The Future of Marketing: Personalisation, Efficiency, and Innovation
In an engaging discussion with Cory Schmidt, Head of Marketing at Heyflow, we explore his approach to scaling marketing efforts efficiently, fostering collaboration, and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. With a wealth of experience in demand generation and customer engagement, Cory provides thoughtful insights into the challenges and opportunities facing today’s marketers.
Simplifying Marketing and Embracing Scalable Tools
When asked to describe his job to a 5-year-old, Cory compares it to running a lemonade stand: “I make sure everyone knows their job, plan how to spend our money wisely, and come up with smart ideas to help our stand look great and bring in people to buy lemonade.” This simple analogy reflects his focus on both creativity and operational excellence.
One of the core tools driving Heyflow’s scalable marketing activities is Ahrefs, which plays a vital role in optimising organic search efforts. “Keeping our marketing activities scalable and our CAC low is crucial,” Cory explains. “Ahrefs helps me with competitor analysis, identifying technical issues, and tracking progress. With its help, we’ve already improved our conversion rate by over 15% in just a few months.”
Prioritising Awareness and Targeted Campaigns
For Heyflow, awareness is currently the top priority, as the lead generation industry is still in its infancy compared to other MarTech sectors. This focus presents a unique opportunity to position the company as a leader, educate the market, and build a strong brand foundation. “We’re setting the stage for long-term growth by establishing credibility and trust,” Cory notes.
Additionally, narrowing efforts on their ideal customer profile (ICP) has streamlined campaigns and allowed the entire organisation to focus on buyers who genuinely value their solution. This targeted approach has driven significant results through both vertical and horizontal campaigns.
The Role of AI and Personalisation
At Heyflow, automation plays a crucial role in content production, with AI tools enhancing tasks like copywriting, design, and video creation. However, Cory emphasises that AI cannot replace the human touch. “These tools only enhance the content—we still need human involvement for authenticity.”
Personalisation is another key pillar of Heyflow’s strategy. Their product offers real-time personalisation, allowing customers to segment their audience during the conversion journey. Mapping the customer journey has been essential for visualising and improving the customer experience, addressing friction points, and creating seamless interactions.
Evolving Skillsets and Efficient Scaling
The evolving marketing landscape demands new skill sets. According to Cory, marketers must adapt to changes in capital markets and the need for efficiency. “Efficient scaling is essential. It’s about combining organic growth with brand building while optimising paid activities.” Reflecting on 2024, Cory highlights Heyflow’s implementation of A/B testing across its website and landing pages, a decision that improved conversion rates without requiring costly solutions.
Campaign Inspiration and Insights
Cory draws inspiration from the Michelin Star campaign, which successfully transformed a tyre company into a global premium brand. This campaign’s ability to focus on its ideal customer profile resonated with him as a marketer.
When it comes to understanding customers, Cory takes a straightforward approach: “Just talk to them. Get on calls. Go to conferences and have quick chats.” He also values tools like Sparktoro for social listening but stresses the importance of defining clear objectives before starting any strategy.
Fun Facts and Final Thoughts
Quick Q&A with Cory
Any fun facts about yourself that you want to share?
Cory: I’ve published a book on demand generation entitled Brand Primacy: How Google Made Companies the Kings of Content.
What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?
Cory: Perfect the motion on the stage of SaaS. Find where you’re good at, whether it is pre-revenue, product-market fit, or scaling, and then do that multiple times and get better at it. This has served me well.
Are there any questions you’d like to ask other MarTech enthusiasts?
Cory: What are the forums you participate in?
Cory Schmidt’s insights highlight the importance of balancing innovation with authenticity. By embracing emerging technologies, focusing on personalisation, and fostering collaboration, marketers can navigate the complexities of the MarTech landscape while delivering meaningful value to their audiences.
A big thank you to Cory Schmidt, Head of Marketing at Heyflow. If you want to connect with him, feel free to reach out via LinkedIn!
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Last updated: January 2025
