Episode #204: Inside the Exit Five Holiday Party | What’s Working in B2B Marketing and a Look Ahead to 2025 with the Exit Five Team

Release Date: December 23, 2024
Host: Dave Gerhardt, Founder of Exit Five
Guests: Exit Five Team Members (Ding, Patrick, Matt, Anna, Danielle, Ross Simmons)

In episode #204 of "B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt," Dave hosts a vibrant and engaging virtual holiday party with the Exit Five team. This episode offers a comprehensive year-in-review, celebrates community achievements, includes interactive segments, and provides a sneak peek into the plans for 2025. Below is a detailed summary capturing the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

Welcome and Introduction

The episode kicks off with a lively virtual gathering where Dave Gerhardt welcomes attendees to the Exit Five holiday party. The atmosphere is casual and festive, setting the stage for an informal yet informative session.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [02:25]: "Everybody's rolling in. We decided to start it a little early because we got some good vibes. So come on in. Welcome to our holiday party."

Year in Review

Team Growth and Expansion

Dave reflects on the significant growth of the Exit Five team over the past year, expanding from a solo operation to a team of five members. This expansion has enabled the company to enhance its offerings and better serve the community.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [06:04]: "We grew the team from one to five. And we spent a big amount of focus on content... it's not just my face out there, and that's made a huge difference."

Content Consistency and Achievements

Consistency in content creation has been a cornerstone of Exit Five's success. The team proudly released their 200th podcast episode, highlighting the importance of maintaining a regular publishing schedule.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [12:15]: "A commitment to a publishing schedule... is an underrated hack in marketing."

Community Growth and Engagement

The Exit Five community saw a substantial growth of 79%, effectively doubling its size. This growth is attributed to the dedicated efforts of team members, particularly Matt, who treated the community as a product, fostering deeper engagement and participation.

Notable Quote:

Matt [15:11]: "Every new member that we're adding in is taking part in the community and being engaged."

Event Participation

The team hosted numerous events throughout the year, including over 200 attendees in Vermont and 110 in Austin. Virtual events also saw impressive participation, with a total of 12,000 registrations.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [15:30]: "Having over 200 people come to Vermont for our first in-person event and 110 in Austin... it was a tremendous year."

Community Awards

To honor the active and valuable members of the Exit Five community, the team presented several awards recognizing outstanding contributions.

Top Community Contributors

1. Garrett, Head of Growth: Recognized for creating the most posts in the community.
2. Chelsea: Acknowledged for her active participation and recent job placement at Chili Piper.
3. Madav Bandari: Awarded Post of the Year for sharing valuable SEO insights.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [21:19]: "Shout out to Garrett, Chelsea, and Madav for being such an awesome part of the community."

Momentum Makers

• Marin: Recognized for sparking great discussions with thought-provoking posts.
• Lindsay: Celebrated as a rising star within the community for her consistent engagement.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [21:35]: "Marin and Lindsay have added a lot to our community this year."

Engagement Leader

• Craig Heron: Acknowledged as the most engaged community member, consistently active in posts and comments.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [22:10]: "Craig's name is always on the leaderboard. He's super active."

Top Event Contributors

1. Kanika Sharma: Organized the community event of the year, focusing on LinkedIn profile and post teardown.
2. Ross Simmons: Recognized as Speaker of the Year at Drive for his energetic presentations.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [23:33]: "Kanika and Ross have been pivotal in making our events successful."

Interactive Game Show: Countdown Quiz

The episode features an interactive "Countdown Quiz," hosted by Ding, adding a fun and engaging element to the session. Participants like Dave and Ross engage in lively marketing-related challenges, fostering community spirit.

Notable Moments:

• Dave Gerhardt [28:34]: Successfully names 16 B2B marketing tech companies in 30 seconds.
• Ross Simmons [37:02]: Participates humorously, showcasing his marketing knowledge.

Notable Quote:

Ding [27:00]: "It's the ultimate challenge for B2B marketers."

Looking Ahead to 2025

The team outlines their ambitious plans for the upcoming year, focusing on content expansion, community enhancements, and event planning.

Content Initiatives

• Launch of "Article": A new content product resembling a comprehensive blog with guides and playbooks.
• Exit Five Report: Scheduled for late February 2025, focusing on "The State of B2B Marketing Salaries."

Notable Quote:

Ding [46:10]: "We're finally investing in putting a lot of great content on our website... our new product called Article."

Community Enhancements

• AI Accelerator: A new program targeting B2B marketers to enhance their AI capabilities.
• CMO Club Expansion: Plans to open the CMO Club to more members, fostering tight-knit connections.
• Upgraded Matchmaking Programs: Leveraging AI to connect members with experts and facilitate meaningful conversations.

Notable Quote:

Matt [48:16]: "We're doing an AI accelerator to pack the most important things that B2B marketers need to know about AI."

Event Expansion

• Upcoming Meetups: Scheduled meetups in Boston (March), Burlington (September), and Austin (November).
• Future Plans: Potential international locations, maintaining exclusivity with limited attendees.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [45:19]: "We're running it back in Burlington and expanding to Boston, San Francisco, and Austin."

Closing Remarks

Dave wraps up the episode by reiterating Exit Five's mission to support B2B marketers through a robust community, valuable content, and engaging events. He encourages listeners to join the Exit Five community and participate in upcoming initiatives.

Notable Quote:

Dave Gerhardt [53:16]: "Our mission at Exit Five is to help you grow your career in B2B marketing. There's no better place to do that than with us at Exit Five."

Dave emphasizes the importance of feedback and invites the community to continue sharing their ideas to help shape future content and initiatives.

Summary of Key Insights

1. Team Expansion: Growing the team has enabled more focused content creation and community management.
2. Content Consistency: Regular podcast episodes and newsletters have significantly contributed to community growth.
3. Community Engagement: Active participation and recognition of top contributors have fostered a strong, engaged community.
4. Interactive Engagements: Fun segments like the Countdown Quiz enhance community spirit and knowledge sharing.
5. Future Plans: Strategic initiatives for 2025 focus on content expansion, AI integration, and broader community interactions.

This episode of "B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt" showcases the dynamic and collaborative spirit of the Exit Five team. By celebrating achievements, recognizing community members, and outlining future plans, Dave provides valuable insights into effective B2B marketing strategies and the importance of a strong, engaged community.

For more information and to join the thriving Exit Five community, visit exitfive.com.