Nail Storytelling's guest appearances

Nail Storytelling

The B2B Sales Show

Healthcare Market Matrix

Brad Feld

Aaron Ross

John Barrows

Jason Lemkin

Sam Blond

Anthony Kennada

Nicole Williams

Chris Turner

Steve Woods

Paul Teshima

Peter Smith

Nick Runyon

Brandon Walker

Jason Bay

Mark Organ

OwlTail

Ken Rutsky

Subscribe | Transcript | Comment The Episode in 60 Seconds Ken Rutsky, President and Principal Consultant at KJR Associates, Inc., joined us on Studio CMO to talk about the power of balancing both the analytic and data-driven side of marketing with great storytelling. An accomplished speaker, mentor, and author, Ken has spent 20+ years in B2B marketing roles and believes it's just as important to fit in as it is to stand out. This interview delves into:  Why Great Technology Isn't Enough The Power of Storytelling in Marketing Driving Your Buyer's Epiphany Your Most Worthwhile Audience An Expert Marketing Consultant's Advice to CMOs What has Changed in B2B Marketing  Our Guest  Ken Rutsky, President and Principal Consultant at KJR Associates, Inc., helps B2B growth company executives in Sales, Marketing, and the C-Suite breakthrough and grow leadership in new and existing markets. Ken launched the Intel Inside broadcast co-op program in 1991 and the Internet’s first affiliate marketing program, Netscape Now, while at Netscape from 1995-99. Since then, he's been CMO at several start-ups and ran Network Security Marketing at McAfee. He now leads his own consulting practice, whose clients have generated over $10B of shareholder value through IPOs and acquisitions. Ken is also the author of Launching to Leading: How B2B Market Leaders Breakthrough, Lead, and Transform their Markets and host of The Marketing InSecurity Podcast. Show Notes STEEP Analysis: Society, Technology, Environment, Economics, and Politics. What are all the things going on in your buyer's world across those dimensions? One of Ken Rutsky's favorite short stories: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Communicate Without Technology Bias Technological founders often live and breathe the products they're bringing to the market. It's great if you love to talk about your product, but you must provide context to the potential buyer.  "I don't care about cool. I care about value." - Ken Rutsky If you have value in your product, then chances are you want to exchange two things: 1. Time and Attention 2. Money Why makes time and attention more difficult to achieve than money? Getting the attention isn't going to happen because you only talk about your technology. Great technology isn't enough to stand out. Providing value is critical. The Power of the Story Providing Return on Investment (ROI) is now table stakes. The ROI won't get you into the deal. What will is your Return on Strategy (ROS). Technology is about transformation. Think: "What problems aren't I solving?" You must first address your buyer's pain points. Only then can you introduce your technology. The story you provide your buyer should consist of four chapters:  Chapter One: Today's reality. Chapter Two: Identifying the pain gap. Chapter Three: Introducing a new approach, new mindset, and new technology. Chapter Four: The transformation.  If you want to test the strength of your story, try removing Chapters Two and Three. Focus on the From-To. Is it still meaningful, or is it now generic. Chapter Three: Leading Your Buyer to the Epiphany Moment  "The epiphany must belong to the customer. We cannot steal that epiphany. We can't force it. The buyer must be the hero." - Mark Whitlock Driving the customer's epiphany is twofold:  Identify the mindset, and frame your approach. Push the innovation into a what, as opposed to a why. What makes your approach different, and how will your technology solve their unique problems?    Choose Your Conversations Wisely Who is making the buying decision? That's the person you want to tell your story to. You may be thinking "But, the technical buyer doesn't care about the business transformation." Actually... "When the technical buyer falls in love with your tech, they have to consult the person who cares about the business transformation. They better know that story, or else they'll never make the sale for you." - Ken Rutsky  Ken Rutsky's Biggest Piece of Advice For CMOs Successful marketing starts and ends with narrative and story. If you do that well, you already have 80% of the work done.  "Don't tell your story, tell your customer's story. Create context for your value." - Ken Rutsky If the person you've been engaging with can't repeat your story within the organization, you're not telling it right. Your story must be memorable. B2B Marketing: What Has Changed? The story has gotten lost on a lot of marketers. The idea of growth hacking has exploded, the idea that you can test your way to success. Well, your test is only as good as your hypothesis, and you can't test your way to a hypothesis. You have to think your way to it. That's where your story comes in. CMOs are disappearing. The role is being split between a revenue focus and a corporate focus, and all of a sudden, no one is thinking holistically.

<a href="https://resources.goldenspiralmarketing.com/subscribe-to-studio-cmo" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> | <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#transcript" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Transcript</a> | <a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/studiocmo" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Comment</a> The Episode in 60 Seconds <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenrutsky/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ken Rutsky</a>, President and Principal Consultant at <a href="https://kenrutsky.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">KJR Associates, Inc.</a>, joined us on Studio CMO to talk about the power of balancing both the analytic and data-driven side of marketing with great storytelling. An accomplished speaker, mentor, and author, Ken has spent 20+ years in B2B marketing roles and believes it's just as important to fit in as it is to stand out. This interview delves into: <ul> <li>Why Great <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#techbias" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Technology Isn't Enough</a></li> <li>The Power of <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#storytelling" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Storytelling</a> in Marketing</li> <li>Driving Your <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#epiphany" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Buyer's Epiphany</a></li> <li>Your <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#conversations" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Most Worthwhile Audience</a></li> <li>An Expert Marketing Consultant's <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#advice" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Advice to CMOs</a></li> <li>What has Changed in <a href="https://blog.goldenspiralmarketing.com/podcast/016-how-to-nail-storytelling-in-marketing-with-ken-rutsky-studio-cmo/#marketing" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">B2B Marketing</a></li> </ul> Our Guest <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenrutsky/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenrutsky/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ken Rutsky</a>, President and Principal Consultant at <a href="https://kenrutsky.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">KJR Associates, Inc.</a>, helps B2B growth company executives in Sales, Marketing, and the C-Suite breakthrough and grow leadership in new and existing markets. Ken launched the Intel Inside broadcast co-op program in 1991 and the Internet’s first affiliate marketing program, Netscape Now, while at Netscape from 1995-99. Since then, he's been CMO at several start-ups and ran Network Security Marketing at McAfee. He now leads his own consulting practice, whose clients have generated over $10B of shareholder value through IPOs and acquisitions. Ken is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Launching-Leading-Leaders-Flashmobs-Movements/dp/1683500342" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Launching to Leading: How B2B Market Leaders Breakthrough, Lead, and Transform their Markets</a> and host of <a href="https://marketinginsecurity.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Marketing InSecurity Podcast</a>. Show Notes <a href="https://pestleanalysis.com/what-is-steep-analysis/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">STEEP Analysis</a>: Society, Technology, Environment, Economics, and Politics. What are all the things going on in your buyer's world across those dimensions? One of Ken Rutsky's favorite short stories: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Love/dp/0679723056" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">What We Talk About When We Talk About Love</a> Communicate Without Technology Bias Technological founders often live and breathe the products they're bringing to the market. It's great if you love to talk about your product, but you must provide context to the potential buyer.  "I don't care about cool. I care about value." - Ken Rutsky If you have value in your product, then chances are you want to exchange two things: 1. Time and Attention 2. Money Why makes time and attention more difficult to achieve than money? Getting the attention isn't going to happen because you only talk about your technology. Great technology isn't enough to stand out. Providing value is critical. The Power of the Story Providing Return on Investment (ROI) is now table stakes. The ROI won't get you into the deal. What will is your Return on Strategy (ROS). Technology is about transformation. Think: "What problems aren't I solving?" You must first address your buyer's <a href="five-must-ask-questions-to-discover-your-b2b-prospects-pain-points" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">pain points</a>. Only then can you introduce your technology. The story you provide your buyer should consist of four chapters: <ol> <li>Chapter One: Today's reality.</li> <li>Chapter Two: Identifying the pain gap.</li> <li>Chapter Three: Introducing a new approach, new mindset, and new technology.</li> <li>Chapter Four: The transformation.</li> </ol> If you want to test the strength of your story, try removing Chapters Two and Three. Focus on the From-To. Is it still meaningful, or is it now generic. Chapter Three: Leading Your Buyer to the Epiphany Moment "The epiphany must belong to the customer. We cannot steal that epiphany. We can't force it. The buyer must be the <a href="customer-centric-marketing-strategy" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">hero</a>." - Mark Whitlock Driving the customer's epiphany is twofold: <ol> <li>Identify the mindset, and frame your approach.</li> <li>Push the innovation into a what, as opposed to a why. What makes your approach different, and how will your technology solve their unique problems?</li> </ol>   Choose Your Conversations Wisely Who is making the buying decision? That's the person you want to tell your story to. You may be thinking "But, the technical buyer doesn't care about the business transformation." Actually... "When the technical buyer falls in love with your tech, they have to consult the person who cares about the business transformation. They better know that story, or else they'll never make the sale for you." - Ken Rutsky Ken Rutsky's Biggest Piece of Advice For CMOs Successful marketing starts and ends with narrative and story. If you do that well, you already have 80% of the work done.  "Don't tell your story, tell your customer's story. Create context for your value." - Ken Rutsky If the person you've been engaging with can't repeat your story within the organization, you're not telling it right. Your story must be memorable. B2B Marketing: What Has Changed? The story has gotten lost on a lot of marketers. The idea of growth hacking has exploded, the idea that you can test your way to success. Well, your test is only as good as your hypothesis, and you can't test your way to a hypothesis. You have to think your way to it. That's where your story comes in. CMOs are disappearing. The role is being split between a revenue focus and a corporate focus, and all of a sudden, no one is thinking holistically.

016 | How to Nail Storytelling in Marketing with Ken Rutsky | Studio CMO

Craving stories is what it means to be human.  It’s why you keep clicking “yes” every time your streaming service hits you with the “are you still watching?” question. And it’s why storytelling is so vital in your sales process. In this episode of the B2B sales show, Troy Barter, Director of Sales Development here at PandaDoc, explains why knowing everything about your product won’t matter if you can’t tell a good story — and how to nail the story you tell.  Troy goes over:  Why storytelling is what separates a salesperson from a product specialist Why great stories fuel impulse in the prospect How narratives create a better sense of urgency than deadlines  This series is co-hosted by Patrick Downs at PandaDoc. Want to get a no-fluff email that boils down takeaways from an entire week of B2B Sales episodes? Sign up today: https://sweetfishmedia.com/the-b2b-sales-show/ You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to the B2B Growth Show on  Apple Podcasts, on our website, or on  Spotify.

Craving stories is what it means to be human.  It’s why you keep clicking “yes” every time your streaming service hits you with the “are you still watching?” question. And it’s why storytelling is so vital in your sales process. In this episode of the B2B sales show, Troy Barter, Director of Sales Development here at PandaDoc, explains why knowing everything about your product won’t matter if you can’t tell a good story — and how to nail the story you tell.  Troy goes over: <ul> <li>Why storytelling is what separates a salesperson from a product specialist</li> <li>Why great stories fuel impulse in the prospect</li> <li>How narratives create a better sense of urgency than deadlines</li> </ul> This series is co-hosted by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/patmdowns/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patrick Downs</a> at <a href="https://www.pandadoc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PandaDoc</a>. Want to get a no-fluff email that boils down takeaways from an entire week of B2B Sales episodes? Sign up today: <a href="https://sweetfishmedia.com/the-b2b-sales-show/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://sweetfishmedia.com/the-b2b-sales-show/</a> You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to the B2B Growth Show on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-growth-b2b-sales-business/id1073885415" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Apple Podcasts</a>, on <a href="https://sweetfishmedia.com/#b2b-growth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our website</a>, or on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2xoP8KMB1GYUXkSVTEojZ0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spotify</a>.

68: How to Nail Storytelling in Your Sales Process w/ Troy Barter 