The Platinum Marketing Strategy

… that dominated the B2B Mid-Market and Enterprise

Part 1. The Challenge at Hand

As a leader of the GTM organization, I often found myself looking at the vast horizon of potential that lay ahead of us. For context of this article, we were a sub-million ARR start-up. And as expected the waters were tumultuous.

A particularly daunting challenge was the rapid turnover in our marketing leadership. We would go through five different CMOs in a relatively short span, which was a source of continuous heartburn throughout my tenure. Each leader brought a new direction, a fresh perspective, and while innovation was abundant, consistency was scarce.

Everything felt like throwing spaghetti at the wall and watching if anything would stick … it was painful and frustrating because We wanted to win. We wanted inbound. We wanted leads. We wanted conversion. We wanted more revenue.

Further exacerbating the situation was the state of our inbound leads. They trickled in, yes, but the quality was dismal. Our outreach efforts were the only thing working, although we were not able to leverage the ability to reach the masses using digital marketing and our competitors were eating the cake!! (I’m getting frustrating while writing this as I am re-living the moment ??).

We needed a paradigm shift, something to break through the noise, the status quo. I realized then that it wasn’t about shouting louder but about changing the conversation altogether. It was time to forge a new path, one built not just on selling a product, but on genuine, impactful connections.

Part 2. The Organic Epiphany

I went back to the basics - why/how/when do people buy software (and as a matter of fact, buy ANYTHING). I spent a lot of time on this and event with my mind spinning in circles, I somehow landed at the question - “What truly makes us human?” It’s a fundamental, age-old question that suddenly seemed so pertinent to the challenge I faced.

The answer struck me eventually: At our core, we seek connections. Genuine connections. Not the superficial ones we so often encounter in the digital age, but connections that are profound and meaningful.

As I surveyed the B2B landscape, the traditional approaches looked worn out. Webinars, whitepapers, and e-books had their place, but they no longer had the novelty they once held. It was the human element that was missing. We needed to tap into the innate human desire for genuine relationships and shared experiences.

This realization came with its own set of complexities. How could we, a budding startup, evoke such an emotion in our audience? I began to conceive an idea centered around events. But not the usual product launch or feature showcase – these events would be different. They would put people at the center, not products.

People want what’s best for them, driven by personal aspirations and the yearning to be leaders in their domains. Recognizing this, we decided our events wouldn’t be about us or our products.

Instead, we would focus on the personal growth journeys of industry leaders, the challenges they faced, the strategies they employed, the mistakes they made, and their moments of epiphany.

It was a gamble. Organizing such events required immense planning, resources, and commitment. But deep down, I was convinced it was the right path. We weren’t just selling a product anymore; we were selling an experience, a journey, an education. This was something that was incepted in my through my early days at Zuora , where we literally coined the phrase “Subscription Economy” and educated the world on how to become a subscription company end to end - behind the scenes, all we sold was a billing engine.

And in the process, we were cementing ourselves as the facilitators of these invaluable connections, positioning our brand as the bridge between today’s leaders and tomorrow’s champions.

Part 3. Crafting An Exclusive Experience

Drawing inspiration from my days at Zuora, where a narrative around the #subscriptioneconomy eclipsed a seemingly simple billing engine sale, I understood that our events needed more than just great content; they needed an essence of exclusivity, an aura that whispers, “You’re part of something special; something exclusive”

For this, we carefully curated our guest list. It wasn’t enough to have industry leaders; we wanted a blend. Alongside those established names, we invited those on the cusp of greatness, the rising stars, teeming with ambition, questions, and fresh perspectives. This fusion of seasoned wisdom with young energy ensured our discussions were rich, dynamic, and forward-looking.

At some point in the evolution of our thinking, emerged this very obvious fact - there can only be one CEO, CFO, CMO, CRO, etc for a company. We have to target the next level down, because these will be the future leaders of the next set of great companies. And this is the guest list that we wanted to curate.

But how could we make this event unparalleled? It wasn’t just about who attended, but also about the experiences we created. I envisioned giving our attendees something they couldn’t get elsewhere or might hesitate to seek out on their own dime or time.

Take, for example, one of our private dinner events was as a rented out apartment, with a chef’s kitchen in a private loft in NYC and we invited the Who’s Who… including Jim Cramer from Mad Money , and about 15 other decorated leaders. As discussions flowed from thought leadership, opposite points of view, to the intricacy of the food being served, attendees connected on deeper levels, sharing personal dreams and aspirations.

We did another exclusive event, which was virtual, and had the world famous Los Angeles Lakers superstar Derek Fisher, who apart from talking about his experience in draining the 0.4-secs game-winning buzzer-beater, spent an hour sharing incredible leadership and team building advice (stuff I’ve personally never heard before). It was an exclusive event (not recorded, not shared) and we had a select and well curated set of attendees who would go on to cherish the time for ever.

These weren’t just some other industry events. These were a carefully designed experiences, a tableau where business met pleasure, where professional networks evolved into personal connections. And at the heart of it, our brand was the silent orchestrator, the entity that made these magical evenings possible, transcending traditional vendor roles and etching a mark in attendees’ memories.

Part 4: The Ripple Effect: Beyond the Event

As word about our unparalleled events began to spread, an interesting phenomenon took root. Our brand, previously known for our product and solution, started to become synonymous with these unique, transformative experiences. But it wasn’t just the exclusivity of the events; it was the genuine connections, shared knowledge, and innovative thought leadership that set us apart. People wanted to be part of the community to learn and educate while enjoying high-quality networking and experiences.

The aftermath of these events was astounding. Our participants, already notable names in their industries, began echoing our narrative in boardrooms, meetings, and even casual conversations. They shared anecdotes about the chef-crafted delicacies in that NYC loft or the invaluable insights from Derek Fisher’s tales of grit and leadership. We were no longer just a vendor; we were an experience, a story worth sharing.

With every shared story, our influence grew. Prospective customers would approach us, having heard about our events and wanting to be part of the next one. They were intrigued not just by our product but by the community we’d built around it. It was clear that our strategy was creating a ripple effect that went far beyond the walls of our events.

But perhaps the most rewarding outcome was witnessing the growth and evolution of our attendees. Those who we’d identified as ‘on the cusp of greatness’ were now assuming leadership roles, driving change in their organizations, and crediting our events for giving them the insights and the network to make it happen.

Part 5: The Catalyst: Transformation in Sales & Brand Perception

We wanted to become the very first solution that they bought when they switched jobs!

These events weren’t just intangible goodwill; they had a clear, measurable impact on our bottom line and brand perception.

Our sales teams began to notice a shift. Previously cold leads were now initiating conversations, often referencing the events they had heard about. These conversations became less about hard sells and more about mutual value exchange, making the sales process smoother and more genuine. Moreover, our conversion rates skyrocketed. It seemed the narrative around our brand had altered; we were now seen not just as another player in the market but as industry thought leaders, connectors, and influencers.

We ended up organically becoming the first solution that these leaders bought in their new jobs and new companies as they reached higher ranks in their professional ladders!

It wasn’t just about numbers, though. The quality of our relationships improved. Clients no longer viewed us as just another vendor. They saw us as partners, collaborators, co-creators of value.

I had over 150 of these C-Suite leaders on personal text relationships.

This deepened relationship fostered trust and paved the way for longer, more fruitful business engagements. They organically made introductions for us and brought us in conversations. We were given unique sponsorship and partnership opportunities, which weren’t previously available to us.

Our marketing and sales collateral, even if untouched, felt different to our prospects. It was now underscored by the credibility and authenticity we had built through our events. Proposals were no longer just sheets of benefits and features; they were invitations to join an elite community, to be part of a narrative that was reshaping the industry.

Interestingly, our employee morale and retention also saw a positive uptick. They were proud to be a part of an organization that was not just selling a product but influencing an industry, championing authentic interactions, and pioneering a unique approach in a saturated market.

In essence, our organic event strategy became the catalyst that transformed not just how the market perceived us but also how we perceived ourselves – as game changers, storytellers, and architects of meaningful connections.

As I reflect on this journey, it becomes apparent that what we embarked on was more than just a marketing or sales strategy. It was a testament to the idea that in the world of business, as in life, genuine human connections stand the test of time.

And yes, we grew revenues! We did 5X of revenue growth in my first year at the startup, and then 3X growth the following year.

Perhaps the most significant takeaway for any leader or entrepreneur reading this is the realization that often, in our race to innovate, we forget the basics. In an era where automation and digitization dominate, the simple act of bringing people together, creating shared experiences, and focusing on the human aspect of business can set you apart.

The success of the Platinum Organic Marketing Strategy wasn’t because of a novel tool or cutting-edge technology; it was rooted in understanding and catering to a basic human need - the desire to connect, belong, and grow.

As I consult more and more founders and CEOs in different phases of their companies, I am able to leverage such experiences to help them accelerate their sales and marketing strategies, which are tailored to them. DM me or check out Exordiom Talent if interested to engage.

#platinum #marketing #strategy #GTMacceleration #GTM #scale #innovation #thoughtleadership #gamechanger #highgrowth #exordiom