Hard to Market

About Hard to Market

On Hard to Market, we discuss the challenges marketing nuanced products and services in the B2B space. Guests include marketing leaders in diverse industries that have products or services that are tricky to sell. Expect to hear success and horror stories from the marketing front-lines on the very next episode of Hard to Market.

Publisher

Podcast Chef

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Nov 2021

Latest episode

24 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

202 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Aug 2026

   Small Robots, Big Challenges: Inside the Art of Marketing Industrial Automation

   Discover how Academic Industrial Robotics turns the complex world of micro automation into a cool, accessible, and marketable tech space, tackling marketing hurdles and uncovering the secrets behind small part automation success. Here are a few topics we’ll discuss on this episode of the Hard to Market Podcast. Why marketing industrial robotics is tougher than ever MicroAutomation: Automating tiny parts for big industries Overcoming space constraints with compact robotic arms Creative education & content over NDA challenges Lessons in collaboration & data-driven marketing strategies Resources: Mecademic Industrial Robotics (https://mecademic.com/author/samahelfalah/page/2/) Podcast Chef (https://podcastchef.com/) DevNoodle (https://devnoodle.com/) Connect with Sam El Falah: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samelfalah/) Connect with our hosts: Alex Garashchenko - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alxgara/) Brian Mattocks - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Quotables: 18:29 - I would say that is one of the hardest parts for us because of all the things around NDA. It's hard for us to do use cases. And one thing that we're slowly pivoting towards is kind of revitalizing the whole concept of a use case and maybe just call it like an application note. I know those exist, but for us, we refer to those as ways that we can incorporate the technical know-how of a systems integrator that knows our products well and just give us kind of like a step-by-step of how they created the automation without mentioning any industry or end user or customer. And so when those come into play, I find it super useful, especially during the sales cycle, because as humans, we really need to see it to believe it, right? And the proof is in the practice. 21:11 - One thing that really helped us is maximizing the complementarity of paid ads like retargeting as well as lookalike lists. So from the use cases that were very successful but not necessarily open to public, we tried to market and retarget companies that look like them or similar to them. So that was a lot of work that was done on the marketing side. I know usually prospecting is something that we see around sales, but more and more, you know, sales and marketing start to overlap one another. And so we definitely try to help as much as we can in terms of prospecting through what we already know 22:33 - As we're growing, maturing in who we are, we're understanding that, you know, having a voice towards 10,000 people might not always be as beneficial as the right 10. So we're trying to diversify. Coming from the banking and financial sector, I think any portfolio should be diversified, and marketing should also be seen the same way. So the more I diversify our initiatives in terms of prospecting, the more I can help better understand the audience that can really leverage are robotic solutions within their automation and/or production line. 29:11 - So I think that one of the challenges with a lot of this stuff is you get into situations where, like you said, everyone's got IP, and it's all locked behind legal paperwork and all that kind of stuff. It becomes difficult in a lot of cases to do marketing to say like, oh, yeah, we do this really cool thing where we put this chip inside this other thing. Because if it's involved in a defense system or if it's involved in, you know, somebody's proprietary product, you know, you run the risk of getting in trouble. So you can't even tell your whole story, which is problematic 37:21 - So make them, big proponents of AB testing. I would say the second one is, you know, always being on the forefront of the marketing landscape. I think the technical component, you have your SMEs for that. Just focus on making sure that you are your top expert within marketing. So whether it's webinars, newsletters, just be staying up to speed with what's out there, even if it's a trend. And then third component, I would say collaborating with all departments as much as you can, because surprisingly, a lot of them have very creative mindsets. So whether we're talking R&D, engineering, procurement, finance, a lot of great ideas have come for us when we do collaborate as a company-wide team. Connect with our host, Brian Mattocks: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Email (mailto:brian@podcastchef.com) Schedule a Free Podcast Consult (https://calendly.com/brian-podcastchef/30min)

2. 

   4 Mar 2026

   Mastering Networking: No Anxiety, Just Connections!

   Dive into the networking know-how with Dalene Allen, your 'Connection Concierge,' as she unveils the secrets to building warm, genuine relationships that blossom into business opportunities. Bid farewell to awkward handshakes and monotonous elevator pitches as Dalene redefines networking with a touch of humanity. Here are a few topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Hard to Market Podcast. Transform networking anxiety into joy Strategic connections fuel business growth It's about relationships, not transactions Daily action plans lead to networking success Employ visual cues for engaging interactions Resources: Networking Naturally (https://www.networkingnaturally.ca/) Podcast Chef (https://podcastchef.com/) Connect with Dalene Allen: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleneallen/) Connect with our host, Brian Mattocks: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Email (mailto:brian@podcastchef.com) Quotables: 03:06 - First of all, I believe looking to make a connection with another human being is if you like each other and trust each other. Business can happen organically. So if we take it from a different point of view, let me learn as much as I can about you, and how could I help you? It's a law of reciprocity. If I can help you, that's where the trust starts. And by looking at a relationship as opposed to transactional, you're gonna love your life a whole lot more. And I truly believe business will grow. You know, what you send out until the lives of others can come back tenfold. 11:42 - If you're a person that needs to network, but the very thought of it creates anxiety, get the focus off you and pretend every person in that room's got a sign around their neck that says, make me feel important. So here, here's a couple of tips. Get to the networking early, get to know the organizers. Guess what the organizer's trying to do? They're trying to introduce you to people. Then that's where I would go in, and I would say, help.  I can help you set up, I can help do anything, but I'm paranoid about networking. Could you help me meet some people? And if they're the organizers and they don't do that, well, you're never going back to that networking event again, are you? 01:23 - If we look at it from curiosity point of view, that person in front of you learn as much as you can about them as a human being. Because if we've ever had to deal with a crappy client, if you got to know them as a human being first, we could likely save ourselves a lot of heartache or headache. And so I had a real fear when I started my first business of even handing out a business card. So I did everything wrong. And what I realized was I was willing because my goals and dreams were big enough to find a way that worked for me. Most people that fear never goes away. 08:25 - I was the worst networker in the whole wide world. I would be like a car dealer in Las Vegas and just throw cards at people. I'd collect them, and then I'd get home and say, why did I do that? To gain a little bit more of a strategic plan. But here's the other part, even reaching out on a social media platform that can be intimidating. But if we look at it from the other point, you know, in another way, they wouldn't have the website if they didn't wanna do business. 19:10 - Listening like a sponge, not a brick. Most people will ask a question, listen until they can get their word in. That's not what it's all about. And so one of the sweetest things you can say is if somebody starts talking, you say it now that was interesting. Tell me more. And that person suddenly it's like doors open, shoulders go down. Because if you're really sincere, just that little thing they've opened up, not a lot, but it's like the segue into Connect with our host, Brian Mattocks: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Email (mailto:brian@podcastchef.com) Schedule a Free Podcast Consult (https://calendly.com/brian-podcastchef/30min)

3. 

   13 Feb 2026

   Steering Success: A Small Biz Growth Masterclass

   Dive into the challenges of marketing with Loralyn Mears from STEERus! Uncover the art of balance as we explore her journey from burnout to brilliance, helping businesses shine online, snag grants, and gear up mid-level managers for the top. Tune in for her transformative tales and practical advice that could steer your business to success! Here are a few topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Hard to Market Podcast. Resources: SteerUs (https://steerus.io/) Podcast Chef (https://podcastchef.com/) Connect with Loralyn Mears: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/loralynmears/) Connect with our host, Brian Mattocks: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Email (mailto:brian@podcastchef.com) Quotables: 03:50 - Brian: That's normally the way it works. Right? It's never a direct line to success. It's always much more of a search algorithm, a much more of a spiral pattern. Loralyn: Yes. Downward spiral being a lot of it, but yes. And then now I'm spiraling up. I've got it. 'cause it's really the messaging is now really more clear. It's helping people get seen and get paid. And what does that mean? Well, if you're a mid-level manager that everybody's overlooking or you're not getting along with your staff, well, you need to get seen, right? And do all of these things differently so that you get promoted or keep your job. 17:14 - It's so much easier to fix other people's problems rather than your own always plus, right? The cobbler's children has no shoes, right? Because we're always fixing everybody else's thing. So like, my website sucks, but everybody else's that I do looks really good. And that's a whole other thing. 15:11 -  The cost of change is often not measured in dollars. It's often measured in organizational fatigue. It's measured in all sorts of the emotional cognitive expense work that isn't easy. It's the same as going to the gym in a lot of these kind of environments where it's like you have to do the, you know, you have to lift the weights, nobody can do it for you. And so you have folks that come in in the small business space, and very often they wanna buy their way out of a problem. And it's like, no, you exercised your way into this problem, you're gonna need to exercise your way out of it. And that creates a very, very difficult dynamic. 17:29 - I think it's the state of overwhelm. I think you talked about change, that there is a cost. Mentally, people aren't ready. They know that they need to make change, but it's too much because they've got to change everything on every axis. Right? It's like that movie, first it was only a little bit, and then everything all at once. And it really does become overwhelming, and it's all-consuming, and people just don't have, not even the, the financial capital, which of course is a constraint. You look at the number of small business loans, and two-thirds of small businesses are subsisting on loans. But you look at just the mental energy, it's too much. 23:29 - The third thing I would say on go to market is don't get so hung up on the perfection. It's gotta be 99.99% perfect. I really like this. No, I like this image a little better. Let's craft this. Hmm, that post isn't quite right. Just do it. I really believe Wayne Gretzky greatest hockey player of all time, although Alex mentioned, is like taken over. But that's another story, and good for Ovechkin, but Wayne Gretzky said famously, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. And so that's what I say, don't wait till you're 99.99, 80% is good enough. Get it going. See if it works, test it, try it, refine it. Connect with our host, Brian Mattocks: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmattocks/) Email (mailto:brian@podcastchef.com) Schedule a Free Podcast Consult (https://calendly.com/brian-podcastchef/30min)

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