The Exit Five CMO Podcast (Hosted by Dave Gerhardt)

Andrei Țiț, Head of Product Marketing at Ahrefs, shares insights on the evolving role of SEO amidst AI advancements. He discusses why branded search volume has become crucial for visibility in AI-generated results. Expect actionable strategies to enhance brand mentions across AI tools like ChatGPT. Andrei also emphasizes the shift in SEO metrics from traditional traffic to assessing brand impact, and the growing importance of high-quality content in an AI-first landscape. This is a must-listen for marketers looking to stay ahead in 2025!

Sara Lattanzio, Head of Marketing at Stryber, expertly navigates the world of solo B2B marketing. She shares her insights on running full-stack marketing without a team and the rise of generalist marketers. Discover how she leverages AI to enhance content creation while maintaining authenticity. Sara discusses effective outbound strategies, highlighting why cold outreach often misses the mark. With over 40,000 LinkedIn followers, her tips for personal branding and strategic content planning are essential for anyone looking to thrive in today's marketing landscape.

In this engaging discussion, Jennifer Cannizzaro, VP of Product Marketing at Responsive and former marketing leader at Whoop and DocuSign, explores how AI is reshaping product marketing strategies. She shares practical ways her team harnesses AI to streamline workflows and reduce costs. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing with company goals and gathering customer insights for better decision-making. Additionally, she discusses coaching marketers to use AI responsibly, fostering a culture of curiosity, and the evolving role of creativity in the future of marketing.

Jess Cook, Head of Marketing at Vector, brings her experience in building innovative content strategies to the forefront. She shares the journey of transitioning from Head of Content to leading a marketing team, emphasizing the need for strategic hiring and budgeting. Jess reveals how to create a bold brand personality in B2B marketing and the storytelling techniques she used to pitch her first budget. Listeners will gain insights into crafting effective content strategies and leveraging AI for early wins.

Sandra Rand, a fractional head of marketing focused on early-stage, non-SaaS B2B companies, shares her insights on how these teams can thrive without traditional SaaS strategies. She discusses the power of events, referrals, and word-of-mouth in driving growth on a limited budget. Sandra emphasizes creative approaches like gifting and relationship-building, along with the importance of brand trust. She also highlights the need for a supportive community for non-SaaS marketers to share innovative strategies and elevate their impact in the B2B space.

Ashley Faus, Director of Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian, and Dr. Molly Sands, Head of the Teamwork Lab, share insights on building an efficient marketing team. They discuss the importance of reducing meetings to enhance productivity and the art of effective asynchronous communication. With strategies for structuring updates and fostering genuine connections, they highlight how to balance transparency without overwhelming team members. Listeners will learn how to create a lean, focused marketing approach that boosts output while minimizing distractions from platforms like Slack and Zoom.

Jason Lyman, CMO at Customer.io and former marketing lead at Dropbox, joins the conversation to unpack effective B2B marketing strategies. He emphasizes the importance of structuring a marketing org for scalability, blending product-led growth with sales efforts. Jason reveals why creative in-person events rank as their top channel and discusses the KPI and OKR systems that drive focused goal-setting across teams. Tune in for insights on aligning marketing with sales motions and the power of data-driven customer engagement in today’s landscape.

Chelsea Castle, Head of Content and Brand at Close, brings her B2B SaaS expertise to the table. She shares how to create a content goldmine by leveraging internal knowledge and repurposing media into various formats. The conversation covers merging brand and keyword-driven content, maximizing website traffic through brand strategy, and integrating SEO with authentic storytelling. Chelsea also discusses innovative new content channels for B2B and ways to engage on platforms like LinkedIn, ensuring that valuable content resonates with the audience.

Mark Schaefer, a marketing strategist and author of 11 books, shares his insights on navigating marketing in the AI era. He discusses why playing it safe is a major threat and how marketers should innovate rather than stick to 'best practices.' Schaefer highlights the significance of creating emotional connections through human-first marketing, and he argues that AI can enhance creativity if used wisely. Real-world B2B examples showcase how brands can break away from the mundane and truly stand out.

In this discussion, Matt De Vincentis, VP of Product Marketing at Atlassian, shares insights from his diverse background in engineering and product marketing. He emphasizes how product marketers must 'own the outcome,' connecting their efforts directly to revenue. Matt also discusses building high-trust marketing teams, using lessons from firefighting. He advocates for an async work culture to boost productivity and addresses the importance of aligning marketing strategies with business goals, ultimately revealing how to thrive in today's competitive landscape.