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Foundation
When we first connected with Playbook, it was clear they were building something groundbreaking: The Company AI, a platform that lets organizations automate their rules, workflows, and compliance processes with precision and safety.
Trusted by brands like Deloitte and Laborie, Playbook had already proven its value in helping enterprises align operations with regulations.
But behind the strong product was a young company of about 25 employees, led by founder and CEO Dr. Nikolai Wessendorf. Despite having a stellar platform, Playbook had one key challenge: they weren’t doing outbound outreach.
They had no consistent system for cold outreach, and their growth relied too heavily on inbound opportunities and referrals.
Playbook wanted to expand aggressively into new markets, particularly South Africa’s MedTech, Pharma, and Biotech startup ecosystem. They knew that waiting for clients to come to them would slow them down.
That’s where ColdIQ stepped in.
The challenge
The problem wasn’t the product. It was the pipeline.
- No outbound motion → Playbook had never invested in a structured outbound engine.
- Market expansion goals → they wanted to break into South Africa’s fast-growing MedTech and Pharma sectors.
- Limited internal capacity → with a lean team, they couldn’t afford months of trial-and-error experimenting.
- Lack of tools → before ColdIQ, Playbook had “no outbound” setup at all: no scrapers, no sequencing tools, no prospecting system.
On top of this, they needed a process that was scalable, compliant with their high standards, and aligned with their brand’s credibility.
The process
We started with the basics: setting the foundation for a repeatable cold outreach engine.
1. Building the tech stack
ColdIQ introduced a set of tools tailored for efficiency and scale:
- WebScraper + ScrapeStorm for data collection
- Clay for enrichment and segmentation
- Instantly for running automated outreach campaigns
In short, we equipped Playbook with a modern, no-nonsense outbound toolkit they could run on day one.
2. Crafting the message
We worked closely with Playbook to develop offers that resonated.
The winning approach? Targeting prospects in their native language, highlighting how Playbook could eliminate compliance bottlenecks and streamline operations.
This subtle personalization created instant trust.
3. Launching and testing
Rather than over-engineering, we launched quickly. Within weeks, we ran the first campaigns, iterated on copy, and tested segments.
Every week, ColdIQ checked in with Playbook’s leadership to review progress, fine-tune messaging, and track goals.
4. Tracking and scaling
We didn’t just hand over templates. We built a system.
Playbook’s team learned how to monitor performance, adjust targeting, and keep their pipeline healthy.
Over nine months, this became a well-oiled machine. As Nikolai put it:
The outcome
The results spoke for themselves.
- 20 opportunities in just 20 days (Nov launch) → proof that the system could deliver immediate ROI.
- Over 300 positive replies → building a strong, qualified pipeline of MedTech and Pharma startups.
- Consistent deal flow → no longer dependent on referrals or inbound only.
- Confidence in outbound → Playbook’s team now had the tools, processes, and skills to run outbound on their own.
But the biggest win was cultural. A team that once hesitated to do outbound now saw it as a growth engine. Outreach became part of their DNA.
Lessons & Looking forward
This project reinforced a key ColdIQ belief: outbound doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right system, you can go from “zero” to results in weeks.
For Playbook, three things made the biggest difference:
- Strong offer-market fit → tailoring outreach in the prospect’s own language built trust quickly.
- Fast iteration → launching quickly instead of chasing “perfect” campaigns delivered early wins.
- Scalable system → with the right stack, Playbook’s team now has a repeatable process for future markets.
Looking ahead, there’s an exciting opportunity: promoting webinars and industry events as part of their outreach. Instead of just booking meetings, Playbook can use outbound to build thought leadership and pull entire ecosystems into their orbit.
Final word
In just 9 months, ColdIQ helped Playbook turn outbound from a missing piece into a competitive advantage. They now have a bleeding-edge cold outreach system, delivering consistent opportunities and fueling growth.
If you want to build a predictable outbound engine that delivers real pipeline fast, book a GTM Strategy Call with ColdIQ today. Let’s design your next growth breakthrough.
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