The Art of Marketing Matchmaking | Joe Koufman from Setup

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 out on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Joe from Setup, founder and CEO. How are you doing today, Joe?

Joe Koufman: Doing great, Ernesto. So happy to be with you today.

Ernesto: It’s awesome to have you on. And while I’m sure our listeners are tuning in, Joe, wondering what Setup is all about, let’s kick it off with that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

Joe: Yes. Setup is a marketing matchmaker, and what that usually means is that we connect brands looking for marketing support with marketing agencies that can support them.

Ernesto: Perfect. So that way our listeners can get a good understanding of Setup. Joe, what would you say is the key problem that you guys like to solve for clients?

Joe: Yeah. Typically, a client has a gap in either marketing capacity or marketing capability. Capacity being they don’t have enough arms and legs to do the work they’re trying to accomplish from a marketing standpoint, or capability, meaning they may be good at ten things within their team, but there may be other things where they’re not as strong. Either their team is missing those capabilities or capacity, or their current agencies are. So our job is to really listen to the client, understand what they’re trying to accomplish, help them write a detailed brief, and then we introduce them to three or four highly qualified agencies. Part of selecting an agency is based on capability, but a large part is chemistry. By introducing three or four agencies, we allow the client to choose the best fit for their team.

Ernesto: Awesome to hear that. So is there a certain vertical segment? Is there an ideal ICP that you guys like to go for with Setup?

Joe: Yeah, most of the clients we work with are medium to larger companies because the smallest companies often don’t have the budget to work with a marketing agency. But we work across all different verticals—from automobile manufacturers to large restaurant companies, insurance, banking and finance, to CPG. It’s not vertical-specific. We work with clients all around the US and Canada, and occasionally international clients as well.

Ernesto: That’s a huge range! Really awesome to hear. So, if I’m in one of these industries, how would I typically find out about Setup? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you guys?

Joe: We have 16 different levers that we pull to find opportunities from clients, and they range. One example is our CMO Spotlight Series, a half-hour interview series with CMOs and top marketing leaders. We’ve interviewed marketing leaders from companies like Papa John’s, United Healthcare, Heineken, and IBM. The interview gives us a chance to get to know them better, and the leaders often share the content on social media, which expands our network. We also create guides for new marketing leaders, and we attend industry trade shows like the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago and other industry-specific events. This allows us to have real dialogues with marketing leaders about their needs.

Ernesto: Definitely important. So, for our listeners tuning in today, they can visit you at setup.us. What role does the website play for client acquisition, Joe?

Joe: The website is huge for us. We’ve been writing blog posts continuously for over ten years, and that has helped us rank highly on Google and Bing for key terms like “marketing matchmakers.” We also create annual content, like our marketing relationship survey, which has been featured in major publications like AdAge and Fast Company. All of this helps drive quality traffic to our site and leads to opportunities for connecting brands with agencies.

Ernesto: Awesome! So, is there any tool, tip, or method you’d recommend to our listeners for website lead generation?

Joe: I’d say consistently think about what people are inquiring about in search engines and create content that answers those questions. It’s not about gaming the system but coming up with topics that are interesting and important to your audience and writing about them.

Ernesto: Great advice, Joe. Let’s switch gears a little and talk about you as a leader. You’re the founder and CEO of Setup. What are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

Joe: I spend a lot of my day connecting with marketing leaders, helping them solve problems, and consulting with them about their needs. I help them write detailed briefs, and then we evaluate agencies from our collective to see who’s the best fit to solve their problem. So, my day is spent matchmaking, which is not too different from romantic matchmaking, but for business.

Ernesto: That’s fantastic! In your downtime, how do you stay up to date with marketing trends? Do you have a preferred channel?

Joe: I’m pretty active on LinkedIn. We also publish a weekly “Pulse Report” on our LinkedIn page that highlights the trends and topics we’re seeing in the market. I’ve curated my LinkedIn feed so that it’s really tailored to the conversations and trends most relevant to me.

Ernesto: Awesome! Let’s move into our rapid-fire questions. Are you ready?

Joe: I’m ready!

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

Joe: The last book I read was The Great Team Turnaround by Jeff Hilimire. It’s about aligning your team’s goals and making sure everyone knows the score to help win the game.

Ernesto: Awesome! I heard you’re working on something yourself—care to share?

Joe: Yes, I’m writing a book called The Connectors Compass: Mastering Business Matchmaking. It’s about leveraging the power of human connections to benefit your network and yourself. It should be out in the fall of 2024. You can find more at connectorscompassbook.com.

Ernesto: That’s exciting! If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d want to fix for your role today?

Joe: I’d love a CRM that automatically prompts me when it’s time to reconnect with someone, rather than me setting reminders manually.

Ernesto: Very cool! If you could automate one repetitive task, what would it be?

Joe: Following up with connections, sending those gentle reminders. That’s something I’d love to automate.

Ernesto: Definitely makes sense. Lastly, Joe, what’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self as a marketer?

Joe: I wish I had focused more on writing earlier in my career. Persuasive writing is such a critical skill, and with AI on the rise, I think it’s even more important now. Also, stay curious and empathetic. Those two traits are crucial for marketers.

Ernesto: Great advice! Well, Joe, we’re coming to the end of the show, but before we go, what’s the one thing our listeners should remember about Setup?

Joe: If you know a marketer who needs support or if you’re an agency looking to grow, connect with us at setup.us. We’re here to help find the right marketing agencies that work for you.

Ernesto: Perfect! Thanks so much for being on with us, Joe, and to our listeners, thanks for tuning in! Looking forward to our next episode at Pathmonk Presents.

Joe: Thanks so much, Ernesto. Really appreciate it!

Ernesto: Likewise! Thanks, Joe!