The Transaction

Justin Gray, author of the brand new The Go-to-Market Cheat Code and Co-Founder of In Revenue Capital joins Hosts Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg to share how to build more effective and efficient B2B partnership programs, why nothing seems to be working in marketing, and his cheat codes to go-to-market success in B2B. Justin explains how and why LeadMD evolved from being a competitor to building an extremely strong partnership with Marketo. There’s also a great discussion about what VCs and other investors look for in founders when investing in startups and how this has changed in recent history.Also, Matt vehemently opposes accusations of being hyperbolic and Craig recants on one of his ill-concieved New Years resolutions.Critical TakeawaysThe success of any partner progam depends first and foremost on executive alignment. Without buy-in from leadership, 99% of B2B partnerships will fail.No matter how good your content may be, you still have to earn the right and access to get your content in front of your target audience by building strong relationships.Stop looking for copy and paste playbooks to use that are being used by everyone else in the market. If you don’t you’ll just be adding your content and brand to the endless pile of lifeless, gray ooze of things that get ignored. Take a risk and you’ll at least have a chance of sticking out.Any partner motion begins with building a relationship with one person. Find the right people to focus on and start one at a time. This is a much quicker way to build real relationships and trust than trying to boil the ocean and make a play for everyone at once.Sponsored SegmentRingmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 Introducing Justin Gray00:50 The Origin Story of LeadMD and how they Partnered with Marketo09:55 The Go-To-Market Cheat Code Book16:47 Craig makes fun of Justin’s Office18:12 Lessons on Relationships from The Wild West of the Payment Processing Industry30:26 The Cycle of Innovation and Imitation32:09 The Importance of Knowing Your Buyer40:34 What Venture Capital looks for in Founders46:50 Building Effective Partnerships1:05:02 18th Book Plug of the EpisodeSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“ What's working is what has always worked which is trusted relationships” - Justin Gray“Innovators look for ideas” - Craig RosenbergConnect with JustinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inrevenue/ The Go-to-Market Cheat Code (Book): https://inrevenue.capital/cheat-code/ Order The Go-to-Market Cheat Code on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hjtrbA In Revenue Capital Website: https://inrevenue.capital/ The GTM Cheat Code (Podcast): https://inrevenue.capital/insights/?article_category=podcast ShoutoutsEssentials/Fear of God Clothing: https://fearofgod.com/ FocusMAAS ImpactChris Selland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cselland/ LeadMDMarketoBill Binch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-binch-302a4a2/ Margaret Hoogerbeets: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhoogerbeets/ Amy Guarino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyguarino/ Phil Fernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/ Scottsdale Princess: https://www.scottsdaleprincess.com/ Josh Wagner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshwagneraz/ Jon Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/ Jon Miller’s Post about the Tragedy of the Commons in Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonmiller2_mpb2b-b2bmarketing-marketingautomation-activity-7262460572032483328-hs0J? Dirty Money, Season 1, Episode 2: https://www.netflix.com/us/title/80118100?s=i&trkid=258593161&vlang=en Bessemer: https://www.bvp.com Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/ Marc Beniof: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Founder’s Fund: https://foundersfund.com/ Asher Mathew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashermathew/AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

Every Founder has a story to tell and by telling that story in a compelling way, they can give their company an outsized advantage and the leg up they need in order to grow.The founder of multiple companies and a veritable thought leader in his own right, Scott Albro, joins Hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson, for a rollicking romp through the big AI questions now getting asked, the fundamentals for building a successful founder brand, and how to create high-quality content that is worthy of your buyers’ time and attention.The crew dives into an intriguing debate over whether AI Co-Pilots or multitudinous AI Agents will win out in the future as AI is integrated into more go-to-market jobs and processes. Scott shares his three-part framework for helping founders tell compelling stories and everyone, including Sam, shares their favorite examples of successful founder brands.Also, Craig is complimented on his militaristic sleeping abilities and Matt begins the long journey to recovery by admitting to his reprehensible road rage.Sign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Critical TakeawaysFor the love of god, please prioritize quality ahead of quantity. For example, your sales and marketing teams should focus on producing high-quality content and interactions that resonate with target customers, rather than just attempting to increase touchpoints indiscriminately. Just because you can, definitely does not mean that you should (You should have learned this from Jurassic Park).Publishing quality content consistently is critical for anyone building a following on social media platforms. A good cadence for growth on most platforms is posting three times a week. This helps you stay on top of your audience’s feed and top of mind for buyers.Create content in the medium and format that is most comfortable for you. Whether it’s writing, video, or audio, the point is to not make the content production process more painful for you.The three types of stories that Scott recommends founders telling are: 1. How well you understand customer pain points, their priorities, and how to solve their problem. 2. How the market will change and how to navigate it. 3. Your personal journey.Using AI to write crappy, clearly fake comments on LinkedIn posts from contacts within your target accounts will cause major damage to your brand. Automated comments on LinkedIn are extremely easy to spot and Sponsored SegmentRingmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 - Walking Through a Winter Wonderland03:23 - Introducing Scott Albro10:51 -  AI Adoption is Taking Us Down the Wrong Path13:20 - The Important AI Debates Happening Today16:03 - Where AI Agents & Co-Pilots Fit into Go-To-Market27:20 - Using AI on LinkedIn37:47 - Creating Quality Content47:29 -  Scott's Framework for Which Story Founders Want To Tell50:22 -  Examples of The Best Founder Brands57:21 -  The Impact of Scott's Shoe Game on the MarketEpic Quotes“ AI feels like a market where we are going to experiment our way into the right use cases. Because they're not obvious” - Scott Albro“Every founder has a story to tell. Otherwise they wouldn't have started a company.” - Scott AlbroConnect with Scott AlbroLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottalbro/  ShoutoutsChris Orlob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisorlob/ Chris Orlob’s Episode of The Transaction: https://substack.com/@thetransaction/note/p-143505807?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=3iae7zMatt Dixon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdixon/ Matt Dixon’s Episode of The Transaction: https://substack.com/@thetransaction/note/p-153859244?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=3iae7zDavid Politis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpolitis/ David Politis’ Episode of The Transaction: https://substack.com/@thetransaction/note/p-152597131?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=3iae7zJohn M. Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmjack/ Bland.ai: https://www.bland.ai/ Dan Gottlieb: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpgottlieb/ Dan Gottlieb’s episode of The Transaction: https://substack.com/@thetransaction/note/p-149757433?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=3iae7zGartner: https://www.gartner.com/en AI Adoption Study from Scale Venture Partners: https://www.scalevp.com/insights/ai-gtm-flash-survey-how-marketing-teams-are-actually-using-ai/ Regie.ai: https://www.regie.ai/ Outreach: https://www.outreach.io/ Salesloft: https://www.salesloft.com/  Srinath Sridhar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sridharsrinath/ Jensen Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenhsunhuang/ Marc Beniof: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Tobias Lütke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiaslutke/ Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/ ServiceTitan: https://www.servicetitan.com/ Adam Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/ RB2B: https://www.rb2b.com/ Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/  Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

What is your GTM strategy built on? The cool new motion that's popular this minute? Tons of research on users? Well, it should be built from a blueprint and this guest just so happens to know how to create said blueprint. Adam B. Needles, the CEO of ANNUITAS, joins Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson for a barn burner of an episode that starts off with Adam’s seriously spicy take that the CMO’s role is a major part of the problem in the current B2B buying experience (Sounds like someone got into the Commsor hot sauces). After unpacking that hot tamale, Adam shares some great insights on the three parts to setting up and monitoring your Go-To-Market Blueprint, why you need to educate your board on how you go to market, and what buyers actually want from sellers during their buying journey. As if that wasn’t enough to include in this edition, Adam also drops a great nugget that AI can’t cover up your poor GTM Strategy. Pretty sure the B. in Adam’s name stands for B2B Badass or something like that based on this episode. (Yes, that was corny and stupid and yes, a human, albeit not a very bright one, wrote that)Also, Craig reminisces about his viral, rebellious past and Matt sits in a corner and cries at the downfall of his fiefdom.Critical TakeawaysThe three core components of a go-to-market blueprint are understanding the buyer's journey, identifying all relevant decision-making stakeholders, and grasping their content consumption habits. This helps in synchronizing marketing and sales efforts to ensure value-add interactions at every touchpoint.Every touchpoint should focus on adding value to the prospect's journey. That means every email, meeting, and piece of content prospects receive serves a purpose and helps them arrive at a quality decision faster.Don’t treat your gtm blueprint as if it’s set in stone. You should regularly meet with crossfunctional leaders to review the blueprint, examine your performance against that blueprint, and update it based on new data and insights. Sponsored SegmentRingmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 - Freeing The Funnelholic07:18 - The Problematic Role of the CMO20:52 - Creating a Value-Added Demand Motion for Buyers34:11 - Building Your Go-To-Market Blueprint40:47 - How to Get Your Board… On Board49:53 - Daring to Peek Outside of the Tech Industry56:17 - Your Playbook Needs a PlaybookSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“ I don't think that AI is the solution to your bad go to market.” - Adam B. Needles“It's not about funnel management. It's really about just understanding where someone is in the journey.” - Adam B. Needles“If you don't have a clear sense of who owns what by stage, then nobody owns it.” - Adam B. Needles“ The new playbook is to have a playbook.” - Matt Amundson“ We talked about the CEO and COO, actually, now, the biggest education point for this change is board level.” - Craig RosenbergConnect with AdamLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abneedles/ Website: https://www.annuitas.com/ ShoutoutsCarlos Hidalgo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/ Jason Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhstewart/ MonotypeNinan Chacko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninan-chacko-54b527/ Bob Seiler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjseiler/ Schneider ElectricProcter and GambleQA SymphonyForresterGartnerEvan Kent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evankent/ Sales loftOutreachHubSpotLove the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

If people are the ones buying software, then it’s probably important that your brand appeals to those people.Fresh off a successful Dreamforce, Mini Peiris, the CMO of Nintex, joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson for an examination of how a brand should make buyers feel about themselves, the problems they face, and the solution provided. Mini also gets into when is the best time to ask customers for referrals, why playing nice with sales is key to being a successful CMO, and how to reinforce a brand internally so that every customer touchpoint and interaction feels right. In a seeming first for the show, the conversation takes us past the point of transaction to look at the CMO’s role in the customer’s post-sale experience.Also, Craig reveals his favorite source of apple fritters and Matt says something that is very succinct and to the point.Critical TakeawaysEven though you’re in B2B, it's still humans making the purchasing decisions. Focus on the people behind the accounts, the problems they face, and what their goals are to create more impactful messaging.Marketing’s job isn’t over when the customer signs on the line which is dotted. It’s crucial to continue engaging with customers post-transaction to ensure they derive value from your product and can become powerful and vocal advocates of your brand.The CEO is critical in developing and or pivoting the internal brand and culture of a company. Understanding them and getting their buy in and support is step number one for any CMO looking to establish or adjust their brand.Great marketing and storytelling can gloss over a product’s inferiorities and position a brand as the category leader. If you can articulate the customers’ problem and your solution better than your competitors, your brand will win, giving you time and resources to then shore up product deficiencies. Sponsored SegmentRingmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 - Live from San Fran, It’s Matturday Night Live04:10 - What Makes a Great CMO07:34 - Don’t Forget that People Buy Software13:38 - Building a Customer Community with Donuts18:57 - Developing Your Brand’s Core Identity21:59 - The CEO’s Influence on Brand & Culture 27:19 - Examples of Great B2B Brands32:34 - The CMO’s Role in The Post-Transaction Customer Experience40:19 - How Execs Buy Software Today: Friends over FunnelsSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“You have to know yourself before you can go tell others your story.” - Mini Peiris“ Nobody buys anything these days without calling up three of their friends. So if a friend's already making the intro, cause they took the leap, you have a better shot.” - Mini PeirisConnect with MiniLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mini8ture/ Website: https://www.nintex.com/ ShoutoutsMatthew Luhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-luhn-52a40629/ Geraldine McGinty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldinemcgintymd/ Drift: https://www.salesloft.com/platform/drift HubSpot: https://www.salesloft.com/platform/drift Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/ Rippling: https://www.rippling.com/ Lifetime Fitness: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifetimeinc/ Qualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.com/ Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

What would you say if your CEO told you they wanted to speak with 100 customers in 100 days? That’s exactly what our guest, David Politis, did and he still thinks it’s one of the best things he’s done in his career.David, the Founder and Executive Chairman of BetterCloud and Host of Not Another CEO Podcast, joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson for a must-listen episode for founders, CEOs, and B2B execs. David explains why having a smaller TAM (Total Addressable Market) is actually good for smaller or newer-stage companies. There are also great discussions about when landing a big customer can be a bad thing for your company’s roadmap, why meeting with customers is so critically important for leaders, and how to stand out as a sales rep to book meetings with decision-makers at ideal customers.Also, Matt gets a very meaningful head nod and Craig is called an inspiration, a high that his ego may be chasing for a long time.Critical TakeawaysNarrow down both your ideal customer profile and your ideal buyer persona. While this may seem counterintuitive, the larger your TAM (Total Addressable Market), the slower your company will grow. When you try to go after too many customer profiles and buyer personas, your budget, time, and effort get dispersed across them and it’s harder to gain a real foothold in any niche from which you can later expand beyond.When you focus on one key buyer persona within one ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), you can delve deeper into understanding not only how they will use your product, but also what your product actually means to them. For example, when Matt was working in marketing automation, he was able to understand that his product gave buyers a seat at the revenue table and made their jobs easier.Especially for early-stage startups, there is nothing that is more valuable than talking with your customers. Those conversations function as critical data points that you can use in every aspect of the company, from writing messaging and crafting sales narratives to building new features and raising funds. Proving to people that you and your email or message aren’t just automated is harder than ever now, so to really cut through the noise and get noticed, you need to do things that can’t be automated. In-person and handwritten things work well for this.Sponsored SegmentRingmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 When Craig Met David, His Forever-23-ish Wunderkind06:07 Stop Supersizing Your TAM, Narrow Down Your ICP09:34 The Dangers of Landing a Whale Client & How To Handle Your Big Fish18:11 Which Comes First, The Product or The Persona?23:19 Why a CEO Would Want to Meet 100 Customers in 100 Days30:48 Sales Reps Need To Take The Opposite Approach to Automation41:50 Creating Memorable Moments for Prospects & Customers Through Events47:50 Matt Provides His Expert Critique of David’s Art ExhibitionSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“In the early stage, every customer conversation is gold.” - David Politis“There's nothing that you can do that's as valuable as meeting customers, once you're an executive.” - Matt AmundsonConnect with DavidLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpolitis/ BetterCloud Website: https://www.bettercloud.com/ Work-Bench Website: https://www.work-bench.com/ Not Another CEO Podcast: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ The StartUp Founder Survival Guide: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davidpolitis_startup-founder-survival-guide-david-politis-activity-7158455968194875393-QVdh ShoutoutsChris Degnan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-degnan-524470/ Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/ Phil Fernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/ Jon Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/ Ryan Azus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanazus/ Megan Eisenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meageneisenberg/ Warburg Pincus: https://warburgpincus.com/Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

How do you steal the spotlight from Marc Benioff at Dreamforce? By hiring a Benioff impersonator. Yes, Kyle Porter and the Salesloft team ACTUALLY did that. But they didn’t stop there…Joining co-hosts Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg to chat about the amazing stunts pulled in the early days of Salesloft and how to build a healthy company culture is Kyle Porter himself, the Founder and Board Chair of Salesloft. Beyond bringing a Benioff doppelganger to Dreamforce, Kyle shares some brilliant plays his team used to drive brand awareness and become the biggest story at their competitor’s conference. Kyle also dives into how he built a loving culture within Salesloft and how that loving culture was extended to and felt by their customers. Also, Craig provides a gripping tale about his experience with an elevator and Matt sets the record straight on whether a presentation he gave was sweaty or swear-y.Sign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Critical TakeawaysWhen you really love your customers and they can actually feel that love, they are willing to go to bat for you and your company. Because Matt felt that Kyle loved him-as a customer-he would defend and promote Salesloft when others were defending or promoting a competitor.Building a strong company culture is more important than ever. It should be built on love–in a platonic way–for the members of your organization. A healthy organizational culture translates to better team dynamics, productivity, and ultimately, better customer interactions and satisfaction.Dare to be different, especially when it comes to events. People will only really remember 1-2 things from an event, so it’s critical to make that shortlist. A bigger booth doesn’t necessarily make you more memorable. Most event booths zig, so find a way to zag, even if it means doing something other than a booth (Sorry if that one hit too close to home).Sponsored SegmentThis episode is presented by Ringmaster Conversational Marketing, the go-to branded podcast team. To discover how your company can leverage B2B podcasts to deliver outsized ROI, visit ringmaster.com.Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 Introducing Kyle Porter!08:25 Awesome SaaS Stunts from the Salesloft Team26:00 The Importance of Organizational Culture and Leadership30:18 Loving Your Customers32:54 Building a Community & Leveraging Customer Advocacy44:28 How to Build a GREAT Sales Deck and Engage with Key Decision Makers50:36 The Impact of Kyle’s Brand as a FounderEpic Quotes“We're going to continually love and serve our customers and our people better than anyone else. And when you care more than anyone else, you're going to win ultimately.” - Kyle Porter“When a customer bought SalesLoft, I had the mentality that they had just saved my life and I was going to treat them as such” - Kyle Porter“Taking care of your employees Actually helps you take care of your customers” - Matt AmundsonConnect with KyleLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleporter/ Website: https://www.salesloft.com/ Kyle’s post about the Marc Benioff Impersonation (with pictures): https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141022175506-2446560-how-we-impersonated-the-salesforce-com-ceo-for-one-of-the-best-marketing-hacks-at-dreamforce/ The Puppy Party for #Unleash17: https://x.com/Salesloft/status/872167164123459584 ShoutoutsJon Birdsong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdsong/ Mike Damphousse: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damphoux/ Behind the Cloud by Marc Benioff: https://amzn.to/3CE8WXS AJ Gandhi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ AJ Gandhi’s episode of The Transaction: https://thetransactionpod.com/episodes/navigating-market-success-with-aj-gandhi-the-transaction-ep-26 Cam Melson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronmelson/ Anthony Zhang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theanthonyzhang/ Tami McQueen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamimcqueen/ Business Insider Article about Benioff for President Campaign: https://www.businessinsider.com/dreamforce-2015-adrian-grenier-wants-to-be-marc-benioffs-running-mate-2015-9 Sean Kester: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theseankester/ Mac Reddin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-reddin/ Kevin O’Malley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omalley/ Peter Kazanjy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kazanjy/ Carolyn Feibleman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynfeibleman/ Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/ Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Trish Bertuzzi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishbertuzzi/ Steve Richard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleskickoffspeaker/ John Barrows: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ Jason M. Lemkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmlemkin/ Mark Suster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ Brad Feld: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bfeld/ Ken Krogue: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenkrogue/ Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell what you loved!

