Building With Buyers: Startup Marketing and Growth Fueled By Customers

Everyone's been telling me "you gotta talk to Kevin!" Kevin Lau is VP Global Customer Marketing at Freshworks. Freshworks provides AI-assisted IT and customer service software to 75k+ companies. 9,500+ employees, IPO’d back in 2021.Here’s what we cover:01:58 Why Customer Relationships are so important especially going into next year05:40 The Customer Marketing Team at Freshworks09:02 Redefining Customer Marketing at Freshworks (more than just advocacy)12:56 Collaboration Between Customer and Product Marketing16:48 Voice of Customer and ongoing Feedback Mechanisms27:58 The Importance of Customer Marketing & why companies that focus on Net New are already behind31:10 Most Creative Customer Marketing Plays37:24 Building Customer Engagement Programs from scratch39:42 Measuring the Impact of Customer Marketing43:08 Using AI in Customer Marketing50:46 Hopes, fears, future outlook on AI and Customer Marketing (it's not all bad)Kevin on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkennethlauFreshworks: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.freshworks.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, message me what you're listening to, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show.Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠One Insight

Melanie Paddock is Sr. Manager, Customer Marketing & Advocacy at Gainsight. Gainsight is the world’s leading Customer Success platform. 1,100 ppl, $156M+ total funding, Series E.Here’s what we cover:02:48 The Importance of Customer Love05:34 Building an Advocacy Program from Scratch08:24 Gamification and Customer Engagement11:16 Creating a Community for your Advocates14:20 Leveraging Customer Proof for Sales17:08 Top Challenges in Customer Marketing19:57 Building deep Relationships with Customers is such an opportunity22:41 Avoiding Transactional Relationships in Customer Marketing23:31 How to build trust29:08 Transforming Customer Marketing into your Strategic Advantage, not a "nice to have"29:24 The Role of Customer Research in Marketing34:30 Leveraging AI in Customer Marketing43:59 Melanie asks me her burning question (HINT: the future of customer marketing + the impact of AI)Melanie on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melaniepaddockGainsight: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gainsight.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show.Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠One Insight

Shannon Howard is Senior Director of Customer & Content Marketing at Intellum. Intellum is AI transformation for enterprise learning. $25M in funding, 139 people.Here’s what we cover:05:35 Shannon shares some Creative Customer Marketing Strategies08:41 Building the Foundation for Customer Marketing11:09 The Role of Data in Customer Marketing14:00 Surprise and Delight16:49 Empowering Customers Through Recognition19:57 Segmentation and Personalization in Marketing22:33 B2B vs B2C Marketing Dynamics26:28 Why Customer Marketing is often overlooked by CMOs30:00 Customer Marketing Strategies to put in your back pocket33:17 The Role of Customer Research & Shannon's take37:12 The Impact of AI on Customer Insights50:38 Shannon asks Anna her burning questionShannon on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shannonlagassehowardIntellum: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.intellum.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show.Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠One Insight

If you're in the US, Happy Thanksgiving. When I look back at 2025, one thing is very clear: my clients taught me more than any book, course, or conference ever could. Here are the six lessons I learned from the leaders I worked with this year.Subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show.Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠One Insight

Aditya Vempaty is VP of Marketing at MoEngage. MoEngage is a consumer engagement platform used by 1350+ consumer brands globally. $180M funding, 869 ppl.Here’s what we cover:02:46 Team Structure and Regional Dynamics - including why one PMM reports under the CEO05:33 Steering the Ship & Gaining Buy-In for Strategic Initiatives11:10 The Role of Customer Feedback in Marketing13:48 Repositioning MoEngage in a Changing Market16:32 Navigating AI in Customer Engagement19:33 Positioning and Storytelling Across Regions26:52 Cultural Nuances in Storytelling e.g. India versus US28:07 The Importance of CEO Buy-In30:43 Customers as your Heroes and why that's such an important mindset shift43:47 The Nuances of AI in Marketing - Aditya's hot takeAditya on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/adityavempatyMoEngage: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.moengage.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show.Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠One Insight

Jess Cook is Head of Marketing at Vector. Vector is the only way to build ad audiences by name. Contact-based ads platform so your ads reach the right people (those that want to buy).Here’s what we cover:02:39 Understanding Vector's (new!) Positioning05:30 Customer-Centric Growth Strategies08:16 Repositioning and Messaging Evolution11:04 Incorporating Customer Feedback and why we brought our customer into our strategic company meeting14:05 The Role of Research in Marketing16:37 Building Ad Audiences by Name19:18 Our Creative Process Behind the Brand22:09 On Launching the Podcast with the CEO - we fly down to Florida and film in the studio26:47 Focused growth channels 28:04 Creativity that stems from customer research and insights30:42 Sabrina Carpenter's hairbrush microphone34:06 My favorite customer interview question38:30 Customer marketing plays at Vector41:46 Our influencer marketing experiment results46:47 Leveraging AI in Marketing51:11 Innovative SEO Strategies we're usingJess on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/jesscook-contentmarketingVector: ⁠www.vector.coSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠One Insight

Anthony Pierri helps founders market hard-to-market products as Co-Founder and Partner at FletchPMM. We're both in the Chicago area, Anthony is just a (trail) bike ride away. I asked Anthony to join me for round 2, also listen to Ep. 199 “Why Your Homepage Is A Great Predictor of Your Startup's Future Success...Or Failure.”Here’s what we cover:“Let’s fix your confusing positioning” why you changed the copy on your homepage;Positioning, messaging, how do you get the entire company marching to the same beat, especially larger companies;After you help companies with their positioning and messaging, do they stick to it? Do they go back to their old ways? Why might this happen;You don’t recommend outsourcing talking to customers BUT founders and marketers don't know how, so what's the solve here, let's talk this out;Segmentation old way versus new way.Anthony on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypierriFletchPMM: www.fletchpmm.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠One Insight

Mark Huber is VP of Marketing at UserEvidence. UserEvidence is a Customer Evidence Platform that lets you collect feedback, curate success stories, and create content that credibly proves the value of your product. Don’t beg for case studies. Get customer proof at scale.Mark and I are both Navattic advisors.Here’s what we cover:Tell me about your team, what’s everyone doing;Tell me about how your positioning and messaging has changed, and how it’s landing;How’d you get the entire company marching to the same beat;How do you incorporate customers as part of UserEvidence’s growth efforts;How’re you using AI in your role, what scares you, what are you hopeful about;Mark asks me his burning question.Mark on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/markehuberUserEvidence: userevidence.comSubscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠One Insight

This is a geeking out episode. If you love customer research as much as I do and know how important it is for marketing and business growth, this is the episode you'll want to hear.Hannah Shamji is a former Therapist and now Consumer Psychology Researcher. Hannah digs deep to uncover the emotional and psychological reasons your customers buy, stay, or leave in order to help inform retention, engagement, or positioning challenges.Here’s what we cover:Focus of your work these days;How're you using AI as part of your work;In research conversations, how to peel back the layers beyond logical answers, in order to go deeper on the emotional and political stuff;The worst customer interview you’ve ever done;How do you know something is an insight;An example of turning insights into action;Hannah asks me her burning question.Hannah on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/hannahshamjiFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠One Insight

Mark Schaefer is keynote speaker, university educator, futurist, and bestselling author of books like Marketing Rebellion, Audacious, and most recently How AI Changes Your Customers.Mark also joined me a couple years ago, listen to Ep. 132: How AI Is Changing Marketing Forever & Why Creativity Matters More.Here’s what we cover:What’s changing with our customers, and how do we change alongside them;What scares you most about AI;What makes you hopeful;Why curiosity matters now more than ever;Where are you finding purpose and where can marketers find purpose at a time when we’re kinda lost;Why awkwardness is a brand superpower;The 3 questions we should be asking to guide our company's next chapter.Mark on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaeferMark's website: businessesgrow.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever, let me know what episodes you're into, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠One Insight