Episode 7: Evaluating Startup Marketing Strategy | Matt Bell

Matt Bell was born and raised in the UK, has lived on 4 continents, worked in, or visited, over 50 countries, and now calls Houston, Texas, home. His career journey has taken him from field operations to company leadership and corporate venture capital, from startup to growth stage, and on to strategy consulting, marketing, and angel investing.

As co-founder of MessageUp and Strategic Piece, Matt works with B2B companies to make messaging and content more effective without overburdening their teams. This reflects his belief that content marketing has become mission-critical and will differentiate successful B2B companies from the rest in an increasingly digital-first world.

As Vice President of the Imperial College Foundation, he helps enable tax-efficient giving from US-based alumni and friends that supports ground-breaking research and the highest quality education at Imperial College.

During our conversation, he discusses:

* The concept and challenges of content marketing for early-stage B2B companies

* The importance of brand awareness and building a consistent audience early

* The pitfalls of poorly executed marketing strategies

* Aligning corporate and marketing objectives to measure effectiveness

* The impact of AI on content creation and the need for authenticity

* Key considerations for investors evaluating a startup's marketing strategy

* The evolution of the CMO role and strategic marketing importance

* The future trends in marketing and buyer behavior

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

What We Cover:

* 00:00 Introduction to Matt Bell

* 05:36 Introduction to Content Marketing Strategy

* 07:38 Importance of Early Brand Building

* 12:07 Balancing Marketing Spend and ROI

* 15:14 Case Study: Geodynamics

* 22:39 Avoiding Random Acts of Marketing

* 26:43 The Rise of Authenticity in Content

* 30:51 Authenticity in Entrepreneurial Pitches

* 35:53 Advice for New Angel Investors

* 39:56 The Evolving Role of Marketing

* 44:22 Matt's Current Work and MessageUp

* 46:18 Challenges for Traditional Businesses

* 49:31 Matt's Books on Content Marketing

Connect with Matt Bell

* Get access to expert coaching from Matt with the B2B Marketing Tune Up, an online cohort for B2B business leaders: https://www.messageup.com/tune-up

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbell

* Website: https://www.messageup.com/

* Newsletter: https://messageup.substack.com/

* Books: