The LeadG2 Podcast

In this episode, we’re discussing AI’s impacts on the world of SEO and what further changes can be expected down the road.We ask questions like: What does the current state of SEO look like with the advent of so many AI technologies? How can marketers adapt their strategies to stay ahead of algorithm updates driven by AI? And how has AI affected the way content is created and optimized for search engines?Joining Dani to answer those questions and more is Tom Winter, CGO at SEOWind.Tom shares so many awesome points, like: How, while AI has genuine superpowers, the human touch still matters. Why it’s important to “live your KPI’s.”  And, finally, how we’re currently living in a time where AI is giving everyone the ability to compete with much bigger marketing teams.LINKS:Tom WinterSEOWindDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re discussing the importance of hashing out a strategic gameplan for your B2B marketing efforts.We ask questions like: What are the key elements that should be included in a strategic marketing gameplan? What is a market opportunity analysis and why is it so important? And how do you strike the right balance between personalized communication and scalable approaches when it comes to B2B spaces?Joining Dani to answer those questions and more is John Lenker, Founder/CVO at Lenker.John shares a ton of great insights, like: How there must be a truly compelling reason for people to put their guard down and buy into the solutions you are trying to sell. Why follow-through and the overall customer experience is often as big a part of the sale as what it is you’re actually selling.  And, finally, why it’s important to recognize and understand what you can truly bring to the table in a business relationship.LINKS:John LenkerLenkerlenker.com/LeadG2Dani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re diving into the many benefits that come with implementing a solid inbound marketing strategy. Chief among them? How your company is better able to reach and educate your ideal prospects.Here we ask questions like: What kind of problems and needs does an inbound marketing strategy help solve? Why is it important to be creating new educational content? And what inbound marketing tactics yield the most significant results?Helping Dani answer those questions and more is the amazing Hilary Dillard, Marketing Director at Questco.Hilary has so many awesome insights, such as: How inbound marketing helps nurture leads through the sales process Why an inbound marketing is perfect for industries where a lot of education is typically needed And lastly, how inbound marketing helps establish you and your company as “that thought leader” who people feel comfortable turning to when they have concerns or questions. LINKS:Hilary DillardQuestcoDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re breaking down our own approach when it comes to inbound marketing and sales enablement as a company that specializes in...inbound marketing and sales enablement!Here, we ask questions like: How do we approach developing content that resonates with our target audience? How do we empower our sales team with the tools, resources, and information needed to effectively engage and convert inbound leads? And how do we ensure sales and marketing alignment to facilitate a seamless transition from lead generation to the sales pipeline?Joining Dani to answer those questions and so many more is Shaye Smith, Director of Marketing here at LeadG2!Shaye shares some great pieces of insight, like: Why utilizing owned content is key to not only educating prospects but to also helping them through the buyer’s journey.  How tapping into the thought leadership and expertise of your own team can be a major boon to your current content strategy. And lastly, how creating smaller pieces of content from a larger piece of premium content can be an affordable and efficient way to deliver helpful solutions to your ideal customer. LINKS:Shaye SmithDani BuckleyLeadG2 

