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Conversation
Highlights
Welcome to Marketing From the Front Lines, where we have unfiltered conversations with the B2B marketers who are bringing innovative technology to market. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Helen Chong, Head of Growth at Puzzle, an autonomous accounting platform that has raised over $45 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Transition from Consumer to B2B Marketing: Helen discusses the similarities between consumer and B2B marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding the target audience regardless of the sector.
- Founders’ Needs and Market Validation: She shares her approach to understanding early-stage startup founders’ needs through direct engagement, highlighting the value of creating relevant content based on these insights.
- Testing and Manual Processes in Marketing: Helen advocates for a hands-on approach in marketing, stressing the importance of manual processes over automation for learning and identifying issues.
- Partnerships as a Growth Lever: She reveals that forming partnerships has been a successful strategy for Puzzle, enabling them to leverage credibility and expand their reach effectively.
- Challenges with Influencer Marketing and Paid Ads: Helen shares insights into what hasn’t worked for Puzzle, including influencer marketing and paid advertisements, and the importance of strategic event planning.
- Building a Unique Brand in Accounting Software: She discusses the challenges and strategies in making Puzzle stand out as an engaging and trustworthy brand in the accounting software category.
Actionable
Takeaways
Understand Your Audience Deeply:
Regardless of transitioning from B2C to B2B sectors, the foundational step in marketing is deeply understanding your target audience. For B2B tech founders, this means engaging directly with your potential users to grasp their needs and challenges profoundly, rather than making assumptions.
Engage Directly for Product Validation:
Engage with your target market not just to understand their current needs but to validate your product's market fit. This involves asking specific, targeted questions to uncover real problems that your product can solve, thereby creating more value and relevance in your offerings.
Embrace Manual Processes in Early Stages:
Before rushing to automate marketing processes, perform tasks manually to identify potential issues and learn deeply about your strategies' effectiveness. This hands-on approach helps refine tactics and ensures a solid foundation before scaling with automation.
Leverage Partnerships for Credibility and Reach:
For B2B startups, partnerships can be a significant growth lever. Collaborating with entities that complement your product can help extend your reach, leverage existing credibility, and build trust with a wider audience.
Focus on High-Quality Content Creation:
Content that directly addresses your audience's immediate needs and challenges is invaluable. Invest time in creating content that offers tangible value and insights to your target market, rather than broad, generic material. This approach not only positions your brand as a thought leader but also directly contributes to your audience's success, fostering loyalty and engagement.
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