The Demand Gen Fix by GrowthMode Marketing (GrowthMode Marketing)

Welcome to our first episode of The Demand Gen Fix! On our inaugural episode we’re sharing our hot take on lead generation and why it’s not an effective strategy in today’s market. The connection between sales and marketing can end in frustration for both parties when it comes to finding good leads. 

The key to success is demand generation. But how does this approach to marketing differ from lead generation? It’s the ticket to long-term sustainable growth because you’re not trying to push prospects into your sales process. Instead you’re meeting customers where they are at in the buying process. Demand generation involves targeted messages to an audience and getting content out there that speaks to the buyer’s needs at each stage of the journey. 

No matter what you’re selling, putting out a unique perspective and point of view can differentiate yourself from the top people in your niche market. Learn the distinct differences between lead generation vs. demand generation and practical tips for putting your best foot forward as a marketer.  

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:22] Welcome to Demand Gen Fix 

[01:04] Lead generation doesn’t work: Why? 

[02:47] What does a typical lead generation process look like? 

[06:03] Lead scores 

[10:34] Reaching out to people vs. reaching within

[11:17] How demand generation works 

[16:35] Lead generation compared to demand generation 

[25:57] The conclusion 

[26:37] Show outro 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

How exactly does demand generation drive better results? We’re talking about three steps to build demand generation for your brand: create demand, demand capture, and convert demand. With 72% of buyers expressing that they prefer to never have to talk to a sales rep, how do you put this into practice?  

Creating demand generation initially should focus on pain points – not selling your products. From guides to social media, just being vocal can make a big difference. Once a prospect enters the consideration and decision stages, then you start to go into your products with content that helps them do a deep dive. 

We’re talking about when forms should be used as well and what things can leave a sour taste in people’s mouths. Demand generation is a long-term strategy that takes time to build results. Set big goals and adjust your strategies along the way. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:19] The framework of demand generation 

[06:31] Why companies hesitate to invest in brand building 

[07:39] Creating and capturing the demand of buyers

[10:32] How do you cater to small portion of people who want to talk to a sales rep? 

[14:06] What does demand generation look like if people aren’t currently in the market to buy? 

[19:35] What type of demand capture should you look at for the 5% who are interested in evaluating solutions now? 

[22:58] Where does gating your content fit in? 

[27:51] Cons of gating your content 

[30:30] How do we support buyers the way they want to buy? 

[31:19] Last thoughts 

[32:20] Outro 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

What is your digital footprint and why should you invest in it? On today’s episode of Demand Gen Fix, we’re discussing why and how your online presence needs to be your best salesperson. Buyers are doing more and more of their own research online before making a purchase. In fact, 72% of millennials don’t want to talk to a sales rep when purchasing a product, so companies need to know how to adapt.

When building out your digital footprint, you need to make sure you have relevant content at the top, middle, and bottom of the sales funnel available in the channels that your potential buyers are looking. We’re talking about strategies to make sure you’re building out a strong digital footprint that hits each stage of the buyers journey.

In an ever shifting world, a strong digital footprint can make or break a company. Investing in your online content is investing in your sales team, because it will bring stronger leads in the door. Listen in to learn all this and more on Demand Gen Fix.

[00:00] Show intro

[00:19] Your digital footprint

[01:02] Why does your digital footprint need to be your best sales person?

[07:36] The importance of being “available” 24/7

[08:15] COVID separating the good digital footprints from the bad

[10:10] Top, middle, and bottom of the funnel

[14:53] What content to put out at the different stages of the funnel

[24:57] “But my priority isn’t building out content”

[28:06] The take away

[28:40] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

For every product and service, there’s an addressable market that could all be potential buyers. So how do you rope them all in? The easy answer is, you don’t! On today’s episode of The Demand Gen Fix, we’re talking about why it’s important to really narrow down who you’re marketing to in order to expand the reach you have. The more focused your audience, the more you can tailor your message to stand out from the crowd.

Putting yourself in your buyers’ shoes can help you see that people are looking for someone who really speaks to them specifically. Speaking your buyers’ language can set you apart and help you relate better to the people you’re marketing to. It’s easier said than done so we’re getting into some strategies you can implement to hone in on your ideal customer profile.

Narrowing your target audience does not mean you’re going to lose out on traction or profit. Buying has changed and that means marketing strategies need to adapt as well. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:21] Why narrowing down expands your reach

[00:55] What is a total addressable market

[03:00] How do you leverage the total addressable market?

[06:45] How do you stand out from the crowd

[09:37] Why does this matter to demand generation

[14:56] How do you narrow down your audience?

[16:54] Addressing the hesitation

[20:15] “But I won’t have enough people to sell to”

[25:28] The takeaways

[25:54] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Random acts of marketing. It’s a real problem. And as marketers, we’re all guilty of it at some level. From creating content just for the sake of content to not giving programs enough time before we ditch the effort and move on to the next tactic, random acts of marketing will drain your resources. This busy work that doesn’t have focus and a real intent behind it adds up over time to an ineffective marketing effort.

Like everything in your organization, your marketing should be tied back to your company goal. It has to be intentional and focused. Join us for this episode of Demand Gen Fix to learn how to spot a random act of marketing and tips for preventing it so you can drive real results. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:23] Random acts of marketing: what is it? 

[06:23] What can qualify as a random act of marketing? 

[21:15] What does random acts of marketing look like in an organization? 

[30:50] Random acts of marketing in a nutshell

[33:09] How do you combat random acts of marketing? 

[35:51] The key takeaways 

[36:10] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Is your company’s digital footprint your best salesperson? If you can't resoundingly say yes, then you've got work to do. 

Marketing content is a very critical component to building a strong demand generation engine. The challenge is it takes a lot of work to build out a large content library. In this episode of the The Demand Gen Fix podcast, we get into how you can slice and dice your content so you can get more mileage out of it to ultimately drive your reach and generate more sales for your organization. It’s called the multiplier effect. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:23] How to get more mileage out of your content

[07:13] Cornerstone content and cobblestone content

[15:09] How to slice and dice the content into multiple pieces of content

[19:53] How this also helps your sales team

[22:16] Main takeaways

[22:33] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A unique point of view is the story you tell in the market to drive awareness, build trust and ultimately build demand for your products and services. It is about finding an angle that your company can stand behind – that is different than what prospects are hearing from competitors.

You are not necessarily re-inventing the wheel. It is likely that the thoughts for a unique point of view already lives in the minds of your team. The key is to dig deep and find the story that will resonate with your ideal customer profile. 

Check out this episode of The Demand Gen Fix to learn how a unique point of view helps you break through the clutter and stand out in the market. 

If the story is good, they’ll follow along. And if those prospects that follow along buy into your unique viewpoint – they’ll also be more likely to buy your product or service when they are ready. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:22] Today’s topic: standing out from the crowd

[06:20] How do you stand out without a big budget?

[07:47] A unique point of view vs. message positioning

[12:17] If your product isn’t differentiated, how can you stand out from competitors

[13:58] If a unique point of view is different from message positioning, how is it defined?

[15:39] What a unique point of view should accomplish

[19:08] How do you define your point of view?

[22:28] Key takeaways

[22:53] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

B2B buyer behavior is changing and traditional lead generation tactics just don’t work the way they used to. Enter demand generation – a strategy that caters to the way buyer’s actually want to buy. Join us every week for interesting conversations around how to create a catalyst for growth by building your company’s demand generation engine.

This podcast is for HR technology marketers and leaders – as well as any other B2B marketer that is ready to break through the clutter of a crowded market and crush those revenue goals.

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The success of a demand generation engine depends on the many parts that make it run. In this episode, we focus on the first step to building your engine – the ideal customer profile.

An ideal customer profile is different than a buyer persona. It defines companies that are the best fit for your products and services. It focuses on key characteristics of an organization, major buying triggers and other things that indicate they are an ideal fit for your solution. 

If you’ve done your homework and created a good one, you’ll know exactly what type of companies are the best fit for your products and services. You can then use that information to create content that is highly relevant to this audience and attracts the right buyers to your
solutions.

[00:00] Show intro

[00:23] Welcome and intro to today’s topic

[00:54] What is an ideal customer profile?

[02:30] Buyer persona vs. ideal customer profile

[06:25] What goes into an ideal customer profile?

[08:08] The steps to creating an ideal customer profile

[16:26] How far should you narrow down your target?

[20:50] How to use your ideal customer profile

[29:46] Leverage your ideal customer profile when developing your story for the market

[32:24] Key points from the episode

[32:53] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

If your organization’s priority is high growth, this episode is for you! A strong demand generation engine that is continually fueled is key to creating a catalyst for growth. 

But what exactly goes into that demand generation engine? 

There are primary three pillars to build out: 

• Strategy - the map to achieve growth
• Content - the fuel to your engine
• Distribution - the wheels that travel 

In this episode, we walk you through the steps and considerations to building your engine to fire on all cylinders so you can drive more inbound and higher quality leads - leading to shorter sales cycles, higher closing rates and lower customer acquisition costs. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:23] The anatomy of a demand generation engine

[00:51] Why demand generation and not lead generation?

[04:06] Overview of the three main pillars of demand generation

[07:07] The first pillar: Strategy

[13:50] The second pillar: Content

[20:40] The third pillar: Distribution

[25:08] Wrap up summary

[25:51] Show outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

To build an effective demand generation engine, you’ve got to start with the strategy. This is the compass that provides direction to ensure your marketing is impactful and drives growth for your organization. But many marketers want to skip over the strategy and go straight to execution. 

 That is a mistake. 

 
The strategy elements are critical to ensuring your execution is hyper-focused on the right audience, the right story and the right channels so you can get maximum traction. 

 
The strategy includes:

·      Identifying your ideal customer profile

·      Defining your unique point of view 

·      Developing a content marketing and demand generation plan

 
When you start with these building blocks, it sets the stage for high growth and influences all other steps in your demand generation engine. 

 
[00:00] Show intro

[00:22] Number one in building a demand generation engine: strategy

[01:02] Get hyper-focused with the right strategy 

[05:05] Identify your ideal customer profile

[11:18] Define your unique point of view

[15:25] Building a plan to stand out and resonate with your audience

[20:46] Where content should be placed

[25:44] Key takeaways

[26:20] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

An effective demand generation engine is fueled by great content. And once you’ve defined your strategy – it is the next step to achieving high growth. The goal is to create content so good that it engages your audience and peaks their interest so they follow along and continue to consume more content – ultimately building trust and an affinity for your company and your solutions. 

In this episode, we break down the three essential elements to building out content that drives results. Listen in for advice on how to use your ideal customer profile and unique point of view story framework to hyper-focus your topics, build out content for each stage of the buyer’s journey and stretch the content to build a large digital footprint. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:24] The role content plays in building out a demand generation engine

[00:59] Create hyper-focused content to fuel your engine 

[05:08] Common mistakes organizations make with their content efforts 

[18:31] How to create consumable content in many different formats

[23:26] You must iterate and reiterate your content to make the story stick

[25:58] The ultimate goal is to build out your digital footprint to become your BEST sales rep 

[29:41] The key takeaways

[30:33] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Demand generation is a key element to achieving high growth for your company. And to fuel your revenue growth, you need a solid omni-channel distribution strategy that encompasses three avenues to getting your content in front of your ideal customer profile. 

First, create compelling content on your website that allows prospects to dive deeper and engage with your brand. Second, build your audience on managed channels where you have control over the frequency and type of content shared. Finally, tap into relevant third-party channels to expand your reach and build credibility with already established audiences.

Skipping on any of these avenues can undermine your demand generation engine. Join us as we explore the importance of a robust distribution strategy and how it can power up your revenue growth.

[00:00] Show intro

[00:23] Distribution: what it this step and why it’s important

[04:03] What goes into a website

[11:55] Managed channels like social media, podcasts and blogs

[15:15] Leveraging third-party channels to reach established audiences

[21:00] Mistakes people make with the distribution step of building a demand generation engine

[25:00] Key takeaway

[25:45] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Lead scores have long been touted as the key to uncovering the best prospects to pass on to sales. However, high engagement levels don’t necessarily equate to buying intent. So we think marketers need to rethink how they use the lead score.

In this episode, we delve into the nuances of lead scoring, highlighting the shortcomings of relying solely on engagement levels to gauge buying intent. We also discuss how to streamline the lead qualification process to optimize your lead scoring practices to drive higher conversion rates from the leads passed from marketing to sales.

[00:00] Show intro
[00:23] Why lead scoring needs to evolve
[00:55] How does lead scoring traditionally work
[02:12] Example lead scoring model
[07:49] Is lead scoring really a good measure of lead readiness?
[09:41] Challenges with the traditional model used for lead scoring
[15:01] Some leads fall through the cracks of lead scoring
[17:07] Aligning sales and marketing is a critical step
[22:25] Episode summary
[24:10] Key takeaway
[24:23] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

There are some very common mistakes that marketing teams make that diminish marketing’s impact and hinders a company's growth potential. In this two-part topic, we’re diving in to share the pitfalls that hold marketing teams back from achieving optimal results - along with advice on a different approach to take instead to ensure your demand generation engine creates a catalyst to growth. 

From constantly fighting fires to doing tactics because you’ve always done them to trying to be everything to everyone with your marketing – we’ll dig in to talk about the pitfalls that commonly trip up marketing teams. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:24] Today’s topic: common marketing mistakes

[01:10] Doing reactive marketing

[07:37] Doing what we’ve always done

[13:54] Trying to be everything to everyone

[20:33] Not building an audience 

[26:33] Wrapping it up

[27:11] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A smart marketing strategy can create the catalyst for high growth. But there are common mistakes that make marketing less impactful – ultimately killing a company’s full growth potential. In this episode of The Demand Gen Fix, we diving in even deeper to explore more of the pitfalls that can prevent businesses from achieving high growth. From neglecting target audience research to focusing too much on tactics instead of strategy, we reveal some of the most common mistakes you need to avoid.

We also discuss the importance of branding, tracking and measuring results, and the customer

experience. Don't miss this episode to learn what not to do if you are on a mission to grow rapidly. 

[00:00] Show intro

[00:22] A look at common marketing mistakes that hinder growth potential

[00:55] Only playing the short game with your marketing initiatives

[09:50] Sending low-intent leads to sales

[17:17] Measuring the wrong things

[27:21] Letting perfection get in the way of progress

[33:15] Wrapping it up

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Challenges between marketing and sales is a tale as old as time. Despite everyone’s best intentions, these tensions sometimes boil over and can be counter-productive to company success. And that is a shame, because together, we can drive real growth for a company – but only if we are all rowing in the same direction.  

Join us on this episode for the first part of our conversation with fractional chief sales officer and former senior HR tech sales leader, Brett Keirstead. We chat about some of the issues and misconceptions that fuel contention between marketing and sales team, how to put old stereo types to rest, and what each team needs to understand about the other. 

[00:00] Show intro
[00:23] Introduction to our guest 
[01:35] Marketing & sales stereotypes
[03:01] What causes the biggest tension
[07:40] How marketing views their role
[09:57] The frustrations with sales teams
[12:21] Communication issues that get in the way
[15:05] Who really owns the client account
[18:29] Building trust with each other
[21:53] The final word until part 2 of the conversation

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The perennial rivalry between marketing and sales departments - it's like a long-standing debate that never seems to end. Despite everyone’s best efforts, these two teams can sometimes clash, causing a disruption in the company's productivity. 

Listen into part two of our conversation with Brett Keirstead, a fractional chief sales officer and former senior HR tech sales leader. In our spirited debate, we cover the challenges both teams can run into, the sometimes clashing view points and ways to overcome our differences to put aside our egos and work together towards the common goal of supporting the company’s success.   

[00:00] Welcome back!

[00:25] Increasing communication and respect between marketing and sales

[03:31] Not everyone is a marketing expert

[07:30] Aligning on how to best support the buyer process 

[10:48] The pushback from sales

[15:11] Marketing’s true aim

[19:28] Working to better understand each other 

[24:38] The takeaway: Communication is key

[25:41] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

We often talk to marketing leaders who are struggling to figure out why their marketing efforts are not driving results. Sometimes, the reason is more obvious to our team looking in from the outside than it is to those on the inside busting their butts to move the needle. 

 In this episode of The Demand Gen Fix, we talk about some of the issues we often see - and what you can do to rethink your approach if any of these issues are plaguing your marketing efforts.   

[00:04] Discussing common marketing challenges and the solutions for sustainable growth

[02:04] The Importance of building a strong digital footprint

[03:50] Strategies for building and expanding your Audience

[05:44] Key considerations for creating creating impactful content

[08:34] The pitfalls of gating content and the missed opportunities this creates

[15:51] The common mistake with digital advertising programs

[18:57] The importance of a holistic marketing approach to the buyer journey

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

If your marketing programs aren't driving the results that you need, it's time to do something different. Because quite frankly, if you're falling behind on revenue and you think doubling down on the marketing tactics that you've already been doing are going to deliver different results, you're probably going to be disappointed. Continuing the conversation from our last episode, our team digs even deeper into the red flags that you shouldn’t ignore with your marketing programs to discuss common hurdles that might be hindering your marketing efforts and give actionable insights to reimagine your approach to achieving high growth. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:23] Building a strategy around digital ads

[05:11] When prospects don’t feel compelled to make a change 

[11:10] When leads have long sales cycles and low close rates

[16:40] Once you have demand built up, you can change these red flags

[18:24] Key takeaway

[18:55] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

You’re working on a demand gen marketing strategy that speaks to your company’s buyers across funnel stages. It has key themes and messages you think will resonate with buyers like never before. Then, your email pings. It’s a meeting request from Sales. Yup, they need more leads.  

It’s the classic squeeze. How do you strike the right balance between tackling low hanging fruit, targeting in-market buyers, and building a demand generation strategy that gives you a long game? 

In this episode, our conversation is about the readiness of buyers in your total addressable market. The vast majority aren’t ready to buy. If that’s the case and you’re spending most of your time on short term lead gen marketing, what strategies can move you toward demand creation? How do you avoid getting caught in the “we need more leads” fire drill? Listen to insightful ideas, real examples, and pragmatic possibilities from experts who know the drill — but have answers that get you out of a vicious cycle. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:23] Low hanging fruit: The 5% ready to buy

[01:42] Marketing during “recession/not a recession” times

[05:38] Focusing on middle and bottom of funnel

[08:40] Kicking up leads when you need them yesterday

[25:54] Buyer intent triggers

[27:52] Key takeaway 

[29:08] Outro 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A strong strategy should always come before building out a complex marketing technology stack for your organization. But once you’ve got that down, it definitely makes sense to look at how technology can help enhance and streamline your marketing programs.

But where should you start? There are thousands of software options out there to build out a marketing technology stack. In this episode of The Demand Gen Fix podcast, we walk through the four marketing technology options we most commonly get asked about.  

[00:24] There are thousands of options 

[01:31] The MarTech landscape

[04:45] Marketing automation

[11:03] Intent data tools

[15:44] Account-based marketing platforms

[21:04] Analytics tools

[26:51] Have a strategy

[32:49] Wrap up

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Lead generation and demand generation. These terms basically mean the same thing, right?

Wrong.

In a recent guest appearance on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur podcast, GrowthMode Marketing’s CEO, Deanna Shimota, sheds light on the crucial differences between these marketing strategies, debunking the misconception that they are interchangeable terms. 

The conversation highlights some of the limitations of relying solely on lead generation, leading with reactive marketing efforts and an endless chase for short-term revenue goals. 

Listen in for tips on how to balance your lead generation efforts with a transition to a demand generation approach to turn your digital footprint into your best sales rep and maximize results. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:30] Intro 

[01:02] The difference between demand generation vs. lead generation 

[02:53] The problem with lead generation 

[04:58] What could it look like a year into a demand generation program

[07:10] What can you do to ramp up your demand generation engine?

[10:56] How to decide where to focus your content

[14:08] B2B buying behaviors have changed

[17:14] Where can you learn more about demand generation?

[18:02] Closing it out 
[18:32] Outro 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

You made the business case with company leaders and got the green light and budget to establish a demand generation program. Nice work! 
 
 Now, how do you staff up and get the skills you need to move forward? The all-important answer is … it depends. 
 
 In this episode, we have a plethora of possibilities to help you determine what’s best for your situation. Hear how we help our clients think through this very question and the perspectives we provide to help them make informed decisions. 

[00:00] Show intro 
 [01:08] It depends on budget, timeframe, and skills needed

[02:04] Core competencies of a demand generation marketer

[03:51] Finding everything in one person is like finding a unicorn

[05:53] Considerations: Combo agency/in-house, in-house only, agency-only
 [09:54] When to hire in-house

[11:49] When to outsource to an agency

[19:36] How fast do you want to build your demand generation engine?

[23:04] How to work efficiently with an agency

[27:51] Key takeaway

[28:42] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

You’re not alone if your company has ambitious growth goals with a comparatively small marketing budget. It’s a conundrum that requires outside-the-box thinking.
 
In this episode, our friend and fellow B2B growth marketer, Andrew Bolis, joins us to talk about how to get traction and results even when your budget is tight. Hear about ways to get creative while zeroing in on strategies that align to how today’s B2B audiences buy—on their timeline from a trusted source.

[00:00] Show intro

[03:54] Build programs that align to how B2B audiences buy

[05:45] Marketing channels that give you the most bang for your buck

[07:04] Strategy 1: Multi-phase email campaigns featuring high quality ungated content

[13:19] Strategy 2: LinkedIn brand ambassador program that trains and encourages employees to post, comment and connect

[19:37] Strategy 3: Join forces with other companies that complement your brand and solutions

[25:53] Strategy 4: Start a monthly roundtable or networking event to share best practices with your C-level target audience

[29:52] Key takeaway

[30:16] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Are your marketing and sales teams aligned? Gaining common ground is difficult, but ultimately, it’s what you need to do to help your company grow and sell more. The biggest disconnect between sales and marketing is the immediate view vs. the longer-term view. With sales compensated on meeting monthly or quarterly quotas, the “more leads now” drum beats loud and strong. 

In this episode, we talk about this common situation and how to sell your demand generation to your sales team. How do you build trust and communicate the value of quality leads vs. quantity of leads? Listen now to hear about how we help our clients with this scenario. Get ideas and tips about how to break down silos and work together to maximize revenue and results.  

[00:24] Show intro

[03:28] Building trust and shifting mind sets

[06:08] Building a foundation for long-term growth

[08:37] The way B2B prospects buy is changing—and they want to drive

[13:11] Advantages of focusing on leads that are in-market and have buyer intent

[16:33] Content that meets buyers where they’re at

[19:05] Demand generation, in-bound leads, and focusing on buyers who raise their hand

[20:24] Key takeaway

[20:45] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

How do you get people talking about your company? Word of mouth is the oldest tactic in the marketing playbook. It’s also a smart and cost-effective way to engage in ways that help your company proliferate and prosper in a crowded marketplace. 

In this episode, Rhea Allen joins us to talk about “The 5 R’s” to boost awareness and word of mouth chatter. Rhea is a marketing coach, adjunct college professor and host of The Marketing Expedition Podcast.  

Listen now for ideas on how to get your fans raving about their great experiences with your business. 

[00:25] Show intro

[01:22] Get your fans talking, build out your digital footprint, become your best sales rep

[02:13] Introducing “The Five R’s”

[03:04] 1. Ratings and Rankings

[04:56] 2. Reviews

[07:54] 3. Recommendations

[12:18] 4. Referrals 

[14:33] What’s the difference between a recommendation and a referral? 

[16:25] 5. Rewards

[22:40] Key takeaway: Awareness, authenticity and trust

[23:50] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A new study by Tourial offers up yet more data on how B2B buying is changing. One of the most compelling findings is that 84% of the software buyers surveyed said they’re frustrated by being forced to talk to sales reps before they can see a product demo.  

If that’s your company’s approach, you know full well that your playbook is dated and it’s time to turn the page. But how do you convince your boss and the higher ups? 

 Listen to this episode to hear smart ideas and bold approaches that can help you build a case that shows the value and logic of aligning to changing buyer behaviors.  
 

[00:24] Show intro

[02:43] Advocate for demand gen with lead and revenue data

[04:16] Show how prospects buy today and what’s changed

[08:47] Explain what marketing isn’t working and why 

[13:07] Set realistic expectations on the time it takes to build a demand gen program

[14:04] Have an ongoing discussion about milestones and timeline   

[16:12] Talk about the transition period from lead gen to demand gen activities

[18:27] Help your sales team understand the value of high quality leads with buyer intent 

[19:05] Think through how the sales development function may change

[22:30] Find success stories from companies that made the move to demand gen

[24:00] Show what it will cost 

[27:43] Key takeaway

[

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

What makes your company unique apart from your logo and visual identity? If you go to your website and cover up your logo and brand colors, what are you saying that makes you different from your competitors? 
Developing your unique point of view is easily one of the most difficult aspects of marketing and demand generation. In this week’s episode we talk about all that goes into digging deep to uncover and develop the differentiation you need to stand out from your competition.

This is an area where many companies turn to agencies to help them facilitate conversations and work through the steps involved. Listen now to learn the techniques we use to draw out, capture and define your unique story.   

[01:14] What is a unique point of view and how do you use it to differentiate?

[03:16] 1. Ideal customer profile: Who do you want to tell your story to? 

[05:13] 2. Unique point of view: What is your unique story?

[06:46] 3. Competitor review: What are your competitors saying?

[08:05] A lot of companies are saying the same thing

[10:45] Why differentiation is the key

[11:56] Dig deep to analyze and develop differentiated messages 

[14:01] Working sessions with key team members to uncover and stress test points of differentiation

[17:51] Using questionnaires and hosting customer workshops

[21:46] Defining 3 key themes

[24:43] Telling your unique story consistently and repeatedly 

[26:42] Weaving your unique point of view into all of your marketing

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

If your digital presence isn’t strong, you need to pour your focus into building it. Otherwise, you face a stark reality — you’re not on the map for most B2B buyers. There’s extensive data that supports the need for a robust digital presence including a Gartner report that finds 80% of B2B sales interactions will be via digital channels by 2025.

Featuring content that supports a digital buyer journey also builds trust, as will pulling down your content gates and leaving them in the past. Just like their function in the physical world, gates were better at keeping the majority of buyers out. 
 
 Listen to this episode to learn how to build your presence, where to start, where to expand and more. 
 

[00:23] Intro: Buyers want to self-educate 

[03:44] Make your digital footprint your best sales rep

[06:10] Start with your website and offer content for all stages of the buyer journey

[08:54] Your website should be a gate-free zone

[12:03] Examples of types of content 

[16:07] Speak to your ideal clients with consistent messaging across digital channels

[18:13] How many touches before your audience engages? 

[19:14] Omnichannel presence 

[20:44] Tapping into third party channels

[25:04] Creating, sticking to, and weaving your unique point of view across digital channels

[27:16] Key takeaway

[27:43] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A sluggish economy and the ongoing debate about whether we’ll dip into a recession contributes to a slow market for B2B buying, including in the HR tech space. If your revenue is dipping or stagnant, chances are the pressure is on for your marketing team.

