Join hosts Josh Wagner and Justin Gray for a conversation with Sei Suriyakumar, head of marketing at Superhuman, on making one plus one equal three. This means combining different efforts and initiatives in a way that the value generated is greater than the sum of its parts. Sei emphasizes the importance of having a great product and building trust within the organization to implement these unconventional marketing strategies. Tune in for examples and advice on picking the right mix of marketing channels that are uniquely suited to your business to drive growth and success.
Takeaways:
- Strategically orchestrating campaigns can create a viral effect and generate excitement among customers: Successful marketing campaigns are not just a result of creativity but also strategic planning. Sei shares that by carefully designing each element of the campaign—from messaging to timing and channel selection—companies can tap into customer emotions and behaviors that encourage sharing and engagement. This orchestration often includes leveraging the right influencers, integrating multi-channel marketing, and creating moments that resonate deeply with the audience. Essentially, it's about building momentum that customers drive forward themselves, turning them into brand advocates.
- Using responsible marketing by focusing on revenue and cost of acquiring that revenue: Sei shares advice on how marketers must align their efforts with financial metrics, ensuring that campaigns are both effective and efficient. This approach fosters sustainable growth by optimizing marketing spend, prioritizing high-impact strategies, and constantly measuring return on investment (ROI). The emphasis is on quality over quantity—acquiring the right customers at the right cost rather than chasing vanity metrics like impressions or clicks.
- The race car framework: According to Sei, the "race car" framework is a metaphor that highlights how companies can accelerate growth (turbo boosts) while also improving long-term sustainability (bending the baseline). The key is balancing these two elements: using turbo boosts strategically to capitalize on immediate opportunities while ensuring that the underlying business model is robust enough to sustain growth in the long run.
Quote of the Show:
"We often say that marketing is a game of cake layers. You're building one thing on top of another, on top of another, and really the win comes when those things combine to be that birthday cake at the end of the day. They're much more than just the individual ingredients, but together they come out to something so much more.” - Sei Suriyakumar
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What is The GTM Cheat Code?
Serial entrepreneurs Justin Gray and Josh Wagner combine decades of B2B and GTM expertise with unwavering honesty on The GTM Cheat Code Podcast. Episodes feature interviews with investors, founders and true experts who reveal the pragmatic approaches and ideas (read: ‘cheats’) they’ve employed over the years to side-step failure, create opportunity, break down barriers and ultimately beat the game.