Podcast Insights for Scaling B2B Growth
Actionable advice to align your strategy, engage buyers, and solve the toughest B2B growth challenges
Treating Your Interview Process Like The Sales Process
#09 Chuck Brotman, has a unique perspective on sales, hiring, talent management, diversity, and more. Chuck's insights challenge conventional wisdom, making this a must-attend event.
Chuck currently wears multiple hats in the professional world:
VP of Sales & Co-Founder at Blueprint Expansion: With a focus on sales strategies and growth, Chuck plays a pivotal role in shaping Blueprint Expansion's success.
In this episode of "A Buyer's World," Hannah Ajikawo, CEO of Revenue Funnel, hosts Chuck Brotman, co-founder of Blueprint Expansion, a recruiting firm for GTM roles. They discuss the parallels between the buyer journey and the interview process, offering insights into how companies can attract top talent and how candidates can stand out in their job search.
Challenging Prevailing Wisdom:
Hannah and Chuck discuss the importance of challenging existing beliefs and norms in both sales and recruitment. Chuck emphasizes the value of sharing insights and experiences that can help others, rather than focusing solely on building a personal brand.
Setting Up for Successful Hiring:
Chuck explains the importance of companies clearly defining their needs and goals before starting the hiring process. This includes understanding the company’s value proposition, success stories, role definitions, and having a structured hiring process. He highlights the pitfalls of "always hiring" without clear objectives and how it can waste both the company's and candidates' time.
Interview Preparation for Candidates:
Hannah shares a personal story of a disastrous interview experience, underscoring the importance of candidates being well-prepared and asking thoughtful questions. Chuck provides guidance on how candidates can stand out by thoroughly understanding the company’s value proposition, the role, and the company culture. He stresses the importance of asking organic, calibrated questions and building a genuine conversation during the interview.
Leveraging Personal Stories and Experiences:
Chuck and Hannah discuss how candidates can use personal experiences and stories to demonstrate their understanding of the company’s value proposition and their fit for the role. This includes connecting personal or side hustle experiences to the company's industry or product, even if they don't have direct professional experience in that area.
Navigating the Interview Process:
Hannah and Chuck touch on the importance of candidates managing their job search process as they would a sales pipeline. This includes having a clear understanding of what roles they are applying for, why they are interested in those roles, and how their track record supports their candidacy. Chuck emphasizes the need for candidates to be specific and concrete in their job search to stand out to hiring managers.
Personal Branding and Social Media:
Hannah and Chuck discuss the role of personal branding and the use of social media in the job search process. They caution against the overemphasis on posting content for the sake of visibility and advocate for sharing insights and experiences that demonstrate genuine expertise and value.
Red Flags for Candidates:
Chuck advises candidates to be wary of red flags during the interview process, such as defensive or hostile responses from interviewers, lack of organization, and changes in the interview process. He also highlights the importance of candidates doing their own due diligence to ensure the company is a good fit for them.
Activating Your Network:
Chuck and Hannah emphasize the importance of leveraging and activating one's network effectively. This includes reaching out to connections with specific, well-articulated requests that make it easy for others to assist in the job search.
B2B Data For Decision Making
#08 Olga Denisova, a seasoned marketing professional with a proven track record of helping B2B tech companies generate $100+ million in revenue.
Olga currently serves as the CMO at GotPhoto.com and is a Marketing Advisor at Datos Inc. With 15 years of experience in B2B companies, Olga has navigated the landscape from hyper-growth startups to enterprise organizations.
In this episode of "A Buyer's World," Hannah Ajikawo, CEO of Revenue Funnel, hosts Olga, a marketing leader with extensive experience in hyper-growth companies like SEMrush and Ve. They discuss the importance of applying a marketing lens to the buyer journey and how data-driven decisions can improve go-to-market strategies.
Aligning on Data and Goals:
Olga emphasizes the need for sales and marketing teams to align on data definitions and goals. She suggests that revenue should be the primary target for both teams, with other metrics serving as secondary indicators.
Setting Up Effective Attribution Models:
Olga discusses the importance of setting up multitouch, data-driven attribution models. She advises against relying solely on first-click or last-click attribution and recommends at least a U-shaped attribution model to capture the full customer journey.
The Role of Sales in the Early Buyer Journey:
Olga and Hannah agree that sales should be involved in the early stages of the buyer journey, even if buyers prefer to explore solutions independently. Sales teams can provide valuable insights and support through online chats, lifecycle emails, and other non-intrusive methods.
Creating a Culture of Experimentation:
Both speakers stress the importance of a growth mindset and a culture of experimentation. Companies should allocate budgets for testing new strategies and be willing to take risks to discover new revenue growth engines.
Balancing Emotional and Rational Appeals:
Olga highlights the need for marketing to build an emotional connection with buyers early in the journey. She explains that while rational considerations are important, emotional appeals often influence buyers' initial interest and ongoing engagement.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
Hannah and Olga discuss the distinction between being data-backed and data-informed. They emphasize the importance of using data to guide decisions while also recognizing the value of intuition and common sense.
The Importance of Talent and Collaboration:
Olga advises companies to invest in marketing analysts and data scientists to support data-driven marketing efforts. She also emphasizes the importance of collaborating with data science and business analytics teams to align marketing priorities with business goals.
Real-World Applications and Examples:
The conversation includes practical examples of how companies can use data to improve their go-to-market strategies. Olga and Hannah share insights from their experiences working with various organizations and highlight the importance of co-creating strategies across the go-to-market team.
When Business Development Meets Revenue Operations
#07 Join Seth List, the go-to-market (GTM) guru at Revcast, in this webinar event dedicated to transforming B2B sales through the power of business development and revenue operations. Discover how Seth spearheads growth with a focus on outbound sales development, staffing excellence, strategic team design, and efficient goal setting
The Intersection of Self-Development and Sales Operations
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo sits down with Seth List, Head of the SDR team at Canva, to discuss the connection between self-development and sales operations. They explore how personal growth aligns with operational success, especially within fast-paced, tech-driven environments like B2B sales.
Leveraging Tech for Effective Sales Leadership
Seth emphasizes the role of technology in shaping modern sales teams but stresses the importance of maintaining a human element in sales. They dive into how leaders should focus on simplicity in tech adoption, using tools to support—not replace—human interaction. Seth shares insights from his career on how to balance tech stacks and team dynamics to foster growth and productivity.
SDR Leadership—Balancing Enablement and Operations
The conversation touches on how SDR leaders must juggle multiple hats, from operations to enablement. Seth shares his experiences in collaborating with RevOps and marketing to ensure his teams are well-equipped and aligned with business goals. The discussion highlights the importance of continuous learning and understanding the broader sales funnel beyond SDR-specific functions.
Key Takeaways for Sales Leaders
Human-Centric Selling: Technology supports, but can’t replace, the human touch in sales.
Operational Mastery: SDR leaders must understand how tech integrates with broader business processes.
Data-Driven Decisions: Use data to inform your strategies and drive success.
Collaboration is Key: Successful SDR leaders work closely with RevOps, enablement, and marketing teams.
How to Excel as an SDR Leader in a Tech-Driven World
This episode provides valuable insights for sales leaders navigating today’s tech landscape. Seth's blend of experience and operational know-how offers a fresh perspective on how self-development, curiosity, and human connection are key drivers of success.
The Power of Referral-Based Leads and Networking
#06 Spotlight guest: Steve Burton
Boasting 20 years of sales acumen, Steve's expertise have been pivotal in catapulting numerous sales experts and tech enterprises to global acclaim. As the CRO at The Point Company, his forte lies in tech-centric demand generation.
The Impact of Referral-Based Leads in Today’s Sales Landscape
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo is joined by Steve Burton, CRO of The Point Co, to discuss the crucial role of referral-based leads and networking in modern sales. As the sales environment evolves, Steve explains how businesses can generate high-quality leads by tapping into their existing networks and focusing on creating genuine relationships.
Leveraging Networking for Top-of-Funnel Success
Steve dives into the importance of networking and how intentional and strategic connections can help fill gaps at the top of the funnel. By focusing on building relationships, providing value, and asking for referrals at the right time, sales professionals can generate better quality leads with a higher chance of conversion. Steve also shares his experiences in navigating dark social communities and micro-networks, revealing how they offer untapped potential for growth.
Why Referral-Based Selling is Essential for Business Growth
The discussion then shifts to the role of Customer Success (CS) teams in driving referral-based leads. Steve argues that CS teams are often underutilized when it comes to generating referrals, even though they are one of the most trusted touchpoints for customers. By asking for referrals when customers are most satisfied, CS teams can play a pivotal role in growing the business.
Key Takeaways for Building a Strong Referral-Based Sales Strategy
Referral Tactics: How to strategically ask for referrals without coming off as pushy.
Leveraging Networks: Why intentional networking is key to driving top-of-funnel growth.
Customer Success: The untapped power of CS teams in generating high-quality referrals.
Partner Referrals: Understanding the value of partnerships and how to manage partner-generated leads effectively.
Learn How to Harness the Power of Networking and Referrals
This episode is essential for sales professionals looking to capitalize on referral-based leads and strengthen their networking strategies. Steve Burton offers actionable insights on how to optimize your approach, tap into micro-communities, and ensure long-term business growth through referrals.
Creating a Winning Prospect Experience at The Top of The Funnel
#05 Meet Chris Cicconi: The Sales Pro Turned Inspirational Leader Passionate About Nurturing Teams and Individuals
From his roots as a devoted salesperson to evolving into a prominent mentor and leader, Chris Cicconi exemplifies the journey of growth and metamorphosis. Recognized as a content creator 🎥 and a spirited jester, Chris melds a distinctive fusion of wit, vast experience, and profound wisdom
Understanding Buyer Experience at the Top of the Funnel
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo is joined by Chris Ciccone, Director of Business Development at Replicant, to dive into the challenges and opportunities in creating an effective top-of-funnel buyer experience. Chris shares how the traditional buying process has changed and how sales teams can adapt to meet buyer expectations more effectively.
The Importance of Seamless Buyer-Seller Handoffs
Chris and Hannah discuss the common frustrations of double discovery and poor information handoff between marketing, SDRs, and AEs. They explore the importance of seamless transitions in the buyer journey, emphasizing the need for better communication and the role of technology in ensuring that no valuable buyer insights are lost along the way.
Buyer Preferences and Sales Strategies for Early Engagement
The conversation shifts to buyer preferences, with Chris highlighting how buyers now come to the table more informed than ever. He stresses that successful sales teams should focus on educating prospects and positioning themselves as experts. Instead of overwhelming buyers with unnecessary steps or questions, sellers should help buyers move forward by understanding their unique needs.
Key Takeaways on Enhancing Top-of-Funnel Experience
Eliminate Double Discovery: Ensure smooth transitions between teams by capturing and passing along critical buyer information effectively.
Educate, Don’t Qualify: Focus on providing value early on by educating the buyer rather than overwhelming them with a lengthy qualification process.
Tailor Buyer Engagement: Understand the buyer’s journey and create a process that allows for customization based on their unique needs and stage in the funnel.
How to Optimize Buyer Engagement at the Top of the Funnel
This episode is a must-listen for sales and marketing professionals looking to refine their top-of-funnel strategy. Chris Ciccone offers actionable insights on how to eliminate friction in the buyer’s journey and ensure that buyers receive the right information at the right time, enhancing the overall experience and speeding up the decision-making process.
Elevating Buyer Experiences with AI
#03 Featured Guest: Brian Maucere
Throughout 2023, Brian has enlightened many with his knowledge on the application of AI. He doesn't just simplify the intricacies of AI; he also wears multiple hats as a consultant, business owner, teacher, and dedicated girl-dad.
The Role of AI in Modern Sales
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo sits down with Brian R. Kelly, AI expert and co-host of The Daily AI Show. Brian shares insights on how AI is transforming sales processes and enhancing buyer journeys. The conversation highlights the growing need for sales professionals to adopt AI tools that streamline tasks like email follow-ups, meeting summaries, and prospect analysis. AI is not replacing sales roles but elevating them by allowing professionals to focus on high-value, human interactions.
Moving Beyond the Fear of AI in Sales
Brian and Hannah discuss the common misconception that AI will replace human jobs, particularly in sales. Brian advocates for a mindset shift, suggesting that AI should be viewed as an enabler, not a threat. By automating mundane, repetitive tasks, AI frees up sales reps to concentrate on building relationships and personalizing outreach. Sales teams resistant to AI risk falling behind as technology continues to revolutionize buyer engagement.
Practical AI Use Cases for Sales Teams
The discussion covers various AI tools and how they can improve the efficiency of go-to-market teams. Brian emphasizes the importance of integrating AI into existing workflows, from AI-generated email responses to personalized meeting notes. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Supernormal can significantly reduce the time sales professionals spend on administrative tasks. Automating these processes allows sales teams to focus on providing personalized buyer experiences and improving conversion rates.
Key Takeaways on AI for Sales Professionals
Automate Repetitive Tasks: Use AI tools to handle administrative tasks like email follow-ups and meeting summaries, allowing you to focus on high-impact work.
Embrace Role-Playing with AI: Leverage AI for role-playing scenarios to prepare for sales calls and meetings, enhancing your pitch and objection handling.
Create Personalized Buyer Experiences: AI can help sales teams craft tailored buyer journeys, improving engagement and conversion rates.
How to Implement AI in Your Sales Strategy
Brian advises sales teams to start small and gradually introduce AI tools into their daily routines. From automating email responses to using AI for pipeline generation, these tools help sales professionals focus on what they do best—building relationships and closing deals. AI should complement, not replace, human touchpoints in the sales process.
How to Drive Customer Adoption and Engagement
#04 Join Alice Ketch for another episode of A Buyer’s World. Alice, the Head of Customer Enablement at Jiminny, shared insights on how Jiminny’s conversation intelligence solution aids go-to-market teams in adopting a data-driven approach. This not only unlocks their maximum potential but also accentuates value delivery to customers, consequently boosting business revenues.
The Importance of Customer Enablement and Adoption
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo is joined by Alice, Head of Customer Enablement at Jiminy, to discuss the critical role of customer adoption in the post-purchase journey. Alice emphasizes the importance of customer enablement and how it helps companies retain clients by aligning the product’s value with their business goals. The conversation focuses on driving adoption by making products an essential part of daily operations and ensuring a smooth handover from sales to customer success.
Building a Seamless Handover and Adoption Process
A smooth transition from the sales process to customer success is crucial. Alice highlights how organizations can fail if the handover between sales and customer success isn’t seamless, leading to frustration for buyers. At Jiminy, customer success starts during the sales process by aligning the product’s capabilities with the customer’s goals. Alice shares that utilizing tools like conversation intelligence helps teams track customer interactions, ensuring alignment across the customer journey.
Creating a Culture of Coaching and Feedback
Coaching is at the heart of improving customer success. Alice advocates for organizations to adopt a coaching-led strategy where managers separate pipeline reviews from coaching conversations. This enables meaningful feedback sessions, where data from tools like Jiminy can be used to focus on improving performance. Companies that build a strong culture of continuous feedback and data-driven coaching see higher engagement and customer success.
Key Takeaways on Customer Adoption
Start in Sales: Successful adoption begins in the sales process by identifying the customer’s goals early.
Seamless Handover: Ensure a smooth transition from sales to customer success to prevent gaps in communication.
Leverage Conversation Intelligence: Use tools to track and analyze conversations, surfacing insights that guide the adoption journey.
Coaching Culture: Prioritize coaching and continuous feedback to drive customer success and retention.
Learn How to Improve Customer Adoption and Enablement
This episode offers practical strategies for companies looking to improve customer adoption. Alice’s insights from Jiminy highlight the importance of aligning products with customer goals, creating a seamless handover, and embedding a strong coaching culture. These tactics help businesses enhance customer engagement and reduce churn rates.
How You Help Create Alignment With Your Buyers
#02 I sat down with Rory Sadler, a key figure behind Trumpet - a platform that's adored by sales, customer success, and marketing teams across the globe. Trumpet has revolutionized business engagement in sales by introducing auto-personalized, interactive, and trackable collaborative microsites, commonly known as the Digital Sales Room.
The Role of Synergy in Optimizing the Buyer’s Journey
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo is joined by Rory Sadler, co-founder and CEO of Trumpet, to explore how synergy across go-to-market teams is crucial for improving the buyer’s journey. They discuss the importance of aligning sales, marketing, and customer success to create a seamless experience, from the initial engagement through post-purchase success. Rory emphasizes how removing friction at each stage leads to a more efficient process, benefiting both the buyer and the business.
Creating Clarity Through De-Risking the Purchase Process
Rory highlights the importance of de-risking the purchase process, particularly through mutual action plans. He discusses how providing transparency and setting clear expectations throughout the buying journey helps reduce the risk and complexity buyers face. This not only builds trust but also improves deal velocity by removing obstacles early in the sales process.
Multi-Threading: Engaging Multiple Stakeholders for Better Outcomes
A significant theme in the episode is the need for multi-threading in today’s complex sales environment. Hannah and Rory explain that involving multiple stakeholders early in the sales process helps ensure deals don’t stall due to indecision. By engaging decision-makers from different departments, sales teams can better align their solution with the needs of the entire organization.
Key Takeaways on Synergy and Content-Led Selling
Synergy Across Teams: Align sales, marketing, and customer success for a more efficient buyer journey.
De-Risking the Purchase: Use mutual action plans to create clarity and reduce the risk for buyers.
Multi-Threading for Success: Involve multiple stakeholders early to prevent deals from stalling.
How to Implement a Synergy-Driven, Content-Led Sales Strategy
This episode provides actionable insights on how companies can move towards a synergy-driven approach that enhances the buyer’s journey. Rory and Hannah outline practical steps for incorporating multi-threading, mutual action plans, and content-led selling into your strategy to foster long-term relationships and build authority with prospects.
How to Drive Sales Through Content-Led Selling
#01 We were excited to have Steven Schmidt as our guest, a seasoned professional with a rich background in B2B sales and the former CEO of TIDAL. Steve's expertise lay in world-class top-of-funnel capture for niche markets, having worked with companies ranging from $1 million to $10 million in revenue.
The Power of Content in Modern Selling
In this episode of A Buyer’s World, Hannah Ajikawo speaks with Steve Nelson, CEO of Magnetic and a seasoned expert in content-led selling. The conversation dives into how modern sales teams can adapt to the changing buyer landscape by utilizing content to lead and build authority. Steve shares his personal journey of growing his business through content while also reflecting on the limitations of traditional sales models like predictable revenue. The discussion focuses on driving buyer engagement through valuable, consistent content and emphasizes the need for sales teams to shift from cold outreach to personalized, content-driven interactions.
Rethinking the Role of the SDR
Steve highlights the evolving role of SDRs and how their traditional cold-calling role may be holding companies back. He advocates for SDRs to be empowered as content creators, driving personalized outreach that adds real value to prospects. Steve explains that rather than treating SDRs as purely outbound resources, companies should allow them to facilitate content creation and meaningful engagement with potential buyers, moving beyond the numbers game of cold outreach.
Building Authority and Trust with Buyers
A key theme in the conversation is building trust and authority with potential buyers before they even enter the sales funnel. Steve points to the importance of creating content that educates and serves the buyer, making it easier for them to approach the company when they’re ready to make a decision. By doing so, the sales process becomes more efficient, and companies are no longer dependent on relentless outbound efforts.
Key Takeaways on Content-Led Selling
Content is King: Educate and serve your prospects with valuable content that builds trust over time.
Evolving the SDR Role: Enable SDRs to become content creators and use their role to facilitate deeper buyer engagement.
Personalize Outreach: Focus on personalized, content-driven outreach rather than relying solely on cold calls and emails.
Learn How to Implement Content-Led Selling in Your Sales Strategy
This episode offers practical insights into how organizations can move from traditional sales tactics to a content-led approach that builds trust, authority, and long-term relationships with prospects. Steve’s experience and advice provide actionable steps for any company looking to modernize their sales process and create more effective buyer journeys.