Expansion Revenue Finder

Expansion Revenue Finder

Analyze a customer portfolio and identify every viable upsell, cross-sell, and expansion opportunity, then rank them by revenue potential, effort, and probability of success so the account team knows exactly where to focus. Optimize for total portfolio expansion revenue, not individual deal wins. Ground every recommendation in data signals, not wishful thinking.

Contents

• references/data-inputs.md -- where to find account data, what to collect, and the product catalog
• references/account-profile.md -- per-account expansion profile and segment benchmarking
• references/expansion-triggers.md -- seven trigger categories and the opportunity record template
• references/scoring.md -- three-dimension scoring rubric, composite formula, and tier interpretation
• references/playbook-template.md -- the full expansion-playbook.md output structure
• references/rules-and-edge-cases.md -- behavioral rules and edge-case handling

Workflow

1. Collect data. Locate customer data in the working directory and user-specified paths, then assemble the account fields and product catalog. See references/data-inputs.md. If no structured data exists, ask the user to describe their accounts and note reduced scoring confidence.

2. Profile and benchmark each account. Build an expansion profile per account and compare it against its peer segment to find under-penetration. See references/account-profile.md. Without external benchmarks, use the portfolio's top quartile as the benchmark.

3. Scan for triggers. Check every trigger category for each account. Record an opportunity only when a trigger fires AND a matching product/feature is available to sell. Capture each as a structured opportunity record. See references/expansion-triggers.md. Flag underutilization as a separate "activation opportunity," not an upsell.

4. Score and tier. Rate each opportunity on revenue potential, effort, and likelihood (1-10 each), compute the composite, and assign a tier. See references/scoring.md.

5. Generate the playbook. Write expansion-playbook.md to the working directory (or a user-specified path), sorted by tier and composite score, with pitch, timing, approach, and portfolio-wide insights. See references/playbook-template.md.

Apply the behavioral rules and edge-case handling throughout. See references/rules-and-edge-cases.md.

Account Profile and Benchmarking

Account Expansion Profile

Build this profile for each account in the portfolio.

ACCOUNT: [Company Name]
ACCOUNT ID: [ID]
CSM/OWNER: [Name]

CURRENT STATE:
- ARR: $[Amount]
- Product(s): [What they own]
- Plan/Tier: [Current tier]
- Licensed Seats: [N]
- Active Seats: [N]
- Seat Utilization: [N%]
- Contract Term: [Annual / Multi-year / Month-to-month]
- Renewal Date: [DATE]
- Months Until Renewal: [N]

USAGE PROFILE:
- Overall Usage Trend: [Growing / Flat / Declining] ([N% change over N months])
- Features Used: [N of N available] ([N% adoption])
- Approaching Limits: [Yes/No -- which limits]
- Usage Intensity: [Light / Moderate / Heavy / Power User]

RELATIONSHIP HEALTH:
- Health Score: [N/100 if available]
- NPS/CSAT: [Score]
- Support Tickets (90d): [N]
- Engagement Level: [High / Medium / Low]
- Multi-threading: [N contacts across N departments]

GROWTH SIGNALS:
- Company Growth: [Hiring / Flat / Contracting]
- New Departments: [Any new teams that could use the product]
- Strategic Initiatives: [Known projects or priorities]
- Recent Changes: [Funding, M&A, leadership changes, new offices]

Benchmark Against Segments

Compare each account against its peer group to find under-penetration.

Accounts significantly below their segment average in any dimension represent expansion opportunities. Accounts below average in multiple dimensions are high-potential targets.

Without benchmark data, build relative benchmarks from the portfolio itself: the top quartile of existing customers becomes the benchmark for everyone else.

Data Inputs

Finding Account Data

Search the working directory and any user-specified paths with Glob and Grep.

File patterns: *.csv, *.json, *.md, *.txt, *.xlsx, *.tsv

Keywords: usage, seats, licenses, ARR, MRR, revenue, plan, tier, feature, adoption, expansion, upsell, cross-sell, renewal, contract, billing, department, team, growth, headcount, integration, API, module, add-on, premium, enterprise

If no structured data exists, ask the user to describe their accounts. Narrative descriptions are workable, but note the reduced confidence in opportunity scoring.

Data Needed Per Account

Core Account Data:

• Company name and account ID
• Current ARR/MRR and contract terms
• Product(s) and plan/tier
• Contract start date and renewal date
• Licensed seats vs. active seats
• CSM or account owner

Usage Data:

• Feature usage breakdown (which features, how often)
• Usage volume vs. plan limits (API calls, storage, seats, transactions)
• Usage trend over time (growing, flat, declining)
• Power users vs. casual users
• Peak usage patterns

Product Data:

• Current product(s) in use
• Available products/modules not purchased
• Current tier vs. available tiers
• Add-ons or premium features not activated
• Integration capabilities in use vs. available

Company Context:

• Industry and company size
• Recent growth signals (hiring, funding, new offices)
• Organizational structure (departments, teams, business units)
• Known initiatives or strategic priorities
• Competitive products in use alongside yours

Relationship Data:

• Champion and sponsor contacts
• Multi-threading depth (how many contacts across how many departments)
• NPS/CSAT scores
• Support health
• Engagement level with CS team

Product Catalog

Before identifying opportunities, establish what can be sold. Gather from the user or available documentation:

• Product lines: Distinct products or platforms
• Tier structure: Available tiers (Free, Starter, Pro, Enterprise, etc.) and what differentiates them
• Modules/Add-ons: Optional capabilities that attach to a base subscription
• Seat-based pricing: How pricing scales with user count
• Usage-based pricing: Which usage dimensions are metered and billed
• Professional services: Implementation, training, consulting, custom development
• Support tiers: Standard vs. premium vs. dedicated support
• Partner/integration ecosystem: Marketplace, integrations, or partner solutions that generate revenue

If catalog information is unavailable, ask the user to describe their pricing model and expansion levers. At minimum, establish: what can a customer buy more of?

Expansion Triggers

Check every category for each account. An opportunity exists when a trigger is present AND a corresponding product/feature is available to sell.

Category 1: Usage Ceiling Opportunities

The account is approaching or hitting plan limits. Highest-conversion path because the need is self-evident.

Triggers:

• Seat utilization above 85% (need more seats)
• API call volume within 20% of plan limit (need a higher tier or usage pack)
• Storage approaching capacity (need more storage or a tier upgrade)
• Feature usage hitting tier limits (need to upgrade to unlock capabilities)
• User waitlist (people inside the company want access but seats are full)

Opportunity Type: Tier Upgrade or Usage Expansion

Category 2: Feature Gap Opportunities

The account is not using features they already have, OR they need features in a higher tier or add-on.

Triggers:

• Less than 50% of available features adopted (underutilization -- activation play, not expansion)
• Client has requested a feature that exists in a higher tier (natural upgrade path)
• Client is using a workaround for something the product already solves (enablement gap)
• Client is using a competitor tool for a function your product also covers (displacement opportunity)
• Client's use case maps to a module or add-on not yet purchased

Opportunity Type: Add-on / Module Sale or Tier Upgrade

Category 3: New Team/Department Opportunities

The product is used by one team, but other teams could benefit.

Triggers:

• Only one department uses the product in a multi-department company
• New departments created (hiring signals, org changes)
• Users from non-contracted departments have requested access or trials
• The use case applies to adjacent teams (e.g., a marketing tool that sales could also use)
• Company acquired another company that could standardize on your product

Opportunity Type: Seat Expansion or New Business Unit Deal

Category 4: Growth-Driven Opportunities

The company itself is growing, increasing their need.

Triggers:

• Headcount growth of 20%+ in the last 12 months
• New office locations or geographic expansion
• Recent funding round (Series B+ especially signals scaling spend)
• Revenue growth (public companies) or known business expansion
• Hiring for roles that would use your product

Opportunity Type: Proportional Seat/Usage Growth

Category 5: Strategic Initiative Opportunities

The company is pursuing initiatives that create new demand.

Triggers:

• Digital transformation or modernization initiative
• New product launch that could use your platform
• Compliance or regulatory requirement your product helps meet
• Cost reduction initiative where your product replaces a more expensive alternative
• International expansion where your product supports global operations

Opportunity Type: New Use Case or Platform Expansion

Category 6: Competitive Displacement Opportunities

The account uses competitor products alongside yours; an opportunity exists to consolidate.

Triggers:

• Account uses a competitor for a function your product also covers
• Competitor contract approaching renewal (timing opportunity)
• Account has expressed frustration with the competitor
• Your product has shipped features that close the gap with the competitor
• Consolidation discount offers better economics than multi-vendor

Opportunity Type: Competitive Displacement / Consolidation

Category 7: Services and Support Opportunities

Non-product revenue from professional services, training, or premium support.

Triggers:

• Complex implementation needs
• High support ticket volume (may benefit from premium support)
• New users joining who need training
• Custom integration or development requests
• Account wants dedicated CSM or TAM

Opportunity Type: Professional Services / Support Upgrade

Opportunity Record Template

For every trigger that fires, create a structured record.

OPPORTUNITY ID: [Account]-[Type]-[N]
ACCOUNT: [Company Name]
TYPE: [Tier Upgrade / Seat Expansion / Add-on / New Department / Services / Displacement]
DESCRIPTION: [One sentence: what you are selling and why they need it]

EVIDENCE:
- [Data point 1 that supports this opportunity]
- [Data point 2]
- [Data point 3]

CURRENT STATE: [What they have now]
PROPOSED STATE: [What they would have after expansion]
ESTIMATED REVENUE IMPACT: $[Annual incremental ARR]

TIMING:
- Best Time to Pitch: [When and why]
- Urgency: [High / Medium / Low]
- Renewal Alignment: [Does this align with their renewal? Yes/No]

STAKEHOLDER:
- Who to Pitch: [Name and title]
- Who Decides: [Name and title]
- Who Benefits: [Which users or teams]

RISKS:
- [What could prevent this from closing]
- [What objections to expect]

DEPENDENCIES:
- [Does this require product changes, enablement, or other preconditions]

Expansion Playbook Output Template

Write the playbook to expansion-playbook.md in the working directory (or a user-specified path) using this structure.

# Expansion Revenue Playbook

Generated: [DATE]
Portfolio: [NAME or DESCRIPTION]
Accounts Analyzed: [N]
Current Portfolio ARR: $[TOTAL]
Total Expansion Revenue Identified: $[TOTAL INCREMENTAL ARR]
Tier 1 Opportunities: [N] worth $[TOTAL]
Tier 2 Opportunities: [N] worth $[TOTAL]

---

## Executive Summary

[2-3 paragraphs covering:
- Total expansion revenue identified across all accounts
- Breakdown by opportunity type (tier upgrades, seat expansion, add-ons, new departments, services, displacement)
- Which accounts represent the largest expansion potential
- The single highest-impact action to take this week
- Common themes across the portfolio (what types of expansion are most prevalent)
- Resource implications (how many AE/CSM hours are needed to pursue Tier 1 opportunities)]

---

## Tier 1 Opportunities -- Pursue Immediately

[Sorted by composite score descending. Assign and act on these this week.]

### [OPPORTUNITY ID]: [Account Name] -- [Short Description]

**Score: [X/10]** | Revenue: [X/10] | Effort: [X/10] | Likelihood: [X/10]

| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Account | [Company Name] |
| Current ARR | $[Amount] |
| Opportunity Type | [Type] |
| Estimated Expansion ARR | $[Amount] |
| Best Timing | [When and why] |
| Owner | [CSM/AE Name] |
| Deadline to Act | [Date] |

**The Opportunity:**
[2-3 sentences explaining what the expansion is and why now is the right time]

**Evidence:**
- [Bullet 1]
- [Bullet 2]
- [Bullet 3]

**Recommended Pitch:**
[Specific language the rep/CSM can use to introduce this conversation. Not a script -- a talking track.]

"[Opening line that ties to the customer's situation, not your product]"

Key points to hit:
1. [Value point 1 tied to their specific usage/need]
2. [Value point 2 with quantified impact]
3. [Proof point -- reference customer or their own data]

**Approach:**
1. [Step 1 with owner and timeline]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]
4. [Step 4]

**Objections to Expect:**
- "[Likely objection]" -> [Response approach]
- "[Likely objection]" -> [Response approach]

**Risk:**
- [What could derail this and how to mitigate]

---

[Repeat for each Tier 1 opportunity]

---

## Tier 2 Opportunities -- Pursue This Quarter

[Briefer than Tier 1. Focus on description, score, estimated revenue, and timing. Full approach detail is less critical since there is more time to plan.]

### [OPPORTUNITY ID]: [Account Name] -- [Short Description]
- **Score**: [X/10]
- **Expansion ARR**: $[Amount]
- **Type**: [Type]
- **Timing**: [When to pursue]
- **Key Signal**: [Primary evidence]
- **Next Step**: [Single most important action]

---

[Repeat for each Tier 2 opportunity]

---

## Tier 3 Opportunities -- Nurture

[Summary table only. Not ready to pursue but tracked.]

| Account | Opportunity | Type | Est. ARR | Score | Key Signal | Revisit Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Name] | [Description] | [Type] | $[Amount] | [Score] | [Signal] | [Date] |

---

## Account-by-Account Summary

[For each account in the portfolio, regardless of whether opportunities were identified]

### [Account Name]
- **Current ARR**: $[Amount]
- **Total Expansion Potential**: $[Amount across all opportunities]
- **Opportunities Found**: [N]
- **Top Opportunity**: [Short description]
- **Account Health**: [Healthy / Needs Attention / At Risk]
- **Expansion Readiness**: [Ready Now / Needs Nurturing / Not Ready]

[If no opportunities found:]
- **Why No Opportunities**: [Fully penetrated / Relationship too new / Health issues must resolve first / Insufficient data]
- **What Would Unlock Expansion**: [What needs to change for opportunities to emerge]

---

## Opportunity Distribution Analysis

### By Type
| Opportunity Type | Count | Total Est. ARR | Avg. Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Upgrade | N | $X | X |
| Seat Expansion | N | $X | X |
| Add-on / Module | N | $X | X |
| New Department | N | $X | X |
| Competitive Displacement | N | $X | X |
| Professional Services | N | $X | X |
| Support Upgrade | N | $X | X |

### By Revenue Band
| Band | Count | Total Est. ARR |
|---|---|---|
| $100K+ | N | $X |
| $50K-$99K | N | $X |
| $25K-$49K | N | $X |
| $10K-$24K | N | $X |
| Under $10K | N | $X |

### By Timeline
| Timing | Count | Total Est. ARR |
|---|---|---|
| This Month | N | $X |
| This Quarter | N | $X |
| Next Quarter | N | $X |
| 6+ Months | N | $X |

---

## Portfolio-Wide Insights

### Patterns
[What themes emerge across accounts? Common expansion paths? Systemic underutilization?]

- **Most Common Expansion Type**: [What type appears most and why]
- **Highest ROI Expansion Play**: [Which type has the best score-to-effort ratio]
- **Underutilized Product Areas**: [Which products or features are consistently under-adopted]
- **Segment Trends**: [Do certain industries, sizes, or regions show more potential]

### Blockers to Expansion
[What is preventing more expansion across the portfolio]

- **Product Gaps**: [Features customers need that do not exist yet]
- **Pricing Friction**: [Where pricing structure discourages expansion -- e.g., steep tier jumps]
- **Enablement Gaps**: [Customers who would expand if they knew how to use what they have]
- **Relationship Gaps**: [Accounts where single-threading or poor CS coverage limits visibility]
- **Competitive Locks**: [Accounts where a competitor is entrenched and displacement is difficult]

### Recommendations for Leadership

1. **Quick Wins**: [Opportunities that close this month with minimal effort -- quantify total ARR]
2. **Strategic Bets**: [Larger opportunities requiring investment but significant payoff]
3. **Product Feedback**: [Gaps that, if addressed, would unlock revenue across multiple accounts -- quantify blocked ARR]
4. **Pricing Recommendations**: [If pricing structure blocks natural expansion, recommend adjustments]
5. **Enablement Priorities**: [Where customer education or activation would drive expansion]
6. **Resource Allocation**: [AE/CSM hours needed to pursue Tier 1+2, and whether staffing supports it]

