Vector's CEO specifically sought a marketing leader with a content and brand background, not a traditional demand gen expert. This reflects a shift where storytelling and brand building are seen as critical drivers for early-stage growth.
Jess Cook executed a three-month pilot with seven micro-influencers (average 12-13k followers), resulting in 45 ICP demos and over $1M in pipeline without using direct CTAs or UTM tracking.
Vector's marketing lead found success by giving influencers high-level messaging points but allowing them to create content in their own voice. The only request was to review the post 24 hours in advance to ensure product accuracy.
Vector's podcast makes listeners a fly on the wall for real strategic discussions between the CEO and marketing lead. Each episode covers a single business decision they had to make together, creating authentic, high-value content.
Jess Cook, with a background in content, identifies her two biggest growth areas as a new VP of Marketing are metrics/reporting and team management. While creative skills get you the job, operational and leadership skills are required to succeed.
Because B2B buying cycles are long, one-off influencer posts are less effective. A recurring presence over 3-6 months or longer builds trust and keeps the brand top-of-mind for when buyers are actually in-market.
Vector's podcast success isn't tracked by direct deal attribution. Instead, they measure its impact by observing a clear, steady growth in the founders' social media followings, increased website traffic, and strong event registrations.
To ensure high quality and great chemistry, Vector's VP of Marketing flies to her CEO's location to record an entire podcast season over two days. This batching process creates a cohesive feel and is more efficient than coordinating weekly remote recordings.
Vector leans heavily into its ghost mascot, which represents revealing anonymous website visitors. The mascot creates strong brand recall ("when they see a ghost, they think of Vector") and inspires creative campaigns, such as a customer event series called the "Ghost Tour."
Vector's VP of Marketing skipped messy UTMs for her influencer pilot. Instead, she tracked success by setting up alerts in their call recording software (Fathom) for mentions of influencer names, coupled with a "How did you hear about us?" form field.