Ungated Conversations

For this season finale of Ungated Conversations, hosts Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan recap some key takeaways from their conversations with this season’s guests, as well as other memorable moments and anecdotes. Jiaqi and Rachel also reflect on the experience of hosting the podcast this season—and they participate in the listener-favorite “AI Rewind” segment in which they recount interesting and exciting ways they’ve been using AI lately.Join us as we discuss:The importance of small scope, simplicity, and authenticity in AI-powered chatbots.How AI can help revenue leaders streamline pipelines by automating specific stagesThe need for diverse teams in the design and implementation of AIKnowing what’s possible for AI and staying updated on the most recent developments

This week, hosts Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan are joined by Mafalda Johannsen, Director of Growth at WonderWay, who shares how AI is streamlining the onboarding process for new sales reps. Mafalda provides sharp insights on AI-driven coaching and prospecting tools—which not only save time for sales leaders but also automate key tasks, along the way improving efficiency and performance, preventing SDR burnout, and ensuring a supportive, productive work environment.Join us as we discuss:How AI coaches tackle key sales management challengesInnovative hiring methods to evaluate candidates' critical thinking and receptiveness to feedbackThe crucial role of documenting business processes for scalability and sustained successThe pitfalls of relying exclusively on AI-generated marketing content

On this week’s episode, Jiagi Pan and Rachel Ann Kreis talk with Andrew Leshak, Head of Commercial Solutions at Sapient Industries and Founder at Samme, about integrating AI into objecting handling and sales team training. Andrew also shares his thoughts on how organizations with limited budgets can better generate leads and increase revenue, as well as finding and targeting ideal customers.Join us as we discuss:The use of AI for simulating customer interactions, and providing immersive training experiencesCreating customized chatbots for different clients and the challenges it presentsHow using AI FAQ bots in objection handling impacts the sales process and lowers manager stress levelsLevering objections into a database for sales leaders to study and help their teams manage more effectively.

This week, hosts Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan speak with Hans van Dam, CEO of the Conversation Design Institute. Hans weighs in on current topics and developments in the world of conversational AI—such as the recent advent of ChatGPT-4o. Hans, Rachel, and Jiaqi also outline some critical aspects of designing simple yet effective chatbots, with an emphasis on the necessity of clear problem-solving and frictionless functionality.Join us as we discuss:The best times to ask for user feedback in AI chatbot interactionsHow human behavioral models can be used when designing effective AI chatbots when it comes to motivation, ability, and promptsThe role of user expectation in successful conversational AI interactionsQuality control and risk mitigation when implementing AI in high-impact customer interaction scenarios

This week, co-hosts Jiaqi Pan and Rachel Ann Kreis speak with Alvaro Tejido, Sales Manager for Southern Europe & UKI at Pleo. Alvaro shares his insights on AI’s potential in transforming sales and organizational processes—with particular attention to cultivating and sustaining a focus on the entire client life cycle and empowering customer success teams to do what they do best.Join us as we discuss:Effective division of responsibilities between account executives and customer success teamsThe importance of hiring coachable candidates who naturally fit the company’s cultureHow to handle errors in AI—and what reasonable expectations for the tech should look likeAdvantages and potential challenges of implementing AI-driven self-service onboarding processes

On today’s episode, hosts Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan are joined by Isa Garate, VP of Product at Landbot. Isa has harnessed her years of experience in product management and strategy to drive major experimentation and growth at Landbot—and she shares plenty of insights and explanations of use cases for integrating AI into sales processes.Join us as we discuss:How AI can help personalize and optimize the customer onboarding processThe role of qualitative and quantitative metrics in developing and refining AI technologiesWhy creating a culture of experimentation is so crucial for delivering helpful products and services to all manner of customers

This week, co-hosts Rachel Ann Kreis, Jiaqi Pan, and Cris Villar are joined by Alan Ruchtein, Founder of The Startup Effect and former Sales Manager at Landbot. Alan shares his insights and tips on all things outbound sales and AI-enchanged discovery processes, with a particular focus on developing systems that allow sellers to address both their customers’ problems and the underlying causes of those problems.Join us as we discuss:How AI can enhance the preparation process for meetings and discovery callsEssential KPIs for tracking and measuring success in outbound sales teamsStrategies for managing a high demand for demosUnderstanding your buyer’s emotions and tailing your sales approaches accordingly