What does an opportunity mean to you? Would the rest of your company give the same answer? Probably not. But not to fear, GTM leader, because Tricia Gellman, the CMO of Box joins hosts Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg to explain how to fix the cracks between sales and marketing. Tricia outlines the importance of having shared goals across sales and marketing teams, why defining terms clearly is so critical, and what it’s like for those selling AI tools to B2B buyers.Also, Craig recounts his time spent hanging out with reps at Dreamforce and Matt gushes about the events TOPO used to run.Critical TakeawaysA crucial component in driving sales and marketing alignment is using the same metrics and dashboards to accomplish shared goals. Consistency and agreement on these metrics will help streamline the goal-setting process, reduce friction, and ensure everyone is working towards the same company objectives.Clearly define what constitutes an opportunity and different stages within the pipeline. Aligning these definitions across marketing and sales will prevent discrepancies and confusion, leading to more accurate performance tracking and reporting.Invest in brand building. A strong brand is essential for long-term success and helps in making conversations happen at the C-suite level. This investment continues to pay off by fostering word-of-mouth recommendations and creating a lasting impression in the minds of decision-makers.Building a community, especially around high-level executives and key decision-makers, can significantly enhance your brand's reach and credibility. Hosting events and creating opportunities for peer networking add tremendous value and deepen customer loyalty.Sponsored SegmentThis episode is presented by Ringmaster Conversational Marketing, the go-to branded podcast team. To discover how your company can leverage B2B podcasts to deliver outsized ROI, visit ringmaster.com.Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.comChapters00:00 Tricia's Italy Trip & Career Advice03:08 Overcoming the Challenges of a CMO04:51 Managing Pipeline in the Current Environment08:56 How to Align Marketing and Sales Teams23:26 Aligning Incentives Across Teams24:01 Defining Opportunities and Meetings25:18 Adapting to AI in Sales27:13 Transitioning to a New CMO Role32:22 Building Community and Product AlignmentSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“Saying you can't do it because you don't have the data is just a cop out.” - Tricia Gellman“Everybody works to their goals. Whatever the incentive is, that's what people work towards.” - Tricia Gellman “One of the key roles of leadership across sales and marketing is really being clear on who are we going after? Why are we going after it? And then, how are we going to go after it?” - Tricia GellmanConnect with Tricia GellmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gellmansfmarketing/ Website: https://www.box.com/home ShoutoutsMini Peiris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mini8ture/ Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Sydney Sloan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/ Ted Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedpurcell/ Latané Conant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latane-conant/ Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

Wow, Season Two is kicking off strong with this incredible episode with Dave Gerhardt, the Founder & CEO of Exit Five. Dave joins Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson to share how he approaches AI for B2B marketers, why influencers present a huge opportunity for B2B, and the outsized impact that building a Founder Brand can have for companies. Also, Matt shares his innermost feelings about Dave and Craig examines his own facial hair.Critical TakeawaysSocial media should be treated as the primary marketing channel, not just a supplementary piece of your strategy.AI is best used as an “idea starter” to get your writing going, rather than relying on AI to do the actual writing itself.Working with micro-influencers who have a strong, niche following can be highly effective in B2B. To see good results, it's important to create offers and content that align with what their audience wants to see. Narrowing down your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is crucial. Starting with a more specific market allows for easier traction and learning which you can later apply more broadly. Sponsored SegmentNew Sponsor coming soon!Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact transactionpod@samguertin.comChapters00:00 Matt provides a safe space for Dave02:06 Discussing Founder Brand and Marketing Strategies04:45 The Power of Personal Branding and Social Media09:42 AI in Marketing: Opportunities and Misconceptions20:00 Influencers and LinkedIn Strategies for B2B26:19 Understanding the Full Funnel in Marketing27:26 The Power of LinkedIn and Social Media31:18 Narrowing Down Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)37:03 The Drift Success Story40:00 Building a Strong Brand and Content Strategy46:56 An In-depth Review of Craig’s Facial HairSign up for our Newsletter: https://thetransaction.substack.com/Epic Quotes“Social media is the way marketing happens in our lives today.” - Dave Gerhardt“I use [AI] a lot as my writing partner, you can't really have writer's block anymore because you kind of always have something to get going” - Dave Gerhardt“I love you.” - Matt AmundsonConnect with DaveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegerhardt/ Website: https://www.exitfive.com/ Podcast: https://media.exitfive.com/podcast ShoutoutsAdam Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/ Bland AI: https://www.bland.ai/ HeyGen: https://www.heygen.com/ Danielle Messler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemessler/ Natalie Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliecstaylor/ Capsule: https://capsule.video/ Planful: https://planful.com/ Mac Reddin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-reddin/ David Politis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpolitis/ Love the show? Give us a shoutout on LinkedIn and tell us what you loved!

Today Matt and Craig open the floodgates to actionable marketing insights with seasoned guest, Carlos Hidalgo Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust. The episode focuses on the landscape of marketing, shedding light on the challenges and missteps related to AI, new technologies, and the tendency to chase after shiny objects. It examines the struggles CMOs face in balancing short-term demands with long-term strategies, emphasizing the significance of mutual respect and alignment between marketing, sales, finance, and product teams for sustainable success. Takeaways:Treat sales, finance, and product teams as partners. Spend dedicated time to understand their perspectives and needs, just as you would with external customers.Avoid reliance on broad ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) definitions. Instead, invest in detailed customer insights and keep them updated.Encourage shared goals amongst all business teams to foster a sense of joint accountability and drive consistent messaging and strategy.Resist the temptation to engage in short-term tactics at the expense of long-term strategy. Balance immediate actions with initiatives that build sustainable growth.Use customer insights to drive the creation of valuable content, campaigns, and product features that genuinely address customer pain points.Integrate sales feedback into marketing plans to ensure campaigns and content meet the practical needs of the sales process.Celebrate joint successes and publicly acknowledge contributions from different teams to reinforce the value of teamwork.Chapters:00:00 Introduction / Why Are You Bitter Today?02:08 Guest Introduction: Carlos Hidalgo02:30 Carlos' Story: Meeting Craig07:54 Market Misconceptions and Shiny Object Syndrome08:57 The Importance of Customer Understanding10:38 CMOs and the Seat at the Table18:09 Alignment Across the Organization25:58 Shared Goals and Compensation27:47 Customer-Centric Marketing28:18 Addressing Sales Roadblocks32:41 The People Problem in Alignment35:39 The Role of Marketing in Sales Success38:10 Understanding the Customer42:13 Final Thoughts and ConclusionQuote of the Show:“Growth doesn't go out of style. Growth has always been the goal.” - Carlos HidalgoSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Carlos:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/ Website: https://digitalexhaust.co/ Shoutouts:Phil Fernandez https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/ Ray Rike https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayrike/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ McAfee https://www.mcafee.com/ ZoomInfo https://www.zoominfo.com/  Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode, Matt and Craig welcome Jon Miller, Co-Founder of both Marketo and Engagio, who discusses the evolution of B2B marketing and sales strategies. They critique traditional methodologies like MQLs and programmatic email marketing, stressing the need for creativity and relationship-building. Key themes from this episode include the significance of content quality over quantity, customer-centric approaches, and the foundational role of market positioning and core fundamentals. The conversation explores the strategic shift required of modern CMOs, the importance of proprietary research, personal branding, and community building for reputation, and the necessity of evolving marketing metrics and reporting to reflect new market realities.Takeaways:Emphasize creating high-quality, valuable content that genuinely addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Avoid the temptation to flood the market with low-value, high-volume content.Assess the effectiveness of current marketing tactics and adapt to evolving market dynamics. Consider moving away from outdated methods that no longer resonate with buyers.Shift the focus from treating buyers as leads to nurturing relationships and providing genuine value. Evaluate how your strategies impact customer satisfaction and loyalty.Use long-form content like podcasts, research reports, and comprehensive guides to build authority and engagement.Encourage key executives and thought leaders within the company to build their personal brands. This can amplify the company's reputation and provide a human touch to your corporate identity.Create content based on unique, proprietary data that your organization possesses. This positions your company as a thought leader and provides valuable insights that only you can offer.Invest in creating and nurturing vibrant communities both online and offline, including organizing events, fostering online forums, and creating spaces for meaningful interactions.Chapters:00:00 - Discussing Matt’s Haircut01:29 - Guest Introduction: Jon Miller07:13 - Challenges in Modern Marketing12:45 - Customer-Centric Strategies20:48 - Content Creation and Market Education24:35 - Reputation vs. Brand: Building Trust in the Marketplace24:57 - Leveraging Personal Brands and Proprietary Research29:06 - The Role of Community in Reputation Building33:06 - Positioning and Differentiation: The Key to Market Success40:53 - The Evolving Role of the CMO43:48 - Concluding ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“We've lost sight of the core fundamental. The true core fundamental is a mindset of what's right for the customer.” - Jon MillerSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Jon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/ Website: https://www.jonmiller.com/ Shoutouts:Gretchen DeKnikker https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchend/ Outreach https://www.outreach.io/ SalesLoft https://www.salesloft.com/ Gong https://www.gong.io/ Carta https://carta.com/ DemandBase https://www.demandbase.com/ Adam Robinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/ AudiencePlus https://audienceplus.com/ John-Henry Scherck https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhtscherck/ Rippling https://www.rippling.com/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode, Matt and Craig explore the role of advisors in driving B2B business growth with Carilu Dietrich, an ex-CMO and current hypergrowth advisor to CEOs and CMOs. Carilu shares her insights on the importance of having a skilled team of advisors to support executives, highlighting the need for different types of advisors at various growth stages. The discussion also delves into the nuances of building valuable professional networks and how to effectively seek and maintain advisory relationships. The episode emphasizes that the right advisory connections can be pivotal in determining the success and growth trajectory of a business.Takeaways:Determine the specific areas where your team lacks expertise and seek advisors who can fill those knowledge gaps.Create advisory roles with clear goals, timelines, and built-in review periods to ensure the relationship remains beneficial.Actively attend and engage in industry events and speaking engagements to build your network.Regularly nurture relationships with your network through periodic meetings and informal get-togethers to maintain strong connections.Maintain a small group of trusted individuals who are intimately familiar with your challenges and can provide immediate feedback.When reaching out to potential advisors or network connections, reference their work and specify how their expertise could help with your current challenges.Continuously assess the value derived from advisory relationships and refine your advisory strategy to better align with your evolving business needs.Chapters:00:00 - Introducing B2B Famous05:29 - The Importance of Advisors10:10 - Building Trust with Advisors14:08 - Effective Executive-Advisor Relationships21:29 - The Value of Continuous Learning23:37 - The Quest for Knowledge and Networking25:06 - The Role of Advisors in Business26:41 - Building and Leveraging Networks30:43 - Effective Outreach Strategies39:56 - The Importance of Layers in Networking42:24 - Conclusion and Final ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“Trust is the biggest currency we have in business.” - Carilu DietrichSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Carilu:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cariludietrich/ Website: https://www.carilu.com/ Shoutouts:Maria Pergolino https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Dennis Lyandres https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/ Atlassian https://www.atlassian.com/ 1Password https://1password.com/ Oracle https://www.oracle.com/ Rick Schultz https://www.linkedin.com/in/rischultz/ Databricks https://www.databricks.com/ Diego Lomanto https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegolomanto/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode, Craig and Matt host Dan Gottlieb, Vice President Analyst at Gartner. They discuss sales strategies, highlighting the need for modern sales organizations to rethink their talent strategies, simplify sales processes, and intelligently apply technology. Dan shares insights from Gartner research on the competencies of high-performing sales reps and the importance of adaptability, tactical flexibility, and AI partnership. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities in adopting AI in sales, the value of point-of-view selling, and how technology can enhance sales tactics.Takeaways:Focus on hiring and developing talent that exhibits essential future skills like mentalizing, tactical flexibility, and AI partnership. Develop hiring processes that test these competencies through practical exercises and scenarios.Replace overly complex sales methodologies like MEDIC and MedPIC with simplified processes centered around developing a differentiated point of view and creating compelling business cases, making the sales process more agile and buyer-focused.Emphasize practical applications such as AI-led sales research and automated transcription summaries to optimize efficiency.Encourage sales teams to be creative and adaptable in their approach to customer interactions and deal-making. Move away from rigid sales processes that can stifle innovation and responsiveness.Implement visual and interactive tools, such as virtual whiteboards for discovery and technical discussions. These tools can enhance engagement and collaboration during the sales process.Simplify and streamline buyer interactions by maintaining a focus on value delivery at each stage of the sales process. Ensure that your sales methodologies take into account the total buyer journey from initial engagement to final sale.Shift focus from generic approaches to more tailored, client-specific solutions. This entails understanding client needs deeply and adjusting your offerings to meet those needs uniquely.Chapters:00:00 - Discussing the Map and National Parks02:34 - Introducing Dan Gottlieb05:02 - Dan's Professional Journey10:28 - Sales Strategies and Talent Acquisition28:30 - Brief “Airplane” Reference 29:27 - Simplifying the Sales Process31:15 - Exercises in Sales Interviews32:50 - Point of View Selling34:13 - Interactive Discovery Techniques37:28 - AI in Sales Tech42:24 - Challenges in AI Adoption51:41 - Storytelling in Sales56:05 - Closing out the EpisodeQuote of the Show:“Think about what great prospecting is. It's all about finding a point of view and delivering that in a time that makes sense with a message that makes sense, but it originates from a point of view.” - Dan GottliebSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Dan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpgottlieb/ Website: https://www.gartner.com/en Shoutouts:Glacier National Park https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm Cutco https://www.cutco.com/ Miro https://miro.com/ Lucid Chart https://lucid.co/ ZoomInfo https://www.zoominfo.com/ Gong https://www.gong.io/ Outreach https://www.outreach.io/ Clari https://www.clari.com/John Barrows https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ Ashley Welch https://www.linkedin.com/in/awelch1/ Microsoft CoPilot https://copilot.microsoft.com/ Jeremy Donovan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremeydonovan/Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In today’s episode, Matt and Craig are joined by AJ Gandhi, Chief Growth Officer at Marlin Equity. The discussion is an in-depth exploration of go-to-market (GTM) strategies. They cover the importance of core selling skills, the impact of over-reliant sales enablement tools, and the undervalued power of creative marketing. AJ emphasizes the critical role of coherent, cross-functional collaboration in GTM strategies and the need to reassess current methods to align with today's discerning buyers. They also discuss the importance of accurate marketing spend, talent development, and the overlooked strategic role of customer and partner funnels in driving business growth.Takeaways:Be realistic about growth objectives and ensure that spending on sales and marketing is justified by actual returns.Focus more on marketing activities influencing the self-managed buyer's journey as buyers become more self-sufficient.Prioritize marketing activities that can quantitatively demonstrate influence on the buyer’s journey rather than just focusing on attribution metrics.Define and rigorously pursue your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).Create and maintain a targeted list of potential customers. Ensure all marketing and sales efforts are aligned with engaging this list.Implement structured hiring and talent assessment practices to ensure you are onboarding the right people.Ensure the CEO and executive team understand the value of different marketing and sales strategies and invest in the most promising approaches.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Paella Party Realization01:06 - AJ's Networking and Social Schedule06:59 - The Value of In-Person Problem Solving10:48 - Rethinking Go-To-Market Strategies14:15 - The Importance of Marketing in the Buyer’s Journey21:38 - Holistic Approach to Pipeline Management28:50 - Marketing Spend and Attribution41:24 - Challenges in Sales Talent Development47:34 - Evaluating Marketing Investments50:04 - Building a Winning Team51:14 - Closing Thoughts and FarewellQuote of the Show:“People just need to step back and almost like forget all the stuff that they're doing that's part of the standard playbook. Take a step back and really think about what are we trying to do here and how do we actually influence these buyers’ dreams.” - AJ GandhiSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with AJ:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Website: https://www.marlinequity.com/ Shoutouts:Sydney Sloan https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/ Ryan Azus https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanazus/ RingCentral https://www.ringcentral.com/ Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Jen Igartua https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-igartua/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Guy Rubin https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode of 'The Transaction,' Matt and Craig are joined by John Common, CEO of Intelligent Demand, to discuss various aspects of B2B growth strategy. The conversation focuses on the importance of different go-to-market motions, ICP targeting, and the implementation of cross-functional alignment. John stresses moving beyond tactical focus to strategic integration, operationalizing alignment, and realistically tackling people problems to achieve scalable growth. The episode wraps up with a focus on practical steps for CEOs and ELTs to improve business performance through clearly defined roles and metrics, and learning from successful case examples.Takeaways:Regularly assess and adjust the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) to ensure that targeting remains focused and effective. This ensures marketing and sales aim at the most lucrative customer segments.Translate alignment from a conceptual level to actionable, everyday practices. Implement clear role definitions, SLAs, and regular cross-functional meetings to ensure sustained alignment.Distinguish between primary and secondary go-to-market motions. Focus resources on getting exceptionally good at one or two primary motions before expanding efforts.Constantly educate and train leadership and teams on effective go-to-market strategies and the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Consider establishing training programs or workshops for this purpose.Sales and marketing should collaborate closely during the budgeting process to ensure coherent and mutually supportive plans. Present a unified budget to the board to reinforce company-wide commitment to shared goals.When facing alignment or performance issues, carefully diagnose whether they stem from role misalignment, poor management, or cultural issues. Address these root causes rather than defaulting to replacing personnelThe CEO or top leadership must set a strong precedent for cross-functional collaboration. Leaders should emphasize the importance of integrated strategies and reinforce them by example and mandate.Chapters:00:00 - Craig’s Hat and John's Music03:50 - Transition to Business Talk05:19 - Discussing Business Alignment08:28 - The Importance of Integrated Growth Plays25:17 - Professed vs. Actual Alignment29:05 - Realistic Expectations for Operators29:26 - Challenges in Sales and Marketing Alignment31:57 - Product Management in SMBs33:21 - Scaling Post Product-Market Fit36:49 - The Role of Heroics in Business Success47:20 - Final Thoughts and ReflectionsQuote of the Show:“By doing more, you actually might be hurting your brand more, you might be pissing buyers off more, and you definitely will be wasting your budget more.” - John CommonSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with John:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncommon/ Website: https://intelligentdemand.com/Podcast: https://www.growthdrivershow.com/ Shoutouts:Mark Kosoglow https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkosoglow/ Ray Rike https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayrike/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Definitive Guide to Lead Scoring https://business.adobe.com/resources/guides/lead-scoring.html Quartet https://www.quartet.com/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Today Craig and Matt welcome guest Andy Raskin, a renowned figure in the B2B space. The discussion revolves around the importance of creating impactful sales narratives. They discuss the structure and strategy behind compelling sales decks, leaning on examples like the famous Zuora deck. Andy shares insights on transitioning from founder-led sales pitches to scalable narratives and emphasizes the significance of CEO involvement in crafting these stories. The conversation also explores how narratives can frame market changes and embody a movement, making them more relatable and engaging for diverse audiences. Takeaways:Emphasize understanding and communicating the significant shifts in the market. Define the transition from the old way of doing things to the new, improved method. This helps in making the change more tangible and understandable for the audience.Clearly describe the benefits or the "promised land" that will be achieved by adopting the new approach or mindset.Ensure that the CEO or top leadership is deeply involved in crafting and telling the company’s story. This helps align the entire organization around a unified narrative.Include insights from sales, marketing, product, and other relevant teams to enrich the narrative with diverse perspectives and validate its applicability across different functions.Utilize the same narrative across various contexts like sales meetings, investor presentations, media interactions, and recruiting conversations to maintain consistency and reinforce the message.Revisit and adjust the narrative as the company grows, especially when integrating new acquisitions or entering new markets. Ensure the core story remains relevant and compelling as the business landscape evolves.Chapters:00:00 - Welcome to Foster City01:13 - Introducing Andy Raskin02:02 - The Greatest Sales Deck Ever04:43 - The Power of Movements in Business17:59 - The Subscription Economy23:07 - The Importance of CEO Involvement in Sales Decks26:16 - Challenges in Replicating Founder's Passion27:21 - Crafting a Compelling Narrative27:59 - The Role of the CEO in Shaping the Narrative29:27 - Key Points in a Company's Growth31:29 - Teasing the Promised Land36:00 - Identifying and Overcoming Obstacles43:51 - The Power of a Unique Story48:02 - Final Thoughts and Closing RemarksQuote of the Show:“He’s championing a movement, and I think the best leaders, I'm not even talking about marketers, I'm talking about CEOs, frame their companies this way.” - Andy RaskinSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Andy:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyraskin/ Website: https://andyraskin.com/ Shoutouts:Zuora https://www.zuora.com/ Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Tien Tzuo https://www.linkedin.com/in/tientzuo/ Dreamforce https://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/ One Trust https://www.onetrust.com/ Chris Voss https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophervoss/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1

In this episode, Matt and Craig delve into the evolving landscape of LinkedIn as a key platform for B2B thought leadership and brand building with the insights of Alec Paul, a LinkedIn strategist and Founder of SalesBrand. Alec discusses the significance of authenticity, audience engagement, and the potential of LinkedIn video. The conversation also covers the limitations and strategies for optimizing LinkedIn profiles, promoting podcasts, and understanding LinkedIn's algorithm. This episode is a deep dive into actionable strategies that can transform LinkedIn into a powerful tool for business growth.Takeaways:Encourage executives and key leaders to build their personal brands on LinkedIn. This creates authenticity and can serve as a powerful channel for engagement and outreach.Share personal experiences, including successes and failures, to build trust and depth with your audience. Vulnerability makes leaders relatable and credible.Focus on producing high-quality, engaging content rather than flooding your feed with frequent, less impactful posts. Two to three well-crafted posts can be more effective than daily low-value content.While having a content calendar is useful, remain flexible to adjust based on what is resonating with the audience. Be prepared to pivot based on feedback and engagement metrics.Use podcasts or episodic videos to create compelling LinkedIn posts. Focus on extracting interesting stories or key insights from these content forms to create high-engagement posts.Ensure that LinkedIn profiles are well-crafted with a clear narrative. Include a professional banner image, a strong headline, and a detailed resume that aligns with the content being posted.Weave the company’s story into personal content authentically. Share insights into company decisions, product launches, and behind-the-scenes activities to engage the audience deeply.Chapters:00:00 - Gen Z Slang03:42 - Guest Introduction: Alec Paul06:05 - The Importance of Personal Branding on LinkedIn07:58 - Common Misconceptions About Outsourcing Content11:07 - Getting Started with LinkedIn Content17:39 - Finding Content Market Fit25:30 - The Sixth Sense Approach in Startups27:45 - Building Credibility Through Transparency30:20 - Turning Companies into Characters33:35 - The Role of Executives in Social Media38:54 - Leveraging Executive Brands for Go-to-Market47:19 - Challenges and Strategies in Podcast Promotion49:40 - (Not) Understanding LinkedIn's Algorithm54:07 - Concluding Thoughts and Future InsightsQuote of the Show:“You want to learn the best practices and different forms of engagement or writing, but you still need to be the most authentic you.” - Alec PaulSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Alec:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecjpaul/ Shoutouts:Adam Robinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadamSam Jacobs https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobsPavilion https://www.joinpavilion.com/ Snowflake https://www.snowflake.com/en/ Sridhar Ramaswamy https://www.linkedin.com/in/sridhar-ramaswamyJohn Miller https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this episode of The Transaction, Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg are joined by Ray Rike to delve into the world of metrics. Ray shares his passion for allowing SaaS operators to make metric-informed and benchmark-validated decisions by looking at metrics across the entire customer journey. He highlights key metrics such as CAC ratio, inbound hand raisers, and expansion CAC ratio, emphasizing their crucial roles in making informed business decisions. The conversation also explores the significance of shared goals among go-to-market teams and the need for a detailed analysis of the sales funnel. The episode wraps up with actionable insights on optimizing sales and marketing investments to improve efficiency and drive sustainable growth.Takeaways:Move beyond just tracking the number of top-of-funnel leads. Look at long-term metrics such as the percentage of qualified pipeline from inbound hand raisers and the efficiency metrics like CAC ratio.Ensure that both the CMO and the CRO have shared goals that include both pipeline and revenue numbers. This shared accountability can drive better collaboration and overall performance.Track metrics such as cycle time, average contract value (ACV), and win rates for inbound hand raisers compared to outbound sourced leads to better understand the efficiency of your marketing efforts.Break down pipeline sources by marketing, outbound sales development, direct sales, and channel partners. Assess pipeline coverage ratios and CAC ratios for each source to identify inefficiencies.Adopt rolling metrics, such as five or nine months, to track the long-term impact of marketing investments like podcasts or large content initiatives.Set AE-specific pipeline goals and offer incentives for AE-generated opportunities to improve the balance and efficiency of pipeline creation.As your company scales, regularly reassess and reallocate resources between new customer acquisition and existing customer expansion to optimize efficiency and growth.Chapters:00:00 - Matt's Tardiness and Ray's GE Story01:40 - Introduction to Ray Rike03:37 - Ray's Mission: SaaS Metrics and Benchmarks08:11 - Marketing Metrics: CAC Ratio and Pipeline Efficiency11:43 - Deep Dive: CAC Ratio and Marketing Spend25:26 - Sales Development and Pipeline Coverage29:27 - Pipeline Challenges and Inefficiencies32:49 - The Importance of Go-to-Market Alignment34:16 - Evaluating SDR Performance and Metrics35:41 - Optimizing Growth in a Capital-Constrained Environment41:15 - Shared Goals and Collaboration in Sales and Marketing49:33 - The Impact of Expansion CAC Ratio53:59 - Concluding Thoughts and Key TakeawaysQuote of the Show:“I believe that shared goals that are measurable by metrics help with alignment and integration of a go-to-market team.” - Ray RikeSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Guest:Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayrike/ Guest Website: https://www.benchmarkit.ai/ Shoutouts:Dave Kellogg https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelloggdave/ SaaS Talk with the Metrics Brothers https://www.benchmarkit.ai/saas-talk SaaS Metrics Palooza https://www.benchmarkit.ai/saas-metrics-palooza Byron Dieter https://www.linkedin.com/in/byrondeeter/ Bessemer https://www.bvp.com/ Dave Spitz https://www.linkedin.com/in/dspitz/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

The Transaction’s guest today is one of many talents. Jen Igartua, who is not only the CEO of GoNimbly but also a side hustler in both comedy and board game designing, provides her insights on the sales and marketing world today. The conversation covers transforming B2B sales strategies using signal-based selling and PLG (Product-Led Growth) insights. Jen shares her innovative approach of using algorithmic scoring and playbooks to refine lead scoring and offering specific actionable insights for sales teams. She emphasizes the importance of integrating data from diverse sources and creating systems in Salesforce to optimize outcomes. The discussion also touches on evolving roles for SDRs and leveraging automation to enhance their effectiveness. Towards the end, Jen shares her side venture as a board game designer and the unexpected success of her game, 'Side Effects.'Takeaways:Develop a system that triggers alerts and notifications based on specific business signals, ensuring those signals are integrated into CRM platforms like Salesforce for easy access by sales teams.Deliver summarized and relevant data insights to the sales team. Ensure that raw data is processed into actionable information, with clear next steps included.Design playbooks that align with specific triggers and signals, providing the sales team with structured guidance on how to respond and engage clients based on the data insights.Ensure that all customer interactions, whether in marketing or sales, are unified in a single repository like a data warehouse and accessible from the CRM. This avoids silos and allows for a holistic view of client engagement.Consider automating the initial touchpoints of outbound campaigns through marketing, and then routing the responses and qualified leads to SDRs for further personalized engagement.Move beyond traditional lead scoring to a more outcome-focused model that considers multiple signals for different stages of the customer lifecycle, such as expansion opportunities and churn risks.Even with automation, ensure that meaningful human interactions remain a core part of the sales process, particularly for high-value touchpoints.Chapters:00:00 - Jen's Comedy Career01:28 - Welcoming Jen Igartua02:48 - Jen's Background and Experience03:28 - The Big Question04:12 - Shifts in Lead Scoring07:10 - Intercom's Tactical Example08:40 - Challenges in Signal-Based Selling14:29 - Building Effective Sales Playbooks18:39 - Integrating Signals into Salesforce25:10 - Leveraging High Usage Data for AI Product Pitches26:01 - Effective Playbooks and Workflow Integration27:05 - The Shift to Data Warehouses29:29 - The Role and Future of SDRs in Sales33:27 - The Human Element in Sales Automation42:44 - Exploring the Side Hustle: Board Game Design46:53 - Conclusion and Final ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“It’s rare that you actually see folks really putting themselves in the customer’s shoes and saying ‘What do they actually need?’” - Jen IgartuaSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Jen:Jen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-igartua/ Website: https://gonimbly.com/ Shoutouts:Scott Brinker https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/ Esteban Kolsky https://www.linkedin.com/in/estebankolsky/ EverString https://lsvp.com/company/everstring/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Intercom https://www.intercom.com/ Twilio https://www.twilio.com/en-us Ashley Welch https://www.linkedin.com/in/awelch1/ Dave Brock https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebrock/ Zendesk https://www.zendesk.com/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Today Mark Kosoglow, an experienced sales professional and an advisor at HockeyStack, discusses with Craig and Matt his insightful perspectives on sales strategies. He emphasizes the importance of creativity over sheer volume in outreach and the challenges posed by current sales practices. Mark highlights his approach to sales from his time at Outreach, underscoring the significance of business acumen, the use of relevant buyer experiences, and the concept of a 'buyer room.' The discussion also explores the effectiveness and potential drawbacks of digital sales rooms and inbound-led outbound strategies, concluding with a reflection on the importance of helping buyers make confident decisions.Takeaways:Evaluate and shift from increasing touchpoints to enhancing the quality of interactions. Encourage your sales team to prioritize meaningful, well-crafted communications rather than mass outreaches.Train your sales team to understand and analyze business data, industry trends, and customer insights.Develop sales processes and tools that are centered on the buyer’s journey. Consider introducing tools or methodologies that allow for co-creation with buyers to make them feel more involved and valued in the sales process.Leverage platforms like Slack where your customers are already active. Integrate your sales communications and materials into these existing workflows to increase adoption and engagement.Foster an environment where creativity is valued and different approaches are encouraged. This can help your team stand out in a crowded market.Reduce friction points for potential customers, like unnecessary qualification steps. Make it easier for them to get the information and demos they need, minimizing any barriers to engagement.Use AI to enhance the buyer’s experience, such as providing insights and recommendations based on their interactions. However, be wary of over-automation that could lead to impersonal experiences.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Story Swapping02:46 - Endorsements and Praise for Mark04:25 - Sales Leadership and Challenges06:44 - The Problem with Sales Touches14:04 - Creativity in Sales16:45 - Business Acumen in Sales22:11 - Marketing and Personalization24:31 - Sales Rooms Discussion27:10 - The Buyer's Perspective on Digital Sales Rooms28:46 - Real-World Sales Cycle Example30:26 - The Concept of a Buyer Room39:26 - Inbound vs. Outbound Marketing Debate44:22 - Reimagining the Sales Demo Process51:29 - Final Thoughts and ConclusionQuote of the Show:“Sales is a numbers game, but unfortunately there's two sides to that coin. One is if you don't do enough, you won't get results. The other one is if you do too much, you won't get results.” - Mark KosoglowSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Guest:Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkosoglow/ Shoutouts:Doug Landis https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglandis/ Outreach https://www.outreach.io/ Adam Robinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/ Little Red Book of Selling https://www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Book-Selling-Principles/dp/1885167601 Catalyst https://catalyst.io/ Dave Brock https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebrock/ Slack https://slack.com/ Matt Dixon https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewxdixon/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ 

This episode brings on Dennis Lyandres as the guest. He is currently an advisor at ICONIQ Capital and has many years of sales, marketing, and strategy experience. Along with Craig and Matt, Dennis discusses effective leadership techniques and the importance of relentless learning in the sales and marketing world. He emphasizes the importance of hiring curious, humble, and growth-oriented individuals. The conversation covers critical aspects of scaling a business, such as proactive hiring and firing practices, leadership development, and leveraging unique people strategies. They stress the need for purposeful learning and personalized development plans to foster great leaders and retain high-performing teams. This episode is chalked full of insight from Dennis, listen to hear more!Takeaways:When hiring, focus on vetting candidates for qualities such as curiosity, humility, and a growth mindset. These attributes can significantly impact their success and the culture of the organization.Effective firing is crucial. While hiring is about adding value, firing ensures that non-performing or culture-misaligned individuals do not hinder organizational progress. Handle firings with dignity and as potential growth opportunities for those individuals.Encourage a culture of continuous learning and development. This contributes to better leadership and organizational adaptability.Building and maintaining trust within the team is essential. Transparency in operations, especially involving key metrics and strategic goals, can significantly enhance trust and performance.Ensure that sales leaders and managers are adept at the core competencies and are continuously certified in areas like product knowledge and pitching.The B2B sales and marketing world evolves rapidly. Leaders need to stay updated and adapt quickly to avoid obsolescence.Chapters:00:00 Dennis's Story: From Cloudera to Procore02:34 Welcoming Dennis Lyandres03:16 The Rapid Evolution of B2B Sales and Marketing05:59 The Importance of People Strategy in Business10:20 Hiring and Firing: Key Leadership Insights16:09 Curiosity and Learning in Sales19:23 The Role of Leadership in Organizational Success27:33 The Excitement of Hiring vs. The Dread of Firing29:30 The Importance of Effective Firing32:01 Learning and Development in Leadership36:30 Transparency and Leadership Development40:53 Tailoring Enablement Programs for Leaders47:44 Developing Marketing Leaders51:19 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“I'm willing to bet that leadership is the most important thing to winning, that training and development are super important.” - Dennis LyandresSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Dennis:Dennis’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/ Website: https://www.iconiqcapital.com/ Shoutouts:Cloudera https://www.cloudera.com/ Lars Nilsson https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanilsson/ Procore https://www.procore.com/ SalesLoft https://www.salesloft.com/ Robert Koehler https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkoehler/ Carol Dweck https://profiles.stanford.edu/carol-dweck Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/