B2B Marketing Methods

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, Terri Hoffman sits down with SpeakerBox Media Co-Founder and CEO Sarah Smith for a strategic conversation about how podcasting fits into modern B2B marketing strategy.

Together, they unpack why podcasting is no longer just an audio channel but a multimedia growth engine that supports SEO, AI search visibility, sales enablement, and long-term brand authority. Sarah shares her journey of building a B2B podcast agency from the ground up and explains why success in B2B isn’t about reaching millions—it’s about reaching the right decision-makers. You’ll also hear candid insights about attribution challenges, the rise of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, and why building owned media platforms is becoming essential for brands that want sustainable growth.

This episode is a practical guide for B2B leaders who want to increase discoverability, align marketing with revenue, and build authority that compounds over time.

To learn more about Sarah Smith , connect with her on LinkedIn at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerboxsarah

Or, email her at:

[email protected]

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why podcasting is evolving into a core B2B marketing strategy

How podcasts improve SEO performance and AI search visibility

Why B2B brands don’t need millions of listeners to drive revenue

How podcasting supports long sales cycles and multiple decision-makers

The difference between brand awareness and true sales enablement

Why attribution in B2B marketing is rarely straightforward

What “dark social” means and why it matters

How internal podcasts can strengthen company culture and recruiting

Why multimedia content increases discoverability across Google and YouTube

The importance of building owned media platforms in a decentralized digital landscape

Chapter Summary (Timestamps)

00:00 – Welcome to B2B Marketing Methods

00:28 – Meet Sarah Smith of SpeakerBox Media

08:30 – From DIY to Premium: Finding the Right Podcasting Model

16:00 – Common Objections to Podcasting (and How to Overcome Them)

24:30 – Podcasting as Sales Enablement & Business Development

33:30 – Measuring Podcast ROI, Brand Awareness & ‘Dark Social’

42:00 – Podcasting, SEO, LLMs & Building Owned Media Platforms

50:00 – Closing Thoughts & Where to Connect

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, Terri Hoffman sits down with One Foot Over co-founders Stephen Brent May and Hami Vo Arrington for a transparent, highly relatable conversation about what B2B companies often get wrong about marketing strategy—and how to fix it. Together, they unpack the meaning behind their mantra “Clarity Before Tactics” and explore why defining goals, aligning with sales, and understanding your buyers must come before launching campaigns. You’ll also hear candid stories about client expectations, marketing trauma, Houston’s business landscape, and what happens when organizations skip discovery and jump straight into execution. This episode is a practical guide for any leader who wants to make smarter, more intentional B2B marketing decisions.

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, Marketing Refresh CEO Terri Hoffman sits down with Libby Olson, Partner and COO at Growl Agency, to demystify the power of CRMs, data strategy, and AI-driven personalization in modern B2B marketing.

Libby shares her journey from corporate marketing to leading tech-integrated growth strategies, unpacking how companies can streamline sales, marketing, and operations with smarter systems. Together, Terri and Libby explore how aligning people, process, and technology creates the foundation for sustainable revenue growth — and how HubSpot’s evolving AI capabilities are changing the CRM game for good.

If you’ve ever wondered how to connect your tech stack, clean your data, or get your sales team to actually use your CRM, this conversation is a must-listen.

• Why CRM adoption fails — and how to fix it
• The “data therapist” approach to uncovering systemic sales and marketing issues
• Building alignment between marketing, sales, and operations
• How clean data enables accurate AI training and automation
• What HubSpot’s AI-powered agents and workflows can really do
• Developing playbooks for repeatable sales and M&A success
• Understanding data governance and cross-team collaboration
• How leadership, marketers, and sales all benefit from CRM visibility
• The “crawl, walk, run” method for successful CRM implementation

To learn more about Libby Olson, connect with her on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/libbyolson/ 

Or, email her at: 

[email protected] 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, Terri Hoffman sits down with Erik Konicki and Lindsey Wendler, Managing Directors at 414 Capital, to discuss how marketing, sales, and strategy intersect when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. With decades of combined experience and more than 300 closed transactions, Erik and Lindsey share how business owners can increase company value, improve readiness, and attract the right buyers through smarter positioning and preparation.

They break down what drives value in today’s market—from strong margins and diverse customer bases to transferable operations and credible brand perception. You’ll learn why your marketing and sales systems aren’t just tools for growth, but key assets that influence how investors perceive your business.

Whether you’re years away from selling or simply want to build a more valuable company, this conversation will help you understand how to align your marketing strategy with long-term business goals—and how preparation can multiply your return when it’s time to make a move.

• How marketing and brand strategy influence company valuation
• 
  
• The most important factors buyers consider before an acquisition
• 
  
• Steps to prepare your business for a successful sale
• 
  
• Common pitfalls that reduce value—and how to avoid them
• 
  
• Why clean financials and scalable processes attract investors
• 
  
• How to build a strong deal team and trusted advisor network

To learn more about Erik Konicki, connect with him on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/konicki/

Or, email him at:

[email protected]

To learn more about Lindsey Wendler, connect with her on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseywendler/

Or, email her at: 

[email protected]

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

On this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, Terri welcomes Matthew Breman, Senior VP of Marketing & Operations at ProStar GeoCorp and Mayor of Fruita, Colorado. Matthew’s career has taken him from MTV and Nickelodeon, to Disney, to running his own marketing agency — and now to leading growth for a publicly traded technology company. Along the way, he’s learned how to adapt messaging for wildly different audiences, whether it’s cast members at Disney, customers at his agency, or residents of his hometown.

The conversation dives into one of the most complex areas of B2B growth: channel and partner marketing. Matthew shares how ProStar shifted from selling software directly to end users to building partnerships with hardware manufacturers, distributors, and sales teams. That change created new challenges in scaling training, activating partners, and making sure salespeople understood not just the product but the full value proposition for their customers.

Matthew also draws parallels between marketing leadership and community leadership. From identifying champions inside organizations to building trust and consistency in messaging, he shows why successful channel strategies depend on relationships at every level. If you’ve ever wrestled with scaling through distributors or keeping your messaging clear across multiple partners, this episode offers practical insights and stories from the field.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Channel and partner marketing strategies
• Training and enabling distributor sales teams
• Adapting messaging for multiple audiences
• Building trust and alignment with partners
• Finding champions to drive adoption

To learn more about Matthew Breman, connect with him on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbreman/ 

Or, email him at: 

[email protected] 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, host Terri Hoffman, CEO of Marketing Refresh, sits down with Danny Gavin, founder of Optidge, professor of digital marketing at the University of Houston, and host of The Digital Marketing Mentor podcast.

Danny shares insights from his many “hats” in the digital marketing world—agency leader, educator, mentor, and family man. The conversation dives into the importance of CRM systems for tracking leads and driving ROI, how to align sales and marketing teams for greater transparency, and why strategy—not quick fixes—is the foundation of sustainable growth.

Danny also discusses the role of mentorship in building strong teams, the balance of culture and accountability in agency life, and how AI can streamline processes without replacing the fundamentals of great marketing.

Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on building trust, leveraging strategy, and leading with purpose in today’s fast-changing digital marketing landscape.

To learn more about Danny Gavin, connect with him on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannygavin/ 

Or, email him at: 

[email protected] 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, host Terri Hoffman, CEO of Marketing Refresh, sits down with Rafeh Malik, a seasoned marketing professional set to embark on a new venture as a business owner in Houston. 

Rafeh discusses his diverse career background, including his education at Rice University, his journey through various industries, and his experiences in product marketing, corporate strategy, and nonprofit initiatives. The conversation delves into Rafeh's aspirations to acquire a business in Houston, his criteria for selecting a business, and his strategic approach to business growth. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, leveraging digital marketing, and creating the right cultural fit. 

Tune in for an insightful discussion on the transition from marketing leadership to small business ownership.

To learn more about Rafeh Malik, connect with him on LinkedIn at: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafehm

Or, email him at: 

[email protected] 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of the B2B Marketing Methods podcast, host Terri Hoffman, CEO of Marketing Refresh, chats with Jason Lee, Vice President at Exponent. Jason discusses the role of Exponent in enhancing the value of private businesses by providing wealth management services. 

The conversation delves into Jason's journey from the health to the wealth industry, his personal story, and various strategies he employs for building credibility and relationships, particularly through LinkedIn. Jason emphasizes the importance of maintaining a personal brand, mastering the art of getting people in a room, and trusting the process. They also explore Jason's personal initiatives, including his faith-based leadership and mentoring men.

This episode provides valuable insights into blending personal authenticity with professional strategies for successful B2B marketing and business development.

To learn more about Jason Lee, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleeexponent/

Or, email him at: 

[email protected]

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, hosted by Terri Hoffman, CEO of Marketing Refresh, guest Michael Ballero shares his journey in the automotive industry and discusses critical topics such as the changing landscape of automotive investments, his sales approach, and work-life balance. Michael, a national account manager at Gen Z Automotive, highlights his innovative use of social media strategies, focusing particularly on TikTok, for building relationships and enhancing his professional reach. 

The conversation also dives into the practical applications of AI and ChatGPT for automating and improving sales communications, alongside personal reflections on balancing career with family life, making this episode a comprehensive exploration of both professional and personal growth in the B2B sector.

Topics Discussed:

• Michael Ballero’s Career Path
• Leveraging Social Media for B2B Sales
• Integrating AI in Sales
• Work-Life Balance and Personal Growth
• Sales and Marketing Alignment

To learn more about Leah Salinas, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ballero-5aa8431b3 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com

In this episode of B2B Marketing Methods, host Terri Hoffman, CEO of Marketing Refresh, interviews Leah Salinas, Director at the Alexander Group, about her journey from entrepreneur to executive search expert. Leah shares her personal story of running a successful business for 14 years and her decision to transition to a different career path focused on recruiting executive roles in various B2B industries. 

The discussion dives into key considerations for building out sales and marketing organizations, the differences between sales leaders and salespeople, and how transferable skills can drive business growth. Leah also provides insights into the essential role of data-driven strategies in sales and the importance of overall organizational structure in supporting effective marketing. Tune in to learn valuable tips on navigating career transitions and building high-performance teams.

Topics Discussed:

• Leah’s 14-Year Entrepreneurial Journey
• Making the Leap from Founder to Executive Recruiter
• Building High-Performing Sales and Marketing Teams
• The Role of Data in Modern Sales Strategy
• Organizational Structure and Career Transitions

To learn more about Leah Salinas, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-comstock-salinas 

To learn more about Terri, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrihartley/

To connect with Marketing Refresh, visit: MarketingRefresh.com