The RevOps Bowtie Model: A Comprehensive Overview

Overview of the RevOps Bowtie Framework

The RevOps Bowtie Model is a revenue framework that visualizes the entire customer lifecycle—both pre-sale and post-sale—as a unified process rather than a one-way sales funnel. In essence, it “expands the traditional sales funnel into a full lifecycle view,” capturing not only customer acquisition but also retention and expansion . Unlike the old funnel which ends at the point of purchase, the Bowtie Model covers everything from initial awareness to ongoing loyalty and growth . This framework explicitly includes the crucial post-sale stages (onboarding, customer success, renewals, upsells, etc.), allowing businesses to see their revenue generation process as a complete system that goes beyond acquiring customers to include retention and expansion. The goal is to ensure that marketing, sales, and customer success are all aligned under one revenue process, delivering sustainable growth over the long term.

Origin and Development of the Bowtie Model

The Bowtie concept has its origins outside of SaaS—in fact, it first emerged in the travel industry around 2009 as a way to capture ancillary revenues beyond the initial sale. In that context, the “knot” of the bowtie was the airline ticket purchase, and the right side represented additional revenue streams like seat upgrades, baggage fees, car rentals, and credit card programs. According to research by Winning by Design (WbD), “before 2009, there was no model for this, and thus no process to capture the ancillary revenues” in air travel . This changed after 2009, and the bowtie-shaped revenue model helped airlines turn add-ons into a billion-dollar profit center.

In the 2010s, as recurring revenue models (e.g. SaaS subscriptions) became prevalent, thought leaders began adopting a similar approach for B2B sales. Jacco van der Kooij, founder of the consultancy Winning by Design, is widely credited with introducing and popularizing the Bowtie Model in the SaaS/RevOps context. WbD recognized that in SaaS, the majority of profits often occur 12–18 months after the initial deal—meaning the classic funnel fails to account for most of the revenue lifecycle. Van der Kooij’s team developed the Bowtie Model as a common language and data model for recurring revenue businesses, extending the funnel through key post-sale stages. The concept was formalized and promoted by WbD as an industry standard; for example, in 2019 WbD released a “Bowtie Model” framework and in 2023 published an updated Bowtie Model v1.0 along with benchmarking tools to help organizations adopt it. Essentially, WbD took the bowtie idea from its 2009 inception and applied it to modern B2B revenue operations, aligning it with SaaS customer journeys and metrics.

Context of invention: The Bowtie framework was born from the need to manage recurring customer value. In traditional one-time sales (e.g. perpetual licenses or equipment sales), revenue is largely recognized upfront, and the AIDA-style funnel sufficed. But in recurring models, as one analysis showed, 82% of a deal’s total revenue might come after the initial sale (through renewals and upsells over years) . The Bowtie was invented to address this reality. By covering post-sale phases, it shifts focus from merely winning customers to continuously earning revenue through customer success and long-term impact. In summary, the Bowtie Model originated as a response to changing business models: first in B2C travel (to capture add-on sales), and later in B2B SaaS (to maximize recurring subscription value).

Key Advocates and Thought Leaders

Since its introduction, the RevOps Bowtie Model has been championed by several prominent organizations and thought leaders in the revenue operations and sales enablement space. The primary advocate is Winning by Design (WbD) itself – Jacco van der Kooij and his team have published extensive research and training on the Bowtie framework. WbD positions the Bowtie as foundational to “architecting” recurring revenue, and they have integrated it into their methodologies, playbooks, and even software tools . For instance, WbD’s public “Proposed Standard” document and courses (like the Revenue Architecture course) teach the Bowtie as the new baseline for SaaS go-to-market strategy .

Beyond WbD, many RevOps consultancies and communities promote the Bowtie model. Companies like RevPartners, Six & Flow, congruentX, and Elefante RevOps have published guides on implementing the Bowtie in marketing and sales operations . These firms emphasize how the Bowtie improves alignment across marketing, sales, and customer success, often citing its benefits for sustainable growth and revenue leakage prevention. Major sales-enablement platforms have also taken note; for example, Highspot lists the Bowtie Revenue Model (Winning by Design) as one of the “top RevOps frameworks” for growth, particularly suited to SaaS and subscription businesses because it “focuses on both recurring revenue, expansion, and retention” .

Influential voices in B2B marketing and sales have acknowledged the Bowtie’s importance as well. Chris Walker, a well-known marketing thought leader, has discussed the Bowtie framework’s potential to replace older models like the SiriusDecisions/Forrester Demand Waterfall as the new way to view pipeline architecture . Others, such as Mathew Hill (a Revenue Enablement leader), advocate internally for Bowtie thinking by noting that as much as “65% of revenue comes from the existing install base”, which necessitates treating post-sale as equal to pre-sale in the revenue process . The RevOps Co-op community and the Pavilion network have also incorporated Bowtie concepts into their RevOps training, reinforcing that modern go-to-market teams must be skilled in managing the entire customer journey, not just the top of funnel. In summary, the Bowtie model is being advanced by a coalition of RevOps experts, consultancies, and enablement leaders who all stress the need for a holistic, lifecycle-focused approach to revenue.

Core Concepts and Structure of the Bowtie Model

At its core, the Bowtie model looks like a traditional funnel mirrored by an inverted funnel – hence forming the shape of a bow tie. Each half of the bow tie represents a distinct phase of the revenue journey, with the “knot” in the middle being the point of initial conversion (where a prospect becomes a customer). This structure embodies the idea that closing the deal is not the end, but the midpoint of the customer journey. Below is an outline of the Bowtie’s anatomy and how it compares to the classic funnel:

Figure: The RevOps Bowtie Model visualizes the revenue process as a bow tie shape. The left side (blue funnel) represents the traditional customer acquisition stages, narrowing to the “knot” at the point of initial sale. The right side (blue inverted funnel) represents the post-sale stages of customer success and expansion, widening again as revenue grows from the existing customer base. This comprehensive view highlights how marketing, sales, and customer success efforts connect across the entire lifecycle, with volume, conversion, and time metrics tracked at each stage (as indicated by the colored bars at the bottom).

• Left Side – Customer Acquisition: This side corresponds to what the traditional marketing/sales funnel covers. It encompasses stages from Awareness (when potential customers first discover your brand) through Consideration/Education (prospects engage with content and learn about the solution) into Selection (active evaluation and sales conversations) and finally Commitment (the point where the deal is closed) . At the end of the left side, the prospect signs on the dotted line and becomes a customer. This is the narrow center of the bow tie (the “knot”), which in a SaaS context might be the Closed-Won stage or initial subscription start. The left side is typically driven by Marketing and Sales teams working to generate demand, nurture leads, and convert deals.
• Right Side – Customer Retention & Expansion: The right half of the bow tie represents the post-sale journey, which is often handled by Customer Success, Account Management, and Support teams. The stages here pick up immediately after the initial sale and aim to drive recurring value and revenue. Key stages usually include Onboarding (getting the customer up and running successfully, achieving first value), Adoption/Achieving Impact (the customer realizes measurable value or the promised outcome from the product) , followed by Recurring Impact (the customer renews their contract, usage deepens, and they continue to achieve ongoing value) . Ultimately, many Bowtie frameworks include an Expansion or Maximum Impact stage, where the customer’s value to the company reaches its full potential through upsells, cross-sells, and advocacy (referrals or becoming a promoter) . At this far right end, the revenue from the customer may have multiplied beyond the initial contract, and the customer’s lifetime value (LTV) is maximized. Notably, the Bowtie highlights that customer advocacy and referrals feed back into the pipeline, creating “closed-loop” growth where happy customers bring in new leads – something a linear funnel diagram often fails to show.

How it integrates Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success: The Bowtie model explicitly links the traditionally siloed departments into one continuous flow. Marketing typically owns the early Awareness/Education stages, Sales owns the Selection/Commitment stages, and Customer Success owns the Onboarding through Expansion stages – but all are measured within the same framework . This alignment means each team’s contributions are visible across the entire funnel, not just their portion. For example, marketing isn’t just responsible for generating leads; in a Bowtie approach, Marketing might also collaborate on customer marketing (nurturing existing customers with content, referral campaigns, etc.). Sales, for its part, doesn’t “throw the customer over the wall” after closing – sales might stay involved in expansion opportunities or at least ensure a smooth handoff with clear expectations set for Customer Success. Customer Success, meanwhile, plays a crucial role in revenue growth (renewals and upsells), not merely a cost center for support. By mapping all these interactions in one model, Bowtie forces a customer-centric, cross-functional approach: the company’s internal stages mirror the customer’s ongoing journey from prospect to loyal advocate .

Comparison to the Traditional Funnel: The Bowtie can be seen as an evolution of the classic funnel. The traditional sales funnel (originating from the AIDA model) was “one-directional: prospects enter at the top and flow down until they exit at the bottom,” and it effectively stops at Closed-Won . This old model leaves a huge blind spot because it ignores what happens after the initial sale – which, in recurring revenue businesses, is where most of the revenue and growth actually occur. The Bowtie corrects this by extending the funnel with a second half; in other words, “the funnel stops where recurring revenue begins,” so the Bowtie picks up from there . Another comparison is that the traditional funnel was seller-centric (success was closing the deal), whereas the Bowtie is customer-centric, emphasizing delivering value and outcomes to the customer continuously so that revenue can grow in tandem .

It’s also useful to contrast the Bowtie with the popular “Flywheel” concept (introduced by HubSpot in recent years as a replacement for the funnel). Both Bowtie and Flywheel acknowledge that existing customers drive future growth (through repeat business and referrals). The difference is that the Flywheel is a high-level metaphor focusing on momentum and the idea that reducing friction increases spin (customer advocacy) – but it “lacks clear, trackable data points for optimization” in each segment . The Bowtie, on the other hand, defines concrete stages and metrics on the post-sale side just as rigorously as the pre-sale side. It allows teams to attach KPIs at every stage of customer engagement, from lead volume and conversion rates on the left side to renewal rates, expansion revenue, and advocacy metrics on the right. In summary, the Bowtie model provides full-funnel (or rather full-bowtie) visibility, metric-driven stage management, and a structure to systematically maximize customer lifetime value rather than stopping at the initial sale .

Common Objections and Criticisms of the Bowtie Model

Despite its growing popularity, the RevOps Bowtie Model has faced some common objections and criticisms. Here are a few of the notable concerns that skeptics or practitioners have raised:

• “Isn’t this just a repackaged funnel or a buzzword?” – Some critics initially view the Bowtie as merely re-labeling things companies were already doing (i.e. focusing on customer success and upselling) and question whether it truly adds value. They point out that concepts like account expansion, renewals, and advocacy are not new, and wonder if a new term is necessary. Additionally, with the introduction of HubSpot’s Flywheel, there is confusion about whether Bowtie is redundant. Detractors in this camp might say that a savvy business will manage post-sale revenue anyway, funnel graphic or not. Essentially, why adopt a “Bowtie” terminology instead of sticking with existing funnel-plus-customer-success models or the Flywheel?
• Lack of Fit for Non-Recurring Businesses: Because the Bowtie framework was designed around recurring revenue, some argue it doesn’t apply to all businesses. For companies that primarily have one-off sales or long purchase cycles with little repeat purchase (e.g. large industrial B2B sales, or consumer goods), mapping a bowtie could be overkill. These skeptics note that the Bowtie is “perfect for SaaS and subscription-based businesses” , but in industries without a significant retention/repeat revenue component, a traditional funnel (followed by standard account management) might suffice. In short, the Bowtie model’s emphasis on post-sale stages is seen as most relevant to subscription or usage-based models – outside of those, its utility might be limited.
• Complexity and Implementation Challenges: Another common criticism is that the Bowtie model, while conceptually sound, is difficult to implement and operationalize. Building and reporting on a “single data model that includes marketing automation, CRM, and post-sale data sets is not for the faint of heart,” as one revenue leader observed . Many organizations have siloed systems and teams; integrating all customer touchpoints into one unified view (and coordinating across departments) can be a massive undertaking. Detractors worry that without the right tools, trying to track every stage in the Bowtie could become cumbersome or lead to analysis paralysis. In practical terms, current CRM and marketing automation platforms are often still oriented around the linear funnel, and “current tech stacks weren’t designed with [the Bowtie] in mind” . Thus, teams may struggle with data attribution, hand-off processes, or shared KPIs when attempting to implement a Bowtie framework on legacy infrastructure.
• Cultural and Organizational Resistance: Shifting to a Bowtie approach also requires breaking down long-standing organizational silos between sales, marketing, and customer success. Internally, there can be resistance to the changes in roles and mindset. For example, sales teams accustomed to focusing solely on new bookings might resist being measured (or comped) on renewal rates; marketing teams might not know how to engage customers post-sale; customer success teams might need to assume revenue targets. This kind of change management is non-trivial. Critics point out that without strong leadership, attempting a Bowtie model could falter if departments continue to operate on conflicting goals. In other words, the Bowtie demands true alignment and shared responsibility for revenue, which some organizations aren’t ready for. If not handled well, the model could “fall between the cracks” – with everyone owning the entire lifecycle in theory, but in practice, important tasks might slip through if accountability is not crystal-clear.
• Metrics Overload: Lastly, some observers mention the risk of metrics overload or false precision. The Bowtie introduces many stages and potential KPIs (from time-to-value, to product usage metrics, NPS for advocacy, etc.). There’s a concern that teams could drown in measuring everything across the bowtie, rather than focusing on a few critical north-star metrics. Especially for smaller companies or those early in RevOps maturity, the Bowtie’s comprehensive nature might be overwhelming. Skeptics worry that without the capacity to manage and interpret so much data, companies might end up with fragmented or untrustworthy reports – essentially recreating the “reporting complexity” problem under a new guise .

It’s worth noting that many of these criticisms are not knocks against the concept of focusing on customer lifetime value, but rather practical cautions about execution. Next, we address how proponents of the Bowtie model respond to these concerns.

Rebuttals and Defenses of the Bowtie Model

Proponents of the RevOps Bowtie Model offer several counterarguments to the above criticisms, often citing data and case studies to defend why the Bowtie is necessary despite the challenges. Here are some well-reasoned rebuttals to common objections:

