Demand Gen Confidential

Marketers are being asked to do more with less and still hit the same (or bigger) goals. In this episode, Brianna Ruiz (Director of Digital Advertising, Closed Loop) lays out how to balance brand and performance when budgets are tight, how to actually measure brand’s lift without magical thinking, and how to use AI as an enhancer, not a replacement for human judgment.We cover:The “big squeeze” and why consistency beats one-off brand bursts.A practical 40/60 split (brand/direct) and when to ratchet up or down.Geo holdouts, blended CAC, and MMM as directional signals—not gospel.Mental availability & the 95/5 rule for staying in the consideration set.Why video outperforms static for storytelling and social discovery.Real-world AI workflows (like building an agent per client) that actually help.What to track when direct traffic declines: branded search & engagement.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to Demand Gen Confidential00:15 – Golf, Scholarships, and Career Lessons04:18 – From the Fairway to Funnels: Shifting Into Marketing05:03 – The Big Squeeze: Today’s Marketing Challenges06:30 – The 40/60 Split: Balancing Brand & Performance22:22 – Beyond the Hype: Where AI Really Fits in Marketing25:32 – Why Human Connection Still Wins in a Digital-First World38:54 – Closing Playbook: Brianna’s Key TakeawaysConnect with Brianna on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bri-ruiz/). Or Closed Loop (https://www.closedloop.com/).If this episode helped, subscribe to Demand Gen Confidential and share it with a teammate who owns pipeline this quarter.

Want messaging that actually drives results? In this episode of Demand Gen Confidential, I’m joined by Chris Silvestri, founder of Conversion Alchemy, who brings a systems-thinking approach to copywriting rooted in psychology, strategy, and real customer insight.We cover: ✅ How to shift your messaging in the profitability era ✅ The difference between positioning and messaging (most marketers blur it) ✅ Chris’s decision-making framework for conversion copy ✅ Tactical uses of AI that actually make marketers faster ✅ How synthetic research can help you scale messaging without sacrificing qualityChris also shares his thoughts on music, marketing, and we discuss why marketers should think like scientists.08:16 – From Drums to Conversion Copy: Chris’s Origin Story10:55 – Messaging in the Profitability Era: Art Meets Outcome18:51 – Positioning vs. Messaging Strategy: What Most Get Wrong33:44 – Crafting a Point of View That Cuts Through the Noise38:42 – Chris’s Decision-Making Framework for Conversion45:25 – Practical AI Tactics for B2B Marketers52:38 – Synthetic Research: A New Frontier for Customer InsightConnect with Chris on LinkedIn.Check out Conversion Alchemy. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with world class marketers.

Stop doing what every marketer thinks they’re supposed to do. And start thinking really hard about what actually works.In this episode of Demand Gen Confidential, I talk with Austin Sandmeyer of Sendoso about breaking out of the B2B marketing status quo. They killed MQLs, ditched traditional trade shows, and took a risk running a Severance-themed campaign. Austin is a heavy user of AI to empower - not replace - humans. Get the blueprint for intentional, high-impact marketing in today’s profitability era.If you're a marketer navigating internal buy-in, metrics overload, or the pressure to be everywhere at once, this episode’s for you.In this episode, we discussed: 00:00 - The Joys of Contact Naps 07:36 - Meet Austin from Sendoso 09:13 - B2B vs B2C: Why Austin Chose Relationships Over Transactions 13:27 - Keeping Marketing Weird: Campaigns That Break the Mold 17:23 - Innies vs Outties: A Severance-Inspired Strategy 20:24 - Getting Campaign Buy-In: Telling the Right Internal Story 24:58 - Thinking Hard About Metrics: Ditching MQLs 30:02 - Events Reinvented: Ditching Trade Shows for Real Relationships 42:19 - AI in Marketing: Automate the Mundane, Human the ValuableConnect with Austin on LinkedIn.👇 Like, comment, and subscribe if you want more episodes on bold, practical B2B marketing.

In this episode of Demand Gen Confidential, host I talk with seasoned growth marketer and fractional CMO David Cardiel to unpack what it takes to thrive as a modern B2B marketer in today’s environment of lean teams, profitability mandates, and executive scrutiny.David shares hard-won lessons from scaling marketing teams through acquisition, aligning with sales and finance on metrics that matter, and using AI to build smarter, more repeatable go-to-market systems.Whether you're leading demand gen at an early-stage startup or navigating scale at a mature SaaS company, this episode offers a blueprint for turning marketing into a growth engine the boardroom actually believes in.Key Topics:00:54 - Scaling Teams from $10M to $30M ARR06:44 - Intro: The Revenue-Ready Marketer08:26 - Fluent Speak: Earning Executive and Finance Trust13:26 - ICP Work and CAC Discipline for Repeatable Growth17:49 - Metrics That Align: Speaking Revenue Across Marketing, Sales, and Finance25:19 - AI as a Tactical Advantage for Lean Marketing35:23 - What Modern Marketers Need to Win🔗 Connect with David on LinkedIn.🌐 Visit David’s website.Subscribe for more episodes where we break down real marketing strategies with real practitioners.

Marketing teams track more metrics than ever, but which ones actually matter? Connie Wang - data analyst, ex-PhD researcher, and one of the sharpest minds in measurement strategy - helps us cut through the noise. Learn how to avoid common analytics traps, choose better metrics, and make decisions with confidence.This episode is a must-listen for marketers who want to sharpen their measurement skills and make data actually useful.00:00 – Welcome to the Data Deep Dive11:56 – Pitfall #1: How to identify signal vs. noise in your metrics38:05 – Pitfall #2: You’re not thinking hard enough about your metrics47:07 – Pitfall #3: Choosing quantity over quality49:22 – Advice: Start with decisions you will make56:00 – Conclusion: Keep It Simple, Stay Curious🔗 Connect with Connie on LinkedInSubscribe for more episodes where we break down real marketing strategies with real practitioners.

In this episode, Guido Nuijten joins us to break down how to stop running boring campaigns and start building smarter, revenue-generating ones.We dive into why focusing on targeting beats channel obsession, how brand awareness fuels real pipeline growth, and why marketers need to work hand-in-hand with sales for true impact. Plus, Guido shares fresh insights on using offline marketing creatively in a digital world.🔥 Topics we cover:00:00 Introductions06:32 How to build campaigns that actually convert25:52 Secrets to better marketing-sales collaboration34:51 Creative offline strategies that modern marketers should stealIf you’re tired of playing it safe and want to stand out (and win), this one's for you.👋 Connect with Guido Nuijten on LinkedIn🔗 Learn more about HooltySubscribe and don’t miss future episodes on building marketing that actually drives revenue.

Advanced conversion signals and attribution are redefining paid efficiency. Join us in this episode of Demand Gen Confidential, where we dive deep into advanced marketing tactics with special guest Harry Hawk, a seasoned marketer with a wealth of experience. Learn about the nuanced world of multi-touch attribution, AI in marketing, lift tests, and Harry's concept of deep funnel optimization that can significantly reduce Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and shorten deal cycles. Whether you're looking to enhance your marketing stack, understand the complexity of attribution, or just want to hear fascinating stories like Harry owning a New York City beach bar, tune in to this episode.00:00 - Introduction03:47 - 2025 Marketing Trends11:11 - Using AI Attribution37:07 - Deep Funnel Conversion Optimization for Google and Facebook01:21:59 - Using AI in your MarketingCreditsRevsureAgent.ai

In this episode of Demand Gen Confidential, we sit down with Frederik Hermann, VP Marketing at Akia, to explore innovative marketing strategies and the future of digital marketing in the era of Generative Engine Optimization and AI. Frederik shares insights from his extensive background in marketing and experience with multiple tech startups. We dive into the evolution of SEO and the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Learn practical tactics like implementing LLMs.txt, structured content, and making use of AI agents for market research and building ideal customer profiles. Frederik also discusses the importance of consistent branding and debunks some of the misconceptions around AI. Tune in to discover how marketers can stay ahead in this rapidly changing landscape.00:00 - Intro03:49 - Frederik's Background (LinkedIn | Website)05:37 - History around SEO and Digital Marketing13:58 - Generative Engine Optimization Tactics33:15 - How to Measure GEO ROI36:15 - AI Agents for Marketers41:53 - ClosingEpisode ResourcesGEO Tactics Blog PostAkiaLLMs.txtChatGPTPerplexityClaude - Acquired Jensen Huang InterviewChatGPT PR Strategy SourceAgent.AI