The Message-Market Fit Podcast - #006 - Marc Thomas - Unconventional Growth Marketing & Anti-Playbooks

#006 - Marc Thomas - Unconventional Growth Marketing & Anti-Playbooks

03/13/24 • 57 min

Marc's early adventures in journalism set the stage for a career built on out-of-the-box thinking and a willingness to challenge the status quo. His stories of DIY culture, punk rock ethos, and the lessons learned from a failed startup illuminate the importance of deeply understanding and relating to your audience. Marc shares his insights on leveraging cultural references to create meaningful connections with customers and the transformative power of stepping outside standard marketing playbooks.

Join us and learn how you can apply these lessons to your own marketing strategies for better engagement and growth.

CONNECT WITH MARC

SHOW NOTES

03:01 Marc's Journey: From Journalism to Founding a Startup
07:53 The Importance of Culture in Marketing
11:15 The Fear of Failure in Founders
20:55 The Value of Experience and Empathy in Growth Marketing
27:00 Understanding Early Stage Companies
27:13 Positioning Strategies and Messaging Patterns
28:27 The Importance of Customer Understanding in Positioning
29:11 The Neglected Aspect of Positioning
31:34 The Role of Customer Research in Business Growth
32:57 The Fear of Change and the Danger of Standard Playbooks
34:04 The Power of Unique Insights and Customer Research
34:41 The Rinse and Repeat Anti-Playbook
42:24 The Power of Narrative in Marketing
46:22 The Use of AI in Marketing
52:36 The Impact of Innovative Marketing Approaches
54:14 Conclusion: The Future of Marketing

Learn more at https://conversionalchemy.net/

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

Join us and learn how you can apply these lessons to your own marketing strategies for better engagement and growth.

CONNECT WITH MARC

SHOW NOTES

03:01 Marc's Journey: From Journalism to Founding a Startup
07:53 The Importance of Culture in Marketing
11:15 The Fear of Failure in Founders
20:55 The Value of Experience and Empathy in Growth Marketing
27:00 Understanding Early Stage Companies
27:13 Positioning Strategies and Messaging Patterns
28:27 The Importance of Customer Understanding in Positioning
29:11 The Neglected Aspect of Positioning
31:34 The Role of Customer Research in Business Growth
32:57 The Fear of Change and the Danger of Standard Playbooks
34:04 The Power of Unique Insights and Customer Research
34:41 The Rinse and Repeat Anti-Playbook
42:24 The Power of Narrative in Marketing
46:22 The Use of AI in Marketing
52:36 The Impact of Innovative Marketing Approaches
54:14 Conclusion: The Future of Marketing

Learn more at https://conversionalchemy.net/

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

Previous Episode

#005 - Derik Sutton & Kyle Bazzy - A Masterclass On the 'Jobs to Be Done' Framework

In this episode, we dive deep into the “Jobs to Be Done” methodology with Derik Sutton and Kyle Bazzy. Derik is CMO and Kyle is SVP of Customer Success at Autobooks. The guys are seasoned professionals in B2B SaaS marketing, sales, and the fintech industry. We dive into their personal journeys that led them to SaaS, and walk you through the (often unconventional) strategies you can use to deeply understand and speak to your customers.

Kyle shares his unconventional entry into the sales world, and how a passion for entrepreneurship and technology led him to co-found a successful SaaS platform during his college days. Derik, takes us through his transition from traditional sales roles into the fintech space, emphasizing the critical role of product love and marketing in driving innovation.

We also discuss their collaboration with Chris Spiek and Bob Moesta at the Rewired Group, exploring the profound impact of the “Jobs to Be Done” framework on product adoption, retention, and overall business strategy. They shed light on the importance of aligning sales, marketing, and product development around a common language — the customer’s needs.

Please enjoy this deep dive into the transformational power of customer-centric methodologies with Derik and Kyle.

CONNECT WITH DERIK & KYLE

SHOW NOTES

02:32 Getting to Know the Guests: Background and Journey
03:25 The Intersection of Sales, Marketing, and Product
04:28 The Impact of Customer-Centric Approach
11:43 The Role of Surveys and Customer Interviews
18:09 The Power of Questions in Sales and Marketing
20:45 The Conference Experience: A New Approach
27:59 Understanding the Sales Perspective
28:24 The Importance of Aligning Goals
28:33 The Power of Asking the Right Questions
29:18 The Role of Marketing in Sales
29:41 The Art of Crafting Effective Presentations
30:26 The Impact of Personal Commitment in Sales
30:46 The Importance of Understanding Customer Progress
31:43 The Power of Messaging in Sales
32:03 Understanding the Customer’s Career Progress
32:58 The Role of Trust in Building Customer Relationships
37:32 The Impact of Empathy in Sales and Marketing
42:06 The Importance of Research in Understanding Customers
49:27 The Challenge of Connecting and Speaking to Customers
53:26 Conclusion: The Power of Customer-Centric Approach

Learn more at https://conversionalchemy.net/

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

Next Episode

#007 - Natalie Marcotullio - Empathetic Messaging, & Gamifying the B2B Buying Experience

In this episode, we dive into Natalie's journey from growth hacker to head of growth, her strategies for gaining customer insights, the importance of infusing story into product demos, and the latest trends in leveraging interactive demos to skyrocket conversion rates.

Please enjoy!

CONNECT WITH NATALIE

Natalie on LinkedIn
Natalie's "Revenue on the rocks" podcast
Navattic's website

SHOW NOTES

02:10 Natalie Marcotulio's Journey from Growth Hacker to Head of Growth
04:21 Cross-Functional Collaboration and Messaging Strategies
08:13 Leveraging Interactive Demos for Enhanced Customer Engagement
09:33 The Power of Storytelling in Product Demos
12:20 Optimizing Interactive Demos for Maximum Impact
15:16 Aligning Website and UX Copy for Cohesive Messaging
16:32 Interactive Demos vs. Traditional Marketing Channels: A Comparative Analysis
18:57 The Role of Videos in B2B SaaS Marketing
20:33 Interactive Demos in Product-Led vs. Sales-Led Companies
21:27 Maximizing Team Alignment with Interactive Demos
22:17 Tailoring Interactive Demos for Sales Success
23:03 Evolving Website Messaging for Enhanced Customer Experience
24:56 Leveraging Customer Feedback for Website Messaging
27:05 The Power of Research in Crafting Effective Messaging
34:02 Innovative Use Cases for Interactive Demos
35:07 Utilizing AI for Efficient Demo Storyboarding
36:14 Continuous Learning and Innovation in Marketing
38:03 Navigating Messaging Challenges in a Competitive Market
39:00 Closing Remarks and Additional Resources