B2B Agility™ Episode #41: Connecting Deeply with B2B Audiences with Jason Ng, Gusto
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Introduction
In Episode #41 of B2B Agility™, hosted by Greg Kihlström of The Agile Brand, listeners are joined by Jason Ng, the Chief Marketing Officer at Gusto. Jason delves into innovative strategies for making traditionally dry topics like payroll engaging, the integration of AI in marketing, and the essential practices for marketing leaders to stay agile in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Background of Jason Ng
Jason Ng leads a world-class marketing team at Gusto, focusing on revenue growth within a high-velocity inbound business environment. With nearly two decades of experience at tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, Jason has honed his expertise in demand generation, product marketing, and brand communications. His journey into marketing began unexpectedly; originally an industrial engineering major, Jason transitioned into marketing as an assistant brand manager at Procter & Gamble, a role that ignited his passion for the field.
"I had no business working in marketing. I was an industrial engineering major. But I transitioned into marketing as my first job out of school as an assistant brand manager."
— Jason Ng [02:17]
The Choose Gusto Campaign
Campaign Insights
The Choose Gusto campaign was born from two primary insights:
- Perception of Payroll and HR: These essential services are often viewed as tedious and complex by small business owners.
- Decision Fatigue in SMBs: Small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners grapple with countless daily decisions, making streamlined solutions invaluable.
Jason emphasized the campaign's goal to "flip the script" by portraying Gusto as a trustworthy partner that simplifies payroll and HR processes, allowing business owners to focus on their core passions and business growth.
"Our goal was to flip the script, show that Gusto makes these processes simpler, more enjoyable, and even stress-free."
— Jason Ng [04:38]
Creative Strategy and Execution
To make payroll relatable and engaging, Gusto employed playful and smart humor rather than slapstick. The campaign highlighted the struggles of SMB owners by comparing payroll tasks to universally disliked activities like root canals and elevator music.
Jason stressed the importance of aligning the campaign with Gusto's brand DNA and customer pain points, ensuring that the messaging was both authentic and resonant.
"Great branding and great creative is telling the truth. Ensuring that the messaging reflects both your core identity and what those real customer needs are."
— Jason Ng [07:16]
Campaign Results and Future Directions
The Choose Gusto campaign has garnered a strong positive reception, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Key outcomes include:
- Increased Brand Awareness: Significant boosts, particularly among target segments like accountants who play a pivotal role in advising SMBs.
- Enhanced Funnel Metrics: Notable lifts in traffic, leads, and improved cost-per-lead efficiencies in paid performance channels.
- Visibility in AI Tools: Gusto consistently appears at the top of generative AI searches, such as ChatGPT, for queries like "best small business payroll."
Looking ahead, Gusto plans to expand the campaign with increased media investments, including placements in NFL programming and the Golden Globes, to further solidify brand recognition.
"We are working on a new set of ads that will launch into 2025 with bigger media investments. We are really putting ourselves out there because we feel very confident in the message that we're giving and how it's resonating with small businesses."
— Jason Ng [10:19]
The Role of the CMO: Prioritization and Budgeting
When discussing prioritization, Jason highlighted the importance of customer-centricity and balanced funnel investment. His budgeting strategy allocates:
- 50% to Measurable Channels: Ensuring channels like paid search and SEO are robust and optimized.
- 30% to Experimental Initiatives: Allowing room for innovation and testing new strategies.
- 20% based on Intuition ("Feels Right"): Leveraging experience and judgment for areas that may not be easily quantifiable.
Jason cautioned against heavily favoring unmeasurable tactics, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that aligns with both short-term and long-term business objectives.
"If someone were to tell me like 90% of the marketing I do is a 'feels right' category, I would say, okay, that's a little bit of a dangerous place to be."
— Jason Ng [16:58]
AI Integration in Marketing
Jason advocated for the accelerated adoption of AI within the marketing profession, highlighting its potential to enhance both productivity and creativity. At Gusto, AI tools like BrightEdge and Clear Scope are integral for optimizing SEO strategies, while content generation is augmented by AI to produce high-quality, scalable outputs.
However, he stressed the importance of maintaining a "human in the loop", ensuring that all AI-generated content is rigorously reviewed for accuracy and brand alignment.
"ChatGPT is like my intern. I bounce ideas off it... I'm not always going to, it's not always going to get things right."
— Jason Ng [20:31]
Evolution of B2B Marketing Practices
B2B marketing has evolved to demand data-driven and highly personalized campaigns. Jason described SMB marketing as a hybrid between B2B and B2C, requiring targeted messaging that addresses specific pain points rather than self-expressive content.
He emphasized the synergy between brand building and performance-driven strategies, advocating for their combined effect to achieve superior marketing outcomes.
"It's all about looking at understanding your customers to make sure that when you're doing all these things across channels, you're not forgetting about your creative, your messaging and how you're really carving out a clear space in people's minds."
— Jason Ng [15:17]
Advice for Aspiring Marketing Professionals
Jason offered valuable advice for those embarking on a marketing career:
- Ground Yourself in Marketing Fundamentals: Understand the core principles, such as the four P's.
- Deep Customer Understanding: Be the voice of the customer and know their needs intimately.
- Master the Details While Keeping the Bigger Picture in Sight: Execute campaigns diligently and assess their alignment with overarching strategies.
- Seek the Truth: Challenge biases, consider alternative perspectives, and leverage data wisely.
"Great marketing, as I mentioned earlier, is truth told well. But know the truth. Know the truth about your customers, your competitors, about yourself as well."
— Jason Ng [25:27]
Gusto’s Economics Research Program and Its Impact
Gusto's robust economics research program analyzes data from over 400,000 customers to glean insights into small business economies. This research informs marketing strategies, shapes brand messaging, and has garnered coverage in prestigious publications like The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and The New York Times.
By providing valuable, data-driven insights, Gusto not only supports small businesses but also reinforces its authority and relevance in the market.
"We have to derive these insights, deliver them to customers in a way that's relevant to them... it really helps shape our brand and to get feedback on the types of things that our customers are responding to."
— Jason Ng [27:50]
Maintaining Agility in Marketing Leadership
To stay agile, Jason adopts a continuous learning mindset paired with a "day one" philosophy, akin to practices at Amazon. This approach involves:
- Regularly Updating Knowledge: Staying informed about industry changes and emerging trends.
- Intellectual Honesty: Being open to pivoting strategies based on new information.
- Curiosity-Driven Adaptation: Embracing change proactively rather than reactively.
"Always be learning. Always come in with a day one mindset... I'm not always going to, it's not always going to get things right."
— Jason Ng [30:01]
Conclusion
Episode #41 of B2B Agility™ offers a comprehensive look into the strategic mind of Jason Ng, CMO of Gusto. From transforming mundane topics into engaging narratives to balancing innovative AI integrations with foundational marketing principles, Jason provides actionable insights for B2B marketers aiming to excel in a competitive landscape. His emphasis on customer understanding, balanced budgeting, and continuous agility serves as a valuable guide for both seasoned professionals and those early in their marketing careers.
For more insights and episodes, visit www.b2bagility.com and explore Greg Kihlström's series of best-selling agile brand guides.