Avsnitt
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#256 Email Deliverability | In this episode, Dan is joined by Sarah McNamara, Revenue Operations & GTM Strategy Lead at Vector, and Alex Fine, co-founder of Understory, an agency helping B2B SaaS companies scale with outbound, paid, and email. Both Sarah and Alex are experts in email strategy, specifically the behind-the-scenes mechanics that make or break your deliverability.
They break down what B2B marketers often overlook when it comes to getting emails opened, read, and replied to, and share practical tactics to improve performance across newsletters, outbound, and lifecycle campaigns.
Why email deliverability issues are more common than you think and how to spot them earlyThe metrics that actually matter (hint: opens and clicks aren’t on the list)How to protect your domain reputation and warm up inboxes the right way
Dan, Sarah, and Alex cover:
If email is part of your GTM motion, this episode will help you reach more inboxes and stop your messages from disappearing into the void.
(00:00) - – Intro(03:18) - – Meet Sarah and Alex(05:23) - – Why email deliverability matters more than subject lines(07:38) - – How to tell if you have a deliverability problem(09:53) - – The most useful (and overlooked) deliverability metrics(12:13) - – Why replies matter more than opens or clicks(14:38) - – Tools Alex and Sarah use to monitor deliverability(16:53) - – Should you buy a dedicated IP?(18:48) - – How to evaluate platforms for deliverability(21:08) - – Getting sales to care about data hygiene(23:38) - – Deliverability tips for small senders and solopreneurs(27:34) - – Subdomains vs. secondary domains(30:24) - – How many inboxes per domain is too many?(32:29) - – Best practices for cold outreach(35:19) - – How security bots skew your open and click data(38:19) - – What counts as “spam” (and how filters decide)(41:34) - – How to re-engage cold or inactive lists(44:19) - – What to A/B test in subject lines (and when it’s pointless)(47:29) - – How to build a healthy, opt-in list from scratch(50:19) - – When to stop emailing cold leads(52:34) - – Welcome sequence tips for engaged subscribers(55:29) - – How to warm up a new domain(58:49) - – Final takeaways and advice
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#255 Leadership | In this episode, Dave is joined by Kelly Hopping, CMO of Demandbase, a B2B company known for pioneering account-based marketing. Kelly leads a 70+ person marketing org that spans brand, demand gen, product marketing, events, and SDRs, and she shares exactly how she structures and operates that team to drive results.
How to design and run a full-funnel marketing team that includes SDRs, content, field, and brand, and keep them aligned on pipelineThe annual planning strategy Kelly uses to balance short-term targets with long-term positioning (including what changes quarter to quarter)How her team is using AI right now and what she’s doing personally to stay sharp as the pace of change accelerates
Dave and Kelly cover:Whether you're a first-time CMO or just trying to scale your B2B marketing engine, this one is packed with insights from someone who’s operating at a high level.
(00:00) - – Intro(03:08) - – What Demandbase actually does(05:08) - – How the Demandbase marketing team is structured(07:38) - – Who owns what: brand, content, demand, SDRs(10:08) - – Account-based marketing + broad demand gen(12:38) - – What a CMO actually does at this stage(15:08) - – Kelly’s early CMO learning curve(18:08) - – Planning your first 90 days as a CMO(20:08) - – Balancing pipeline today vs. positioning for tomorrow(22:38) - – What changed between a bad Q4 and strong Q1(27:19) - – How Kelly thinks about yearly pipeline pacing(30:19) - – Staying relevant in a fast-moving MarTech world(32:49) - – Why marketers need to work like product teams(36:19) - – “I am the ICP”: Why product marketing works better(37:49) - – Kelly’s #1 job as CMO: Make sales love marketing(40:19) - – Becoming a peer to product and revenue leaders(42:49) - – Best-performing channel right now: in-person events(44:19) - – Brand, attribution, and pipeline are all connected(45:49) - – How Kelly’s team is using AI today(47:19) - – The future of marketing roles in an AI-powered world(49:49) - – Why she’s still learning new AI tools herself(52:19) - – Why AI is fun again for marketers(53:19) - – Closing thoughts
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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#254 Brand | In this episode, Dave sits down with Kira Federer, VP of SMB Marketing at Paramount Advertising, and formerly at companies like Reddit and Glassdoor. Kira shares her journey from sales to product marketing and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Dave and Kira discuss:
How to align marketing and sales through co-creation to ensure your sales team uses the content you createThe value of a strong messaging framework and how it drives consistency in B2B marketingWhy you need to time your product launches and ensure that marketing resonates with both your team and the market at the right momentTimestamps
(00:00) - - Intro to Kira(06:02) - - Kira’s Career Journey From Sales Enablement to Product Marketing(09:16) - - Challenges of Building Community / Getting Connected with Exit Five (15:32) - - How To Get Sales To Use Content from Marketing(18:07) - - How to Align Marketing and Sales Teams(25:24) - - Effective Messaging and Having a Core Company Narrative(30:32) - - Why You Should Identify What Differentiates Your Business(34:15) - - How To Create Strong Brand Positioning(37:00) - - Why You Need To Have A Clear Vision And Strong Point of View in Marketing(38:44) - - “The Risk Of Insult Is The Price Of Clarity”Send guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#253 Lifecycle Marketing | In this episode, we’re joined by two expert lifecycle marketers: Charlotte Hardin, Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Rebuy Engine, and Naomi West, Senior Product Manager at Customer.io. Charlotte and Naomi bring years of hands-on experience running email, onboarding, and retention programs inside B2B SaaS companies.
They break down how B2B teams can use lifecycle marketing to drive more revenue, boost product engagement, and strengthen customer relationships, without needing a massive team.
How top B2B teams build high-performing welcome sequences, and why they’re constantly worth revisitingThe role of experimentation and how to prioritize AB tests that deliver learnings (even with small audiences)Strategic ways to keep users engaged post-onboarding, including behavior-based triggers and surprise-and-delight moments
Charlotte and Naomi cover:Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro(02:38) - – Meet Charlotte and Naomi(04:23) - – How they define lifecycle marketing(06:08) - – What they’ve changed their minds about recently(09:18) - – Plain text vs. designed emails(11:08) - – Their frameworks for experimentation(13:38) - – How to test in low-volume environments(15:58) - – Common mistakes in A/B testing(17:08) - – What a day in lifecycle marketing looks like(19:18) - – How they (actually) use AI in their workflows(23:08) - – Building a reporting foundation for lifecycle(27:19) - – Naomi’s example of measuring aha moments(29:19) - – Quick definitions of lifecycle marketing(30:49) - – Tips for writing lifecycle campaigns that actually matter(31:19) - – Favorite lifecycle campaigns they’ve run(33:19) - – Why revamping welcome flows is always worth it(35:19) - - Frameworks they use for building new flows(38:19) - – What to do *after* onboarding ends(39:49) - – Using behavior-based triggers and milestones(41:49) - – Surprise and delight moments in B2B(43:19) - – Creating assets with a lean team(46:19) - – Systems and templates that save time(48:19) - – Navigating multi-year sales cycles with lifecycle content(51:19) - – Why benchmarks are often misleading(53:19) - – Final advice: audit often, talk to your team, and keep learning(55:19) - – Wrap-up and where to find Naomi and CharlotteSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#252 Category Creation | Dave is joined by Josh Lowman, Founder and Creative Director of Gold Front, a category design studio that’s worked with brands like Uber, Notion, and Qualtrics. Josh is a leading voice in strategic brand positioning and category creation. He’s spent over a decade helping high-growth B2B companies define what makes them irreplaceable in crowded markets.
Why most category creation efforts fail (and what to do instead)The four real paths to category leadership: create, transform, niche, or go soloHow B2B marketers can align product, brand, and messaging around a single strategy to stand out and scale
Dave and Josh cover:
Whether you're launching a new product or repositioning an existing one, this episode is a masterclass in strategic clarity.
(00:00) - – Intro(02:38) - – Josh’s backstory and founding Gold Front(05:53) - – How Gold Front became a category design studio(08:08) - – What “category creation” really means(11:23) - – Why being irreplaceable is the real goal(14:28) - – The four paths to category leadership(18:13) - – Why Drift didn’t succeed in creating a true category(22:08) - – Clay and Notion as category-of-one examples(24:58) - – Marketing vs. actual customer perception(29:34) - – Can Exit Five be more than the “Dave Gerhardt community”?(32:29) - – How to scale brand DNA beyond the founder(35:19) - – Defining Exit Five’s ethos as a company(37:39) - – Strategy as a company-wide unifier(40:29) - – Advice for CMOs on driving strategy with CEOs(43:04) - – Why strategy is always the root cause(44:34) - – Vibe marketing and the rise of right-brain thinking(47:19) - – Josh’s mental health journey and long-term therapy(50:49) - – LinkedIn, self-worth, and staying grounded(53:19) - – Weightlifting, discipline, and mental clarity(56:19) - – Daily habits that improve mindset(59:34) - – What 30 days of silent meditation does to your brain(01:04:19) - – Final thoughts on presence, self-work, and leadership
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#251 Website Optimization | In this episode, Danielle is joined by Guy Yalif, Chief Evangelist at Webflow; Talia Wolf, Founder and CEO of Getuplift; and Scott Cappuzzo, Web Strategist at Webflow. Together, they dig into what actually makes a B2B website convert and why most homepages are missing the mark.
This panel brings deep experience in conversion rate optimization, UX strategy, and messaging clarity, sharing practical tips and live feedback from real B2B websites submitted by Exit Five members.
The #1 mistake B2B marketers make on their homepage and how to fix it with customer-driven messagingSmart ways to test and optimize (even if you don’t have high traffic)How to write CTAs that meet buyers where they are in the journey (and get more clicks)
Danielle, Guy, Talia, and Scott cover:
Whether you’re planning a homepage redesign or just want to tighten your headline and CTA copy, this session will help you make smarter website decisions grounded in expert feedback and real examples.
(00:00) - – Intro(02:08) - – Meet the expert panel(04:48) - – The biggest homepage mistake(07:28) - – What customers *really* want(08:08) - – The CTA copy test(09:18) - – Why A/B testing isn’t always right(11:58) - – Personalization you can actually use(14:08) - – What’s a “good” conversion rate?(17:28) - – CTA clarity vs. creativity(21:08) - – Why messaging must come first(23:08) - – How to do helpful personalization(30:29) - – Emotional drivers in B2B(32:29) - – Live teardown #1: ContactMonkey(39:09) - – Visuals, CTAs, and clarity(44:29) - – Live teardown #2: StreamTech(49:49) - – Outdated visuals and lost messaging(53:24) - – Chatbots: thoughtful vs. disruptive(54:39) - – Live teardown #3: CallTrackingMetrics(57:19) - – Final ratings + wrap-up
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#250 Customer Insights | Matt sits down with Shoshana Kordova, a 3x founding product marketer and former journalist who now helps B2B tech startups craft customer-infused messaging through her consultancy, Peel Product Marketing. Shoshana recently launched a customer insights playbook for the PMM Jetpack, equipping marketers with tools and templates to run more effective customer interviews.
Why a customer insights program is more than “just talking to customers” and how to turn interviews into a repeatable system that drives messaging, positioning, and case studiesHow to collaborate across teams (especially with CS and product) to get buy-in and avoid stepping on toesThe most common mistakes B2B marketers make with interviews and how to get the kind of insights you can actually use
Matt and Shoshana cover:Whether you're a product marketer, content strategist, or leading a GTM team, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways to build messaging that resonates.
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro(02:13) - – Meet Shoshana: From Journalism to Product Marketing(03:23) - – What Is “Customer-Infused Messaging”?(05:08) - – Why Customer Insights Beat Surface-Level Deliverables(07:08) - – How to Work with CS and Sales Without Stepping on Toes(10:08) - – Navigating Competing Priorities Across Teams(12:28) - – Selling the Value of Customer Interviews Internally(16:28) - – The 6 Steps to Building a Customer Insights Program(18:23) - – Step 1: Aligning Goals with Stakeholders(20:03) - – Step 2: Building a Customer Interview Pipeline(22:08) - – Step 3: Keeping Stakeholders in the Loop (Hint: Use Slack)(27:34) - – Step 4: How to Run a Great Customer Interview(33:04) - – Focus on Problems, Not Just the Product(35:39) - – Uncovering Real ROI with Better Follow-Ups(36:49) - – Step 5: Documenting What Actually Matters(39:09) - – How to Organize Insights into a Shared Database(41:59) - – Step 6: Putting Insights to Work (Case Studies, Messaging, ICPs)(44:19) - – Should You Hire an External Interviewer?(46:34) - – What’s a Realistic Interview Cadence?(48:04) - – Other Places to Find Customer Insights (When Interviews Aren’t Possible)(49:39) - – Final Tips: Mining G2 Reviews, Webinars, and Internal Teams(50:53) - – Wrap-Up and Where to Find ShoshanaSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#249 Cold Email | In this episode, Danielle is joined by four experts in B2B outbound: Zoe Hartsfield (Apollo), Will Allred, (Lavender), Maximus Greenwald (Warmly), and Alex Fine (Understory). Together, they dive into the good, bad, and “please don’t ever send this” of cold email strategy. Each guest brings firsthand insight from scaling outbound at fast-growing B2B companies and helping clients do the same.
Danielle and the crew cover:
The biggest reasons cold emails flop and what great ones do differentlyHow to use personalization, targeting, and timing to get replies (not unsubscribes)The right way to blend automation and human touch in your outbound strategyIt’s an inside look at how marketers and founders approach outbound messaging, across strategy, execution, and scale.
(00:00) - — Intro and guest lineup(03:38) - — Why most cold emails fall flat(05:38) - — Common copy mistakes: too much “I,” not enough “you”(07:08) - — The automation vs. personalization debate(09:23) - — When *not* to send a cold email(11:38) - — What targeting gets wrong (and how to fix it)(13:38) - — Teardown #1: Robotics email with 0% replies(15:53) - — Subject line issues, tone, and CTA feedback(18:08) - — Teardown #2: CRM campaign with profanity(19:53) - — Why this email screams “marketing,” not “outbound”(23:19) - — Teardown #3: Direct debit email repurposed from a nurture(25:49) - — Why HTML-heavy emails kill deliverability(27:34) - — Teardown #4: Founder-led cold email from Breakout(29:49) - — What worked: relevance, format, and intent(32:19) - — Teardown #5: Cybersecurity email to bank execs(34:19) - — Final takeaways on relevance, timing, and strategy
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#248 Marketing Strategy | Dave sits down with Jaleh Rezaei, founder and CEO of Mutiny, the personalization platform for B2B websites. Jaleh brings a unique blend of founder perspective and deep marketing expertise from her time building go-to-market teams at VMware, Gusto, and now Mutiny. She’s on a mission to help marketers ditch the spammy, scaled playbooks of the past and refocus on what really drives pipeline today: buyer experience.
Dave and Jaleh cover:
Why the current use of AI is making marketing worse and how to use it to build better buying experiences insteadWhat marketers get wrong about speed (hint: it’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters)The principles of simplifying your go-to-market strategy to cut through noise and align your team around real revenue resultsMarketing is changing fast, but the teams who win will be the ones who prioritize real buyer experiences, move with speed, and stay aligned on what actually drives revenue. Jaleh breaks down how to make that shift before your strategy gets left behind.
(00:00) - – Intro(02:18) - – Why AI Is Backfiring in B2B(04:53) - – Outbound Is Broken (Here’s the Data)(07:13) - – What Buyers Actually Want(09:38) - – Gimmicks Don’t Scale(11:08) - – How to Build Marketing That Lasts(12:33) - – Why Marketing Is Harder Today(14:08) - – AI Efficiency vs. Buyer Experience(15:38) - – The Right Way to Prioritize Speed(18:34) - – Strategy First, Then Speed(20:24) - – How to Test Big Ideas Fast(22:39) - – Borrowing the YC Mindset(24:19) - – What Good Brand Marketing Looks Like(26:34) - – Best Brand Play: A Children’s Book?(28:19) - – What CEOs Really Want From Marketing(29:59) - – Simplifying Your Marketing Strategy(32:29) - – The Truth About Sales-Marketing Alignment(34:19) - – Common Execution Gaps That Hurt Revenue
TimestampsSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#247 Lead Nurturing | In this episode, Danielle is joined by Samar Owais, founder of Emails Done Right; Sheri Otto, CEO of Growth Lane Strategies; and Sofia Silva, Marketing Manager at Reachdesk.
These three email experts came together for a live roast of real B2B lead nurture emails, submitted by marketers from the Exit Five community. You’ll hear the good, the bad, and the fixable, with practical insights on how to improve your own nurture sequences.
The most common lead nurture mistakes B2B marketers make (and how to fix them)Why every email should be treated as a conversation, not just a campaignHow to write nurture emails that create connection, not clicks for clicks’ sake
Danielle, Samar, Sheri, and Sofia cover:
If you're building (or rebuilding) your nurture strategy, this one’s packed with real examples and expert feedback to guide your next send.Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro: Welcome to the Lead Nurture Roast(02:36) - – Meet the Experts: Samar, Sheri, and Sofia(06:33) - – What Is **Lead Nurturing, Really?(09:26) - – The Problem with “We” Language in Emails(11:48) - – The Biggest Mistakes B2B Marketers Make(14:13) - – Why AI Isn’t Your Copywriter(16:08) - – Teardown #1: Subject Line Gone Wrong(20:38) - – How to Build a Nurture Sequence Around a Whitepaper(23:18) - – CTA Overload and Why It Kills Clicks(28:23) - – Teardown #2: Great Open Rate, Low Engagement(32:17) - – The One-CTA Rule (And Why It Matters)(34:59) - – Structuring Long Emails for Skimmability(37:31) - – Teardown #3: Cold Lead, Wrong Email(40:04) - – Re-Engagement Emails That Actually Work(42:54) - – Use Social Proof Instead of Product Pitches(44:34) - – Teardown #4: The Overloaded Onboarding Email(47:29) - – What’s a “Micro Conversion” in SaaS Email?(52:04) - – Time-to-Value and the First Action That Matters(54:19) - – This Email Is... a Whole Sequence in One(56:39) - – Teardown #5: Trust Email or Generic Spam?(59:34) - – Why Specificity Beats Industry Buzzwords(01:01:49) - – Final Scores and Wrap-UpSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#246 Sales Alignment | Danielle welcomes Talya Heller, founder of Down to a T, a B2B consultancy helping marketers turn competitive positioning into high-impact sales assets. With experience in engineering, product management, and product marketing, Talya knows how to bridge the gap between what marketing builds and what sales actually uses.
Together they unpack:
Why most sales decks and battle cards go unused and what to build insteadHow to enable your champion to sell internally with confidenceSimple frameworks for mapping competitive positioning that teams will actually useTalya also breaks down how she researches, builds, and delivers assets that align sales, marketing, and product, all rooted in buyer empathy.
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro & Talya’s background(02:08) - – From engineering to B2B marketing(08:53) - – What is buyer enablement?(11:08) - – Why deals stall after vendor selection(13:23) - – The problem with sales decks(15:53) - – Why battle cards don’t work(18:08) - – Talya’s competitive positioning map(24:19) - – Grouping competitors by approach(26:49) - – Market maps for sales(28:49) - – Where to get the best insights(31:19) - – New formats for enablement(33:34) - – Why context matters(35:19) - – Empathy for your sales team(37:04) - – Closing thoughts on empathy(38:09) - – Where to find Talya onlineSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#245: Cold Email | Danielle Messler sits down with Alex Fine, co-founder of Understory, the agency behind some of the most effective outbound and paid strategies in B2B right now. Alex is leading the charge on a smarter approach to outbound called “Allbound”, a tightly integrated blend of outbound, paid media, and LinkedIn tactics that actually convert.
If you’re tired of cold emails that go nowhere or ad campaigns that burn cash without ROI, this one’s for you.
Why most B2B outbound strategies fail and how Allbound fixes the disconnect between ads, email, and LinkedInThe cold email deliverability tactics that actually work in 2025 (including tools like Instantly, Smartlead, and Clay)Real-world examples of hyper-personalized, AI-powered outreach that book meetings with high-ACV prospects
Danielle and Alex cover:Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro(03:08) - – What Is “Allbound”?(05:08) - – Cold Email Isn’t Dead (But It’s Evolved)(07:38) - – Tools to Improve Deliverability(09:53) - – Personalization That Actually Works(11:23) - – Real Example: Fraud Detection SaaS Cold Email Strategy(13:08) - – How to Keep Messaging Consistent Across Channels(15:08) - – Treating Each Channel Differently(18:19) - – Ads as a “Cheat Code” in B2B(20:49) - – Building Genuinely Personalized Emails at Scale(23:49) - – From Swiffer to SaaS(27:19) - – What Sales Teaches Marketers(36:04) - – Where to Find Alex + Upcoming Exit Five Event PlugSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#244: Professional Growth | Dave is joined by Amanda Goetz, a 2x founder, 3x CMO, and the author behind the popular weekly newsletter, Life's A Game. Amanda shares her expertise in personal and professional growth, brand building, and content creation.
How Amanda transformed her LinkedIn strategy to grow her following and engagementThe impact of personal branding on social media and its role in business growthCreating a feedback loop to refine and improve content strategy
Amanda and Dave cover:Timestamps
(00:00) - - Intro(08:18) - - How to Use LinkedIn Video(11:46) - - Shifting from Twitter to LinkedIn(15:32) - - Developing a Clearer Target Market and Products(16:15) - - Building Sustainable Momentum Amid Burnout: A CMO's Perspective(20:36) - - Why Your Content Strategy Must Be Focused(27:17) - - The Brand Pyramid(28:12) - - The Emotion Behind Branding(31:42) - - People Are What Matter In Branding Success(37:20) - - The Growing Creator Economy vs. Traditional Corporations(38:38) - - Creating Emotional Brand Connections for Growth Marketing(43:10) - - How Amanda Became a Fractional CMO(45:44) - - Why Amanda Looks to Alex Lieberman for InspirationSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#243 Linkedin Ads | In this episode, Danielle Messler sits down with Anthony Blatner (LinkedIn ads expert and certified instructor) and Tagg Bozied (Head of Brand Awareness at Docebo and award-winning B2B campaign strategist) to dig into what actually works with B2B LinkedIn ads in 2025. These two have spent years in the trenches, building campaigns for some of the most niche, high-intent B2B audiences, and they’ve got the data and real stories to back up what works (and what definitely doesn’t).
The biggest mistakes B2B marketers make on LinkedIn and how to fix them fastWhy “thought leader ads” are crushing right now and how to set them up the right way (even if you’re not Dave Gerhardt)How to measure success in brand awareness campaigns (including smart ways to use dwell time, frequency, and Google Analytics)
Danielle, Anthony, and Tagg cover:Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro from Dave(01:56) - – Why This Isn’t Just a “Webinar”(03:24) - – Meet the Experts: Tagg Bozied and Anthony Blatner(05:35) - – Biggest Mistakes in LinkedIn Ads(08:06) - – How to Make LinkedIn Ads Stand Out(10:18) - – What to Know About Thought Leader Ads(14:39) - – What Does Success Look Like? Metrics That Matter(17:36) - – What’s a CTV Ad and Should You Try It?(20:40) - – Budgeting Tips for Niche Audiences(26:54) - – LinkedIn Lead Forms vs. Landing Pages(32:52) - – Proving ROI on Brand Awareness Campaigns(38:53) - – Reporting Tools and Stack Recommendations(41:35) - – Targeting Secrets and Retargeting Best Practices(44:57) - – How to Think About A/B Testing on LinkedIn(48:55) - – Wrap-Up + Where to ConnectSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#242: Content Strategy | In this episode, Danielle sits down with Brendan Hufford, founder of Growth Sprints, to talk about what actually works in content and SEO today and why most B2B strategies are broken. Brendan went from high school teacher to leading content at top SaaS companies, and now helps brands move faster and build content strategies that drive real impact.
They cover:
Why most SEO strategies are broken - and why retainers make it worseThe content checklist that took ActiveCampaign from 200K to 240K visitors in 30 daysWhy the most lucrative SEO opportunities are hiding in plain sightBrendan’s "immortal newsletter" framework that cuts production time in half while doubling engagementPlus, check out the checklist Brendan mentioned in this episode here!
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Brendan(04:53) - – Lessons from teaching that apply directly to marketing(07:53) - – Why Brendan left education and entered the B2B world(09:23) - – Early agency and in-house marketing experience(11:08) - – Building a defensible career: audience, trust, and network(13:28) - – The Growth Sprints model: why retainers don’t make sense(14:38) - – Content strategy in bets, not buckets(15:53) - – Why SEO still works and where it actually drives results(17:23) - – Getting deep on audience, product, and internal dynamics(19:38) - – What marketers get wrong about internal buy-in(21:38) - – Real example: what a content sprint looks like in practice(23:08) - – The power of internal linking and content refreshes(26:19) - – How Google views internal linking and user signals(29:19) - – Why technical SEO is often overrated(32:19) - – Brendan’s hot take: most SEOs aren’t marketers(33:49) - – Why the “SEO takes 6 months” narrative is flawed(35:49) - – The problem with traditional retainers and content brief models(37:19) - – The immortal newsletter: how to mix evergreen + ephemeral content(40:19) - – Naming the problem, not just the category(41:49) - – Content should do 3–5 jobs at once: how to prioritize impact(44:19) - – The real value of competitor and alternatives pages(46:49) - – How to make content more useful for sales and buyer enablement(48:19) - – Brendan’s final mindset shift: create content that earns its keepSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#241: Email Strategy | Email isn’t dead – it’s just changing fast.
It’s still one of the few B2B marketing channels where you can actually own your audience and reach your ideal customers with the push of a button.
In this session from the Ultimate Roast of B2B Emails, Danielle hosts Beth O’Malley (Founder, astral.), Jay Schwedelson (Founder, Subjectline.com & GURU Media Hub), and Jaina Mistry (Director, Brand and Content Marketing at Litmus) for a tactical session on what’s actually working in email marketing in 2025.
They cover:
What an effective email marketing strategy looks like todayKey elements of great emailsHow to write irresistible subject linesAll the ins and outs of deliverability and landing in the inboxPlus, they tackle a live Q&A, hot takes on open rates, resends, clickbait, personalization, and how to fix your email marketing strategy.
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Beth, Jay, and Jaina(04:22) - – Why bad emails are killing results(06:54) - – How to think about email beyond lead gen(09:06) - – The real problem with how B2B measures email success(10:22) - – Open rates: Are they dead or still useful?(14:46) - – Should you resend to non-openers? The great debate(19:42) - – Deliverability basics: What B2B marketers miss(23:00) - – Personalization: What actually works (and what doesn’t)(29:12) - – Why exclusion (not just segmentation) matters in email(31:27) - – AI summaries and how they’re reshaping the inbox(34:12) - – Clicks vs engagement: What you should really track(36:37) - – Why structured clicks matter more than just "more clicks"(40:22) - – How to think about email length and structure in 2025(43:33) - – Technical tips: Avoiding clipping, formatting for mobile(45:31) - – Clickbait subject lines: Where to draw the line(47:32) - – Final advice for marketersSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#240: Video Strategy | In this episode, Danielle sits down with Connor Lewis, founder of Studio Lewis, to talk all things B2B video - what works, what doesn’t, and how to actually get started. Connor spent years building in-house video from the ground up before going solo. Now, he works with B2B brands on high-performing video ads and he’s here to break down what he’s learned.
Danielle and Connor cover:
Why production value doesn’t matter as much as you thinkHow to turn existing blog posts and webinars into watchable videoWhat’s working on LinkedIn video in 2025How to get started with video without hiring an agency or a full-time teamSimple formats that make video approachableTimestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Connor(04:08) - – Learning video by doing: from intern to strategist(06:08) - – What’s working in B2B video on LinkedIn in 2025(07:35) - – Three types of videos that perform best(08:56) - – Why video ads aren’t the best place to start(09:49) - – How to turn top blog posts into YouTube videos that rank(11:42) - – Using video to refresh blog content and boost SEO(12:22) - – How to use video effectively for virtual and in-person events(13:16) - – Repurposing Q&A sections from webinars into high-performing short clips(15:11) - – Creating shorts from top audience questions(16:24) - – The only parts of video that really matter(17:11) - – Why “how I” beats “how to” every time(19:06) - – The “reverse Rambo” hook format and how to use it(21:05) - – How setting and authenticity improve engagement(22:34) - – Why stiff, overproduced videos are killing your reach(25:12) - – How to get started with video if you don’t have a team or budget(27:18) - – Why marketers need to get comfortable on camera(27:40) - – Podcasts as a powerful entry point into video(28:37) - – How to test video with a simple 4-part limited series(30:13) - – Low-budget options that still convert(30:41) - – Why product marketers often make the best video collaborators(31:25) - – Final advice: don’t wait until it’s perfect, just start!Send guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#239: Measurement | In this Exit Five live session, Dave sits down with Pranav Piyush, Co-Founder & CEO of Paramark (ex-PayPal, Dropbox, Adobe, BILL), to talk about the future of B2B marketing measurement.
Spoiler alert: it’s not clicks.
They break down why the old way of doing attribution doesn’t cut it anymore and why leading B2B teams are shifting toward incrementality, experimentation, and marketing mix modeling.
Dave and Pranav also cover:
The gaps in the old way of doing attributionWhat the best B2B marketing teams are doing now for attributionThe key questions CMOs face from boards and execs about measurementThree things you can do this quarter to improve your measurementTimestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Pranav(04:08) - – The Purple Cow mindset: why differentiation matters more than ever(05:48) - – Pranav’s background (PayPal, Dropbox, Adobe, BILL → Paramark)(06:53) - – “Measurement is Robin. Creative is Batman.”(08:08) - – Why click/touch attribution is flawed and misleading(11:38) - – The 95/5 rule: most of your audience isn’t in-market…yet(14:23) - – How top brands (Asana, DoorDash, P&G) measure beyond attribution(15:48) - – What is incrementality and why it’s more useful than attribution(18:08) - – Why revenue isn’t always the right KPI - especially in long sales cycles(20:08) - – Intro to marketing mix modeling (MMM) and how it works(22:08) - – Visualizing baseline vs. incremental impact on pipeline(23:23) - – Geo testing: how to prove a channel’s impact without attribution tools(25:23) - – The branded search trap: why you should test turning it off(29:04) - – Even Meta, Google, LinkedIn admit attribution is flawed(29:49) - – How to measure untrackable stuff (organic, content, social)(33:19) - – Why “credit” kills performance(35:09) - – Measurement for startups(38:04) - – What to do if all you track is closed-won revenue(39:49) - – Why attribution software is overkill under $100K in spend(41:04) - – Should you ask “How did you hear about us?”(43:49) - – How to carve out budget for channel testing(46:29) - – Don’t skip audience research(49:49) - – Creativity is still your #1 growth lever (measurement just supports it)(51:19) - – Wrap-up and final takeawaysSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#238: Brand | In this episode, Dave sits down with Dmitry Shamis, former Head of Brand at HubSpot and now founder of Oh Snap, to talk about what brand really means in B2B and why so many teams are stuck doing busy work instead of meaningful marketing. After leading a team of 150+ creatives and scaling HubSpot’s brand across multiple products, Dmitry shares lessons on building brands that actually stand out.
Dave and Dmitry cover:
How to stand out in a crowded marketHow to develop and refine your point of viewWhy marketers get lost in busy work and how to stop itWhat to look for when hiring great designersThe role of AI in B2B marketing today (and what it won’t replace)Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Dmitry(05:08) - – What brand actually means in B2B(07:28) - – Why your POV is the foundation of your brand(09:38) - – How to uncover a real, differentiated POV(13:37) - – How to stand out in a crowded, same-sounding market(16:12) - – Why differentiation requires alignment between product and marketing(19:02) - – Building trust with product teams(19:51) - – Busy work in marketing: how to spot it and stop it(22:33) - – Why marketers burn out and how poor prioritization is killing teams(26:44) - – Making the case for brand work when it’s hard to measure(28:19) - – The “fishing” analogy: performance vs brand marketing(32:50) - – The real opportunity with AI in B2B marketing(36:49) - – How AI can eliminate bottlenecks and speed up creative execution(38:19) - – Why Dmitry’s starting a creative agency (Oh Snap) and how it’s different(41:27) - – How to hire great designers: what to look for beyond the portfolioSend guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 -
#237: Strategy | Udi Ledergor (former CMO, now Chief Evangelist at Gong) helped turn Gong into one of B2B’s most iconic brands—and now he’s sharing how they scaled it to a multi-billion dollar valuation. In this episode, Dave sits down with Udi to unpack lessons from building Gong’s category, brand, and marketing engine (and why B2B marketing needs way more courage).
You’ll learn:
Lessons from building Gong from 0 to $100M in revenueHow to make B2B marketing not boringHow to measure and justify brand investments in marketingWhy you need to be more courageous with your marketingUdi also shares stories from his new book Courageous Marketing, featuring specific plays and strategies any B2B marketer can steal.
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Udi(07:08) - – Early career lessons and building a marketing role from scratch(10:08) - – How Gong achieved early product-market fit(14:08) - – The importance of picking the right company and founder(16:08) - – Why Gong’s focus, clarity, and positioning stood out from day one(18:18) - – Why Udi wrote Courageous Marketing and what it’s about(19:08) - – What “courageous marketing” actually means(22:08) - – Defining brand personality before visual identity(25:59) - – Campaign breakdown: Times Square billboards, employee spotlights, and perception hacks(29:19) - – The “punching above your weight” formula for early-stage brands(32:49) - – How to measure soft ROI and prove brand impact(36:19) - – Super Bowl ad, Michael Lewis podcast, and tying brand to pipeline(41:04) - – How to budget for experiments and get CFO/CEO buy-in(42:19) - – Building a courageous team: culture, process, and psychological safety(45:19) - – Gong Labs: Turning product data into content with staying power(48:19) - – Product + marketing alignment: the real unlock(49:49) - – Where AI fits in the future of courageous marketing(52:09) - – Udi’s book Courageous Marketing (and why you should go read it)Send guest pitches and ideas to [email protected]
Join the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Check out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/
Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***
Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.
Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.
It’s the only way you can truly “own” your audience.
But when it comes to building the emails - if you’ve ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever.
Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping’ the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.
That’s why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.
See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on 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 - Visa fler
