Our guest this week almost needs no introduction!

Setting aside the fanboying from us, our guest share some real marketing wisdom that we’re sure everyone can benefit from!

Rand Fishkin, probably well known to most of our listeners, is the founder of SparkToro - an audience research tool that we’ll get into more in the episode. He’s also the Cofounder of Moz, one of the world’s largest SEO companies.

He and the team at SparkToro are doing amazing things to help the little guys when it comes to audience research and doing the type of marketing that just doesn’t work for the big boys in town. And that’s a good thing!

He generously share some of his view points, which we couldn’t agree more with here at The B2B Playbook.

Some key highlights:

• Paid channels’ incentive right now is attribution, not conversion!
• Demand generation is infuriatingly hard, if not impossible to measure. So that’s why most marketers don’t do it, and as a result it’s a huge opportunity because costs are low and inventory is high.
• Personas can be limiting, as they often don’t reflect the breadth of people within a collective group. They should be broad and diverse, but they’ll still allow you to understand where they get their information from and how the groups are made up. That type of personas are truly useful.
• When you change the fundamental question at the core of your marketing strategy, you open up the possibility for a more effective, long term and valuable relationship. When that transactional nature fades into the background and a value giving relationship is had, lots of things improve. Think of a tinder relationship vs meeting someone through friends.
• A ton to learn from classic marketing thinking, but the world is nuanced and requires a tailored approach.
• Value building events offline, particularly small ones, are immensely satisfying and rewarding.

Tune into this week’s episode for more!

Links To Mentioned Resources:

https://twitter.com/randfish

https://sparktoro.com/

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Explore the power of building an education ecosystem and discover how leading brands like HubSpot and Segment have mastered this approach. Learn about the Five B Framework and how it can transform your marketing strategies.

As we get into further areas of study, one such area to look further into is education ecosystems.

Why do companies invest so much time into building an education hub? What are the benefits, and what are examples of good and bad ones?

In this episode, we’re exploring those questions as well as how to go about building one for yourself.

It’s the next level up on being helpful with your content. And one that has a lot of impact. But only if it’s right for your business!

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00:00 Introduction: Building an Education Ecosystem

01:00 The Five B Framework Overview

02:00 The Role of Education in Brand Building

03:00 AI's Influence in Modern Marketing

04:20 Real-world Examples: SAS Platform

05:10 HubSpot and Segment as Leading Examples

06:40 The Pain Points in B2B Marketing

07:50 The Power of an Education Ecosystem

13:30 Automating Knowledge for Business Growth

14:50 The Benefits of an Education Ecosystem

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S05 E106 - The B2B Playbook

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#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing

#b2bsaas

In this episode, we sit down with Adrian Fagerlund, co-founder of Linkby, to explore how his revolutionary ad-tech platform is changing the game for brands and publishers. Linkby connects brands with the world's most prestigious publishers in record time while focusing on performance and measurability.

Learn how Linkby has scaled globally, their approach to trusted advisor sales, and why their reverse pitching feature is a game-changer.

Tune in and learn:

+ How Linkby helps brands scale content across major publishers

+ The role of communities and referrals in driving growth

+ Why trusted advisor sales lead to long-term success

This episode is a must-watch for marketers looking to stay ahead in content and PR innovation.

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00:00 Introduction: Meet Adrian Fagerlund and Linkby

03:00 What Is Linkby? Revolutionizing Content and Advertising

06:00 Overcoming the Chicken-and-Egg Problem in Startups

09:00 Redefining Sales: Trusted Advisors, Not Just Sellers

12:00 The Role of Team Alignment in Scaling Rapidly

15:00 Lessons from Pedestrian.tv: A Foundation for Linkby’s Success

18:00 Linkby’s Global Team Bonus System: Driving Collaboration

21:00 The Power of Communities and Referrals in Marketing

24:00 Performance PR: Working with Agencies and Affiliates

27:00 Exploring Linkby’s Reverse Pitching Feature

30:00 Feedback Loops: Improving Targeting and Aligning Teams

33:00 What’s Next for Linkby: Products and Innovations

38:00 Key Takeaways from the Conversation with Adrian Fagerlund

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Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course

S06 E166 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #outbound

#b2bsaas #revenuemarketing #MarketingStrategy #leadgeneration #b2bcontentmarketing #salesandmarketing

We’re thrilled to have Ryan Reisert on this episode of The B2B Playbook! Ryan is an outbound sales coach, go-to-market consultant, and author of "Outbound Sales, No Fluff." He shares the secrets behind Phone Ready Leads—a revolutionary system that increases connect rates while saving time.

In this episode, we explore Ryan's journey, the math behind sales success, and how to align sales and marketing for greater efficiency. Ryan also breaks down his famous “buckets” process for prioritizing leads and how to catalogue your market to maximize results.

Tune in and learn:

+ Why connect rates matter and how to improve them

+ The importance of shifting from lead gen to demand gen

+ How to align sales and marketing for long-term growth

This episode is a must-watch for B2B marketers and sales teams ready to level up their outbound game.

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00:00 Introduction: Solving the Connect Rate Problem

02:00 Ryan’s Journey into Sales and Marketing

04:50 The Birth of Phone Ready Leads

07:30 Understanding Sales as Math and Strategy

10:20 Building Effective Lead Scoring Systems

13:00 The Role of Technology in Outbound Success

15:40 Shifting from Lead Gen to Demand Gen

18:30 Navigating the Buyer’s Pyramid

21:20 Aligning Sales and Marketing for Better Results

24:00 The Power of Personalization in Outbound

26:40 Training Reps for Consultative Outbound

29:20 Cataloging the Market: Strategies for Success

32:00 Creating a Unified Funnel for Sales and Marketing

35:00 How to Build Trust Through Quality Conversations

38:00 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course

S06 E165 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #outbound

#b2bsaas #revenuemarketing #MarketingStrategy #leadgeneration #b2bcontentmarketing #salesandmarketing

In this episode, we explore whether Reddit can truly serve as a powerful demand generation channel for B2B marketers.

We dive into the potential of Reddit, why it’s gaining momentum in B2B, and how marketers can make the most of its unique community-driven platform. We also share real-life examples, common pitfalls, and strategies to test the waters on Reddit.

Tune in and learn:

+ How to determine if Reddit is right for your audience

+ Why Reddit’s organic reach is exploding

+ Practical tips for building trust and providing value on Reddit

This episode is a must-watch for marketers who want to stand out and connect authentically with their dream customers.

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00:00 Introduction: Can Reddit Drive Demand Gen?

03:00 The Five B's Framework Overview

06:00 Why Reddit is Gaining B2B Momentum

09:00 Evaluating Reddit for Your Dream Customers

12:00 How to Be Genuine on Reddit

15:00 Testing Messaging and Audience Alignment

18:00 Reddit as a Resource for Marketers

21:00 Organic Visibility and Longevity on Reddit

24:00 Consultative Selling on Community Forums

27:00 Common Mistakes Marketers Make on Reddit

30:00 The Role of Self-Reported Attribution

33:00 Real-Life Examples of Reddit Success

36:00 Overcoming Reddit Ads Challenges

39:00 Key Takeaways for B2B Reddit Strategies

42:00 Closing Thoughts: Experiment and Learn

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Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course

S06 E164 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen

#b2bsaas #revenuemarketing #MarketingStrategy #leadgeneration #b2bcontentmarketing #salesandmarketing

Positioning is the ultimate tool for creating an outsized impact in your market. In this episode, we uncover how small B2B teams can use positioning to dominate their niche.

We discuss practical frameworks, highlight CRM market leaders like Salesforce and HubSpot, and share actionable steps to sharpen your positioning strategy.

Tune in and learn:

+ Why positioning matters more than ever in B2B

+ A 5-step framework to define and test your positioning

+ Real-life examples of positioning done right

This episode is a must-watch for any B2B marketer who wants to understand how to use demand generation to elevate their brand and drive revenue.

