Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Mindful B2B Marketing | Business Growth and Social Impact (Former: Forward Launch Your SaaS)
Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de Mindful B2B Marketing | Business Growth and Social Impact (Former: Forward Launch Your SaaS). Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.
Rows per page:
50
1–50 of 85
Titre
Date
Durée
Don’t Persuade Harder; Resonate Stronger: How to Build Messages That Truly Connect -- Ft. Dr. Michael Gerharz, Host of the Irresistible Communication podcast
01 Apr 2025
00:41:21
Why Good Marketing Often Falls Flat
Have you ever launched a marketing campaign that seemed to follow all the right rules—sharp copy, clear calls to action, even a sleek design—only to realize… it didn’t connect? Maybe the message felt off. Maybe no one engaged. You’re not alone.
In this episode of the Mindful B2B Marketing podcast, communication coach Dr. Michael Gerharz joins us to help flip the script. Instead of trying to persuade harder, Michael teaches us how to resonate stronger. Because when your message resonates, you don’t have to push—it pulls people in.
Meet Michael Gerharz
Dr. Michael Gerharz is a communications coach with a background in computer science. With nearly two decades of experience, he now helps leaders and marketers transform their communication into a strategic advantage. He’s the author of The PATH to Strategic Impact, host of the Irresistible Communication podcast, and the creator of the “Leaders Light the Path” manifesto.
But what makes his approach different is this: Michael doesn’t focus on tricks or tactics. He teaches us to speak with clarity, honesty, and purpose—to create messages that shift how people see the world.
How to Build Resonance Step by Step
Michael shared a simple but powerful step-by-step process:
1. Talk to Real Customers
Get out of the meeting room and into real conversations. Don’t guess what your audience wants—ask them. Sit down, have a coffee, go for a walk, hop on a Zoom call. It’s in these moments that the real insights emerge.
2. Listen With Openness
Most marketers listen for confirmation. Instead, listen for truth. Are people actually agreeing, or just being polite? Are they hesitating? Use their words—not yours—to shape your message.
3. Test What Resonates
Michael doesn’t use spreadsheets or analytics to test messaging. He watches for reactions. A resonant message is one that makes people pause. It feels obvious in hindsight. It sticks with you. And when others repeat it back, you know you’ve hit something real.
4. Treat Messaging as a Continuous Cycle
Don’t think of communication as a one-and-done event. It’s an ongoing process of testing, refining, and learning. You might never be “finished,” and that’s okay.
How to Get Featured by Major Media Outlets -- ft. Leonard Scheiner, CEO of Geek Haus (S2:E19)
14 Jan 2025
00:42:31
Main Insight: Earning media placements through consistent, strategic PR efforts builds lasting authority and credibility that can significantly boost your brand and sales.
Guest Bio: Leonard Scheiner is a PR expert who brings over a decade of experience building memorable brands and online authority for both Fortune 500 companies and boutique firms. He has helped professionals secure high-profile media placements in major outlets such as Forbes, CNN, Bloomberg, and more. As the CEO of Geek Haus, Leonard specializes in positioning subject matter experts so they can build trustworthy and credible personal brands that translate into real business results. His proven PR frameworks have driven dramatic revenue growth—helping clients achieve up to a 300% increase in revenue and tens of millions in new business.
Leonard invites listeners to visit GeekHaus.com to explore how his agency can help secure impactful media placements. He also encourages those ready to become featured experts to join his free live training at PodcastGuestIntensive.com, where he walks you through packaging your expertise and pitching for media success.
Key Takeaways:
Key Takeaways:
Start with Local and Niche Media: Before aiming for major publications like Forbes or Bloomberg, begin by establishing credibility with local media, podcasts, and industry-specific interviews.
Build a Strong Foundation: A professional website, quality headshots, and a concise yet compelling bio are critical components that support successful media outreach.
Leverage Existing Opportunities: Utilize platforms such as Featured.com to identify and respond to media opportunities already in circulation rather than creating chances from scratch.
Consistency is Key: Whether it’s a local interview or an emerging podcast opportunity, regularly securing media placements increases credibility over time.
Timeframe for Results: While initial placements can occur within one to two months (often starting with local placements), establishing national credibility might take six months to a year, with occasional early successes.
Effective Messaging: Ensure that your commentary carries a distinct point of view. Differentiating yourself from generic “vanilla” opinions is essential to be recognized as a genuine expert.
Effort Versus Outcome: Typically, a professional needs to spend about one hour per placement, with much of the heavy lifting done by the PR team.
Integrate Media Success into the Broader Marketing Strategy: After obtaining media placements, amplify these successes across all channels—email signatures, websites, social media, and promotional materials—to drive trust and customer engagement.
Avoid Pitfalls: Watch for pay-to-play dynamics and avoid overextending yourself into too many unrelated areas. Focus on a defined niche to ensure that your expertise remains clear and credible.
Training and Preparation: Whether you plan to represent yourself or your CEO, investing in media training and preparation can help secure and maximize media placements.
S2E10: How to start proactively doing marketing as a small business owner -- ft. Ram Prasad, CEO of Delence
19 Aug 2024
00:38:21
Main Insight: Ram Prasad, a small business owner, explains how embracing structured marketing strategies, such as leveraging LinkedIn and consistent content creation, led to doubling his company's revenue, and emphasizes the importance of viewing marketing as a long-term investment for small business growth.
Guest Bio: Ram Prasad is the CEO of Delence, a company specializing in providing fractional CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and CPO (Chief Product Officer) services to businesses. With a strong background in technology, Ram has recently developed a passion for marketing, particularly in the context of small business growth. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between technology and marketing, helping businesses scale effectively by leveraging tailored tech solutions and strategic marketing insights.
Step-by-Step Advice for Moving Away from Referral-Only Business Growth
Prioritize Business Growth:
Allocate a marketing budget and consider hiring marketing professionals. View marketing as an investment in your business's future. This helps you avoid inefficiencies and leverages expertise to craft a more effective strategy.
Identify the Right Social Media Channel:
The first crucial step is to identify the most effective social media channel where your target audience is most active. This decision should be based on where your potential customers are likely to be found. For example, if your customers are tech startup CEOs, they are more likely to be on LinkedIn or Twitter rather than Instagram or Facebook. Start by focusing on one or two platforms to ensure your efforts are concentrated and effective.
Consistency in Posting:
Once you have identified the appropriate channel, the next step is to post consistently. The ideal frequency for most businesses is at least two to three times a week. Consistency is key because posting regularly helps keep your brand top of mind with your audience. Ram emphasizes that the goal isn't to aim for a viral post but to build a presence over time through regular and consistent posting. He recommends setting aside a specific time daily or weekly for content creation and posting to maintain this consistency. Understand that marketing requires patience and consistent effort, much like gardening. Focus on nurturing your strategy and be prepared to commit for several months before expecting significant outcomes.
Create and Share Original Content:
It’s important that the content you post is original. Original content reflects your unique perspective and experiences, which is more engaging and valuable to your audience. Ram advises against simply copying content from others or using generic content generated by tools. Instead, use your own experiences, such as summarizing a customer interaction or a recent project (while maintaining confidentiality), to create content. This approach ensures your content is authentic and resonates more deeply with your audience.
Measure and Adjust:
After establishing a routine of consistent posting, the next step is to measure the effectiveness of your posts. Pay attention to the feedback you receive, such as likes, comments, and shares, to understand what content is resonating with your audience. However, Ram warns against overthinking this process. Instead, focus on experimenting and adjusting your content based on the feedback and engagement you observe. The key is to keep iterating and improving your strategy rather t
S2E9: Why Clarity is King: The Power of Simple Messaging, ft. Ben Guttmann, author of 'Simply Put'
05 Aug 2024
00:45:21
Main Insight: Effective B2B marketing hinges on clarity; the clearer the message, the greater its impact.
Guest Bio: Ben Guttmann is a seasoned marketing entrepreneur, educator, and author known for his expertise in clear communication. He authored "Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win and How to Design Them." Over a decade, he managed Digital Natives Group, a marketing agency that evolved from small local projects to prestigious collaborations with major entities like the NFL and Comcast.
The Five Principles of Simple Messaging:
beneficial, or matters to the receiver
focused, meaning articulating one thing at a time rather than multiple things
salient, or standing out amidst noise
empathetic, or speaking the language that the audience understands and meeting them emotionally
minimal, or excluding everything unnecessary.
Key Takeaways:
Emphasize Clarity in Messaging
Clear and simple messages are more effective.
Avoid jargon and complex language.
Make your value proposition easily understandable.
Know Your Audience
Understand the needs and pain points of your target audience.
Tailor your messages to address these needs directly.
Use language and examples that resonate with your audience.
Consistent Brand Voice
Maintain a consistent voice across all platforms and materials.
This helps in building a recognizable and trustworthy brand.
Storytelling
Use stories to make your messages more engaging and memorable.
Share success stories and case studies to illustrate your points.
Data-Driven Decisions
Use analytics to understand what messages are working.
Continuously test and refine your messaging based on data insights.
Visual Clarity
Use clear and professional visuals to support your messages.
Ensure that your design is clean and free from unnecessary clutter.
Simplicity in Design
Apply minimalist principles to your marketing materials.
Focus on key messages and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information.
Focus on Benefits, Not Features
Highlight how your product or service benefits the customer.
Explain how it solves their problems or improves their situation.
Educate Your Audience
Provide valuable content that educates your audience about your industry.
This positions you as a thought leader and builds trust.
Leverage Multiple Channels
Use a mix of marketing channels to reach your audience.
Ensure that your messaging is consistent across all channels.
Customer-Centric Approach
Always put the customer at the center of your marketing strategy.
Listen to their feedback and adjust your strategies accordingly.
S2E8: How to leverage AI in B2B Marketing -- ft. Rich Edwards, CEO of Mindspan Systems
15 Jul 2024
01:10:35
MAIN INSIGHT: Leverage data-driven strategies and artificial intelligence to transform and optimize marketing efforts.
GUEST BIO: Rich Edwards is the CEO of Mindspan Systems, a company specializing in transforming community financial institutions through data-driven strategies and innovative technologies. With a career spanning over a decade at IBM, Edwards has significant experience in product strategy, data center automation, and artificial intelligence, including a pivotal role in the launch of the IBM Watson Developer Cloud.
RESULTS:
Increased personalization in marketing, allowing companies to cater specifically to individual customer preferences and needs.
Enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in marketing operations, as AI can automate and optimize many routine tasks and processes.
Improved customer engagement and retention through targeted and relevant marketing communications.
Greater competitive advantage by utilizing data insights to make informed strategic decisions.
Cost savings from automation and the ability to produce more with less manual effort.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Leverage First-Party Data: Utilize first-party data to gain a competitive advantage by delivering highly personalized and relevant marketing content. First-party data, being directly collected from customers, is crucial for creating accurate and impactful marketing strategies that resonate with the target audience.
Ethical Data Practices: Adopt transparent data collection methods and manage data prudently to uphold customer trust. Rich Edwards stressed the importance of treating customer data with the same care as money, considering the potential risks and implications of data breaches or misuse.
Data Safeguarding and Compliance: Implement robust systems to protect customer data, ensuring that data management practices comply with the latest regulations. This includes thoughtful interactions with customers about how their data is used and ensuring that data sharing and processing are done only when necessary and with proper customer consent.
Navigating Data Governance Challenges: Be vigilant about the dependencies that can develop from using platforms like Facebook for marketing, which may lead to potential constraints and costs. Marketers should be aware of the terms and conditions of data usage by third-party companies and strive for agreements that protect their interests and those of their customers.
LINKS TO DATA GOVERNANCE RESOURCES:
Here’s a good, easy-to-read introduction to data governance from HubSpot: HubSpot Data Governance.
One of the more general industry governance organizations is the Data Management Association (DAMA), offering good resources and certification standards: DAMA.
Microsoft’s policy on data usage with AI services can be found here: Microsoft Data Privacy.
An earlier interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella specifically addressing their values on privacy is available on YouTube: Satya Nadella Interview.
Also, as discussed, Trust Insights provides insights, and here's an example of Chris Penn’s blog:
S2E7: How eco-friendly email marketing helps you reach your audience -- ft. James Gill, Co-founder of EcoSend and GoSquared
01 Jul 2024
00:43:29
MAIN INSIGHT B2B marketers can send campaigns that ultimately can have a positive impact on their audience by optimizing email marketing practices, such as reducing email frequency, targeting more effectively, and using eco-friendly infrastructure and content strategies.
GUEST BIO
James Gill is the co-founder of EcoSend and GoSquared. EcoSend works with brands to transform email marketing into a more climate-conscious practice, addressing the significant carbon footprint of the over 350 billion emails sent daily. GoSquared, celebrating its 18th anniversary, provides a privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics, helping thousands of businesses grow sustainably every day. James is dedicated to creating environmentally responsible and privacy-centric digital tools.
BENEFITS OF ECO-CONSCIOUS EMAIL MARKETING Reduced Carbon Footprint:
By optimizing email campaigns, marketers can significantly lower the environmental impact of their digital activities.
Increased Engagement:
Sending fewer, more targeted emails can lead to higher engagement rates, as recipients are more likely to find the content relevant and valuable.
Improved Efficiency:
Streamlining email content and reducing data load can enhance the overall efficiency of email marketing campaigns, leading to better performance.
Enhanced Brand Reputation:
Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can improve a brand's reputation and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers and clients.
Cost Savings:
Optimizing email campaigns can reduce the resources and energy required, potentially leading to cost savings in the long run.
Sustainable Business Growth:
By adopting eco-friendly and privacy-centric practices, businesses can achieve sustainable growth that aligns with modern ethical standards and consumer expectations.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Optimize Email Content: Streamlining the content of emails to be more concise and relevant can reduce the data load and, consequently, the environmental impact.
Improve Targeting: Ensuring emails are sent only to those who are genuinely interested and likely to engage can minimize waste and enhance the efficiency of email campaigns.
Compress Image Sizes: Reducing the size of images in emails can decrease the data required to send and receive emails, thereby lowering the carbon footprint.
Avoid Putting Text in Images: Keeping text as text rather than embedding it in images can reduce the email's data load, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly.
COMPANY DESCRIPTION EcoSend works with brands to revolutionize email marketing by making it more climate-conscious. The company addresses the significant carbon footprint of email marketing by promoting sustainable practices and tools.
S2E6: How to transform sales through hyper-personalized networking, ft. Rhonda Dibachi, CEO of Hey Scottie
18 Jun 2024
00:48:35
Main Insight: Using hyper-personalized outreach creates business opportunities with higher ROI for time spent and fosters better relationships between salespeople and customers.
Guest Bio: Rhonda Dibachi, CEO of Hey Scottie, has a diverse background in technology and manufacturing with experience in nuclear engineering and software development. She has co-founded multiple tech and manufacturing startups, including one that successfully went public. Rhonda is passionate about integrating technology into manufacturing to solve real-world operational challenges.
Key Takeaways:
Identify Successful Customers: Start by examining who your successful customers are, and identify their key attributes such as location, industry, product type, or size to categorize your ideal customer.
Find Adjacent Prospects: Look for prospects that are similar to your successful customers, particularly those that are geographically close so you can easily visit or engage with them.
Engage with Potential Connections: Identify potential points of engagement from their online presence, such as association memberships, and consider attending related events like annual meetings.
Leverage Personal Interests: Use personal interests shown on platforms like LinkedIn, such as hobbies, to create a more personal connection.
Look for innovators in a target company or industry: Identify people who are ambitious and receptive to innovative ideas such as recent job-changers, digital natives, and people who attend industry conferences.
Make Personal Connections: Make efforts to personally connect at conferences or through platforms like LinkedIn, reaching out to conference-goers and suggesting face-to-face meetings before the conference to discuss potential collaborations.
S2E5: How to build an online community to promote your brand, ft. William Cook, CEO of Advertise Your Server
03 Jun 2024
00:29:49
0:31
Introduction to Building an Online Community
1:58
Inception of Advertise Your Server
2:43
Evolution of Advertise Your Server
5:04
Expanding to B2B Companies
6:36
Benefits for B2B Brands
10:23
Setting Up an Online Community
20:39
Establishing Community Norms
25:08
Pitfalls in Online Community Creation
28:26
Connect with Advertise Your Server
Main Insight
Building an online community is essential for brand promotion and customer engagement. William Cook, CEO of Advertise Your Server, shares his expertise on leveraging platforms like Reddit and Discord to grow vibrant online communities that drive business growth.
Key Takeaways
Importance of Online Communities: Online communities provide a space for customers to interact, share experiences, and build a sense of loyalty and belonging. They are crucial for promoting brands and fostering customer engagement.
Choosing the Right Platform: Different platforms serve different community needs. Reddit and Discord are highlighted as excellent platforms for community growth. Reddit offers broad exposure, while Discord provides a more intimate and interactive environment.
Strategies for Community Growth:
Engage with Members: Regular interaction and engagement with community members are vital. This includes responding to comments, initiating discussions, and providing valuable content.
Consistent Value Addition: Continuously offer value to community members through exclusive content, updates, and resources that cater to their interests and needs.
Leveraging Influencers: Collaborate with influencers who can bring their audience into the community, increasing reach and credibility.
Monetization and ROI:
Direct Revenue Generation: Monetize the community through memberships, premium content, and exclusive offers.
Indirect Benefits: Enhanced brand loyalty, customer feedback, and market insights can significantly impact business growth and development.
Challenges and Solutions:
Maintaining Engagement: Keep the community active and engaged through regular events, Q&A sessions, and interactive content.
Managing Negative Feedback: Address negative feedback constructively and use it to improve products and services.
Guest Bio
William Cook is the CEO of Advertise Your Server, a leading online community growth platform. With extensive experience in community building and digital marketing, William has successfully helped numerous brands grow their online presence and engage with their audience on platforms like Reddit and Discord.
Company Description
Advertise Your Server is the premier platform for growing online communities on Reddit and Discord. They specialize in helping brands create and nurture vibrant online spaces where customers can connect, share, and engage. With a focus on providing consistent value and fostering meaningful interactions, Advertise Your Server is dedicated to driving business growth through community building.
S2E4: How to communicate your brand identity ft. Dave Erickson, CEO of ScreamingBox
20 May 2024
00:42:53
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AT forwardlaunchdigital.com/podcast
Main Insight
"The most effective brand strategy focuses on differentiation and solving customer business challenges." Dave emphasizes that a unique brand identity and an ability to clearly articulate how a product solves specific customer challenges are crucial in marketing. Content should demonstrate solutions, not just features.
Key Takeaways
Step-by-Step Marketing Strategy
Determine Your Business Cycle Stage: Understand where the business currently stands. Are you a new startup, a growing SMB, or an established enterprise? Different stages require different marketing strategies.
Focus on the Basics: Ensure that your website has strong calls-to-action and that free content like blog articles, YouTube videos, and social media posts are available.
Expand to Advanced Marketing: For mature businesses, consider investing in advertising campaigns, events, and sponsorships. SMBs with resources can leverage trade events and Google Ads campaigns.
Incorporate AI into Content Creation: Utilize AI for generating outlines, titles, and basic content structures. Refine and build upon these AI-generated drafts for faster, more effective content creation.
Develop a Comprehensive Content Strategy:
Write a detailed blog post about how your product solves specific business challenges.
Atomize content into multiple pieces (short videos, audio snippets, infographics).
Use AI tools to create faceless videos from written content.
Distribute across multiple social media channels in varied formats.
Distribution Plan and Calls to Action:
Share blog articles on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
Use smaller content pieces and videos for wider reach.
Align calls to action with each content type (e.g., "Contact us," "Download a whitepaper," "Try our product").
Guest Bio
Dave Erickson Title: CEO, ScreamingBox Bio: Dave Erickson has over 30 years of experience in eSports, gaming, software development, marketing, sales, branding, publishing, advertising, and international business. A serial entrepreneur, he has founded and managed businesses across the USA, Europe, and Asia. Prior to ScreamingBox, he played a pivotal role in building the Fatal1ty gaming brand and licensing program, and also founded an internet marketing company in 2002 that catered to high-profile clients like Gunthy-Ranker, Qualcomm, and TigerText.
Company Description
ScreamingBox Description: ScreamingBox is a digital development company that offers web and mobile app development, along with other technology solutions. Their virtual-first approach helps clients save costs while ensuring high-quality digital solutions. They have built a strong reputation in the industry due to their distinctive branding and word-of-mouth referrals. Website: screamingbox.net
Rainmaker Web Description: Rainmaker Web helps startups and SMBs with marketing strategy, content creation, and digital distribution. Website: rainmakerweb.net
S2E3: The Power of Volunteer Marketing Teams ft. Natalie Hogg, Founder of MethodQ
07 May 2024
00:45:24
Guest Bio: Natalie Hogg is the founder and head marketer of Method Q. She has a background in communications and journalism and initially aspired to join international relations but later shifted to marketing. After a successful career in corporate marketing, she founded Method Q, where she can help businesses grow while giving back to her community.
Company Description: Method Q is a full-service marketing agency that provides comprehensive marketing solutions for businesses, whether supporting existing in-house teams or acting as a complete outsourced marketing department.
Main Insight: The power of creating volunteer marketing teams lies in aligning business goals with personal passions. By blending work and life purposefully, you can build a community of professionals who share your values, create meaningful impact through nonprofits, and help the next generation succeed.
Key Takeaways:
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone:
Expand your network by attending events and engaging with new people.
Reach out to potential mentors and ask for introductions.
Define Your Goals:
Write down your career and life goals to manifest them into reality.
Create a timeline of where you want to be, even if it's a rough outline.
Build and Nurture Relationships:
Foster meaningful relationships within your network and community.
Leverage your network's skills and interests to make a positive impact.
Incorporate Volunteering into Your Business:
Recruit your team to volunteer their skills for a nonprofit organization.
Start by offering small contributions, like managing social media or redesigning a website.
Encourage your team to take ownership and contribute their expertise.
Practice Self-Care:
Maintain a healthy balance by prioritizing self-care.
Lead by example, showing your team the importance of taking care of themselves.
In this episode, Mark Osborne emphasizes scalable relationships in marketing, stressing efficient systems for growth. He offers B2B marketers guidance on KPIs and revenue optimization.
Chapters
0:31
Introduction
4:04
The Power of Systems
14:10
Improving Systems Through Meetings
25:19
Implementing an Effective Referral System
27:50
Impact of Systematizing on Teams
31:43
Steps to Implement Systems Within a Team
36:16
Overcoming Challenges in System Implementation
39:28
Smooth System Implementation Tips
41:24
Promoting the Book and Offer
Long Summary
Mark Osborne, the founder of Modern Revenue Strategies, shares his journey into founding his company and his background in marketing. He discusses the importance of building one-to-one relationships at scale using data and technology. Mark highlights the challenges of keeping up with the ever-growing marketing technology landscape and explains the fundamental approach his company takes to drive scalable and reliable growth in marketing.
Mark emphasizes the significance of systems in setting teams free from friction and uncertainty, enabling collaboration, and providing peace of mind. He delves into the process of creating and implementing effective systems within organizations to attract prospects, accelerate opportunities, and activate clients for renewals, upsells, and referrals. Mark stresses the importance of establishing clear KPIs and benchmarks to measure success in customer acquisition, revenue growth, and referrals.
He outlines practical steps for B2B marketers to systematize their processes, focusing on identifying areas for improvement, documenting critical client flows, and fostering collaboration among team members. Mark shares insights into overcoming challenges in implementing systems, such as resistance to change and concerns about job security. He emphasizes the role of leadership in supporting and adhering to systems to drive organizational success.
Mark introduces a special offer for the audience, providing a free download of his book, "Are Your Leads Killing Your Business?" along with templates, calculators, and training resources to help businesses enhance their revenue systems. He invites viewers to access these resources and offers personalized guidance in diagnosing revenue systems and identifying growth opportunities. Mark concludes by expressing his pleasure in sharing insights and engaging in the conversation.
Brief Summary
Mark Osborne, the founder of Modern Revenue Strategies, discusses the importance of building one-to-one relationships at scale using data and technology in marketing. He emphasizes the significance of systems in setting teams free from friction, enabling collaboration, and providing peace of mind. Mark outlines the process of creating and implementing effective systems to attract prospects, accelerate opportunities, and drive growth in marketing. He highlights the role of clear KPIs and benchmarks in measuring success and offers practical steps for B2B marketers to systematize their processes. Mark introduces a free download of his book and resources to help businesses enhance their revenue systems, concluding with an invitation for viewers to access these resources for personalized guidance.
Jeff Zelaya discusses his journey in marketing and the importance of mindfulness in a conversation focused on creating a healthy, high-performance marketing team. He emphasizes the impact of mindfulness on marketing professionals, especially during stressful times. Jeff shares personal experiences from his childhood and describes how he developed a passion for marketing at a young age.
As the VP of Demand Generation at Hite Digital, Jeff delves into the initiatives and programs implemented to prioritize mindfulness within his team. He highlights the "Unbreakable" program, which focuses on resilience and mental toughness through training sessions, breathing exercises, and even ice baths. Jeff explains the positive outcomes of these initiatives, such as improved team retention, morale, and happiness.
The conversation touches on the implementation of mindfulness programs, including the importance of budgeting and measuring success through surveys and feedback. Jeff provides insights into potential obstacles when introducing mindfulness programs, such as resistance from team members or leaders. He emphasizes the need for consistency and adaptability in such initiatives.
Jeff also offers practical advice for marketing leaders looking to integrate mindfulness into their teams, suggesting steps like setting clear goals, designing surveys for feedback, and adapting programs based on results. He emphasizes the importance of being open to feedback and customizing initiatives to suit the team's needs. Jeff encourages connection on LinkedIn for further discussions on mindfulness and marketing practices.
Brief Summary
Jeff Zelaya discusses the significance of mindfulness in marketing teams, sharing personal experiences and insights on implementing mindfulness initiatives. Jeff emphasizes the positive impact of mindfulness programs on team retention and morale, highlighting the importance of consistency and adaptability. He offers practical advice for marketing leaders, emphasizing clear goals, feedback surveys, and customization based on results. Jeff encourages further discussions on LinkedIn for those interested in integrating mindfulness into marketing practices.
S2E18: How to use authentic customer stories to power B2B marketing -- ft. Indy Gregg, Founder of WeDo
17 Dec 2024
00:38:57
Main Insight: Harnessing authentic customer stories that resonate emotionally can significantly enhance trust and value perception, driving successful B2B marketing strategies.
Guest Bio: Indy is an executive and creative visionary with over 20 years of experience across diverse industries including tech, fintech, real estate, music, fashion, and cosmetics. She has led teams and consulted for prestigious brands such as LVMH, IKEA, and Sony. Currently, Indy is the founder of WeDo, a fintech application designed to support freelancers, gig workers, and small business owners by offering comprehensive business management tools with minimal fees.
Key Takeaways:
Engage Directly with Customers
Action: Personally reach out to your customers, especially those who are highly engaged or have provided feedback.
Implementation: Initiate interviews with these customers to understand their experiences before and after using your product. This direct engagement helps in uncovering authentic and relatable stories.
Utilize the Jobs to Be Done Technique
Action: Apply the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework to guide your conversations with customers.
Implementation: Start by discussing the customer's current situation and work backward to identify the key pain points and triggers that led them to choose your product. This method helps in uncovering both emotional and practical reasons behind their decision.
Identify Common Patterns and Themes
Action: Analyze the insights gathered from multiple customer interviews to find recurring themes and challenges.
Implementation: Look for similarities in the problems customers faced and how your product provided solutions. These common patterns can form the foundation of your marketing narratives, making them more relatable to a broader audience.
Involve Multiple Team Members in the Process
Action: Encourage participation from various departments, including CEOs, product teams, and customer service representatives, in conducting customer interviews.
Implementation: Different perspectives can provide a more comprehensive understanding of customer experiences. This collaborative approach ensures that the stories captured are well-rounded and cover multiple facets of the customer journey.
Systematize Customer Interviews
Action: Implement a structured process for scheduling and conducting regular customer interviews.
Implementation: Use project management tools like Jira, Asana, or Monday.com to organize and automate the scheduling of interviews. Assign tasks to team members to ensure consistent and ongoing data collection from customers.
Create Multi-Channel Content from Customer Stories
Action: Develop customer stories in various formats to maximize reach and engagement across different platforms.
Implementation: Transform the narratives into written articles, video testimonials, and audio segments for podcasts or radio. Additionally, use snippets of these stories as straplines on your homepage or in social media posts to enhance visibility and impact.
Test, Monitor, and Refine Your Stories
Action: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your customer stories and adjust them based on performance data.
Implementation: Track engagement metrics and analyze customer acquisition patterns to determine w
Season 2 Trailer: Mindful B2B Marketing | Formerly: Forward Launch Your SaaS
01 Apr 2024
00:06:32
SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER AT forwardlaunchdigital.com/podcast Suggest a guest by emailing podcast [at ] forwardlaunchdigital.com -- In this rebranded premiere of "Mindful B2B Marketing," host Keirra Woodard embarks on a transformative journey for season two, evolving from the previous focus of "Forward Launch Your SaaS" to a pioneering exploration of ethically driven and socially impactful marketing strategies in the B2B realm. Keirra introduces the concept of mindful marketing, a holistic approach that extends the definition of success beyond financial gains to include positive outcomes for customers, employees, and society at large.
This season, Keirra is determined to delve deeper into the essence of marketing with a conscience, inviting seasoned leaders from renowned B2B brands to share their stories of success achieved through commitment to ethical practices and social good. The conversations aim to unveil strategies that not only foster business growth but also promote sustainable development, highlighting environmentally-friendly initiatives, inclusivity, and digital sustainability.
Listeners can expect a variety of insightful episodes that cover critical aspects of mindful B2B marketing, including the importance of truthful marketing claims, strategies to prevent team burnout, the significance of clear messaging, and the building of online communities. The season will also tackle the integration of privacy with marketing strategies, the ethical use of AI, and the pivotal role of honesty in marketing communications.
The Power of Persistence in Building Partnerships -- Ayush Singhvi, Founder / CEO of Byldd
12 Apr 2023
00:23:09
GUEST BIO
Ayush is the founder and CEO of Byldd. They’re trying to democratize software entrepreneurship by making it easier (and less capital-intensive) for non-technical founders to start software businesses. Our approach is to build very focused revenue-generating MVPs for bootstrapping founders. We define an MVP as the least complex product you can build that solves a problem well enough that customers are willing to pay for it. Once they manage to get that revenue, we help them take customer feedback, analyze it and use that to drive further product development.
Ayush started this as a side project in 2019 with one engineer and now leads a team of 35 people, with the company making over $50K MRR.
MAIN INSIGHT
To establish trust in partnerships, take a slow approach and requesting a single referral to test the working relationship before expanding.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Identify the people your target audience hangs out with, i.e., professionals that your audience spends time with.
Attempt to have conversations with those professionals through LinkedIn, outbound cold emails, or direct outreach.
Share updates, success stories, and wins with the professionals to establish trust and credibility.
Follow up with them consistently, as 90% of people may not respond or refer someone immediately. Persistence is key in building the relationship.
MORE FROM Byldd
Startups often waste time building non-differentiating features, so Byldd automates that process and focuses on unique aspects of the product to launch new software products and features quickly and cost-effectively.
Harnessing the Power of Storytelling for B2B SaaS Marketing: Insights from Steve Hoffman of Founder's Space
03 Apr 2023
00:43:01
We all know the importance of engaging our audience and standing out in a crowded marketplace. One often overlooked strategy to achieve this is through the power of storytelling. Keirra recently invited Steve Hoffman, CEO of Founder's Space, to the podcast to discuss how SaaS companies can leverage storytelling to strengthen their marketing strategies. Here's a summary of the valuable insights and takeaways from their conversation.
The Importance of Storytelling in B2B SaaS Marketing When it comes to marketing a B2B SaaS product, it's easy to get caught up in the technical details and lose sight of the bigger picture. However, according to Steve Hoffman, storytelling is a crucial component of successful marketing campaigns. As humans, we're naturally drawn to stories because they help us make sense of the world around us. By weaving a compelling narrative around your product, you can create an emotional connection with your audience that transcends the limitations of traditional marketing methods.
