In this episode of the GTM After Hours podcast, host Mark Bliss engages in a deep conversation with Scott Jones, exploring his unique career journey from various roles to becoming a successful partner manager in the Salesforce ecosystem. They discuss the evolution of technology, the importance of early adoption, and how curiosity and continuous learning play a vital role in career growth. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on sales roles, the significance of community-led growth, and the necessity of empathy in building customer relationships. Scott shares valuable advice for newcomers in the tech industry and emphasizes the importance of maintaining connections with friends and colleagues throughout one's career.

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In this episode of the GTM After Hours podcast, Mark Bliss discusses the transformative potential of NotebookLM, a technology that allows go-to-market professionals to leverage AI podcasts for various applications. He outlines five key ways to utilize NotebookLM, including staying updated on industry news, conducting competitive research, enhancing sales enablement, preparing for pitches, and streamlining meeting summaries.

Takeaways

• NotebookLM can transform PDFs into engaging podcast episodes.
• AI helps uncover important insights that may be overlooked.
• Podcast episodes on market insights, competitive intelligence, product releases, meeting prep materials, and meeting transcripts can really help increase understanding.

Sound Bites

"This technology really changes the game."
"AI powered podcast episode from your PDFs."
"A different way to distill that information."

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In this episode of the GTM After Hours podcast, Mark Bliss speaks with Jen VanAntwerp, founder of Sober in Cyber, about the challenges of networking in alcohol-centric environments and the importance of creating inclusive event experiences. They discuss the shift in alcohol consumption trends, innovative event ideas, and the need for community support networks. Jen shares her insights on marketing strategies for inclusive events and offers advice for event planners and marketers to foster a more welcoming atmosphere for all attendees.

Takeaways

• Many industry events revolve around alcohol, creating pressure for non-drinkers.
• Alternative beverage options can enhance inclusivity at events.
• Younger generations are less interested in drinking culture.
• Creating unique experiences can lead to better engagement at events.
• Event planners should consider the needs of all attendees.
• Inclusivity can lead to better business outcomes.

Sound Bites

"When I would go to a conference, when I would go to a work event, they all pretty much revolve around alcohol."
"How cool would it be to go to a work event where there was literally zero pressure to drink?"
"Having alternative options is awesome, especially ones that almost sneakily kind of look like what everybody else is drinking."
"Liquid Death is so good. It's just water."
"Their marketing is so good. It looks the part."
"It's the little things that make you feel special and unique."

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In this episode of GTM After Hours, Mark Bliss chats with Andrea Bailiff-Gush, a seasoned product marketer with extensive experience in the cybersecurity sector. They discuss the challenges and nuances of product marketing, the importance of understanding customer personas, and the role of AI in content creation. Andrea shares her insights on effective event marketing strategies, the value of referral interviews, and the significance of customer feedback in shaping marketing strategies. The conversation also touches on the importance of building strong analyst relations, and the need for marketers to stay adaptable in a rapidly changing industry.

Takeaways

• Product marketing is crucial for complex products like cybersecurity.
• AI can assist in content creation but should not replace human input.
• Customer feedback is essential for refining marketing strategies.
• Event marketing should focus on creating memorable experiences.
• Building analyst relations can enhance brand visibility.
• Marketing and product teams should share the same persona data.

Sound Bites

"If your marketing team isn't talking to at least a customer a month, you are missing out."
"When I see some really positive reviews, I'm always more likely to stay engaged in the buying process."
"Crafting the time and carving out the time to do it, but having a CAB is I think more of an automated way to ensure you're going to have those connections with customers on a regular basis."
"Hannah Montana vibes, best of both worlds right there."
"Increasing the budget for an event by 10 to 20% might be the difference between getting ROI and not."

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In this conversation, Mark Bliss and Carlos Scott discuss the role of technology, specifically generative AI, in modern sales. They explore the benefits of tools like SalesLoft and Gong, which help sales reps stay on task and provide valuable insights. They also discuss the importance of curiosity and staying up-to-date with the latest tech trends. Carlos shares examples of how generative AI can be used to transcribe meetings, create personalized emails, and even simulate conversations with a custom AI CEO.

Takeaways

• Sales tools like SalesLoft and Gong help sales reps stay on task and provide valuable insights.
• Curiosity and staying up-to-date with the latest tech trends are important for sales professionals.
• Generative AI can be used to transcribe meetings, create personalized emails, and simulate conversations.
• Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize sales processes and provide value to customers.
• Tools like generative AI can simplify content creation, landing pages, and personalized marketing campaigns. Apply AI in a thoughtful and strategic manner, focusing on areas of your life where you want to use it.
• Role-play with AI tools to practice conversations and improve sales skills.
• AI can be used to personalize outreach and create a better customer experience.
• Having empathy for customers and understanding their problems is crucial in sales and leveraging AI effectively.

Sound Bites

"It's really hard to comprehend how the world existed before"
"Generative AI is gonna be as game changing as sales loft was back in the day"
"Now I can focus more on creating value for the customer"
"Try to identify what areas of your life you actually want to apply them in so that you can better start crafting your thinking around what you're trying for the thing to do, right?"
"Use those tools and role play with them. They provide an incredible amount of value. They're being taught on the same stuff that those people that you're trying to connect with, that's where they're learning from. So using that as a coach, it's tremendous value."
"I don't think people have realized how simple leveraging AI actually is nowadays."

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In this conversation, Mark Bliss and Stephanie Tran discuss the importance of communication and collaboration between marketing operations (MOPs) and sales teams. They emphasize the need for MOPs professionals to spend time talking and listening to build strategic connections and alliances. Stephanie highlights the challenge of getting the sales team to acknowledge and address issues with lead management, and the importance of allowing them to come to that realization themselves. Mark emphasizes the need for MOPs professionals to set aside their ego and be open to admitting mistakes and learning from others. They also discuss the importance of asking the right questions, painting a clear picture, and telling a story to effectively communicate and solve problems. Finally, they play a game where they share lessons that go-to-market teams can learn from songs in Broadway musicals.

Takeaways

• Building strong relationships with sales and customer success teams is crucial for marketing operations professionals.
• Effective communication and collaboration between different departments is essential for success.
• Multi-touch attribution should be approached with a holistic mindset, giving credit to all contributing factors.
• Marketing operations professionals play a vital role in bridging the gap between creativity and data-driven decision-making. Building strategic connections and alliances through communication and collaboration is crucial for marketing operations professionals.
• Allowing the sales team to acknowledge and address issues themselves can lead to more productive collaboration and better outcomes.
• Setting aside ego and being open to admitting mistakes and learning from others is essential for success in marketing operations.
• Asking the right questions, painting a clear picture, and telling a story can effectively communicate and solve problems.

Sound Bites

"Marketing gets a seat at the table."
"Being flexible and being able to work across multiple spectrums of creativity and data and analytics."
"You spend a lot of time on calls, just talking and listening."
"Are the systems in place to successfully pass these MQLs over to our sales team?"
"It took me like five roundabout questions and 20, 30 extra minutes to just get them to say that themselves."

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In this special birthday episode, Mark Bliss reflects on the lessons he learned and the things he's excited about going into his next year of life. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing mental health and wellness, including setting boundaries and taking breaks. He also discusses the value of creativity and being willing to share bold and innovative ideas. Mark encourages continuous learning and personal growth through podcasts, books, and connecting with others. Lastly, he highlights the significance of building strong relationships and being authentic in order to enhance the quality of life and work.

Takeaways

• Prioritize mental health and wellness to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Be willing to share bold and creative ideas to stand out in the market.
• Embrace continuous learning and personal growth through podcasts, books, and networking.
• Build strong relationships by being authentic and connecting with others as human beings.

Sound Bites

"I made a conscious effort to log off and stay logged off."
"Having a 10 minute dance break really helps."
"Have that big creative idea and put it out there."

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In this conversation, Aileen Casmano and Mark Bliss discuss what it's like to run growth marketing in an early-stage startup. They cover the importance of admitting when you don't know something, and the value of storytelling in marketing. They also discuss the implementation of product-led growth (PLG) and the challenges and considerations involved. Additionally, they explore creative event strategies for startups with limited budgets, and the importance of focusing on revenue and pipeline generated by marketing rather than MQLs. Plus, they emphasize the significance of strong writing skills and the ability to present and be on camera as a marketing leader.

Takeaways

• Focus on core objectives and avoid trying to do everything at once.
• Communicate clearly with executives and founders about the time and resources required for marketing initiatives.
• Set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance and prevent burnout.
  Invest in brand identity, functional websites, and SEO for organic traffic.
  Utilize contractors to supplement a lean marketing team.
• Encourage CEO involvement in marketing and social selling.
• Create dynamic content like videos and podcasts to engage and educate prospects. Admitting when you don't know something is important for growth and learning.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing, and sharing the process and journey is more impactful than just sharing the end result.
• Implementing product-led growth (PLG) requires careful consideration of factors such as product-market fit, self-service capabilities, and sales enablement.
• Creative event strategies, such as micro events and partnering with channel sales, can be effective for startups with limited budgets.
• Focusing on revenue and pipeline generated by marketing is more valuable than solely focusing on MQLs.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to present and be on camera are essential for marketing leaders.
• Digital ads can be effective for startups with lean budgets, and testing and targeting the right audience is key.

Sound Bites

"Nobody respects the amount of time that it takes to be able to evaluate a campaign or a channel."
"Educate your executives and your founders on actually what goes into making that happen."
"It needs to be a full story arc."
"I wish I said I don't know more."

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