Podcasts about Help Scout

Everyone says seat-based pricing is dead, but do you actually have an outcome you can charge for? In episode #377, Ben Murray breaks down the 12 steps to building an outcome-based pricing plan, drawn from analyzing real, live outcome-based pricing pages and the fine print buried in their terms and conditions. Outcome pricing is complex to design and even harder for customers to understand: when are they charged, and where is the failure point at which they aren't? For SaaS founders and CFOs weighing a move to outcome- or agentic-AI pricing, getting the unit, success criteria, and spend controls right is the difference between a model customers trust and one that creates budget anxiety and billing disputes. How to decide whether you even have a billable outcome, and why a completed customer result is not the same as an activity. How to define the outcome unit and write success criteria twice, with real examples from Intercom's Fin, Help Scout's AI Answers, and Zendesk's 72-hour resolution window. Why failure forgiveness is a conversion tool, not just billing logic, and how measurement windows protect you from outcomes that unravel later. How to choose your commercial structure, anchor price to labor savings, revenue, or risk avoidance, and plan for the training lag before charges begin. Why spend controls and auditable billing events are non-negotiable, and how to know when outcome pricing is the wrong model entirely. Tune in for the full framework, then grab the deep-dive blog post before you design your next AI pricing plan. Resources Mentioned Ben's blog post: 12 Steps to Creating an Outcome-Based Pricing Plan: https://www.thesaascfo.com/how-to-build-outcome-based-pricing/

After 700+ live Help Scout classes, Alison Groves has figured out what makes customer education work — mistakes. Well, not exactly, but that's part of it. In this episode of The Supportive, Mat talks to Help Scout's Customer Education Lead, Alison, about what she's learned, how to get started, and why imperfection builds trust. WHAT WE COVER: - Why 90%+ of Alison's attendees stay for the full session - The three types of people who show up (and what each of them needs) - Why making mistakes live is a feature, not a bug - How to start even if you have zero experience - What happens when only 3 people show up vs. 120 - Whether AI will make live human teaching more or less valuable TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 0:32 Meet Alison — 700+ classes and counting 4:11 What makes a great teacher (and a terrible one) 5:41 Getting over the fear of being wrong 8:09 Why people sign up for live classes 11:30 Live teaching vs. recorded demos 14:07 The value of imperfection 17:59 Advice for getting started 20:06 Your first step: just record yourself 22:14 Big class vs. small class — does it matter? 25:25 How to know if it's workingFor notes and links: https://helpscout.com/blog/teach-your-customers/

♻️ Sign up to get my content distribution playbook here: https://justinsimon.co/workshop If you've been struggling to figure out what content to make, when to make it, or why your strategy feels random and exhausting…this is the video you've been looking for. In this episode, I break down a simple but powerful framework called the 3C Content Method. The same structure I've used consulting for brands like TechSmith, Help Scout, DataRobot, and Armada, and coaching hundreds of marketers through my courses and community. You'll understand how to build a content strategy that actually holds together in 2026 by using a three-layer system that tells you exactly what to make, when to make it, and how to get it in front of your audience. WHEN YOU'RE READY♻️ Distribution First Newsletter

What if making your work visible wasn't about promoting yourself — but about telling the stories of your customers?Help Scout's Kristi Thompson spent nine years on the customer support team. She wasn't angling for a promotion or trying to build a personal brand. She just noticed a gap — consultative conversations that email wasn't suited for — and started volunteering to take those calls. She tracked what happened and shared it with her team and manager in Slack. Eventually, Help Scout created a customer success role and gave it to her.In this episode, Kristi and I talk through one edition of The Supportive Weekly newsletter "Why you should show your work" .Kristi brings the real-world version: what she actually did, why she called it an experiment, who was reading her Slack updates (more people than she expected), and how a one-minute video highlight reel can land harder than any spreadsheet.We also get into: whole company support, what remote work does to your visibility, the difference between self-promotion and reporting on what you've done, and why you should never expect anyone to connect the dots for you.https://www.helpscout.com/blog/the-su...

Today's episode of the Punk CX podcast features Nick Francis, one of the co-founders of Help Scout, a leading customer support platform, who after operating as the CEO for the last 15 years stepped back from the position in late 2025 and has now moved into the Chairman role. I first talked to Nick on the podcast back in 2017 and he joins me today to talk about his time as CEO at Help Scout, some of the biggest challenges he faced during his tenure, the lessons he learned, the ‘craft' of customer support, and with the emergence and rapid evolution of AI-powered technology, how he sees support evolving in the coming years. This interview follows on from my recent interview – How executives can turn fragmented CX efforts into enterprise-wide customer obsession – Interview with Ray Gerber – and is number 578 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders who are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees.

How do you know when you're no longer the right leader for your own company?After 15 years building Help Scout — shaping its culture, defining its values, and growing it into a successful SaaS business — Nick Francis faced that question himself.From the outside, it looked like the job of his dreams. But as the company scaled and took on venture capital, the expectations around growth began to shift. And Nick had to ask himself a question most founders don't say out loud: Was he still the right leader for Help Scout's next chapter?In this episode, Chris Savage talks with Nick about navigating that tension — between growth and craft, scale and vision — and how he ultimately chose to step aside when he realized the company needed something different.Links to Learn More: Follow Nick Francis on LinkedInFollow Savage on LinkedInSubscribe to Talking Too Loud on WistiaWatch on YouTubeFollow Talking Too Loud on InstagramFollow Talking Too Loud on TikTokLove what you heard? Leave us a review!On AppleOn Spotify

In this episode of Content and Conversation, Ross Hudgens sits down with Devin Bramhall to unpack what's broken in modern B2B marketing and what actually works when metrics get messy and attribution falls apart.They talk through Devin's experience writing B2B Content Marketing Strategy, why “media-first” is now table stakes, and how community is often misunderstood, mis-scoped, or forced into the wrong formats. Devin shares real examples from her work at Help Scout and beyond, showing how strong communities are built by paying attention to people, not playbooks.Show Notes:00:00 – Intro/Marketing can't be measured with numbers alone  05:30 – Writing a book when you already know the answer  10:20 – Media-first content marketing explained  15:00 – What community actually means (and what it doesn't)  20:30 – Real-world community examples that worked  28:30 – Outcomes vs activities in marketing reporting  35:00 – Telling a story your CEO will understand  44:30 – When community is the wrong strategy  Show Links:B2B Content Marketing Strategy Book by Devin BramhallFollow Ross on X: https://x.com/RossHudgens Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-and-conversation-seo-tips-from-siege-media/id1289467174 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kiaFGXO5UcT2qXVRuXjsM Listen on Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9jT3NjUkdLeA Follow Siege on Twitter: http://twitter.com/siegemedia Follow Ross on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rosshudgens Directed by Cara Brown: https://twitter.com/cararbrown Email Ross: ross@siegemedia.com #seo | #contentmarketing

Have you ever wondered how to create structure for your distributed team — without taking away their flexibility? We often hear leaders ask how to balance business needs with employees' desire for autonomy. That's where Core Hours with Flexibility comes in: a distributed work model that allows everyone to work when they're at their best, while still ensuring there's dedicated time each day for real-time collaboration. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Core Hours with Flexibility Model — which helps you align your team's schedules without forcing everyone back to the same rigid 9-to-5. We cover: How to set clear boundaries and expectations that empower teams to manage their time effectively What to consider before adopting the Core Hours with Flexibility Model for your distributed workforce The biggest challenges of implementing this model — and how to maintain fairness across time zones We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today! TIMESTAMPS: [02:36] How the Core Hours with Flexibility Model improves coordination while giving employees the flexibility to manage their own schedules. [03:38] What are some of the key principles to applying core hours with flexibility in your workplace? [04:56] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [05:41] How to know if the Core Hours with Flexibility Model is best fit for your organization? LINKS: info@inclusioninprogress.com www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. To learn more about Help Scout's distributed work strategy, check out Episode 137 Distributed Work Experts: Lessons from Help Scout. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

What does it take to earn the trust and loyalty of over 12,000 customers, build a team that cares like you do, and hold onto your values for over a decade? In the first episode of season 2, go behind the scenes with the three founders of Help Scout – Nick Francis, Denny Swindle, and Jared McDaniel – and hear how they turned their frustrations with clunky support tools into a business renowned for its customer focus.For show notes, transcript, and links:https://helpscout.com/resources/supportive-podcast/S2E01/

Justin's cooking up ATC pedestals for Avid machines with fancy PEM hardware while Jem's crushing it with 0.6% Shopify conversions. After midnight whiskey-fueled Grasshopper sessions with AI buddy Uncle Sven, Jem finally cracked multi-axis robot sanding and now dreams of weird angled fixtures. Justin unleashes AI on sleazy car dealers who play dumb professionally. Help Scout's AI actually writes decent support emails, and sick kids get robot tours that make everything worthwhile. Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicAvid users - New ATC Pedestals coming - want to test?Shopify MCP "Help customers search, ask, and buy in natural language."Sentry Error MonitoringSyntax - MCP #920 episodeCNC sander toolGrasshopper with Uncle Sven ꘎Bevels ✅Fixture design session, 3A breakGet them back ✊Helpscout continues

Jem and Justin kick off with robot arrival update, plus a rapid coding and with YAML magic. They rave about Help Scout, the best AI chat sidekick ever. SMED shines in action, while the A1 Swapper takes a nosedive. Yeti vlogs sneak in a cheeky ad, and a new mousepad earns ✨life-changing✨ status.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicApologies late show, Justin meddlingRobot updateRapid coding projectYAMLDouble time (chats)Best AI help chat I've used - Help ScoutSMED in actionA1 Swapper

Host Justin Barnes recorded live at HIMSS25 in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for the next few weeks to hear all his guests.This week his guests are Dr. Eric Quiñones, Chief Healthcare Advisor at World Wide Technology, and Nicole Roskill, Director of Partnerships at Help Scout. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Learn why Nick Francis bet everything on a new business model—and about the new strategic narrative he built to make sense of it for his team, his investors, and his customers. With my mom on a rare vacation, my sister steps in to take the intro call.

Visit thedigitalslicepodcast.com for complete show notes of every podcast episode. In this episode of The Digital Slice Podcast, Brad Friedman and Dmitry Dragilev discuss the state of SEO in 2025 and the tactics your brand needs to succeed. Dmitry Dragilev is an online entrepreneur who has built four software businesses, which were acquired by Google in 2014, Semrush in 2023, early Slack employees, and Mangools in 2024. His current role is the Growth Advisor at Mangools, where he is helping scale a set of simple and powerful SEO tools for any business or brand. He has utilized unconventional content marketing, PR, and SEO to scale his companies and achieve all four exits.  He has consulted and helped over 100 companies in the last decade, including DowJones, Realtor.com, Nextiva, Aura, Pipedrive, Wistia, CultureAmp, Backlinko, Helpscout rank #1 organically on Google for their key terms. Dmitry is a contributor for Intuit, Forbes, Entrepreneur, TheNextWeb, TechCrunch, Moz, AListApart, SEMRush, Mashable, Huffington Post, WIRED and many others. The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by Magai. Up your AI game at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai

On this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we resume our Distributed Work Expert Series. With this series, we're  highlighting some of the world's leading experts who continue to map, innovate, and design how distributed work looks from inside forward-thinking companies — designing a version of work that works for teams — regardless of where they choose to work. Our goal is to start highlighting distributed work leaders in companies to help forward-thinking leaders like you to: Navigate remote and hybrid work challenges with real-world examples Draw inspiration to find a distributed work model that is best suited for your teams Reimagine your workplaces with research-backed insights from experts at the forefront of the future of work conversation For this episode, we're joined by Leah Knobler, VP of People at Help Scout, who shares their company's commitment to accessibility, transparency, and intentionality — as a fully remote-first organization since 2012.  Leah shares how Help Scout continues to double down on their distributed work model — in spite of the current RTO (return-to-office) trends — and how their remote-first approach has allowed them to continue to grow globally year on year.

Guest: James D. Wilton, Founder & Managing Partner of MonevateThe advent of AI is forcing a complete rethink of traditional SaaS pricing—particularly the long-standing dominance of user-based pricing. In this episode, pricing strategist James Wilton explains why AI-native products are undermining the foundations of per-seat pricing models. Unlike traditional SaaS, where users are the proxy for value, AI tools often perform tasks autonomously, disconnecting cost from usage in unpredictable ways. As a result, the most value-aligned and sustainable pricing approach for AI-powered platforms is shifting toward usage-based models. Wilton argues: "If you're still defaulting to user-based pricing, you'd better be ready to defend it."

In today's episode, we help a listener find the best way to co-manage a business email account with their team, including HelpScout, Hubspot, and more. Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week. Show notes: SideHustleSchool.com Email: team@sidehustleschool.com Be on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questions Connect on Instagram: @193countries Visit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.com Read A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.substack.com If you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.

In this episode, we interview Kristen Bryant Smith, VP of Marketing at Help Scout. Kristen shares her insights on using internal experts to amplify B2B content strategies and how businesses can empower teams to create authentic, valuable content. What you'll learn in this episode: • How to leverage internal experts for content creation. • The importance of aligning content with your team's real-world expertise. • Practical strategies for encouraging reluctant team members to participate. • How Help Scout created content that resonates with their target audience. • Managing leadership buy-in for cross-departmental content collaboration.

Before comedians ever get a Netflix special, they have to run the gauntlet. Night after night, they're putting themselves out there in front of judgmental crowds and trying to win them over.Sometimes they bomb, sometimes they face hecklers, and what may be even worse: silence. Kathy Griffin once bombed so badly at a show in Montreal she said, “The audience was talking so much that they didn't know my set ended.” Ouch.But even after bombing the worst, comedians

Dave sits down with Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and a former marketing leader at G2 and Help Scout. Adam shares his insights from leading growth at top B2B companies to launching his own agency that helps startups scale by integrating holistic growth strategies.Adam and Dave cover:How marketing can drive demos that aren't qualified and how to fix itWhy MQLs aren't efficient incentives for marketing teamsHow to use feedback from Sales to create better marketing contentTimestamps(00:00) - - Why Working With B2B Agencies is So Hard (06:11) - - Marketing in 2024 (10:07) - - How to Actually Test Your Marketing Campaigns (12:12) - - Organizing Your Marketing Team (15:07) - - Setting Aside Budget For Experiments (22:57) - - How to Ask Qualifying Questions (24:18) - - Balancing Brand Building and Conversion (30:13) - - Advocating for Marketing Strategy Internally (35:07) - - Using Feedback from Sales to Create Content (40:48) - - How to Test and Iterate Quickly (48:58) - - Adwords Keyword Optimization and Ad Copy (50:07) - - Marketing Leadership in SaaS at a Scale Up Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***This episode of the Exit Five podcast is brought to you by our friends at Knak.  Launching an email or landing page in your marketing automation platform shouldn't feel like assembling an airplane mid flight with no instructions, but too often that's exactly how it feels.No more having to stop midway through your campaign to fix something simple. Knack lets you work with your entire team in real time and stops you from having to fix things mid flight. Check them out at knak.com/exit-five/***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

In this in-between non-episode, Mat talks about why Help Scout is not an AI-first company.

Seeking valuable insights on startup success and leadership strategies for CEOs?

Marybeth Alexander is the Chief Executive Owl at KnowledgeOwl, a SaaS that focuses on providing the most impactful knowledgebase you could possibly have. We talk about using knowledge management systems outside their "usual" domain of customer service: Marybeth teaches how you can employ a KB for marketing, sales, and even internal documentation purposes. We also tackle the topic of AI in knowledge management, how extremely simple pricing can be a growth lever, and we dive into the sustainability practices of a B-corp.It's a ... knowledge-packed episode!00:00:00 Tools and Scope in Customer Service00:09:14 Utilizing AI and Knowledge Bases00:14:12 Importance of Documentation in Software00:21:31 The Future of Knowledge Management00:27:11 AI Tools and Data Compliance Integration00:35:42 Intentional Growth Strategy and Business Model00:41:21 Building a Purpose-Driven BusinessThis episode is sponsored by Acquire.comThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/marybeth-alexander-knowledgebase-secrets/The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/316-marybeth-alexander-knowledgebase-secretsThe video: https://youtu.be/glMBIhxH-rYYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw

Check out the trailer for the upcoming Supportive Podcast from Help Scout.