• “New name for old idea?” – The value of formalization: Yes, businesses have long known that upsells and retention are important, but the Bowtie model provides a structured, measurable framework to ensure those activities aren’t treated as ad-hoc or secondary. Advocates argue that giving a name and shape to the full revenue lifecycle forces organizations to pay as much attention to existing customers as they do to acquiring new ones. As one Bowtie evangelist put it, the traditional funnel “doesn’t recognize the role of the post-sale customer… It’s estimated that 65% of revenue comes from the existing install base”, so ignoring that in your model is perilous . The Bowtie formalizes post-sale growth as part of the core strategy, not just an afterthought. In practice, companies that have adopted a Bowtie/RevOps approach have seen tangible benefits – for example, organizations deploying RevOps (which includes Bowtie principles) have been shown to grow revenue faster than those that don’t . In short, the Bowtie isn’t about inventing a new buzzword; it’s about institutionalizing customer lifetime value in the same way the old funnel institutionalized lead-to-sale. This clarity can uncover revenue opportunities that siloed teams might miss.
• Fit for purpose (when to use Bowtie): It’s true that a Bowtie approach is most critical for recurring revenue businesses – and defenders acknowledge that if a business truly has no repeat sales or renewal component, a full bowtie may be unnecessary. However, they quickly note that the trend across industries is toward subscription models, repeat engagement, or “land-and-expand” strategies. Many product companies are adding services or subscriptions; many one-time projects lead to maintenance contracts, etc. For any business that can benefit from customer loyalty, referrals, or expansion, the Bowtie mindset adds value. Even if the exact model isn’t applied verbatim, the philosophy of maximizing customer lifetime value and not just the initial transaction is broadly applicable. Furthermore, customer-centric growth is becoming the norm – consider that even manufacturing firms now care about customer experience and repeat business in ways they didn’t a decade ago. The Bowtie model is a ready-made template for this new reality. And for those who do run pure SaaS or subscription businesses, the earlier point stands: ignoring the bowtie is not an option when, for example, 82% of a SaaS deal’s revenue might come after the initial sale . In defense of the model, one could say: use a funnel for a one-and-done sale, but you need a bowtie for a recurring relationship.
• On implementation difficulties – tools and alignment are catching up: Critics are right that implementing a Bowtie data model is challenging with legacy systems. The defense is that the industry is actively moving to solve these issues. We are seeing rapid evolution in RevOps technology and practices to better support end-to-end revenue tracking. New analytics platforms, customer data hubs, and RevOps software are emerging specifically to handle cross-functional data (some startups explicitly refer to solving “the RevOps Bowtie data problem”) . Additionally, Winning by Design and others have published standardized metrics, benchmarks, and templates that companies can adopt, reducing the burden of figuring it all out alone . The existence of the Bowtie model has spurred toolmakers to rethink how CRMs and BI tools model the customer journey. Even traditional platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot are adding features for post-sale tracking and customer success integration due to this industry push. In the interim, RevOps leaders acknowledge the complexity but view it as a worthwhile investment: a unified bowtie view can uncover inefficiencies (churn drivers, poor onboarding, etc.) that far outweigh the cost of building the integration. As one proponent noted, “it will be interesting to see which tools make the leap from tracking funnels to supporting flywheels [and bowties]” – and this shift is already underway .
• Organizational resistance – making the case: Change management is a challenge, but Bowtie champions argue that the results speak for themselves once implemented. A key part of rebutting internal resistance is to use data to drive buy-in. For example, showing leadership how improving retention by a few percentage points can double revenue over a couple of years, or how upsell revenue was historically under-counted and now can be forecasted, helps justify the approach. Many share the sentiment that incorporating customer success and retention into the big picture is long overdue . Successful companies are restructuring incentives and teams to support the bowtie approach: sales reps get compensated for expansions, customer success managers are given revenue targets or upsell opportunities, and marketing teams have KPIs on customer engagement, not just MQLs. These changes, while significant, break down the silos that cause friction. Cross-functional “revenue teams” are formed with a common goal of customer impact. Far from causing confusion, this can energize employees by clarifying how their work post-sale drives growth. In other words, defenders say the Bowtie fosters a “one-team” revenue culture, replacing the often disjointed hand-offs of the funnel. They acknowledge the need for executive sponsorship and clear communication in making this shift, but point to pioneering firms (especially in SaaS) that have reorganized around the bowtie and achieved superior net retention and customer satisfaction as a result.
• Managing metrics and focus: While the Bowtie introduces many metrics, RevOps leaders suggest focusing on a few critical levers at first. For example, one popular approach is to zero in on four key revenue levers in sequence: retention (churn rate), expansion (upsell rate), velocity (sales cycle time), and volume (new lead volume) . By improving these systematically (in that order), companies shore up their revenue engine. The Bowtie model supports this by making it clear where the “leaks” are – e.g., if churn is high, that’s a right-side problem to fix before pouring more leads in on the left. This lever-based improvement is a direct rebuttal to the old mindset of just “add more leads” when growth stalls. In essence, the Bowtie helps teams prioritize efforts (maybe the issue is onboarding, or maybe it’s lack of upsells) by giving visibility across the customer lifecycle. Defenders also argue that modern BI tools and RevOps dashboards can synthesize the myriad metrics into an at-a-glance health report of the bowtie (for instance, a dashboard might show conversion percentages at each stage and the time between stages, highlighting bottlenecks). This is more actionable than the traditional siloed reports. Over time, as the organization matures, they can layer in additional metrics or advanced analyses (like customer lifetime value to Customer Acquisition Cost ratio, cohort retention curves, etc.), all within the bowtie context. The key is that the Bowtie doesn’t require tracking every metric at once; it simply provides the framework to ensure no critical phase is unmanaged. As a defense: it’s better to have a slightly complex system that captures reality than a simplistic one that leaves you blind to 50% of the revenue process. Teams can start simple (maybe just track onboarding completion rate and renewal rate on the right side, to complement the lead and win rate on the left) and build sophistication as needed.

