GTM Audit Findings & Recommendations
Cosine Design | Prepared by Lotic Digital | January 2025
Get Started
Executive Summary
Cosine is a Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm specializing in hospitality and restaurant spaces.
Over five years, the company has built an impressive portfolio and reputation—generating approximately $1.5M in annual revenue almost entirely through referrals. The engagement catalyst: leadership recognizes that referral-dependent growth is unpredictable and wants to systematize revenue generation through proactive outbound and strategic nurture.
Key Findings:
  • No systematic outbound exists—cold prospecting has "effectively stopped"
  • Existing contacts receive no ongoing nurture beyond ad-hoc personal outreach
  • A detailed sales flow exists on paper but lacks automation infrastructure to execute
  • No automation layer exists to execute the detailed sales flow already documented
  • The team has strong closing ability (70%+ win rate) but insufficient pipeline volume to fuel growth

Bottom Line: Cosine closes at an exceptional rate but lacks the systematic lead generation and nurture infrastructure to fill the funnel predictably. Implementing the recommended systems could generate an additional $300K-$500K in annual pipeline within 12 months.
Current State Assessment
Business Overview
Cosine is an architecture and interior design studio focused on hospitality spaces—restaurants, bars, food halls, and multi-unit concepts. Founded in Chicago, the firm has grown to a point where it regularly works with both emerging operators and established multi-unit groups. The team includes ownership (Matt Schroeder), a Head of Business Development (Tommy Doyle, 4 years with the company), and operational support.
Revenue Model: Project-based design fees with engagements ranging from $60K for smaller projects to $700K+ for complex multi-unit rollouts. The typical project lands in the $70K-$150K range.
Target Market: The ideal client is a hospitality operator—either a first-time restaurateur with capital and vision, or a multi-unit operator (3+ locations) looking to systematize their design approach. Adjacent targets include real estate developers with hospitality components and franchisors seeking design partners for expansion.
Current GTM Motion
Today, Cosine generates business almost exclusively through referrals. As Tommy noted, "We don't have an outbound infrastructure. We've never done it. Everything has been referral-based." When referrals come in, they're handled manually—Tommy or Matt personally manage each relationship through introduction, discovery, proposal, and close.
Sales Process:
  1. Referral introduction or inbound inquiry
  1. Intro meeting (relationship building, qualification)
  1. Discovery meeting (project scoping)
  1. Proposal development and presentation
  1. Contract negotiation and close
  1. Onboarding and project delivery
70%
Win Rate
From introduction to close—an exceptionally strong conversion rate that indicates the team excels at relationship-driven selling
2-52
Sales Cycle
Weeks - highly variable depending on client timeline and project complexity
Existing Systems & Tools

Important: The team has explicitly stated they want to build their GTM infrastructure in Airtable, not migrate to another platform. This aligns with their existing data architecture and preferences. All recommended systems will be built on an Airtable + Make.com + Clay stack.
The team has a comprehensive sales flow documented (the 2025 Sales Flow PDF reviewed during this audit), which maps out stages, sequences, and touchpoints in detail. However, as Matt acknowledged, "We have a decision tree of exactly what we want executed... but no method of deployment."
What's Working
Strong Closing Ability
A 70% win rate is exceptional. The team clearly excels at consultative selling and relationship building. This is not a sales skills problem—it's a pipeline volume problem.
Clear Process Vision
The sales flow document demonstrates sophisticated thinking about client journeys, nurture sequences, and touchpoint cadences. The strategic architecture exists; it simply lacks technical implementation.
Relationship Depth
Cosine has built genuine relationships with past clients and referral partners. As Tommy described, "They don't ever want to lose clients that they've built those relationships with." This relationship equity is an asset waiting to be systematically activated.
Gap Analysis