In this episode Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and former VP of Marketing at Help Scout and G2, shares his journey into marketing and we explore the three biggest speed bumps he encountered in his career. Along the way, he shares the impact of professional relationships on career development and growth and his strategies for handling stress, self-doubt, and early career hurdles in marketing.In this episode, you'll hear about:1. When Adam's boss left and the company promoted their intern, who had an Ivy League MBA, over him2. When Adam couldn't explain why they had a bad month and his CFO walked out of the meeting3. The story of when Adam first got promoted to VP of Marketing in a tough environmentThings to listen for:[02:26] The risk that led to a huge reward for Adam[07:17] When he put in his resignation, but was persuaded to stay[11:02] The intern was promoted over him…[16:48] Showing off losses made his company see major growth[28:07] The gut-wrenching moment Adam's CFO walked out on their meeting[36:18] Beware of bad marketers at prestigious companies![39:59] Advice on building career relationshipsResources:- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn- Check out Growth Union- Sign up Adam's Substack: The Friday Growth Note- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and former VP of Marketing at Help Scout and G2, shares his journey into marketing and we explore the three biggest speed bumps he encountered in his career. Along the way, he shares the impact of professional relationships on career development and growth and his strategies for handling stress, self-doubt, and early career hurdles in marketing.In this episode, you'll hear about:1. When Adam's boss left and the company promoted their intern, who had an Ivy League MBA, over him2. When Adam couldn't explain why they had a bad month and his CFO walked out of the meeting3. The story of when Adam first got promoted to VP of Marketing in a tough environmentThings to listen for:[02:26] The risk that led to a huge reward for Adam[07:17] When he put in his resignation, but was persuaded to stay[11:02] The intern was promoted over him…[16:48] Showing off losses made his company see major growth[28:07] The gut-wrenching moment Adam's CFO walked out on their meeting[36:18] Beware of bad marketers at prestigious companies![39:59] Advice on building career relationshipsResources:- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn- Check out Growth Union- Sign up Adam's Substack: The Friday Growth Note- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues

In today's Topline Hotline, Sam, AJ, and Andrea Kayal of Help Scout discuss a question from a new CRO who is concerned about missing Q1 revenue after being in the role for 7 days. They explore the reasons for the concern and the impact of a Q1 miss in recurring revenue businesses, as well as strategies to pull revenue forward.  Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here. Also, attend Topline Hotline Live on April 11th at 2:30 PM ET.

Andrea Kaya from Help Scout joins Topline to discuss the shift from growth at any cost to profitable efficient growth (PEG) and shares how her company is tackling churn and improving their CAC payback period. The group also discusses the latest revenue attainment data from Pavilion's March Pulse Report. Want more Topline? Read episode recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners.

Find and follow How Stories Happen in your favorite podcast player, or visit howstorieshappen.com to learn more about the show and find the appropriate link for you.Every episode of the show, we're dissecting stories and drafts with incredible storytellers to understand how they found their ideas, how they developed their work, and how they're using their stories to build their business and leave their legacy.You'll walk away ready to differentiate on the impact of your ideas, not the volume of your content.It's a show for business storytellers focused on standing out easier and resonating deeper through substance and stories, not hollow stunts.***You can also subscribe to my free newsletter,

Welcome to How Stories Happen, a show for business storytellers focused on standing out easier and resonating deeper through substance and stories, not hollow stunts. Each episode, an expert, entrepreneur, or world-class communicator breaks apart a single story piece by piece, sharing how they developed it and how they're using it to grow their brand and leave their legacy. Hosted by Jay AcunzoAs Ira Glass said, “Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” He doesn't mean worthy things only appear to those who are already masters of the craft. He means, this is in fact a craft. But if that's the case, shouldn't we learn storytelling by getting closer to the actual crafting? Enough theory and technique. This show puts on display the posture, process, and practice of incredible business storytellers.Storytellers don't experience extraordinary things. They know how to imbue meaning into things that are ordinary.How do stories happen? They don't. Life happens. Then you turn that INTO stories. I guess you could say great stories happen ON PURPOSE.I'm your host, Jay Acunzo. I'm an author, speaker, and podcaster, with more than 15 years of business storytelling experience. I've held marketing and editorial roles at Google, HubSpot, and ESPN. I've consulted Fortune 500 brands and hosted documentaries and podcasts for exciting startups, and I've traveled the world imploring builders of brands and communities to bridge the gap between what best practices claim you have to do and what your intuition is urging you to try.In all of that, I've spotted a problem with the way we learn story: it's an abstraction. It's external to us. We start seeking answers “out there,” when in reality, that's not how stories happen. You don't experience the extraordinary. You see meaning in the ordinary. EVERYTHING is inspiration in the hands of an effective storyteller. To understand that is truly the difference between “learning story” and actually being a storyteller.Join me in an original series where world-class storytellers break apart their signature stories and piece by piece, share how it was made, how they used it to support their cause, and how it might still get better. Because stories aren't snapshots of life. Stories are built with intention. This show puts that intentionality on display, from inception to development, marketing and selling to growing a following or changing the world – everywhere being a storyteller empowers you to lead.You'll walk away thinking more about the power of your words and less about the volume of your content.It has never been more urgent to become an effective storyteller, so you can stand out easier and resonate deeper than all the mediocrity flooding our world.Join us as we explore How Stories Happen.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Kristen Bryant Smith, the VP of Brand at Help Scout, is talking too loud about Taylor Swift's lack of style (hot take), specifically, and the case against billionaires more broadly.Chris Savage is talking too loud about the joy of Wistia hackathons, and a new tool called Canny, that lets teams spin out ideas based on customer feedback. Sylvie is talking too loud about broken treadmills at the gym - not cool!Links to learn more about Kristen:Kristen's LinkedInFollow us:twitter.com/wistiaSubscribe:wistia.com/series/talking-too-loudLove what you heard? Leave us a review!We want to hear from you!Write in and let us know what you think about the show, who you'd want us to interview on future episodes, and any feedback you have for our team.

Why do we constantly underestimate how long something will take in the short-term? In other words, we tend to over-estimate just how much we can achieve right now. Then, when we think long term, the reverse tends to happen: we actually UNDER-estimate what we're capable of achieving over time. Today, we want to know more about the promise of a popular trend, the creative streak, and whether they can help us overcome our constant battle with planning our time and achieving something greater.This week, Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of the world-wide phenomenon NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month) gives us a peek into the power (and potential pitfalls) of creative writing streaks. Meanwhile, Giorgia Lupi, an information designer and partner at the firm Pentagram, reflects on her famous, collaborative creative streak, Dear Data, with Stefanie Posavec -- a year-long journey of sketching personal data-based postcards, which eventually led to exhibitions, book deals, critical acclaim, and internet fame. Can we change our relationships to deadlines? How might we banish our inner editors holding us back during crucial early stages in the creative process? And how might we reconcile both the short-term and long-term work we do? Let's go streaking.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Show notes: SellerSmile.com/037 - Tygh answers the question "What is customer service" with several perspectives from industry leaders, Help Scout, Zendesk, Shopify and ChatGPT.  Customer service is HUGE for any business so taking the right perspective on it can make all the difference. >>> Leave us a review and rating in iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts! Please and thank you. :) Have an inquiry related to the podcast?! >>> Email us: keepsmiling(at)sellersmile.com. This show is produced by SellerSmile, your e-commerce customer service team since 2017.

Welcome to the Remote Work Life Podcast Business Spotlight.  From the comfort of your own space, take a virtual tour through the corridors of a company that operates across 60 different countries—without a physical office in sight.  If you're on the lookout for a purpose-driven career or simply curious about the future of customer service excellence, this summary will inspire and inform in equal measure. Go to remoteworklife.io to get a free list of > 100 businesses that hire remote talent.Connect with me on Linkedin:- My LinkedIn profile

In this episode of the Sales Code Leadership Podcast as Kevin is joined by Andrea Kayal to talk about the marketing perspective of revenue.The fundamental purpose of marketing is revenue, so while Andrea has never held a sales role, she is uniquely positioned to shed light on how the two functions can help one another. She has empathy for both!The challenge for sales people now, as Andrea sees it, is continuing to differentiate their solution in real ways that communicates the value. Tune in to hear just how they can accomplish that, and to hear Andrea's top tips for CMOs!Andrea Kayal is currently the Chief Revenue Officer at Help Scout where she serves the Marketing, Sales Development, Business Development, and Partnerships teams. She has over two decades of experience overseeing GTM strategy, demand generation, brand message and design, product, content and customer marketing, customer retention and more. Prior to Help Scout, Andrea served as CRO at Teampay and CMO at Electric, Upserve, Signpost, and Sailthru. She is an active advocate for the advancement of women in tech and LGBTQ rights.The podcast is brought to you by Sales Code, a MEDDICC MEDIA production, helping revenue leaders unlock added value in B2B SaaS sales teams. Your views on our podcast are always welcome, as well as any questions you might have for our podcast guests.Connect with the show host Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinthiele/

April Dunford is a speaker, mentor, podcaster, best-selling author, and beloved returning guest to the show. Last year, she joined me on the pod to discuss product positioning and differentiated value. Today, April offers invaluable insights from her latest book, Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win. We go deep on the art of effective pitching and selling, and April shares the specific framework she's used to successfully pitch products at companies like Google, IBM, Postman, and Epic Games. Together we discuss:• Tactical advice on pitch creation and testing• Real-life examples of companies transforming their narratives into successful sales strategies• How to combat customer inaction• How to become your prospect's guide in their buying journey• The importance of differentiated value• Marketing's role in the process• Why you should avoid FOMO as a sales strategy• Tips for handling objections—Brought to you by Composer—the AI-powered trading platform | Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments | LinkedIn Ads—Reach professionals and drive results for your business—Find the full transcript at: ⁠https://www.lennyspodcast.com/a-step-by-step-guide-to-crafting-a-sales-pitch-that-wins-april-dunford-author-of-obviously-awesom/⁠—Where to find April Dunford:• Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/• Newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) April's background(03:46) Fixing poor positioning with storytelling at Help Scout(12:22) Pitch components: setup and differentiated value(14:13) Wrapping up the sales pitch(15:56) Handling objections effectively(19:13) Understanding buyer's mindset and market perception(25:46) Avoiding FOMO as a sales strategy(29:28) Lenny's stressful experience buying community forum software for Airbnb(31:04) Empowering champions within client businesses(34:36) Who this framework is useful for(36:38) Advice on working cross-functionally(38:59) Differentiated value defined with examples(44:16) Selling with calm confidence(46:19) Qualifying leads(48:31) April's thoughts on category creation(53:05) Geoffrey Moore's “bowling pin strategy”(55:21) Conclusion of the setup phase: sharing the perfect world(57:11) The follow-through: differentiated value with proof and objection refutation(1:00:21) Why sales pitches fail(1:01:30) Best practices for pitch testing(1:05:32) General timeline for positioning and pitch creation(1:06:50) Marketing's role in the process(1:08:38) The impact of developing a killer sales pitch(1:10:39) Andy Raskin's positioning framework(1:15:50) Lightning round—Referenced:•April Dunford on product positioning, segmentation, and optimizing your sales process: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/april-dunford-on-product-positioning-segmentation-and-optimizing-your-sales-process/• A Quickstart Guide to Positioning: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/positioning• Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning So Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It: https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers/dp/1999023005• Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Pitch-Craft-Story-Stand-ebook/dp/B0CHY6BNDN• Help Scout: https://www.helpscout.com/• Mastering Jobs Theory with Bob Moesta: https://www.positioning.show/mastering-jobs-theory-with-bob-moesta/• The ultimate guide to JTBD | Bob Moesta (co-creator of the framework): https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-jtbd-bob-moesta-co-creator-of-the-framework/• Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/• Salesforce Completes Acquisition of Sales-Enablement Company LevelJump: https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/leveljump-and-salesforce/• How to become a category pirate | Christopher Lochhead (author of Play Bigger, Niche Down, Category Pirates, more): https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-become-a-category-pirate-christopher-lochhead-author-of-play-bigger-niche-down-category/• Siebel: https://docs.oracle.com/en/applications/siebel/index.html• Qualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.com/• Bowling Pin in Product Development: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bowling-pin-product-development-ashok-das/• Inside the Tornado: Strategies for Developing, Leveraging, and Surviving Hypergrowth Markets: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Tornado-Strategies-Developing-Hypergrowth/dp/B000AAN4VM• The power of strategic narrative | Andy Raskin: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-power-of-strategic-narrative-andy-raskin/• La Product Conf: https://www.laproductconf.com/• Thiga: https://www.thiga.co/• The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision: https://www.amazon.com/JOLT-Effect-Performers-Overcome-Indecision/dp/0593538102• The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Sale-Control-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355• The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Customer-Selling-Influencer-Multiply/dp/1591848156• Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind: https://www.amazon.com/Positioning-Battle-Your-Mind-Anniversary/dp/0071359168• Parasite on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Parasite-English-Subtitled-Kang-Song/dp/B07YM14FRG• Snowpiercer on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70270364• Lamy AL-star fountain pen: https://www.amazon.com/Lamy-Al-Star-Fountain-Graphite-L26F/dp/B000R309UQ• Muji gel pens: https://www.amazon.com/Muji-Point-Black-0-38mm-Japan/dp/B01N8QNC59—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

In the fiercely competitive landscape of product-led businesses, we often become entangled in the complexities of features and endless comparisons. Can you relate? However, to outshine your competitors, you must master the art of a winning sales pitch. Our guest expert is April Dunford, a positioning expert and bestselling author of "Obviously Awesome" and "Sales Pitch." Emphasizing the significance of a compelling narrative and distinct differentiation, April underscores these points with a sales pitch example from Help Scout, a customer service software company. She imparts eight crucial steps for crafting an effective sales pitch, which she discusses in more depth as the episode unfolds. Key Takeaways:  [00:10] Introduction of episode and guest April Dunford  [01:50] April's insights on the need for a killer sales pitch [04:10] The role of context in a sales pitch [05:50] Signs your sales pitch needs improvement [07:00] Characteristics of a winning sales pitch [13:45] Example: Help Scout's Sales Pitch [14:45] Importance of a strong point of view  [16:05] April's eight-step process for building a sales pitch [16:35] Step 1: Solid Positioning  [18:30] Step 2: Emotional Starting Point [19:20] Step 3: Insight and API Value [20:10] Step 4: Pros and Cons of Alternatives [21:00] Step 5: Paint the Perfect World (ideal solution and alignment) [22:55] Step 6: Align the Audience (with the ideal solution) [27:55] Step 7: Option to Address Objections [28:40] Step 8: Make the Ask (for the next step in the sales process)  [29:10] Mistakes to avoid in a sales pitch [32:00] Importance of sales involvement in the positioning process [34:50] April's podcast and book  About April Dunford:  April Dunford is a positioning expert for growing tech companies and the best-selling author of "Obviously Awesome" and “Sales Pitch.” She shares insights on startups, marketing, positioning, and B2B marketing.  Based in Toronto, Canada, April is the founder of Ambient Strategy and has a track record of working with over 200 companies, from startups to Fortune 500 firms, helping them develop positioning strategies that set them apart in the market.  Links: April Dunford | LinkedIn  April Dunford | website + books Positioning with April Dunford 

We all have those parents that want to help but don't know where. Today we discuss how to get them involved and what that looks like at each level. Cub Scout Parent Survey https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/cubscoutmeetingguide/pdf/appendix/34362.pdf Troop Parent Survey https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-116_wb.pdf --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mark-cherry7/support

Brian Balfour is the Founder and CEO of Reforge. Previously, he was the VP of Growth @ HubSpot. Prior to HubSpot, he was an EIR @ Trinity Ventures and founder of Boundless Learning and Viximo. He advises companies including Blue Bottle Coffee, Gametime, Lumoid, GrabCAD, and Help Scout on growth and customer acquisition. In Today's Episode with Brian Balfour We Discuss: 1. Entry into Growth and Lessons from Hubspot: How did Brian make his entry into the world of growth? What does Brian know now about growth that he wishes he had known when he started in growth? What are 1-2 of his single biggest takeaways from his time at Hubspot that impacted his mindset? 2. The Foundations: What is growth? What is it not? What does Brian mean when he says "all growth can be boiled down to 4 things"? When is the right time to bring in your first growth person? Should the first growth person be senior or junior? Should the growth team be standalone or sit within an existing function? 3. The Importance of Product Channel Fit: What is product channel fit? How should founders approach it? How do you know when you have it? What are the single biggest mistakes founders make with regards to PCF? 4. Next Comes Channel Model Fit: What is channel model fit? How should founders approach it? What are clear indicators that you have or do not have channel model fit? What are the biggest mistakes founders make with CMF? 5. Finally, Model Market Fit: What is model market fit? How should founders approach it? What are clear indicators that you have or do not have model market fit? What are the biggest mistakes founders make with MMF? 6. Brian Balfour: AMA: Why is product market fit not enough? What does Brian mean when he says "revenue does not create usage"? What are the biggest dangers of mixing customers and users? What do Hubspot do better than anyone else to know when an existing product/strategy is dying? Is it always better to diversify marketing channels?

I sat down with Nick Francis, the Co-Founder and CEO of Help Scout. A few years ago I worked directly with Nick and his team to tighten up their positioning and brought him on to share their story. Together we discuss: • What the positioning of Help Scout looked like during the early days • How their positioning evolved over time • Why they utilized outside help • How he took the sales narrative he worked on with me and turned it into a pitch • How their strategy has changed as they've moved upmarket — In This Episode, I Cover: (00:00) About my guest, Nick Francis (02:05) The origin story of Help Scout (04:50) How Techstars informed their messaging early on (06:00) How they differentiated themselves from other help desk companies (08:28) Where early inbound customers came from (09:58) Copycat competitors, and how Help Scout thinks about competition (11:57) Identifying key differentiators (13:20) Why they decided to bring in outside help (me) and what they learned (15:29) The evolution of their sales pitch (18:42) Why you should always test your sales pitch first (20:27) Who was responsible for building the sales pitch (21:24) Signals it was time to revisit the pitch (24:58) The future of Help Scout (26:27) How the product itself reinforces their positioning (28:42) How their strategy has changed as they've moved upmarket (30:17) Why positioning is so important — Where To Find April Dunford: Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford — Where To Find Nick Francis: Website: http://nickfranc.is/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfrancis1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickfrancis?lang=en — Referenced: • Help Scout: https://www.helpscout.com/ • Techstars: https://www.techstars.com/ • David Cohen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgcohen/ • Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/ • Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/ • Front: https://front.com/ Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

Today, I'm sharing eight reasons I really appreciate having a team inbox using HelpScout. They're not paying for this episode; I just can't help but share software solutions that help me move from friction to flow in my business, especially when I have already spent a lot of time and money on ones that don't work.

The 2023 MLB Draft is around the corner, and scouts have a new artificial intelligence tool at their disposal. The tool is said to generate data that can detect players' flaws, forecast their potential, and even flag their likelihood for injury. WSJ reporter Lindsey Adler joins host Julie Chang to explain how it works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past 5 years—and especially in 2023—hiring in every industry has been turned upside down.Marketers want to know what has changed, and what has stayed the same. What goes on behind the scenes of hiring the best marketers? How do marketing execs evaluate cover letters and resumes? What are they thinking about and evaluating during various phases of the interview process? Margaret Kelsey (VP of Marketing at Openview, Director of Brand and Creative at Invision) and Devin Bramhall (former CEO of Animalz, Director of Content at Help Scout) share their hiring secrets. Revealing how marketing execs are thinking about total compensation and benefits How marketers' skills are evaluated, from experience, KPIs, and the ever-controversial marketing project How to research and negotiate the best salaryWhat hiring teams, marketing managers, and execs are looking for in cover letters and resumesConnect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontsaycontent.substack.com/Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/Sponsored by Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

Creativity is the ability to generate ideas, inventions, and new ways of thinking and solving problems. It is a key element in the success of any business or organization. Creativity is not just about ideas but also about how you think about your work and what you do with your ideas. It's not just about being creative with words but also about being creative with numbers and visuals. It's not just about coming up with new ways of doing things; it's about using those new approaches to solve problems or make improvements to current processes.In this episode, host of the Long Game podcast Alex Birkett together with Jay Acunzo discuss the benefits of having a content calendar and a self-renewing system to prevent writer's block and improve creativity.Jay Acunzo who is a powerful voice in the marketing industry and an evangelist for creativity,  helps makers and marketers create content that resonates deeper by being more effective storytellers. He's worked in marketing roles at Google, ESPN, HubSpot, and the VC firm NextView, and has developed, hosted, or consulted on original shows for clients like Salesforce, GoDaddy, Wistia, Help Scout, and Drift. " He worked on continent HubSpot as well as the next few ventures, and today he's an author of the great book Breaking the Wheel Show, host of the Unthinkable Podcast, and Brand Consultant, discussing various topics related to creativity and content creation.The conversation highlights the importance of discipline, creativity, and authenticity in content creation, encouraging individuals to find their unique voice and approach They emphasize the importance of creating content that resonates with the intended audience and embracing rigor and care in the creative process. TopicsLessons Jay Learnt To Get the Roots of Someone's PersonalityGoing in a Story You Know and Coming Out Portraying the Deepest MeaningWhat Mediocre vs Great Looks LikeHow To Find Writers Who CareNon-Response BuyersChatGPT ContentDeveloping Posture in the Age of AIPractice in Content CreationQuote on Quote Niching Down vs Composite of a PersonWhat Makes Jay Passionate About Empowering Creativity and CreativityShow LinksVisit The Long Game for more amazing podcast contentConnect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Alex Birkett on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Jay Acunzo on LinkedInPast guests on The Long Game podcast include: Morgan Brown (Shopify), Ryan Law (Animalz), Dan Shure (Evolving SEO), Kaleigh Moore (freelancer), Eric Siu (Clickflow), Peep Laja (CXL), Chelsea Castle (Chili Piper), Tracey Wallace (Klaviyo), Tim Soulo (Ahrefs), Ryan McReady (Reforge), and many more.Some interviews you might enjoy and learn from:Actionable Tips and Secrets to SEO Strategy with Dan Shure (Evolving SEO)Building Competitive Marketing Content with Sam Chapman (Aprimo)How to Build the Right Data Workflow with Blake Burch (Shipyard)Data-Driven Thought Leadership with Alicia Johnston (Sprout Social)Purpose-Driven Leadership & Building a Content Team with Ty Magnin (UiPath)Also, check out our Kitchen Side series where we take you behind the scenes to see how the sausage is made at our agency:Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean SEOShould You Hire Writers or Subject Matter Experts?How Do Growth and Content Overlap?Connect with Omniscient Digital on social:Twitter: @beomniscientLinkedin: Be OmniscientListen to more episodes of The Long Game podcast here: https://beomniscient.com/podcast/

The world of creativity is multifaceted. How do you tap into it? How do you use it effectively? And how do you enjoy it?B2B marketing execs Margaret Kelsey (VP of Marketing at OpenView, Director of Brand and Creative at InVision) and Devin Bramhall (former CEO of Animalz, Director of Content at Help Scout) explore the multidimensional nature of creativity and how it can be unlocked through various means. From taking breaks and pursuing fun activities to pushing through exhaustion with set goals and rewards, they detail their creative journey and the many strategies they use to generate ideas. From reading fiction to Jane Fonda, Devin and Margaret talk about the different pathways that have inspired their own creativity, ultimately leading to deeper insights into human emotion and complexity. They also touch on the human tendency to seek neat conclusions and how leaving things open-ended can improve memory retention. Dive in for a creativity ride—the many ways of creative experimentation and exploration will leave you wanting to get your hands dirty. Connect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/tSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontsaycontent.substack.com/Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/Sponsored by Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

Why can founders and CEOs let marketers do their jobs? From cutting marketing projects mid-flight, to not clearly defining goals or changing KPIs on a whim, founders and CEOs continue to mettle in marketing. Why does this keep happening?Last season we talked about what's wrong with marketers and the marketing industry. It's time we flipped the script and put the spotlight on founders and CEOs.B2B marketing execs Margaret Kelsey (VP of Marketing at OpenView, Director of Brand and Creative at InVision) and Devin Bramhall (former CEO of Animalz, Director of Content at Help Scout) break down all the pitfalls they've seen in the marketer-founder relationship. Listen in to hear their stories and helpful strategies (like a shared decision-making framework) to help you navigate the founder-marketer relationship. Connect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/tSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontsaycontent.substack.com/Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/Sponsored by Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

What if community wasn't a strategy? What if a community was part of your business model? What if it was just part of doing business?Community isn't just about building a customer feedback loop or customer support center. And more importantly, it's not a place to spread your message like a megaphone to your audience. Many founders get this wrong because their head is stuck in scale mode. B2B marketing execs Margaret Kelsey (VP of Marketing at Openview, Director of Brand and Creative at Invision) and Devin Bramhall (former CEO of Animalz, Director of Content at Help Scout) discuss how community and what we can glean from it as we head into 2023 and beyond. Resources:Nassim Taleb Article: https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dictatorship-of-the-small-minority-3f1f83ce4e15#.hr22nda85Connect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/tSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontsaycontent.substack.com/Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/Sponsored by Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

Quality content is a north star for companies, founders, CEOs and marketers alike. But few agree on what “quality” means. Those who do have a definition are often missing important criteria that can lead to ineffective marketing content that flops despite following their “quality” rules. Quality as it relates to content and marketing is relative because it isn't just about the perfection of what you are creating in your marketing strategy. Quality in marketing is also determined by how effective the content you're producing is impacting company growth. Listen to top B2B marketing execs, Margaret Kelsey (VP of Marketing at Openview, Director of Brand and Creative at Invision) and Devin Bramhall (former CEO of Animalz, Director of Content at Help Scout) set the record straight on what quality means and how to achieve it.Connect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/tSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontsaycontent.substack.com/Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/Sponsored by Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

Processing email and social media inboxes is overwhelming enough for one person — can you imagine creating an entire company to help entrepreneurs do this at scale?! Communication curmudgeon that I am, I most certainly cannot. That's why I invited today's guest, Yaro Starek, to share the systems and approaches behind Inbox Done, his company that helps clients tame the never-ending email beast. More About Yaro: Yaro Starak is the co-founder of InboxDone.com, an email management company with a team of 45+ serving clients, including restaurant owners, venture capitalists, accountants, doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, car retailers, online coaches, and more. He is the host of the Vested Capital podcast, author of Blog Profits BluePrint, and angel investor. Yaro has been featured in SkyNews, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Huffington Post, Business Insider, Foundr, and hundreds of media outlets and events.

For years, the promise of content marketing far exceeded its reality. But more than ever, brands -- even in B2B, the more "boring" cousin to consumer businesses -- are creating content that gives us reason to believe: creativity, community, and capitalism and not only co-exist, but for-profit can be used for-good. Today, the story of In the Works, a publication from the software company Help Scout. We go inside the decisions and the strategy of both the company's CEO and the head of content responsible for crafting a brand new publication with a bold mission.There, we find the true dividing line between brands who do this whole storytelling stuff well ... aaand everyone else. REFER A FRIEND:Love the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast***INSIDE THIS EPISODE:Nick Francis: Twitter | LinkedInHillary Noble: Twitter | LinkedInHelp ScoutIn The WorksThe Chezie storyList of brands building in-house media arms***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates.***CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE:WebsiteTwitter and LinkedInEmail: jay@unthinkablemedia.com***PRODUCTION:- Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo- Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins