Mindful B2B Marketing | Business Growth and Social Impact (Former: Forward Launch Your SaaS)

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

1. Start by having an internal discussion with your company to understand what your ideal future for the company looks like.
2. Create a minimum viable content piece or product mock-up to show customers what the future will look like.
3. Get feedback from existing and potential customers in real-time to see how they feel about the concept.
4. Continuously get feedback as you build the product or service.
5. Set up touchpoints or checkpoints with initial interested customers.
6. Try to have sales conversations with customers to understand what they are willing to pay.
7. 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/

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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.

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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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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/

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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/

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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/

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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

1. Trust your gut. Have confidence. 
2. Shift your mindset from "doing" to "trying".
3. Try the project out, making sure it's within a risk range you're comfortable with.
4. 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/

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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

1. Get people from your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) on a call. Make sure you understand your ICP.
2.  Bring various members of your team to the call, and understand the different motivations of different team members.
3. Ask questions about the prospective customer's current solution.
4. Make sure everyone on the call, conducting the interview is happy and has their questions answered live.
5. 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

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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

1. Have a 30 minute session with prospective users
2. Do a 5 minute training session with the user, then have the user run through the product themself, on a recorded Zoom call
3. 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

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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 

1. Identify which associations have influence over your customers
2. Evaluate what the association's current marketing strategies are -- do they promote products and services to their members?
3. Approach the highest executive you can find within the association (e.g. the director or board chair) and demo your product
4. 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

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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

1. Do high-level research to discover content that users will need, whether they already realize they need the solution or not
2. Educate potential users on why your solution is appropriate
3. Create educational content around how to use your solution
4. 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/

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