C-Suite Sales & Marketing Perspectives

💡 Thomas McCarthy-Howe, Chief Technology Officer at STROLID, Inc., delves into the transformative power of AI in business communication. He explores how AI-driven conversations, referred to as "liquid gold," can revolutionize customer interaction by mining insights from thousands of daily exchanges. He also shares his experiences and insights into the creation and application of the vCon Standard, a unique framework for capturing and utilizing these rich data sources.💡"Once you start truly listening to your customers' conversations, you realize they reveal things about your business that you didn’t know." - Thomas McCarthy-HoweThomas explores the challenges businesses encounter in using conversational data, from defining conversations to deriving insights. He highlights how AI can scale customer understanding and strategic thinking, while also stressing ethical needs like privacy frameworks. Through his extensive experience, Thomas shows how data transparency and sentiment analysis enable businesses to create hyper-personalized customer interactions. Follow Thomas McCarthy-Howe on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Mike Vannoy, CMO at Asure Software, talks about the contentious topic of B2B cold calling, weaving through concepts of customer experience, content strategy, and the integration of marketing efforts with sales to foster long-term business growth. Mike also sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of how traditional and modern sales tactics coexist and complement each other.💡“I don't like the binary nature of never making a cold call because it assumes there's something magical on the other side of that coin that works. However, the other side of that coin is a massive continuum of countless possibilities, some of which work better than others.”- Mike VannoyMike Vannoy challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding cold calls, suggesting a nuanced approach that defies its binary categorization. He underscores the importance of a comprehensive content strategy, advocating for its role as a pivotal element in the B2B sales process. The conversation delves into the ever-evolving buyer's journey and the critical need for sales and marketing alignment. Mike's insights are geared towards creating a powerful customer experience, bridging the gap between the company's brand aspirations and the customer's real-world interactions.Follow Mike Vannoy on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Laura Proctor, Chief Marketing Officer at Summize, talks about the evolving role of CMOs and why they need to become more akin to Chief Competitive Officers. She also delves into how marketing departments can drive long-term sustainable growth by focusing on customer experience rather than just product differentiation, especially in an era where rapid technological advancement has changed the competitive landscape."As marketers, our job and our challenge is to stretch the customer experience, right to the beginning; to be way before they engage with us as a vendor and right the way through; connect the dots all the way through, to the point that they become a customer and hopefully into renewal." - Laura ProctorLaura stresses the need for a unified customer experience that starts well before purchase. She advocates for bold, consistent messaging across interactions and mastering the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). She also emphasizes aligning with sales and product teams to ensure each touchpoint delivers value, creating a competitive edge.Follow Laura Proctor on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Elizabeth Clor, Chief Marketing Officer at Contegix, shares her experiences and insights on balancing the dual roles of a CMO as both a marketer and a business growth leader. She delves into how modern marketing roles have transformed with technological advancements, integrating storytelling with data to drive strategic growth. She also discusses the importance of active listening for aspiring marketing leaders looking to bridge the gap between marketing functions and executive business strategy.💡"It's not only important for the CMO to think strategically, but also to pull the entire marketing team in to understand that strategy so everyone on the team understands how what they are doing drives toward that vision and goal." - Elizabeth ClorElizabeth highlights the evolving role of CMOs, urging them to step beyond traditional marketing into strategic business leadership. She emphasizes aligning with business goals, prioritizing pipeline conversion over lead generation, and leveraging customer experience (CX) as a B2B competitive edge. Strong C-suite partnerships are vital to achieving realistic growth targets, particularly with the CFO and CRO.Follow Elizabeth Clor on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Edan Gottlib, CRO at Hygraph, shares insights on the intricacies of building a diversified revenue portfolio, crucial for achieving sustainable growth in today's dynamic market. With his extensive experience, Edan articulates the vital strategies required to balance and diversify revenue streams, sharing valuable insights drawn from his successful tenure in leading major companies.💡“The only way to truly and continuously meet the expectations of the board, management, or even your own goals and be successful is to have this diversification to help you overcome various changes." - Edan GottlibEdan Gottlib emphasizes the importance of defining distinct avenues of revenue and the strategic application of use-case-driven ICP. He highlights the strategic value of understanding customers' needs beyond surface-level interactions and ensuring marketing, sales, and product teams are aligned. Edan’s narrative underscores the significance of anticipating clients' emotional barriers to closing sales and the importance of mitigating perceived risks, thereby ensuring a smooth and successful sales journey.Follow Edan Gottlib on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Pete Garza, Head of Product Marketing at DealSignal, discusses his journey to becoming a sought-after CMO, known for transforming companies through innovative strategies and data-driven marketing approaches. He unfolds the engineering-based scientific method applied to marketing, focusing on data-driven decision-making, creating emotional market connections, and fostering hyper-revenue growth.💡"Marketing can play a huge role in driving hyper revenue growth. While sales are needed to close deals, I truly believe that marketing can be instrumental in achieving hyper-growth. Once you embrace this and start working toward it, everything else falls into place." - Pete GarzaPete unravels the secrets to his success by emphasizing a structured approach to marketing grounded in the scientific method. He crafts detailed growth strategies by maintaining a keen focus on qualitative and quantitative research and forming hypotheses about market challenges. He highlights critical CMO pitfalls, including overpromising and a lack of market pulse, which can thwart success. He also explores his four foundational pillars for hyper-growth and the blueprint for building a perpetual marketing engine.Follow Pete Garza on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Jeremiah Glodoveza, SVP and Global Head of Marketing and Communication at NIUM, discusses how B2B marketing can learn from the entertainment industry’s storytelling techniques. He highlights the importance of emotional engagement, experiential content, and character development in captivating audiences. He also explores AI’s role in personalizing content and balancing emotional and rational marketing. 💡"In B2B, the reference point is becoming the entertainment space because they do an exceptional job in many areas of marketing. From storytelling and creating experiences to building anticipation for products and how they heroize characters in their productions, there’s much we, in marketing, can learn from the entertainment industry." - Jeremiah GlodovezaJeremiah highlights that B2B marketing is shifting towards entertainment strategies to cut through the noise of content overload. He emphasizes the power of dynamic storytelling to engage customers emotionally and intellectually, positioning them as heroes in relatable narratives. He also points out how AI is transforming B2B marketing by personalizing content, enhancing engagement, and fostering stronger connections.Follow Jeremiah Glodoveza on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡Sanja Gabler, Chief Revenue Officer at Trapets, shares her experience transitioning from CMO to CRO, highlighting the role's strategic demands in unifying marketing, sales, and customer success. She addresses common challenges like sales-marketing alignment and fostering revenue ownership across teams. She also discusses the importance of customer experience as a competitive advantage, emphasizing the need to refine the ideal customer profile and exceed service expectations.💡"The CRO today focuses on building efficient sales processes and go-to-market strategies, encompassing marketing, sales, and customer success. It’s increasingly focused on technology and data capabilities, much more than it has been before." - Sanja GablerSanja Gabler’s journey from CMO to CRO offers a powerful framework for organizations seeking revenue and operational alignment. Her approach emphasizes cross-functional alignment, fostering a revenue-driven culture, and redefining the CRO role as a unifying force across marketing, sales, and customer success. This holistic model empowers companies to create cohesive strategies, drive sustainable growth, and excel through collaboration in a dynamic market landscape.Follow Sanja Gabler on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Tom Venable, Chief Commercial Officer at Aprios Customer MFG, delves into how businesses need to realign their go-to-market strategies to fit the digital age. He shares his extensive knowledge of how the buying journey has shifted over the years and why understanding this change is crucial for B2B companies aiming to remain competitive.💡"Keep your content relevant. Keep it fresh, new, entertaining, and fun. Give your target market content they can use to improve their lives and build trust." - Tom VenableTom highlights the transformative impact of digitalization on B2B buying, driven by the internet and evolving customer needs. He stresses the importance of a seamless, self-service experience like B2C, requiring strategic content development. Building trust through valuable, industry-relevant content is essential. The episode offers insights on adapting to change, leveraging AI, and staying competitive in a dynamic market.Follow Tom Venable on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Izabela Misiorny, Chief Marketing Officer at Siteimprove, discusses the intricate balance involved in proving the value of marketing. She shares her passion for marketing, communication, and her journey across various cultures, emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability in today's ever-changing landscape. She also discussed crucial insights into how marketers can effectively communicate their strategic importance both internally and externally.💡"External value comes from consistent messaging and storytelling. Creating marketing value internally also relies on effective communication. Optimize your communication not based on what you think you’re saying, but on what your audience is actually receiving." - Izabela MisiornyIzabela explores strategies for CMOs to secure a seat at the executive table, focusing on understanding customer needs and brand differentiation through the ideal customer profile (ICP). She emphasizes the importance of being antifragile, thriving amid change, and demonstrating marketing's value through strategic storytelling. Her insights on marketing’s role in enhancing customer experiences and driving business growth are particularly powerful.Follow Izabela Misiorny on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Peter Lloyd, a globally experienced CMO and marketing expert, explores the critical role of customer-centric strategies in global marketing and sales. He shares his vast experience from his tenure at Digicel, highlighting the importance of elevating the customer’s role to the highest authority in any business decision process. He also discusses building a customer-obsessed culture within organizations and how this approach influences success both in the B2C and B2B sectors.💡"Ultimately, the customer has the final say. The numbers are critical, but if the customer is saying something contrary to what you're saying, that will eventually show in the numbers." - Peter LloydPeter discusses Digicel's transformation, highlighting the importance of understanding customer pain points to fuel innovation and growth. With declining traditional revenues and rising competition, he stresses collaboration between sales and marketing. He emphasizes using customer data to refine ideal customer profiles, aligning strategies and KPIs, and positioning customer experience as a critical competitive advantage in dynamic markets.Follow Peter Lloyd on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Andy Weiss, Chief Marketing Officer at Ceipal, explores how adaptive frameworks can effectively guide companies through periods of rapid change. He shares his unique career journey and discusses the significance of understanding the fundamentals of business to sustain success in ever-evolving markets.💡"If you understand what and how your peers operate, boil those down into fundamentals, and then turn them into either the frameworks they're using or the frameworks you're using, your marketing is going to improve." - Andy WeissThrough the use of SEO-optimized strategies, Andy shares insights on staying ahead of market trends by building robust frameworks grounded in key fundamentals, enabling companies to stay agile in their marketing plans. By emphasizing core essentials like understanding ideal customer profiles (ICPs), leveraging brand marketing, and fostering strong interdepartmental relationships, he guides marketers on how to lead their teams effectively through both growth and challenging times.Follow Andy Weiss on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Baris Vural, CRO at Smartlinx, emphasizes the vital role of a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in accelerating go-to-market success. He explores how understanding evolving customer needs, fostering human-centered communication, and building communities enable businesses to connect deeply with C-suite executives, address their challenges, and create targeted, impactful marketing strategies. 💡"As a CRO, it’s all about efficiency, customer acquisition costs, and ensuring your company focuses on the right targets. If you’re engaging with the wrong ICP, you’ll drag your entire company along with you." - Baris VuralBaris Vural highlights the importance of defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) by understanding customers' shared challenges. Through community engagement, businesses can foster relationships and build brand familiarity beyond immediate sales. Continuous outreach like podcasting strengthens these connections, enabling refined ICPs, reduced acquisition costs, and better conversion rates. By listening and adapting, companies can shape strategies that align with the evolving B2B landscape.Follow Baris Vural on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Vikram Bhaskaran, VP of Growth Marketing at ThoughtSpot, delves into the concept of the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) and its crucial role in contemporary marketing strategies. He also explores how understanding and leveraging ZMOT can help marketers better align their efforts with customer needs, leading to more effective engagement and conversion tactics. Vikram shares his journey from software engineering to marketing and emphasizes the importance of being customer-obsessed to truly address market needs. 💡 "It's important to go back to the learning and governing dynamics. Can we build a stakeholder map for each if we have a list of target accounts? Are we able to understand why someone would need to come to us? Then, let's determine the distribution tactics for reaching them." - Vikram BhaskaranVikram explores the crucial role of ZMOT in customer journeys, highlighting a study that reveals key business tipping points. He emphasizes account-based marketing, customer obsession, and inflection points as central themes for aligning marketing with customer needs. The discussion also covers how ABM aligns marketing strategies across organizational levels to improve revenue operations.Follow Vikram Bhaskaran on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Shashwat Ghosh, Former CMO at FieldAssist, discusses CMO Darwinism and its implications on the ever-evolving role of a Chief Marketing Officer. He also unveils the challenges CMOs face today and the pressing need for evolution in marketing strategies to stay competitive. 💡"The era of CMO Darwinism is here. As a CMO, you need to take ownership of the go-to-market strategy and incremental modifications, while a good CMO will want to utilize the depth of experience from successful experiments." - Shashwat GhoshShashwat discusses CMO Darwinism, focusing on the shorter CMO tenures and pressure for quick ROI. He links Darwinian evolution to evolving organizational roles and adapting go-to-market strategies in the digital era. He highlights the need for incremental GTM evolution, fractional marketing roles, customer insights, collaboration, and community engagement for success using his EPIC framework.Follow Shashwat Ghosh on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Søren Vasø, Chief Marketing Officer at MapsPeople, delves deep into innovative B2B marketing strategies. Søren discusses the groundbreaking concept introduced in his book “Cloud Republic,” a strategy challenging traditional sales approaches and embracing the limitless potential of the cloud to effectively reach ideal customer profiles (ICP). 💡"Instead of just having a kingdom and hiring a lot of armies to fight your wars, you can build a different business that goes out and creates a compelling story to capture that market." - Søren VasøAdopting a modern go-to-market strategy without traditional geographic limits is key in evolving industries like SaaS. Søren Vasø's Cloud Republic framework defines clear market boundaries and builds a loyal customer community that aligns with your brand's message. This approach emphasizes team alignment, fostering a customer-driven community, and using deep customer insights to fuel growth by harnessing the cloud's potential.Follow Søren Vasø on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Zarina Stanford, CMO at Bazaarvoice, dives into how her storytelling skills transcend traditional marketing roles, advocating for dynamic leadership within the C-suite. She uncovers the transformation from marketing as a functional role to an influential business leadership position that defies the status quo, emphasizing the importance of authentic consumer voices and insights in shaping company strategies and narratives.💡“Think big and be bold, because small changes won't be enough. There is no other discipline with the bragging rights of having the ability and the opportunity to truly craft and deliver what this big, bold vision can be.” - Zarina StanfordZarina shares her insights on leveraging consumer voices for authentic content marketing. She notes a shift in consumer behavior toward valuing authentic content from peers over brands. The discussion covers the changing marketing landscape, the importance of understanding ideal customer profiles (ICP), and how storytelling can enhance connections with audiences while inspiring brands to think big and empower partnerships.Follow Zarina Stanford on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Steven Hyde, Chief Executive Officer at Push, delves into the transformative impact of AI on performance marketing, drawing from his extensive experience with major brands. He highlights the significant role AI plays in redefining business strategies, juxtaposing past digital transformations with current and future AI advancements.💡"Build a roadmap for how you will implement and approach AI in your marketing organization. Try to gain some clarity and measure where you are now and where you could be." - Steven HydeSteven Hyde offers valuable insights into the transformative impact of AI technology across various industries, particularly marketing. He highlights the rapid changes similar to past shifts in digital and social media. He also encourages businesses to adopt AI, especially in content generation and customer insights, to stay competitive. The discussion also addresses the challenges C-suite executives encounter when integrating AI into their strategies, emphasizing the need for proactive leadership.Follow Steven Hyde on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Claire Hartley, CMO and Company Director at Goodfellow, delves into the significance of becoming the leading customer authority in your business. She highlights why understanding customer needs and experiences is essential for developing effective go-to-market strategies and creating lasting competitive advantages. She also discussed the need for a holistic and deep understanding of customers, moving beyond transactional data to uncover customer motives, intentions, and feelings. 💡"Customers are complex. My mantra is don't expect perfection. Understand, stay focused, and keep improving within the boundaries of your legal requirements. Adapt and evolve continuously, but remember not to expect perfection." - Claire HartleyClaire emphasizes the role of comprehensive customer profiling, including ideal customer profiles and customer avatars, to predict customer behavior and preferences. She underscores the importance of cross-departmental collaboration within organizations to harness customer data for actionable insights, driving growth and customer loyalty in the rapidly evolving B2B landscape. Claire also shares real-world examples and practical advice, including leveraging both qualitative and quantitative research methods to create a unified and dynamic customer understanding.Follow Claire Hartley on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Lori Stout, CMO of Bigleaf Networks, discusses the intricacies of a B2B company turnaround. Drawing from her extensive background in customer experience and marketing, Lori provides insights into the role of marketing in a corporate transformation, with a keen focus on “customer obsession.” As a distinguished leader navigating through significant change, she delves into how businesses can authentically engage both their internal teams and external partners to foster growth.💡"Times of high growth can be challenging, so be open and honest with your colleagues and the entire employee population. Be willing to fail, apologize when you do, and monitor how your culture and customer approach is working for you, and success will follow." - Lori StoutLori shares her career as a marketing executive, emphasizing the importance of aligning business growth with a customer-first approach. She highlights the challenges of a B2B turnaround, focusing on internal culture change, strong partnerships, and cross-team collaboration. She also stresses that delivering authentic customer experiences is key to driving sustainable growth and gaining a competitive edge.Follow Lori Stout on LinkedInFollow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn