Building Trust and Reputation in Today's Market with Jon Miller - The Transaction - Ep # 029

In this episode, Matt and Craig welcome Jon Miller, Co-Founder of both Marketo and Engagio, who discusses the evolution of B2B marketing and sales strategies. They critique traditional methodologies like MQLs and programmatic email marketing, stressing the need for creativity and relationship-building. Key themes from this episode include the significance of content quality over quantity, customer-centric approaches, and the foundational role of market positioning and core fundamentals. The conversation explores the strategic shift required of modern CMOs, the importance of proprietary research, personal branding, and community building for reputation, and the necessity of evolving marketing metrics and reporting to reflect new market realities.

Takeaways:

• Emphasize creating high-quality, valuable content that genuinely addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Avoid the temptation to flood the market with low-value, high-volume content.
• Assess the effectiveness of current marketing tactics and adapt to evolving market dynamics. Consider moving away from outdated methods that no longer resonate with buyers.
• Shift the focus from treating buyers as leads to nurturing relationships and providing genuine value. Evaluate how your strategies impact customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Use long-form content like podcasts, research reports, and comprehensive guides to build authority and engagement.
• Encourage key executives and thought leaders within the company to build their personal brands. This can amplify the company's reputation and provide a human touch to your corporate identity.
• Create content based on unique, proprietary data that your organization possesses. This positions your company as a thought leader and provides valuable insights that only you can offer.
• Invest in creating and nurturing vibrant communities both online and offline, including organizing events, fostering online forums, and creating spaces for meaningful interactions.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Discussing Matt’s Haircut
• 01:29 - Guest Introduction: Jon Miller
• 07:13 - Challenges in Modern Marketing
• 12:45 - Customer-Centric Strategies
• 20:48 - Content Creation and Market Education
• 24:35 - Reputation vs. Brand: Building Trust in the Marketplace
• 24:57 - Leveraging Personal Brands and Proprietary Research
• 29:06 - The Role of Community in Reputation Building
• 33:06 - Positioning and Differentiation: The Key to Market Success
• 40:53 - The Evolving Role of the CMO
• 43:48 - Concluding Thoughts

Quote of the Show:

• “We've lost sight of the core fundamental. The true core fundamental is a mindset of what's right for the customer.” - Jon Miller

Sponsor:

• The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Connect with Jon:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/ 
• Website: https://www.jonmiller.com/ 

Shoutouts:

• Gretchen DeKnikker https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchend/ 
• Outreach https://www.outreach.io/ 
• SalesLoft https://www.salesloft.com/ 
• Gong https://www.gong.io/ 
• Carta https://carta.com/ 
• DemandBase