Ever wonder what product marketing actually looks like inside HubSpot? In this episode (VIDEO ONLY ON YOUTUBE), I chat with Alex Rainford, PMM for Sales Hub, about what it really takes to drive pipeline, retention, and revenue in 2025. We get into full-funnel strategy, using AI without the fluff, working cross-functionally, and the PMM skills that actually move the needle. If you're a marketer looking to level up, this one's for you!

Chapters

02:00 – Becoming a full-funnel PMM: acquisition to retention

06:30 – Where product marketing is underestimated

09:30 – Retention & usage: the PMM opportunity

12:40 – When trial conversion stalls: key signals

13:20 – Hiring PMMs: What Hiring Managers Look For

15:30 – Mastering AI & domain expertise in 2025

23:30 – Positioning & messaging, mistakes to avoid

24:30 – Getting your seat at the revenue table

28:00 – The future of PMM: AI, collaboration & product

🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):

⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch

📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:

⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:

⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show:

linkedin.com/in/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS):

⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok:

⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ YouTube Channel:

⁠@PivotwithAnushaKannan

ALEX RAINFORD: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-rainford/

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing

⁠Watch here: https://youtu.be/klH_zfYc8XY?si=RFbAS_oLTPVQkPy7

🎵 Theme Song Code

Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E,

ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7

tags: B2B marketing 2025, GTM strategy, vertical marketing, product marketing, SaaS marketing, FP&A for marketers, marketing ROI, pipeline marketing, demand generation, CFO marketing alignment, CAC payback, GTM trends 2025, marketing analytics, marketing podcast, full-stack marketing, Anusha Kannan, marketing leadership, content marketing, customer marketing, AI in marketing, Context Switch newsletter, brand building, marketing operations, community-led growth, marketing psychology, founder marketing, marketing careers, growth marketing, email marketing, startup marketing, marketing advice, marketing automation, AI content strategy, solopreneur podcast, HubSpot PMM, PMM skills, HubSpot careers, product-led growth, go to market strategy, retention marketing, product marketing tips, full funnel marketing

Why adoption doesn't mean product-market fit or revenue growth, and how GTM teams miss the conversion gap.

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🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

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🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):

⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch

📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:

⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

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🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:

⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show:

linkedin.com/in/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS):

⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok:

⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ YouTube Channel:

@PivotwithAnushaKannan

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👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing

⁠Watch here: https://youtu.be/klH_zfYc8XY?si=RFbAS_oLTPVQkPy7

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🎵 Theme Song Code

Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E,

ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7

tags: product-led growth, PLG onboarding, SaaS activation, B2B marketing strategy, GTM execution, SaaS retention, marketing funnels, activation metrics, user onboarding, customer lifecycle, marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, Anusha Kannan, B2B marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, AI in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, B2B content, growth marketing, Context Switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, AI content strategy, marketing automation.

THIS EPISODE'S COMPANION GUIDE: https://www.anushakannan.com/360nucleus

B2B marketing in 2025 isn’t about more leads, it’s about smarter strategy, tighter spend, & owning the pipeline. In this episode, we break down what top marketers are doing differently to align with finance, go deeper with verticals, and prove real ROI!

T I M E S T A M P S:

00:36 – Why Vertical GTM Is Outperforming Broad Plays

Frictionless targeting, personalization that converts, and faster pipeline growth.

02:53 – How FP&A Is Reshaping Marketing Strategy

Collaborating with finance, building “what-if” models, and becoming a growth advisor.

04:30 – Pipeline Is the New North Star

Moving beyond vanity metrics, aligning with sales, and owning revenue outcomes.

06:24 – Next-Level Segmentation (That Most Marketers Miss)

Behavioral + financial filters on top of industry verticals for smarter targeting.

07:14 – Final Takeaways & Resources

Go narrow, partner with finance, track real metrics ∧ grab the free guide!

🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):

⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch

📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:

⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:

⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show:

linkedin.com/in/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS):

⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok:

⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ Pivot with Anusha Kannan: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lCcjGlE0JdGDrdimT6qVv?si=ac56cc8670e34d6e

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing

⁠Watch here: https://youtu.be/klH_zfYc8XY?si=RFbAS_oLTPVQkPy7

🎵 Theme Song Code

Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E,

ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7

tags: B2B marketing 2025, GTM strategy, vertical marketing, product marketing, SaaS marketing, FP&A for marketers, marketing ROI, pipeline marketing, demand generation, CFO marketing alignment, CAC payback, GTM trends 2025, marketing analytics, marketing podcast, full-stack marketing, Anusha Kannan, marketing leadership, content marketing, customer marketing, ai in marketing, context switch newsletter, brand building, marketing operations, community-led growth, marketing psychology, founder marketing, marketing careers, growth marketing, email marketing, startup marketing, marketing advice, marketer to founder, marketing automation, ai content strategy, solopreneur podcast

→ Download the PLG Activation Audit: https://www.anushakannan.com/360nucleus "You promised marriage. They came for coffee." That’s the mistake most PLG (product-led growth) strategies make...overpromising transformation before the user even knows what your product does!!

In this episode, Anusha Ramesh Kannan breaks down why your SaaS activation flow might be failing, and how to fix it using the Promise → Path → Payoff framework.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why is activation your biggest conversion bottleneck

✅ How to design onboarding like a GTM strategist, not just a product team

✅ What micro-moments drive real retention

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:47 – The PLG Activation Problem No One Talks About

01:22 – Your Promise Disappears After Login

02:10 – Why PLG Products Lose Users in Week One

02:31 – This Isn’t Just UX, It’s a GTM Failure Activation is not a design issue. It’s a go-to-market misalignment.

02:48 – The Notion Example: Coffee Before Commitment How Notion nailed PLG activation by doing this first!

03:40 – Why Your ‘Best Features’ Might Be Useless Stop leading with what you think is great, focus on what the user needs right now.

04:00 – [Framework] Promise → Path → Payoff The 3-step PLG onboarding framework that fixes activation breakdowns.

04:30 – The ‘Promise’ Test: Can You Deliver Fast Enough?

05:09 – The ‘Path’ Layer: GTM-Driven Onboarding

05:46 – Personalization That Converts: Airtable

06:02 – Activation Is About Progress, Not Features Let users feel the win. Make them the hero, not your product.

06:20 – The ‘Payoff’ Layer: Feedback That Reinforces Value Use micro-moments like “You saved 2 hours” to increase perceived ROI.

07:01 – Retention Starts at Activation The top predictor of churn: users who never saw early value.

07:31 – Optimize for Curiosity, Not Commitment

08:12 – Get the Free PLG Activation Audit + Prompt Pack Available at: anushakannan.com/360nucleus

🔗 Listen & Subscribe 🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub: ⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub): ⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch 📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters: ⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials 💼 LinkedIn – Anusha: ⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan 💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show: linkedin.com/in/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan 📸 Instagram (BTS): ⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan 🎵 TikTok: ⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan ▶️ YouTube Channel: ⁠ @PivotwithAnushaKannan ⁠

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing ⁠Watch here: https://youtu.be/klH_zfYc8XY?si=RFbAS_oLTPVQkPy7

🎵 Theme Song Code Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E, ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7 tags: product-led growth, PLG onboarding, SaaS activation, B2B marketing strategy, GTM execution, SaaS retention, marketing funnels, activation metrics, user onboarding, customer lifecycle, marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, Anusha Kannan, B2B marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, AI in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, B2B content, growth marketing, Context Switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, AI content strategy, marketing automation

THIS EPISODE'S COMPANION GUIDE: https://www.anushakannan.com/360nucleus

Most B2B brands are still selling like it's 2016.

Meanwhile, your buyers? They're behaving like consumers with higher expectations and zero patience!!

In this episode, we break down the real reason B2B is shifting and what your team needs to do next :)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):

⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch

📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:

⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:

⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show:

linkedin.com/in/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS):

⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok:

⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ YouTube Channel:

⁠ ⁨@PivotwithAnushaKannan⁩

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing

⁠Watch here: https://youtu.be/klH_zfYc8XY?si=RFbAS_oLTPVQkPy7

🎵 Theme Song Code

Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E,

ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7

tags: marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, anusha kannan, b2b marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, ai in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, b2b content, growth marketing, context switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, ai content strategy, marketing automation

Storytelling, burnout & broken UX, all while I chop onions. Welcome to Kitchen Marketing™ (just a segment by The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan)

This isn’t your usual podcast episode. I was mid-cooking (yes, quinoa included) when a wave of thoughts hit about the current state of marketing, so I hit record. No script. No setup. Just real talk!!

In this vlog-style episode, I share:

• Why marketing feels soul-deep exhausting lately

• The disconnect between brand messaging and real product experience

• Why storytelling still wins (science backs it)

• What happens when even top SaaS brands create burnout by design

• And how we can shift toward connection over performance

Whether you're a marketer, founder, creative—or just feeling the noise—I hope this helps you breathe a little deeper.

👇 Let me know in the comments: Which part hit home for you?

T I M E S T A M P S

00:00 – Welcome to Kitchen Marketing™ (onions + thoughts incoming)

01:15 – Why marketing feels soul-deep exhausting

03:10 – The science behind why storytelling still works

04:43 – "Proof" ≠ resonance: the problem with case studies + testimonials

05:41 – Personal rant: When top SaaS tools create burnout by design

06:36 – Messaging vs experience → where brands break trust

08:03 – Real marketing ≠ hype → it's matchmaking

09:18 – Loud content vs. deep context: what *actually* builds loyalty

10:30 – Marketing as experience, not just sales

11:00 – Why I started this podcast (and how it keeps me thinking)

12:56 – Relevance is greater than virality (and a quinoa lesson to close)

THIS EPISODE'S COMPANION GUIDE: https://www.anushakannan.com/360nucleus#:~:text=GUIDE%3A%20EPISODE%204-,Companion%20Guides,-TL%3BDRs%20of

🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🎧 The Pivot to Balance Podcast:

⁠anushakannan.com/the-pivot-to-balance-podcast

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):

⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch

📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:

⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:

⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show:

/ the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS):

⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok:

⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ YouTube Channel:

⁠ / @anusharameshkannan

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing

⁠Watch here

🎵 Theme Song Code

Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E,

ITVWDILTDI5MA2V7

tags: marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, anusha kannan, b2b marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, ai in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, b2b content, growth marketing, context switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, ai content strategy, marketing automation

You don’t need more content.

You need more clarity.

This episode breaks down why nothing you post feels right — even when you're doing everything "right."

Most marketers focus on attention.

The best brands create curiosity.

Here’s the one step most people skip before they ever get attention, trust, or sales.

🎁 Companion Resources for This Episode Download the Free Guide → https://anushakannan.com/360nucleus Download the FREE Question Bank → https://anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✨ Join the newsletter for builders: https://anushakannan.com/newsletter

🔗 Listen & Subscribe

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub: ⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan

🎧 Pivot with Anusha Kannan ⁠ @PivotwithAnushaKannan

🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub): ⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus

✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch 📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters: ⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter

🌐 Socials

💼 LinkedIn – Anusha: ⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan

💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show: / the360marketingshowwithanushakannan

📸 Instagram (BTS): ⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan

🎵 TikTok: ⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan

▶️ YouTube Channel: ⁠ / @pivotwithanushakannan

👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing ⁠Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klH_zfYc8XY

🎵 Theme Song Code Code: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5E

tags: marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, anusha kannan, b2b marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, ai in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, b2b content, growth marketing, context switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, ai content strategy, marketing automation

VIDEO ONLY ON YOUTUBE!

Why do customers stop talking about your brand, even when your product works?In this episode of The 360° Marketing Show, Anusha sits down with Virginia Bryant, VP of Customer Marketing at Qualtrics (and formerly at Microsoft, GitHub, and Zendesk), to explore the often-missed power of post-sale marketing! Whether you’re in B2B or SaaS, this episode is packed with value on:- The difference between real advocacy vs reference programs- How to shift from transactional to relationship marketing- Why most brands fail after closing- How to build value-driven customer experiences that lead to loyalty- The role of AI in scaling advocacy without losing authenticity🎧 What’s inside is real talk, from frameworks to examples like Glossier, GitHub, Apple, and Airbnb. If you're in marketing, customer success, or product—this one’s for you!!🎁 Companion Resources for This EpisodeDownload the Free Guide → https://anushakannan.com/360nucleusDownload the FREE AI-Powered Customer Advocacy Scorecard → https://anushakannan.com/360nucleusTake the 2-minute Customer Marketing Survey → https://qualtricsxm7hhx8kp6q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Pzvv6XzRGstRGu✨ Join the newsletter for builders: https://anushakannan.com/newsletterLet’s build marketing that connects. Not just converts! ⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why do customers stop talking about you?01:12 – Meet Virginia Bryant, VP Customer Marketing at Qualtrics03:40 – What separates great advocacy programs05:42 – Be the advocate for your advocates08:28 – What happens after the sale11:35 – Give value, don’t just ask for it13:06 – What Airbnb + Glossier can teach B2B15:07 – The problem with gated content17:17 – Start with intent, not campaigns20:31 – Why most companies are disconnected23:07 – Customers as people, not logos28:51 – AI + customer marketing: what works, what doesn’t33:43 – Measuring the impact of advocacy36:27 – Do NPS surveys still work?41:12 – How to future-proof customer marketing44:20 – Final thoughts + survey! 🔗 Listen & Subscribe🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show with Anusha Kannan Hub:⁠anushakannan.com/the-360degree-marketing-show-with-anushakannan🎧 Pivot with Anusha Kannan⁠ @AnushaRameshKannan 🧠 Explore the 360° Nucleus (Resource Hub):⁠anushakannan.com/360nucleus✉️ Newsletter – Context Switch📧 Sign up to receive Anusha’s newsletters:⁠anushakannan.com/newsletter🌐 Socials💼 LinkedIn – Anusha:⁠linkedin.com/in/anusharameshkannan💼 LinkedIn – The 360° Marketing Show: / the360marketingshowwithanushakannan 📸 Instagram (BTS):⁠instagram.com/anusha_rameshkannan🎵 TikTok:⁠tiktok.com/@anusharameshkannan▶️ YouTube Channel:⁠ / @anusharameshkannan Guest Socials💼 LinkedIn – Virginiahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-bryant-33910712/👀 Featured episode: Anusha on AMA Boston’s Talking Marketing⁠Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klH_zfYc8XY🎵 Theme Song CodeCode: DZBHXH6X1SGHZV5Etags: marketing, full-stack marketing, marketing podcast, anusha kannan, b2b marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing, product marketing, marketing analytics, customer marketing, ai in marketing, marketing careers, founder marketing, brand building, demand generation, marketing operations, b2b content, growth marketing, context switch newsletter, marketing thought leadership, customer advocacy, community-led growth, marketing leadership, email marketing, startup marketing, solopreneur podcast, marketing tools, marketing psychology, marketing neuroscience, career in marketing, marketer to founder, marketing advice, ai content strategy, marketing automation