Marketing Spark (The B2B SaaS Marketing Podcast)

In this podcast episode, Mark Evans and Ben Pines, Director of Content at Wordtune and AI 21 Labs, discuss the impact of AI on content marketing. We discuss the evolution of Wordtune and its positioning in the market, the emergence of chat GPT as a content creation tool, and the importance of using AI as an assistant rather than a content creation machine. We also talk about the changing landscape of content distribution and reach, the potential for AI to help content creators succeed in their businesses, and the challenges of spam and fake news. This episode emphasizes the importance of creating high-quality content that stands out and is curated by people.

In this week's episode of Marketing Spark, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jarlath Watson, the principal at the Echlinville Distillery in Northern Ireland. We discussed how a product, specifically Irish whiskey, can expand its market and attract new customers across the ocean.Echlinville has become a renowned brand in the Irish whiskey market, with its high-quality and award-winning products expanding to 27 countries worldwide. But how does it differentiate itself from other Irish whiskeys and break into new markets with limited marketing and sales dollars? Let's dive into the marketing strategies of Echlinville and learn from their success.One of the key strategies of Echlinville is building brand loyalty through its heritage, tradition, history, and craft, as well as having really good liquid. They rely on influencers, bloggers, and writers to promote their brand online, but they also emphasize the importance of face-to-face marketing in breaking through the noise of digital marketing. 

In this podcast episode, Mark, the host of "Marketing Spark," interviews Louis Gudema, author of "Bullseye Marketing" and fractional CMO for B2B startups and growth stage companies. Louis explains his unique approach to marketing and the Bullseye Marketing framework, which has received positive feedback from readers worldwide. Mark and Louis also discuss the process of writing a second edition of a book, the current state of the marketing landscape, and the effectiveness of brand marketing versus lead generation marketing. The conversation highlights the importance of brand and lead generation marketing while acknowledging the different skill sets required for each.

In this  episode, Mark Evans interviews Jim Kraus, President of the Buyer Persona Institute, about the value and mechanics of buyer personas in marketing and sales. We discuss the definition of buyer personas, how to extract insights from customers and prospects, and the value of buyer personas in messaging, prioritization, and business performance.Jim explains the process of developing buyer personas and the key elements that make them effective. Jim emphasizes the importance of talking to recent buyers who have made the exact buying decision that a company is trying to influence rather than relying on existing customers. 

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans and Clay Ostrom discuss the importance of brand positioning and how it applies to marketing, sales, HR, product development, and raising capital.We explore how positioning is about finding a unique place in the market and creating a memorable connection with customers.We talk about the importance of clear and effective positioning in order to stand out in a competitive market and avoid being lost in the crowd.We also discuss improving a company's positioning, including understanding customers, analyzing competition, and developing an offering that aligns with customer needs.We also touch upon the key deliverables of the brand positioning process and how to measure the ROI of the work done.

In this episode of the Marketing Spark podcast, Mark Evans interviews Paul Slack, founder and CEO of Vende Digital, about account-based marketing (ABM) and its growing popularity among B2B companies.The conversation covers the definition of ABM, its benefits, and best practices. Paul explains the four pillars of executing demand or ABM effectively and the importance of intent data in ABM campaigns.Mark and Paul also discuss the common mistakes that B2B companies make when implementing ABM strategies and the challenges of generating leads in a tough economic climate.Paul says that among the keys to ABM's success is the need for marketing and sales alignment and building strong relationships with potential clients.

In this episode of Markeitng Spark, Laura Gainer provides insight into how she helped turned pickleball into North American's fastest-growing sport.Laura talks about how she approached the sport after being hired by USA Pickleball to overhaul its brand, Website, and logo.We discuss how pickleball has attracted celebrities like Lebron James and why it has become so popular.

In this episode of the Marketing Spark podcast, host Mark talks to Sam Dunning, co-owner of Web Choice, about the common mistakes that B2B companies make with their websites and how to ensure that a website is a conversion machine. We discuss the importance of planning, messaging, and design when building or relaunching a website. Sam shares his insights on how to optimize the homepage, product page, pricing page, about page, and call-to-actions (CTAs) on a website. We also get into the signs that a company needs to redesign its website and where listeners can learn more about Sam and his work.

For many B2B SaaS companies, PR is a mysterious creature.They like the idea of media coverage to drive brand awareness and new business, but they're not sure how PR works and how to approach it.In this episode, Crackle PR's Parry Headrick provides great insight into the inner workings of technology PR and how companies can create win-win partnerships with PR agencies.We also talk about why entrepreneurs don't understand PR, why PR (and marketing) are among the early budget victims, and why Parry is excited about the work from home revolution.

In this episode, Sergey Ross and I explore the power of video for B2B SaaS companies looking to accelerate their growth. We talk about how video can be used at every stage of the sales funnel, from initial pitches to product demos and beyond. We also dive into best practices for creating effective video content, including tips for scripting, filming, and editing. Whether you're a startup or an established B2B SaaS company, we will give you the tools you need to use video to drive growth and increase conversions. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to harness the power of video and take your B2B SaaS business to the next level.