Podcast Summary: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson – Ep. 430

Guest: Ben Schechter, CMO of FloQast
Air Date: October 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Ben Schechter, Chief Marketing Officer at FloQast, a leader in close management software for finance and accounting teams. Host Jay Schwedelson explores what’s working in today’s B2B marketing landscape, with a deep dive into lead generation, webinars, the evolving digital funnel, attribution, “boring industry” branding, and adapting to new channels and AI-driven discovery. Ben brings unique insight, shaped by his transition from B2C to B2B, and discusses the mindset and tactics that have driven FloQast’s continued marketing success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ben’s Background: B2C Lessons Powering B2B

• Transitioned from B2C (e-commerce, conversion-driven roles) to product and B2B marketing.
• Realized B2C skills — understanding digital, conversion, self-serve motions — are highly relevant in B2B settings.

Quote:
“A lot of the skills that I learned in B2C were very applicable to B2B… it helped differentiate me.” – Ben (01:23)

Humanizing B2B: Consumerization of Business Marketing

• B2B is increasingly “consumery”—marketers are realizing they’re still speaking to people, not just to companies.
• Post-pandemic, self-service content, virtual events, and chatbots are now more the norm as buyers seek autonomy.

Quote:
“People are inundated… they may not want to talk to someone and… want to do it on their own… they want to go to the website, they want to consume the information… talk to a chatbot… and try before they buy.” – Ben (02:52)

Webinars: Still Gold for B2B Lead Generation

• Webinars remain exceptionally effective, even surprising Ben (and the market) given their time demand.
• At FloQast: thousands register, attendance rates far above industry average, high engagement (lots of questions).
• Engagement signals—particularly asking questions—directly correlate with high-quality, sales-ready leads:
  • Registered (low intent)
  • Attended, especially >50% of time (medium intent)
  • Engaged (asked questions, etc.: high intent and priority for sales follow-up)
• Emphasis on respecting attendee time and not overdoing webinar volume.

Quote:
“Webinars are absolute gold… the conversion rate of these leads… is significantly higher than other channels.” – Ben (04:10)
“If you attend a webinar and engage, we prioritize… sales should be calling them within honestly hours…” – Ben (07:01)

Redefining & Scoring Leads: Beyond Vanity Metrics

• “Leads” as a form of measurement are problematic; lead volume is easily manipulated by adjusting scoring algorithms.
• Actual pipeline value and closed/won deals are true north metrics.
• Multi-touch attribution is essential: buyers have 12–15 interactions before speaking to sales.
  • Sending top-of-funnel “leads” (e.g., guide downloads) to sales too early frustrates both prospects and the sales team.
  • Negative flywheel: If BDRs are sent bad leads, they stop trusting and calling them—even when they’re actually good.

Quote:
“I will be the worst CMO in the world if I don’t crush [the leads] number. Because I control the lead scoring algorithm… but they may not be good.” – Ben (08:15)
“If you’re looking at just leads… send them to sales… If they’re not ready, the prospect gets annoyed… the salesperson gets annoyed… and they stop calling your ‘leads’.” – Ben (09:05)

The Shift from SEO to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

• Buyers increasingly search for solutions in chatbots and AI tools, not just Google.
• FloQast is exploring AEO but acknowledges the field is new and evolving—nobody “has it figured out” yet.
• Traditional SEO and paid channels still drive significant results; balance and experimentation are key.

Quote:
“If I told you we had a plan [for AEO] that I know is absolutely going to crush it, I would be lying… By no means are we turning off [traditional] SEO—how do we balance and get ahead of the game?” – Ben (11:44)

Channel Innovation & Paid Social in B2B

• Testing emerging channels (Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) is core to their strategy, with clear success/funnel goals for each test.
  • Some platforms are better for top-of-funnel brand building; others for direct lead gen.
  • Importance of quantitative feedback and measurement.

Quote:
“We try all these things… Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t… It’s important to set up success metrics before you run the test…” – Ben (13:15)

Breaking through Industry “Boringness” with Brand Voice

• FloQast’s differentiation: a distinct, human, even “pithy” tone of voice uncommon in accounting tech.
• Founder Mike Whitmire champions an authentic, relatable, and slightly rebellious brand stance: “Accountants are people.”
  • In-house “studios team” (unique for the industry) produces engaging video content.
• Ben believes highlighted brand personality breaks through the noise—even for “regulated” or traditionally “boring” categories.

Quote:
“Are we going to have a crazy brand campaign that's way out there? No… But compared to our competitors, you’ll notice very distinct tone of voice and messaging.” – Ben (15:05)
“We have a studios team… based in LA… that creates very engaging video content… highly consumed and people really enjoy.” – Ben (16:16)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• (01:23) Ben on B2C → B2B:
  “A lot of the skills that I learned in B2C were very applicable to B2B…”

• (02:52) On Humanizing B2B:
  “They may want to even talk to a chatbot to learn more… and try it for themselves before they even talk to anyone.”

• (04:10) On Webinar Success:
  “Webinars are absolute gold… the conversion rate… is significantly higher than other channels…”

• (07:01) Webinar Engagement Scoring:
  “If you attend a webinar and engage, we prioritize… sales should be calling them within honestly hours…”

• (08:15) Lead Quality vs. Quantity:
  “I will be the worst CMO in the world if I don’t crush [the leads] number. Because I control the lead scoring algorithm…”

• (13:15) On Emerging Paid Channels:
  “We try all these things… It’s important to set up success metrics before you run the test…”

• (15:05) Standing Out in Boring Industries:
  “Compared to our competitors, you’ll notice very distinct tone of voice and messaging. We want to stay true to that brand…”

• (16:16) In-House Studio:
  “We have a studios team… that creates very engaging video content… highly consumed and people really enjoy.”

Key Takeaways for Marketers

• B2B is about people—meet them where they are and speak human.
• Webinars remain a high-performing pipeline channel—engagement level matters and should drive your sales follow-up priorities.
• Don’t measure marketing by raw “leads”; focus on quality, multi-touch journeys, and actual business outcomes.
• Be wary of sending leads to sales too soon—a lack of sales-marketing trust can damage conversion long-term.
• Balance experimentation on new channels and AI-driven discovery with proven strategies—track and measure everything.
• Even “boring” industries can (and should) have a brand voice and creative flair. It’s a point of competitive differentiation.

Recommended Segments & Timestamps

• [00:40] – Introduction to Ben and FloQast
• [03:42] – The enduring value of webinars
• [06:10] – How to score, segment, and prioritize webinar leads
• [08:15] – Why “leads” are not a real performance metric
• [11:12] – AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and the search landscape shift
• [13:15] – Testing non-traditional and emerging paid channels in B2B
• [15:05] – Building a bold brand in a “boring” industry

Closing Thoughts

Ben Schechter’s appearance is packed with candid, actionable advice for modern B2B marketers, especially those navigating complex buying journeys and “boring” product categories. His focus on intent, attribution, and authentic branding offers a blueprint for creating standout pipeline, trust between sales/marketing, and ultimately, growth.

Find Ben on LinkedIn: [Ben Schechter]
Learn about FloQast: floqast.com

For more content and events from Jay and the GURU Media Hub, see show notes.