How to Think Like The End-User with Madhukar Kumar, CMO of SingleStore

Today’s guest is a seasoned marketing professional with experience across major companies like PepsiCo, Visa, Expedia Group, LendingTree, and now at Savvy Matters. Shiv Singh is the author of Savvy, Editor of the Savvy Matters newsletter, and Co-Founder of the AI Trailblazers community. Shiv joins Host Chris Mechanic to share insights from his career path, the importance of zagging when others are zigging, and the evolving role of AI in marketing. He delves into how performance marketing is becoming commoditized due to automation and suggests that future marketers need to focus on brand building, loyalty, and product innovation. Shiv also discusses the potential for AI to change human interactions and emphasizes the importance of understanding psychology in the AI era. He advocates for a people-first approach to technology and suggests that SMBs could lead in adopting AI due to their agility. 

 

Takeaways:

• Embrace your uniqueness and leverage it in professional settings. This mindset can inspire you and your team to think creatively without being afraid to explore unconventional ideas.

• The value of foresight in marketing cannot be overstated. Being able to anticipate trends and shifts before they happen gives a marketer a significant edge. Encourage your team to stay informed and perceptive to foster an environment where foresight is a common trait.

• If you are a marketing leader, you need to stay informed about AI but remember that technology alone is not a silver bullet. The integration of AI in marketing strategies should be thoughtful, enhancing human creativity and intuition rather than replacing it.

• Psychology will play a critical in future marketing efforts, particularly as AI becomes more integrated into our lives. Understanding human behavior and emotions will be pivotal. This highlights the importance of developing empathetic skills and psychological insights.

• Being curious and a lifelong learner should be prerequisites for any marketing role. Encourage your team members to pursue learning in emerging fields as this can lead to breakthroughs and innovation.

• Despite advancements in AI, the human aspects of marketing—empathy, understanding, creativity—will continue to be invaluable. This reaffirms the importance of cultivating these skills.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “One of the most important traits that a marketer can have is foresight.” - Shiv Singh

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivsingh/ 

• AI Trailblazers Website: https://www.aitrailblazers.io/ 

• Substack: https://beingsavvy.substack.com/ 

• Savvy Matters Website: https://savvymatters.com/ 

• Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1940858720/ 

 

Shoutouts: 

• Figure: https://www.figure.ai/ 

• Microsoft CoPilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ff_ht_mJ9iY 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest has been called a force of nature and came up as a designer and art director. She gained extensive experience in retail and e-commerce world in digital marketing, serving in leadership roles at companies like Express and Lane Bryant. Jill Kellett is the Vice President of Product & Marketing at Root Insurance. Jill joins Host Chris Mechanic to detail her approach to evaluating and setting up a creative team for success and the six key competencies critical to successful creative teams. Jill also discusses the unique challenges of disrupting the insurance industry and the role of data science in Root Insurance's marketing strategies.

 

Takeaways:

• Use a comprehensive approach to assessing your creative team’s structure through close observation over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. This involves individual and collective analysis to understand how each team member fits and contributes to the overall team dynamics.

• There are six core competencies each member of your team should have. These competencies; curiosity, disciplined problem solving, systems thinking, ability to disagree and commit, outcome orientation, and positive dynamics can apply to any team in the organization, not just creatives. Each competency serves as an indicator of an efficient and effective team player.

• Creative teams should have the freedom to ideate, conceptualize, and work on briefs even without explicit guidelines. This gives room for creativity and might lead to a better outcomes.

•  The ability to professionally disagree and still commit to decisions made by the team is crucial for team progress and harmony. This involves accepting and working through decisions even if one doesn't fully agree with them.

• Being customer-oriented is crucial in marketing. In an industry where the experience is key, such as insurance, it becomes even more critical to focus on providing an excellent customer experience.

• Results and data play an important role in creative work. There is a shift in the art and science of marketing where the creative aspect is crucial, but so is understanding the performance and results from a data standpoint.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “We are seeing a huge shift in the artand science of marketing. As the science becomes more and more automated, creative is really the big lever.” - Jill Kellett

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-kellett/ 

• Personal Website: https://jillkellett.com/ 

• Root Website: https://www.joinroot.com/ 

 

Shoutouts: 

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

• Forbes Article mentioned: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/02/06/how-to-hire-curious-people-and-keep-curiosity-alive/?sh=1e75e20d94e3 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/64iuDfdgv_w 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest is an LGBTQ advocate, a motorcyclist who loves nature, and an empathetic marketing leader who believes in the power of data and collaboration. They are curious and adventurous, with a growth mindset and a passion for authentic connections. Tifenn Dano Kwan is the CMO of Amplitude, an Advisor to Madkudu, and an Executive Advisory Board Member at G2. Tifenn joins Host Chris Mechanic to share how to implement a potent Product-led Growth motion, why you need to be thinking about the LTV to CAC ratio, and how to start harnessing customer behavior data to drive growth.

 

Takeaways:

• Embrace the use of Product-Led Growth (PLG) with digital products. By focusing on the user experience, simplifying onboarding, providing freemium options, and ensuring end-user independence, businesses can drive engagement and loyalty. 

• Prioritize efficiency and profitability by gauging the effectiveness of a campaign on the ratio of Lifetime Value (LTV) to Cost of Acquisition (CAC). It provides a quantitative measure to assess the efficiency of marketing channels and campaigns. 

• Leveraging behavioral data can significantly help businesses in making informed decisions, improving customer experience, and thereby driving revenue, especially for companies using PLG. 

• Understand the impact that marketing plays can make on customer retention. With increasing focus on profitability, retention becomes a key aspect in driving sustained revenue growth. Effective retention measures can lead to improved LTV to CAC ratios. 

• Prepare your team and business for scalability. As businesses evolve, the systems and processes need to grow and adapt. It is key to ensure that the organizational structure supports scalable growth while maintaining the creative innovation of a startup environment. 

 

Quote of the Show:

• “So in short, when you start thinking about Product-Led Growth, this is a mindset.” - Tifenn Dano Kwan

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tifenndano/ 

• Website: https://amplitude.com/ 

 

Shoutouts: 

• Patrick Lencione

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/P9oHKwYBP-Y 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Today’s guest has shown over his 20 year career in this business to be a dynamic leader within the mortgage industry. During his career he’s spent years in production as a nationally ranked, top 1% loan originator and organically created top-producing branches for large, national lenders. Alec Hanson is the CMO of loanDepot, author of Bypassed, and host of the Modern Lending Podcast. Alec joins Host Chris Mechanic to dive into the interconnected nature of sales and marketing, why LinkedIn is one of the most under-the-radar social media platforms for driving B2C growth, and how to empower your sales teams to create their own content.

 

Takeaways:

• Sales and marketing have a symbiotic relationship. By having a background in sales, you gain a unique perspective into customer behavior, enabling better-targeted marketing strategies that cater to customer needs effectively.

• Organic social media is a powerful tool for enhancing brand reach, especially if you prioritize customer-centric content. authenticity and prioritizing consumer interests in digital marketing efforts are critical. Engage with your audience on platforms where they are most active.

• It’s crucial to be agile in responding to market changes, especially social media trends, emphasizing the significance of reading market signals and adapting promptly to maintain a competitive edge.

• Stay ahead of market trends by adopting a forward-thinking approach to strategy formulation, focusing on predictive analysis rather than reactive measures to anticipate market shifts effectively.

• Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, don’t fall victim to the fallacy of 'knowing it all'. Embrace humility and openness to new ideas, recognizing that continuous learning and market listening are essential for staying relevant and innovative in a competitive landscape.

• Some of the best-performing paid ads can come from repurposing your team's organic UGC (user-generated content). 

 

Quote of the Show:

• “Sales and marketing are like two sides of the same coin. They're very different things, but they're very interconnected things.” - Alec Hanson

 

Shoutouts:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

• Gary Vaynerchuk

• Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk

• The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-hanson/ 

• Personal Website: https://alechanson.com/ 

• Podcast Link: https://alechanson.com/modern-lending-podcast/ 

• Book Link: https://alechanson.com/bypassed/ 

• loanDepot Website: https://www.loandepot.com/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/QZCaP8KVeOc 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest is a seasoned marketing leader with over a decade of experience leading global organizations across the B2B SaaS landscape. Ali Fazal is the VP of Marketing at GRIN and a Member of the Forbes Business Development Council. Ali joins Host Chris Mechanic to discuss the importance of investing in a strong content engine as the foundation of your company’s marketing strategy. They also dive into the place of AI in the toolbox of modern marketers, how to build awareness amongst latent stage buyers, and the evolving role of a website for B2B SaaS companies.

 

Takeaways:

• A strong content engine is the bedrock of not only the marketing team but everyone in the organization involved with the go-to-market strategy. A strong base of content serves as a north star for the organization for how they speak about their products and category. 

• The key to creating great content is to make sure that your content team is closely aligned with the business goals. Each piece of content that you develop needs to be done for a reason. Being purposeful with the content you develop is the key to success.

• When setting out to create content, it is critical to have a plan in place that corresponds with the overall strategy and is tied to specific goals. You don’t want the CEO to create a list of things they think would be cool and have the content team execute it.

• The business goal propelling your content should always center on solving your customers' issues. Your content should be closely connected with business goals and geared towards solving a customer’s problem even if they aren’t currently in the buying cycle.

• It’s important for brands to be seen as leaders in their space. A key to becoming synonymous with your category is for brands to align their content and marketing objectives with the larger context of the industry’s needs and trends.

• While AI is a powerful tool, it can't replace the inherent creativity and strategic thinking of humans. It can serve as a tool for efficiency and for getting the creative process started, but depending solely on AI for creative output won’t yield the best results.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “People remember people who help them solve problems.” - Ali Fazal

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifazal1/ 

• GRIN Website: https://grin.co/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/XFVOfEhWVoo 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Today’s guest is not only an acting CMO but also a CEO and Founder. A lawyer by training, he made an incredible pivot and became a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader. Emeric Ernoult is Co-founder & CEO of Agorapulse, an all-in-one, self-service social media platform for SMBs and agencies. Emeric joins Host Chris Mechanic to discuss the importance of deeply questioning potential customers to uncover their needs, How to achieve product-market fit, and innovative approaches to building an SEO strategy.

 

Takeaways:

•  Rather than trying to meet the surface-level desires or 'wants' of customers, dig deep to understand their actual 'needs'. The wants vs needs discrepancy is an important distinction that can lead to more successful and beneficial product development. 

• Spend as much time as possible asking insightful questions to your potential customers. Dive deep into their thought process, understanding why they make decisions, and how you can provide better solutions. 

•  Traditional marketing practices merely skim the surface of customer interactions, but adopting an exploratory approach helps discover the truth about what customers really need. Using psychotherapist-like techniques in probing can yield more authentic insights.

• Prepare the market ahead of a product launch. Work on building an audience and market for your product before it's fully ready to launch. Set up the structure that will channel the necessary visibility and awareness by the time the product is ready to launch.

• Use newsjacking and capitalize on the currency of trending topics or breaking news to create engaging content.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “Spend an insane amount of time asking questions to your potential customers.” - Emeric Ernoult

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernoult/ 

• Agorapulse Website: https://www.agorapulse.com/ 

 

Shoutouts: 

• Harvestr: https://harvestr.io/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube:

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest is a brilliant, data-driven marketer with a wealth of experience in both SaaS and Ecommerce companies including Clove + Hallow, Dray Alliance, and UPS. Lindsay Britt is a Fractional CMO, the Founder of The Rocket CMO, and an advisor for Todlr. Lindsay joins Host Chris Mechanic to discuss why you should embrace wacky ideas, how to maximize the value of your content, and why continuous learning is so critical. Lindsay also shares her experiences of starting as a Fractional CMO and the challenges she’s had to overcome. 

 

Takeaways:

• Emphasize exploring innovative and unconventional strategies in marketing, especially in the B2B environment. Non-traditional tactics can attract attention, cut through the noise in the market, and alter economic outcomes.

• Be open to learning from different industries to derive unconventional ideas that actually cut through the noise of B2B marketing.

• Contrary to the idea that the only content that works today is short-form, long-form content can be powerful, even in B2B marketing. Detailed and valuable content can keep audiences engaged, boost conversions, and enhance brand reputation through displayed expertise.

• Accessibility of content, even un-gated, attracts leads who might want to reference information later. For example, you could share un-gated written content and provide a short form so prospects can download your content as a PDF for later.

• Fractional CMOs offer a valuable resource by bridging the gap between the need for high-level marketing direction and the necessity of a full-time executive. They assist in developing and executing marketing strategies, managing marketing teams, and aiding businesses to reach their growth goals.

• Continuous learning and growth are fundamental in the marketing industry. It’s critical to stay up-to-date with new technologies and marketing trends to expand your skill set. Companies should invest in ongoing training and development for their employees to maintain their competitive edge.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “Try wacky, crazy things.” - Lindsay Britt

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaymbritt/ 

• Company website: https://www.therocketcmo.com/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/8oREMtlmMtk

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Today’s guest is a forward-thinking, inspiring, and exceptional leader. She was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30, Business Insider’s 30 Most Creative People Under 30, and one of Digiday's "Changemakers". She formerly led marketing as Executive Vice President at Cheddar and VP of Global Creative at BuzzFeed. She was instrumental in helping her last company grow from 0 to 6 Million Users in 5 Years.

 

Since recording with Chris, Melissa Rosenthal has moved on from her role as Chief Creative Officer at ClickUp and started a new role as Chief Marketing Officer at Insight Timer. Melissa and Host Chris Mechanic discuss how to strategically use humor in B2B product marketing, the key components of Product-Led Growth, and the importance of implementing user feedback. 

 

Takeaways:

• The key to creating ads that are both funny and effective is making them address the actual problems faced by users in a humorous and relatable way to drive the narrative and enhance its appeal. Speak to existing conversations happening around the needs and struggles of your target customers. Make sure to understand how they feel about the problem and the language they use to describe the problem. Digital communities, on sites like Reddit, can be amazing sources to help you the nuances of your customer.

• Great campaigns balance communicating product value with humor in an ad. This makes it feel less like an ad and can be less offputting to customers. With the right tone, B2B marketing can resonate deeply and stay memorable.

• It's essential to gauge the reception of an ad before fully launching it, especially when it hinges on humor. Use a tool for user testing to assess the potential reception and measure whether it will be well-received.

• Leveraging the power of PLG (Product-Led Growth) has been one of the major driving forces towards ClickUp's success. Any amount spent on marketing campaigns would go to waste if the product itself wasn't fundamentally strong and helpful to users. 

• Examine all of the interaction points in the customer journey and even though attributing the main source of conversion might be tough, all touchpoints have an essential role and need to be understood.

• Providing users with easy-to-access and easy-to-implement templates is a simple way to supercharge your PLG motion and increase conversions from demos. Templates are a great way to onboard users quickly and efficiently, helping them rapidly grasp key product features.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “I've always led with a contrarian view in everything that I've done.” - Melissa Rosenthal

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissarosenthal5/ 

• Insight Timer Website: https://insighttimer.com/ 

 

Shoutouts:

• Alex Hormozi

• How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp

• Grit by Angela Duckworth

• The Surrender Experiment by Michael Alan Singer

• Anthony Kennada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akennada/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/uuuEiwrVvVI 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest is an award-winning product marketing leader with over a decade of experience building and scaling successful product marketing teams. She is the former VP of Product Marketing & Lifecycle at Kajabi. Tamara Grominsky is the Founder of PMM Camp, a community specifically for product marketing leaders, and an Advisor at Klue. Tamara joins Host Chris Mechanic to dive into the strategic impact of product marketing within a company, what the leadership career path looks like for product marketers, and what effective product marketing looks like in companies of different sizes.

 

Tamara also highlights the cross-functional nature of product marketing and why successful product marketing strategies involve everything from market research, segmentation, value testing, and running beta programs to evaluating the adoption of products. This is a must-watch episode for anyone considering a career in product marketing or looking to improve their existing product marketing strategies.

 

Takeaways:

• Product marketing shouldn't be seen just as a part of marketing, it is more of a strategic role. Product marketers need to be deeply involved in market research, customer segmentation, pricing, and packaging strategy, message and value testing.

• For a product marketer, it is critical to validate product value rapidly and iterate based on feedback. This should involve activities like running early adoption programs, testing messaging around product value prop, and getting insights about what customers want.

• Successful product marketing requires a profound understanding of your customers and their needs, which can then be used to improve the targeting of demand generation efforts, the product's positioning, and the user experience. 

• Product marketers in the SaaS world should focus on the adoption and penetration of a product, perform continuous value testing, and use a data-driven approach to gauge campaign success or user behavior. Don’t restrict the evaluation to just the top of the funnel, also consider down-funnel metrics such as sell-through rates and customer lifetime value (LTV).

• Product marketing can open doors to various career paths, not just becoming a CMO. There are potential paths to roles like Chief Product Officer (CPO) or Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).

• Product marketing should ideally exist as an unbiased entity, outside of product or marketing, that interacts closely with different departments in the company such as product teams or finance teams, from the discovery process to post-sale customer experience.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “I actually don't believe that product marketing is marketing. I think think that it is strategy” - Tamara Grominsky

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaragrominsky/ 

• PMM Camp website: https://www.pmmcamp.com/ 

 

Shoutouts:

• James Clear - Author of Atomic Habits

• The 3-2-1 Newsletter - Newsletter from James Clear

• Ryan Holiday - American marketer and author

• Brené Brown - Author

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/wVf1AG9peKo 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

 

Today’s guest has been ranked as a top marketing leader, is a 7-time winner of Best of State, and was nationally recognized as one of the Elite Women in Mortgage. She is an expert in strategic design, sales & marketing innovation, and helping emerging leaders find purpose in their work. Melissa Wright is the CSO and CMO of American Pacific Mortgage! Melissa joins Host Chris Mechanic to discuss the impact of leading your team through radical generosity. Melissa and Chris also delve into the finer points of personal branding, how a national company can dominate local search results, and how to use video as part of your approach to mentoring team members.

 

Takeaways:

• Leading with generosity is a powerful concept that emphasizes providing and reciprocating value to those around you. Sharing resources, time, knowledge, and support are four ways the power of generosity can shape business relationships and inspire team loyalty.

• Embrace opportunities that may be outside of your apparent role; these can lead to greater responsibilities, knowledge, and career advancements.

• It’s vital to stay aware of the larger market trends and challenges, such as the impact of interest rates, and have strategies to address them that can significantly impact your business's success in a competitive landscape. It’s important to stay informed and proactive in addressing customer challenges. 

• Understanding your customers’ journey is critical to ensuring they get the relevant, accurate, and helpful information they need. Be generous and create valuable, educational content that helps them find solutions to their challenges.

• Focus on building an authentic personal brand, ensuring your business's values and identity resonate with your target audience. Leverage social media platforms to further expand reach and connectivity.

 

Quote of the Show:

• “You can be generous in both your business and in your life and those are things that truly pay dividends.” - Melissa Wright

 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-wright-b70bb58/ 

• Company website: https://www.apmortgage.com/ 

 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7334aa0c-702a-47aa-8c55-760fa2cf4dda/the-revenue-driven-cmo 

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-driven-cmo/id1444680950   

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OCuYchAG8TlGv82YARRhy?si=60a093a194c64c17 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-revenue-driven-cmo-99614345/ 

• Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-revenue-driven-cmo-chris-mechanic-rdU1oESluqs/

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/tRZs6MtSRSg

 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is sponsored by WebMechanix, the performance marketing agency that makes you smarter. Learn more at https://www.webmechanix.com/ 

The Revenue-Driven CMO is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/