In today’s episode of Pipeline Brew, Matt is joined by Hannah Jordan, the Director of Digital Marketing for Demandbase. The two discuss the rise of the self-service buyers journey, how to leverage AI with customers tactfully, and why it’s critical to align yourself around your fellow teams.

What’s the benefit of fostering a self-service buyer journey? Hannah emphasizes that allowing customers to initiate conversations on their own terms can significantly improve their experience, pointing out that constant prompts to engage can often repel potential clients, whereas a more subtle approach respects the client's timeline and autonomy. Additionally, Hannah underscores the necessity of customizing content based on the customer’s journey stage. She advocates against a one-size-fits-all approach, highlighting that knowing where a customer is in their decision-making process allows marketers to provide the right information at the right time.

For those who have yet to implement any sort of AI or automations until their daily life, Hannah offers some great anecdotes and practical advice on how she leverages them. You’ll also hear why she was awarded with the “Make Sales Love Us” award recently at Demandbase and how she views the marketing-sales relationship as a whole.

—

Guest Bio

Hannah Jordan is the Director of Digital Marketing at Demandbase, where she specializes in account-based marketing strategies. With a strong focus on enhancing campaign effectiveness, she has been instrumental in rethinking audience engagement and leveraging data-driven insights to optimize marketing efforts. Her expertise in digital marketing is complemented by a passion for exploring innovative advertising techniques, which she shares through webinars and industry discussions.

In addition to her role at Demandbase, Hannah actively engages with the marketing community, sharing her insights and experiences on platforms like LinkedIn. Her journey into account-based advertising reflects her commitment to continuous learning and adaptation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Through her work, she aims to inspire others in the field to embrace new methodologies and drive impactful marketing results.

—

Guest Quotes

“The one thing that's been kind of close to home lately is actually in the customer side of marketing. I feel like digital marketing sometimes gets very focused on new business. And so sometimes I think the focus and the effort behind that customer love does kind of go away. And so I'm trying to personally take a big step up and kind of recenter myself.”

“I'm a firm believer in the self-serve buyer's journey. If they want to chat with us, the option is there and they will click it. Someone jumping in and saying, ‘Hey, chat with us!’ It's just annoying at a certain point. And so we've really automated it based on what journey stage an account is at, and then being able to offer content based on that journey stage.”

When it comes to leveraging digital to effectively engage the modern buyer, Hannah’s advice is to “Meet the buyer where they're at and provide value rather than trying to push a sale.”

“I think chat is one of the more underutilized channels that people don't necessarily think about incorporating in their marketing strategy.”

—

Time Stamps

00:00 - Episode Start

01:10 - Icebreaker

02:15 - What makes a good digital strategy

05:12 - Aligning around key accounts

09:07 - The best way to engage the modern buyer

12:29 - Using chat to enhance, not annoy

14:57 - How Hannah leverages AI beyond content

17:42 - Don't forget about your current customers

21:23 - Make sales love us

25:32 - What's On Tap?

—

Links

• Connect with Hannah Jordan on LinkedIn
• Check out Demandbase
• Connect with Matt Hummel on LinkedIn
• Check out Pipeline 360