How Atlassian Generated Enterprise Deals from Cloud Infrastructure Buyers
Client Profile
Atlassian, a global software company specializing in project management and team collaboration tools, needed to expand their reach to enterprises investing in cloud infrastructure transformation.
The Problem
Atlassian needed to reach CTOs and IT leaders across various industries who were evaluating cloud infrastructure solutions:
- Target audience spanned multiple sectors (Life sciences, technology, finance, retail, manufacturing)
- IT leaders needed solutions that integrate with modern cloud environments
- Cold outreach wasn’t converting senior executives
- Needed to demonstrate how Atlassian tools optimize cloud-native workflows
The core challenge: How do you build trust with senior IT executives across different industries who are investing in cloud infrastructure and convert them into qualified opportunities?
Our Approach
We used a multi-phase strategy combining community engagement, content marketing, and high-value virtual events.
Phase 1: Target Account Research
Building the right prospect list:
- Started with Atlassian’s ideal customer profile and target account list
- Identified companies actively investing in cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Targeted CTOs, VPs of Engineering, Cloud Architects, and IT Directors
- Focused on mid-to-large enterprises (500+ employees) across all sectors
- Prioritized companies undergoing digital transformation and cloud migration
Phase 2: Community Invitations
Warming up prospects before sales outreach:
Instead of cold emails, we invited target executives to join our community of 100,000+ enterprise IT leaders.
The process:
- Sent invitations to join an exclusive IT leadership community
- Conducted onboarding calls focused on their challenges (not sales)
- Mentioned our partnership with Atlassian during natural conversation
- Connected only interested prospects with Atlassian’s team
This turned cold outreach into warm introductions through a trusted network.
Phase 3: Targeted Email Campaigns
Direct outreach to cloud-focused companies:
For prospects not yet in our community, we ran personalized email campaigns:
- Addressed cloud infrastructure challenges (DevOps efficiency, team collaboration, CI/CD pipelines)
- Highlighted integration with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform
- Tracked email engagement to identify interested prospects
- Immediately flagged high-intent leads for Atlassian follow-up
Phase 4: Content Syndication
Building credibility through valuable content:
We created industry-agnostic reports focused on cloud infrastructure best practices:
Content created:
- “Cloud-Native DevOps: 2024 Benchmark Report” – Research on cloud adoption and team productivity
- “The IT Leader’s Guide to Scaling Cloud Infrastructure” – Practical frameworks for cloud migration
- “Cloud ROI Calculator” – Interactive tool measuring efficiency gains from modern tools
Distribution strategy:
- Used reports as gated downloads to capture prospect information
- Featured Atlassian in our weekly newsletter to 100,000+ IT leaders
- Syndicated research findings across technology and business segments
Results: Prospects engaged with content before any sales conversation, making them pre-qualified and familiar with Atlassian’s cloud-native capabilities.
Phase 5: Virtual Boardrooms vs. Offline Roundtables
Testing high-value engagement formats:
We ran both virtual boardroom sessions and offline roundtables to compare effectiveness:
Virtual Boardroom format:
- Invited 4-5 senior IT leaders from target companies
- Atlassian participated as a co-host and cloud infrastructure expert
- Discussions focused on cloud migration, DevOps transformation, and scaling challenges
- Lower cost, easier scheduling, higher attendance rates
Offline Roundtable format:
- In-person events with similar structure
- Higher engagement during event but logistically challenging
- Attendance affected by travel schedules and location
Key finding: Virtual boardrooms delivered better ROI:
- 40% higher attendance rate (85% vs. 60% for offline)
- 3x more boardrooms could be conducted in the same timeframe
- Cost per qualified lead was 65% lower
- Follow-up conversion rates were similar (78% virtual vs. 80% offline)
- Geographic flexibility allowed reaching prospects across all US regions
Post-event follow-up:
- Scheduled debrief calls with interested participants
- Made warm introductions to Atlassian’s sales team
- These were relationship continuations, not cold calls
Results
6-Month Outcomes
Connections & Engagement:
- 2,000+ qualified connections with IT decision-makers
- Engagement rate 340% higher than cold outreach benchmarks
- 78% of boardroom participants requested follow-up
Content Performance:
- 3,500+ report downloads
- 42% converted to email subscribers
- 38% newsletter open rate (vs. 21% industry average)
- 850+ content-qualified leads
- 60% of closed deals engaged with content first
Revenue:
- 4 enterprise deals closed (500+ employee companies)
- Average deal size: $85,000-$250,000
- 40% shorter sales cycle vs. cold outreach
- 75% of deals had downloaded reports before sales contact
Virtual Boardroom ROI:
- 65% lower cost per qualified lead vs. offline events
- 40% higher attendance rate
- Enabled 3x more events in same timeframe
- Geographic reach across entire US market without travel logistics
Key Success Factors
- Precise targeting – Every outreach went to verified decision-makers at qualified accounts
- Content before sales – Valuable reports built credibility before any pitch
- Trust first – Community and content established relationships before selling
- Multiple touchpoints – Community, email, content, and events reinforced each other
- Virtual > offline – Virtual boardrooms provided better ROI while maintaining relationship quality
- Quality signals – Tracked content engagement and participation, not just email opens
Facing Similar Challenges?
If you need help with:
- Reaching IT executives investing in cloud infrastructure
- Getting responses from cold outreach
- Shortening enterprise sales cycles
- Booking appointments with CTOs, CIOs, Cloud Architects, or VPs of Engineering
- Targeting companies across multiple industries
- Creating content that generates leads
Our approach combines community building, content marketing, and strategic virtual events to generate qualified enterprise leads.
