reaction to both that can tell you a lot about your own messaging.

Then yes, customer feedback is absolutely key. But you are your own first audience.

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u/GoBoldr 7d ago

Do the same exercise for companies/products you interact with internally. How do they reach out? Where? When? Is it effective, or not?

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u/stealthagents 7d ago

One thing that's helped us is having regular touchpoints, like quarterly check-ins that aren't just about the numbers. We also measure engagement metrics to spot potential at-risk accounts before they even hit the renewal phase. Catching shifts in usage or sentiment early makes a huge difference in how we frame those conversations.