The Underlying Pattern: Cosine has sophisticated GTM thinking but zero execution infrastructure. The team knows what they want to do—they simply lack the systems to do it at scale. Growth is happening despite the absence of systems, not because of them.
Opportunities Identified
Opportunity 1
Database Reactivation System
Problem Solved:
Hundreds of past clients and contacts sit dormant with no systematic touchpoints, leaving significant revenue on the table from people who already know and trust Cosine.
How It Works:
Automated multi-touch sequences re-engage past clients based on project completion date, last interaction, and segment. Touchpoints include value-add content (portfolio updates, design insights), project anniversary check-ins, and soft reactivation asks. The system tracks engagement and surfaces warm responses for personal follow-up by Tommy or Matt.
Expected Impact:
Database: ~400+ past contacts (clients, near-misses, referrers)
Conservative reactivation rate: 5%
Reactivated conversations: 20
At 70% close rate: 14 projects
At $100K average: $1.4M potential pipeline
Even achieving a fraction of this potential represents significant upside from an asset Cosine already owns.
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Basic email sequences, simple time-based triggers, client self-manages ongoing
  • High end: Multi-channel (email + LinkedIn), AI-personalized messaging, full management, continuous optimization, Airtable integration with engagement scoring, warm lead alerts
Effort Level
Medium
Timeline
3-4 weeks
Priority Tier
Quick Win — leverages existing relationships, fastest path to revenue
Dependencies:
Airtable data cleanup/structuring, email domain warming (2 weeks parallel), content assets for value-add touchpoints (portfolio updates, design insights)
Opportunity 2
Cold Outbound Engine (Clay-Powered)
Problem Solved:
No systematic way to reach prospects who haven't yet interacted with Cosine, leaving growth entirely dependent on referral timing.
How It Works:
Build targeted prospect lists using Clay for enrichment—identifying hospitality operators, multi-unit groups, and real estate developers. Enrich with company details, decision-maker contacts, and personalization data (recent news, expansion signals, hiring patterns). Feed into sequenced outreach via Lotic's proprietary sequencing platform with personalized messaging that reflects Cosine's brand voice.
Expected Impact:
Target
100-200 enriched prospects/month
Response Rate
5-10% (industry benchmark for well-executed outbound)
Conversations
5-20/month generated
Projects
At 70% close rate: 3-14 projects/month

