In Marketing Smarketing Episode 12 hosts Sal Buonocore and Nathan Wan build on Episode 11, continuing the journey from Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs).

They are joined by their first-ever guest, Mike Duberstein, Head of Sales and Marketing at Presales Leader and a Solutions Engineer. Mike offers his dual perspective living in both marketing and sales worlds to discuss what happens after a lead becomes sales-qualified.

This episode dives into:

• Defining MQLs and SQLs from a sales standpoint.

• The MQL to SQL handoff.

• The discovery process, understanding unique needs and identifying red flags.

• The demo's role as a proof of solution, including:

o Demo pitfalls

o Strategies for handling questions during a demo

o Post-demo steps

In this episode of Marketing Smarketing, Nate and Sal return with Part 2 of the sales process series — diving headfirst into the often-overlooked yet mission-critical Discovery meeting. Learn how to move beyond surface-level conversations and uncover the core needs of your prospects by bringing in technical experts, asking better questions, and laying the groundwork for a high-impact, hyper-tailored demo.

We unpack:

- How to structure effective Discovery 2 meetings

- Why solution engineers are key to deeper insights

- How to avoid the “feature firehose” during demos

- When to answer questions live vs. delay for follow-ups

- The power of proposal timing and prospect readiness

If you’re ready to stop winging your demos and start closing with precision, this episode is your playbook.

Marketing may generate the leads, but sales closes the deals—and that transition matters. In Part 1 of our sales process series, we unpack how to move from prospect engagement to a qualified opportunity.

🔥 Inside this episode:

✅ The handoff: Marketing → BDR → Sales

✅ What tools like LeadFeeder can (and can’t) tell you

✅ How to run a great Discovery Call (Disco 1)

✅ Using the BANT framework to qualify leads

✅ Drafting a preliminary budget before deep scoping

Whether you’re a sales rep, marketer, or BDR, this episode will help you tighten your funnel and boost conversion.

📩 Subscribe now and start turning interest into impact.

🔗 Visit: www.theproductmarketingleader.com

#MarketingSmarketing #SalesProcess #LeadQualification #DiscoveryCall #BANT #MarketingPodcast #SalesEnablement #GoToMarketStrategy

In Episode 9 of Marketing Smarketing, Nate and Sal dive into the art and strategy of crafting content—from choosing the right blog topics to formatting for better SEO and readability. Whether you're just starting your content journey or looking to refine what you’ve got, this episode is packed with practical advice and hilarious commentary.

🚀 You’ll learn:

Why content is the fuel of your go-to-market strategy

How to balance quality vs. quantity

Where to get great content ideas (Hint: talk to your customers!)

Blog writing best practices for formatting, visuals, and SEO

How to build content journeys and improve website traffic flow

📝 Challenge of the week: Write your first blog or refresh an old one. Bonus: centralize your content library!

🔗 Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes on content marketing, ICP development, and more.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, or watch right here on YouTube.

#MarketingToMarketing #ContentMarketing #BlogStrategy #MarketingTips #gtmstrategy

TimeStamps

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:34 News

00:09:06 Episode 9

00:37:35 Outro

In this milestone in-person episode of Marketing Smarketing, Sal and Nate continue the deep dive into defining your Ideal Customer Profile—but this time, it's more than just sandwiches and water.

Recorded from their brand-new office (complete with a green wall and a bit of B-roll chaos), the duo unpacks:

How to identify your customer's true needs, pain points, and motivations

Why discovery is the real MVP in both marketing and sales

How content consumption habits shape your outreach strategy

The power of buyer personas (and how to build one using StoryBrand)

What Roblox + Google Ads can teach us about immersive marketing

Plus, they share real-life examples (including parenting stories, fitness meal planning, and their kids demolishing snack bags) that make marketing principles feel surprisingly relatable. Whether you're B2B, B2C, or just trying to stay sane while scaling, this episode will help you get more intentional with your audience and messaging.

🎯 Listener Challenge:

Start building your buyer persona using the StoryBrand BrandScript framework this week. Not sure where to begin? Just Google “StoryBrand BrandScript” or hit us up on LinkedIn—we’re happy to help!

00:00 – Welcome & First In-Person Recording!

05:16 – News: Google Partners with Roblox for In-Game Ads

10:50 – Throwback: Ads in Old-School Video Games

14:35 – Recap: The Go-To-Market Framework So Far

16:59 – Episode 8

40:07 – Outro: Subscribe, Comment, and Stay Connected

In this episode of Marketing to Marketing, Sal and Nate dig into one of the foundational elements of marketing: identifying your ideal customer. Through casual banter (including an impromptu snack analysis featuring Oreos and Baja Blast), they explore what it really means to define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), how buyer roles impact your messaging, and why understanding the buyer's journey is critical for effective marketing.

From Facebook’s evolution to the rising power of video content and click-through demos, they tie in real-world examples and SaaS-specific insights to help you focus your marketing efforts where they’ll count most. Whether you're a solo marketer or building a team, this episode offers practical tips (and laughs) to sharpen your targeting strategy.

🧠 Key Topics:

The evolving role of Facebook and Meta in marketing

The ROI of long-form and video content

How to define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Understanding buyer roles and company size

Mapping the buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, decision

Real talk on marketing with limited resources

Ready to build your Ideal Customer Profile? Start with just one. Need help? Reach out to us at theproductmarketingleader.com. Also, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more marketers find us!

In this episode of Marketing Smarketing, hosts Nate Wan and Sal Buoncore dive deep into LinkedIn connection strategies. They explore the power of engaging with the right people, leveraging LinkedIn groups, utilizing third-party tools, and staying consistent with outreach. Plus, they share insights on LinkedIn’s invitation limits, analytics, and how to maximize your networking efforts without getting flagged. Whether you're looking to expand your audience or refine your outreach approach, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you build meaningful professional relationships. Tune in and start optimizing your LinkedIn strategy today!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or our company, check us out at theproductmarketingleader.com

The right tools can make or break your marketing strategy. In this episode of Marketing Smarketing, we dive into the best marketing software, platforms, and resources to streamline your workflow and elevate your content creation.

🛠️ What we cover:

✅ The top tools for video editing, design, and automation

✅ The role of AI in modern marketing workflows

✅ Click-through demos & why they’re a game-changer

✅ How to choose the right tools for your business

From Canva to DaVinci Resolve, AI-powered automation, and content creation platforms, we share must-have marketing tools to help you work smarter, not harder.

📩 Subscribe now and optimize your marketing stack!

🔗 Visit: www.theproductmarketingleader.com

#MarketingSmarketing #MarketingTools #ContentCreation #MarketingPodcast #AIinMarketing #GoToMarket #VideoMarketing

In this episode of Marketing Smarketing, Nate and Sal dive deep into leveraging LinkedIn as a powerful tool for B2B marketing. They discuss the importance of building an audience, utilizing personal and company profiles, and the key role of engagement through posting and reposting. Featuring insights from John Hicks, they break down a three-step strategy to optimize LinkedIn for lead generation:

1. Have a strong website as your digital home base.

2. Find and connect with the right decision-makers in your industry.

3. Be active and consistent in your engagement to stay top-of-mind.

Whether you're new to LinkedIn or looking to refine your approach, this episode provides actionable tactics to help grow your business. Plus, they kick things off with a chat about Vikings, docuseries, and the ever-evolving world of social media.

Tune in and start building your LinkedIn presence today!

Attending conferences can be overwhelming—but are you making the most of them? In this episode of Marketing Smarketing, we share key takeaways from our time at Acumatica Summit and discuss how to maximize networking, learning, and business opportunities at conferences.

🏆 What we cover:

✅ Pre-event strategies to set clear goals

✅ Engaging effectively & making lasting connections

✅ Post-event follow-ups that turn contacts into relationships

✅ The power of community in business growth

Whether you’re attending as a sponsor, speaker, or guest, this episode will help you leave a lasting impression at any event.

📩 Subscribe now and level up your conference game!

🔗 Visit: www.theproductmarketingleader.com

#MarketingSmarketing #NetworkingTips #ConferenceStrategy #BusinessGrowth #MarketingPodcast #GoToMarket #SalesAndMarketing