Influencer Marketing, Podcasting Strategy, and Brand Driving Demand with Jess Cook (VP Marketing at Vector)

Jan 15, 2026

Jess Cook, VP of Marketing at Vector with a rich background in content and brand direction, discusses innovative B2B marketing strategies. She unveils the success of their influencer pilot, generating 45 demos and a $1.1M pipeline. Jess dives into creating a uniquely engaging podcast format focused on decisive company moments and the effectiveness of a brand mascot—a ghost! Her insights on scaling influencer partnerships and optimizing LinkedIn strategy offer actionable takeaways for marketers looking to drive demand creatively.

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ANECDOTE

Small Pilot, Big Pipeline

Jess ran a $12k, three-month influencer pilot using seven micro-influencers with ~12–13k followers.
That pilot produced 45 demos, >80% ICP fit, and about $1.1M in pipeline.

ADVICE

Run Micro-Influencer Pilots

Try influencer campaigns to increase trusted distribution when you lack demand-gen resources.
Pay micro-influencers for strategic, loose-brief posts and treat their content as thought-leader ads.

ADVICE

Give Creators Creative Control

Let trusted creators craft their message and give loose briefs to maximize resonance.
Ask to see posts 24 hours ahead and suggest linking pages, but avoid heavy scripting.

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#321 | Jess Cook, VP of Marketing at Vector, joins Dave to break down what’s actually working in early-stage B2B marketing. They dig into how she thinks about attribution for brand channels, how Vector's podcast became a top marketing channel, why they created a brand mascot, and details on what content strategy is working on LinkedIn right now. They also cover shift from content leader to VP of Marketing and how to drive demand without a massive team or budget.

Timestamps

(03:06) - — Meet Jess Cook & What is Vector?
(07:39) - — B2B Influencer pilot setup: why this channel, why now
(14:57) - — The result: 45 demos, ~$1.1M pipeline, and how she tracked it
(16:55) - — How to run influencers
(22:20) - — Scaling idea: retainer-style influencer partnerships
(26:00) - — Vector’s podcast: “awareness magnet” and the format that works
(28:24) - — The production system: in-person batch recording a full season in 2 days
(42:10) - — Jess’s LinkedIn strategy: why she started posting and what she optimizes for
(53:58) - — Content → VP shift: the two muscles she’s building (metrics + leadership)

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