---

## Appendix: Scoring Methodology

### Dimension Weights
- Revenue Potential: 40%
- Effort Required: 30% (inverted -- higher score = less effort)
- Likelihood of Success: 30%

### Score Interpretation
- 8.0-10.0: Tier 1 -- Pursue Immediately
- 6.0-7.9: Tier 2 -- Pursue This Quarter
- 4.0-5.9: Tier 3 -- Nurture
- 2.0-3.9: Tier 4 -- Monitor
- 0-1.9: Tier 5 -- Deprioritize

### Data Confidence Notes
[List accounts or opportunities where data was insufficient and scoring relied on inference. Note what additional data would improve confidence.]

Behavioral Rules and Edge Cases

Behavioral Rules

1. Ground every opportunity in evidence. "They might want more seats" is not an opportunity. "They have 47 of 50 licensed seats active, added 12 users last quarter, and grew headcount 30% this year" is an opportunity.

2. Do not confuse activation with expansion. If a customer is not using features they already have, the play is enablement, not upsell. Flag these as "activation opportunities" separately. Selling more to a customer who is not using what they have destroys trust.

3. Respect account health. Do not recommend expansion plays for accounts at risk of churn. If the relationship is unhealthy, the first priority is stabilization. Flag these and note expansion should wait until health improves.

4. Think in customer value, not quota. Frame every recommendation around the customer's outcome, not the revenue captured. "This gives their marketing team the analytics module, saving the 10 hours per week they spend in spreadsheets" beats "This is a $30K upsell."

5. Be precise about timing. Tie recommendations to natural buying moments: renewals, budget cycles, headcount planning, new fiscal years, strategic planning periods. An opportunity with the right timing is worth 3x one with bad timing.

6. Quantify everything. Estimated ARR impact for every opportunity. Total expansion revenue identified. Percentage of portfolio with expansion potential. Size the opportunity in dollars.

7. Differentiate organic growth from active expansion. Some expansion happens naturally (usage-based billing grows with usage). Separate organic growth from opportunities requiring active sales or CS effort. Both matter but require different actions.

8. Stack-rank ruthlessly. A 50-account portfolio might yield 200 opportunities. The team cannot pursue all of them. The scoring and tiering system forces prioritization. Do not soften it by putting everything in Tier 2.

Edge Cases

• Very small portfolio (1-3 accounts): Go deeper on each account. Add more detail to pitch and approach. Include alternative expansion paths if the primary opportunity does not convert.

• No usage data available: Work from relationship signals, company growth data, and contract terms. Score with lower confidence and recommend instrumentation improvements. Org growth, competitive displacement, and contract structure can still surface opportunities.

• Customer just renewed: Expansion conversations are most natural 2-4 months after renewal once the customer has settled in. Flag timing as Tier 2 or Tier 3 unless a strong trigger exists (usage ceiling, new department request).

• Free or trial accounts: These are conversion opportunities, not expansion. Note them separately as "Conversion Candidates" with a likelihood-of-converting-to-paid scoring emphasis.

• Multi-product customers: Analyze each product line separately, then look for cross-sell between products. The most valuable expansion is often getting a single-product customer to adopt a second product.

• Channel/partner-managed accounts: Visibility into usage and relationship health may be limited. Recommend partner enablement programs and joint business reviews to surface opportunities.

Opportunity Scoring

Score every opportunity on three dimensions, each rated 1-10.

Revenue Potential (1-10)

How much incremental ARR could this generate?

Adjust for absolute dollars. A 5% increase on a $500K account ($25K) may outrank a 50% increase on a $5K account ($2.5K). Weight both relative and absolute impact.

Effort Required (1-10, where 10 = easiest)

How much work is required from sales/CS to close?

Likelihood of Success (1-10)

Given the signals present, how likely is this to close?

Composite Opportunity Score

Opportunity Score = (Revenue Potential * 0.40) + (Effort * 0.30) + (Likelihood * 0.30)

Revenue potential weights slightly higher because the goal is to maximize expansion revenue, but effort and likelihood are critical for prioritization.

Score Interpretation