If you work in sales or marketing, there are probably two questions that keep you up at night: “What’s led past customers to our product?” and (2) “What will lead future customers to our product?”On today’s episode, Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan are joined by Laura Erdem (Sales Manager at Dreamdata) to talk all things revenue attribution, which helps companies of all sizes answer these very questions. Laura underscores the importance of aligning marketing strategies with sales initiatives to effectively map out the customer journey and identify the many (not just one) touchpoints that led to a conversion.Join us as we discuss:How linear attribution models can oversimplify the complexity of the customer journeyThe practical attributions of attribution dataFinding the “sweet spot” between too many attribution initiatives and too few attribution initiatives Transactional vs. relationship-oriented sales strategies

This week, Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing at Landbot) and Jiaqi Pan (CEO & Co-Founder at Landbot) are joined by Max Haining, Founder at 100DaysOfNoCode. Max started 100DaysOfNoCode with the mission of empowering non-techies to arm themselves with the basic knowledge required to successfully navigate the world of tech and B2B SaaS. So Max is immensely qualified to speak to the challenges and rewards of upskilling, adaptability, and personal betterment—no matter what level of tech literacy you’re starting with, or where you found yourself in your career in tech.Join us as we discuss:The benefits of “no code” solutions in techHow learning in public serves as an organic growth engine for building communities and encourages accountabilityThe evolution (and balance) of personalized outbound communication in the age of AIWhat goes into a successful AI-native mindset

Whether you work in sales or marketing, your team’s efficiency and performance is always at risk of being negatively impacted by poor lead quality.This week, Rachel Ann Kreis and Jiaqi Pan are joined by Zahra Jivá, Director of Global Sales Strategy at Pipedrive to discuss lead qualification in sales and how AI is revolutionizing the way teams approach this major pain point. From structuring sales teams to harnessing tools like AI to assist team members and enhance productivity, Zahra brings plenty of insights to anyone looking to improve the employee and customer experience throughout all aspects of the sales process.Join us as we discuss:How churn clawback and commissions structures can impact sales reps performanceThe benefits and challenges of integrating AI features like the appointment assistant into the sales processAligning incentives to prioritize sale quality over sale quantityWhy it’s vital to both understand the reasons for success in sales and sales loss 

This week, Landbot team members Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing) and Jiaqi Pan (Co-Founder & CEO) are joined in-person by an extra special guest: Landbot Co-Founder and VP of Customer Success, Cris Villar. Jiaqi and Cris take Rachel through the founding of Landbot, highlighting the early goals and challenges of the company, as well as funny stories and memories from the past eight years.Join us as we discuss:How previous business ventures led Jiaqi and Cris to join forces for a successful partnershipLandbot’s beginnings as a B2C service company offering personal concierge servicesThe origin, development, and implementation of Andrew, Landbot’s AI sales repStrange and offbeat requests the Landbot team has received throughout the company’s history

This week, Landbot leaders Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing) and Jiaqi Pan (CEO & Co-Founder) talk with Pavan Agarwal (CEO, Sun West Mortgage Company) about AI’s role and use in real estate. Pavan is also the Founder and CEO of Celligence, the team behind AngelAI, whose proprietary technology is aiding in processes like lead prospecting, loan underwriting, and financing support. Pavan explains the process of developing the software by leveraging decades of financial data and communications.Join us as we discuss:How to integrate AI messaging systems with financial service, while addressing user privacyThe role of NFTs in bringing more transparency to the real estate processAI’s potential to level the field and address issues of inequality in the real estate industryHow technology like Angel AI can lead to collaboration with human agents