In this episode, we’re exploring how a solid inbound marketing and sales enablement initiative can help salespeople better figure out the areas they are looking to target.We ask questions like: How do you align an inbound marketing initiative with your overall business goals? What role does content play in an inbound marketing strategy? And how do you measure the success of your inbound marketing campaigns?Joining Dani to help break it all down is Deb Williams, General Manager at Federated Media.Deb brings up some great points, like: Why a great inbound marketing and sales enablement strategy can help salespeople better articulate what they’re trying to sell.  Why it’s important to view your company’s website as a resource manual that’s there to help solve your ideal customer’s problems. And finally, why it’s essential to have buy-in from your salespeople when adopting a new inbound marketing and sales enablement initiative.LINKS:Deb WilliamsFederated MediaDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re talking about how to get real results by utilizing all four buckets of sales enablement: strategy, content, technology, and training.You’ll hear us ask questions like, what are the key components of sales enablement? What problems or needs are people trying to solve when implementing a sales enablement initiative? And what are the benefits of having a solid sales enablement strategy in place?Joining Dani to break it all down is our own Maryanne McWhirter.Maryanne brings so many amazing points to the table, like: How great sales enablement helps make each stage of the sales process more efficient and effective Why great sales teams need sales playbooks And finally, how starting a solid sales enablement strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need to start. LINKS:Maryanne McWhirterDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we're breaking down the many ways in which thought leadership can play an important role in maximizing your B2B sales efforts. Here we tackle questions like: What exactly is thought leadership and why does it matter in B2B sales? Who is it for? How can sellers be incorporating thought leadership into their own strategy, as well as into different parts of the sales process? How do you go about measuring the ROI of thought leadership? Joining Dani to answer those questions and more, is Bill Sherman, COO and Thought Leadership Practice Lead at Thought Leadership Leverage. Bill makes some great points, such as:How true thought leadership begins with a provocative idea that starts a conversationWhat initial steps you can take to get started right away And, finally, how your own thought leadership can be one of the few sustainable advantages that you can have as a sellerLinks:Bill ShermanLeveraging Thought Leadership PodcastDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re discussing partnerships. Specifically, why fostering and maintaining them are so critical when it comes to growing your business. We ask questions like: What makes an effective partnership? For those exploring  potential partnerships, how do you know you’re making the right decision? And, how do you measure the success of a partnership?Joining me to answer those questions and more, is the awesome Barrett King, Senior Manager, Global Partner, GTM Strategy at HubSpot. Barrett shares a ton of great insights, including:How, when looking for potential partnerships, you should look to the products and services that are used in tandem by your end customerWhy it's important to aim for a surround sound approach when entering into a partnership. And, finally, why every partnership should feel like you're investing in a lucrative relationship.Links:Barrett KingOutcomes - Where Partnerships & SaaS MeetDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re exploring how to go about creating valid business reason’s (AKA, VBR’s) that are truly compelling, that clearly convey the reason why people should want to meet with YOU!We ask questions like: what are some top tips to think about when crafting a VBR? What are some common mistakes to avoid? And how should sales leaders go about coaching their sellers in the process of developing VBR’s?Joining me to help break it all down is Emily Estey, VP/Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy.Emily brings up some great points from her years of experience, like: Why a solid VBR should communicate 3 aspects: empathy, expertise, and problem-solving ability.  How a solid VBR is not about you, it’s about the product. And finally, why thinking like a consumer can provide some of the greatest insights when creating a valid business reason. Links:Emily EsteyDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re discussing how to ensure that your salespeople are using the sales content that is provided to them.Here, we ask questions like: Why is content important to prospects and customers? Does it make a difference? Why does sales content often remain unutilized by salespeople? What elements should be in place in order for sales to make the best use of marking content? Joining Dani to answer those questions and so many more is Phyllis Davidson, VP/Principal Analyst at Forrester. Phyllis brings up some great pieces of insight, like: Why sales reps who make use of content perform better than their peers who do not. How too many sellers are left confused about when to use certain pieces of content and, just as importantly, where to access them. And lastly, why strengthening the relationship between marketing and sales can only result in stronger and more helpful content for sellers and prospects alike. Links:Phyllis DavidsonThe Definition of "More from Less" in B2B Content Strategy and OperationsB2B Content: Experimentation Means Bold Bets and Cold SweatsDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re once again diving into the ripple effects we’re all feeling from the current AI boom. This time though, we’re homing in on it’s effects on SEO.  How is AI impacting traditional SEO practices? What AI tools are already altering the way that SEO is done? What do those in SEO need to be thinking as new AI innovations continue to be unveiled?Helping Dani explore this topic is Ross Raffin, content strategist here at LeadG2. Ross has so many great insights, such as:Why keeping a watchful eye on how Google is folding AI into how their generating search results is important. The role humans need to continue to play in AI content creation so that you don't negatively impact your SEO results. And, lastly, the importance of looking beyond ChatGPT and BARD to get a true handle on how AI can empower us and reshape how we work and create.Links:Ross RaffinDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re talking about how to create a sales enablement strategy that is actually helpful for your sellers and the prospect they’re interacting with on a daily basis.  You’ll hear us ask questions like, what kind of companies need sales enablement the most? How do you go about building a solid sales enablement strategy? And how do you measure the effectiveness of sales enablement content? Joining Dani to break it all down is Beth Osborne, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Marketron.Beth brings so many amazing points to the table, like: How great sales enablement content makes the life of your sellers easier. Why your sales enablement content should be developed for anyone who could be a prospect, not just your typical customers.  And finally, How a solid sales enablement strategy should be more about building relationships than merely trying to influence a prospect.  Links:Beth OsborneDani BuckleyLeadG2

