On this episode, Kris Rudeegraap, CEO of Sendoso, talks about his journey from software sales - where he spotted a gap in the market - to being a company founder, and then the first CMO. 

He details Sendoso's early marketing strategies, including building a robust CRM database, focusing on field and event marketing, and creating educational content to establish their category.

Kris goes on to talk about the importance of data-backed content, SEO strategies, and creating content for different levels of the organization. And we discuss the challenges and benefits of category creation, and the value of event marketing for startups. 

Our conversation also covers the evolution of Sendoso's marketing team, from initial hires to scaling up. And, naturally, the effectiveness of gifting as a marketing tactic.

Note: This episode is not sponsored by Sendoso. Kris was invited on the show as a guest.

Resources:
Connect with Kris on LinkedIn
Read the HockeyStack report on Revenue Impact of Gifting

If you’re a founder or CEO of a growing business, you've probably been told that you have to focus your marketing around Google. Whether that’s ranking highly for a specific phrase or a set of keywords; or investing in ads to get more people to your website. Both of which can get expensive quickly!

And there's a good chance that all this effort has left you frustrated. The game has changed drastically over the last year or two - impacting the value of both SEO and Google Ads.

On this episode, we explore the changes in the landscape; look at how people's search habits have changed; and talk about the evolving role of Content Marketing to take advantage of the strategic shift.

Resources

Peter Caputa Linkedin Post - "Most companies should stop publishing educational content to their website for SEO purposes. It's like buying real estate in an undesirable neighborhood."

Rand Fishkin Video Post - "Clicks are dying. Attribution is dying. The way we've done digital marketing for 25yrs is dying."

Chris Walker Linkedin Post "Google paid search is often by far the largest expense across the entire Marketing budget and simultaneously the lowest performing investment."

If you’re running a B2B tech company, you want your website to generate leads, and convert interest. Yet so many websites are built for vanity, not revenue.  And that’s Sam Dunning’s goal with Breaking B2B - to change the way that tech companies and SaaS providers think about their web design.

 The website should be the hub to which you drive all of your marketing programs. And yet many of them are designed around good looks and fun messaging – rather than on educating prospects, and capturing their interest. So we discuss some common pitfalls of sites that fail to connect, and Sam shared three approaches he uses to craft clear headlines and positioning statements.

 We also covered the importance of having more than just pricing on your pricing pages; and how to construct a low-friction “book a demo” process. Plus Sam talked a little about his personal branding strategy which borrows from popular social media trends.

 Key Takeaways:

1.      Design for the Audience: A website should focus on the pain points of the target audience. Not the preferences of internal stakeholders

2.      Clarity Over Complexity: Use straightforward headlines that avoid cliches and jargon; and clearly state the value proposition and benefits.

3.     Transparency Builds Trust: Open pricing and accessible demos streamline the sales process, and reduce time wasted on unqualified prospects

4.     Expand your Pricing Page: Incorporate social proof, such as client testimonials, case studies, and FAQs, to address common objections

5.     Engaging Demos: Wngaging product demos, either through videos or interactive tools, allows visitors to understand the product's value quickly and effectively.

Resources:

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn

Listen to – or watch - his Breaking B2B Podcast

 For more on Sam’s tips to build a killer B2B tech website, check out Episode #390 “Craft a SaaS Website That Converts Like Crazy”

And for my England-based listeners, here’s Sam’s SEO-based spoof of “It’s Coming Home” 

I was on my way to the New Jersey Digital Marketing Conference recently. And it occurred to me that the way we keep up with the latest in marketing strategy and techniques has changed significantly.

A few years ago, it was all about in-person events, networking, and reading a few books.

Now - post-covid - much of our marketing education is digital. TikTok, webinars, social media and, yes, podcasts. And as AI becomes a bigger and bigger part of the conversation, where do you go to keep up with the trends?

On this episode, I run through the options, and share my own approach.

Resources:
Section - Online business courses (very AI and marketing focused)
Rutgers Mini-MBA Programs - Virtual and in-person courses
The Marketing Book Podcast

Smart people who I follow:
Rand Fishkin (SEO)
Eli Schwartz (SEO)
Ethan Mollick (AI)
Nicole Leffer (AI)
Andy Crestodina (Content)

Cocktail Recipe:
The Mexican Monk (but replace the tequila with mezcal!)

I’m talking with Chris Delany, the CEO of Semgeeks, about how the world of B2B digital marketing is changing. We look at the transition from basic SEO tactics and website design, to a full-bore strategy focused on creating a community across multiple channels.

Chris explains how he’s shifted to a more integrated, multi-touch approach that focuses on a complex customer journey instead of the more traditional sales funnel. This reflects a broader change towards building a community, that keeps potential customers interested with everything from short-form videos to live events.

And so we dig into the idea of a marketing 'flywheel' – using an integrated strategy to build momentum over a period of time, leading to deeper customer loyalty.

And at a time when live events are struggling (at least, in terms of pay-to-play sponsorships), Chris talks about the bet he’s placed on creating the New Jersey Digital Marketing Conference.

Resources:

• Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
• Check out Chris’s agency, Semgeeks
• Sign up for the NJ Digital Marketing Conference

Responsible Marketing; Sustainability; Eco-friendly business practices. Whatever you call it, companies are increasingly exploring how to “do better.” And on this episode, we explore how businesses can embed Responsibility directly into their marketing strategies.

Chad Hickey, CEO of Givsly; and Lauren Burke of Ljs Advisory, share their experience in integrating these practices into B2B events and campaigns. Reducing unnecessary tradeshow swag; creating thoughtful event activations; and showcasing company values in advertising and outreach. There are many ways that Responsible Marketing can be embedded in the strategy.

We also discuss the motivation for companies to adopt this approach - to reflect their internal values; appeal to an increasingly tuned-in customer base (we’re looking at you, Gen Z); or respond to their employees’ expectations. And provide some guideposts for marketers and business owners who are looking to get started.

Key Takeaways:

•  Responsible Marketing is a valuable part of building brand reputation
•  Any initiative should be an integral part of your marketing strategy
•  A senior marketer has to be the internal champion for this to succeed
•  Take time to educate the Sales team on the benefits to the sales process
•  KPIs should ideally align with existing metrics, to ensure buy-in across the company

Resources:

Connect with Lauren here
Connect with Chad here 

If you’re worried about how “search” is going to be impacted by AI…then you’ve clearly been paying attention! But beyond all the hype, what are the most likely outcomes in the next year or so. Should your SEO strategy be changing? Should your marketing investment be going in different places?

Greg Brooks and his team at SearchTides spend their time thinking through these exact issues – based on data and their own experience. And on The Marketing Mix, Greg shares some of his thoughts on the changes that are already happening. And how marketers and business owners should be adapt.

We start off by talking about foundational elements of SEO; consider the long term value of content marketing as a search strategy; and think through the overall marketing approach as search becomes smarter.

Will the "Human Element"  be the thing that makes the difference, and keeps you ahead of the game?

Key Takeaways:

• Current SEO best practices - authority, relevance, and technical optimization - will continue to be the bedrock of search. But we need to consider an additional “human” layer to boost its value.
• If AI is driving the cost of producing content to zero, how do you add value? Expertise and Experience are the areas where human input can improve on AI generation
• Google's continued focus on 'helpfulness' should guide the strategy, rather than looking to AI-specific tactics and shortcuts. Make your content useful, and – whatever Search becomes - it will be found.

Find Out More:
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn
Read more about SearchTides, and dig into their research

Timestamps:
05:20 The Role of SEO in Business Growth 
08:40 Impact of AI on Content Marketing 
14:15 Google wants to be Helpful
26:15 The Human Era of SEO: 
36:00 A Drink at The Search Bar

Are we ready to take advantage of AI in Marketing yet?

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is quoted as saying that AI could automate 95% of tasks currently performed by marketing agencies. I don’t agree with the number, but it’s a bold enough statement to pay attention to. And, for sure, AI is going to have a significant impact on how we “do” marketing over the next few years.

So in this episode, I talk through the options that marketers should consider as they start to look into AI; share some examples and use cases of how to incorporate AI into your daily workflows; and consider where we might be with AI tools a year from now.

Really, though, this episode is an encouragement to “Just Do It” (to use a turn of phrase!). If you’re not yet using AI, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start to play around with AI tools - whether that’s a standalone AI assistant like Chat GPT or Claude; or tapping into the AI features of the software you’re already using. And we’re giving you some pointers to get your journey started.

Plus, since the subject of Large Language Models and AI in Marketing is constantly changing, I share some of the resources I’m using to stay ahead of the curve!. See below:

Timestamps:
04:35What to think about when you think about AI
07:05Which AI Assistant should you use?
12:10Three use cases to get you started
19:20How is this going to change the way we work?

Articles and Newsletters mentioned in this episode:

Sam Altman’s “95%” quote. Link

“Best Practices for Working with Large Language Models”
- The New Stack column, by Jon Udell. Link

“Claude 3: ChatGPT finally has a serious rival"
- Understanding AI Newsletter by Timothy Lee. Link

“Your guide to Google Gemini and Claude 3.0, compared to ChatGPT”
- AI for Good Newsletter by TarenSK. Link

"Which AI Should I Use?”
- One Useful Thing Newsletter by Ethank Molik. Link

“Microsoft promises Copilot will be a 'moneymaker' in the long term”
- The Register. Link

The Gartner Hype Cycle. Link

Fuggedaboutit Cocktails “Bot” By Michael A McConachie
- Link

The Mobster Mirage Cocktail Recipe:

[Verbatim, from the Fuggedaboutit Cocktails custom GPT]

• 1 oz Whisky: Pick a good one, something with character but not too overbearing.
• 1/2 oz Cointreau: For a hint of sweet citrus to brighten things up.
• 1/2 oz Dark Rum: Adds depth and a bit of mystery.
• 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice: To cut through the sweetness and add some zing.
• Dash of Simple Syrup: Only if you like it a bit sweeter, see?
• Garnish: Lime wheel or a twist, for that touch of class.

Chill Your Glass: Get a nice cocktail glass and fill it with ice or stick it in the freezer for a bit to get it nice and frosty.

Mix Ingredients: In a shaker, combine the whisky, Cointreau, dark rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup if you're using it. Fill that shaker with ice.

Shake It Up: Shake it like you mean it, but with respect

Strain: Strain it into your chilled glass. You want it smooth, with no ice chunks crashin' the party.

Garnish: Add that lime wheel or twist. It's like the suit jacket on a well-dress

In this episode, we talk with Chris Heffernan, the co-founder and CEO of Dlivrd. Think DoorDash, but for restaurant catering and same-day food delivery. Chris shares his insights on marketing as a founder, and how it has helped him scale his business. 

He discusses Dlivrd's unique positioning in the delivery ecosystem, at the intersection of technology, logistics and customer experience. They’ve created a business culture around the importance of a positive driver experience and building strong relationships with their partners – Chris tips his hat towards the “Happy cows make better milk" slogan from California! And that’s the main thrust of their marketing too - focused on events that celebrate and engage the drivers, and then taking content from those events to share through media channels.

Chris is a big proponent of using video in marketing, and shares his tips on how to get started with shooting your own material. He may not take all his business advice from Instagram(!), but he sure knows how to get attention through his very personality-driven videos

Key Takeaways:

• Hosting driver events and creating engaging content from these events has proven to be an effective marketing tactic
• Realtors put their photos on business cards for a reason. How do you create that emotional connection?
• If you’re not comfortable with being on video, start with a voiceover and some b-roll
• Chris believes in making marketing fun and enjoyable, focusing on projects that highlight the company's core values. If it’s not fun, he’s not interested!

Resources:

Check out Dlivrd’s story here

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here

And watch the pizza challenge  video here!

Positioning is a fundamental part of marketing strategy. But it’s not always explicitly defined, particularly in small, fast-growing companies. In many cases, it’s based purely on the original intent of the founder, and reflects early-adopters. But as a business scales, it’s worth taking time to think through the Why/Who/How of your product or service, so you can develop the messaging and the Go-To-Market strategy that’s going to have an impact.

Sharon Scott knows how to craft a positioning statement. As a marketing strategist and founder of OtterScope, Sharon works with companies to define their place in the market. And in this episode of The Marketing Mix, she shares the frameworks and strategies she uses to get to the “why” of brands and products.

We also discuss how marketing acts as the bridge between internal stakeholders, and the alignment of Product and Marketing teams. And Sharon shares some thoughts on how AI might be used to assist in customer research and the positioning process.

Key Takeaways:

• Positioning considers the "why" of a product combined with the "who" of the target audience, along "how" the brand adds value
• Even for tech products, a user’s emotional response is an important part of the positioning
• Don’t underestimate the value of unplanned, casual conversations across teams to break out of the silos
• AI tools might not be ready to play a major role in positioning, but they can help with early customer research tasks

Connect with Sharon:

 Find Sharon on LinkedIn

And check out OtterScope

A couple of good reads:
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind - by Al Ries and Jack Trout. One of the classic books on the subject
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore. I mention this during the conversation with Sharon