When it comes to sales, the saying is true: time equals money. So how do you ensure that you’re not wasting either by pursuing unqualified leads?This week, co-hosts Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing at Landbot) and Jiaqi Pan (Co-Founder and CEO at Landbot) tackle this all-important question with Jeff Sauer, Founder of Profit Pillars and Data Driven U, and Professor of data analytics at St. Thomas University. Jeff brings a passion for coaching revenue leaders and marketers by providing guidance and strategies for nurturing and qualifying leads, as well as years of experience in maximizing revenue pipelines. He knows all too well the pain points that revenue leaders and professionals encounter when it comes to tailoring sales approaches for different environments and prospects — and he shares plenty of sharp insights and innovative takeaways during our conversation.Join us as we discuss:How to qualify prospects before your initial pitch meetingThe role of persistence in nurturing prospectsWhy it’s important to do more than solely rely on referralsThe methods that effective sales team leaders use to transfer knowledge to team members

Since B2B marketing usually involves outreach to people in high positions at businesses, you can assume that whoever is reading your email or DM is…busy. So how do you use your limited space (and your recipient’s limited time) to make the best first impression? On this week’s episode, Landbot superstars Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing) and Jiaqi Pan (CEO & Co-Founder) are joined by Yurii Veremchuk (Head of Business Growth, Woodpecker) to talk about effective outreach strategies that buck conventional wisdom on how to stand out in today’s crowded marketing landscape. Yurii shares some simple yet game-changing tips that apply to all manner of digital communication and outreach—whether you’re using email, LinkedIn, or WhatsApp to conduct your business. They also tackle AI’s use cases (and limitations) in sales messaging and prospecting.Join us as we discuss:Why it’s more effective to think about “interest span” instead of “attention span” during the outreach processAI’s role in sales through areas like customer calls and lead qualificationHow to make sure your prospect always knows there’s something in it for themThe value of knowing when (and when not) to use certain outreach platforms

This season of Ungated Conversations kicks off with one of the most important questions revenue leaders can ask themselves: How do we harness our potential for meaningful connection to reach customers, address their needs, and meet sales goals?This week, our hosts Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing at Landbot) and Jiaqi Pan (CEO and Co-Founder at Landbot) are joined by Jeff Kirchick, who brings a fresh perspective to the evolving landscape of sales principles in the age of AI. Jeff’s unique blend of experiences in tech sales and creative writing—and rampant polarization during the start of the pandemic—led him to write “Authentic Selling: How to Use the Principles of Sales in Everyday Life,” and Jeff shares how the main takeaways from his book can be applied to AI-driven sales. Join us as we discuss:Why we should strive for authenticity and empathy tailored to customer needsHow to address sales team overload using tools like AI without taking away the human touchWhat we gain by detaching from outcomes while maintaining an outcome-oriented sales mindset

Join co-hosts Rachel Ann Kreis (VP of Marketing at Landbot) and Jiaqi Pan (Co-Founder and CEO at Landbot) for Ungated Conversations. This podcast features thought-provoking discussions with revenue leaders and innovators about the state of sales and conversational experiences aided by AI. We’ll talk about the opportunities and challenges of using AI in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service—as well as strategies for integrating AI across your entire revenue pipeline. Whether you’re a revenue leader or another figure with revenue responsibilities in your company, these fun and insightful conversations will empower you to tackle all manner of goals and challenges while elevating your interactions with leads and customers.Thanks for tuning into Ungated Conversations—brought to you by Landbot, the AI chatbot generator. Never miss an episode by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.

Content is one of the most discussed strategies in B2B digital marketing. Despite how hard it is to trace its connection to revenue, the topic stays hot. After all, when done right, it performs marketing miracles and makes the stuff of legends for future generations. How do you get it right, though? Most importantly, why do most brands miss the mark?In the last episode of season one of Ungated Marketing, Fernando interviews Amanda Natividad, VP of Marketing at SparkToro, with a storied and very successful career in content marketing. She generously shares her experiences–successes and fails alike–as well as the secret recipe you need to spread contentment among your audiences. Join us as we discuss:Permissionless co-marketing, FitBit ideas generator & other content storiesHow to generate and validate content ideas effectivelyHow to relate content to business value without killing creativityNewsletter: Original content piece or just a distribution channel?Twitter, Linkedin, TikTok? How to choose your distribution networkNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

A classic becomes a classic for a reason — there’s something about it, whatever it is, that conveys a feeling of timeless quality or worth. If Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks make for one of the most, if not the most, classic pairings in romantic comedies, then email is easily the classic online marketing channel. No matter what comes its way, it remains untouched, even after it’s been considered a dead channel many times over. What is it about email marketing that makes marketers keep gravitating toward it? In this week’s episode of Ungated Marketing, I interview Rui Nunes, Founder at ​​sendXmail, an email marketing and automation agency, and Zopply, a full digital service agency, on his all-encompassing view on email marketing over the years and the dos and don’ts of building a successful email marketing strategy. Join us as we discuss:The main concepts in email marketingThe future of email marketingHow to get opt-ins and keep users engagedGetting personalization rightOpen rates and other KPIsEmail marketing content tacticsNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

B2B sales and marketing in all its vagueness, long sales cycles, and shiny vanity matrics can be frustrating. It’s not unusual for B2B companies to get stuck between the old strategies and their need to modernize and, consequently, make an even bigger mess. Why can’t things be simple like in B2C marketing?Or can they?Gaetano DiNardi, currently a VP of Growth at Aura, a B2C digital security solution, thinks they can. As a pro who made a name for himself in B2B marketing before jumping ship and swimming towards the less frustrating horizons of B2C, he knows what he is talking about, too! In this week’s episode of Ungated Marketing, Fernando Amaral interviews Gaetano about his experiences in both B2B and B2C, the reasons behind the switch, and his beliefs that B2B needs to take a good hard look at itself if it wants to survive in the modern world and take an example from B2C.Join us as we discuss: Critical differences in B2B and B2C marketing and salesThe withering lifeline of traditional outbound marketingOveroptimization and dying power of SEOForums and reviews as the hot new content opportunitiesWhat B2B learn from B2C marketingNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Building a personal brand has become common practice in the marketing world. You don’t have to look very far into LinkedIn to find marketers posting about industry topics, commenting on current affairs, or advertising their content platforms like blogs or podcasts. Yet no matter how popular the practice, there’s still no one-size-fits-all strategy to follow in order to jump in on the trend and build a successful personal brand. In this week’s episode, I interview Daniel Murray, Marketing Operations Leader and Solutions Consultant at Clearbit, and host of The Marketing Millennials podcast, about how he’s been building and growing both his personal and his podcast brands on LinkedIn. Join us as we discuss:Growing audiences on different social channelsStacking channels for best resultsThe end goal of building a personal brandHow to maintain consistency and repurpose contentAudience vs. communityThe difficulties (and advantages) of marketing to marketersNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Struggling to get across what your product or service is about? Nobody said it was easy… After all, getting your messaging right is as important as the product itself. The issue is, many people do think it is easy—a narrative that creates a false sense of security and, consequently, a lot of websites that leave visitors more confused than informed. If you are stuck in a loop of feeling perpetually misunderstood by your customers and the market, tune in to this week's episode. Our host, Fernando Amaral, interviews Diane Wiredu, the founder, conversion copywriter, and brand message strategist at Lion Words, who shares her tactics for creating a fail-proof messaging playbook.Join us as we discuss: What is messaging and why does clarity matterWhat and who it takes to create a messaging playbookThe keys to success in strategic messagingWhat messaging mistakes to avoid to boost copy conversionCustomer research strategiesNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

In recent years, nothing has sparked as much debate in the B2B marketing world as TikTok. The video-focused platform amounted to 1 billion users in 2021; however, B2B marketers are still weary of braving their way through this still unknown territory. Is it worth it? What does it bring to the table? Are B2B audiences even scrolling through TikTok?Todd Clouser wants to set the record straight. TikTok is definitely worth investing in, and in a year, everyone — yes, even B2B marketers — will be on there. In this week’s episode, I interview Todd Clouser, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Refine Labs, about how he got started on TikTok and how he’s been using it to leverage his presence on other platforms. Join us as we discuss:Tips to get started on TikTokLeveraging TikTok content on LinkedInVideo experimentation and finding your content pillarsHow to include TikTok trends in your strategySimilarities and differences between TikTok and YoutubeSDRs as B2B influencersNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Today, positioning is everything, whether you are starting a company, launching a new product, or trying to build your personal brand. The latter might be the most difficult as things can get, well, personal when it comes to personal brand.April Dunford, a positioning consultant for growing tech companies, keynote speaker, and book author, knows all about it. She is legendary for her expertise in helping early-stage startups find their go-to-market strategy or large companies introduce new products. Yet, in this week's episode of Ungated Marketing in an interview with Fernando Amaral, she deep dives into her personal journey of positioning herself as the positioning expert. Join us as we discuss:How to position your personal brandHow to reach your first clientsBook as a demand generation toolThe hidden potential of self-publishingBlogging as SEO in personal brand positioningWhy Twitter is great for testing new ideasHow to find your worth and set pricing that works for youResources: Book: Obviously Awesome Online Course: The Product Positioning SprintNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Gone are the days when your website was just a simple web presence. A website can be a powerful marketing and sales tool. It can help build trust with your customers, showcase your best assets and value, and generate sales opportunities. In fact, if you play your cards right, your website can be your best salesperson. Or the worst, depending on how you build and design it. In this week’s episode, I interview Sam Dunning, the Sales Director and Co-Owner of Web Choice, a digital agency focusing on website development and SEO solutions. An expert in all things website build and design, he shares his knowledge, tips, and best practices to take your website to the next level. Join us as we discuss:The most common website building mistakesSam’s framework for successful website designMobile versus desktop websitesWhy copy should come before designThe importance of pricing, contact and thank you pagesWebsite design factors that impact SEOHow to drive traffic to your websiteNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Succeeding in making your brand not just appraised but unconditionally loved by your customers could be easily compared to conjuring up the Sorcerer's Stone. Sure, there are theories and speculations, but the crushing majority are nothing but charlatan whispers that are more likely to lead you astray.If you want the real thing, the proper formula, you gotta go to the master who has the facts to back up the theory.In this week's episode, I interview James Gregson, Creative Director at LEGO, the most beloved company in the world. As the person in charge of creating best-in-class product and brand advertising and content for the brand, James deconstructs Lego's journey to people's hearts, brick by brick.Join us as we discuss:Can you build brand love on purpose?Why is relevance more important than trends?How does Lego manage to conquer ever-new audiences?The power of user-generated contentHow to measure brand loveThe role of social media and communitiesBalancing online and offline experiencesLego in the Metaverse and brand's social responsibilityNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Going about marketing strategies and expecting consumer behaviors to be the same as in the pre-pandemic world has become insufficient. Adaptation is vital in an ever-changing world, and one of the ways to respond to consumers’ new needs is through conversational marketing.In this episode, I interview Antony Chacko, the founder of Alpha Marketer, about WhatsApp marketing, the opportunities it brings to the table, and how to succeed at the conversational game. Join us as we discuss:Live chat vs. messaging appsHow to drive customers to WhatsAppE-commerce and other use casesLeveraging image and video contentWhatsApp measuring and attributionPairing WhatsApp with other channelsConversation design best practicesNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

The concept of community has seen a huge renaissance in the personal and business spheres. More and more companies are turning their attention towards this strategy to engage with potential or existing customers and drive growth. Yet, getting it right is no easy feat as the world of communities is riddled with endless options as well as false paths that lead to networking or one-sided fandom instead.How do you choose the community approach that’s right for your company?In this week’s episode, I interview Michelle Goodall, Chief Marketing Officer at Guild, a platform for professional communities and networking. With her 20+ years of online community building experience, we delve into the intricacies and challenges of community creation and management across channels. Join us as we discuss: The role of communities in marketingThe evolution of online communities and their many formsHow to make communities work hard for your businessThe difference between social vs. algorithm-free communityThe intrinsic and extrinsic motivations behind joining communitiesThe impact of the pandemic on online communities and their valueNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get our daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Some businesses rely on product-led growth alone to reach millions in annual sales. But just because letting your product lead the way is a successful strategy, it doesn’t mean all customers are happy to go down a self-service path to acquire a product. In this episode, I interview Edward Ford, Director of Demand Generation at Supermetrics, about his role in helping the company transition from a product-led growth motion to a sales-assisted funnel. Join us as we discuss:When and why hire a sales teamThe difference between product-led growth and self-serviceManaging self-serve and sales-assisted funnelsFreel trials vs. freemium modelsCollaboration between marketing, sales, and customer serviceThe future of marketing attribution measurementNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Conquering social media is an inexact science many marketers, especially in B2B, struggle to master. However, there are brands that seem to engage users and amplify their presence almost effortlessly.In this episode, I interview Olga Andrienko, VP of Brand Marketing at SEMrush, a B2B brand known for its playful and very effective approach to social engagement with hundreds of thousands of followers and an active community across all major channels. Join us as we discuss:The importance of localisationThe power of listening, humor and memesHow TikTok can work for B2BHow SEMrush won over Instagram with educational contentDiscussion prompts and viralityNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get our daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Over the last ten years, the number of SaaS players in the market has increased exponentially. However, if you look at any business category, you’ll see that the top tools offer the same services with exactly the same features. More than ever, messaging and positioning have become key elements in marketing to make businesses stand out from the competition and acquire more customers. In this episode, I interview Peep Laja, the founder of CXL, Speero and Wynter, about why he shifted his attention to messaging and everything that goes with it. Join us as we discuss:Differentiation in SaaSStrategic Narrative designPositioning and choosing your customerMessaging and copywritingMessage testing in B2BBuyer intelligence and researchNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Struggling to stand out among the crowd? Then take the word of advice from The Word Man!In this episode, I interview Dave Harland, a freelance copywriter legendary for his no-bullshit approach and unique brand of humor that attracted clients the likes of Emirates, Jaguar, Nespresso, Red Bull and the BBC and many others. Join us as we discuss:The role of humor in advertisingPiggybacking on celebritiesLinkedin as a self-promotion channelThe origins of Uncle TonyFundamentals of good copywritingNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get our daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Events have changed a lot since the pandemic, with many businesses shifting to putting on virtual events instead of in-person ones. But even the virtual alternatives don’t come without their own sets of challenges such as attendee engagement and proving their business value. In this episode, I interview Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata.io, about DEMAND — the company’s first big (virtual) event — the planning and strategy behind it, and the lessons they learned along the way. Join us as we discuss:When and why to put on a virtual eventChoosing topics and inviting the right speakersEvent promotion on company’s and employees’ social accountsA virtual event’s behind the scenesHow to keep attendees engagedMeasuring an event’s success and ROINever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Sending the right message to the right person at the right time is a top priority in the marketing world. But knowing what will resonate better with customers isn’t always a clear or easy task. That’s why running experiments is essential for marketers. In this episode, I interview Phil Gamache, Director of Growth Marketing at WordPress.com/Auttomatic, Podcast Co-host for Humans of Martech, about why experimentation is critical to marketing success, especially when it comes to targeting customers with the right messaging throughout their lifecycle.Join us as we discuss:Growth marketing vs. simply marketingLifecycle marketing and the importance of understanding usersHow to run marketing experimentsApproaching experimentation in startups vs. bigger companiesBalancing creativity and dataCreating a personalized experience at scaleNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

The way people research, find and purchase products and solutions is changing. Traditional sales funnels are failing, often capturing leads who are not ready to buy. Alice de Courcy, CMO at Cognism leads the way out of the tangled maze of misalignment and wasted resources between marketing and sales. In this episode, I interview Alice about how she successfully transformed her B2B marketing playbook by focusing on content-fueled demand generation instead of collecting MQLs. Join us as we discuss:Why Alice stopped delivering MQLs to the sales teamWhy it’s important to optimizing for content consumption, not conversionHow to select and tracking metrics without MQLs & gated contentHow long it takes to create and see results of a demand generation engineInternal changes brought about by the new playbookCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Episode 1 with Rand FishkinEpisode 2 with Chris WalkerNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Despite claims that its golden age is over, SEO still has an unparalleled power of driving tremendous amounts of traffic. The problem with it is that people have been framing and using it wrong. It’s the same with conversational marketing — implementing a chatbot on a website isn’t going to cut it if it ends up being underutilized.In this episode, I interview Brendan Hufford, Founder at Growth Sprints and SEO for the Rest of Us, about his experience with and thoughts on pairing SEO and conversational marketing. Join us as we discuss:SEO then vs. nowThe 4 levels of keyword researchChatbot mistakes companies are makingHow to start a conversationThe importance of talking to customersCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:The Growth Decoded podcastThe SEO for the Rest of Us podcastNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

In theory, everyone knows a great customer experience is beyond important. Yet, in practice, most brands come out lacking. What is fueling this massive disparity between this widely-accepted marketing philosophy and the everyday reality of salesy or misleading content?In this episode, I interview content expert Yaag Ganesh, Director of Marketing at Avoma — host of the ABM Conversations Podcast, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker. We dive deep into the power of a positive content experience and the crucial role of understanding your customers in creating it. Listen to us discuss:The role of customers in keeping blogging relevantThe inherent fault of the content funnelContent experienceState of ABM & the importance of understanding customersPodcast content, metrics, and growth strategiesCheck out these resources we mentioned:Watch Yaag’s TEDx talkRead Yaag’s piece on How to do SAAS pricing?Never miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Positioning and messaging are everything when it comes to marketing.And yet, so many companies still struggle to make their value clear — or simply explain what they do — to their customers. In this episode, I interview Emma Stratton, Founder & Chief Strategist at Punchy.co and host of Adventures in Messaging, about why positioning and messaging are the linchpins of marketing, sales, and, dare we say, business. Join us as we discuss:Recognizing positioning as the core of marketingThe struggle to clearly and simply state your value as a businessWhy finding your segment beats creating a new categoryUnderstanding your prospects’ pain and speaking to itEmma’s tips for writing better — and clearer — copyCheck out these resources we mentioned:Obviously Awesome by April DunfordPower Your Campaigns With Positioning and Messaging by Mark Huber (Metadata)Never miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

The amount of resources is no longer a straightforward indicator of success. Small companies and startups rise to the top through "back-alley" organic strategies, such as community involvement and nurture, the giants tend to overlook.So, how can you drive traffic and revenue without paid ads and a robust marketing team?In this episode, I interview Kalo Yankulov, Growth Marketer and Co-founder at Encharge.io, about the ins and outs of community marketing and other growth hacks that led his two SaaS startups to success. Join us as we discuss:Generating word-of-mouth & finding shortcuts to visibilityWhy and how to do community marketing rightThe positive side of negative commentsThe trends transforming email marketingImportance of quality dataNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get your daily shot of podcast knowledge.

The way that companies measure marketing is still incredibly flawed, mostly because they don't measure what's important — customer feedback.But where are B2B customers really hanging out? You won’t find out by sticking to the old playbook.In this episode, I interview Chris Walker, CEO at Refine Labs, about why businesses need to change their mindset so that marketing can upgrade from outdated tactics and find customers where they really are.Join us as we discuss:Why gated content, MQLs, and other marketing tactics are outdatedHow B2B buyers have changed and where they are getting their information fromHaving a point of view and communicating it to customersThe biggest mistakes in software attribution and metrics measurementLeveraging employees social media presences (yes, even TikTok) to sell your productWhat B2B should learn from B2CCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Refine Labs’ State of Demand Gen podcastRefine Labs on YouTubeNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get our daily shot of podcast knowledge.

Still slamming your head against the content and SEO wall while all you get in return is a headache?Then you might like to know there’s another, more “influential” way.In this episode, I interview Rand Fishkin, Cofounder & CEO at SparkToro, about the extraordinary inbound marketing strategy that involves “virtually no SEO whatsoever.”Join us as we discuss:The end of the Golden Age of SEOCreating less content for more reachInfluential sources and influential peopleCan you track sources of influence? Does it matter?Influence map: How to pick the right amplifiers?Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Lost & Founder by Rand FishkinNever miss an episode of Ungated Marketing by subscribing with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, our website, or anywhere else you like to get our daily shot of podcast knowledge.