Dmitri (Dmytro) Rodenko

Buyers do not think in terms of product categories, but rather in terms of problems and perceived solutions. As Storybook started to grow, we didn’t suddenly wake up and decide to look for the best option in the B2B Marketing Automation Platform category. Rather, we realized that we had to be more structured in tracking pipeline and had HubSpot as the perceived solution long before that moment. The category in which a solution lives only matters after a solution has been identified. And that means the others in that category are at an immediate disadvantage, because they are the “others” in the list. Brand selection starts in the minds of buyers, and not in the list of Quadrant or Wave options. Those who are thought of alongside the problem are those who typically win. Everything else is about evaluation and justification. This is what is at the heart of the concept of Category Entry Points and Mental Availability. Of course it still matters to be in the “official” list, and to be as high on that list as possible, because this counts tremendously when derisking the purchase and getting the buyer group to sign off. But, as with so much of how we market in SaaS, this is a lower funnel effort. The real start of the buyer journey happens in the mind of buyers, nowhere near a touchpoint in an MTA tool. Brand marketing is the strategic attempt to earn a place in those memory structures, so you’re thought of at the moments that really matters. That’s where the frontrunners come from, and everyone else in the category then tags along.

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Speaking the language of the consumer: a data-driven approach Every professional marketer knows the simple truth: to succeed, you must speak the same language as you consumers. But how do you define that language, and more importantly, how do you speak it effectively? When I was working at PlanNet Russia (Serviceplan Group), we were approached by the global brand WG&S to make a creative campaign targeting young adults with family values. The challenge? Marrying the Scottish family values with an audience under 25 years old - a concept that looked doomed to fail in the Russian market. But we were determined to make it work. We conducted Big Data research based on Double data solutions, which was the first of its kind. This analysis delved into the socio-demographic profile, lifestyle and interests, commitment to brands and places, and interest in the bloggers on Instagram. Our insights revealed the following trend: the typical WG&S consumers were older and interested in hip-hop music rather than family values. Adjusting our strategy, we proposed an innovative idea: an online talk show and a competition for hip-hop artists under the global WG&S brand. During the campaign we attracted Universal Music as the official partner. The way I see it, we owe the success of this creative campaign thanks to our ability to speak the same language as the WG&S’s potential audience, the language we identified through our data-driven analysis. This approach worked exceptionally well In Russia, where the state regulation allowed us to process such data. However, in regions with stricter data protection laws, this kind of data-driven marketing can be challenging to implement. What has your experience been? Do you think powerful data-driven marketing is possible in regions with strict regulations? #Marketing #creativeabdmediastrategy #salesgrowth #WG&S #digitalmarketing

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I was interviewed about SEO and business development by Vinay Koshy: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁2𝐁 𝐒𝐄𝐎 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 The interview 🇺🇸 is a bit older, so the information about ChatGPT and SGE could need a little update 😁. Nevertheless, imho, it's a worthwhile podcast about SEO and other disciplines, marketing in general, SEO success stories and a look into the future of search engine optimization. Thanks for having me, Vinay! #seo #podcast #searchengine #searchengineoptimization #cx #websiteoptimization #chatgpt #sge

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I don't usually do recommendations for courses as most are generic and offer very little value But there are a few people on LinkedIn that I truly admire and have learned a lot from that has helped me become better at what I do One such team is Vladimir and Andrei of Full Funnel and their ABM course One of the goals we have at ICAD for 2025 is to ramp up our sales outreach efforts by building out a sales team Specifically focused on targeting mid-market accounts for our other higher priced service However, I wanted to be very strategic with our efforts and not do the spray and pray mass outreach approach The ABM course allowed me to gain clarity on how we can approach this in a more strategic and intentional way What was particularly useful is how to better segment our target accounts by tiers Also, how to build an ABM pilot program to tap into these accounts, increasing the effectiveness and success rates of efforts, even with a very small budget It also aligns perfectly with our mantra of "𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆" (but in specific targeted accounts) I would definitely recommend their course for anyone who sells offers with high ACV and long sales cycles As deals at this level typically takes 12-24 months for us to close Worth the price!