Conservative annual impact: $500K-$1.5M additional pipeline
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Single channel (email only), basic personalization, templated messaging, client manages list building
  • High end: Multi-channel (email + LinkedIn), deep personalization with Clay enrichment, AI-generated icebreakers, full campaign management, ongoing list building and optimization
Effort Level
High
Timeline
4-6 weeks (includes domain warming)
Priority Tier
High Impact — requires more setup but delivers predictable pipeline generation
Dependencies:
ICP definition finalized, email domain infrastructure (secondary domains, warming), messaging and value proposition crystallized, Airtable integration for lead handoff
Opportunity 3
Trigger-Based Outreach System
Problem Solved:
Missing time-sensitive signals that indicate a prospect is actively in-market—job postings, press coverage, funding announcements, or expansion news.
How It Works:
Monitor target accounts and personas for trigger events using Clay, Google Alerts, or specialized tools. When a hospitality company posts a job indicating expansion (operations manager, new location GM), receives press coverage, or shows other buying signals, the system generates personalized outreach referencing the specific trigger. This "right message, right time" approach dramatically increases response rates.
Expected Impact:
2-3x Higher Response Rates
Trigger-based outreach typically achieves 2-3x higher response rates than cold outreach
Proactive Positioning
Positions Cosine as proactive and informed rather than generic
Natural Conversation Starters
Creates natural conversation starters that feel relevant, not salesy
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Manual trigger monitoring with semi-automated alerts, basic notification system
  • High end: Fully automated trigger detection, AI-generated personalized outreach, multi-signal correlation, priority scoring
Effort Level
Medium
Timeline
2-3 weeks
Priority Tier
Strategic — amplifies cold outbound effectiveness
Dependencies:
Target account list defined, trigger criteria established, outbound infrastructure in place (builds on Opportunity 2)
Opportunity 4
Referral Partner Nurture System
Problem Solved:
Valuable referral relationships (branding agencies, marketing firms, contractors, real estate brokers) receive inconsistent attention, leaving referral flow unpredictable.
How It Works:
Systematic touchpoint sequences for referral partners—value-add content sharing, project completion notifications, periodic check-ins, and reciprocal referral opportunities. The system ensures no partner relationship goes cold while tracking referral attribution to identify and reward top sources.
Expected Impact:
2-3x More Frequent Referrals
Referral partners who feel valued refer 2-3x more frequently
Casual to Active Conversion
Systematic nurture converts casual connections into active advocates
Partnership Intelligence
Attribution tracking reveals which partnerships deserve more investment
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Basic email sequences, quarterly touchpoints, simple tracking
  • High end: Multi-channel engagement, event-triggered outreach, referral portal, co-marketing automation, gift integration
Effort Level
Low
Timeline
2-3 weeks
Priority Tier
Quick Win — high ROI with minimal complexity
Dependencies:
Referral partner list compiled and segmented, content assets for partner-specific communications
Opportunity 5
Sales Flow Automation (Airtable + Make.com)
Problem Solved:
The detailed 2025 Sales Flow exists on paper but requires manual execution for every touchpoint, leading to dropped follow-ups and inconsistent client experience.
How It Works:
Implement the existing sales flow using Airtable as the database and Make.com as the automation engine—automated sequences for each stage transition, task generation for manual touchpoints, pipeline stage automation, and reporting dashboards. Email sequences deploy via Lotic's proprietary sequencing platform. The system executes the vision already documented while freeing Tommy and Matt to focus on relationship activities rather than administrative follow-up.
Key Sequences to Automate (from Sales Flow PDF):
  • Intro Circle Back (3 emails, 3 weeks)
  • Discovery Sequence (3 emails, 2 calls, 6 weeks)
  • Proposal Review Sequence (3 emails, 1 call, 2 weeks)
  • Warm Nurture sequences (Keep Momentum, Thinking of You, Annual Regroup)
  • No-show recovery sequences
Expected Impact:
Zero Dropped Follow-ups
Eliminate dropped follow-ups (estimated 10-15% of opportunities lost to follow-up gaps)
Consistent Experience
Consistent client experience at scale
Time Savings
5-10 hours/week of manual follow-up work
Pipeline Visibility
Pipeline visibility and forecasting capability
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Core sequences implemented, basic pipeline automation, standard reporting
  • High end: Full sales flow implementation, custom Airtable views and interfaces, advanced Make.com workflows, gift tracking integration, Vision & Insight scheduling automation
Effort Level
High
Timeline
6-8 weeks
Priority Tier
High Impact — transforms execution capacity
Dependencies:
Airtable structure optimization, sequence content creation, team training
Opportunity 6
Newsletter & Content Automation
Problem Solved:
Newsletter and content distribution is irregular, limiting brand presence and nurture touchpoints.
How It Works:
Systematize content production and distribution—regular newsletter cadence (suggested: monthly), automated content repurposing (project spotlights, design insights), and segmented delivery based on audience type (clients, prospects, partners).
Expected Impact:
Consistent Brand Presence
Consistent brand presence keeps Cosine top-of-mind
Nurture Touchpoints
Content serves as nurture touchpoints across all audiences
Intent Signals
Newsletter engagement signals buying intent for sales follow-up
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Template setup, basic scheduling, manual content creation
  • High end: Content strategy, AI-assisted content creation, automated project spotlights, engagement tracking and lead scoring
Effort Level
Low
Timeline
2 weeks
Priority Tier
Nice-to-Have — supports other systems but lower direct revenue impact
Dependencies:
Content assets (portfolio images, project stories), newsletter list cleanup
Opportunity 7
Gift Tracking & Automation
Problem Solved:
Gift-giving is part of Cosine's relationship strategy (documented in sales flow) but lacks systematic tracking and automation.
How It Works:
Integrate gift tracking into Airtable—automated triggers for gift occasions (project milestones, anniversaries, thank-yous), vendor integration for fulfillment, delivery tracking, and follow-up sequence activation post-gift.
Expected Impact:
Consistent Execution
Consistent execution of relationship gestures
No Missed Occasions
No missed occasions
ROI Tracking
Gift ROI tracking (can correlate gifts to referrals/repeat business)
Investment Range:
What Drives the Range:
  • Low end: Airtable tagging and reminders via Make.com, manual vendor ordering
  • High end: Full automation with vendor API integration (Sendoso or similar), automated delivery follow-up, attribution tracking
Effort Level
Low
Timeline
1-2 weeks
Priority Tier
Nice-to-Have — enhances relationship systems but not revenue-critical
Dependencies:
Gift vendor selection, budget parameters defined, occasion triggers identified
Prioritized Action Plan
Phase 1
Foundation (Weeks 1-4)
Quick wins and prerequisites that enable everything else
$10K
Phase 1 Total
$10,000 - $25,000 implementation
$3K
Month 1 Ongoing
$3,000 - $6,500/month

Rationale: Start with assets you already own—your database and referral relationships. These systems deliver results while we build the more complex outbound infrastructure.
Phase 2
Scale (Weeks 5-10)
Build systematic outbound and sales automation
$21K
Phase 2 Total
$21,000 - $53,000 implementation
$6K
Month 3+ Ongoing
$6,000 - $13,000/month (cumulative with Phase 1)

Rationale: With warm leads flowing from Phase 1, build the cold outbound engine for net-new pipeline. Simultaneously systematize sales operations to handle increased volume.
Phase 3
Optimize (Weeks 11+)
Advanced systems and continuous improvement
$2K+
Phase 3 Total
$2,000 - $5,000+ implementation

Rationale: Once core systems perform, layer in enhancements and expansions based on actual performance data rather than assumptions.
Implementation Roadmap
WEEK 1-2    WEEK 3-4    WEEK 5-6    WEEK 7-8    WEEK 9-10   WEEK 11-12
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Reactivation Setup]
            [Launch Reactivation Sequences]
            [Partner Nurture Setup]
                        [Launch Partner Sequences]
            [Newsletter Setup]
                        [First Newsletter]
[Domain Warming ─────────────────────]
                        [Cold Outbound Build]
                                    [Launch Outbound]
                        [Sales Flow Build ────────────────────]
                                                [Trigger System]
                                                            [Gift System]
Key Milestones:
1
Week 2
Reactivation sequences live, first touchpoints sending
2
Week 4
Partner nurture active, newsletter template ready
3
Week 6
Domains warmed, outbound ready to launch
4
Week 8
First cold campaigns live, sales flow operational
5
Week 10
Trigger-based outreach activated
6
Week 12
Full system operational, optimization begins
Client Responsibilities
  • Content and messaging ownership (portfolio assets, project stories, value propositions)
  • Access provisioning (Airtable editor access, email platform access)
  • Stakeholder availability for feedback cycles (weekly check-ins during build)
  • ICP and targeting decisions
  • Sequence content approval before launch
  • Domain/email setup for secondary sending domains
Lotic Responsibilities
  • System architecture and technical build
  • Integration configuration (Airtable, Make.com, Clay, Lotic Sequencer)
  • Testing and quality assurance
  • Training and documentation
  • Ongoing optimization (if retainer)
  • Performance reporting and strategic recommendations
Investment Options
Recommended
Option A: Full Partnership
Implementation (Phases 1-2)
$45,000 Waived
Monthly Partnership
$6,500/month
Term
12 months
$78,000
Year 1 Investment
Audit Credit Applied: -$5,000
Net Investment: $73,000
What's Included:
  • Full implementation of 6 systems (Reactivation, Outbound, Triggers, Partner Nurture, Sales Flow, Newsletter)
  • Airtable + Make.com + Clay architecture (no platform migration required)
  • Ongoing optimization and campaign management
  • Bi-weekly strategy calls with Tommy and Matt
  • Priority support with same-day response
  • New sequence development as needed
  • List building and enrichment (ongoing)
  • Quarterly business reviews
  • Performance reporting and analytics

Why This Option: Cosine has a strong sales flow vision and existing Airtable infrastructure, but acknowledged the team lacks capacity to manage automation systems internally. Building on Airtable means no disruptive platform migration—we extend what you already have. The partnership ensures systems don't just get built—they get optimized, expanded, and managed to continuously improve performance. Given your 70% close rate, the limiting factor is pipeline volume; this partnership focuses entirely on solving that constraint.
Alternative
Option B: Implementation Only
Phase 1 Implementation
$17,500
Phase 2 Implementation
$35,000
Total Implementation
$52,500
$52,500
Total Implementation
Audit Credit Applied: -$5,000
Net Investment: $47,500
What's Included:
  • Full system build and configuration
  • Documentation and training
  • 30-day post-launch support
  • Handoff to your team for ongoing management

Note: These systems require ongoing optimization to perform—sequence A/B testing, deliverability monitoring, list refreshes, and continuous improvement. This option assumes Cosine has or will hire internal capacity to manage sequences, update messaging, monitor performance, and iterate based on data. Systems that aren't actively managed typically degrade within 60-90 days.
Success Metrics
How we'll measure results:
Review Cadence:
Weekly
Sequence performance metrics (open rates, reply rates, bounce rates)
Bi-weekly
Strategy call and optimization review
Monthly
Pipeline and revenue attribution analysis
Quarterly
Full business review, roadmap adjustment, strategic planning
Next Steps
Review this document
Flag any questions or areas needing clarification. We're happy to walk through any section in detail.
Select your path
Option A (Full Partnership) or Option B (Implementation Only)
Schedule kickoff
We can begin within 5 business days of agreement. Phase 1 systems can be live within 2-3 weeks.
Provide access
Airtable base access (editor permissions), domain registrar access for email setup, existing content assets

To proceed: Reply to this document with your preferred option, or schedule a call to discuss any questions before moving forward.
Appendix: Opportunity Summary
$33K
Total Implementation Range
$33,000 - $83,000
$9.5K
Total Monthly Range
$9,500 - $20,500/month
Document prepared by Lotic Digital. Audit investment applies 100% toward any implementation we do together.