A trusted brand can still lose the customer when every competitor looks equally credible. In this StrategyCast solocast, Lori Jones explores why trust is essential to brand strategy, but belief is what ultimately drives preference, action, loyalty, and advocacy.

Lori breaks down the progression from credibility to confidence to trust to belief, and explains why each stage answers a different question in the customer’s decision-making process. Through examples from Costco, Volunteers of America Colorado, and Apple, she shows how brands can move beyond simply being reliable and give customers something meaningful and distinctive to believe.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 Why trust is not the finish line
• 02:31 Credibility, confidence, trust, and belief
• 03:42 How Costco turns trust into belief
• 05:04 The problem with trust without distinction
• 06:31 Finding the belief inside Volunteers of America Colorado
• 08:16 Six conditions that help brand belief form
• 09:42 A practical brand belief check
• 10:39 How belief gives brands permission to lead
• 11:23 Moving from trust architecture to belief
• 12:10 What must your audience believe to choose you?
• 13:50 Why belief drives action and advocacy
  
  

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

The B2B shortlist is forming earlier than most marketers realize. Buyers are using AI, peers, independent research, and past experiences to evaluate vendors before they ever raise their hand, which means your brand may be in or out of consideration before sales sees a signal.

Lori Jones talks with Victoria Albert, CMO of Infuse, about how marketers can influence this invisible buying window. They explore why brand gets you considered but credibility and proof help you win, how AI is creating a sea of sameness, and why original content, AEO/GEO visibility, and answers to real buyer questions are becoming essential to B2B marketing strategy.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 The invisible B2B buying window
• 02:25 The Day 0 to Day 1 framework
• 04:15 B2B buyers are getting faster and more private
• 06:50 Why traditional demand generation is falling behind
• 08:55 The B2B funnel is collapsing
• 10:32 Brand gets you in the room, proof helps win
• 12:13 How AI is industrializing sameness
• 16:34 The operational challenge behind AI adoption
• 20:11 The confidence paradox in AI-assisted buying
• 21:21 Which information sources B2B buyers trust
• 23:46 Brand awareness and the dark funnel
• 25:24 AI confidence across the buying group
• 28:53 What modern CMOs need to change
• 29:28 The AI personalization execution gap
• 31:18 SEO vs. AEO and GEO investment
• 32:56 How to audit your brand's visibility in AI
• 36:09 Where to find Victoria's B2B research
• 36:49 Being found is not the same as being believed
  
  

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

Better AI does not automatically produce better marketing decisions. As AI tools become widely available, the real advantage comes from proprietary customer understanding, trustworthy data, and the human judgment to know which insights actually matter.

On StrategyCast, Lori Jones talks with Tiffany Mullin-Radosevich, VP of Growth Operations at AYTM, about the changing relationship between AI, consumer insights, and marketing strategy. They explore why marketing and insights teams are becoming more integrated, how leaders can evaluate AI-generated answers, and why faster access to data can create risk when the underlying context is weak.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 Why better AI does not guarantee better decisions
• 02:05 Tiffany’s journey from marketing to consumer insights
• 04:09 How the insights industry is changing
• 06:23 Marketing and insights become one decision engine
• 07:46 What marketers should ask their insights teams
• 09:00 The risk of skipping real consumer research
• 10:06 Where competitive advantage comes from in an AI world
• 12:31 Building proprietary human understanding
• 13:36 Why the quality of human data matters
• 16:50 How to decide whether an AI insight is trustworthy
• 18:17 What to automate and where human judgment belongs
• 19:20 How AYTM uses AI agents in marketing
• 20:46 Why more AI-generated content is not always better
• 21:50 AI, expertise, and the problem of false confidence
• 24:01 Creating AI governance and a shared source of truth
• 25:49 How to reinvest the time AI gives you back
• 27:21 Building a stronger AI and marketing system for 2027
• 29:31 Why intelligence alone does not create belief

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

When growth slows, more marketing activity may only amplify a value proposition that is not differentiated enough. John Rivera explains how marketing leaders can answer the critical “Why should I choose you?” question, uncover what customers actually value, and turn differentiation into sustainable growth.

In this StrategyCast conversation with Lori Jones, John Rivera, consultant, speaker, and author of Define Value, Drive Growth, breaks down why successful companies can stall as their customers and competitive landscape become more sophisticated. He shares how customer discovery, outcome-based messaging, marketing and sales alignment, and client advocacy can help brands escape the sea of sameness.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 Why more marketing may not solve stalled growth
• 05:11 Why successful companies stop growing
• 10:15 The “Why should I choose you?” test
• 12:43 Like competencies vs. unique competencies
• 14:01 Turning common services into differentiated outcomes
• 18:39 The 4D Roadmap for defining value
• 19:49 Why meaningful differentiation starts with discovery
• 23:40 Turning clients into brand advocates
• 24:51 Finding differentiation inside your company culture
• 27:47 How Chewy makes customer experience tangible
• 29:16 What real marketing and sales alignment looks like
• 32:13 Where CMOs can start when sales and marketing are misaligned
• 33:11 Turning satisfied clients into active advocates
• 35:49 How AI can accelerate value proposition discovery
• 37:58 Define Value, Drive Growth

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

Moving fast with AI can create efficiency, but without the right guardrails, it can also put customer trust, brand authenticity, and customer relationships at risk. Tara DeZao joins Lori on StrategyCast to explain why responsible AI governance may become one of the most important competitive advantages for marketers.

From AI-powered personalization and agents to customer service and generative content, Tara breaks down what happens when organizations prioritize speed without enough human oversight. She explains why governance should be a foundation for AI strategy, how cross-functional teams can reduce risk, and why AI works best as a collaborator rather than a replacement for human judgment.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 Why customer trust matters in the AI era
• 01:47 What marketers were talking about at Cannes
• 02:54 Lessons from data privacy and transparency
• 04:06 Why AI governance should be a strategic guardrail
• 05:33 Building a cross-functional AI governance board
• 07:03 Breaking down data and human silos
• 08:37 Measuring customer relationships beyond short-term metrics
• 10:31 Why AI should collaborate with humans, not replace them
• 12:57 Where AI agents belong in marketing
• 15:52 How AI-generated content can undermine authenticity
• 18:43 Why automated AI workflows need human oversight
• 20:00 Brand drift, hallucinations, and choosing the right AI
• 24:23 What to do when AI gets it wrong
• 25:45 The hidden cost of moving too fast with AI
• 28:14 Building an internal culture of responsible AI
• 29:51 AI advice for marketers planning for 2027
• 31:16 Where AI could take businesses in the next two years
• 34:13 Why people, not AI, create trust

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

AI is changing how B2B buyers search, evaluate solutions, and decide which brands to trust. For marketers, that means traffic, leads, and traditional attribution metrics no longer tell the whole story.

On StrategyCast, Lori Jones talks with Andrew Davis, SVP of Marketing and Sales at TextUs, about how AI is upending buyer behavior and forcing marketers to rethink their go-to-market strategies. Andrew explains why today's buyer journey happens across Google, AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude, review sites, retargeting, and other touchpoints long before a prospect converts.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 How AI Is Changing Buyer Behavior
• 01:42 Andrew Davis' Path From Sales to Marketing
• 04:21 Why Traditional Marketing Playbooks Stop Working
• 06:11 AI Search, AEO, GEO, and Changing Demand
• 08:00 The New Multi-Channel Buyer Journey
• 10:39 Why Traffic Is Not the Same as Demand
• 14:16 Lead Scoring and Multi-Channel Engagement
• 16:11 Why Cost Per Lead Can Be Misleading
• 17:48 Personalization and Human Connection in the AI Era
• 22:08 How Modern GTM Strategies Are Changing
• 24:28 Why Creative Testing Needs to Happen Faster
• 27:37 The Marketing Skills That Matter in an AI-Driven World
• 31:28 Human Intelligence as an AI Advantage
• 32:37 Where to Connect With Andrew Davis
• 33:23 Building Trust Across the Buyer Journey
  
  

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

Getting people to know your brand is not the finish line. The bigger strategic question is what happens next: Do they recognize you, trust you, believe in what you stand for, and eventually act on that belief?

In this StrategyCast solocast, Lori introduces the Belief Path: know, recognize, trust, believe, and act. She explains how each stage builds on the one before it and why trust is the critical bridge between brand awareness and the customer behaviors that can contribute to growth, including buying, staying, recommending, advocating, and giving a brand another chance when something goes wrong.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 00:00 From information to brand belief
• 01:12 How AI is changing the trust equation
• 03:39 Why trust is a business and growth issue
• 05:45 Why people can ignite brand trust
• 07:13 Patagonia and the importance of proof
• 08:46 The trust transfer
• 10:01 How Airbnb built trust into the experience
• 11:27 Why brand experience must support the story
• 13:35 Protecting trust with Celestial Seasonings
• 15:17 Restoring relevance with Walnut Acres
• 16:52 Five signals of brand trust
• 18:45 Why more AI content does not mean more credibility
• 19:51 Thought leadership as trust transfer
• 20:44 What a brand belief actually means
• 22:02 The Belief Path: know, recognize, trust, believe, act
• 22:46 Founder trust vs. corporate trust
• 24:16 Three questions to ask about your brand
• 26:10 What creates competitive advantage in the AI era
• 27:04 Why enduring brands give people reasons to believe

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!

Marketing attribution is getting messier as AI changes how buyers discover, research, and evaluate brands. Emily Popson, SVP of Marketing at CallRail, explains how marketing leaders can connect their strategy to revenue even when traditional first-touch and last-touch attribution no longer tell the whole story.

Lori Jones and Emily explore a hybrid approach to marketing attribution that combines software-based data with self-reported attribution, conversational intelligence, AI, and customer signals. The goal is not to find one perfect attribution tool. It is to build a clearer picture of the buying journey and show how the overall marketing strategy influences customers and revenue.

And don't forget! You can crush your marketing strategy with just a few minutes a week by signing up for the StrategyCast Newsletter. You'll receive weekly bursts of marketing tips, clips, resources, and a whole lot more. Visit https://strategycast.com/ for more details.

==Let's Break It Down==

• 01:30 Emily Popson’s path from law school plans to marketing
• 03:32 Why attribution is changing, not dying
• 06:54 Moving beyond first-touch and last-touch attribution
• 08:11 Combining self-reported and software-based attribution
• 10:37 Using AI to uncover hidden customer signals
• 12:43 Why customer belief matters in the marketing funnel
• 13:07 How CallRail used AI and direct mail to build belief
• 16:16 Using Clay and Pendo in a modern marketing tech stack
• 18:16 The marketing metrics that still matter most
• 20:42 Why marketers need a voice in lead handling
• 22:14 Using conversational AI across marketing and sales
• 24:56 How marketers should approach measurement in 2027
• 25:28 The case for "hybrid plus plus plus attribution"
• 27:27 Creating an AI-multiplied marketing team
• 29:21 Building credibility and reducing buyer uncertainty

==Where You Can Find Us==

1. Website: https://strategycast.com/
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategy_cast/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategycast

==Leave a Review==
Hey there, StrategyCast fans!
If you've found our tips and tricks on marketing strategies helpful in growing your business, we'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover how they can elevate their business game!