If people are the ones buying software, then it’s probably important that your brand appeals to those people.

Fresh off a successful Dreamforce, Mini Peiris, the CMO of Nintex, joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson for an examination of how a brand should make buyers feel about themselves, the problems they face, and the solution provided. Mini also gets into when is the best time to ask customers for referrals, why playing nice with sales is key to being a successful CMO, and how to reinforce a brand internally so that every customer touchpoint and interaction feels right. In a seeming first for the show, the conversation takes us past the point of transaction to look at the CMO’s role in the customer’s post-sale experience.

Also, Craig reveals his favorite source of apple fritters and Matt says something that is very succinct and to the point.

Critical Takeaways

• Even though you’re in B2B, it's still humans making the purchasing decisions. Focus on the people behind the accounts, the problems they face, and what their goals are to create more impactful messaging.
• Marketing’s job isn’t over when the customer signs on the line which is dotted. It’s crucial to continue engaging with customers post-transaction to ensure they derive value from your product and can become powerful and vocal advocates of your brand.
• The CEO is critical in developing and or pivoting the internal brand and culture of a company. Understanding them and getting their buy in and support is step number one for any CMO looking to establish or adjust their brand.
• Great marketing and storytelling can gloss over a product’s inferiorities and position a brand as the category leader. If you can articulate the customers’ problem and your solution better than your competitors, your brand will win, giving you time and resources to then shore up product deficiencies. 

Sponsored Segment

Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.com

Chapters

00:00 - Live from San Fran, It’s Matturday Night Live

04:10 - What Makes a Great CMO

07:34 - Don’t Forget that People Buy Software

13:38 - Building a Customer Community with Donuts

18:57 - Developing Your Brand’s Core Identity

21:59 - The CEO’s Influence on Brand & Culture 

27:19 - Examples of Great B2B Brands

32:34 - The CMO’s Role in The Post-Transaction Customer Experience

40:19 - How Execs Buy Software Today: Friends over Funnels

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Epic Quotes

• “You have to know yourself before you can go tell others your story.” - Mini Peiris
• “ Nobody buys anything these days without calling up three of their friends. So if a friend's already making the intro, cause they took the leap, you have a better shot.” - Mini Peiris

Connect with Mini

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mini8ture/ 
• Website: https://www.nintex.com/ 

Shoutouts

• Matthew Luhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-luhn-52a40629/ 
• Geraldine McGinty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldinemcgintymd/ 
• Drift: https://www.salesloft.com/platform/drift 
• HubSpot: https://www.salesloft.com/platform/drift 
• Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/ 
• Rippling: https://www.rippling.com/ 
• Lifetime Fitness: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifetimeinc/ 
• Qualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.com/ 
• Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ 

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