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When we started Empiric, we thought our growth-research was only meant to boost sales. We believed that helping B2B companies better understand their ideal buyers would lead to more revenue by: ‣ Targeting specific needs ‣ Speaking their "insider" language ‣ Directly addressing their pain points. That's all true. But we found something surprising: Executives were using our research to eliminate uncertainty in strategic decisions: → The COO of a SaaS company discovered that the most important feature for their ideal buyer was missing. He prioritized building that feature and presented our research to the board to highlight market opportunities. → The CEO of another company used our insights to reinforce their pitch deck. Our research provided real-world validation for the market opportunity & problem landscape. Our initial hypothesis about the value of our growth-research was both right and wrong. We drastically underestimated its broader strategic impact. Our service evolved into a tool that eliminates uncertainty in strategic decisions for executives, boards, and revenue leaders. This became evident only after we saw how our service was being used in real-time. 👉 Key takeaway: There's no substitution for direct feedback. Unbiased input from your ideal prospects & customers is 1000x more valuable than assumptions & guesswork from internal committees.

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If you want to develop your company internationally 🌍 quickly and effectively, you need to know the concept of 💡 hyperlocalization. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider this approach: ⤵️ But first of all, what is hyperlocalization? Hyperlocalization in market expansion refers to the strategy of adapting products, services, and marketing efforts to the specific preferences, cultural nuances, and needs of a highly localized audience. Especially in B2C you can go down to the neighbourhood or even street level, in B2B we mostly adapt more on a city or regional level. For startups, hyperlocalization means not just entering a new country or city, but tailoring your approach to very specific local areas within those markets. It always depends on the business if this approach is made for you, or not. You can integrate this strategy in - your sales efforts ➡ localize outbound campaigns with local knowledge - communication ➡ if you do OOH or press for example - and in your marketing ➡ target specific local events and integrate local market knowledge in your ad campaigns. ✅ Pros of a hyperlocalization strategy 👉 Increased Relevance and Engagement By addressing the specific needs and preferences of a local audience, you can create more relevant and engaging experiences for customers. They will be more satisfied and more loyal. 👉 Competitive Advantage Hyperlocalization differentiates you from your competitors who may be taking a more generalized approach. A tailored strategy makes your company more appealing to local consumers, showing them you understand them to create relationships. 👉 Improved Customer Insights Engaging closely with local communities helps you to gain deeper insights into customer behaviours, preferences, and trends. Use this information to enable more informed decision-making and better product-market fit. 👉 Enhanced Brand Trust and Loyalty The better you know the local culture and preferences, the more you create trust and engagement. This approach creates strong relationships with customers, they will get to know you better and be more loyal to your brand. 👉 Higher Conversion Rates Tailored marketing messages and offers that resonate with local audiences lead to higher conversion rates and improved return on investment (ROI) for marketing efforts. Hyperlocalization comes with challenges though that you need to be aware of. Follow me, and I'll walk you through those tomorrow.

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Yuval Noah Harari's new book "Nexus - A brief history of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI" is one of the most important books and worthwhile reads of 2024. In my opinion, Harari is one of the most brilliant thinker and insightful writer of our times. His book "Nexus" key thesis is that humankind gains enormous power by building large networks of cooperation by using information systems, but the way these networks are built predisposes us to use that power unwisely. He argues against the myth that the more information is essentially a good thing and the more we have of it, the better. His explanation of the nature and power of information systems, now elevated to a new level by AI, is persuasive and helps the reader to better understand our current societal situation as well as various potential scenarios for our future. It's the perfect time to pick up this book and to learn more about us, homo sapiens.

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Whether using or Enterprise technology adoption profiles or other profiling tools, the path to success is paved with deeper understanding of orgs and individuals and adjusting both targeting and engagement approaches. Any ICP that is based solely on firmographics ("We target SaaS companies") is insufficient for impact.

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Two weeks ago, I created a new sales page for a course, and I completely screwed it up. We already had a sales page that was performing well. But since we expanded the offer, I decided to rebuild the whole thing from scratch based on what I thought was better—and what some competitors were doing. The result? It bombed. I wanted to turn the funnel upside down hoping it would skyrocket sales overnight… But in reality, it’s much better to aim for small, consistent improvements over time, rather than taking a huge risk by doing something completely different. So here’s a reminder: focus on steady, incremental growth instead of trying a total 180. Because in 3 to 6 months, all those small improvements add up, and before you know it, your conversion rate explodes. You probably don’t need to launch a completely new funnel or offer. You just need to keep improving what’s already working, day by day. No matter what business you’re in or what acquisition strategy you’re using, focus on the few things that are already working—and build from there. Peace out! PS: After learning about Ray Dalio’s concept of "pain + reflection," I started keeping a Notion page where I document all my fuckups and the lessons I’ve learned. It’s basically turning into a marketing playbook 🤣

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In the fast-paced world of performance marketing, effectively managing and reviewing leads is crucial to achieving optimal results. At Castonica, we specialize in lead generation for the EdTech industry, and I want to share why lead management and review play such critical roles in our success. #The Importance of Lead Management: Lead management is the process of capturing, tracking, and nurturing leads through the sales funnel. Effective lead management ensures that no potential customer slips through the cracks and that each lead receives the right attention at the right time. #Key Components of Lead Management: 1. **Lead Capture**: Utilize multiple channels (website forms, social media, webinars, etc.) to capture leads. Ensure that your lead capture mechanisms are optimized for maximum efficiency. 2. **Lead Tracking**: Use CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools to track leads from their initial contact through to conversion. This provides valuable insights into lead behavior and journey. 3. **Lead Nurturing**: Implement automated workflows to nurture leads with personalized content and follow-ups. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and moves leads closer to making a purchase decision. 4. **Lead Scoring**: Assign scores to leads based on their engagement and behavior. This helps prioritize high-quality leads that are more likely to convert. ### The Role of Lead Review: Regularly reviewing leads and their progress is essential to refine and improve your marketing strategies. Lead reviews help identify patterns, successes, and areas for improvement. #LeadManagement #PerformanceMarketing #LeadGeneration #DigitalMarketing #EdTech #MarketingStrategy #ROI

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🚀 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬: 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬! 🚀 Finishing my course on perfect Sales Call structure, let me share some simple tips and examples on Closing and Negotiation. 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝟏𝟎𝟎% 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 Ratko Milin 🫡. All others are in the carousel below. Happy selling! 🌟 #SalesTips #Negotiation #ClosingDeals #SalesStrategy #SalesFollowUp #B2BSales 

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5 reasons why digital lead generation is the future. 1 - 80% of B2B sales interactions will take place on digital channels by 2025 2 - More than 70% of buying process is completed before contacting sales 3 - 83% of buying activity happen on-line before meeting with suppliers 4 - 4.8B Internet users worldwide and over 1B on Linkedin alone! 5 - Companies that use intent data see a 49% higher sales win rate. Do you have a digital lead generation strategy in place? #staytrue 🙌

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8 key tips for when you are interviewing customers for #CustomerDiscovery Ok, I am actually going to give you 4 here and if you want more, you can seek out: ✍ A brand new blog post on Customer IQ - market research for startups 📺 A video of me going through all 8 tips on youtube (@Customer-IQ) First off... BE KIND TO YOURSELF You are not an expert, experienced qual researcher. You're a startup founder. Set your expectations accordingly. Aim for competency, not for excellence. Kick perfectionsim to the kerb for this one. You'll start off 'ok' but you will get better at it, and very quickly. EXPLORE CONTEXT Allow some time in the interview to understand them, their world and their situation. Don't jump straight into this niche problem they may be suffering. Get to understand their world. This understanding of context will keep paying you back dividend for many months to come. Your understanding of your customers will become instinctive (this is where the joy kicks in!). ZIP IT! You're a founder? You talk a lot? DON'T. Instead... listen. Imho a good interview is where the interviewee speaks for 75% of the time. If you use an auto-transcription tool like Otter, you can actually see this stat for each interview. DON'T MENTION YOUR SOLUTION?! Would be a wasted opportunity if you didn't but definitely leave this until the end of the interview, after you've spend a good amount of time understanding them and understanding the problem. More tips on the blog and YouTube. Of course, you can also join my mailing list and have this delightful stuff delivered to your inbox. 🖖

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#FoundSmartIdeas w tym tygodniu w newsletterze Advertisers must stay on top of trends, or their ad money won’t go as far. Learn how you can leverage these trends to increase engagement, value, and sales. #smartnews czyli #MarketingBezSciemy:  https://lnkd.in/eE59M5e

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𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨… When you buy a red sweater, and then everywhere you go you see nothing but red sweaters? That’s been the case for us, but with lead scoring. We recently implemented #leadscoring for one client, and now everyone seems to be asking about it. So here a primer. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠? Lead scoring is the process of assigning numerical values to leads based on their actions, demographic information, and level of engagement. These scores help sales teams prioritize which leads are most likely to convert into customers, and are ideally set automatically. For many businesses, leads can vary greatly in terms of their readiness to purchase. A good lead scoring system uses both explicit and implicit data to separate those who are genuinely interested from those who are just browsing. Lead Scoring typically makes sense with companies that have a large number of leads and need better ways to prioritize them. As an example, let’s say we are scoring leads for a hardware company. 𝘌𝘟𝘗𝘓𝘐𝘊𝘐𝘛 𝘋𝘈𝘛𝘈, provided by the lead, could be: 🏢 Company size -  Larger companies may have bigger budgets and a higher likelihood of purchasing. 🏭 Industry - Some industries are more likely to need certain hardware solutions. 👩🏽‍⚕️ Job title - A CTO or IT Manager is more likely to make hardware decisions than someone in a marketing role. 𝘐𝘔𝘗𝘓𝘐𝘊𝘐𝘛 𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘌𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘐𝘖𝘜𝘙𝘈𝘓 𝘋𝘈𝘛𝘈, based on the lead’s interactions with your company, could be: 🧑‍💻 Website visits -  If a lead frequently visits your product pages or downloads technical specs, it indicates a higher interest. 👍🏻 Content engagement- Leads who interact with case studies, whitepapers, or webinars are often further along in the decision-making process. 🖱️Email clicks - Opening emails or clicking links in newsletters can be a sign of engagement. Let’s look at how you might assign points based on both explicit and implicit factors. 𝘌𝘟𝘗𝘓𝘐𝘊𝘐𝘛 𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘙𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘌𝘟𝘈𝘔𝘗𝘓𝘌 👩🏽‍⚕️ Job Title - CTO+20, IT Manager +15, General employee +5   🏢 Company Size - 1000+ employees +20, 500-999 employees +15, Less than 500 +10 🏭 Industry - technology +20, manufacturing +15, retail +5  𝘐𝘔𝘗𝘓𝘐𝘊𝘐𝘛 𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘙𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘌𝘟𝘈𝘔𝘗𝘓𝘌 🧑‍💻 Website behaviour - visited product page +10, downloaded technical specifications +15, watched demo video +20   🖱️ Email engagement - opened email +5, clicked on product link +10, registered for webinar +20 A properly implemented lead scoring system, using a smart CRM like #HubSpot, brings multiple advantages: ➡️ Improved Sales Efficiency - by focusing on high-scoring leads, your sales team can spend more time closing deals and less time chasing unqualified leads. ➡️ Better Marketing Alignment - marketing can focus on nurturing lower-scoring leads, helping them move through the funnel. ➡️ Data-Driven Decisions - lead scoring removes guesswork, letting data guide sales and marketing strategies.

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