Kasra Khalili
@kasrakhalili
Business Value Consulting @semrush, author ‘Who We Know’, Kelley MBA candidate // talking community, marketing, & productivity // prev On Deck, Startup Grind
1 Year at Kelley
Officially been a year since starting at Kelley…
26 credits down, 34 to go.
Tomorrow I start the spring term. Back to where i kicked off my journey last spring.
I remember joining the new cohort kickoff event and we had so many questions. Back then I was just trying to get a handle of it all (and it took a minute).
It’s amazing to see what a year can do.
This year, I’m lucky enough to be hosting the same kickoff (as VP of Networking).
So what’s it all been like…
I can’t sugar coat it… it’s been challenging.
I chose Kelley for its rigor (damn I got what I asked for).
I’ve had so many people ask about my experiences. It’s something I value having candid answers to, especially for those considering it.
Here’s my view of the Kelley program one year in…
- 📚 Courses:
application to my day-to-day work has far exceeded my expectations. I credit that to my role, what I learn in mgmt, quant, finance, and strategy courses can be leveraged at work immediately. Additionally, while it’s online, the live instruction is executed very well. Attendance is required with additional group work.
- ⏰ Time commitment:
more than I expected. This really depends on learning style. For me, I allocate ~20hrs to get everything done and need it really grasp the material. It’s also important to note the back-to-back terms. Spring > Summer > Fall > Winter… all with only one week break in between. Shoutout to my peers doing this fulltime while working and kids.
- 💰 Price:
a massive investment of both money and time. I do believe it’s worth it, but it’s still quite expensive.
- 🤝 Network:
an underrated value of Kelley is its network. You are surrounded by professionals from the worlds premier companies in industry from tech to health to manufacturing. I appreciate the requirements/opptys for in-person courses every term.
Overall I have to credit to the Kelley not only for delivering the program but doing so with such high standards. They can stand by their #1 ranking.
Ready for year 2!
Embracing Realistic ROI Forecasts
ROI models without probabilities are fantasies, not forecasts.
Many ROI models assume static conditions and perfect execution. This never happens. So why would you tell a client they can achieve it?
In our value consulting practice, we help clients quantify and articulate the real value of their digital marketing investment.
Not just in theory, but in measurable financial impact.
And one way we ensure it's reliability is through 'expected value' (EV), a method that accounts for probabilities and potential outcomes, not just best-case scenarios
This might be a better breakdown:
👉 Good: ROI model assumes everything will go as planned.
👉 Better: ROI model factors in failure rates, market shifts, execution risks.
👉 Best: ROI model that uses expected value - weighing all possible outcomes by their probabilities to get a more realistic, data-driven forecast.
Now for the EV calculation:
👉 If a campaign has a 60% probability of generating $1M but a 40% chance of only adding $200K, the EV is: (60% × $1M) + (40% × $200K) = $640K EV
Of course, this is just the simple formula. You'd likely have multiple other factors unique to your product's value that need to be considered (or different models entirely).
If you're working in value consulting or a value-selling rep, consider leveraging the "expected value" concept to build better ROI analyses that account for uncertainty.
One final note that can't be overlooked - this is a team effort. It's a result of deep collaboration with our partners. We work relentlessly to give our partners the tools, data, and confidence they need to drive change inside their own organization.
Despite my preference for solo sports 😅, what we do as a team to support our partners fires me up!
If you're looking to measure and maximize the value of your digital marketing efforts, let's connect. Drop a comment or DM me.
#digitalmarketing #valueselling #consulting
'The Jolt Effect'
What prevents buyers from well, buying?
A study of 2.5M recorded sales conversations (shoutout 'The Jolt Effect'), 40-60% of deals are lost to buyer indecision.
Here are 3 key reasons behind buyer indecision and tips on addressing each...
1️⃣ Solution valuation
Buyers don't just want the best option, but the one best for them. It's a seller's job to help them make that decision.
Tips:
- Offer personalized recommendations
- Provide comparison charts
- Share customer reviews/industry insights
Crafting Your Message
Great work isn't enough on it's own.
To get buy-in, adoption, and ultimately, results, we have to communicate at a high level. Simply sharing a message won't ensure it's heard.
No one is immune to this. I've seen it first-hand in small business, startups, and public firms.
Mastering communication can transform how your work is received and acted upon. I'm still learning this myself. And it's more important in my role today leading strategy than ever before.
Great communicators incorporate these three components into every message...
What's Distracting You?
What's holding you back from your most important work?
Kicking off the weekend at @KelleySchool tackling a universal challenge: distractions.
But not all distractions are created equal or even properly defined. Let's start by defining distractions vs. interruptions.
Recognizing Team Efforts: Making the Invisible, Visible
Truth: Efforts in every team often go unnoticed.
It's easy to miss the painstaking work that doesn't make headlines or get paraded in the weekly team meeting.
I've been guilty of this, and perhaps you have too…
Why do we miss this?
- Role bias: some roles have a higher public profile.
- Effort bias: tasks that are routine can feel less impactful when everything works
- Team cohesion: it might just come down to poor systems within the team
Embracing Resistance for Progress
Embracing resistance fuels progress.
Resistance signals impact. I value that. Though sometimes illogical or even self-serving, it's feedback nonetheless and feedback is a privilege.
I've learned to welcome resistance.
At @semrush change is constant (and a core value)!
And we've been changing, a lot. With that level of change it requires us to be thoughtful about implementation. We're rightfully meant with resistance along the way and have framed it as a constructive step.
3 Approaches to Feedback
Everyone wants feedback, not everyone knows how to give it...
Giving feedback is crucial, but it's not one-size-fits-all. The style you choose can make or break the message.
Here are three feedback approaches and tips on delivering each...
Approach 1️⃣: Direct
Tell it like it is, focusing on what needs to be fixed without sugarcoating.
When:
- Immediate correction due to urgency or persistent issues.
Tips:
- Get to the point without being harsh
- Say why the correction is needed
- Offer ways to fix the problem
---
Groupthink is the Enemy of Innovation
Groupthink is the enemy of innovation.
Have you every joined a meeting to brainstorm, but somehow the solution felt predetermined? You might be experiencing groupthink.
This is a bad place to be. But the signs might be clearer than you think...
Group think isn't a buzzword, it's a real psychological phenomenon that affects you/your team's outcomes.
It happens when people in a group care more about getting along than making the best decision. Potentially overlooking better options or just ignoring people who disagree.