Why Brand Matters in B2B (Newsletter #101)

Hello and welcome to the exitfive weekly newsletter - read by 16,000 B2B marketing professionals around the world. exitfive is a membership site designed to help you build a successful career in B2B marketing. Join 3,500 other members at exitfive.com.

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Today's newsletter is sponsored by Apollo.io

B2B marketing in 2024 requires great data.

But where do you get that data from?

500,000 companies from around the globe get their data from Apollo.io.

Apollo is the world’s most up-to-date lead database. Whether you need to find 1,000 new leads or 100,000 verified emails and phone numbers, Apollo’s living database of 275M+ contacts and 73M accounts has you covered.

They can help you with data validation and enrichment; contact and account list building (with filters like intent data, web visitors); and inbound data optimization (form shortening, routing).

That’s why they have a 4.8 rating based on 6,638 G2 reviews – and you’ve probably seen them all over your LinkedIn feed lately too.

You can also use Apollo completely for free right now. Check out Apollo today with this page for Exit Five readers.

Why brand matters in B2B

Brand will help you win deals.

Brand gets you out of the feature wars.

Brand means you're not battling over a 4.6 vs. 4.7 rating on G2.

Brands means the sales team isn't grasping at straws to articulate how you're different.

I also believe that brand gets built 1:1.

At least that's how it starts.

It's about your unique POV on the world and the problem you solve for

customers, but it's also about how you interact with those first 2-3-4 customers. Your brand is built from those interactions and then scales to messaging, copy, design, etc.

I’ve seen this first hand where the cheaper product always wins over the better product.

This makes you think, "Maybe I'm priced too high”?

But the real problem is people don't believe in your brand.

They don't see you as any different, so they just go with whatever is cheap to minimize the risk of their decision.

Without a brand, people will buy:

1. The product they've bought before (it's safer, they've used it before)
2. The product that's cheaper (it's safer, it doesn't break the bank)

Strong positioning and brand makes everything easier. It's the guiding light for customers in a sea of choices.

It's not just about products. It's about the story, the trust, and the value you bring.

This one simple little graphic (below) says it all.

P.S. Have any specific questions about how to build brand? REPLY back to this email and let me know, I read every single reply.

Podcast #145: What It Means to Be a Media Company, Building an Audience and Community

I'm joined by Anthony Kennada who is the co-founder & CEO of AudiencePlus, a company building software, content, and community to help businesses become media companies. Prior to founding AudiencePlus, Anthony served as the CMO of Hopin, Front, and Gainsight.

In this episode, we discuss

• What it means to be a media company
• Building an audience from scratch
• Why building community is important in B2B marketing

Listen to the Episode Now on SpotifyOr find it everywhere you listen by searching "exitfive" podcast. Podcast #146: Community Building with Greg IsenbergI'm joined by Greg Isenberg. Greg is the CEO & Co-Founder of Late Checkout. Greg has started and sold 3 companies in the community space and has now invested in 50+ community-based businesses.In this episode we discuss
- Why you need to build an engaged community before a paid membership
- The importance of niching down 
- The difference between audience and community
- The tribe framework
- Personal brand and community performance  Listen to the Episode Now on SpotifyOr find it everywhere you listen by searching "exitfive" podcast. Upcoming Events

Every B2B marketer knows the importance of a successful product launch, but the strategies differ depending on the type of product, target market, and company size.To help you refine your approach, we’re bringing in two Exit Five members to share their real-world experiences and insights.In this session

• Learn from a detailed example of an enterprise-level vs. startup product launch to understand the unique challenges of each
• Exit Five founder Dave Gerhardt will host the session, sharing his expertise and experiences from Drift and Privy.
• Get your product launch questions answered live by Zach Roberts and Natalie Taylor.
• Engage in the chat, ask questions, and share your ideas with fellow B2B marketers. 

If you need help with an upcoming product launch, this is a free resource that you’ll want to take advantage of.RSVP here Open RolesHOT JOB OF THE WEEK: Circle is looking for a Senior Demand Generation Manager to help grow MRR by building out the mid-market funnel. Reporting to the Demand Generation Lead, and working closely with the marketing and sales teams, you’ll craft and execute inbound and outbound marketing programs, define the “buyer journey,” and drive pipeline that close-wins at a predictable rate.If you're interested, you can apply here. 

Other open roles on the Exit Five job board this week:

• Exit Five  is hiring a Operations Assistant. $75k salary. Remote Role. 
• Circle  is hiring a Head of Product Marketing. Remote Role.
• Close  is hiring a Head of Product Marketing. Remote Role, US-based.
• Frogslayer  is hiring a VP/Director of Marketing in Texas. $150k-$300k salary.
• Sidebar  is hiring a Head of Growth. Remote Role.
• Modulate  is hiring a Marketing & Partnership Ops Specialist. $95k salary. 
• Tribunus Health  is hiring a Growth Marketing Manager. Remote Role. $80-120k salary.
• OlyBet Group  is hiring a Group Director, Customer Marketing. 96-144k€.
• MightyScout  is hiring a Growth Marketing Manager. $90-$110k salary. Remote Role.

 See All Open Roles Join us in exitfiveBecause no one goes to school for B2B marketing. We have a private community + content site for marketing pros like you and me if you’re looking for a peer group and discussion forum to help you grow your career in B2B marketing.Get feedback, campaign ideas, browse templates, videos, guides, get recommendations on agencies and vendors, find contractors and freelancers, vent about your boss, find new jobs and more.We have a 7 day free trial so you can join 100% risk free.