Unicorny

Today's episode of Unicorny tackles the complex dynamics between brand marketers and creative agencies, focusing on the dysfunctional commercial relationships that have emerged over recent years. Host Dom Hawes is joined by Blair Enns, founder of “Win Without Pitching”.

They explore how procurement practices and outdated commercial models hinder innovation and value creation. Blair offers insights into redefining these relationships to foster mutual success.   

• Challenges in the client-agency commercial model.    
• The impact of procurement on creativity.
• Shifting focus from outputs to business outcomes.
• Balancing efficiency and innovation.

Tune in to understand how to build stronger, more effective relationships between marketers and agencies, ensuring sustainable success for both parties.

Blair is the founder of Win Without Pitching, the sales training program for expert advisors, and the author of three books on selling and pricing.

The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise is available from Gegen Press on Amazon in September, 2024.

Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour (2018) is available at pricingcreativity.com.

The Win Without Pitching Manifesto (2010) is available on Amazon.

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk 

LinkedIn: Blair Enns| Dom Hawes 

Website: Win Without Pitching

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson 

Welcome back to Unicorny! In this episode, Dom Hawes continues his chat with Andrew Davies, a CMO and serial entrepreneur. Andrew shares his thoughts on how to integrate value-based pricing, the importance of packaging, methods for retaining customers in the competitive SaaS landscape, and the concept of thesis-driven marketing. 

• Understanding the impact of frequent pricing and packaging experiments on growth 
• Key elements of effective value-based pricing 
• Methods for managing packaging to optimize customer acquisition and retention 
• The role of self-serve models in modern SaaS businesses 
• The importance of having a clear thesis to guide marketing efforts 

Discover why these tactics can be powerful levers for growth and how frequent experimentation can significantly impact revenue.

Andrew serves Paddle.com as Chief Marketing Officer. Paddle has raised over $295m to build out the complete payments infrastructure for high growth software companies, currently serving over 4000 customers. After the acquisition of ProfitWell in 2022, Paddle also has the industry-leading Pricing team, Retention product, and a SaaS Metrics platform used by around 30,000 businesses.  

Previously Andrew led global demand, digital and brand at Optimizely - after it acquired the business he co-founded, Idio.ai. During his time at Optimizely, they integrated 5 acquisitions, rebranded the entire company, and grew pipeline and sales significantly. As co-founder and CMO, he helped build Idio from scratch to a market-leader in B2B content personalization, raising $13m+ and serving enterprise clients including Pegasystems, BNY Mellon and IBM.  

Andrew also advises SaaS scale-ups, and sits on the board of Ninety, an agile digital transformation consultancy which serves the insurance industry and gives 90% of distributable profits to alleviate global poverty. He lives with his wife and two children in the Devonshire (UK) countryside. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Andrew Davies | Dom Hawes  

Website: Paddle 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

In this episode of Unicorny, host Dom Hawes speaks with Andrew Davies, Chief Marketing Officer at Paddle, about integrating entrepreneurial principles into marketing strategies. Andrew discusses the benefits of approaching marketing with the mindset of a startup founder, comparing the methodologies of venture capital and private equity, and stressing the importance of growth and innovation. He shares his journey from launching multiple startups to leading marketing at Paddle, and provides strategies for managing mergers and acquisitions, scaling businesses internationally, and overcoming market-specific challenges. 

• Discover how to reframe your marketing plan with an entrepreneurial approach. 
• Understand the differences between venture capital and private equity growth strategies. 
• Learn the value of experimentation in driving marketing success. 
• Get tips on handling mergers and acquisitions and integrating diverse business cultures. 
• Explore methods for scaling internationally and tackling market challenges. 

Don't miss this opportunity to gain actionable strategies and valuable lessons from Andrew Davies that can elevate your marketing efforts and drive growth. 

Andrew serves Paddle.com as Chief Marketing Officer. Paddle has raised over $295m to build out the complete payments infrastructure for high growth software companies, currently serving over 4000 customers. After the acquisition of ProfitWell in 2022, Paddle also has the industry-leading Pricing team, Retention product, and a SaaS Metrics platform used by around 30,000 businesses.  

Previously Andrew led global demand, digital and brand at Optimizely - after it acquired the business he co-founded, Idio.ai. During his time at Optimizely, they integrated 5 acquisitions, rebranded the entire company, and grew pipeline and sales significantly. As co-founder and CMO, he helped build Idio from scratch to a market-leader in B2B content personalization, raising $13m+ and serving enterprise clients including Pegasystems, BNY Mellon and IBM.  

Andrew also advises SaaS scale-ups, and sits on the board of Ninety, an agile digital transformation consultancy which serves the insurance industry and gives 90% of distributable profits to alleviate global poverty. He lives with his wife and two children in the Devonshire (UK) countryside. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Andrew Davies | Dom Hawes  

Website: Paddle 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

Welcome to part two of our myth-debunking session with Dale W. Harrison, where we explore the realities of demand creation in marketing.  

Dale, a polymath with a broad view of business, explains why performance marketing is flawed and introduces the 95/5 rule, which outlines the natural buying cycles of customers. 

• Understand the 95/5 rule and its implications for demand creation.
• Learn why brand marketing matters even when customers aren't in the market.
• Explore the pitfalls of using ROI as the sole metric for marketing effectiveness.
• Find out how marketing enhances sales efficiency and shortens sales cycles.

Listen now to transform your approach to B2B marketing and make your efforts truly count.

Dale W. Harrison is a senior executive with more than 20 years of international experience in the biotech industry. Experienced with venture-backed early-stage and mid-sized growth phase companies in the areas of executive leadership roles, operations management, technology development, and commercial development. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Dale W. Harrison | Dom Hawes  

Website: Inforda Life Science Services 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

Curious about why "demand creation" might be a ‘lie’ or a myth? In this episode, Dale W. Harrison challenges conventional marketing wisdom by arguing that demand cannot be created but only captured. We discuss real-world examples like the iPhone and the Apple Newton to illustrate the differences between capturing existing demand and the futility of trying to create it. You'll also hear about the importance of strategic branding and the pitfalls of relying solely on lead generation.

Learn about:

• Why capturing demand is more realistic than creating it.
• The significance of strategic branding in consumer trust and loyalty.
• The dangers of focusing too much on short-term metrics.

Ready to rethink your approach to marketing? Listen to this episode and discover strategies that could reshape your perspective and boost your marketing effectiveness.

Dale W. Harrison is a senior executive with more than 20 years of international experience in the biotech industry. Experienced with venture-backed early-stage and mid-sized growth phase companies in the areas of executive leadership roles, operations management, technology development, and commercial development. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Dale W. Harrison | Dom Hawes  

Website: Inforda Life Science Services 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

In this special episode of Unicorny, we're gearing up for B2B Ignite, the business marketing conference taking place on July 3rd at 133 Houndsditch in the City of London.

Dom Hawes, your host, talks to Richard O'Connor, CEO of B2B Marketing, about the Propolis Community Index and the key trends shaping business marketing.

We dive into insights on budget allocations, customer growth, and the evolving structure of marketing teams. Plus, get a sneak peek at what’s in store at B2B Ignite, including must-attend sessions and keynotes.

• Introduction to B2B Ignite: Overview of the conference details, including date, location, and how to book tickets.
• Propolis Community Index: Explanation of the index, its real-time data collection methods, and the value it provides to the marketing community.
• Marketing Trends: Insights into budget increases, ROI responsibilities, customer growth, and attrition rates.
• Organisational Changes: Discussion on centralisation trends, headcount shifts, and the impact on marketing teams.
• Event Highlights: Detailed agenda for B2B Ignite, including keynotes by Rachel Fairley and Sarah Robb, and a closing keynote by Mark Grist.

This episode is packed with valuable insights for business marketers looking to stay ahead of industry trends and make informed decisions.

Whether you’re attending B2B Ignite or not, the Propolis Community Index data and expert analysis from Richard O’Connor offer actionable takeaways to enhance your marketing activity.

Richard’s career spans B2B and B2C media, events and SaaS. He has run commercial teams at several leading private and public businesses, including Centaur,  The Independent Newspaper, UBM, Informa and RELX. He also led a multi-year commercial transformation programme for UBM, which involved the design and delivery of a sales and marketing operating model in EMEA, Asia and the US. He was also part of the integration team following the acquisition of UBM by Informa.

Richard currently leads B2B Marketing, a Community Intelligence business with a portfolio of specialist conferences, awards, marketing services and Propolis - the multi-award winning global community for B2B Marketing Leaders. Launched in 2021, Propolis has grown rapidly into the go-to community for many of the world’s leading B2B brands.

B2B Ignite tickets

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk 

Web links: B2B Ignite | Propolis

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson

• Episode Overview and Guest Introduction
• Understanding the Propolis Community Index
• Budget, Spend, and ROI Trends
• Customer Growth and Attrition Rates
• Marketing Trends and Budget Allocation
• Use of Agencies and External Partners
• Changes in Customer Tenure
• Organisational Structure and Centralisation
• Hiring and Attrition Trends
• Key Takeaways from the Propolis Index
• B2B Ignite Conference Agenda
• Final Thoughts and Event Highlights

In this episode of Unicorny, Dom Hawes continues his conversation with Maya Price, SAP’s Global Head: Field Marketing Events Management. They discuss the balance between standardisation and customisation in field marketing, focusing on creating global consistency while maintaining local relevance.  

Maya shares practical advice on optimising resources, the importance of continuous learning, and effective leadership strategies to manage resistance to change. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Benefits and drawbacks of standardisation versus customisation in marketing activities. 
• Techniques for balancing global efficiency with local effectiveness. 
• Importance of continuous feedback and learning in maintaining relevance and improving performance. 
• Practical advice on managing change and encouraging innovation within marketing teams. 

Listen to learn how to enhance your field marketing efforts by leveraging both global strategies and local insights. 

Maya Price is the Global Head of Field Marketing Events Management at SAP, where she leads a vibrant community of regional event teams. With a sharp focus on the standardisation and optimisation of SAP’s flagship events, Maya’s role is instrumental in creating best practices that are adopted across regions. She brings user cases, innovation, and fresh ideas to the forefront of the teams' endeavours, ensuring a balance between standardisation and localisation, always keeping the customer at the heart of everything. 

A seasoned marketing professional with over 21 years at SAP, Maya has accumulated a vast and diverse range of experience. She has held senior marketing positions in the UK and across Africa, contributing significantly to SAP's growth and success in these regions. Before relocating to the UK in 2015, Maya was an integral part of the Africa marketing team, overseeing cloud offerings, channel, and partner marketing. Her journey at SAP began in the events sphere, where her passion for marketing and events was first ignited. 

Maya is deeply passionate about marketing, with a particular interest in creating customised experiences that resonate with customers on a personal level. She is keenly aware of the evolving landscape of customer needs and strives to engage with them in sincere, human, and authentic ways. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Maya is dedicated to nurturing her teams, encouraging them to bring their authentic selves to work. She firmly believes in the “lead from behind” style of leadership, fostering an environment where her team members can thrive and innovate. 

Before joining SAP, Maya owned an events company, where she successfully managed major corporate events in South Africa.  

Maya’s rich background in event management and marketing, combined with her passion for creating meaningful customer experiences and fostering team authenticity, makes her a distinguished leader in her field. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Maya Price | Dom Hawes  

Website: SAP 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

Join Maya Price, SAP's global head of field marketing and event management, to take a peek behind the scenes of field marketing. Learn how she connects brands with customers, navigates the shift from regional to global roles, and strikes the perfect balance between local flair and global consistency.  

Get ready for practical tips on crafting events that truly resonate, building trust within your team, and turning real-time customer feedback into winning strategies. 

• How field marketing bridges the gap with customers. 
• Maya's journey from regional to global marketing leadership. 
• Balancing local personalisation with global brand consistency. 
• Fostering trust and open communication in marketing teams. 
• Creating events that captivate and deliver real value. 

Stay tuned for part two, where we tackle the great debate: standardisation vs. customisation in events. 

Maya Price is the Global Head of Field Marketing Event Management at SAP, where she leads a vibrant community of regional event teams. With a sharp focus on the standardisation and optimisation of SAP’s flagship events, Maya’s role is instrumental in creating best practices that are adopted across regions. She brings user cases, innovation, and fresh ideas to the forefront of the teams' endeavours, ensuring a balance between standardisation and localisation, always keeping the customer at the heart of everything. 

A seasoned marketing professional with over 21 years at SAP, Maya has accumulated a vast and diverse range of experience. She has held senior marketing positions in the UK and across Africa, contributing significantly to SAP's growth and success in these regions. Before relocating to the UK in 2015, Maya was an integral part of the Africa marketing team, overseeing cloud offerings, channel, and partner marketing. Her journey at SAP began in the events sphere, where her passion for marketing and events was first ignited. 

Maya is deeply passionate about marketing, with a particular interest in creating customised experiences that resonate with customers on a personal level. She is keenly aware of the evolving landscape of customer needs and strives to engage with them in sincere, human, and authentic ways. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Maya is dedicated to nurturing her teams, encouraging them to bring their authentic selves to work. She firmly believes in the “lead from behind” style of leadership, fostering an environment where her team members can thrive and innovate. 

Before joining SAP, Maya owned an events company, where she successfully managed major corporate events in South Africa.  

Maya’s rich background in event management and marketing, combined with her passion for creating meaningful customer experiences and fostering team authenticity, makes her a distinguished leader in her field. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: Maya Price | Dom Hawes  

Website: SAP 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

Discover the keys to effective product positioning with April Dunford, one of the leading experts in the field.  

In this episode, April reveals how to harness the power of internal knowledge to understand competition, customer needs, and the value of your offerings. Learn why traditional customer feedback can mislead and find out the right questions to ask for actionable insights. 

• How to leverage your sales team for competitive insights. 
• The importance of understanding customers' pain points. 
• Key strategies to differentiate your product from competitors. 

Join us to refine your positioning and resonate deeply with your target audience. Listen now to transform your marketing approach and drive business success. 

April Dunford is the world's foremost authority on product positioning. As a consultant, April helps companies make complex products easy to understand and love.  

Boasting an impressive 25-year career as a VP Marketing at various rapidly developing technology firms, she has collaborated with hundreds of growing technology companies such as Google, Epic Games, Postman, and others.  

April is also the acclaimed author of the best-selling book, "Obviously Awesome," which delves into the art of positioning and the future sales classic, "Sales Pitch," which unveils the secrets to crafting a winning sales narrative in the market. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: April Dunford | Dom Hawes  

Website: April Dunford© 

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson  

In this episode of Unicorny, Dom Hawes speaks with April Dunford, a leading expert in B2B tech marketing and the author of "Obviously Awesome" and "Sales Pitch". They explore the complexities of effective product positioning.  

April highlights typical pitfalls, such as the shortcomings of traditional positioning statements and the critical nature of understanding the knowledge gap between existing customers and new prospects.  

This episode provides actionable strategies for rethinking positioning to ensure your product is clear and compelling. 

• Learn the five crucial components of effective positioning. 
• Understand why traditional positioning statements are often inadequate. 
• Discover how to identify and address gaps in your product positioning. 
• Gain tips on creating a clear and compelling value proposition. 
• Hear examples of successful repositioning strategies. 

Don't miss these practical strategies to improve your product positioning and achieve market success. Listen now to elevate your marketing approach. 

April Dunford is the world's foremost authority on product positioning. As a consultant, April helps companies make complex products easy to understand and love.  

Boasting an impressive 25-year career as a VP Marketing at various rapidly developing technology firms, she has collaborated with hundreds of growing technology companies such as Google, Epic Games, Postman, and others.  

April is also the acclaimed author of the best-selling book, "Obviously Awesome," which delves into the art of positioning and the future sales classic, "Sales Pitch," which unveils the secrets to crafting a winning sales narrative in the market. 

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk  

LinkedIn: April Dunford | Dom Hawes  

Website: April Dunford

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson