Architecture of Sales

Today I want to share a shorter version of our story with GuavaHR, an Estonian company offering an internal communication and employee engagement platform. When we first met, their goal was clear: reach the right decision-makers in Polish HR departments. What was less clear was how to do it effectively.

At the start, GuavaHR relied mainly on cold email campaigns. In theory, the approach made sense. In practice, it did not deliver quality leads. That is where we stepped in. Instead of rushing into action, we slowed things down and focused on understanding three things: the Polish HR market, the product itself, and the real buyer persona. This stage took time and was not always comfortable. We asked many detailed questions and challenged some initial assumptions, but this groundwork turned out to be critical.

Once we started prospecting, another issue became obvious. The problem was not internal communication as a concept, but the consequences of poor communication. Low engagement, lack of information, organizational chaos, and high employee turnover mattered far more to Polish HR teams than features or tools. This insight changed everything.

We also adjusted the target group. The best results came from companies with blue-collar workers, distributed structures, and limited access to work email. Cold calling, although difficult at first, proved far more effective than cold mailing once the message was right.

The numbers confirm this shift. After an initial slow quarter with 11 meetings, results improved significantly. Over 12 months, we reached 518 companies and scheduled 84 meetings. We also supported GuavaHR at HR conferences, where face-to-face conversations helped build trust and brand awareness faster than any outbound channel alone.

If there is one lesson here, it is this: entering the Polish market requires patience, feedback, and a willingness to adapt. You can read the full case study here:
https://architectureofsales.com/guavahr-case-study/

If you are thinking about expanding into Poland, this experience is a good place to start.

VITS, a SaaS health and safety management platform, aimed to expand into the Polish market. Our role involved outreach, demos, and market validation. Initially, language and perceived rule differences posed challenges. We addressed this through an ASK campaign and survey, collecting valuable feedback. With translated demos, we executed digital marketing and SEO activities, achieving a target of 10 monthly demos. Results included 60+ demos, 80 leads, 3 signed customers, top Google rankings, and increased traffic. The client praised our commitment, resulting in improved Google ranking and regular qualified leads.