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of B2B2C, discussing how to attract both businesses and consumers to your solutions while maintaining your core message and identity as an organization.  We ask questions like: how do you define B2B2C exactly? What are some of the top challenges to expect when implementing a B2B2C marketing strategy? And what are some effective approaches for building strong partnerships with other businesses in a B2B2C marketing environment?  Joining Dani to tackle those questions and more is the great Sandy Pearce, Senior Director of Marketing at Turf Distributors. Sandy makes so many amazing points, like: How one of the biggest challenges in B2B2C marketing is not spreading your teams too thin Why it pays to have the tightest and most well integrated of tech stacks And how the minute you start to make assumptions about who you are selling to, is the minute that you start falling down a rabbit hole Links:Sandra Pearce:linkedin.com/in/sandra-l-pearce/Dani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(02:16)  What is your definition of B2B2C?(03:58) I think the challenge is spreading yourself too thin(05:59) Tracking of ROI(07:19) You have to have the right tech stack(08:59) Sales and Marketing are not separate(11:32) Don't assume that all of your pieces are gonna run smoothly(13:42) All you have to do is get a handle on your voice(15:33) Build a tech stack that is completely integrated(18:28) The biggest mistake comes from Sales and Marketing not knowing each other's challenges(20:21) One piece of advice

In this episode, we’re exploring the crucial role content plays in truly serving your audience, asking questions like: What makes a piece of content truly valuable? What are the pros and cons of utilizing AI in content creation? And how can business leaders, sellers, and marketers stay current on the latest content creations trends?  Joining Dani to answer those questions and more is the awesome Chelsea Castle from Lavender. Chelsea shares a ton of great insights, like: How can you create content that passes the “eyebrow test?” Why AI is an assistant and not a replacement for all of your content creation needs And, finally, how every piece of content you create should come from a place of genuinely wanting to be as helpful as possible to your audience Links:Chelsea Castle:linkedin.com/in/chelseacastle/Dani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(01:52) Chelsea's background and experience(04:22) Your content needs to be helpful(06:29) Measuring success(09:11) How to determine what's working and what's not working(11:41) AI's role in content creation (16:38) What are some signs that you should pivot your content strategy?(19:01) What is one piece of advice you would give for those implementing a content strategy?  

In this episode, we’re discussing how to best utilize LinkedIn to boost your thought leadership efforts. Why is it important for sales leaders to develop their professional reputation on LinkedIn? What are some best practices and common mistakes leaders are making? What types of posts work well and how often should you post them? Joining me to answer those questions and so many more is Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy. Matt brings up some great pieces of insight, like: Why it’s important to build thought leadership on LinkedIn not to get more leads, but to simply be helpful How closing the “knowing” and “doing” gap can mean winning half the battle As well as tips and best practices for how to do this consistently and effectively Links: Matt Sunshine:linkedin.com/in/mattsunshine/Dani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(02:32) Why is it important for business and sales leaders to develop their professional reputation on LinkedIn?(05:01) Tips for getting your LinkedIn profile in tip top shape(07:28) Use your profile summary to talk about the problems you help solve...not you(08:28) Growing your LinkedIn network(10:06) Closing the "knowing and doing" gap(11:06) Reacquaint yourself with people you may have known previously but aren't connected with on LinkedIn(12:11) Tips for growing your thought leadership(18:49) Common mistakes to avoid(21:59) Thoughts on using LinkedIn for lead gen and prospecting(23:44) Use LinkedIn for mentorship