In summary, the Bowtie model’s supporters acknowledge that it introduces new challenges and requires effort to implement. However, they argue these are growing pains of a necessary evolution in go-to-market strategy. The modern B2B landscape – with subscription economics, customer-centric buying, and the paramount importance of retention – demands a model that is “customer journey focused, data-driven, and end-to-end”. The Bowtie is exactly that. Its ability to bridge pre- and post-sale teams, to highlight often-neglected revenue levers, and to create a holistic view of the business has made it a cornerstone of Revenue Operations best practices. As one industry observer noted, the Bowtie framework provides a “more accurate, unified and comprehensive view of GTM” in today’s recurring revenue world , which is why many believe it represents the future of how companies will plan and manage revenue.

Conclusion

The RevOps Bowtie Model represents a significant shift in mindset from the traditional funnel paradigm. It offers a more complete architecture of revenue generation, one that aligns marketing, sales, and customer success into a single cohesive system focused on delivering customer value and driving recurring revenue. We have explored the origins of this model in the airline industry’s ancillary sales, its adaptation and evangelization by Winning by Design in the SaaS world, and the core structure that sets it apart – namely, the inclusion of post-sale stages as equally important to growth as the initial sale. Key thought leaders and companies are rallying around the Bowtie as a framework for sustainable growth, reinforcing its credibility in the industry.

The Bowtie model is not without its challenges or skeptics, and we discussed common criticisms ranging from implementation complexity to questions about its universality. However, the counterarguments in favor of the Bowtie are compelling: businesses ignoring the post-sale lifecycle do so at their peril, especially in an era where customer retention and expansion are the primary drivers of profitability. The Bowtie’s emphasis on data and measurable outcomes at every stage directly addresses the shortcomings of older models like the linear funnel (and complements the customer-centric philosophy of concepts like the flywheel with more tactical clarity).

For a professional audience in revenue operations or go-to-market strategy, the Bowtie framework provides both a diagnostic tool and a growth playbook. It helps identify where revenue leaks are happening (e.g. high churn or poor adoption) and suggests where to invest (e.g. customer success programs or product value delivery) to fix them. By viewing the customer journey as a continuous loop of value creation – rather than a straight line to a deal – companies can foster deeper customer relationships and unlock compound growth through renewals and referrals. In many ways, adopting the Bowtie model is part of a broader shift toward customer-centric business models and data-driven decision-making in revenue strategy.

In conclusion, the RevOps Bowtie model is more than just a trendy diagram; it encapsulates a modern approach to revenue management that is holistic, data-informed, and geared for the long run. It challenges organizations to break down silos and think beyond the initial sale, which, while challenging, aligns with the fundamental goal of any business: not just to win customers, but to keep and grow them. As the industry continues to evolve, the Bowtie is well-positioned to serve as a standard framework for companies aiming to achieve scalable and repeatable revenue growth in the age of recurring revenue.

Sources:

• Winning by Design – “The Bowtie, A Proposed Standard v1.0” (2024)
• RevPartners Blog – “The Bowtie Model: Revenue Growth and the Customer Journey”
• Six & Flow Blog – “Untying the Knot: Understanding the Bowtie Model” (2024)
• Highspot – “Top RevOps Frameworks that Drive Growth and Alignment”
• BusinessWire – “Winning by Design Releases Updated Bowtie Model…” (Oct 2023)
• LinkedIn (Will Yuste post) – Discussion on Bowtie vs. legacy models (2024)
• LinkedIn (Mathew Hill article) – “Proving Value with the Bow-Tie Funnel” (Sep 2024)
• Winning by Design Blog – “Frameworks That Govern B2B Marketing and Sales (Why SaaS Needs its Own)”
• RevOps Co-op – “Why & How to Map the Buyer Journey” (2023)
• congruentX Blog – “Beyond the Sales Funnel: Embracing the Revenue Architecture Bow Tie”