This episode of The Proof Point, Host Mark Huber sits down with John Short, CEO of Compound Growth Marketing, to discuss how telling the right customer stories (in the right places) can help you break through buyer skepticism. John shares his experience turning proof points and testimonials into tools that build confidence, foster trust, and move deals forward in competitive markets. He also shares how he aligns sales and marketing to create narratives that resonate with buyers and inspire action.No fluff here—John brings real examples of how Compound Growth Marketing uses authentic customer stories to craft impactful sales strategies. If you’re looking for actionable insights on leveraging trust to fuel growth, this one’s for you.What You’ll Get:How authentic customer stories help overcome buyer skepticismThe secret to crafting proof points that actually resonateHow alignment between sales and marketing leads to better storytellingThings to listen for:(00:00) Mark’s intro to John and his revenue marketing expertise(03:45) Why trust is the ultimate currency in today’s market(07:15) The buyer fears that hold back deals—and how to address them(11:30) Turning customer success stories into actionable sales tools(17:00) Aligning marketing and sales for seamless storytelling(21:15) John’s go-to example of trust-building done rightSubscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about the customer evidence platform that B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more trust at userevidence.com.

This episode gets real about the challenges and opportunities of marketing in the cybersecurity space. Host Mark Huber sits down with Mary Yang, CMO of Syxsense, to uncover what it takes to build trust with skeptical buyers and navigate the highs and lows of being a marketing leader in a high-stakes industry.Mary shares candid lessons from her career, including the tough realities of managing people, the chaos of acquisition transitions, and the critical importance of advocating for yourself and your team. She also highlights the power of useful content, creative negotiation tactics, and why execution matters just as much as strategy.Mary offers practical insights and real-world examples of how she’s broken through the noise and created meaningful connections in one of the toughest industries to market in. If you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes look at cybersecurity marketing and leadership, this one’s for you.What You’ll Get:How to build trust and confidence with skeptical buyersLessons from career highs, lows, and the art of negotiationWhy execution is just as important as strategyThings to Listen For:(00:00) Mark introduces Mary and her unique perspective on cyber marketing(03:34) The chaos of acquisition transitions and leadership lessons(05:57) Understanding skeptical cyber buyers and how to connect with them(12:05) Mary’s approach to keeping teams motivated during tough times(16:32) The power of self-advocacy in career growth(23:12) Why strategy without execution is meaninglessSubscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribeLearn more about the customer evidence platform trusted by B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more at userevidence.com.

Trust is what’s winning deals in today’s insanely saturated tech market. And what better way to figure out how marketers are building trust with skeptical buyers than going to the most skeptical industry of all to get all of their tips and tricks–cybersecurity.Mark Huber sits down with Sam Langrock, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Recorded Future, to dive into why knowing their fears is the greatest way to win over their trust. And don’t worry, this isn’t just a theory session. Sam gives real examples of how Recorded Future uses customer evidence to win over skeptical buyers and level up their sales pitches. We’re also talking about the underrated power of short, punchy testimonials—and why they often beat out those long, traditional case studies.If you’re in sales or marketing, especially in industries where trust is everything, this episode is loaded with tips you can start using today.What You’ll Get:How to use customer evidence to tackle buyer fear and skepticismWhy cybersecurity buyers need more reassurance than other industriesThe key to creating impactful proof points and testimonialsThings to listen for:(00:00) Mark’s first impression of Sam and his hockey instincts(03:00) Why skepticism is the default mindset for cybersecurity buyers(07:20) The opportunity cost of cybersecurity purchases and how to address it(12:00) How customer evidence transforms sales conversations(17:45) The future of customer evidence at Recorded Future(20:50) Sam’s favorite Tom Wentworth story (it involves a mosh pit!)Subscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about the customer evidence platform that B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more trust at userevidence.com.

Mark asked Dave Gerhardt to play 9 holes of golf with him with the promise that he wouldn't ask him any questions he'd ever been asked before.One catch: he’d be bringing a film crew.Dave said game on.This is The Long Game.

When we launched our original research report, The Evidence Gap, we thought we’d get 150 downloads in the first 30 days. The actual results? Blew that goal out of the water. Original research is the secret weapon for cutting through the noise in B2B marketing. In this episode of The Proof Point, we dive into UserEvidence’s Evidence Gap Report with UserEvidence co-founder and CEO Evan Huck, exploring the growing need for credible proof in today’s high-stakes buying environment. The big takeaway? Marketers often think their content is crushing it, but sales teams and buyers see major gaps—especially in relevance and competitive differentiation. With budgets tighter than ever, buyers are looking for more than opinions—they want statistically backed proof that shows a solution works for their unique needs.Listen to the full episode, and you’ll get a behind-the-scenes process of creating the report, including why testing your survey hypothesis is a lifesaver and how to frame questions for actionable insights. They make the case for going beyond generic case studies and testimonials to deliver content that’s specific, credible, and trust-building.Things to listen for:(00:00) Introduction(00:28) Why credible proof outshines opinions in B2B content(01:12) What is the "evidence gap" and why it matters?(02:04) The role of original research in modern go-to-market strategies(05:24) Case studies vs. customer evidence(08:43) Why marketers overestimate the impact of their content(13:20) Designing surveys to uncover actionable customer insights(17:05) How statistical evidence builds trust with skeptical buyers(23:29) Why specific, relevant evidence is critical for closing deals(39:37) Rethinking customer marketing: Beyond case studies and testimonialsSubscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about the customer evidence platform that B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more trust at userevidence.com.

In this raw, brutally honest episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on The Proof Point’s first season with host Mark Huber, VP of Marketing, and newly minted Jillian Hoefer, Senior Content Marketing Manager at UserEvidence. We’re sharing exactly how our metrics went (spoiler alert: our downloads plateaued), the tactics that worked (and the ones that definitely didn’t), and everything we’ve learned along the way. Think of this as an episode on content evidence, not customer evidence. And yes, we’re telling you exactly what we wish we’d done differently, including a breakdown of our actual results. Plus, we’re giving you a sneak peek at what’s coming in Season 2: new tactics, better strategies, and—yes—real listener questions! What You’ll Get: The proof of Season 1: What worked, what didn’t, and whyWhy distribution, not creation, is the key to scaling podcast contentOur top takeaways for improving Season 2 with some sneak peeks Things to listen for:(00:00) Why proof beat opinions every time(01:50) Jillian’s evolution from podcast partner to UserEvidence marketer(06:30) Breaking down The Proof Point’s season one wins(12:10) Lessons learned: Distribution pitfalls and the magic of relationships(20:00) How to think about “killing your marketing darlings”(24:30) How UserEvidence leverages podcast content beyond downloads(31:00) Tackling the challenge of LinkedIn’s algorithm(36:40) What the shift of strategy means for Season 2(42:00) The power of in-person interviews for engaging podcast content(50:10) Listener Q&ASubscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribeLearn more about UserEvidence: userevidence.com

Kyle Coleman, CMO of Copy.ai, joins The Proof Point to share his refreshing take on the future of the SDR role and the impact of AI on go-to-market teams. Kyle, who began his career as an SDR, shares why so many companies get the SDR model wrong and how AI can be integrated without compromising the authenticity of customer evidence.From "SDR AI sandwiches" to avoiding “spam cannons,” this episode shows how AI can enhance—not replace—the SDR role by providing actionable insights and trustworthy customer evidence that supports meaningful sales conversations.Subscribe to Mark’s newsletter, EvidentlyLearn more about the customer evidence platform that B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more trust at userevidence.com.Things to listen for:(00:00) Introduction (00:28) Why proof, not opinions, drives go-to-market success(02:20) Kyle’s role at Copy.ai – redefining sales tools(04:33) Copy.ai’s workflow magic: podcasts to blog posts(05:33) Tackling “go-to-market bloat” with streamlined solutions(07:17) Bridging SDR skill gaps with AI efficiency(09:39) Kyle’s wildest SDR fail – lessons learned(10:05) AI SDRs? Why buyers want human connections(11:27) The future SDR: more strategy, less spamming(13:08) How Copy.ai helps execs meet strategic goals

Bitly’s CMO, Tara Robertson, shares her customer-centric playbook for transforming Bitly from a link shortener to a full connections platform. From leveraging QR codes to merging physical and digital experiences to using customer evidence, Tara explains how Bitly’s retention-focused marketing impacts every user touchpoint. This episode shares insights on building authentic customer connections while highlighting the metrics that matter in the B2B landscape.Things to listen for:(00:00) Introduction (01:15) Tara’s journey from Sprout Social to Bitly(03:02) Building a customer marketing playbook at Sprout(04:27) Measuring retention and adoption with sub-KPIs(06:37) Bitly’s new direction(07:54) QR codes to 2D barcodes(09:39) Expanding Bitly’s target market - SMBs to enterprise(11:29) Showcasing use cases to support varied customers(13:24) Using customer stories to build trust(17:02) Overcoming challenges in gathering authentic evidenceSubscribe to Mark’s newsletter, Evidently: https://evidently.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about the customer evidence platform that B2B teams at Gong, HackerOne, Sendoso, and more trust at userevidence.com 

Allyson Havener, SVP of Marketing at TrustRadius, shares her expertise on the disconnect between B2B buyers and sellers. She highlights how skepticism from modern buyers demands transparency and real customer evidence. Discover the importance of original research and authentic peer reviews in building trust. The discussion reveals that traditional marketing tactics can lead to decision paralysis. Havener emphasizes aligning sales strategies with buyer expectations for upfront pricing and minimal pressure to enhance trust and shorten sales cycles.

Brendan Hufford, founder of Growth Sprints, and Jess Cook from Island, along with Brooklin Nash of Beam Content, explore the pitfalls of traditional B2B marketing. They urge listeners to ditch 'checkbox marketing' and focus on purposeful content that truly connects with audiences. The trio emphasizes solving real customer problems rather than merely pitching products, and highlights the importance of developing a clear content POV. Engaging storytelling and leadership buy-in are vital for building lasting trust and impactful communication.