In this episode, we’re diving into Account-Based Marketing (or ABM), asking questions like: Why is ABM a strategy worth the consideration of sales leaders? What are the hurdles that leaders can anticipate when acclimating to an ABM strategy? And how do you determine what accounts to target in the first place? Joining Dani to help break it all down is Elissa Nauful, Director of Sales at The Center for Sales Strategy.Elissa gets into some great points from her first-hand experience, like: How it provides the perfect opportunity to build beautiful relationships with prospects Why a strong ABM strategy requires alignment between sales and marketing, and how do that well The roll of technology in ABM And, lastly, how ABM can paint such a clear picture of where people are in the buying process, making it that much easier to extend your “digital hand” and nurture them.  Links:Elissa Nauful:linkedin.com/in/elissanauful/Dani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(02:28) Why Elissa thinks ABM is a good strategy.(03:48) What directors of sales should be on the lookout for when embarking on their ABM journey(06:40) Make sure your team uses your CRM(07:57) Marketing and Sales alignment is important for a successful ABM strategy(11:57) What are some potential hurdles that sales leaders might encounter when adopting an ABM strategy?(14:26) It's so much cheaper to hire someone who knows what they're doing than to try and learn it yourself.(15:27) How do you determine what accounts to target and what does that process look like?(17:29) Tell us a little bit about your experience using RollWorks(21:03) ABM is really helpful as you try to be as relevant as possible to prospects by category or by job detail

In this episode, we’re digging into the world of authentic selling. What is it and how can you hone this in a salesperson? How do you know when you’re selling authentically? How do you know when you’re not? Helping Dani explore what authentic selling is all about is Kendrick Shope, CEO at Authentic Selling Kendrick has so many awesome insights, such as: If any part of your sales process feels “icky” or “gross,” then you’re probably not making organic decisions Why it’s important to create raving fans without being a door mat And how asking yourself the question, “How can I be of service” can lead to the most authentic sales relationships Links:Kendrick Shope: linkedin.com/in/kendrickshope/Dani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(02:13) Kendrick has been studying selling for over half of her life(04:20) Selling without doing things that feel icky, sleazy, slimy, gross, crusty, musty, rusty, dusty (06:23) The opposite of authentic selling(08:22) Create raving fans, but don't be a doormat(09:48) Follow up is a must.(13:19) How can I be of service?(15:26) What should sales leaders know to support this approach to selling?(17:13) "Always be closing," is the worst advice ever

In this episode, we’re exploring the ever-changing role of AI in content creation. Are the current capabilities of AI tools all that they are cracked up to be? Is AI a boon to the content creation industry or a disruptor? Will ChatGPT replace us all?!  Joining Dani to break it all down is Megan Skalbeck, Head of AI Projects at Verblio. Megan brings so many amazing points to the table, like: How AI tools, while far from perfect, are capable of performing truly incredible tasks Why you should keep a watchful eye for factual inaccuracies when using tools like ChatGPT – Spoiler alert: these programs can speak a little too confidently about wrong information  And finally, why content creators shouldn’t be treating AI as a silver bullet for their every task or, conversely, grabbing their pitchforks in defiance Links:Megan Skalbeck: linkedin.com/in/megan-skalbeck-75251466/The Best AI Detection Tools of 2023 - Or, When the Turing Test Won't Cut It:verblio.com/blog/ai-detection-toolsDani Buckley:linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/LeadG2:leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/TIMESTAMPS:(02:53) Megan's experience and background with AI(05:45) When you think about what AI is actually doing and what it's capable of, it is incredible(07:35) You should be playing around with and testing new AI tools, but keep humans in the loop(11:24) One of the biggest risks is the factual accuracy (12:45) AI is that it is not capable of generating novel, original thinking(14:42) The biggest general mistake is treating AI as either a silver bullet or condemning it outright(17:38) If AI is using information intelligence, data and content on the internet, at what point do we know that what these tools are producing isn't regurgitated AI content that may be incorrect?(19:22) People are slapping AI on everything nowadays

Episode 26: Just as we all have had to adjust to hybrid and remote work environments over the past few years, so too have sales organizations had to adjust their strategies for virtual spaces. In this episode, we’re discussing the ever-increasing shift to virtual sales and how sales managers and salespeople should alter their approach accordingly.  Joining Dani is Lori Richardson. Lori is an author, speaker, and podcast host as well as the CEO, and Founder of Score More Sales, a nimble, award-winning sales enablement firm that helps mid-sized technology, distribution, and services companies grow front-line revenues in quick and focused ways. She hosts the podcast, Conversations with Women in Sales, which features women in sales who share practical advice for advancing one’s sales career.  Together, Dani and Lori cover the continual shift to virtual sales in a few key areas, such as: Why adapting to virtual sales has been so hard for so many How everyone needs coaching. No matter how long they’ve been in sales. And finally, how truly knowing the individuals on your sales team, and what motivates them, can be the secret sauce for sustained success and fulfillment CONNECT:LeadG2: LeadG2: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/ Dani Buckley:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/About: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/dani-buckley Shaye Smith:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shayesmith/About: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/shaye-smithLori Richardson:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scoremoresales/TIMESTAMPS:(02:31) Why has the continual shift to virtual sales been so hard for so many?(04:35) There are two different types of folks(06:23) Confusion around "sales enablement"(10:31) The importance of good leadership(11:34) "Everybody needs coaching. I don't care how senior they are."(15:07) We still have less women at every level in professional selling(16:57) Look for traits (not personality) when looking for sales talent(17:53) Know the individuals on your team and know what motivates them

Episode 23: In this episode, we are discussing all things Account Based Marketing (AKA? ABM). Often, sales and marketing are each toiling away in their own departments, siloed off from one another while performing their day-to-day duties. Well, with today’s topic those two departments will be working together that much more. Because ABM sees marketing and sales collaborating in order to target specific, high value accounts.  And who better to help break down ABM than one of the leaders from Rollworks, a top Account Based Marketing platform for B2B marketing and sales? Joining Dani, is Shawn Cook. Shawn is VP of New Business Sales at RollWorks and has 25 years experience leading high-performance sales teams, with 15 years in Martech at companies like Vocus/Cision, Eloqua/Oracle, TrackMaven/Skyword and Triblio. Shawn is known to create his own words like “Compelevant” (a combination of compelling and relevant) or “Humblonfident” (a combination of being humble first but always confident). Although he is a VP of Sales, Shawn doesn't really believe in “selling” in the traditional sense, but rather in facilitating buying processes and helping buyers to determine whether or not they should be in a buying process.  Together, Dani and Shawn break down ABM in a few key areas: How Shawn defines ABM (Spoiler alert: it’s “quirky”) What companies are a good fit for ABM and what criteria to look at when making that decision Tips for pairing Inbound Marketing and lead generation with ABM CONNECT:LeadG2: LeadG2: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/ Dani Buckley:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daniobuckley/About: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/dani-buckley Shaye Smith:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shayesmith/About: leadg2.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/shaye-smithShawn Cook:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shawnsationalcso/RollWorks: rollworks.com/TIMESTAMPS:(03:21) "QERC"(04:22) You're not trying to boil the ocean(06:35) Benefits of ABM(07:54) Sales should be just as digital as everything else(09:40) 10 times more efficient without 10 times the budget(11:14) If you have a Target account list, you're ready for ABM(14:11) What would you say to those considering ABM?(16:41) RollWorks(22:04) "Compellevant"