When to use
Use this when a healthy, adopted account shows signals it could get more value from additional seats, tiers, or products. Reach for it when usage is bumping limits, new teams are asking for access, or a QBR surfaced an unmet need you can serve.
Not for: at-risk accounts (stabilize first with csm-churn-save); pure new-logo selling (that is sales); accounts still fighting to reach first value (see csm-onboarding-plan). Expansion is earned by delivered value, never forced onto a struggling account.
Method
- Verify the account is healthy and has realized value — expansion on an unhappy account backfires. Decision point: if health is Watch/At-risk, stop and route to stabilization.
- Identify the expansion signal: seat/usage limits hit, a new team or use case, feature requests that map to a higher tier, or a stated goal a companion product serves.
- Quantify the value of the expansion in the customer's terms (time saved, revenue enabled, risk reduced), not in features.
- Confirm the buyer and budget path. Decision point: if the economic buyer differs from your sponsor, enlist your sponsor to open that door before pitching.
- Build a lightweight business case: current value delivered → the gap/opportunity → the proposed expansion → expected outcome and rough ROI.
- Time it to a value moment (post-QBR, after a quick win, at a successful milestone), not to your quota calendar.
- Propose a low-friction next step: a pilot, a trial of extra seats, or a scoped proof — reduce the leap.
Example
Account: marketing agency on the base tier, 18 of 20 seats active, two new client teams onboarding. Signal: seat pressure + new teams. Value framing: each client team saves ~10 analyst hours/week using the platform. Buyer: VP Ops (sponsor is the marketing director — enlist her to introduce). Business case: current value proven on 20 seats → 2 new teams need ~15 more seats → proposed tier upgrade + 15 seats → expected ~150 hours/week saved. Next step: 30-day trial of 15 seats for the new teams.
Pitfalls
- Pitching before value is proven. Upselling a customer who isn't succeeding accelerates churn.
- Selling features, not outcomes. "More modules" doesn't move a buyer; quantified business value does.
- Ignoring the real economic buyer. A sponsor who loves you but can't sign stalls the deal.
- Quota-timed, not value-timed. Pushing at your quarter-end instead of the customer's value moment reads as self-serving.
Output format
EXPANSION PLAY — <account>
Health check: <Healthy — value realized>
Signal: <seat pressure | new team | tier-fit request | new use case>
Value delivered so far: <proof point>
Opportunity: <gap in customer terms>
Proposed expansion: <seats/tier/product>
Expected outcome + rough ROI: <metric>
Buyer/path: <economic buyer — how sponsor opens door>
Timing hook: <value moment>
Next step: <pilot/trial/proof — scope>
1---2name: csm-expansion-play3description: Identify and pitch an upsell or cross-sell expansion grounded in realized value and account signals.4---56## When to use78Use this when a healthy, adopted account shows signals it could get more value from additional seats, tiers, or products. Reach for it when usage is bumping limits, new teams are asking for access, or a QBR surfaced an unmet need you can serve.910**Not for:** at-risk accounts (stabilize first with csm-churn-save); pure new-logo selling (that is sales); accounts still fighting to reach first value (see csm-onboarding-plan). Expansion is earned by delivered value, never forced onto a struggling account.1112## Method13141. Verify the account is healthy and has realized value — expansion on an unhappy account backfires. Decision point: if health is Watch/At-risk, stop and route to stabilization.152. Identify the expansion signal: seat/usage limits hit, a new team or use case, feature requests that map to a higher tier, or a stated goal a companion product serves.163. Quantify the value of the expansion in the customer's terms (time saved, revenue enabled, risk reduced), not in features.174. Confirm the buyer and budget path. Decision point: if the economic buyer differs from your sponsor, enlist your sponsor to open that door before pitching.185. Build a lightweight business case: current value delivered → the gap/opportunity → the proposed expansion → expected outcome and rough ROI.196. Time it to a value moment (post-QBR, after a quick win, at a successful milestone), not to your quota calendar.207. Propose a low-friction next step: a pilot, a trial of extra seats, or a scoped proof — reduce the leap.2122## Example2324Account: marketing agency on the base tier, 18 of 20 seats active, two new client teams onboarding. Signal: seat pressure + new teams. Value framing: each client team saves ~10 analyst hours/week using the platform. Buyer: VP Ops (sponsor is the marketing director — enlist her to introduce). Business case: current value proven on 20 seats → 2 new teams need ~15 more seats → proposed tier upgrade + 15 seats → expected ~150 hours/week saved. Next step: 30-day trial of 15 seats for the new teams.2526## Pitfalls2728- **Pitching before value is proven.** Upselling a customer who isn't succeeding accelerates churn.29- **Selling features, not outcomes.** "More modules" doesn't move a buyer; quantified business value does.30- **Ignoring the real economic buyer.** A sponsor who loves you but can't sign stalls the deal.31- **Quota-timed, not value-timed.** Pushing at your quarter-end instead of the customer's value moment reads as self-serving.3233## Output format3435```36EXPANSION PLAY — <account>37Health check: <Healthy — value realized>38Signal: <seat pressure | new team | tier-fit request | new use case>39Value delivered so far: <proof point>40Opportunity: <gap in customer terms>41Proposed expansion: <seats/tier/product>42Expected outcome + rough ROI: <metric>43Buyer/path: <economic buyer — how sponsor opens door>44Timing hook: <value moment>45Next step: <pilot/trial/proof — scope>46```
Matrixx0070