Attention First, Product Story Later

316 | In this episode, Dave breaks down how the best companies win by standing out through smart ideas, creative execution, and consistent attention. He pulls lessons from Drift, Savannah Bananas, and his own wins to show why ideas matter, why brand is a durable long-term advantage, and how strong content can still break through today. Plus: thoughts on AI slop, why LinkedIn can be a powerful channel when used well, leadership lessons from The Hard Thing About Hard Things, and rapid-fire listener questions on playbooks, thought leadership, and building something bigger than Exit Five.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - – Why attention became a dirty word in marketing
• (03:21) - – Personal update: hip surgery, burnout, and getting back in rhythm
• (05:21) - – The LinkedIn algorithm isn’t broken. Your content probably is
• (06:31) - – The big idea: attention is the real game in marketing
• (07:51) - – Lessons from Savannah Bananas and stealing ideas outside B2B
• (10:11) - – How Drift won by sucking the oxygen out of the market
• (12:31) - – Scrappy attention plays: billboards, protests, and founder brand
• (15:21) - – Why brand comes before product messaging
• (20:14) - – Listener Qs: playbooks, AI slop, and building real leverage
• (27:59) - – Final takeaway: stop being boring, earn attention first

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Customer.io - An AI powered customer engagement platform that help marketers turn first-party data into engaging customer experiences across email, SMS, and push. Learn more at customer.io/exitfive.  

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