In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Klausner, SVP of Commercial Growth at SWYM AI, to talk about what actually drives growth when you’re scaling a modern marketing organization. Rachel shares how she approaches new markets by uncovering needs customers haven’t fully articulated and why getting the story right internally is just as important as getting it right externally.

We dig into why relationships remain one of the most powerful growth levers, especially for smaller teams, and how trust, transparency, and a little vulnerability can lead to better products and stronger partnerships. Rachel also shares some lessons from her career, including why creative, low-budget client engagement often outperforms more polished events.

Takeaways

• Understanding customer needs is crucial for effective marketing.
• Building trust is essential in sales relationships.
• Partnering with complementary companies can amplify sales efforts.
• Creative client engagement can leave lasting impressions.
• Maximizing current customer relationships can drive growth.
• Storytelling is key in sales presentations.
• Leadership style should adapt to the company's stage.
• Confidence should never be hidden in professional settings.
• Creating a positive workplace culture is essential.
• Having a performance background can enhance sales effectiveness.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Rachel Klausner and SWYM AI

02:02 Understanding Go-to-Market Strategies

05:59 Customer Personas and Feedback

07:55 Key Sales Strategies Across Company Stages

11:47 Creative Client Engagement Tactics

14:29 Maximizing Existing Customer Relationships

16:57 Navigating Sales Decks and Marketing Materials

23:32 Adjusting Leadership Styles for Company Stages

28:28 Channeling Your Passions into Your Work

Contact Rachel:

Connect with Rachel Klausner on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelklausner/

Turn Your Messaging into Momentum

For more information, visit www.lastwordmktg.com.
Connect with Liza on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizachick/

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Dreyer, “Product Marketing Leader for the AI Era” and Director of Product Marketing at Skan AI, to talk about what it really looks like to use AI in our day-to-day work. Brian walks through how he uses tools like Claude and Claude Code to build research systems, refresh SEO content, and even spin up his own internal apps without being a full-time engineer. We get into why “AI-powered” is the new “we’re a SaaS company,” why differentiation still has to start in your own brain, and how to sell your approach instead of just your features. We also talk ebooks (they’re not dead), and how coaching kids’ sports has taught Brian about leading product marketing teams.

Takeaways

• Product marketers are becoming more valuable than ever.
• AI tools like Claude can enhance content creation.
• Differentiation is crucial in a noisy market.
• Ebooks still serve as effective lead magnets.
• Direct messaging is essential before creativity.
• Understanding your audience's approach is key to sales success.
• AI-generated content needs human oversight for quality.
• Coaching youth sports provides valuable leadership lessons.
• The creative side of marketing is evolving with AI.
• Mistakes are learning opportunities in both sports and business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in Product Marketing

01:41 The Noise of AI and Its Opportunities

03:38 Practical Use Cases of AI in Product Marketing

09:51 Challenges and Limitations of AI

13:07 Differentiation in a Noisy Market

16:44 Simplifying Complex Concepts

18:03 Navigating the Sales Cycle

21:11 The Role of E-books in Modern Marketing

24:21 AI's Impact on Marketing Strategies

27:46 Leadership Lessons from Product Management

29:18 Shifting Perspectives on Career Advice

31:57 Learning from Youth Sports Coaching

Contact Brian:

Connect with Brian Dreyer on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandreyer/

Turn Your Messaging into Momentum

For more information, visit www.lastwordmktg.com.
Connect with Liza on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizachick/

Liza Cichowski interviews Michelle Nieberding, a director of product marketing at Treasure Data and an expert in leveraging AI for marketing strategies. They discuss the top use cases for AI in product marketing, including customer insights, messaging, and asset generation. Michele predicts that the future of AI in marketing will include more precise personalization and stronger automation. The conversation also touches on Michelle's career journey, leadership lessons, and personal growth through learning a new sport.

Takeaways

• AI tools can help mine customer insights effectively.
• Personalization in marketing is crucial for engagement.
• Experimentation allows marketers to test hypotheses and strategies.
• AI can generate messaging and marketing assets quickly.
• Building frameworks with AI can streamline go-to-market strategies.
• The future of AI will focus on autonomous content delivery.
• Learning from failures is essential for growth in marketing.
• Patience and perseverance are key in both golf and marketing.
• AI can enhance interdepartmental collaboration and efficiency.
• Effective leadership involves empowering teams and trusting their decisions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in Product Marketing

01:44 Top Use Cases for AI in Product Marketing

05:36 Experimentation and Analysis with AI

06:09 Personalization and Differentiation Strategies

11:07 Building Workflows and Frameworks with AI

22:24 Building an Internal Ecosystem with AI

24:16 The Future of AI in Product Marketing

28:39 Leadership Lessons from Experience

33:42 Personal Growth Through Learning to Play Golf

TOOLS MENTIONED:

Alphana.ai to automate audio and video content creation

Alpha-sense.com for market research

ChatGPT.com for an all-in-one AI tool

Claude.ai for content creation

Evidenza.ai for customer research

Gamma.app for slide creation

Glean.com to automate AI powered internal processes

Opus.pro for video clip editing

Paperflite.com for sales enablement content management

Perplexity.ai for competitive research

Personality.ai for customer personas

Retellio.com for sales call insights

Connect with Michele Nieberding on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-nieberding/

Turn Your Messaging into Momentum

For more information, visit www.lastwordmktg.com.
Connect with Liza on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizachick/