Zombie GTM: Old-School Sales & Marketing Moves for the AI-Driven Buyer

If you’re still quietly running the 2021 GTM playbook, you’re probably already feeling it: inbound isn’t hitting like it used to, cold outbound is mostly noise, and AI-made content is flooding every channel.In this “zombie tactics” panel, Summer sits down with fractional CMO Rachel Johnson and independent marketing consultant David Lee to ask a simple question:If modern playbooks are stalling, which old-school moves are actually worth bringing back from the dead?Together, they dig into why the 2021 demand gen machine is breaking down—and which “zombie” tactics still work in an AI-driven, low-trust world.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why the 2021 playbook is dead (or at least undead)How AI, bot traffic, ad fatigue, and search changes have quietly kneecapped classic inbound, content treadmills, and Apollo-style cold outbound.The end of churn-and-burn contentRachel breaks down why high-volume “just ship it” content stopped moving pipeline—especially for companies going upmarket—and what she funds instead.“Stop blogging” (kinda): what Dave actually meansDave explains why blogging for traffic is a losing game now, and how to repurpose thought leadership in ways that still get you discovered and recommended by AI tools and buyers.Zombie tactic #1: in-person networking & relationship sellingWhy relying on “lead gen” alone is a trap for smaller companies, and how to treat coffee chats, local events, and real-life networking as a core GTM channel again—not a nice-to-have.Zombie tactic #2: smart, ABM-style direct mailRachel walks through modern direct mail that actually works:Why you don’t blast 5,000 cheap trinketsHow to use small, high-intent account lists instead of spray-and-prayWhere in the funnel direct mail performs best (hint: not top-of-funnel)How to pair it with SDR cadences, landing pages, and nurture—not random acts of giftingZombie tactic #3: modern PR as narrative control (not vanity logos)How to think about PR as a way to shape the story in your category, build trust signals AI and buyers can see, and become a go-to source for journalists instead of begging for “features.”Why none of this works if sales and marketing are still operating on separate goals, separate metrics, and separate realities—and how these “zombie” tactics naturally force tighter alignment.This episode is for you if:You lead sales, marketing, revenue, or GTM and know your old demand gen channels are slowing downYou’re tired of vanity metrics and want activity that ties directly to revenue and real opportunitiesYou suspect “just do more content / more emails / more ads” is not the answer anymoreYou’re curious how to blend AI-era tactics with pre-2010 moves in a way that feels modern, not cringeyGuestsRachel Johnson – Fractional CMO helping early-stage companies go from no revenue to revenue with sharp, buyer-centric GTM.David Lee – Independent marketing consultant and former HubSpot agency owner who now helps teams adapt to the AI-driven buyer.You’ll walk away with concrete ideas you can test immediately—and a permission slip to finally kill a few tactics that should’ve stayed buried.