The Message-Market Fit Podcast

#033 - Kris Rudeegraap - Breaking Through the Noise: How Strategic Gifting Drives Pipeline and Builds Relationships


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We dive into Sendoso's journey from initially targeting sales teams to discovering that marketing leaders were the actual buyers. Kris explains their category naming evolution - from the failed "engagement delivery platform" to the more descriptive and customer-friendly "direct mail and gifting platform" - highlighting the importance of using language your customers already understand.

Kris shares fascinating insights on how companies use strategic gifting to drive remarkable results, including how Gong generated over $30 million in pipeline from sending pinatas and how Gainsight leveraged their CEO's book to create $8 million in pipeline. We discuss the balance between personalization and scale, with Kris explaining their three-part personalization framework: personalizing around the individual, the signal, or the action.

We also explore how Sendoso's messaging evolved from feature-focused to outcome-driven, and how they use data and AI to enhance creativity in gifting strategies. Whether you're a startup founder or marketing leader, this episode offers valuable insights on breaking through the noise in today's crowded digital landscape.

Enjoy!

CONNECT WITH KRISSHOW NOTES
  • 02:03 From Sales to Sendo: The Origin Story
  • 04:00 How Sales Background Influenced Sendo's Vision
  • 05:07 The Pivot: When Marketing Became the Primary Buyer
  • 06:26 Category Creation: The Evolution of Messaging
  • 08:12 Testing Categories vs. Using Customer Language
  • 10:18 Website Messaging: From Features to Outcomes
  • 12:46 The Power of Visual Storytelling and Product Tours
  • 14:40 Adapting to Modern Buyer Research Habits
  • 16:14 Dynamic Headlines and Specific Value Propositions
  • 19:16 Research Methods for Informing Messaging Strategy
  • 21:19 Messaging Milestones: From Features to Outcomes
  • 22:22 Using Slack to Share Customer Feedback and Research
  • 24:11 Customer Success Stories: Generating Millions in Pipeline
  • 25:31 The Art of Personalization in Gifting
  • 28:10 Scaling Gifting Through Automation
  • 29:24 Sendo as a "Swiss Army Knife" for Marketing and Sales
  • 31:11 Why Early-Stage Companies Benefit from Gifting
  • 32:22 Current Trends in Company Positioning
  • 33:32 Balancing Data and Creativity in Messaging
  • 34:58 Campaign Spotlight: Halloween-Themed Marketing
  • 36:03 "Swag That Stays": Creating Lasting Impressions
  • 37:04 Advice for Founders on Positioning New Products
  • 37:51 The Future: From Logistics to Data and AI

Learn more at https://conversionalchemy.net/

Connect with Chris https://linktr.ee/conversionalchemy

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The Message-Market Fit PodcastBy Chris Silvestri