Listen to this episode to hear about important considerations on how to adjust, how not to lose traction on your demand generation program, and where to look for short-term opportunities to win business.  

[00:24] Intro: Economic uncertainties, recession fears and tightening budgets

[04:21] Avoid pivoting to short-term only marketing initiatives

[07:15] With marketing budgets down, it’s an opportunity to stand out

[09:38] Continue to fuel your demand generation engine

[10:45] Capturing demand vs. creating demand

[11:50] Balancing short- and long-term programs

[15:02] Don’t throw away what’s working—and trust your gut on programs you’ve built that aren’t as measurable, i.e., brand ambassador social media programs and the likes

[18:10] Why not to lose the audience you worked so hard to capture

[21:13] Find short-term opportunities, but keep your attention squarely on nurture programs

[22:34] Explore cross-sell and up-sell opportunities 

[23:48] Key takeaway

[24:44] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

B2B prospect buying behaviors are changing. That means your marketing strategies need to adapt to effectively drive pipeline and achieve revenue goals. 

In this episode, we talk to guest Eric Eden about how to reach prospects who want to engage on their own timeline before ever talking to a sales rep. Eric is a seasoned B2B CMO and an executive in residence with Information Venture Partners where he advises portfolio companies on marketing and growth strategies. 

Listen now to learn why traditional marketing and sales tactics like cold calling, email blasts, and focusing on lead volume are becoming less effective. Get suggestions now on how to offer more value to attract today's elusive buyers. 

[00:00] Introduction
[00:23] How B2B buying behavior has evolved
[01:52] Importance of offering value to engage buyers
[03:19] Ineffectiveness of brute force sales tactics
[05:36] Need for creative and personalized marketing strategies
[08:03] Importance of building brand awareness and trust
[09:29] Challenges of engaging buyers not in market
[12:08] Importance of thoughtful target account selection
[15:21] Creative strategies such as incentives and events 
[23:47] Collaboration between sales and marketing to drive pipeline 
[26:30] Key takeaways
[29:18] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Are you making content marketing mistakes that actually weaken your efforts? If you're publishing random and disconnected content that doesn't tie back to a strategy, chances are your approach is ripe for a revamp. 

In this episode, the GrowthMode team talks about the most common mistakes and how to avoid them by refocusing your efforts on content that has more purpose, impact and resonance with your audience. 

Listen now for valuable insights on how to move away from trying to drive demand by being everything to everyone. Learn why focusing on your unique point of view, a meaningful content strategy and reinforcing key messages is so important.  

[00:04] Introduction
[00:55] Mistake #1: No content strategy
[05:43] Mistake #2: Trying to be everything to everyone 
[10:29] Mistake #3: Not reinforcing your unique point of view
[14:24] Mistake #4: Not continually publishing new content
[18:28] Mistake #5: Not sweating the content
[22:51] Key takeaways
[23:03] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Are your differentiators truly your differentiators? Or are you touting strengths that are really just tables stakes? 

Listen to this episode of the podcast to hear what strategies can help set your company apart in an increasingly crowded marketplace. With more than 21,000 HR technology vendors, for example, the competition for a share of HR tech budget from prospects is formidable. This is the case across many tech industries. 

Hear our discussion now about how to pop out of the sea of sameness and capture more awareness, trust and credibility with buyers. 

[00:04] Introduction
[00:51] Weak differentiators in the HR tech industry 
[02:09] Strengths that aren't real differentiators 
[07:21] Problems with weak differentiators 
[10:35] How to determine if your differentiators are weak
[11:28] Collect statements from competitors' websites 
[12:29] Pressure test at industry trade shows 
[16:21] Defining a unique point of view to stand out in the crowd
[20:08] Outro 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

None of us have the time, treasure and talent to reach everybody. These are wise words from our guest on this episode, CEO and Author, Kirby Hasseman of Hasseman Marketing.

Listen to this information-packed session to learn why reaching the right buyers and narrowing your focus is absolutely the right thing to do. Also, learn how to overcome fears associated with limiting your marketing to a smaller audience. Afterall, it’s where your messages have more resonance. 

Check out the recording now to hear about the power of targeted messaging and recommendations on media and tactics to use to build your audience and launch your demand generation engine.   

[00:00] Introduction 
[01:16] The TARGET marketing plan 
[03:10] Why identifying your ideal customer profile is important
[07:17] The power of having a focused message  
[08:07] Differentiating between rented and owned media 
[22:20] Building enthusiasm and creating brand ambassadors 
[27:16] Tracking and the use of leading and lagging measures
[30:42] Collecting and using data for informed decision-making
[31:58] Marry your data with gut feel for better results
[32:35] Key takeaways
[33:01] Outro

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

You hired a marketing agency that specializes in demand generation to level up your marketing game with a long-term approach that drives growth. It’s an exciting step! Now, you just need to sit back and let them work their magic, right? Not exactly.

Creating the most effective program requires working hand-in-hand with your agency. They need your time and input to gather background, thorough information and perspective to create a strategy designed to guide the work to come. Building a demand generation engine starts with learning about your company, identifying your ideal customer profile and surfacing your company’s unique point of view in the market. It helps you position your brand effectively against competitors with messages and content that resonates with your target audience. It’s certainly not a hands-off investment.

In this episode, the GrowthMode team talks about the top five mistakes to avoid when working with a marketing agency. Listen now to learn how a strong partnership helps you achieve the best results.

[00:23] Introduction
[01:17] Mistake #1: No primary point of contact or decision maker 
[02:15] Mistake #2: Not prioritizing the marketing work and agency partnership
[09:53] Mistake #3: Not focusing on implementing the strategy vs. one-off requests
[15:58] Mistake #4: Not trusting the process and plan recommended by your agency
[18:31] Mistake #5: Focusing on quantity over quality
[22:39] Key takeaways
[23:02] Outro

This podcast is hosted by GrowthMode Marketing. Learn more about us at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Using third party channels to reach your ideal customers where they already hang out is a no brainer, right? Yes! But, like anything in your demand generation long game, building brand awareness and credibility with 3rd-party audiences won’t happen overnight. 

In this episode, Zach Jones, chief revenue officer at TechnologyAdvice joins us to share his insights into the importance of incorporating 3rd-party channels into your strategy that, over the long-term, builds bigger brand awareness, credibility – and ultimately demand for your products and services.  

Listen now to find out how to make smart decisions about syndicating content with channels that are a good match to reach companies that fall into your ideal customer profile.

00:01 Introduction
01:21 How 3rd-party channels can help you reach your ideal customers
02:39 Building an audience and credibility through 3rd-party channels
07:02 The challenges with 3rd-party channels
11:41 Setting expectations for the marketing investment
14:15 Converting leads and creating long-term pipeline
16:59 Nurturing leads and treating them differently based on intent
20:36 Evaluating vendors based on audience relevance
23:36 Having deeper level conversations around performance metrics
24:25 A client success story: A long-term partnership
28:02 Balancing short- and long-term strategies in demand generation
29:49 The use of intent to solve bottom-of-funnel challenges
30:59 Conclusion

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

It’s fall trade show season—and a great time to evaluate your investment and performance in this marketing channel. What are the pros and cons of exhibiting at HR tech industry shows? How do you choose events that align to your target audience? How do you stand out from competitors? 

Listen to this episode to hear the GrowthMode team talk through important considerations including your strategy, how to magnify your presence and evaluate your ROI to determine if it is worth including in your marketing mix or not.

There are so many considerations when it comes to trade shows and your exhibition calendar. Check out the episode now for help thinking through what to attend—or skip—to make decisions that maximize your success.  

00:01 Introduction
03:06 Do trade shows have a positive ROI? Reviews are mixed
07:53 Drawbacks including costs and decision maker reach
09:58 Difficulty in standing out from other booths
12:02 Buyer’s perspective at trade shows
16:32 Evaluating the attendee draw
19:31 Determining ROI and sales team excitement post-event
21:01 Benefits of attending trade shows with the right audience
24:57 Pre-, during, and post-marketing strategy 
25:32 Long-term nurture strategy for trade show leads
26:59 How to assess value before investing in trade shows
27:01 Conclusion

This podcast is hosted by GrowthMode Marketing. Learn more about us at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Demand generation marketing (engaging prospects) and account-based marketing (nurturing target accounts on a 1:1 level) are an incredibly powerful combination. Yet these approaches are rarely considered as strategies that work hand in hand. 

Join us as we explore this topic with our guest, Kristina Jaramillo, president of Personal ABM, to dig in on how to move high potential prospects through the buyer journey after they raise their hand by tailoring and personalizing their experience through more personalized nurturing.

Listen now to learn ABM techniques that can be combined with your demand generation efforts to create a powerful combination that helps improve your potential to close large, lucrative deals.  

00:01Introduction
01:12 What is ABM and how is it different from demand generation?
07:05 Why ABM programs underperform 
09:43 Why it’s important to deliver better and more relevant experiences 
15:24 ABM technology isn’t necessary for successful ABM implementation
18:59 ABM and demand generation can optimize each other's functions
22:12 Why demand generation is key for successful ABM implementation
22:18Why targeting the right accounts is important to ABM success
23:27 Prioritizing leads based on activities and intent triggers
24:40 Conclusion

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Do random acts of marketing have you bouncing off the walls? I think we’ve all been there. Chasing the next big thing that’s sure to be a game changer. But the reality is that approach sucks you into a cycle that leaves you with lackluster, disconnected marketing. It doesn’t help you build your brand, give you message consistency or clarity, nor does it create a program designed for long-term success. 

It’s also an expensive way to do business.  

Listen to this episode to hear the GrowthMode team talk about the many benefits of spending time judiciously on creating a strong strategy and how it sets you up for long-term sustainable growth.  

00:01 Introduction
00:53 What happens when you operate without a marketing strategy 
01:56 Falling into random acts of marketing and a lack of focus
05:27 Strategy detours lead to wasted time and money
07:19 No patience for strategy results in ineffective campaigns 
09:43 Why an ideal customer profile, unique point of view and content marketing + demand generation plan are essential
14:10 Importance of repetition and multiple touchpoints 
15:20 Creating a digital footprint to become your BEST sales rep
17:59 Importance of building a strategy before tactics
18:57 Conclusion 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The biggest threat to your growth and revenue goals is letting random acts of marketing dominate how your company goes to market. It’s the result of letting the loudest or most powerful voices win over a well-conceived plan that connects activities and executes a strategy backed by customer analysis and tested marketing methods. 

It's truly a trap you need to figure out how to get out of, which means addressing it with leaders who may be unwittingly derailing more strategic efforts. You need to offer rationale on why a more enlightened approach is the answer to driving better results. 

Luckily you’re here! In this episode we dig into how random marketing cycles devour precious time—and how to shift away from it. Listen now to hear insights from the GrowthMode team and grab some knowledge to help you build your case for a better way forward.  

00:20 | Introduction
01:55 | Prioritize marketing activities based on strategy
03:36 | Why you need a strategic perspective when responding to requests
07:29 | Examples of random acts of marketing
08:33 | The impact of inconsistent execution and lack of scheduling
11:19 | The negative effects of switching direction
12:27 | Why you need consistency
15:32 | Reasons random acts of marketing happen
16:57 | The consequences
18:07 | How to eliminate this and refocus
19:32 | Key takeaway: Stay focused and intentional 
19:44 | Conclusion

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Growth can be a hard-fought journey – especially in this economy. And sometimes it is hard to know where to even begin with amping up efforts to improve revenue results. 

In this episode, we are joined by fellow demand generation expert, Mary Keough, to talk about an initial step you can take to get on your way to the path that moves the needle and delivers bigger results through marketing to support your company’s growth mission.  

We talk about how taking a look back at your marketing programs and tying it back to outcomes will arm you with information to map out a go-forward plan that can help point you in the right direction. Listen now to learn tips to get bigger results and sustainable long-term growth. 

00:01 | Introduction
01:44 | Why playing the marketing short game is a mistake
03:31 | The importance of focusing on the marketing long game
08:01 | Analyzing goals, strategy, and KPIs 
09:43 | Qualitative data analysis
10:39 | Quantitative data analysis
13:18 | Example of a company not using their CRM effectively
19:27 | Analyzing data to determine where leads are coming from
22:06 | Revenue as the ultimate measure of marketing success
24:01 | Focusing on leads with buying intent
26:42 | Own the result and contribute to growth
28:24 | Stop ineffective marketing tactics and focus on what works
30:07 | User experience matters, make it easy for prospects
31:27 | Tie marketing programs to outcomes to improve results
31:46 | Conclusion 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A brand that lacks consistency and clear positioning leads to a confused audience. And that makes it difficult for you to build awareness, trust and market demand with the HR tech buyer audience. 

Chris Outlaw, host of the Unified Brand Podcast, is our guest on this episode. He shares examples of “confused brands” and the impact it can have on audience perception. 

Listen now to learn how to build an authentic, successful brand and why consistency in your messages and imagery is so crucial. 

0:01:22 | Importance of audience and customer personas
0:05:20 | The danger of trying to be everything to everyone
0:07:06 | The impact of brand personality on market perception
0:08:44 | The power of consistency in branding
0:10:31 | Red flags of a confused brand
0:11:20 | Lack of brand guidelines
0:13:10 | The Twitter rebrand to X is a case study in how not to do it
0:15:18 | Brand evolves with changes in market, competition and technology
0:17:27 | Steps to avoid confused brand: Audit, define brand, focus
0:18:31 | Look at your competition to understand positioning in the market
0:19:08 | Avoid “shiny object syndrome” and focus on uniqueness
0:20:23 | Brand matters in crowded HR tech industry

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Engineers analyze and solve problems using systematic, iterative processes. It’s an approach that avoids making costly assumptions. While many B2B marketers measure data to prove marketing program ROI, often the data doesn’t tell the whole story and can actually hinder the drive for results.

Listen to this episode to hear guest Omer Maman, Vice President of Marketing at HR tech company, Healthee, and the GrowthMode team talk about why it makes sense to dig deeper into your data, especially in situations where the numbers don’t add up - like high lead volumes but missed revenue targets. Hear why approaching your marketing like an engineer by creating hypotheses, validating and making continuous adjustments can lead to uncovering the answers to what marketing programs truly drive the biggest results. 

0:00:00 | Introduction
0:01:00 | The engineering mindset in marketing
0:03:11 | Importance of analyzing data beyond surface-level metrics
0:04:40 | Flaws in measuring MQLs and SQLs for marketing success
0:07:18 | Exploring additional data sources for a holistic view of marketing
0:08:55 | Misalignment between marketing and sales with MQLs
0:11:03 | Long-term strategic approach to marketing beyond lead generation
0:11:44 | The need for an omnichannel presence and multiple touchpoints
0:12:42 | The challenge of measuring tactics that can’t easily be measured
0:16:15 | Complexity of marketing and the need for a strong brand
0:18:09 | Considering multiple buyers and influencers in the decision-making process
0:19:23 | Challenges with lead scoring and the importance of real buying intent
0:23:30 | Applying an engineering mindset to marketing strategies
0:27:28 | Conclusion

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Just a small portion of your target audience is ever in-market to buy at any given time. Investing in lead generation programs that focus only on this sliver of the market (about 5%) puts you behind in a fiercely competitive situation where companies are busy building awareness about their capabilities and solutions. 

In this episode, we help you rethink the panic cycles of lead generation with strategies that take you from trying to find a needle in a haystack to creating demand marketing that helps you get in front of prospects—long before they’re thinking about researching their next HR tech solution.

Listen now to learn how to create, balance and maximize a demand generation program that helps you hit your growth targets. 

0:00:00 | Introduction 
0:01:10 | Creating demand is important to achieving long-term growth
0:03:38 | The need to balance demand creation and demand capture programs
0:05:37 | The vast majority of the market isn’t buying right now
0:06:43 | Why building brand awareness and trust is critical
0:08:29 | The risk of relying solely on demand capture programs
0:10:12 | The cycle of panic when revenue falls short
0:11:19 | The challenge of uncovering leads without prior demand creation efforts
0:15:10 | Differentiate between demand creation and demand capture programs
0:20:18 | Convincing prospects who aren’t in-market to buy is unlikely
0:21:25 | Plant seeds, capture consideration and convince with targeted marketing
0:24:53 | Building a demand generation engine leads to better results
0:25:39 | Focusing on getting more hand raisers instead of chasing leads
0:26:10 | You’re limiting potential future growth when you don’t create demand with prospects before they are in market to buy  

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

You know that buying behaviors are changing, but are you aligning your sales and marketing strategies to meet prospects with the targeted content they want for a self-service experience? If not, remember that your competition is. And they’re just a click away.

Listen to this episode to learn about both practical and revelatory ways to build a demand generation engine. Like this one: Narrowing your audience and targeting your content to a specific market or company type can help improve your market traction. 

Hear why it’s time to ramp up your demand generation efforts and how expert guidance can help set you on the path quicker. It’s how we help clients every day at GrowthMode Marketing.

00:20 Why creating a demand generation engine is so important for growth
01:53 The 3 pillars of demand generation: Strategy, content and distribution
03:23 Strategy: A hyper-focused plan for content and distribution
05:33 Content: The foundation for creating demand
06:23 Distribution: How to show up in the right place to reach your buyers
07:26 Target your ideal customer 
11:04Differentiate from competitors with a unique point of view
15:03 Create a content marketing + demand generation plan 
18:58 How to create and repurpose content for different channels
21:11 Why you should test and learn how your content performs 
21:58 Optimize distribution efforts for content performance and audience engagement
23:17 Why you need a full funnel digital footprint
24:36 How content works to guide prospects through awareness and consideration
27:33 Build an audience with managed channels like podcasts, webinars and email campaigns
29:40 Expand your digital footprint with partnerships and third party channels
33:59 How to manage your demand generation program for continuous success

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Building brand awareness in the market can take many forms – and it doesn’t always have to come with a big price tag. As an employee, you can help amplify your company’s brand to drive bigger brand awareness in the market.

One way to become a brand ambassador for your company is to use your personal brand on LinkedIn to bolster your company's profile. It’s a way to consistently stay in front of potential prospects and clients – without feeling intrusive – which can build credibility and trust over time. So take the leap, invest time in your personal brand and turn it into an impactful marketing channel for your company.

In this episode, Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, joins us to talk about his experience driving greater brand awareness for his company, Motivosity. 

00:21 Becoming a brand ambassador on LinkedIn
08:36   Defining your content strategy
10:20   Driving business and customer interactions
13:09   Becoming an example for other employees on building a personal brand
15:21   Building brand ambassadors across the company to amplify the company brand
17:33   Engaging with customers through social selling and creating a presence
18:37   Convincing executives to build their personal brands
22:24   Creating meaningful interactions
26:12   Being intentional about building your audience
33:32   Consistency is key 
36:46   Focusing on engagement over impressions
37:15   Building credibility and trust 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Are you seeing the performance of your lead generation marketing efforts dip? As prospect buying behaviors evolve, many tried and true marketing methods aren’t driving the results they once did. We’re hearing it from fellow marketing colleagues and we’re experiencing it ourselves. 

In this episode, we talk through why gated content and more aggressive lead generation strategies aren’t as effective for prospects who want more control of the B2B buying process. Listen now to learn ways to adapt and improve your results.

00:57 Why traditional lead generation isn’t as effective anymore 
01:14 Comparison of lead generation and demand generation strategies and a short-term vs. long-term approach
05:36 Why evolving prospect behavior is changing everything 
10:43 How is demand generation marketing different?
14:40 The drawbacks of using lead capture forms with today’s prospects
16:34 How to use lead generation marketing as part of a demand generation strategy for more traction and growth

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Traditional sales processes that work a cold lead through a buyer journey defined by a HR tech businesses is fading fast. Prospects want to self-educate and be in control of their buying process and timeline. However, that doesn’t diminish the importance of the sales role and closing deals. But how and when you engage with buyers is a whole new ballgame.

Collaboration and regular communication with sales on how demand generation marketing meets buyers on their timeline is key. Find out how to work with your sales team to identify opportunities to engage—near the end of the journey. Listen to this episode to hear about why creating synergies between marketing and sales can help you win more deals and build critical rapport. 

01:02   The changing buyer landscape means marketing plays a bigger role in the purchase decision
01:17   Helping your sales team shift how and when they engage with buyers
02:51   How marketing can help support self-service buying behaviors
04:20   Why good content is so important
06:09   HR tech buyers are engaging with a sales rep much later in the decision process
13:36   How to build trust and connect with prospects
16:49   Creating a sales process that offers a better experience for HR tech prospects
18:03   Why sales and marketing alignment is critical in meeting prospects in a self-service journey
25:13   Help the sales team better understand how to effectively use marketing content

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The HR tech market is extremely crowded – and many brands get lost in the sea of sameness. Defining your differentiation is a critical step to breaking through the clutter. But how do you go about it?

This is often the job of product marketing. Listen to this episode to hear from guest Noelle Bloomfield, senior director of product marketing at HR tech company, Gloat. We talk about the important role of product marketing in gathering market insights, aligning strategy and building out message positioning to differentiate form the competition. Hear why she believes a test and learn approach is important to ultimately creating more value for customers by constantly iterating based on market changes.   

00:20   The important role of product marketing in the HR tech industry
01:17   Integrating product marketing and aligning with other teams
03:31   Quarterbacking the go-to-market journey to connect with buyers
08:00   How to stand out in a crowded market through differentiation
12:24   How to build a product marketing team designed to align with other teams
15:35   How to prioritize and focus
18:23   Why the buyer’s journey needs to be personal to connect more effectively
21:24   Continuous learning is key in product marketing
23:38   Why product marketing is a connector helping to drive better business results

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

A lot of really good HR tech companies get lost in a crowded market. That’s because you’re vying for attention with more than 21,000 HR tech businesses selling technology platforms—with new start-ups joining the industry all the time. 

Listen to this episode to find out what three challenges consistently impede marketing outcomes and results for HR tech companies. Learn why positioning your business and solutions is at the heart of how to successfully gain traction. Because touting the same features and functionality as your competitors isn’t saying anything at all about your true differentiators.  

01:09 Why it’s essential to differentiate your business and solutions 

09:31 Why marketing to a broad audience is a common mistake

17:16 How to understand and make an emotional connection that speaks to buyers’ pain points

21:05 A look at surface-level messaging and how to dig deeper to connect with prospects

23:49 Why it’s important that your messages resonate with decision makers

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

In the very crowded HR and work tech space, too many marketers play it safe with their marketing campaigns. It creates a “sea of sameness” where businesses get lost in a multitude of messages across many different brands that blend and sound the same.

Listen in to explore this topic with our guest and content marketing pro, Matt Torman. He’s the content marketing principal at Brex, an AI-powered spending platform that helps employees make smarter financial decisions for their employers. 

If your company is tied to a marketing approach that safely conforms, but you want to try pushing the envelope, this is a great episode for you! Taking risks can be scary, but listen as we talk through that together. See why focusing on breaking through can capture better results.

01:09 Learn why it’s essential to differentiate your business and solutions 
02:43  The value of storytelling and using AI to support content creation
09:31  Why marketing to a broad audience is a common mistake
11:14  An example of a bold marketing campaign by Brex
17:16  Why making an emotional connection is a better way to speak to buyers’ pain points
21:05  How to transform surface-level messaging into content that digs deeper and resonates more with decision makers

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

In part 2 of our conversation with Matt Torman, content marketing pro at work tech company, Brex, we continue exploring why moving away from marketing that attempts to be “everything to everyone” helps you breakthrough and standout in a crowded HR tech market.  

Listen now to learn why taking calculated, creative risks with a blend of innovative ideas and data-driven decision making is crucial in a content-saturated landscape.  

00:55    Taking creative risks that stay true to your company’s brand  
01:34    Why understanding and targeting your core audience is so important 
05:15    Fears and challenges that prevent marketing teams from taking risks  
12:23    Taking the time you need to create engaging, authentic content  
14:52    How to create unique content that stands out and connects with your core audience 
16:55    Why collaborating on ideas and gaining new perspectives fuels innovative strategies 
17:31    Testing and learning how your marketing performs is a critical component
18:37    Making data-driven decisions and gaining leadership support 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

For more than a year, there have been less prospects in the market to buy HR tech solutions. It’s estimated that only 1% of prospects are actively buying these days compared to the more typical 5%. And this trend isn’t showing signs of a rebound just yet. 

Maybe you’re asking yourself whether to slash your marketing budget. It’s a question we’ve been asked recently, and we think it’s something on a lot of leaders’ and marketers’ minds. Check out this this episode to hear our discussion on the trends, navigating this tougher selling environment and how to best support the long-term growth goals of your organization. 

00:21 With less prospects buying, should your marketing investment change? 
01:44 How the decrease of prospects is impacting the sales process 02:57 Highlights from the 2024 B2B Sales Benchmark Report on sales challenges and impact on quotas 
04:46 Why the sales process is longer and win rates and deal values are down 
09:18 Cutting back on marketing spend affects important long-term marketing programs 
13:55 The role of marketing in building brand awareness, credibility and trust for future prospects 
17:31 How to inform and influence internal decision makers about the importance of a long-term marketing mindset 
18:47 Key takeaways and conclusion

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The GrowthMode team is hearing from many marketing leaders who say they’re struggling to figure out why their programs aren’t driving better results. The reasons can sometimes be more obvious to us because we have the luxury of looking at it from an outside-in perspective. While your internal team is naturally heads-down working hard to produce work that meets a multitude of needs. 

Listen to this episode to gain great insight on how to better align your approach to today’s HR tech buyer behaviors. Is your strategy on target? Find out now. 

01:07 Gated content: How it impacts conversion rates  
05:28 Slow lead pipeline: Creating content that’s more compelling and builds trust
09:45 Digital footprint: Why it needs to be robust to attract prospects 
16:28 Converting leads: How to emphasize lead quality over quantity 
17:29 Lead scoring: Identifying buying intent and why it can be challenging 
19:57 Quality over quantity: Prioritizing quality builds a better pipeline 
23:24 Rethinking your approach to drive better results

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

With just 5% or less of B2B buyers in the market to buy at any given time, marketers need to get creative to drive leads and meet revenue goals.  

Your middle- and bottom-of-funnel prospects are the most likely audiences to have buying intent. Check out this episode for ideas on how to zero in on these prospects with informative content, nurture campaigns, targeted digital ads and more. 

Hear why marketers need a balanced strategy of short-term tactics that drive, and nurture leads with long-term brand-building that raises awareness with the other 95% of your total addressable market—your future buyers. 

00:20 The challenges of reaching prospects in the high-tech industry 
04:24 Why it’s important to balance short- and long-term strategies to meet revenue targets  
09:06 Leverage content that attracts high-intent buyers 
15:50 How to use intent data technology to identify companies that may be in market for specific solutions 
18:25 Using nurture campaigns to identify buying intent 
19:51 Digital advertising and retargeting that drives engagement 
22:31 Why you need to establish credibility and trust before expecting prospects to engage  
24:21 Balancing short-term lead tactics with a long-term marketing strategy 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The sales team is working actively with a hot prospect. They watched demos, enthusiastically engaged in communications and requested a proposal … then suddenly, nothing. They stop responding. It’s frustrating for sure, but there may be many reasons why it happens. Don’t automatically assume they went with a competitor and stop pursuing. 

Listen to this episode to hear our conversation about why some prospects go dark, what to do and how to work with marketing to help revive talks that go silent. Hear why successfully re-engaging a prospect involves demonstrating ongoing value and relevance to their business without pressuring them for an immediate decision.  

00:20   Reason prospects go dark and how to re-engage them  
01:32   Shifting priorities, lack of urgency, indecision and information overload 
06:58   Early warning signs that a prospect might go dark and how marketing can help 09:23   What strategies sales reps can use to keep prospects engaged 
10:47   Why personalized and relevant content is important 
12:46   Continually demonstrating value 
15:00   How marketing programs can help sales re-engage 
18:49   Getting feedback on lost opportunities to improve future prospecting 
20:01   How to have patience and demonstrate value without pressuring an immediate decision 
20:29   Developing content that speaks to buyer needs 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The key to effective marketing is making sure your programs are dialed in to the behaviors and needs of your target market and the strategic objectives of your business.

Beginning in this episode, GrowthMode Marketing introduces how we define 12 marketing levers that impact your initiatives and bottom-line results. They are: 

1. Audience 
2. Positioning 
3. Strategy  
4. Budget  
5. Scale 
6. Contact Database 
7. Brand Identity + Awareness 
8. Content 
9. Marketing Tactics 
10. Marketing & Sales Alignment 
11. Sales Processes 
12. Measurement 

 Listen in as we dig in where all good marketing should start, with audience and positioning. We talk about important considerations for each lever and how to dial in and adjust what you need to succeed.  

Watch this space for upcoming episodes that will cover the next 10 levers and how they’re important individually and collectively—so you can tune in the right settings for your business.  

02:20 -   Lever 1: Audience—market validation, research and audience personas to ensure you’re aligned to behaviors and needs  
05:10 -   Conducting audience research via surveys, focus groups, interviews and data analysis that helps validate your assumptions 
10:56 -   Lever 2: Positioning—clearly and consistently communicating your value proposition 
14:25 -   A clear and distinct positioning statement to differentiate your company and solutions 
18:37 -   The critical link between positioning and revenue goals 
19:14 -   Exploring each lever and how businesses can use this helpful philosophy to uncover actionable insights to adjust marketing strategy and improve performance
21:50 -   A review of the 12 marketing levers and what’s coming on upcoming episodes 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Effective marketing is multifaceted, requiring dialed-in alignment across various components to truly optimize your demand generation programs. Each lever is a critical piece of the marketing puzzle, capable of transforming the results of your programs. If your company is struggling to meet revenue targets, it’s crucial to examine a series of 12 strategic levers we've pinpointed that influence performance and drive results. 

The 12 levers: 

• Audience 
• Positioning 
• Strategy 
• Budget 
• Scale 
• Contact database 
• Brand identity + awareness 
• Content 
• Marketing tactics 
• Marketing & sales alignment 
• Sales processes 
• Measurement 

Each lever needs to be dialed in to optimize your marketing. If just one is off, it can have a major impact on your ability to support your organization’s growth plans. So if you are looking for bigger results, it’s time to dig into each lever to determine where adjustments need to be made.  

In episode 58 of The Demand Gen Fix podcast, we talked about the 3rd and 4th levers – Strategy and Budget. In this episode we’re going to dig into the next 2 levers. And in future episodes we will cover the remaining 8 levers.  

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

AI has been around for years, but it has really taken off in the last year within the HR tech market. It seems nearly every solution includes some level of AI baked into the capabilities. And many marketers are leading with this technology in their message positioning as everyone tries to ride this latest wave in the quest to win more market share in the very crowded HR tech landscape. 

But how are HR tech buyers responding to this positioning? And what makes this sale different from that of past HR tech solutions? 

This episode is part 1 of a 2-part conversation where we dig in on this topic with Bennet Sung, fractional CMO at HR tech company, MeBeBot, to talk about how the market is responding to AI and what that means for the marketing approach.  

00:20 - Exploring the increasing use of AI in HR tech solutions and how marketers are positioning it 
01:10  - The pivot in the sales experience when AI is at the heart of a solution 
06:41 - The buying process now has delays in sales and the need for responsible AI governance 
08:37 - The trust factor:  The challenges of embracing a technology HR leaders don't fully trust 
10:41 - The shift towards a co-led buying experience involving HR, the CIO, the CISO 13:38 - The ethical and legal considerations of implementing AI in HR – and what that means for the buying process 
19:52 - Promoting a risk-free pilot program to help organizations understand AI  

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

AI isn't just a buzzword. Over the last year, it's become a pivotal component in almost every HR solution, with many companies integrating AI into their technology platform to enhance their offerings. Marketers are keenly positioning AI at the forefront of their strategies, hoping to capitalize on this trend to stand out in the highly competitive HR tech arena.

However, amidst this rush, it's crucial to understand how HR tech buyers are reacting to these AI-driven narratives. Are they convinced by the promise of AI, or is there skepticism about its practical benefits? 

This episode is part 2 of a 2-part conversation where we dig in on this topic with Bennet Sung, fractional CMO at HR tech company, MeBeBot, to talk about how the market is responding to AI and what that means for the marketing approach.  

01:10 - Buyer hesitation: AI solutions have a more complex and lengthy sales cycle 02:16 - CIOs and CISOs are getting involved in the purchase decision 
06:39 - Marketers need to creating impactful marketing tools and a sales playbook to support the needs of buyers 
14:12 - Helping HR teams understand where and how AI can provide value 
17:24 -  Focusing message positioning on addressing pain points to differentiate AI solutions 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Marketing is a challenging game to play. And figuring out the magic formula to success is not an easy feat. As marketers, we’ve got a hard job: break through the clutter of a noisy market to get the attention of prospects and win them over.  

The reality is marketing is a very nuanced element of a company’s success. If just one component is not dialed in, it can throw everything off. That’s why we’ve defined 12 marketing levers to dial in. Each one plays a role in how your programs perform. In this episode, we talk about the importance of scale and the contact database in optimizing your company’s growth potential.  

(01:55) - Indicators and challenges of scaling marketing efforts within an organization 
(02:12) - Insufficient resources, budget constraints and time-consuming programs impact ability to scale 
(07:24) - Documenting standard operating procedures to systematize processes for rapid growth 
(16:21) - Considerations for building and implementing a marketing technology stack
(18:46) - The importance of your contact database the potential pitfalls of neglecting it
(21:15) - Challenges in organizing and cleaning up contact data – and what you need to consider 
(27:27) - The importance of assessing and adjusting all of the 12 marketing programs to optimize for success 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Marketing is often described as a complex game with elusive success formulas, challenging marketers to cut through the noise and capture the attention of potential customers. This episode, part of a series exploring 12 essential marketing levers, focuses on two pivotal elements: brand identity and awareness, and content. Understanding and fine-tuning these components can significantly enhance the performance of marketing programs, offering valuable insights for companies striving to optimize their marketing strategies. 

Mastering brand identity and awareness, along with creating compelling content, are crucial steps in the journey toward marketing success. These levers, when properly adjusted, can drive impactful results and elevate a company's market presence. 

(00:43) - The importance of brand recognition 
(03:19) - Potential brand issues that can hinder your company’s success  
(13:31) - Creating a content strategy to align with the buyer's mindset and buying process 
(19:36) - Understanding the buyer's pain points and tailoring messaging to resonate better 
(20:34) - Assessing and categorizing existing content for strengths, gaps, and weaknesses 
(24:35) - Creating pillar content strategies and content loops that keeps the audience engaged 
(26:30) - The critical role of these marketing levers in driving optimal marketing results 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

The HR tech market is extensive – with a lot of options to solve the big challenges. According to Sapient Insights, there are 7 established product categories in HR tech, with 55 application categories within the main product categories. But what do you do when your technology doesn’t fit clearly into an existing category? This is a question that a lot of marketers in this space grapple with. Some will tell you to build your own category and lead the way to domination. Others will tell you that trying to create a whole new category is a big mistake. 

So which answer is right? Listen in to this episode as we explore the topic with Sam Kuehnle, vice president of marketing at HR tech firm, Loxo – a company that decided to define and market a new product category within the market

(00:00:20) - The challenges and risks of creating a new product category

(00:02:00)  - Sam Kuehnle’s background: From traditional advertising to digital marketing and demand gen  

(00:04:53) - Exploring the crowded and complex HR tech market  

(00:06:36) - Loxo's decision to create a new product category and the rationale behind it 

(00:10:41) - The challenges of building awareness for a new product category

(00:13:34) - The need to win mindshare before market share – and educating the market 

(00:17:14)  - The struggle of balancing immediate leads with playing the long game to build trust, credibility and relationships 

(00:18:12)  - The reality of the slow initial growth and eventual rapid rise of a new product category 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

With so many options in the HR tech market, standing out can be a daunting task, especially when your technology doesn't fit neatly into an existing category. But it’s clear that while building a new product category in HR tech or work tech is challenging, it can be also a strategic move that can lead to market leadership if done well.

Listen in to part 2 of our conversation with Sam Kuhnle, Vice President of Marketing at HR tech company, Loxo. In this episode, we continue to dig into how the Loxo team made the decision to create a new product category, what their experience has been and why they’ve committed to a long-term marketing strategy to achieve their vision of big growth. 

(00:01:05) - Having a long-term mindset when declaring a new product category
(00:01:59) - Loxo's strong product-market fit and the challenge of building awareness in a crowded market 
(00:05:46) - The shift from lead generation to demand generation 
(00:06:31)  - The impact of changing buyer behaviors on marketing costs and sales cycles 
(00:10:32)  - The time frame for seeing results and indicators of progress
(00:14:16)  - Aligning sales and marketing efforts to drive revenue and foster trust with prospects
(00:17:00) - Evaluating if creating a new product category is the right move 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, it’s crucial to fine-tune every element to drive optimal performance. In previous episodes, we delved into the first eight essential marketing levers out of the 12 we believe need to be dialed in to optimize your marketing performance. On this episode, we're shifting our focus to the next two critical components: Tactics and Measurement. These elements are not just about execution; they are about precision and impact. By implementing strategic tactics and rigorous measurement practices, we can refine our approach, ensuring that every effort is aligned with our goals for sustained growth and success.

(00:00:21) Exploring the 12 marketing levers and why they need to ALL be dialed in

(00:02:04) The importance of effective marketing tactics to drive growth

(00:03:44) The reality of the longer buying cycle and the necessity for more marketing touchpoints

(00:06:14) Building an omnichannel approach to effectively reach diverse decision-makers

(00:10:36) A need for tailored content strategies to engage multiple decision-makers

(00:11:06) Exploring the 3 pillars of demand generation: strategy, content and distribution

(00:18:21) Marketing measurement and the issues marketers face in evaluating program performance

(00:21:06) The reliability of data and its impact on marketing performance evaluation

(00:25:06) Importance of analyzing marketing data trends rather than just presenting raw numbers.

(00:31:06) Suggestions for developing a comprehensive reporting mechanism

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

In past episodes, we’ve been digging into the 12 levers that we believe need to be dialed in around your marketing efforts to optimize results. In this 6th and final episode of the multi-part series, we are wrapping up with the final two levers: marketing & sales alignment AND sales processes. 

While the other levers are more directly owned by the marketing team, these last two go beyond the marketing team to encompass our friends on the sales team as well. You might be thinking these don’t belong on the list, but we felt we couldn’t skip talking about these last two levers, because quite frankly, if you don’t dial these in as well, your organization won’t be optimized for maximum success on the marketing front.   

(00:00:25) Overview of the 12 marketing levers you need to dial in to optimize marketing performance 

(00:01:02) The significance of marketing and sales alignment for organizational success 

(00:02:39) Common misalignment issues and the red flags  

(00:05:30) Conflict between Marketing's lead generation goals and Sales' quality concerns 

(00:07:56) Leadership's expectations for marketing to drive sales and the implications 

(00:09:01) You need higher converting leads for sales success 

(00:12:23) Getting Sales leadership buy-in 

(00:15:04) Clearly defining the roles of sales and marketing for better alignment 

(00:17:27) Governance over sales tools created by sales reps and creating a process 

(00:20:33) Analyzing win-loss trends to identify opportunities to improve sales and marketing tools 

(00:22:27) Supporting sales processes through content and collateral 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Building brand awareness in the market can take many forms. One channel that has gained a lot of momentum is LinkedIn. If your buying audience hangs out on LinkedIn, it can be a prime marketing channel for your company. It can play a pivotal role in reinforcing and expanding your company’s brand. And it’s a way to consistently stay in front of potential HR technology prospects and clients – without feeling intrusive – which can build credibility and trust over time. 
 
(00:00:21) Why you should consider leveraging LinkedIn to reach HR tech buyers
 
(00:01:51) Know your audience and consistently engage with them to grow your LinkedIn presence
 
(00:05:29) Build a brand ambassador program with employees to expand company visibility
 
(00:10:23) Quality, consistency and engagement matter to maximize reach
 
(00:17:08) Leveraging the various content options on LinkedIn
 
(00:21:08) Amplifying reach with paid campaigns
 
(00:23:05) Understanding the account targeting options

(00:25:47) The different types of paid campaign options

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

It has been a challenging couple of years for many companies in the HR tech space – as many have struggled to hit revenue targets. There have been less buyers in the market. And those that are looking to make a purchase often take longer to decide. Revenue shortfalls can put companies in the position of having to make tough decisions to keep the business healthy – and that often means that marketing investments get put on the cutting block. But is slashing the marketing budget a smart move when growth is the mission? 

(00:00:21) The challenges faced by HR tech companies 

(00:01:15) The pressure on marketing budgets during revenue shortfalls

(00:04:37) The potential consequences of deep cuts in marketing budgets on long-term growth

(00:05:58) Identifying essential marketing programs before making cuts

(00:08:13) Importance of continuous marketing

(00:09:10) Companies that invest in marketing during downturns seeing better recovery

(00:10:28) How to determine which marketing programs to cut strategically

(00:12:24) Continuing to build brand awareness and trust for future sales

(00:13:30) The potential negative impacts of cutting marketing programs on brand presence

(00:15:16) Stay focused on maintaining market momentum

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

Unlock the power of AI and how it can help marketers by embracing a mindset of continuous learning and experimentation. From understanding the basics of AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT to practical tips on how to incorporate these technologies into your marketing workflow, this session explores how to start leveraging AI effectively. Tune in to learn how to navigate the overwhelming amount of information, avoid common mistakes, and harness AI’s potential to streamline your marketing processes and enhance creativity. 

(00:00:45) Understanding the fundamentals of AI

(00:01:30) Humans plus AI – working together 

(00:02:40) AI education and policy adoption among organizations

(00:04:42) An overwhelming amount of AI information and resources to sort through

(00:06:46) Recommended resources for learning about AI in marketing

(00:14:17) Resources for learning about AI for HR tech

(00:14:46) Keeping up with fast-paced changes and advancements in AI tools and technologies

(00:19:03) Experimenting with AI tools 

(00:20:48) Crafting effective prompts to optimize AI output

(00:21:32) Be mindful of protecting sensitive data

(00:22:54) Exploration of features in AI tools and ideas for experimenting

(00:28:50) Starting your AI journey

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

AI is rapidly transforming marketing by automating tasks, enhancing creativity, and optimizing workflows. It’s no longer just for tech companies—as B2B marketers, we all can now easily integrate AI into our strategies to drive efficiency and innovation. Many marketers are still in the experimental phase, so in this episode, we discuss what we’ve been experimenting with when it comes to AI here at GrowthMode Marketing, what’s working for us, and what’s not.

(00:00:20) The potential of AI to transform marketing strategies
(00:02:21) Experimenting with ChatGPT 
(00:03:16) Brainstorming ideas with AI
(00:05:38) Providing detailed information to AI for better output
(00:07:42) Creating content outlines with AI
(00:10:00) Using transcripts to create social media posts
(00:14:41) Cleaning up transcripts
(00:15:59) Identifying areas in video podcasts that require editing
(00:16:06) Proofreading and receiving detailed recommendations for writing improvements
(00:17:39) Summarizing meeting notes and extracting insights
(00:19:03) Identifying key points of reports and articles
(00:19:22) Formatting data into tables, lists and notes
(00:23:12) Identifying inefficient tasks that AI can help simplify 

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.

As AI technology evolves, its role in B2B marketing becomes increasingly impactful, yet understanding how to use it effectively can be a challenge. In this episode, we continue to take a deep dive into our team’s journey with AI, sharing insights on the real-world applications and hurdles encountered along the way. From streamlining tedious tasks to refining SEO, we discuss what’s working well and areas where AI still falls short to support marketing efforts. 

(00:01:25) The learning curve of AI tools
(00:02:45) Experimenting with prompt refinement
(00:06:03) Using AI for customer research
(00:07:49) Enhancing buyer persona insights
(00:10:08) SEO optimization with AI
(00:12:07) Automating repetitive tasks
(00:13:26) Challenges with image generation
(00:17:04) Limitations in website reviews
(00:18:43) Struggles with financial data extraction
(00:20:04) Fact-checking AI-generated statistics
(00:22:00) Privacy concerns with sensitive data
(00:24:28) Building contact lists and data limitations
(00:26:07) Effective prompting techniques
(00:28:00) Understanding AI’s “hallucinations”
(00:31:43) Using AI to complement human work, not replace it

The Demand Gen Fix is hosted by Deanna Shimota, CEO of GrowthMode Marketing. Listen to our team of marketing experts and featured guests drop knowledge on how HR tech companies can maximize the success of their marketing for today’s B2B prospects. Learn more at www.growthmodemarketing.com.