Unveiling the Future of Business Automation | David Schultz from Vendasta

Ernesto Quezada: Welcome to Pathmonk Presents, the place where business owners and marketers share their insights on digital growth. In every episode, we discuss real strategies—why they worked and why they didn’t—so you can get insights from real experiences and save yourself a whole lot of time and money. Let’s get to it right now.

Before we get started with today’s episode, let’s have a quick look at what Pathmonk is all about.

If you’re winning leads, demos, or sales through your website, then Pathmonk might be interesting for you. Pathmonk is an extension to your website. It watches each visitor as they move through your page and builds up their interest in your product or service in real-time, delivering a great uplift in conversions from your website.

Usually, the buying journey can be divided into three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision-making. Pathmonk figures out which stage a visitor is in by observing every action they take on your site. It then provides them with micro-experiences such as notifications, case studies, and introduction videos, helping them move to the next stage in their buying journey toward conversion.

Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest.

We have David from Vendasta, grow strategist with them. How are you doing today, David?

David Schultz: I’m doing great today. Thank you so much.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on today. I’m sure listeners are wondering what Vendasta is all about. So let’s kick it off with that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

David: For sure! Vendasta is an all-in-one platform. We serve agencies and media companies that, in turn, serve small local businesses. We provide them with everything they need to help run their business—marketing automation, a full CRM, automations—everything to make their business run smoother. We also offer a marketplace of products they can supply to their customers, all under a white label. This way, it isn’t coming from Vendasta; it’s coming from them as the local expert.

Ernesto: That’s great to hear. If we could sum it up, what would you say is the key problem you solve for clients?

David: The key problem we aim to solve stems from the challenges that small local businesses face. It’s getting harder and harder for them to manage day-to-day operations while keeping up with the demands of running a business both online and offline. We provide tools to help automate workflows, making it easier for them to engage with their customers, find new ones, and capture leads coming into their websites.

Ernesto: Perfect. Is there a specific vertical or segment you focus on?

David: Absolutely. We work with a broad range of industries, but our primary focus is on digital agencies and SaaS entrepreneurs who serve small businesses. Traditionally, they may have focused on a single area like advertising, website development, or social media. We enable them to offer a full suite of tools to their clients. We also work with larger media and broadcast companies, as well as managed service providers (MSPs), helping them add digital products to their existing stack.

Ernesto: How would someone usually find out about Vendasta? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you?

David: We break it into two categories: outbound and inbound. For larger clients, like media companies, we rely on our expertise to reach out directly and tailor solutions to their specific needs. For agencies, we focus heavily on inbound efforts, using organic search and paid advertising to connect with those looking to grow their agency or start one from scratch.

Ernesto: That’s great. For our listeners, you can visit Vendasta at vendasta.com. What role does your website play in client acquisition?

David: It’s often the first touchpoint for potential customers. With so many moving parts in our platform, the website becomes a critical educator. It provides information about our offerings, demonstrates how our tools can be used, and bridges the gap to get visitors to try our product for the first time.

Ernesto: Awesome. Are there any tools, tips, or methods you recommend for website lead generation?

David: Sure. A big part of my role as a growth strategist is ensuring consistency in language and visuals across touchpoints, from the website to the platform itself. Consistency builds trust. We also use tools like Crazy Egg and Hotjar for heatmaps and user recordings. These tools give us insights into how users interact with our site, helping inform design decisions. Additionally, always test—test strategies, tools, and assumptions regularly to ensure they still hold true.

Ernesto: Let’s switch gears and talk about your role as a growth strategist. What are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

David: Every day is a bit different. Broadly, I identify gaps and create solutions to fill them. On a practical level, this includes writing email campaigns to nurture prospects and setting up in-app messaging to enhance user experience. It’s about creating consistent messaging and delivering it at the right time.

Ernesto: With so much happening in marketing, how do you stay up to date with new strategies and trends?

David: I rely on resources like Growth.Design, which offers fascinating case studies on user psychology and design, and Backlinko, which provides great insights into website optimization and best practices for digital marketing.

Ernesto: Great recommendations! Now, let’s jump into the rapid-fire round. Are you ready?

David: Always ready!

Ernesto: What’s the last book you read?

David: The Banished World by Jesse Pine.

Ernesto: What’s one thing Vendasta is focused on the most right now?

David: Business App Pro—an all-in-one solution for local businesses to run their day-to-day operations.

Ernesto: If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d want fixed for your role as a marketer?

David: More data, faster, and fully automated.

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

David: Sifting through reports and pulling queries.

Ernesto: What’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were restarting your marketing career?

David: Remember that everything you do, even if it doesn’t seem like marketing, often is. Stay open to learning and embrace the adventure.

Ernesto: Fantastic. Before we wrap up, if someone forgets everything about today’s episode, what’s the one thing they should remember about Vendasta?

David: Vendasta provides everything agencies and SaaS entrepreneurs need to help small businesses thrive.

Ernesto: Perfect. Thank you so much, David, for joining us. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to our next episode of Pathmonk Presents.

David: Thank you!