October 7, 2024

FV 15: The Decline of Outbound, Founder-led Content & Social Growth | James Hanzimanolis

The FounderVideo Podcast Episode 15 with James Hanzimanolis.

In this episode, Will chats with James Hanzimanolis, founder of Outbounder and Erudite, about the decline of outbound sales and the rise of founder-led content and inbound marketing. James shares his experience of shutting down his outbound agency and explains the complexities of modern outbound sales. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right people, creating personalized messages, and conducting thorough research. James also discusses the effectiveness of organic social media, podcasts, ads, webinars, and partner marketing in generating pipeline. He provides insights into the algorithm changes on LinkedIn and offers tips for maximizing reach and engagement on the platform. The conversation discusses the differences between LinkedIn and another platform (referred to as X) in terms of thought leaders, target audience, posting frequency, and engagement. It also explores the benefits of using ZoomInfo for outbound sales and the importance of organic social media efforts. The conversation emphasizes the need for consistency, authenticity, and patience when building a presence on social media.

TAKEAWAYS:

- The decline of outbound sales has led to the rise of founder-led content and inbound marketing.

- Modern outbound sales require extensive research, personalized messages, and a strategic approach.

- Organic social media, podcasts, ads, webinars, and partner marketing are effective ways to generate pipeline.

- The first 15-20 minutes of a LinkedIn post are crucial for its performance.

- Using a strong hook and posting at least 18 hours apart can improve reach and engagement.

- LinkedIn is becoming more pay-to-play, with features like promoted posts and premium subscriptions.

- Quality and relevance of content are key to success on social media platforms.

- X is a great platform for building an audience, but LinkedIn offers higher-quality information and engagement. LinkedIn is a platform with top thought leaders and professionals, making it ideal for targeting enterprise and upper mid-market audiences.

- The X platform is more popular among startups, agencies, and younger professionals, making it suitable for targeting smaller businesses.

- X allows for more frequent and diverse posting, while LinkedIn has stricter posting limits and expectations.

- ZoomInfo offers valuable data and intent signals for outbound sales, helping to identify potential leads and improve connect rates.

- Organic social media efforts require time, consistency, and authenticity to build a strong presence and generate meaningful engagement.

FounderVideo Podcast Ep. 15: James Hanzimanolis, Founder of Outbounder, Co-founder at Erudite

"The Decline of Outbound, Founder-led Content & Social Growth"

Brought to you by: https://foundervideo.io

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:58 The State of Outbound in 2024

08:33 How James got into Inbound (ft. Seth Godin)

15:00 Founder-Led Content and Inbound Marketing

21:36 Organic vs Paid Social and Pay-to-play in Social Media

26:00 How to Master LinkedIn Organic Growth and Inbound Sales

33:00 LinkedIn vs. X: Differences in Thought Leaders and Target Audience

44:17 How James uses ZoomInfo for ABM & Outbound Sales

54:33 The Importance of Organic Social Media Efforts

59:56 Consistency, Authenticity, and Patience in Building a Social Media Presence

TAGS:

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