Mini Peiris, CMO of Nintex, dives into the human side of B2B marketing, stressing the importance of connecting with the people behind the transactions. She discusses building brand affinity by understanding buyer needs and goals. The conversation shifts to the crucial role of the CMO in post-sale customer engagement, highlighting strategies for ongoing customer success and advocacy. Additionally, Mini shares insights on effective collaboration with sales and the need for a unified internal brand culture, ensuring every interaction feels meaningful.

David Politis, Founder and Executive Chairman of BetterCloud and host of Not Another CEO Podcast, shares his insights on B2B marketing and SaaS growth strategies. He recalls his transformative experience of speaking with 100 customers in 100 days. David argues that a smaller Total Addressable Market (TAM) can drive faster growth for startups and stresses the importance of narrowing down the Ideal Customer Profile. He emphasizes building authentic customer relationships and tailoring strategies to specific segments for better engagement.

Kyle Porter, Founder of Salesloft and master of marketing stunts, shares his wild tales of branding, including hiring a Marc Benioff impersonator at Dreamforce. He discusses the impact of creative marketing strategies like a drone money gun and how these bold moves elevated brand visibility. Porter emphasizes the importance of cultivating a loving company culture that resonates with customers, fostering loyalty that makes them champions for your brand. Join him for laughter and insights on the power of customer engagement and organizational health.

Tricia Gellman, CMO of Box, shares her expertise on aligning sales and marketing. She emphasizes the importance of shared metrics and definitions of opportunities to prevent confusion and drive performance. Gellman highlights the need for brand building to resonate with C-suite decision-makers and discusses the rising significance of peer recommendations in product marketing, especially post-pandemic. Additionally, she provides insights on navigating the shifts in B2B sales and the impact of AI on industry dynamics.

Dave Gerhardt, Founder and CEO of Exit Five, shares his expertise on leveraging AI for B2B marketing. He highlights how AI serves as an idea starter for creativity rather than a replacement for human writing. The conversation shifts to the power of influencer marketing, emphasizing the effectiveness of working with micro-influencers who cater to niche audiences. Gerhardt also discusses the critical role of founder branding and social media as primary marketing channels, urging marketers to adopt more specific Ideal Customer Profiles for better traction.

Today Matt and Craig open the floodgates to actionable marketing insights with seasoned guest, Carlos Hidalgo Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust. The episode focuses on the landscape of marketing, shedding light on the challenges and missteps related to AI, new technologies, and the tendency to chase after shiny objects. It examines the struggles CMOs face in balancing short-term demands with long-term strategies, emphasizing the significance of mutual respect and alignment between marketing, sales, finance, and product teams for sustainable success. Takeaways:Treat sales, finance, and product teams as partners. Spend dedicated time to understand their perspectives and needs, just as you would with external customers.Avoid reliance on broad ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) definitions. Instead, invest in detailed customer insights and keep them updated.Encourage shared goals amongst all business teams to foster a sense of joint accountability and drive consistent messaging and strategy.Resist the temptation to engage in short-term tactics at the expense of long-term strategy. Balance immediate actions with initiatives that build sustainable growth.Use customer insights to drive the creation of valuable content, campaigns, and product features that genuinely address customer pain points.Integrate sales feedback into marketing plans to ensure campaigns and content meet the practical needs of the sales process.Celebrate joint successes and publicly acknowledge contributions from different teams to reinforce the value of teamwork.Chapters:00:00 Introduction / Why Are You Bitter Today?02:08 Guest Introduction: Carlos Hidalgo02:30 Carlos' Story: Meeting Craig07:54 Market Misconceptions and Shiny Object Syndrome08:57 The Importance of Customer Understanding10:38 CMOs and the Seat at the Table18:09 Alignment Across the Organization25:58 Shared Goals and Compensation27:47 Customer-Centric Marketing28:18 Addressing Sales Roadblocks32:41 The People Problem in Alignment35:39 The Role of Marketing in Sales Success38:10 Understanding the Customer42:13 Final Thoughts and ConclusionQuote of the Show:“Growth doesn't go out of style. Growth has always been the goal.” - Carlos HidalgoSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Carlos:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/ Website: https://digitalexhaust.co/ Shoutouts:Phil Fernandez https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/ Ray Rike https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayrike/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ McAfee https://www.mcafee.com/ ZoomInfo https://www.zoominfo.com/  Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode, Matt and Craig welcome Jon Miller, Co-Founder of both Marketo and Engagio, who discusses the evolution of B2B marketing and sales strategies. They critique traditional methodologies like MQLs and programmatic email marketing, stressing the need for creativity and relationship-building. Key themes from this episode include the significance of content quality over quantity, customer-centric approaches, and the foundational role of market positioning and core fundamentals. The conversation explores the strategic shift required of modern CMOs, the importance of proprietary research, personal branding, and community building for reputation, and the necessity of evolving marketing metrics and reporting to reflect new market realities.Takeaways:Emphasize creating high-quality, valuable content that genuinely addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Avoid the temptation to flood the market with low-value, high-volume content.Assess the effectiveness of current marketing tactics and adapt to evolving market dynamics. Consider moving away from outdated methods that no longer resonate with buyers.Shift the focus from treating buyers as leads to nurturing relationships and providing genuine value. Evaluate how your strategies impact customer satisfaction and loyalty.Use long-form content like podcasts, research reports, and comprehensive guides to build authority and engagement.Encourage key executives and thought leaders within the company to build their personal brands. This can amplify the company's reputation and provide a human touch to your corporate identity.Create content based on unique, proprietary data that your organization possesses. This positions your company as a thought leader and provides valuable insights that only you can offer.Invest in creating and nurturing vibrant communities both online and offline, including organizing events, fostering online forums, and creating spaces for meaningful interactions.Chapters:00:00 - Discussing Matt’s Haircut01:29 - Guest Introduction: Jon Miller07:13 - Challenges in Modern Marketing12:45 - Customer-Centric Strategies20:48 - Content Creation and Market Education24:35 - Reputation vs. Brand: Building Trust in the Marketplace24:57 - Leveraging Personal Brands and Proprietary Research29:06 - The Role of Community in Reputation Building33:06 - Positioning and Differentiation: The Key to Market Success40:53 - The Evolving Role of the CMO43:48 - Concluding ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“We've lost sight of the core fundamental. The true core fundamental is a mindset of what's right for the customer.” - Jon MillerSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Jon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/ Website: https://www.jonmiller.com/ Shoutouts:Gretchen DeKnikker https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchend/ Outreach https://www.outreach.io/ SalesLoft https://www.salesloft.com/ Gong https://www.gong.io/ Carta https://carta.com/ DemandBase https://www.demandbase.com/ Adam Robinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/ AudiencePlus https://audienceplus.com/ John-Henry Scherck https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhtscherck/ Rippling https://www.rippling.com/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode, Matt and Craig explore the role of advisors in driving B2B business growth with Carilu Dietrich, an ex-CMO and current hypergrowth advisor to CEOs and CMOs. Carilu shares her insights on the importance of having a skilled team of advisors to support executives, highlighting the need for different types of advisors at various growth stages. The discussion also delves into the nuances of building valuable professional networks and how to effectively seek and maintain advisory relationships. The episode emphasizes that the right advisory connections can be pivotal in determining the success and growth trajectory of a business.Takeaways:Determine the specific areas where your team lacks expertise and seek advisors who can fill those knowledge gaps.Create advisory roles with clear goals, timelines, and built-in review periods to ensure the relationship remains beneficial.Actively attend and engage in industry events and speaking engagements to build your network.Regularly nurture relationships with your network through periodic meetings and informal get-togethers to maintain strong connections.Maintain a small group of trusted individuals who are intimately familiar with your challenges and can provide immediate feedback.When reaching out to potential advisors or network connections, reference their work and specify how their expertise could help with your current challenges.Continuously assess the value derived from advisory relationships and refine your advisory strategy to better align with your evolving business needs.Chapters:00:00 - Introducing B2B Famous05:29 - The Importance of Advisors10:10 - Building Trust with Advisors14:08 - Effective Executive-Advisor Relationships21:29 - The Value of Continuous Learning23:37 - The Quest for Knowledge and Networking25:06 - The Role of Advisors in Business26:41 - Building and Leveraging Networks30:43 - Effective Outreach Strategies39:56 - The Importance of Layers in Networking42:24 - Conclusion and Final ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“Trust is the biggest currency we have in business.” - Carilu DietrichSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Carilu:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cariludietrich/ Website: https://www.carilu.com/ Shoutouts:Maria Pergolino https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Dennis Lyandres https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/ Atlassian https://www.atlassian.com/ 1Password https://1password.com/ Oracle https://www.oracle.com/ Rick Schultz https://www.linkedin.com/in/rischultz/ Databricks https://www.databricks.com/ Diego Lomanto https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegolomanto/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In a compelling discussion, Dan Gottlieb, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, shares his expertise in sales strategies and AI integration. He emphasizes the need for modern sales teams to simplify processes and focus on adaptability and creativity. Dan highlights the importance of hiring talent with future skills and implementing point-of-view selling to enhance sales effectiveness. He delves into how AI can optimize sales research and emphasizes the use of interactive tools to boost engagement, making the sales experience more agile and buyer-focused.

In today’s episode, Matt and Craig are joined by AJ Gandhi, Chief Growth Officer at Marlin Equity. The discussion is an in-depth exploration of go-to-market (GTM) strategies. They cover the importance of core selling skills, the impact of over-reliant sales enablement tools, and the undervalued power of creative marketing. AJ emphasizes the critical role of coherent, cross-functional collaboration in GTM strategies and the need to reassess current methods to align with today's discerning buyers. They also discuss the importance of accurate marketing spend, talent development, and the overlooked strategic role of customer and partner funnels in driving business growth.Takeaways:Be realistic about growth objectives and ensure that spending on sales and marketing is justified by actual returns.Focus more on marketing activities influencing the self-managed buyer's journey as buyers become more self-sufficient.Prioritize marketing activities that can quantitatively demonstrate influence on the buyer’s journey rather than just focusing on attribution metrics.Define and rigorously pursue your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).Create and maintain a targeted list of potential customers. Ensure all marketing and sales efforts are aligned with engaging this list.Implement structured hiring and talent assessment practices to ensure you are onboarding the right people.Ensure the CEO and executive team understand the value of different marketing and sales strategies and invest in the most promising approaches.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Paella Party Realization01:06 - AJ's Networking and Social Schedule06:59 - The Value of In-Person Problem Solving10:48 - Rethinking Go-To-Market Strategies14:15 - The Importance of Marketing in the Buyer’s Journey21:38 - Holistic Approach to Pipeline Management28:50 - Marketing Spend and Attribution41:24 - Challenges in Sales Talent Development47:34 - Evaluating Marketing Investments50:04 - Building a Winning Team51:14 - Closing Thoughts and FarewellQuote of the Show:“People just need to step back and almost like forget all the stuff that they're doing that's part of the standard playbook. Take a step back and really think about what are we trying to do here and how do we actually influence these buyers’ dreams.” - AJ GandhiSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with AJ:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Website: https://www.marlinequity.com/ Shoutouts:Sydney Sloan https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/ Ryan Azus https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanazus/ RingCentral https://www.ringcentral.com/ Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Jen Igartua https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-igartua/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Guy Rubin https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1