We dive into Sendoso's journey from initially targeting sales teams to discovering that marketing leaders were the actual buyers. Kris explains their category naming evolution - from the failed "engagement delivery platform" to the more descriptive and customer-friendly "direct mail and gifting platform" - highlighting the importance of using language your customers already understand.

Kris shares fascinating insights on how companies use strategic gifting to drive remarkable results, including how Gong generated over $30 million in pipeline from sending pinatas and how Gainsight leveraged their CEO's book to create $8 million in pipeline. We discuss the balance between personalization and scale, with Kris explaining their three-part personalization framework: personalizing around the individual, the signal, or the action.

We also explore how Sendoso's messaging evolved from feature-focused to outcome-driven, and how they use data and AI to enhance creativity in gifting strategies. Whether you're a startup founder or marketing leader, this episode offers valuable insights on breaking through the noise in today's crowded digital landscape.

Enjoy!

CONNECT WITH KRIS

• Kris on LinkedIn
• Sendoso's website
• Email Kris: kris@sendoso.com

SHOW NOTES

• 02:03 From Sales to Sendo: The Origin Story
• 04:00 How Sales Background Influenced Sendo's Vision
• 05:07 The Pivot: When Marketing Became the Primary Buyer
• 06:26 Category Creation: The Evolution of Messaging
• 08:12 Testing Categories vs. Using Customer Language
• 10:18 Website Messaging: From Features to Outcomes
• 12:46 The Power of Visual Storytelling and Product Tours
• 14:40 Adapting to Modern Buyer Research Habits
• 16:14 Dynamic Headlines and Specific Value Propositions
• 19:16 Research Methods for Informing Messaging Strategy
• 21:19 Messaging Milestones: From Features to Outcomes
• 22:22 Using Slack to Share Customer Feedback and Research
• 24:11 Customer Success Stories: Generating Millions in Pipeline
• 25:31 The Art of Personalization in Gifting
• 28:10 Scaling Gifting Through Automation
• 29:24 Sendo as a "Swiss Army Knife" for Marketing and Sales
• 31:11 Why Early-Stage Companies Benefit from Gifting
• 32:22 Current Trends in Company Positioning
• 33:32 Balancing Data and Creativity in Messaging
• 34:58 Campaign Spotlight: Halloween-Themed Marketing
• 36:03 "Swag That Stays": Creating Lasting Impressions
• 37:04 Advice for Founders on Positioning New Products
• 37:51 The Future: From Logistics to Data and AI

Learn more at https://conversionalchemy.net/

Connect with Chris https://linktr.ee/conversionalchemy