Looking back on 2021 and early 2022, it was heaven for many marketers. Big budgets, sky-high valuations, and VC dollars are pouring in. Today? “Do more with less” has become the most-hated phrase among SaaS marketers. Bhaskar Roy, Head of Marketing at Workato, urges marketers to get back to the basics to climb out of the abyss. From obsessing again over org-wide customer success efforts to creating “frame breaking” content that goes against the grain, Bhaskar shares what he believes can have a m...
May 17, 2023•31 min
Who is in charge of pricing decisions at your SaaS org? For nearly 60% of companies, it’s the CEO or an opinion-filled decision amongst the entire C-suite. But who should own it? Dan Balcauski, the founder of Product Tranquility, answers the question in this episode, breaking down the art and science of SaaS product pricing and packaging (two very different elements) and advocating for marketers to focus more on the “who” and “how” they charge instead of the price itself (the “what”). Connect wi...
May 03, 2023•36 min
"Do more with less" is this year's most-hated phrase for marketers. And for brand marketers, this means a direct hit to budgets responsible for a company's reputation. On this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey talks with Palmer Houchins , Head of Marketing at G2 , about the lopsided finger-pointing that often happens between demand and brand teams, especially in a recession when short-term ROI is king. Grab a drink and join the discussion as Palmer dives into what CMOs often get wrong about the...
Apr 19, 2023•34 min
Gone are the days of internal-only communication. Every internal message is now at the risk of being shared externally, creating more pressure to skilfully craft statements surrounding economic, societal, or company impact events (RIFs, outage, data breach, etc.). As a result, the role of Corporate Communications has never been more in demand and vital to a company's long-term reputation. So, why does the function still report to marketing, a department typically focused on short-term tactics fo...
Apr 05, 2023•27 min
Despite data supporting the case for creating a more self-serve buying process, many SaaS revenue teams are still operating in a way that is legit the opposite of what today's buyer wants. New report data from more than 2,000 B2B tech buyers reveals what self-serve looks like in practice - and it's transparent pricing, free demos, and no freakin' cold calls. Listen as Lindsey speaks with Allyson Havener, VP of Marketing at TrustRadius, about the report's results and how it's changing the course ...
Mar 22, 2023•31 min
Who here is guilty of building and running a marketing and sales playbook, then delaying changing it because it took so damn long to implement? Often, the paralysis is due to not knowing where to start. Gracey Cantalupo, CMO at MentorcliQ, says to begin with being a good buyer first and go back to the start - which can be done in a couple of not-so-time-intensive steps. In this episode, listen as she and Lindsey Groepper discuss how hiring someone to walk your virtual storefront (yes, a mystery ...
Mar 08, 2023•29 min
This special Fireside Chat edition brings together two SaaS VCs to discuss the current investment landscape vibe. Tackling everything from the technologies they are bullish on to the importance of burn efficiency in defining financial health, the current sitch is both conservative and optimistic. Sara Omohundro, Principal at Elevate Ventures, and David Kerr, Managing Director of Allos Ventures, are two experienced SaaS investors who joined Lindsey in-office for an agency discussion. Tune in to h...
Feb 22, 2023•35 min
Media companies like Netflix create content to make money, plain and simple. If it doesn't perform, it isn't renewed or promoted. With this idea in mind, why are B2B marketers creating video content without expecting performance? Jennifer Griffin Smith, CMO of Brightcove, wants marketers to think and act more like a media company. In this episode, Jennifer explains how a successful video strategy isn't contained to large companies with high-production capabilities, the role of user (customer) ge...
Feb 08, 2023•30 min
When looking to exit through acquisition, what makes one SaaS company stand out from the others? The answer is...nothing definitively. It's all subjective, according to Thomas Smale, CEO and Founder of FE International, an M&A advisory firm. In this episode, Thomas and Lindsey discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a strong founder brand, common mistakes he sees companies make when positioning for an exit (like cutting the wrong expenses), and the "analysis paralysis" that prevents buyers fro...
Jan 11, 2023•35 min
What a ride 2022 has been! Another year with fantastic guests has come to an end, but we’re not closing out the season until we review our most downloaded episodes. We’ve talked about gaining alignment with your C-suite, how to get the most out of your PR agency relationship, when to sell your SaaS business, and even how to make your brand un-bland. Whether you’ve listened to the full episodes or not, enjoy this recap of 2022’s best, and feel free to revisit the conversations in the archives. Co...
Dec 28, 2022•10 min
It’s that time of year again! Marketing industry predictions are one of our favorite topics, and we’re sticking with the tradition. To share 2023 B2B SaaS marketing predictions, we have Kazuki Ohta , CEO and Co-founder of Treasure Data , a leading customer data platform. In this episode, Kaz and Lindsey discuss predictions like the rise of Chief Customer Officers, what will replace cookie-driven strategies, and the trend of proactive data governance. Tune in to hear Kaz unpack all of his predict...
Dec 14, 2022•26 min
If you sell into the enterprise or are thinking of swimming upstream, this is the episode for you. Alberto Cantor is the Senior Director of Demand Generation and Corporate Marketing at ArisGlobal , and its SaaS product is sold to big-honkin' pharmaceutical companies. Yes, large, conservative buying teams in a super-regulated industry with long sales cycles. Can ABM work in this environment? Yes, but not if you give up easily. In this episode, Alberto talks about the three pillars he had to maste...
Nov 30, 2022•32 min
The face prospects and partners make when someone mentions your company name says a lot about your brand. But, who is responsible for creating brand perception? According to Tara Pawlak , Head of Marketing at GetAccept , it's a responsibility extending beyond marketing into the sales org. In this episode, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Tara about the sales teams' role in carrying out brand and how lack of alignment presents a danger to hidden stakeholders. Listen in as she shares insights to obtai...
Nov 09, 2022•33 min
In a shaky economy, when costs need to be cut, most companies look immediately to marketing to reduce spending. And, for the marketers who lived through 2020 budget cuts, this year's budget reductions amid a recession shouldn't have come as a surprise. In this episode, Lindsey Groepper talks with Lisa Ames, the CMO of Norwest Venture Partners. As the marketing expert advising dozens of B2B SaaS portfolio companies and as a tenured, in-house SaaS marketer, she knows her way around operating lean ...
Oct 12, 2022•34 min
How well do you know your brand differentiators? No, not your product features, but the REAL secret sauce of why your customers love you. In this episode, Carly Brantz, CMO of DigitalOcean, discusses how to find your true brand differentiators and what needs to be done across the entire organization (yes, outside of marketing!) to reach its full potential. Listen as she shares best practices for uncovering the unique fabric of your SaaS business, when experimentation can be your greatest ally, a...
Sep 28, 2022•28 min
Imagine this. Instead of customers hitting your e-comm website and looking for a product to solve a business problem, your online marketplace comes to them and prescribes a solution to their problem. Sounds magical, but is it realistic for B2B companies? Lindsey Groepper sits down with Ari Kahn, the CEO of Bridgeline Digital, to discuss all things B2B eCommerce. In this episode, you’ll learn why having an “If you build it, they will come mentality” will ultimately lead you to a slow eCommerce de...
Sep 14, 2022•32 min
Maintaining employee engagement is daunting during an economic downturn when trying to balance high care and high performance. With the complexities this topic can bring, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Julia Stead, CMO at 15Five, to discuss how quickly trends in employee engagement have changed when transitioning from the Great Recession into (what some are calling) the "Great SaaSacre." This episode also details the shift in power dynamic from employee to employer, the value of transparency, and ...
Aug 31, 2022•32 min
Continuing our HR Tech series, we speak with Sharon Rusinowitz, the Director of Content Marketing at ChartHop. In this episode, Lindsey and Sharon discuss what the content team of the future looks like and how to re-shape how you think about content. Listen as Sharon discusses how to develop a B2B SaaS content strategy extending beyond the written word and how to create a cohesive narrative across mediums. - Connect with Sharon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonrusinowitz/ - Learn more about Ch...
Aug 17, 2022•31 min
This summer we’re focusing on HR Tech and learning from the best in the business. In this episode, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Amy Frampton, the Head of Marketing at BambooHR. She is a wealth of knowledge but in this conversation, she shares her insights on employer brand. If you don’t know what employer brand is or don’t know what your employer brand is, stop what you're doing. Employer brand is crucial right now, especially for growing B2B SaaS companies. Listen in as Amy shares how to go abo...
Aug 03, 2022•36 min
SaaS acquisitions are plentiful, but what are the keys to a smooth transaction, and who is involved? Spoiler alert: it's more than the C-suite. In this episode, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Isabelle Papoulias, the EVP of Global Expansion at Mediafly, about marketing's role in M&A. As the former CMO, Isabelle has taken the company through five acquisitions in the last four years, providing her with takeaways and insights for B2B SaaS marketers who find themselves in the throws of M&A. Lis...
Jul 13, 2022•31 min
There’s been a shift in the SaaS economy, and in this episode, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Mike Fitzgerald , Partner at High Alpha , a venture capital studio that specializes in funding B2B SaaS companies. Mike joined BLASTmedia at their headquarters for a fireside chat. During that conversation he shared valuable insights on how the venture capital landscape has changed for B2B SaaS companies and what the next moves may be for companies strategizing for a slowdown. Connect with Mike: https://w...
Jun 22, 2022•19 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Justin Keller, VP of Revenue Marketing at Drift , about ditching your burnt-out B2B marketing strategies. Justin has spent the majority of his career doing cool sh*t with B2B marketing and continues to do so at his new gig at Drift. If you’re not thinking about how your marketing sets you apart from others in the category, you will fall behind. Listen in to hear why he believes marketers must start taking risks and thinking like con...
Apr 27, 2022•28 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Gina Hortatsos , CMO at LogicGate , about the importance of the marketing organization taking an active role in risk and compliance. Gina believes the CMO - and other departmental leaders - have equal responsibility for risk and compliance as the infosec or legal team. Listen in as she shares the different components of organizational risk (spoiler alert, it’s not just cyber) that contribute to overall risk management and defining a...
Apr 20, 2022•31 min
SaaS CMOs: are you leveraging your PR-agency partnership to the fullest? In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Kimberly Jefferson , EVP at BLASTmedia. Kimberly, a BLASTmedia team member for over ten years, shares what makes a fruitful client-PR agency relationship. She answers questions like who should manage the agency relationship, how to level-set expectations, and what makes a partnership go from good to great. Listen to the full episode to hear tips on how marketin...
Mar 30, 2022•31 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Rashmi Vittal , CMO at Productiv . A two-time SaaS CMO, Rashmi shares the lessons she’s learned when delving into your first 30 days as a company’s CMO. Whether you’re looking to become a CMO for the first time or are looking for a change, Rashmi shares valuable information about what you should uncover in the interview process, who you should speak with to set expectations, and how to create alignment amongst your new marketing tea...
Feb 09, 2022•30 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Avnita Gulati , Senior Director of Global Marketing Strategy and Operations at Visa . We've discussed how marketers can achieve alignment with their CEO or with the board, but in this episode, Avnita shares how to create that same alignment with your CFO. Whether you feel like you have a good relationship with finance or are looking to build a bridge for the first time, Avnita shares crucial steps to cultivating a better working rel...
Jan 19, 2022•28 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey takes a trip down memory lane sharing the most downloaded episodes of 2021 highlighting key insights. Episodes featured are: Nikki Boehm, Dylan Touhey, Christina Dell Villar, Jon Ferrara, and Mendy Werne Connect with Lindsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseygroepper/ Learn more about BLASTmedia: https://www.blastmedia.com/ Get your cocktail kit at www.shakerandspoon.com/halffull...
Dec 22, 2021•12 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Alan Gleeso n, the Founder of Agility , a SaaS-marketing consultancy based in London. When is the right time to expand your SaaS company into the European market? Alan consults organizations considering this venture and shares with us his insight on a successful expansion. He talks about the unique differences between operating in the U.S. and Europe, including resource constraints, currency, language barriers, and pricing arbitrage...
Dec 01, 2021•29 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks with Rachel Hepworth, Co-marketing Lead at Notion. When Rachel started her role at Notion, a PLG company, she knew the brand had been primarily (and successfully) built through community and content, existing without a growth-marketing function. As Notion was moving into more enterprise and complex sales, Rachel was tasked with starting from the ground floor, including scaling up a tech stack and data team. Listen as Rachel walks through...
Nov 10, 2021•28 min
In this episode of SaaS Half Full, Lindsey Groepper speaks to Nikki Boehm , VP of Marketing at Namely , about how virtual events can be used at every stage of the funnel, including bottom-of-the-funnel “closing” events. Even the term “Zoom fatigue” is fatigued. Have SaS marketers pivoted their virtual event strategies to still drive value? Nikki believes an organized, funnel-based approach to virtual events is the key to creating bottom-line impact. Listen to hear the common mistakes made in pla...
Nov 04, 2021•34 min
