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Developing a distinctive marketing tone with CB Insights' Anand Sanwal

May 30, 2022

Anand Sanwal, CEO of CB Insights, discusses the unique approach to content marketing at CB Insights. The podcast emphasizes the importance of adaptation and pivoting in business, commitment to excellence, prioritizing what matters for growth, and maintaining a distinctive marketing tone in the B2B industry.

32:51

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Episode guests

Anand Sanwal

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

CB Insights shifted its target market based on customer feedback and conversations, expanding beyond VC and M&A teams to help functional heads in large enterprises make technology decisions.

CB Insights established itself as a recognized and influential brand in the B2B space by leveraging their research and data set to create valuable content with a unique voice and style.

Deep dives

1. Prioritizing good decision-making speed

Making multiple decisions in the time it takes the competition to make one increases the number of good decisions made. CB Insights prioritizes making fast decisions, valuing speed over being perfect all the time.

Introduction

2min

Adapting and Pivoting in Business

13min

Commitment to Excellence and Making Informed Decisions

3min

Prioritizing What Matters for Growth

8min

Maintaining a Distinctive Marketing Tone in the B2B Industry

7min

Key Points:

How CB Insights got its start (01:13)
Anand explains when he realized the target market for CB Insights had shifted (03:33)
My thoughts on the transient nature of the market, and why successful companies should be prepared to adapt with a quote from Bridgefy's Jorge Rios (05:03)
Anand explains CB Insights' unique approach to content marketing (07:00)
I discuss the need for more creativity and more hard work in marketing (09:40)
Anand describes the competitive landscape CB Insights in playing in (10:30)
Why Anand believes experience and pain tolerance gives them a competitive advantage (12:36)
I explain how excellence and mediocrity are both habits that are developed over time (15:00)
Anand explains why figuring out your priorities as a company is key to success (16:19)
My take on the importance of knowing where to focus resources, with a quote from Steve Jobs (18:23)
Anand talks through the moats CB Insights is developing (20:31)
I describe the law of increasing returns with a quote from Prof. Brian Arthur (22:29)
Anand explain how content is still the anchor of CB Insights' marketing strategy (24:16)
Why a personalized newsletter from Anand tested better than a more generic option (25:49)
Anand's advice for other founders and CEOs (28:20)
Wrap up (31:09)

Mentioned:

Anand Sanwal LinkedIn

Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight

Harry Dry Twitter

Growth.Design

Steve Jobs