Friends with Benefits
Welcome to Friends with Benefits, the business podcast about revenue-generating partnerships.
Not "business time" with friends.
This podcast is for those looking to build professional relationships that last and add tremendous value to your company and maybe even, you personally.
Join hosts Jason and Sam Yarborough, who happen to be married, as they talk with some of the best in the industry.
We will be tackling topics like what good partnerships looks like, how relationships can build immense value for your business, and why even though strategy, pipeline, and growth are the goals, it all comes down to relationships. Let’s face it, business is done person-to-person.
Discover how personal connections transcend the boundaries of business time. Come hang out with us for inspiring stories, actionable strategies, and valuable insights that will empower you to forge meaningful partnerships in today’s competitive landscape.
Because we all know, business time is personal.
Friends with Benefits
34 -The Power of Building Genuine Relationships with Katie Penner
Katie Penner, the Head of Sender Relations at Sendoso, joins the Sam and Jason to discuss the power of direct mail in building relationships and creating emotional connections with customers. Katie shares her journey at Sendoso and how she transitioned from an SDR to her current role. She emphasizes the importance of personalized outreach and the impact it has on breaking through the noise in today's buyer-saturated market. Katie also highlights the role of direct mail in creating curated experiences and leveraging the law of reciprocity to build trust and increase customer lifetime value. The conversation delves into the challenges and rewards of influencer partnerships, the measurement of success in relationship-building efforts, and the significance of authenticity and vulnerability in branding.
**Key Takeaways:**
- Direct mail is a powerful tool for building relationships and showing customers that you care about them as individuals. Personalized and relevant direct mail stands out in a crowded digital landscape and creates a lasting emotional connection.
- Customers who are emotionally connected to a brand have a significantly higher lifetime value and are more likely to recommend the brand to others. Building genuine relationships with customers leads to long-term loyalty and advocacy.
- The right influencers can be valuable partners in building brand awareness and trust. Authenticity and creative freedom are key in influencer partnerships, allowing influencers to share their genuine experiences and opinions about a brand.
- Measuring the success of relationship-building efforts can be challenging, but tools like Gong and tracking "how did you hear about us" can provide insights into the impact of these efforts on conversions and demo requests.
- Imposter syndrome is a common experience, but it can be overcome by recognizing that it is a sign of growth and embracing vulnerability. Sharing failures and struggles can resonate with others and build trust and authenticity.
**Notable Quotes:**
- "Direct mail is a really beautiful way of showing that you care about the human. It breaks through the norm and shows that you've done your research and genuinely care about the recipient." - Katie Penner
- "Customers who are emotionally connected to a brand have a 306 percent higher lifetime value and recommend brands at a much higher rate. Building relationships has a significant impact on business." - Katie Penner
- "The right influencers can be the ultimate friends with benefits. Authenticity and creative freedom are key in influencer partnerships, allowing influencers to share their genuine experiences and opinions about a brand." - Katie Penner
**Chapters:**
0:00 Intro
00:26 Welcoming the Guest
01:15 Getting to Know Katie: Her Journey at Sindoso
04:05 The Power of Direct Mail in Building Relationships
05:20 The Emotional Connection and Lifetime Value of Customers
06:06 Breaking Through the Noise: The Impact of Personalized Outreach
07:45 The Role of Direct Mail in Creating a Curated Experience
08:36 Leveraging the Law of Reciprocity in Business
10:12 The Importance of Genuine Relationships in Business
14:02 The Challenges and Rewards of Influencer Partnerships
20:40 Measuring the Success of Influencer Partnerships
23:04 The Journey of Building a Personal Brand on LinkedIn
24:36 Sharing Knowledge and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
26:30 The Power of Vulnerability and Authenticity
27:13 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Embracing Growth
31:44 The Importance of Authenticity and Community in Branding
33:48 Building Trust and Engagement through Authentic Experiences
35:54 The Power of Community and Delightful Experiences in Branding
43:42 The Importance of Authenticity an