Developing a Compelling Brand Story Creating a captivating brand story begins with understanding your target audience's pain points and how your product can address them. Steve emphasizes the importance of developing a narrative that positions your product as the solution to your customers' problems. To craft an engaging brand story, consider the following elements:
The Problem: Clearly define the problem your audience is facing and create a sense of urgency around it.
The Solution: Explain how your product offers a unique and effective solution to the problem.
The Journey: Describe the transformation your customers will experience as they implement your solution.
The Success: Showcase the positive outcomes and results your customers can expect from using your product.
By incorporating these elements into your marketing materials, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience and motivates them to take action.
Utilizing Testimonials and Case Studies One of the most effective ways to demonstrate the value of your product is by showcasing real-world success stories. Steve suggests utilizing testimonials and case studies as powerful tools to build trust and credibility with your audience. By sharing the experiences of your satisfied customers, you can validate your product's claims and provide tangible proof of its effectiveness.
When crafting testimonials and case studies, be sure to include:
The Customer's Background: Offer context by sharing the customer's industry, company size, and role.
The Challenge: Detail the specific problems the customer was facing before using your product.
The Solution: Explain how your product helped the customer overcome their challenges.
The Results: Highlight the positive outcomes the customer experienced as a result of implementing your product.
In the competitive world of B2B SaaS marketing, it's essential to differentiate your brand and create an emotional connection with your audience. By harnessing the power of storytelling, you can craft a compelling narrative that highlights the value of your product and drives customer engagement. Take inspiration from Steve Hoffman's insights and leverage storytelling, testimonials, and case studies to create an unforgettable marketing campaign that resonates with your audience and propels your business to new heights.
How to Leverage Video Marketing for Massive Revenue Growth -- WebinarJam and Kartra CEO, Sarah Jenkins
02 Apr 2023
00:25:36
Disclaimer: This post was created using AI which utilized an interview transcript as a source. Keirra reviewed it for accuracy.
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, it's essential for businesses, especially B2B SaaS companies, to adapt and implement innovative marketing strategies. One such strategy that has proven to be extremely effective is video marketing. In this exclusive interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sarah Jenkins, a seasoned entrepreneur and digital marketer, who shared her insights on the power of video marketing and how it has helped her company grow exponentially.
Creating and Repurposing Video Content
According to Sarah, one of the most significant advantages of using video marketing is the ability to repurpose content across different platforms. By creating a single video, businesses can generate a wealth of content, such as transcriptions, social media snippets, blog posts, and podcast episodes. This not only saves time and resources but also ensures that the message is consistent and reaches a wider audience.
The key to successful repurposing lies in producing shorter clips, ideally two to three minutes long, offering valuable strategies and insights. These bite-sized pieces can be used to drive traffic back to longer podcast episodes or other in-depth content, allowing potential customers to engage with your brand more deeply.
The Power of Video Marketing: Short vs. Long Content
Sarah has observed that in the realm of video marketing, both short and long-form content can be highly effective. On one hand, shorter clips can quickly capture viewers' attention, providing immediate value and encouraging them to seek out more information. On the other hand, longer podcast episodes or in-depth videos can offer a more comprehensive understanding of the subject, fostering a deeper connection with the audience.
As a result, it's essential to strike a balance between these two formats, using both to target different segments of your audience and cater to their unique preferences and needs.
The Impact of Video Marketing on Business Growth
Throughout her 15 years in the marketing industry, Sarah has found that putting video marketing first has never let her down. By consistently leveraging video content, her company has experienced substantial growth and increased revenue. This can be attributed to the ability of video marketing to reach a wider audience, provide valuable content, and foster a deeper connection with potential customers.
Reach Out to Sarah Jenkins
If you're looking to learn more about Sarah Jenkins or her companies -- WebinarJam and Kartra -- she can be reached via LinkedIn or email. As an entrepreneur passionate about video marketing, she is always eager to connect with others and share her insights.
Conclusion
Video marketing has proven to be a powerful tool for B2B SaaS companies looking to grow and thrive in today's competitive market. By creating and repurposing video content strategically, businesses can maximize their reach and engagement, ultimately driving growth and success. As Sarah Jenkins' experience shows, putting video marketing first can lead to impressive results and long-term benefits for your company.
Unleashing the Power of Partnership Marketing -- Renee Bigelow, Consultant and Fractional CMO
31 Mar 2023
00:29:26
Disclaimer: The following post was created using AI which used an interview transcript as a source.
In today's fast-paced and competitive business environment, companies are always looking for innovative ways to expand their reach and generate more leads. One such method gaining momentum is partnership marketing. To better understand this powerful tool, we recently had an insightful conversation with Renee Bigelow, a seasoned marketing expert and fractional CMO, who shared her knowledge and experience on the subject.
Renee shared several key benefits of partnership marketing, including:
Cost-effectiveness: By working together, companies can share marketing expenses, making it a more affordable option for reaching a larger audience.
Increased reach: Partnering with other businesses allows companies to tap into each other's customer base, thereby increasing their reach and potential leads.
Improved brand reputation: Association with reputable partners can enhance a company's image and credibility in the market.
Shared expertise: Companies can learn from each other, share best practices, and improve their marketing strategies.
Creating a Successful Partnership Marketing Strategy
Renee emphasized the importance of understanding each partner's objectives and building a plan that aligns with both companies' goals. She recommended the following steps:
Identify potential partners: Look for companies that have complementary products or services and share the same target audience.
Establish clear goals: Define the objectives and desired outcomes for the partnership to ensure both parties are on the same page.
Develop a joint plan: Collaborate on a marketing plan that includes content, campaigns, events, and other initiatives that will benefit both companies.
Measure success: Track the performance of the partnership and adjust the strategy as needed to optimize results.
Going Beyond Traditional Tactics
Renee encouraged companies to think beyond traditional partnership marketing tactics, such as co-marketing webinars or joint content downloads, which can become tired and expected. Instead, she suggested integrating partnership marketing into the natural onboarding or prospecting flow of each company. By identifying key leverage points in the customer journey, businesses can create more meaningful and impactful experiences for their customers.
Leveraging Customer Advocacy
Renee also discussed the importance of leveraging existing customers as brand advocates. By identifying satisfied customers, businesses can engage them in testimonials, case studies, and other marketing initiatives. This can be achieved by talking to various departments within the company, such as sales, customer success, and product teams, to identify happy customers and gather feedback.
Conclusion
Partnership marketing presents a wealth of opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive. By collaborating with like-minded companies and leveraging the power of customer advocacy, organizations can significantly improve their marketing efforts and reach new heights. As Renee Bigelow highlighted, the key to success lies in understanding each partner's objectives, developing a joint plan, and constantly evolving the strategy to ensure optimal results.
If you'd like to connect with Renee and learn more about her expertise in partnership marketing, you can find her on LinkedIn. Don't miss out on her upcoming project to publish mental models and concepts that have proven successful in her work with clients. Stay
How to Run Experiments and Track High-Level Impact -- Reditus founder, Joran Hofman
23 Mar 2023
00:27:02
GUEST BIO
Joran Hofman started his career in SaaS sales before moving into customer success. He became the Head of Customer Success at Leadfeeder, managing a team of 25 people. As an affiliate of around 80 SaaS tools, he noticed many issues with the current tools, hence he started his own affiliate management tool for B2B SaaS companies, Reditus.
MAIN INSIGHT
Run experiments and track high-level impact. Leverage others rather than doing everything yourself.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Find early adopters by launching on AppSumo, building in public, sharing content on LinkedIn, and joining Reddit forums and Quora feeds.
Create an inbound funnel engaging with potential customers.
Find someone with experience to consult with and collaborate on creating an SEO strategy.
Keep control of what you outsource, provide a detailed brief, and track the results.
Don't spend money unless you know what results the project will produce.
MORE FROM Reditus
Reditus provides a convenient solution for managing affiliate programs and earning commissions from promoting SaaS products. Learn more at https://www.getreditus.com/
The Power of Cross-Collaboration Between Sales and Marketing -- Tara Pawlak, Head of Marketing at GetAccept
17 Mar 2023
00:23:51
GUEST BIO
Tara is the Head of Marketing at GetAccept, and previously was the Director of Demand Generation & Customer Marketing, Community Brands
At Community Brands, Tara was part of the management team propelling the business from 10M ARR to 32M ARR and built up their marketing department from 2 to 33 people during that time.
MAIN INSIGHT
The key to success in marketing is to prioritize collaboration and communication with the sales team, value everyone's input, and be transparent.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Work closely with the sales team to align goals and objectives. Collaborate to improve company metrics, KPIs, and funnels.
Schedule regular meetings and daily checkpoints to communicate and strategize.
Share concepts, updates, and ideas with the sales team and involve them in the process from the beginning. Be honest and transparent about failures and admit when things don't work.
Value everyone's voice and encourage cross-collaboration with other departments, especially in project-based work. Include people from different departments in brainstorming sessions to think outside the box and gain diverse perspectives on the customer.
MORE FROM GetAccept
GetAccept's digital sales room empowers revenue teams to increase
win rates by engaging and understanding buyers from opportunity to signed deal. Learn more about GetAccept at https://www.getaccept.com/ Reach out to Tara Pawlak on LinkedIn to connect.
How to Create Micro Tools to Engage Your Audience -- BlockSurvey Co-founder, Wilson Bright
16 Mar 2023
00:31:45
GUEST BIO
Wilson Bright is the co-founder of BlockSurvey, and he has been building Web 3 projects for the last 3 years. BlockSurvey is one of the fastest-growing data collection platforms in the privacy ecosystem today, with over 10,000 registrations from individuals and organizations. Wilson is responsible for the product, growth, and marketing strategy of BlockSurvey.
MAIN INSIGHT
Use SEO to grow. Build micro-tools to bring traffic to your website and bring in customers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Use SEO to find and build an audience.
Understand your audience's pain points to build micro tools that are helpful to your audience. Be prepared to support free users and receive feature requests.
Conduct competitive analysis and keyword research to optimize your micro tools. Wilson recommends the book 'Product-Led SEO' for tips on how to do this.
Track the performance of your micro tools. Quality is critical - do not compromise on quality even though these are easy-to-build tools.
Spend around 30% of your time on producing micro tools.
Use sub-directories to organize your micro tools outside of your main app.
Focus on building self-assessments, personality tests, calculators, templates, and assessments to attract audiences. Templatize your micro tools to streamline the development process.
Building micro tools requires the whole team to be aligned around the strategy, but even without a development team, there are ways to build micro tools (e.g., using templatized tools or hiring freelancers).
MORE FROM BlockSurvey
BlockSurvey is an end-to-end encrypted forms and surveys platform that helps people run sensitive surveys. Follow BlockSurvey on Twitter @Blocksurvey or give the product a try at blocksurvey.io
How to Find Product-Market-Fit by Conducting User Interviews -- Gregor Maric, CEO of Parallel Office
15 Mar 2023
00:31:22
GUEST BIO
Gregor is the CEO of Parallel Office, an International metaverse startup that combines AI, Blockchain, and VR to create a virtual office that is more immersive, productive, and inclusive. He is a mentor for New Chip and Impact hub, coaching web3 companies on go-to-market, equity fundraising, token sale, value proposition, and growth hacking.
Gregor has mentored over 200,000 people on YouTube and has published several 5-star courses on NFTs on Udemy and Skillshare. He is a multiple-time founder with the most recent exit in the AI and Web3 space. Gregor has worked as a management consultant for over a decade at KPMG and EY on cutting-edge projects involving technologies like AI and Blockchain, and has been involved in the crypto space since 2016, mining, trading, and building.
MAIN INSIGHT
Interview at least 100 potential customers before building your product in order to understand their pain points and create a good value proposition.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Create a hypothesis about who your target persona could be that is based on the problem your product solves.
Create an Excel sheet and reach out to 30-40 people you want to interview.
After a few people reply and you do a few interviews, evaluate and update your target persona as you learn more.
Repeat this process until you've done 100 interviews.
MORE FROM Parallel Office
Parallel Office allows you transform your remote work with virtual reality co-working. Reach out to Gregor Maric on LinkedIn or learn more at paralleloffice.io
How to Improve your Business and Leadership Skills with the Power of Authenticity -- Jeremy Redman, Founder/CEO of TaskMagic
14 Mar 2023
00:31:35
GUEST BIO
From a trailer park to Sunset Blvd, Jeremy has founded three six-figure and one seven-figure no-code SaaS companies from nothing. While raising seven figures in venture capital for his latest venture, TaskMagic, an easy-to-use automation software, he has grown its revenue by 60% month-over-month, hitting $1 million. Jeremy is also a contributing author for Entrepreneur Magazine and shares his building journey on YouTube at The Jeremy Redman.
MAIN INSIGHT
Be authentic in your interactions with people. This will encourage people to talk to you and buy from you. It will also make you a better leader.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Talk to customers, gather data points, build content and use cases around them, and figure out similarities between all customers and build ideal customer profile
Reverse engineer how you found the current customers to create a scalable system for customer acquisition
Beware of the pitfall of trying to scale too early without enough mature data
Overcome fear of vulnerability to be able to authentically connect with customers and create lasting relationships
Find people who mirror your energy and move on from those who don't.
MORE FROM TaskMagic
TaskMagic helps you record yourself doing manual tasks so you can automate them. Learn more at taskmagic.com
Follow Jeremy's content at The Jeremy Redman on YouTube or Twitter.
S2E17: How to Build Meaningful Customer Relationships After Purchase -- ft. Ken Rapp, Founder of Bluestream
03 Dec 2024
00:25:48
Main Insight Implement a continuous discovery and improvement process to effectively engage customers post-sale, driving revenue and fostering long-term relationships.
Guest Bio Ken is a dynamic entrepreneur and commercialization leader with a proven track record of founding businesses, creating new markets, and delivering significant shareholder returns. Passionate about addressing unmet needs with practical solutions, Ken specializes in launching products, building scalable business models, and cultivating thriving company cultures. As the founder of Bluestream, he focuses on connecting businesses with their customers after the sale through innovative SaaS platforms.
Key Takeaways
Adopt a Continuous Discovery Process: Implement a cycle of discovery, choice, execution, and learning to adapt and grow your business.
Define Clear Objectives: Start with clear goals, whether they’re revenue targets, product launches, or other milestones.
Ask the Right Questions: Use both open-ended and closed-ended questions to gather comprehensive data from your customers.
Listen Actively: Prioritize listening over assuming answers to truly understand customer needs and preferences.
Tailor Communication Styles: Adapt your questions and interactions to match the communication styles of different stakeholders.
Be Willing to Pivot: Stay flexible and ready to adjust your strategies based on the insights gained from customer feedback.
Implement and Iterate: Choose a path based on your discoveries, execute it, and continuously refine your approach based on ongoing learning.
How to Build a Customer-Centric Culture -- Book Like a Boss Founder, Nachum Kligman
08 Mar 2023
00:25:10
GUEST BIO
Nachum Kligman has over 25 years of experience in pioneering business ideas, developing patented technology, and working in video commerce and interoperable messaging. He is currently focused on Book like a Boss, an all-inclusive platform with over 60,000 users that supports entrepreneurs in over 100 countries. Kligman resides in Bet Shemesh, Israel with his wife and nine children.
MAIN INSIGHT
Treat your customers the way you would want to be treated if you were a customer of your own software.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Create a culture and decision around the company that the customer always comes first and that everybody should treat customers as if they're the only customer.
Provide a platform for customers to communicate with the company directly, such as using live chat, email, and a knowledge base.
Create a group where users can congregate and ask questions. Make it fun for customers by giving out gifts or posting funny videos. Consider giving rewards, such as a meeting with the CEO, to customers who participate in surveys or help others in the community.
OTHER IDEAS
Create a community for customers to congregate and talk amongst themselves or ask questions about the software, such as a Facebook group.
Interact directly with customers one-on-one, even as a CEO or founder, and communicate with them directly.
Consider doing live support sessions where anybody can come on and ask questions.
MORE FROM BOOK LIKE A BOSS
Book Like a Boss automates your scheduling and allows you to sell your services with customizable, branded booking pages that make it easy for your clients to book you. Reach out to Nachum Kligman on LinkedIn, or learn more at https://www.booklikeaboss.com/
How to Think Outside the Box and Stand Out in Event Marketing -- PowerHub Founder/CEO, Etienne Lecompte
06 Mar 2023
00:32:23
GUEST BIO
Etienne Lecompte is the Founder and CEO at PowerHub. He's also an angel investor and the host of the Renewables:Unscripted Podcast. He helped build PowerHub from his spare bedroom into a respected software company in renewables, leading to the acquisition of the company in 2019.
MAIN INSIGHT
Don't ask for forgiveness, ask for permission. Think outside the box when promoting your brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
When planning to attend events, think about where you should go and what should you do there - should you attend, exhibit, sponsor, or "crash"?
Think about why you want to be there - e.g. to get in front of someone, or to do market research
Have a twist on how you're going to accomplish that. For example, you might try to ask for "out of the box" ideas as part of your event sponsorship package, or you might show up at the event in a different way to stand out.
MORE FROM PowerHub
PowerHub is asset management software built for the renewable energy industry. Learn more at https://powerhub.com
How to create engaging content that sounds authentic -- TrackMage Founder, Irina Poddubnaia
03 Mar 2023
00:28:26
GUEST BIO
Irina Poddubnaia is the founder of TrackMage, a SAAS company that simplifies the work of eCommerce business owners by automating the order tracking process. Prior to founding TrackMage, Irina ran a fulfillment center in China for 2.5 years without speaking Chinese. She launched TrackMage entirely remotely without external funding and has successfully run it to this day.
MAIN INSIGHT
Focus on the type of customer that energizes you and be clear on what their customer journey is.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Start looking at what content they're consuming and where. Do competitor research. Use this to identify trends other brands are using to get attention.
Experiment with creating posts with different type of content and see if your audience responds to it. Use your personal social profiles to test content, then create polished versions of the content that resonates.
Stand out from the crowd. Use a different format than the standard powerpoint. Make your content sound authentic and like it was written by a real human, not a robot.
MORE FROM TRACKMAGE
TrackMage simplifies the work of eCommerce business owners by automating the order tracking process. This allows them to cut down time spent on customer support by 70% and build long-term relationships with the customers on autopilot. Their tracking page has the capability to display all the shipments inside of a wholesale order. Reach out to Irina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-poddubnaia/ or learn more at https://trackmage.com/
How to Identify Your Best Customers -- Duda Co-founder/CEO, Itai Sadan
01 Mar 2023
00:32:56
GUEST BIO
Itai Sadan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Duda, the leading web design platform for web professionals, agencies, and SaaS platforms that serve SMBs. With more than $100 million in funding, Duda has over 18,000 customers worldwide and hosts over a million active websites. Itai has been featured in several publications, including Forbes, TechCrunch, and Entrepreneur, and is a regular speaker at industry events. He holds a BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Ben Gurion in Israel.
MAIN INSIGHT
You can always gain a deeper understanding of your ideal customer profile (ICP). Clarifying your ICP helps everyone in your company become more focused.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Understand your data - look at different slices of your customer base, e.g. the company size, revenue size, industry, pain points
Identify how those different segments perform over time in order to understand which segments are your best customers
Make sure this slice of the market is big enough to build a business off of
Look for customer segments that are going to grow with your company over time and continue using your product. E.g. they will be repeat users, or the segment as a whole is growing, or there is a trend in which more of that type of company will purchase from your product category
Build features and craft your messaging towards what is helpful for your best customer segment.
MORE FROM DUDA
Duda is a great platform for marketers or marketing teams who need a website builder, including for creating landing pages and microsites. Duda also offers a white label format, which has proven to be useful for several SaaS customers who integrate with the platform to offer websites to their customer base. Learn more at https://www.duda.co/ or reach out to Itai at duda.co via email.
The Importance of Industry Insights & User Feedback -- Collabwriting Founder/CEO, Sandra Iđoški
28 Feb 2023
00:22:18
GUEST BIO
Sandra Iđoški is the CEO of Collabwriting, a startup whose main purpose is to help content marketers and creators create better content. We do this by simplifying two key things - research and teamwork around it. Sandra previously worked as a CCO at Teodesk, an innovative IT company that aims to resolve business inefficiency within the Telco industry. Their content marketing strategy at the time set them apart and helped them reach new markets. She considers her biggest accomplishment to be helping scale Teodesk from the local Serbian market to the US, UK, and EU markets.
MAIN INSIGHT
Know the industry insights before you start building your product.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Share your in-house values widely in order to stand out and attract your audience
Find the intersection between topics based on your company's unique value and your company's target audience
Start tracking everything you do when posting content - e.g. the time, day, hashtags used when posting on LinkedIn. Use automation to extract data about the best practices for your own company.
Filter your user feedback to ensure that you're prioritizing the most valuable improvements to make to your products. The book "The Mom Test" has good insights on how to figure out which feedback is coming from real, consistent users and which feedback is just coming from people who like to hear themselves talk.
MORE FROM COLLABWRITING
Collabwriting is a web-based tool that allows users to create highlights, leave comments, and organize content around topics on any website, making the research and data collecting process easier. Learn more at https://collabwriting.com/
Studying User Engagement: The Key to Long-Term Success for Early-Stage Startups -- Badger Maps Founder/CEO, Steve Benson
28 Feb 2023
00:29:04
GUEST BIO
Steve Benson is CEO and founder of Badger Maps, the #1 App in the App Store for outside and field salespeople. Steve is also CEO of Badger Sales University. After receiving his MBA from Stanford, Steve joined Google, where he became Google Enterprise's Top Sales Executive globally in 2009.
MAIN INSIGHT
Focus your time and energy on revenue from the beginning. Sell the product you think you'll sell even before it's done.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The founder should be the first salesperson in the company. Craft the product around the insights learned from customers.
Hire the first two salespeople before bringing on a Sales VP, and create a customer success team as early as possible.
Listen to prospects early on - determine what it would really look like to solve this problem for them.
Study users throughout the weeks and months after they start using the product and make sure they stay engaged. Hop on calls and message them; take notes to figure out exactly how they're using the product
MORE FROM BADGER MAPS
Badger Maps, the #1 Route Planner for Field Sales, has helped sales teams to increase their sales by 20-25%. Learn more at https://www.badgermapping.com/
How to Streamline Data Capture for Better Sales Reporting -- Auditoria VP of Marketing, Nick Ezzo
27 Feb 2023
00:30:48
GUEST BIO
Nick Ezzo is the head of corporate marketing and demand generation at Auditoria, with over 20 years of experience in technology marketing. Prior to joining Auditoria, he provided digital marketing and demand generation leadership at Sage Intacct, Host Analytics, and Equilar. Nick has also held marketing, business development, and consulting roles at companies such as Aspect, Home Box Office (HBO), and Nuance Communications. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communications Systems Management from Ohio University and has a patent for web-based marketing.
MAIN INSIGHT
If you're not measuring data ahead of time, you can't report on it.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Look at the closed-won opportunities you have over the most recent quarters. Determine how long it took to close the deal, what actions you took, and where it came from. Use that to figure out what metrics to capture
Have the CEO get sales reps to all capture data in the same way and in the same format.
Think through the way metrics are captured to make it simple to input and informative for reviewers. For example, have a required "Date" field where sales reps input the day they had a sales call.
Replicate the process of what was successful in closing those customers
Refine the sales process - figure out what's working, and if something isn't working, remove it and combine it with another step.
MORE FROM AUDITORIA
Auditoria.AI's SmartBots can streamline communication with key stakeholders by automating tasks and capturing documentation. By connecting to systems of record and shared email inboxes, SmartBots can prioritize and assign tasks, reducing friction and task repetition. Learn more at auditoria.ai
How to Find and Hire Top Talent -- Webzoly and Testlify Co-founder/CEO Pratik Thakker
20 Feb 2023
00:27:32
GUEST BIO
Pratik Thakker is an Indian-born digital and tech entrepreneur based in Israel. He is known as Israel’s tech ambassador to India and has a strong social media presence with over 180K followers and 200+ million views. Pratik is the Founder and CEO of Webzoly, a company that helps global businesses hire remote talent. Additionally, he is a co-founder and COO at Testlify, a talent assessment platform that uses AI and deep analysis to help companies find the best talent in a precise, automated, and impartial way.
MAIN INSIGHT
Make sure each employee is connected to the mission and culture. Be an employee-driven company.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Set expectations for the role, mention the salary range, and ask pre-qualification questions. This helps candidates understand whether it's worth their time to invest in applying
Use a pre-screening process
Communicate with all applicants, whether or not they were hired
MORE FROM WEBZOLY AND TESTLIFY
Learn more about Webzoly or Testlify by visiting webzoly.com (global remote hiring platform) or testlify.com (AI talent assessment platform). Pratik is happy to offer one-on-one demos of both of the platforms. Reach out to him directly via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/pratik-thakker/
How to craft the perfect pitch that differentiates your brand -- SplitSpot Co-founder Ernesto Gaxha
17 Feb 2023
00:23:56
GUEST BIO
Ernesto Gaxha is a co-founder of SplitSpot, an innovative rental platform that has served thousands of residents in several cities in the US. He is a Harvard/MIT grad who started his career as an institutional investor before entering the world of startups.
MAIN INSIGHT
Craft an initial pitch that differentiates your brand within the first 60 seconds of speaking to a prospective customer.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Look at your competitors' messaging. Determine the features of what you're offering and how it's different from existing products in the market.
Brainstorm ways that your company is different. Put yourself in the shoes of people receiving the message -- what was it that caused them to give you the time of day?
Create a 60-second pitch or less that explains who you are, what you do, and how your product is different from what's typically out there.
MORE FROM SPLITSPOT
SplitSpot is a platform that helps make the process of renting easier for residents, landlords, and property managers. They aim to provide a solution to some of the challenges presented by the current housing crisis. If anyone has properties that they think could be a good fit or has an interest in discussing the issue, they can reach out to Ernesto by email at his name at splitspot.com.
How to leverage customer feedback to build the right product - Adam Tank, CCO at Transcend
15 Feb 2023
00:43:58
GUEST BIO
Adam Tank is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in the water industry, specializing in innovation, software, and business development. In his current role as Chief Customer Officer at Transcend, Adam is responsible for the success of the clients and marketing initiatives related to the Transcend Design Generator and automation of preliminary engineering activities. Before joining Transcend, Adam served as the North America Smart Cities Director at Suez and led a robotics spin-out of the General Electric corporation, which focused on cutting-edge potable water pipe rehabilitation techniques. Adam received his undergraduate degree in microbiology from Kansas State University and his M.B.A. from the University of Arizona. In addition to his professional career, Adam is an avid water blogger and podcaster, foster dad, long-form author, and an advocate for volunteer organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
MAIN INSIGHT
Involve customers and continuously gather feedback throughout the product development process to ensure that you are building the right thing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Start by having an internal discussion with your company to understand what your ideal future for the company looks like.
Create a minimum viable content piece or product mock-up to show customers what the future will look like.
Get feedback from existing and potential customers in real-time to see how they feel about the concept.
Continuously get feedback as you build the product or service.
Set up touchpoints or checkpoints with initial interested customers.
Try to have sales conversations with customers to understand what they are willing to pay.
Keep getting feedback to ensure that you are building the right thing.
MORE FROM TRANSCEND
Transcend Design Generator (TDG) is an intuitive, online generative design platform that enables capital planners, project developers, and engineering professionals to rapidly generate preliminary engineering designs for critical infrastructure, including the Water & Wastewater treatment and Power Sectors. Learn more at https://transcendinfra.com/
S2E16: Untying Your Identity from Business Success -- ft. Michael Fritzius, Founder of Podcastify and Exactly Zero
19 Nov 2024
00:33:27
Main Insight Empower B2B marketers to integrate their unique skills and authentic selves into their work without tying their personal identity to their business roles.
Guest Bio Michael Fritzius is the founder of Podcastify, a podcast marketing company dedicated to helping agency owners amplify their voices and reach. Additionally, he co-founded Exactly Zero with his wife, a sustainable skincare brand offering body butters, lotions, and other eco-friendly skincare products. With a rich background in automation and entrepreneurship, Michael leverages his diverse expertise to drive innovative solutions in both the digital and physical product landscapes. For more insights and to connect with Michael Fritzius, visit Podcastify.me and ExactlyZero.com.
Key Takeaways
Define Yourself Beyond Your Job Title: Avoid identifying solely by your professional role to maintain personal resilience and flexibility.
Self-Assessment of Skills: Identify what you love, excel at, are indifferent to, and dislike to leverage your strengths effectively.
Focus on Strengths and Delegate Weaknesses: Concentrate on tasks that align with your strengths and delegate or eliminate those that do not.
Combine Unique Skills to Solve Problems: Utilize your distinct combination of skills to address unique challenges that others might overlook.
How to Engineer Viral B2B Product Growth -- Serenity CEO Katherine Wells
13 Feb 2023
00:33:34
GUEST BIO Katherine Wells is the CEO and founder of Serenity, a network that allows aging service providers, older adults and their loved ones to care together. She created the company out of her direct experience of silos in senior care. Katherine's own experience of caring for her aging parents, who were not expecting to need care, inspired her to launch Serenity, which gives providers an easier way to communicate and collaborate with family members in a secure, digital way.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT Katherine advises marketing executives and founders to grow or promote their businesses by implementing the product with a small test group of users, getting them set up, having them share it with everyone in their organization, and giving them a quick and easy way to connect with other companies or service providers they are working with. Then, a sales conversation is initiated with those other companies.
Katherine emphasizes the importance of building a viral product when it comes to growing or promoting a business. She suggests focusing on solving one problem in a particular industry or company, measuring the results, and de-risking the experiments. She also encourages entrepreneurs to have big visions, lead in a way that allows others to follow, and to communicate the results of their experiments in order to grow their product.
MORE FROM SERENITY Serenity helps streamline communication in the senior care industry and provides a digital channel for people to communicate with one another. Reach out to Katherine at serenityengage.com, and to attend their event, Collaboration in Aging, to discuss the issues faced by seniors in the industry.
Unifying Your Brand Identity -- Pixel True CEO Graham Sawrey
11 Feb 2023
00:32:09
GUEST BIO Graham Sawrey is the CEO of Pixel True, a design agency that works with SaaS companies. Graham has a background in managing companies in various industries such as content marketing, affiliate marketing, design, animation, copywriting, and Web3 software. He got into building businesses because of his interest in the online marketplace and the attractive multiples for investing in online businesses. Graham believes that having a cohesive brand across all assets is crucial for most companies, especially SaaS companies, to grow. Pixel True works with a number of SaaS companies at all stages and has grown in the last year from 13 employees to nearly 100 today.
WHAT WE DISCUSSED Graham discusses the importance of unifying a company's brand identity across all its pages and social media accounts. He mentions that this can help with simplicity and the creation of content faster. However, he mentions that it is difficult to determine specific results because there are many intangibles and variables involved, such as the effort the company puts into promoting its brand, the amount of content produced, and the design elements used. He notes that SaaS companies often have a similar aesthetic and that it can be challenging to stand out in a crowded marketplace. He suggests using brand and visual identity to differentiate from the competition.
Graham explains the steps to building a cohesive brand across a B2B SaaS company's website pages and social media. He suggests the following steps:
Research - this includes going through your competitor's websites and social media to see what you like and don't like. Make detailed notes and try to understand their process. Get insights from others as well.
Create a database of research - having a database of research is invaluable as it can be used to share with a design team or anyone working on the brand.
Execution - focus on what needs to be done based on the time and resources available. He suggests focusing on social media as a starting point.
Graham emphasizes that doing the research is the most crucial step and will lay the foundation for the rest of the work. It's also important to put in the work when it comes to creating a cohesive brand across platforms and websites. He cautions against shortcuts that may result in an inconsistent and confusing user experience. Graham also offers advice on striking a balance between research and execution, and suggests reaching out to Pixel True for help with design services.
MORE FROM PIXEL TRUE Pixel True provides an experienced design team that works with you everyday to create high-quality design assets to help grow your business. Learn more at https://www.pixeltrue.com/
How to Create Authenticity in Personal Branding -- ShopX Chief Growth Officer Eric McHugh
10 Feb 2023
00:30:09
GUEST BIO Eric McHugh is the Chief Growth Officer and co-founder of ShopX, a Web3 eCommerce platform that utilizes ENFTs to create a new revenue channel for eCommerce brands without diluting their brand value. Eric previously worked at Snap as a bankruptcy consultant and helped found a social commerce platform. He was drawn to the world of cryptocurrency and entrepreneurship, which led him to the ShopX team in 2017. They started a side project, CartRev, a social commerce platform that replaced affiliate links and had over 100 brands using it. The team then transitioned back into ShopX, which is now a blockchain-as-a-service platform for e-commerce brands. Eric is excited to be working in the technology space and is proud of the team's efforts in ShopX.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ShopX is a technology platform that provides a new way to sell products using NFTs (non-fungible tokens). A famous dog on Instagram, Husky Jackson, used ShopX's NFT technology to launch a reserve pass before releasing his product. The reserve pass allowed him to get funding for his product in real-time and prove that customers were interested in it. ShopX is also partnering with a TV show for a one-time pass for a one-time product, such as a makeup kit. The use of NFTs makes it more secure and easier to prove ownership, and also allows for future royalty options for the brand. The biggest insight from ShopX is that this technology is in demand, despite people not being familiar with crypto and NFTs.
In this conversation, Eric is discussing the importance of being authentic and incorporating personal values into one's personal brand and content. He shares how he incorporates things such as his interests in discipline, spiritual pursuits, and pop culture references into his communication with others. He mentions how he sends playful emails referencing TV shows like Parks and Rec and incorporates the phrase "please and thank you" due to his love for the show. Eric believes in having a team that is on the same page, energetically aligned and with the same values, and this attracts the right people to work together.
Eric discusses his product launch and the strategy for connecting with potential clients and investors. He mentions that the approach depends on the content and that some people prefer to engage with the content at their own pace. Eric also mentions the importance of being authentic but having a thick skin as some people may not like it.
MORE FROM SHOPX ShopX unlocks the power of Web3 for brand loyalty and growth. Learn more at https://shopx.co/
Bridging the Gap between Marketing and Customer Experience in B2B SaaS -- Enovis Founder & CEO Franck Juvin-Acker
03 Feb 2023
00:29:51
GUEST BIO Franck Juvin-Acker is an expert in enhancing sensory experiences for brands to create a deeper connection with consumers. With a background in the sports and tech industries, having worked for renowned companies such as Salomon, Nixon, and Adidas, as well as collaborating with Star Wars and Google, Franck has a wealth of experience in creating innovative solutions. Currently, Franck heads the digital health portfolio for Enovis, a leading player in the Medtech industry. Under his leadership, the company's latest launch was awarded the prestigious ACE award, being recognized as one of the most cutting-edge innovations for patient recovery.
INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYS In our conversation, Franck talks about his background in the sport equipment industry and how it led him into the marketing and business world. He emphasizes the importance of having a human touch and understanding the users in order to create successful products or services. He also touches upon the idea of open-mindedness and immersing oneself in the users' lives. He argues that a common mistake startups make is not doing enough research on the market and talking to people. When it comes to integrating this type of direct communication into a marketing department, Franck suggests making it part of the regular routine and having a collaborative process.
Franck mentions that it is important to focus on the "voice of the customer." He advises that for startups, the process can start by testing the product with relatives or people connected to the company, and for established companies, testing with a select group of ideal customers. He mentions that giving control and shares to brand ambassadors such as surgeons can give validity to the product and help with legitimacy and attracting more users. The importance of distributing samples and getting feedback from actual people is highlighted.
Franck advises marketing executives and founders to focus on the needs of the average person in their marketing campaigns. He highlights that regular people face difficulties in their recovery process as they do not receive the same level of care as professional athletes. He also mentions the frustration that patients feel as they feel alone in their recovery process, due to long wait times and limited time with their surgeon. Franck suggests that a digital app like Motion IQ can help bridge the gap, by bringing the surgeon into the home to support the patient in their recovery. He also mentions the importance of understanding the end-user and the care team in a B2B context.
He also suggests that marketers focus on making the lives of their customers and end users easier. He suggests using observation and market research to inform the design of products and marketing campaigns. This can involve getting feedback from customers and using it to improve the product and marketing strategies. Franck also mentions the importance of paying attention to nonverbal cues and feedback, as people may not always express their thoughts or opinions outright. He suggests using empathy and understanding to connect with customers and to adjust strategies based on their needs and feedback.
MORE FROM ENOVIS As a leading medical technology company, Enovis is focused on developing clinically differentiated solutions that generate better patient outcomes and transform workflows. Learn more at https://enovis.com/
How to see big results quickly from marketing campaigns by using quick tests -- GoReminders Founder/CEO, Jonathan Zacks
02 Feb 2023
00:21:03
GUEST BIO
Jonathan Zacks is on a mission to decimate no-show appointments. After running an appointment-based business for a decade, he co-founded GoReminders, which increases business revenue and cuts wasted staff time with automated appointment reminders and online booking. Jonathan runs Growth & Marketing for GoReminders and loves helping small businesses with automation and communication.
MAIN INSIGHT
Do less research and more "doing". Test and iterate quickly to improve marketing campaigns.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Trust your gut. Have confidence.
Shift your mindset from "doing" to "trying".
Try the project out, making sure it's within a risk range you're comfortable with.
Test and measure. Look for noticeable results within relatively short timeframes (e.g. testing whether a new website headline unambiguously led to more conversions within 1-2 weeks rather than waiting for months)
MORE FROM GoReminders
GoReminders is an easy-to-use software for automated reminders, text messages, confirmations, and online scheduling, that saves you time and makes you money. Learn more at https://www.goreminders.com/
How to present your product so customers care -- Michael Sheeley, Founder of Nurse 1-1
31 Jan 2023
00:28:17
GUEST BIO
Michael’s mission to connect health-concerned consumers to nurses in their own communities is based on personal experience he and his wife had when their daughter was born with a congenital heart defect. “Texting with our friend Kim, who happened to be a pediatric nurse practitioner, helped us get through the scary and confusing healthcare system. I want everyone to have access to these same caring and compassionate professionals in our communities”.
Michael previously co-founded two venture-backed companies as Co-founder and Head of Product at the health and fitness-tracking platform RunKeeper and Co-founder and CEO of the AI-powered local restaurant ordering platform Chef Nightly. Michael also served as Head of Product at the venture-backed startup Mobee, a retail app that rewards consumers by providing feedback to local retailers.
MAIN INSIGHT
Don't sell products -- sell solutions. Present your product as a solution to customers' pain points.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Get people from your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) on a call. Make sure you understand your ICP.
Bring various members of your team to the call, and understand the different motivations of different team members.
Ask questions about the prospective customer's current solution.
Make sure everyone on the call, conducting the interview is happy and has their questions answered live.
Walk through the concerns the user has - why do they think there's a better solution?
MORE FROM NURSE 1-1 Nurse 1-1 allows healthcare providers to offer nurse chat support and receive data-driven insights to improve adherence at any step of the patient journey. Find them at nurse-1-1.com
How to conduct valuable user feedback interviews -- Ben Dooley, Founder/CEO of Untabit
26 Jan 2023
00:24:15
GUEST BIO
Ben Dooley is the founder of Untabit, a cutting-edge content creation platform that automates the research process for marketers and sales teams. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Ben has a proven track record of success, having sold over $100 million worth of software throughout his career. He is deeply passionate about bridging the gap between sales and marketing, and is committed to helping businesses streamline their content creation process to achieve maximum impact and success.
MAIN INSIGHT Get deep when getting feedback from users, in order to improve your product and marketing copy.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Have a 30 minute session with prospective users
Do a 5 minute training session with the user, then have the user run through the product themself, on a recorded Zoom call
Share these insights with your team to hone customer personas and develop marketing copy that uses your target customers' language
MORE FROM UNTABIT
Untabit is a content creation platform that automates the content research process. Learn more at untabit.com
How to Leverage Partnerships with Industry Associations -- Ram Sudireddy, Founder of Bento
23 Jan 2023
00:29:10
GUEST BIO
Ram is a serial entrepreneur and expert in technology, marketing and sales with nearly 30 years of experience. He founded Bento to revolutionize the dental insurance system and provide affordable oral care for all Americans. He has also successfully built and sold multiple startups, including Cimaron, CHiL Semiconductor, and Sanovi. Ram has held senior positions at companies such as AMCC, IR, and AT&T Bell Labs. He is regarded as one of Boston's best entrepreneurs and engineers.
MAIN INSIGHT
Partner with associations that your ideal customers are members of in order to leverage the association's access to your ideal customers and the credibility that comes from being an official partner.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Identify which associations have influence over your customers
Evaluate what the association's current marketing strategies are -- do they promote products and services to their members?
Approach the highest executive you can find within the association (e.g. the director or board chair) and demo your product
Manage the relationship - establish what the monthly or quarterly communication strategy will be with their members. (Don't assume the association will do this for you.)
MORE FROM BENTO
Bento can provide dental benefits for your employees that are more affordable for you and more frictionless for them to use. Contact Bento at bento.net
How to Create a Customer-Intent-Focused Content Strategy -- Charles Brecque, Founder and CEO of Legislate
19 Jan 2023
00:23:13
GUEST BIO
Charles Brecque is the founder and CEO of Legislate, a legal tech company that makes it easy for non-lawyers to create and manage lawyer-approved contracts. The company has focused heavily on simplifying legalese and helping businesses create robust contracts without a legal budget. Recently, Legislate crossed 100 paying customers and is growing rapidly thanks to SEO.
MAIN INSIGHT
Share content on your website that serves the full customer intent journey.
KEY TAKEAWAYS / ACTION STEPS
Do high-level research to discover content that users will need, whether they already realize they need the solution or not
Educate potential users on why your solution is appropriate
Create educational content around how to use your solution
Create spinoff content for how to use your solution in specific use cases
MORE FROM LEGISLATE
Legislate makes it easy for non-lawyers to create and manage lawyer-approved contracts. Learn more at https://www.legislate.tech/
How to Accelerate Growth with the Help of Mentors -- Patric Shannon, Founder and CEO at LeadSnap
17 Jan 2023
00:36:39
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – How LeadSnap started
03:38 – Trajectory of LeadSnap
07:03 – What LeadSnap is looking for currently
08:43 – Experts to help with growth
11:02 – Finding the mentor that is the right fit
15:41 – Before and after having a mentor
18:18 – Coaches that are worth it
20:24 – Defining deliverables
23:48 – How to find feedback from mentors
25:30 – Successfully implementing a coaching service in your organization
30:08 – What to avoid when finding a mentor for a company
31:50 – Recommendations for SaaS Founders/CEOs
GUEST BACKGROUND
Patric Shannon is the founder and CEO of LeadSnap marketing software. He has a background in running a 7-figure marketing agency, and created LeadSnap to solve problems in the local marketing space. Patric is also a experienced coach, having helped over 1000 individuals master local marketing. His unique approach to business building has allowed him to travel the world and explore the United States in an RV between 2018 and 2021. Before starting his career in marketing, Patric spent 10 years as a professional poker player. With his wealth of experience and insights, Patric is a valuable asset for anyone looking to master local marketing, build a successful business, and turn their passion into profit.
MAIN INSIGHT
Finding people that are better than us can accelerate our company's growth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hire experts to be mentors
We can grow faster by finding people who have done what we want to do now
What can be measured can be improved
Pay attention to factors that can affect our numbers and try to test them
Not all high-priced coaches are good, some lesser-known coaches are worth their value.
PRACTICAL STEPS
Get the leadership team involved in decision making within the company.
When considering different programs, it is important to consult with people who have gone through the program and to look for testimonials and case studies.
Look for programs with important deliverables like having conversations often
MORE FROM LeadSnap
LeadSnap is an all-in-one suite of tools that provides agencies with full customer relationship management (CRM), reputation management, Google My Business Management, workflow automation, Voice over IP (VOIP) phone tracking system, and connections to Google Analytics, tools for Google Ads and more. It’s built to help marketing agencies automate, scale, and save time and money. Learn more at leadsnap.com
S2E15: How to optimize B2B marketing funnels for growth -- ft. Bas Hennephof, Co-Founder of Convert Calculator
04 Nov 2024
00:25:17
Main Insight
Instead of targeting a broad audience, concentrate on particular industries and their unique use cases. This enables you to tailor your messaging, content, and solutions to meet specific customer needs. This funnel-focused approach enables B2B marketers to systematically optimize each stage of the customer journey with targeted, industry-specific strategies, resulting in higher conversions and more efficient growth.
Guest Bio Bas Hennephof is the co-founder of ConvertCalculator, a no-code builder for interactive content such as calculators, quizzes, lead pages, product configurators, and quote forms. He has extensive experience in business, design, marketing, product, and strategy. In the past, he founded an online startup accelerator, coached multiple innovation teams, and led a corporate innovation initiative at the largest bank in the Netherlands.
Practical Steps
Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP):
Identify the specific industries and use cases where your product or service provides the most value.
Develop detailed personas to understand their pain points, needs, and decision-making processes.
Map Out Your Customer Journey Using Funnel Metrics:
Outline each stage of your funnel: awareness, acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, and referral.
For each stage, list the actions customers take and the conversion rates associated with them.
Create Industry-Specific Messaging and Content:
Develop landing pages, blogs, and marketing materials tailored to each industry and use case.
Use language and examples that resonate with your target audience's specific challenges and goals.
Develop Targeted Templates and Tools:
Offer templates, calculators, or interactive content that address the unique needs of each segment.
Ensure these resources help customers quickly realize the value of your product.
Implement Systematic Measurement and Analysis:
Set up analytics to track conversion rates at each funnel stage.
Regularly review data to identify drop-off points and areas for improvement.
Run Focused Experiments:
Prioritize one funnel stage at a time and conduct A/B tests to optimize it.
Implement changes based on data-driven insights and measure their impact over time.
Enhance Onboarding and Activation Processes:
Customize onboarding experiences based on customer segmentation.
Provide relevant support content, tutorials, and guidance to improve activation rates.
Maintain Team Alignment and Communication:
Involve all team members in funnel optimization discussions.
Use collaborative tools to ensure everyone is informed about goals, strategies, and progress.
Stay Disciplined but Flexible:
Set clear quarterly goals for each funnel stage and stick to them.
Be open to adjusting strategies based on performance data and changing market conditions.
Seek Continuous Feedback and Iterate:
Collect customer feedback to understand their experience at each funnel stage.
Use insights to refine your product offerings and marketing strategies continually.
How to plan video content and use it in your marketing strategy -- Pedro Góes, CEO at InEvent
17 Jan 2023
00:31:40
TIMESTAMPS
06:33 - Why video is the channel to focus on now
08:30 - How to plan video content
10:40 - Where and how to use your video in your marketing strategy
16:10 - How video content helps InEvent
22:30 - Who should be the face of the video
24:30 - How to optimize your videos
GUEST BACKGROUND Pedro Góes is the CEO of InEvent, a Y Combinator venture-backed company providing an event, marketing, and sales platform for Forbes 2000 Global companies, including Amazon, Coca-Cola, KPMG, Santander, Unilever, Boeing, Embraer, and Citibank. Early in his career and during college, Pedro started a company with more than 10,000 monthly active paying users.
MAIN INSIGHT Using video in your marketing strategy helps train customers and build trust.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Video is a great medium to convey emotions, but can be hard to execute well.
Video is the best channel to focus on currently.
A script is essential for a good video.
The video should have a story and be as short as possible.
Utilize video to train customers on your product.
The person in the video should be comfortable on camera.
Video marketing works like an inverted funnel.
PRACTICAL STEPS
Identify and research who your actual customer is.
Figure out what they like.
Plan the video.
Add humor and engagement to the video.
Make it as short as possible.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Focus on one topic per video.
Don't use fancy edits that distract viewers.
Make sure background music is at the correct sound level.
Cut out unnecessary elements.
MORE FROM InEvent InEvent is a powerful software for in-person professional events and video productions. It can be used to run live meetings, real-life experiences, TV-like broadcasts, or virtual events. Learn more at InEvent.com
How Aligning People, Process, and Performance Can Help You Achieve Your Goals -- Pius Chan, Head of Growth at Lumen5
11 Jan 2023
00:43:25
TIMESTAMPS
01:27 - People, process, and performance
06:42 - Keeping your team focused
12:00 - Communicating with your team
16:00 - Aligning the business in terms of product, sales, customer, and marketing
21:20 - Team Meetings
23:00 - Steps on focusing and aligning your team
33:04 - Why is it important to be aligned at the leadership level
38:50 - Hiring the right people
GUEST BACKGROUND
Pius Chan has 20 years of SaaS experience in various roles, including CX and Sales, and has worked with Hootsuite, Galvanize, and Procurify before joining Lumen5.
MAIN INSIGHT
Hiring the right people and focusing on the right process will improve your team's performance.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hiring the wrong people can lead you in the wrong direction.
Take time to hire the right roles you need.
Focus on the right channel for your business.
Performance comes when you have the right people and the right process.
People buy your product because they understand the value of your product.
Focusing on the mindset of your team will make sure to keep them aligned on the key channels.
The target and KPIs represent the expectations for the team members.
Understanding your colleague’s goals helps you fulfill your business goals.
People respond to personalized messages and to what is impactful for them.
PRACTICAL STEPS
Aligning with the leaders first helps a longer-term strategy as a company.
Build a culture and strategy with your team to accomplish your goal.
Look for what metrics are impactful for a specific channel and stick to it.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Hiring the right people is about skills, personal will, and desire to make an impact and grow.
Manage team member’s time so that they have time for both priority and non-priority tasks.
Speak in your audience's language.
MORE FROM LUMEN5
Lumen5 is a video maker built to supercharge your content strategy. Easily make videos for content marketing and thought leadership. Learn more at Lumen5.com
Hello and welcome to Forward Launch Your SaaS, the show where we interview B2B SaaS founders and marketing executives about their campaigns and the biggest pieces of wisdom they have to share with other founders and marketers.
I'm excited to announce some upcoming changes to the show that I believe will make it even more valuable to our listeners.
First, I want to expand the show to include some larger B2B SaaS companies in addition to startups.
This change will benefit both startups and scaleups, as business leaders will be able to hear a mix of perspectives from newer and more established companies. Episodes specific to startups will be labeled as the "startup insights" series, while other episodes will be applicable to established companies.
Second, I care about the effects that businesses have on society and want to help companies grow while also making a positive impact on humanity and society. Many businesses prioritize profit over societal impacts, but I believe businesses can and should be a force for positive change.
Considering the consequences to society at every stage of a company's growth can position companies for long-term success and outperform competitors that don't consider these issues. It also has other benefits like improving team performance, allowing proactive issue management, and making the company more resilient to problems that competitors will face.
For example, companies that considered potential privacy concerns before investing in Google Ads won't be affected by Google's recent decision to eliminate third-party advertising, while competitors will have to scramble to adapt. Additionally, companies that consider these issues can attract a wider range of customers who are concerned about privacy.
That's why I'm adding in questions about social impact to our regular episodes and starting a new series called "Uplifting SaaS".
In these episodes, I'll be speaking with founders, CEOs, and agency owners who sell to or work with SaaS companies about growing a company in general and about their social mission. We'll primarily be exploring how they achieved or how they helped SaaS companies achieve a positive social impact.
I'll also be publishing new episodes three times a week, with the possibility of even more frequent releases. The traditional format will continue for a few more months, but starting in March or April, you'll see more social impact content and a wider variety of guests.
I hope these changes will make Forward Launch Your SaaS even more valuable to you!
How trusting yourself and your team fuels company growth -- Kate Bradley Chernis, Co-Founder and CEO LatelyAI
27 Dec 2022
00:41:20
TIMESTAMPS
03:00 - Why Kate’s Dad told her that she couldn’t work for other people anymore
08:56 - The Art Of The Start by Guy Kawasaki
11:20 - Her first angel investors
12:50 - Walmart project that helps them to reach 130% ROI
15:30 - The power of voice and copy
18:00 - How Lately can help you get more out of your content
24:00 - The mindset that helps them get 240% in monthly revenue
28:40 - Finding a pure place
31:00 - How opportunity and doors opened just by being herself
35:00 - Be careful who you listen to
GUEST BACKGROUND
Kate Bradley Chernis is the Founder & CEO of Lately – A.I that learns which words will get you the most engagement and turns your video, audio, and text into dozens of social posts containing those words.
As a former rock 'n' roll dj, Kate served 20 million listeners as Music Director and on-air host at Sirius/XM. She’s also an award-winning radio producer, engineer and voice talent with 25 years of national broadcast communications, brand-building, sales and marketing expertise. What she learned in radio about the neuroscience of music helps fuel Lately's artificial intelligence.
Prior to founding Lately, Kate also owned a marketing agency that got Walmart a 130% ROI YoY for three years.
MAIN INSIGHT
Trusting your gut and being yourself opens opportunities for the company and builds more trust in your team.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Everything is about emotion
Create and share the right mindset with your team
Investors bets on your guts and not on the product
Being yourself means being more confident and creative
PRACTICAL STEPS
Create and identify the environment where you can be creative
Identify the uncomfortable situation and change it
Be yourself
Know when to listen and get feedback from other people
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Choose the right feedback and people to listen to
Trust your gut immediately
Trust your team that they will accept whatever you say that comes out of your mind
MORE FROM LATELY AI
Lately’s AI learns which words will get you the most engagement and repurposes video, audio, and text into dozens of social posts that contain those words. Learn more at lately.ai