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00:00 Introduction: Key Ingredient for Outsized Impact

02:00 What Is Positioning and Why It Matters

04:00 Market Leaders and the Power of Positioning

06:30 Examples of Great Positioning: Salesforce and Pipedrive

08:30 How Positioning Shapes CRM Markets

10:00 Steps to Define Your Positioning

12:00 Leveraging the 80/20 Rule in Positioning

14:00 Testing and Validating Your Positioning

15:30 Lessons from the B2B Incubator

16:30 Aligning Positioning Across Your Organization

17:30 Leadership Buy-In and Scaling Your Positioning

18:30 Final Takeaways on Positioning

19:00 Closing Thoughts and Key Lessons

19:10 How You Can Support the B2B Playbook

19:20 Sign Off: Subscribe for More B2B Insights

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S06 E163 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen

#b2bsaas #revenuemarketing #MarketingStrategy #leadgeneration #b2bcontentmarketing

This week we have artificial intelligence (AI) expert Drew Brucker show us how B2B marketers can use AI to get more done in less time - right now!

Drew has combined his unique experience as a top-notch B2B marketer, photographer and creative with his passion for A.I. In this session, he shows us two ways that B2B marketers can use A.I. to increase their productivity AND the quality of their work today.

Tune in and learn:

+ the attitude marketers should have to A.I. if they want to get the most out of it

+ how to use A.I. to build an outbound sequence

+ how to use Midjourney to create brand images your customers will love (at a fraction of the price)

Drew very kindly walks us through LIVE examples of prompting frameworks you can steal to execute the same in your own business.

Make sure you check out the screenshare from the 40 minute mark!

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00:03:30 AI's Practical Magic

00:06:20 Harnessing AI for Marketing Efficiency

00:15:00 AI's Role in Content Creation

00:24:00 Crafting a Visual Narrative with AI

00:27:00 AI's Role in Brand Storytelling

00:30:00 Leveraging AI for Brand Consistency

00:33:00 AI-Generated Creatives: A New Era

00:39:00 Crafting Captivating AI-Generated Emails

00:42:00 Perfecting Your Marketing with AI Iterations

01:00:08 Crafting Detailed Prompts for Midjourney

01:03:20 Generating and Iterating on Image Variations

01:07:10 Communicating Realism in AI-Generated Imagery

01:09:30 Leveraging Permutations in Image Generation

01:13:48 Concluding Thoughts and Next Steps

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💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)

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So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.

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Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/the-b2b-incubator

S05 E129 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #aimarketing

#b2bsaas #demandgeneration

#B2BMarketing #DemandGeneration #MarketingStrategy #brandmarketing #midjourney

In this episode, we’re joined by Adam Holmgren, co-founder of Fibber and head of demand generation at Rillion. Together, we tackle the common myths surrounding demand generation, especially the idea that demand gen is simply lead gen in disguise. Spoiler: it’s not!

We discuss how demand generation plays an essential role in bridging the gap between brand and sales, offering sustainable B2B marketing practices that drive real results. From the misconceptions about “creating demand” to the role of personal branding, we explore it all.

Tune in and learn:

+ The critical differences between demand gen and lead gen

+ How to build brand awareness that’s sustainable and effective

+ Why demand gen is the missing link between sales and marketing

This episode is a must-watch for any B2B marketer who wants to understand how to use demand generation to elevate their brand and drive revenue.

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00:00:00 Introduction: Debunking Demand Gen Myths

00:03:00 Demand Gen vs. Lead Gen: Clearing Up Confusion

00:06:30 Building Brand with Demand Gen

00:09:50 The 5 Stages of Awareness Explained

00:13:10 Personal Branding in B2B Marketing

00:17:00 The Role of Signals in Demand Gen

00:20:30 Demand Gen as the Glue Between Sales and Marketing

00:23:40 Beyond Attribution: Marketing Without Limits

00:27:20 Capturing Existing Demand vs. Creating New Demand

00:30:00 Addressing Criticism: Is Demand Gen Bad Marketing?

00:32:30 Visualizing Marketing Touchpoints for Better Results

00:34:00 Data-Informed Decisions in Modern Marketing

00:36:50 Performance Marketing vs. Demand Gen Approaches

00:39:10 Adopting a Consultative Go-To-Market Strategy

00:41:40 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)

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Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course

S06 E161 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen

#b2bsaas #revenuemarketing #MarketingStrategy #leadgeneration #b2bcontentmarketing