Hi there I run marketing at our martech company SalesWings. This year, we will be focusing on customer led marketing. The reason is that we hear from our network how AI generated content is often not trusted. What they are looking for, as they are considering working with us, is authentic and validated feedback and reviews from customers with experience. I have created a video here as requested: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YZUGUIUjh4asbT90BAOtNWMhAK0yIxMw/view?usp=sharing Best regards, Philip
Thank you for the opportunity to submit my thoughts. Hopefully, this is OK for you. If I had to focus on one marketing priority this year, it would be "Strategy, strategy, strategy." As an industry, we've become too quick to focus on creative elements that often don't fit the brand's narrative. We also seem to be losing our way when it comes to understanding marketing effectiveness. My point here is to continually refer back to a marketing strategy, and not lead from a tactical perspective. I've recorded a short video here (approx. 80 seconds): https://vimeo.com/1152130673 Mark Pearce, Marketing Manager - MPI website: www.mpirecruitment.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markpearcemarketing Thank you. PS. I'm following on LinkedIn.
Hi there, happy to provide a video response with more detail. If I were to focus on one marketing priority this year it would be AEO and GEO - optimizing for AI search. Getting ahead of the curve is key and since it takes time to get crawled and build momentum, first move advantage can provide some great gains. Roshni Wijayasinha - https://www.linkedin.com/in/roshnimichelle/ Thank you for your consideration. Best, Roshni
If I had to focus on one marketing priority this year, it would be GEO, generative engine optimisation, built around hyperlocal authority. Traditional SEO was about ranking pages, but AI-led discovery is about being the trusted source the model chooses to cite, and generic content will not survive that shift. The fastest way to win is to stop trying to be broadly relevant and instead dominate specific suburbs or micro-markets with real proof: local language, real photos, consistent entity signals, and reviews that mention the area and outcome. National brands can scale budget and templates, but they struggle to scale local trust, and that gap is where smaller teams can win. Callum Gracie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callum-gracie/
Hello, I would focus on getting the balance of human engagement and machine readability optimized on my website pages. Our website content is written for humans to read, clearly that's why it exists. But these days [since the growth of ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini/AI Overviews on search results pages], in order for humans to actually know the content even exists, we have to write for machines, meaning that we have to have parsable content blocks containing entities and answers that machines recognize as being relevant to the topic. Without this important layer, content may get buried in the billions of pages that exist (and are never read). Getting the balance means retaining engagement, usefulness and conversion functionality for the humans that do visit and read content. We'll be holding a webinar on this topic on Jan 22nd but a short video is also a perfect medium to explain the importance and also maybe 3 key take-aways. My focus is in healthcare but the principles are applicable to any B2B organization whose potential clients are finding them digitally first. Let me know if that sounds interesting and I'll create the video. You can see me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomi-sfo/ or email me directly at tomi@intrepy.com. Thank you ! - Tomi J Barton
I'd focus on **site speed and performance optimization** -- not the sexy answer, but it's the silent killer of conversions that most B2B SaaS companies completely ignore. When I rebuilt Hopstack's 5-year-old website, we stripped out heavy animations and bloated scripts. Their organic traffic was solid, but conversions were trash because pages took forever to load. After optimizing images, implementing lazy loading, and cutting unnecessary third-party scripts, we saw measurable impact on their bottom line within weeks. Here's what nobody talks about: you can have the most beautiful design and perfect messaging, but if your site takes 6+ seconds to load, you've already lost the visitor. I've watched clients obsess over button colors and hero copy while their Google PageSpeed score sits at 32. One of my clients saw a 20% lift in conversions just from speed improvements alone -- no design changes, no new copy. The math is brutal: a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%. For a B2B SaaS doing $5M ARR, that's potentially $350K left on the table. Test your site on a throttled 3G connection and you'll see what half your mobile visitors experience.
I'd focus on **closed-loop attribution** -- actually tracking what drives leases, not just what drives clicks. Most marketers in multifamily are still flying blind. They know their ILS spending but can't tell you which channel brought in their last five lease signings. When I implemented UTM tracking across our $2.9M portfolio budget, we finded paid search was generating 25% more qualified leads than our ILS packages that cost three times as much. That single insight let me reallocate budget and cut cost-per-lease by 15% while increasing occupancy. Here's what shocked me: our video tours stored on YouTube and linked through Engrain sitemaps cut unit exposure time by 50% and accelerated lease-ups by 25%. Zero additional cost. But I only knew to double down on that because we were tracking every touchpoint from first click to signed lease. The brands winning right now aren't the ones with the biggest budgets -- they're the ones who can prove what's working on Tuesday and shift dollars by Friday. Start tagging everything, connect your CRM to your ad platforms, and kill what doesn't convert. My reddit-appropriate advice: stop paying for "engagement" and start paying for outcomes you can actually measure.
I'd focus on **Google Business Profile optimization** -- specifically getting it fully dialed in and keeping it active. Not just filling out the fields once, but treating it like a living storefront. Here's why: 46% of all Google searches are local, and 97% of people read reviews before buying. Yet most businesses set up their profile and forget it. When I started pushing clients to post weekly updates, add Q&A responses, and upload fresh photos every month, we saw traffic jumps of 30-40% without spending a dime on ads. One landscaping client in Utah was getting maybe 2-3 calls a week from their profile. We added high-quality before/after photos, responded to every review within 24 hours, and posted about seasonal services. Within 60 days they were getting 15+ calls weekly and had to hire another crew. The beauty is it's free, it's fast, and you own the real estate on the search results page. While everyone's chasing the next ad platform or AI tool, your competitors are probably ignoring the easiest visibility win sitting right there.
**Rich media content integration** -- specifically video tours and visual assets that actually drive behavioral change. When I implemented unit-level video tours across our portfolio at FLATS, we cut lease-up time by 25% and reduced unit exposure by 50%. Zero additional overhead. We just shot in-house tours, stored them on YouTube, and linked them through Engrain sitemaps on our websites. The kicker? When we added illustrated floorplans and 3D tours alongside the videos, tour-to-lease conversions jumped 7%. People weren't just clicking around -- they were showing up to tours already pre-qualified and genuinely interested because they'd already "experienced" the space digitally. Here's what I learned: most multifamily marketers dump money into paid ads while their listing pages have grainy photos from 2019. We proved that investing in rich media fundamentally changes prospect behavior. They spend more time on-site, bounce less, and convert faster. The ROI was immediate and measurable across our entire 3,500+ unit portfolio.
My LinkedIn profile is linkedin.com/in/damondelcoro and I'd love to contribute to this. If I had to pick one priority, it's **owning your traffic sources instead of renting them**. Too many businesses are completely dependent on paid ads or algorithm changes they can't control. We grew Security Camera King to $20M+ annually by building organic search authority first, then layering paid on top. When Facebook ad costs doubled overnight in 2021, our clients who had invested in SEO and owned website traffic kept growing. The ones who went all-in on paid ads? They panicked or shut down. I watched a plumbing client go from spending $8K/month on Google Ads just to stay visible to ranking organically for their key terms. Now that ad spend amplifies results instead of being their lifeline. Their cost per lead dropped 60% and they're not terrified every time Google changes their bidding structure. Build the foundation you own--SEO-optimized website, content that ranks, Google Business Profile that dominates local pack. Paid traffic is the accelerator, not the engine.
**One marketing priority? Brand-safe, ROI-driven creator partnerships.** After years of "experimentation," the creator economy has matured--but most brands still treat influencer campaigns like a nice-to-have instead of a revenue driver with measurable outcomes. When we ran Target's "Convos with CEOs" series, we didn't just chase engagement metrics. We paired five YouTube creators with Black-owned business founders to tell authentic stories about investing, venture capital, and product inclusivity. The result? Content that drove actual purchase consideration because it delivered *value first*--education, not ads. Here's what changed: we stopped asking "How many followers?" and started asking "What does this creator's audience actually care about?" For Monday.com during peak pandemic, we matched nine entrepreneurs who genuinely used the tool for remote productivity. Their audiences trusted them on workflow advice, so when they showed Monday.com solving real problems, conversions followed. LinkedIn was a top platform because we reached decision-makers where they already consume professional insights. The shift from vanity metrics to strategic execution is where brands either waste budget or build sustainable growth. If you're still measuring influencer success by likes instead of pipeline impact, you're leaving money on the table.
My one priority this year? **Resident feedback loops that directly inform marketing strategy.** At FLATS, I started mining our Livly platform for patterns in resident complaints and finded something simple: new residents couldn't figure out how to turn on their ovens. We created quick FAQ videos for our onsite teams to share during move-ins. Move-in dissatisfaction dropped 30%, and positive reviews jumped. Here's the thing most marketers miss: your current residents are telling you exactly what prospects need to know before they sign. We stopped guessing what amenities to highlight in ads and started promoting the stuff that actually solved real friction points. Those insights became our content calendar, our ad copy, our tour talking points. The result? Better qualified leads who already knew what they were getting, which meant faster conversions and higher retention. I was managing a $2.9M budget across 3,500 units, and this cost us basically nothing--just someone actually listening to the data we already had.
My one marketing priority? **Turning operational friction into content opportunities.** Most marketing teams treat operations and marketing as separate worlds. I've found the opposite is true. At FLATS, we finded residents kept complaining about not knowing how to start their ovens after move-in. Instead of just fixing it operationally, we created maintenance FAQ videos for our onsite teams to share. Move-in dissatisfaction dropped 30%, and positive reviews jumped. That single insight--mining resident feedback through Livly for content ideas--became our playbook. We built unit-level video tours in-house, stored them on YouTube, and linked them via Engrain sitemaps. Lease-up speed increased 25%, unit exposure dropped 50%, zero additional budget. The content already existed in our operations; we just had to package it. Everyone's chasing the next AI tool or ad platform. But the highest ROI marketing comes from solving real problems your customers are already telling you about. Your support tickets, maintenance requests, and FAQ pages are sitting on goldmines of content that actually converts because it answers questions people are actively asking.
I'd focus on **fixing the broken handoff between marketing activity and actual follow-up**. Most small businesses I work with are generating leads but losing them in spreadsheets, forgotten inboxes, or inconsistent manual processes. Here's what we've seen work: One HVAC client was getting quote requests through their website but taking 2-3 days to respond because everything lived in different places. We implemented a simple CRM with automation that instantly confirmed the request, assigned it to the right technician, and sent a follow-up if no one responded within 4 hours. Their quote-to-close rate jumped from 12% to 31% in eight weeks--same marketing spend, same lead volume. The reality is that speed and consistency beat clever campaigns every time. I've watched businesses spend thousands on Facebook ads while a $200 automation workflow would've tripled their results from existing traffic. When someone requests a quote at 7pm on a Tuesday, the business that responds in 5 minutes wins, not the one with the prettiest Instagram feed.
Vice President of Business Development at Element U.S. Space & Defense
Answered 3 months ago
I'd focus on **shortening the proposal-to-decision cycle** through better competitive intelligence and positioning -- specifically in defense and aerospace where procurement timelines can kill momentum. Here's what we've learned: In the TIC sector, buyers are drowning in technical specs but starving for clarity on *why* one provider can actually meet their schedule vs. another. We started tracking not just what competitors offered, but their actual delivery timelines and where they historically failed. When we pitched environmental testing for a satellite component program, we showed them data on competitor lead times (18-22 weeks) vs. ours (12-14 weeks) with zero hedging. That specificity closed the deal in one meeting instead of the usual three-month cycle. The shift that mattered: We stopped selling "capabilities" and started selling "speed to certification." For international market entry projects, I now lead proposal reviews where we map out the exact regulatory pathway and timeline for each country--not generic, but their specific product in their specific markets. One aerospace client needed CE marking for EU entry plus AS9100 compliance. We walked them through the 90-day pathway with weekly milestones. They signed in 48 hours because no one else bothered to make it that concrete. In defense contracting, everyone can *do* the testing. The companies winning are the ones who eliminate uncertainty from the buying process. When you're competing against 52-week procurement cycles, being radically specific about delivery dates isn't marketing--it's your entire competitive advantage.
My one priority this year? **Operationalizing resident feedback loops into preventative marketing assets.** At FLATS, I analyzed move-in complaints through Livly and noticed recurring confusion about basic appliance operations. We created maintenance FAQ videos for onsite teams to share proactively with new residents. Move-in dissatisfaction dropped 30%, and positive reviews increased because we fixed problems *before* they became public complaints or lost renewals. Most multifamily marketers obsess over acquisition costs while ignoring the cheapest lead
I'm Chase McKee, CEO of Rocket Alumni Solutions--we've scaled from zero to $2.4M ARR selling interactive recognition software to 600+ schools. Not a traditional CMO, but I've driven our growth from the ground up, so I know what actually moves the needle. **My one priority: making current customers your loudest salespeople.** When we shifted from cold outreach to systematically showcasing donor and alumni success stories through our platform, 40% of new deals at partner schools came from existing supporter referrals. We didn't increase ad spend--we just made gratitude visible and recurring. Here's what worked: we built monthly touchpoints (short videos, data updates) showing clients exactly how their investment paid off. Our repeat donation rate jumped 25% and our sales demo close rate hit 30% because prospects heard directly from users, not from us. When someone else tells your story, skepticism evaporates. Most B2B teams obsess over acquiring new leads while neglecting the gold mine sitting in their CRM. Turn recognition into a system, not an afterthought, and your customers become your most effective growth channel--no media budget required.
I'd focus on **pre-launch strategy** -- specifically building demand *before* your product hits market, not after. Most B2B tech companies wait until launch day to start marketing, then wonder why nobody cares. When we launched Robosen's Elite Optimus Prime, we ran cryptic social media teasers weeks before reveal. Just shadowy silhouettes and mysterious posts. That pre-launch phase generated enough buzz that the initial allocation sold out during pre-orders -- we had buyers lined up before the product officially existed. The timing matters more than people realize. With the Buzz Lightyear robot launch, we built anticipation through coordinated teaser campaigns across channels, which led to thousands of social shares before launch day. By the time we flipped the switch, we had 300+ million media impressions already secured and an audience primed to buy. Most marketers are firefighting their way through launches. Build your audience while you're still in development, and launch day becomes a victory lap instead of a scramble.
Hi, I own a marketing agency and manage multiple insurance websites, all for reference below. Not sure if we submit the video before selection or after, but one thing I will be focusing on in 2026 is connectivity and making sure each product/service tells a story. Not just to the customer, but also to Google for SEO purposes. By this, I mean ensuring that the business' website, GBP, Facebook, Instagram, X, etc. are all aligned in their message. I want people to know what they are getting when they think of Brand Z.
**If I had to pick one marketing priority? Resident feedback loops that actually drive operational change.** Most marketers in multifamily treat reviews like a reputation problem to manage. I realized they're product development gold when we analyzed Livly feedback data at FLATS and found residents kept complaining about not knowing how to start their ovens after move-in. We created simple maintenance FAQ videos, cut move-in dissatisfaction by 30%, and positive reviews jumped. That feedback loop reduced our unit exposure by weeks because prospects trusted what current residents were saying. Here's what changed: instead of spending budget on more ILS packages or paid search, we fixed the actual experience gaps that were costing us renewals and referrals. When I reallocated our $2.9M marketing budget, cutting broker fees and doubling down on fixing resident pain points through content, we got a 25% increase in qualified leads *and* saved 4% of total budget. The math is simple--if your product experience is broken, no amount of ad spend will fix your conversion rates. Marketing should own the feedback loop from prospect to renewal, not just the front end of the funnel.