Kitchen Side: Curmudgeonly Hot Takes, Applied Barbell Strategy, and Threads

In this podcast episode of Kitchen Side, Alex Birkett, Allie Decker, and David Khim,  founders of Omniscient Digital discuss various topics related to marketing. 

They start by exploring the idea that creating demand is not always effective for startups and small businesses, and it’s often better to meet people where they are and provide solutions to existing problems. They also touch on the concept of creating a new category or terminology to differentiate a product or service.

The conversation then shifts to the importance of understanding the dichotomy between creating demand and capturing demand, and the challenges of reaching customers at different stages of awareness. They discuss the role of educational content, the effectiveness of different marketing tactics, and the challenges of building a strong brand in the B2B landscape.

Topics

• Creating Demand vs. Capturing Demand
• Creating New Problems and Demand
• Educational Content in B2B Marketing 
• The Importance of a Cohesive Content Program 
• Content Promotion and Distribution 
• The Complexity of Gartner Charts 
• Blaming Marketing for Core Business Problems
• The Barbell Strategy 
• The Meetup Strategy 
• Thought Experiments and Looking Backward 
• Connecting with People on New Platforms 
• The Shift Towards Niche Communities 

Show Links

• Connect with David Khim on LinkedIn and Twitter
• Connect with Alex Birkett on LinkedIn and Twitter
• Connect with Allie Decker on LinkedIn and Twitter
• Connect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn or Twitter

Listen to the podcast:

Key Takeaways:

[00:04:03] Creating Demand vs. Capturing Demand 

discussion on the difference between creating demand and capturing demand, and the challenges and benefits of each approach

[00:10:26] Creating New Problems and Demand 

discussion on how businesses inadvertently create demand and fabricate issues to sell products

[00:17:26] Educational Content in B2B Marketing   

debate on the value of educational content in B2B marketing and whether it is overemphasized as a default tactic

[00:21:30] The Importance of a Cohesive Content Program 

the need for a cohesive content program to capture demand and convert leads, with a focus on building an email list as an owned asset

[00:26:25] Content Promotion and Distribution 

debate on the effectiveness of content promotion and distribution, questioning the 80/20 rule and the value of paid content distribution

[00:30:54] The Complexity of Gartner Charts 

explanation of Gartner charts and their role in analyzing the customer journey for B2B categories

[00:35:41]Blaming Marketing for Core Business Problems

discussion on the trend of vocal B2B marketers blaming marketing for business problems and the importance of taking responsibility for revenue and lead generation

[00:40:38] The Barbell Strategy 

exploration of the concept of using both measurable revenue-driving tactics and more experimental, untrackable strategies in marketing

[00:45:59] The Meetup Strategy 

discussion on the scalability and purpose of local meetups and dinners as a marketing strategy

[00:48:16] Thought Experiments and Looking Backward 

using thought experiments and looking at past trends to come up with innovative ideas and approaches in marketing

[00:56:00] Connecting with People on New Platforms 

exploration of the potential benefits of connecting with people on new platforms with fewer early adopters, using examples from Twitter, Instagram, and Clubhouse

[00:59:14] The Shift Towards Niche Communities 

a conversation about the trend of social media moving towards fragmented niche communities and the preference for smaller, curated groups and conferences

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