Product-Led Growth for Corporate Gifting | Ellen Burke from &open

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Ellen from &Open, demand generation manager with them. How are you doing today, Ellen?

Ellen Burke: I’m all good. How are you?

Ernesto: I’m doing great. Thank you so much for asking. Well, Ellen, let’s kick it off so that our listeners can learn a little bit about &Open. In your own words, tell us a little bit more.

Ellen: Yeah, of course. We are a corporate gifting platform based out of Ireland, and we’ve got pricing and packages to suit all needs and companies of all sizes. We thoughtfully source gifts, automate when and how they’re sent, and handle all of your logistics from start to finish.

Ernesto: All right, interesting. So, to give our listeners a good understanding of &Open, Ellen, what would you say are the key problems you guys like to solve?

Ellen: I suppose fundamentally corporate gifting is broken, and we’re here to fix it. That’s kind of our core message. Corporate gifting can be quite wasteful, unsustainable, and often the gifts are the same. So we’re here to help curate really thoughtful gifts that align with your brand and audience. We support gifting for employees, clients, swag or merchandise for events, and more. I think where we’re different is in the quality and sustainability aspect we bring to every gift.

Ernesto: Okay, awesome. Great to hear that. So then, is there a specific vertical segment or ideal ICP for &Open?

Ellen: Yes, our ICP is something we’ve refined over the past year. We typically work with technology, software, and financial companies, but really, we work with any company looking to gift their clients or employees at scale. Essentially, anyone who wants to send out thoughtful gifts to people who matter to them.

Ernesto: Definitely important. So then, how would someone usually find out about &Open? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you guys?

Ellen: It depends. A lot of our growth has actually come from word of mouth. Our gift quality and experience are impactful, and recipients love it, so that naturally leads to referrals. When people who have worked with us move on to other roles, they often seek us out again. We’ve been fortunate to grow a lot through word of mouth based on our product quality. We also find success with Google Ads, as many people actively search for corporate gifting solutions. We place bids on those terms.

Additionally, we’ve invested in SEO and content. Our website content is really informative, helping people learn how to start a corporate gifting program or find ideas for onboarding swag. LinkedIn is another channel where we’ve recently focused on publishing relevant information and thought leadership. Many in our audience are on LinkedIn, so we’re nurturing them until they’re ready for corporate gifting.

Ernesto: Okay, great to hear. So our listeners can visit you at &Open. What role does your website play in client acquisition?

Ellen: Our website is critical. It’s the main destination for our Google and LinkedIn ads and where you’ll find us if you’re searching for corporate gifting support. We make it easy to book a demo via Chili Piper, allowing you to connect with sales and figure out if &Open is the right fit. We’ve invested in content, like gift guides for different occasions and audiences, so it’s our core touchpoint for new prospects exploring corporate gifting.

Ernesto: Definitely important. So, are there any tools or tips you’d recommend for website lead generation?

Ellen: I think anything that keeps people engaged. That’s why we’ve invested in content—providing informative resources that help guide them. On-site demos and tooltips can be valuable, giving users a sense of the product before talking to sales, which is helpful for qualifying leads. Video is also impactful, especially if it features founders or senior leadership. It helps audiences connect with the brand.

Ernesto: Good to know, thanks for sharing that. Let’s switch gears, Ellen, and talk about your role. As demand generation manager at &Open, what are some key tasks you focus on daily?

Ellen: Lately, I’ve been working closely with sales to understand how leads perform—what they know about the brand, what they’re looking for, and their intent level. We’re also testing different verticals to find the best messaging and segmentation. I manage inbound channels, primarily Google and LinkedIn ads, so I’m constantly optimizing and analyzing keywords and audience performance.

Ernesto: Awesome. It sounds like you have a full plate! How do you stay up-to-date with marketing trends and strategies? Is there a preferred channel?

Ellen: There’s so much content out there, but I like Reddit for inspiration, as you can find interesting insights. HubSpot’s blog is helpful for understanding demand gen strategies. I also browse LinkedIn posts and tag any useful resources for later deep dives. I sometimes listen to podcasts while working, and I’ve also been connecting with other marketers to share knowledge, which has been invaluable.

Ernesto: Definitely important. Let’s jump into our rapid-fire questions. Are you ready?

Ellen: Yep!

Ernesto: First off, what’s the last book you read?

Ellen: Drunk Tank Pink. It’s about consumer behavior and how subtle factors influence our decisions, like how names or colors impact us. It’s fascinating to understand how these things subconsciously affect us.

Ernesto: Very interesting. Now, what’s one thing your company is focused on at the moment?

Ellen: Scalability, especially through product-led growth (PLG). We’re looking at ways to scale our platform and make it more self-sufficient so that users can manage gifting needs without needing as much human touch.

Ernesto: Important. If you could automate one repetitive task, what would it be?

Ellen: Reporting! Attribution can be challenging. With all the channels and privacy changes, understanding where people first engage with us versus where they convert is tricky. Automating attribution and reporting would make a big difference.

Ernesto: Great insight. And finally, if you could give one piece of advice to yourself at the start of your marketing journey, what would it be?

Ellen: I’d say, “You know more than you think, so speak up often.” There were times in my career when I didn’t share my ideas as much, but getting those thoughts out there can really make a difference.

Ernesto: Important advice! It’s been a pleasure, Ellen. Before we end, if someone remembers just one thing about &Open, what should it be?

Ellen: We provide sustainable and thoughtful corporate gifting at scale. We have solutions for every budget and need.

Ernesto: You heard it here—check them out at &open.co. Ellen, thanks so much for joining us, and to our listeners, thanks for tuning in. Looking forward to our next episode of Pathmonk Presents.

Ellen: Thank you!