182: Influencer Marketing | Zoe Hartsfield and Leandra Fishman

Summary

In this episode of Sales is King, Dan Sixsmith interviews Leandra Fishman and Zoe Hartsfield from Apollo. They discuss the current state of B2B sales and the challenges faced by sellers today. They emphasize the importance of personalization and relevance in sales outreach, as well as the need to meet buyers where they are. The conversation also delves into the power of personal branding and influencer marketing in B2B sales. Leandra and Zoe share their experiences and insights on building a personal brand and leveraging it to generate inbound leads. They highlight the value of authenticity and storytelling in connecting with audiences. In this conversation, Dan, Leandra, and Zoe discuss the importance of personal branding and building trust in the B2B space. They explore the role of influencers and how companies are using them as the face of their brand. They also highlight the changing buying behavior of customers, who rely heavily on research and the opinions of trusted thought leaders before making a purchase. The conversation emphasizes the need for a top-notch customer experience and the importance of authenticity and consistency in personal branding. They also discuss the power of short-form video content and the value of building relationships through networking.

Takeaways

Personalization and relevance are key in B2B sales outreach. Sellers need to understand their buyers and tailor their messages accordingly.

Meeting buyers where they are, whether it's on LinkedIn, email, or other platforms, is crucial for successful engagement.

Building a personal brand can help sales professionals establish credibility and generate inbound leads.

Authenticity and storytelling are effective ways to connect with audiences and build relationships.

Influencer marketing in B2B sales involves partnering with individuals who have authority, expertise, and an engaged audience to promote a brand and its offerings. Personal branding is important in the B2B space as it helps build trust and authenticity.

Companies are using influencers as the face of their brand to reach their target audience.

Customers rely heavily on research and the opinions of trusted thought leaders before making a purchase.

A top-notch customer experience is crucial in today's competitive market.

Short-form video content is becoming increasingly popular on platforms like LinkedIn.

Building relationships through networking is essential for success in sales and marketing.

Sound Bites

"Instead of spending a bunch of time whining about how hard sales has gotten, it's just going to keep getting harder. It's going to keep changing."

"Being the CEO of my own territory, being the captain of my pipeline, it's like, it's a really a mindset shift that I think needs to change."

"I learned pretty much everything I know about being a salesperson from the internet, which is kind of wild to think that like I became decent from that."

"I completely, like I just started buying stuff. Like I switched my brand over to his."

"There is an entire business model today where companies are finding influencers and they're putting influencers as like the face of the company to go to market."

"80% of the research is done before buyers even talk to a salesperson."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Quick Intros

02:00 The Current State of B2B Sales

06:53 The Importance of Personalization and Relevance

14:22 Building a Personal Brand for Sales Success

23:53 Influencer Marketing in B2B Sales

31:12 The Power of Personal Branding and Building Trust in B2B

38:33 The Role of Influencers in B2B Marketing

43:18 Changing Buying Behavior in the B2B Space

45:13 The Importance of a Top-Notch Customer Experience

46:26 Authenticity and Consistency in Personal Branding

48:26 The Rise of Short-Form Video Content

53:09 Building Relationships through Networking