Question 1

What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

AEO is a new and essential aspect of your messaging strategy to compete in AI searchesBuyers are asking AI engines to do their comparison shopping for them. And those engines are crawling your content to serve up those comparisons.So, to keep you from getting weeded out of the robots’ recommendations, you need to understand Ask Engine Optimization.Once you have established message-market fit, AEO is the strategy you deploy to make your message as visible as possible to the AI engines your buyers are using to research the companies that can best meet their purchase needs.Optimizing for answer engines includes strategically constructing your content so it is noticed by the engines, developing both content and amplification strategies that will continuously increase your visibility within answer engine searches, and technically optimizing the back end of your site for AEO.

Question 2

How do I create message-market fit?

Accepted Answer

The first step to creating message-market fit is understanding what it really is.Message-market fit means making your message fit with your market’s needs, as your buyer sees them.  It means you are telling your story in a way that is easily understandable and undeniable compelling to your market.But your market is no longer just your buyers. It is also now the robots those buyers use to research your company.Which means modern message-market fit requires crafting your messaging and content so precisely that it aligns with the exact language, questions, and needs your target audience uses when searching online, making your brand’s story and value clear, relevant, and easy for answer engines to find.This means your site copy, thought leadership, social posting, white papers, and case studies all clearly explain your value in terms your buyer can relate to and drive urgency to take action, learn more, and engage in purchase.

Question 3

What are the two most solvable problems startups can tackle to build a moat and speed growth?

Accepted Answer

The fastest path to growth: tell a better story and unify GTM.- A better story centers on customer value, expresses your brand purpose, and solves a proven buyer need.- It’s not features or events. It’s why those things create tangible outcomes for customers.- Kill divisiveness: stop sales vs. marketing blame, vanity metrics, and snide cross‑team commentary.- Turn culture into an accelerator: sales and marketing co‑create, share feedback, build stronger content and discovery, amplify customer proof, and collaborate cross‑functionally.Bottom line: one value‑driven story, one aligned culture, one shared ownership of revenue.

Question 4

What is hybrid marketing and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid marketing is a modern marketing approach that marries traditional and digital tactics. It combines automated artificial automated intelligence with human emotional intelligence. The idea is to bring the best of technology and creativity together to create more efficiency in delivering emotionally relevant campaigns. In theory, it’s a smart and strategic approach. However, in reality it is often poorly executed. Here are some common mistakes startups make when implementing hybrid marketing:• Lack of clear strategy: Robots, like humans, need clear directives to succeed• Deprioritizing brand building: Without a unique voice, your messaging will blend into the market• Over-reliance on automation: Depending solely on AI driven tools limit engagement and messaging longevity• Generic audience approach: Generalizing profiles will generalize pain points and you will miss the mark in truly connecting with buyers

Question 5

What is Narrative Equity™?

Accepted Answer

Narrative Equity™ is the tangible value your brand story delivers, both in the immediate and the long-term.It can be measured across multiple fronts:• Visibility scores• Conversion rates• Deal sizes• Cycle times• Revenue growthIn other words, Narrative Equity™ is a result. The outcome of the compounding market interest your narrative generates for your company and the degree to which that interest converts into rock solid leads and closed deals.• Clear, compelling articulation of the value you bring to customers• Anchored in an ownable brand voice that help you stand out• One cohesive story across all touchpoints• Increased pipeline that proves a return on marketing investment

Question 6

Should I still be using MQLs and SQLs to drive go-to-market growth?

Accepted Answer

While funnels are still powerful tools for the AI Era, MQLs and SQLs are an outdated metric.These KPIs are doing more harm than good when it comes to building a strong pipeline. This framework is divisiveness disguised as cooperation. • It creates two different goals • That answer to two different success standards • And that are measured by two different sets metrics That’s a Russian Doll of divisiveness and, with most startups, it’s sitting smack dab in the middle of the go-to-market culture, creating siloed messaging, stalling progress and stunting growth. Siloed metrics, such as MQLs and SQLs lead to siloed performance mindsets with each department and person within it worrying only about their own success rather than the holistic success of the company. Ultimately, revenue is the only metric that matters.

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Actionable Insights for Startups

Thought leadership that accelerates growth

Articles, features and podcasts delivering insights for rapid and repeatable growth

Article

Why Your Go-to-Market Strategy Is Failing (Hint: It's Your Messaging)

Article

How Team Culture Impacts Your Startup's Growth

Article

MQLs vs SQLs The Hidden Culture Problem Dividing Your Revenue Team

Article

Vibe Marketing vs Brand Building Why AI-Generated Content Isn't Enough

Article

How to Break Down Sales and Marketing Silos

Article

Why Product Differentiation Is No Longer Your Moat (And What Replaces It in 2025)

Articles, features and podcasts delivering
insights for rapid and repeatable growth

Why Your Go-to-Market Strategy Is Failing
(Hint: It's Your Messaging)

MQLs vs SQLs
The Hidden Culture Problem Dividing Your Revenue Team

Vibe Marketing vs Brand Building
Why AI-Generated Content Isn't Enough

How to Break Down
Sales and Marketing Silos

Why Product Differentiation Is No Longer Your Moat
(And What Replaces It in 2025)