VP marketing of PandaDoc on why it’s okay to be wrong

B2B Marketing Published: November 18, 2021
VP marketing of PandaDoc on why it’s okay to be wrong

Shawn Herring, VP Marketing at PandaDoc takes the hot seat.

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Meet Shawn Herring

Over the course of his nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, Shawn believes an integrated approach to marketing plays a critical role within the revenue team.

Currently the VP of Marketing for PandaDoc, a fast-growing and leading all-in-one document automation software company, Shawn oversees the demand generation, product marketing, brand, communication, and go-to-market efforts – leading all intertwined efforts to scale the company to its next inflection point.

With experience in leading Marketing teams from startup (<$10M) to scale up ($10M – $500M), Shawn appreciates a learning curve and respects the process of testing methods and strategies without fear of being wrong.

Shawn is also an active Forbes Councils Member contributing much insight to the B2B marketing community. Read Shawn Herring’s latest articles here.

Episode summary

If you’ve ever wanted to know about testing marketing strategies without the fear of being wrong, then look no further.

VP Marketing at PandaDoc and active Forbes Councils Member, Shawn Herring joins this episode of the Radically Transparent podcast and has you covered!

Known for his appreciation of learning curves, Shawn opens the show revealing the power of a learning mindset. He zooms in on the importance of being a marketing leader in an organization where executive leadership understands the value of marketing. And sheds light on how his background in biology has led him to lead with a mindset that he is never going to be right, only less wrong when driving marketing growth and breaks down why being wrong isn’t always bad unless YOU are the one having to defend it.

An episode not to miss for any marketing leader regardless of organization size or industry!

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Radically Transparent is a podcast geared towards the modern-day B2B marketer. Host Jennifer Gutman and her guests are a mixture of renowned marketing and sales leaders from B2B marketing organizations around the globe.

Each episode shines a light on the inner workings of B2B leadership– including what keeps successful CEOs, CMOs, VPs, and social media teams up at night, professionally. The conversations are real, raw, and authentic all while revealing to listeners the unfiltered, not-so-known truths of today’s most interesting marketers.

Quickly becoming one of Oktopost’s most popular original podcast shows on the internet, new episodes air every Thursday on Radically Transparent, a podcast channel, built for marketers, by marketers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do B2B marketing leaders cultivate a testing-focused culture?

Shawn Herring advocates for a 'learning mindset,' where the goal is to be 'less wrong' rather than perfectly right. This involves valuing continuous testing of methods and strategies without fear of failure, especially with executive support, to drive B2B marketing growth.

What is the impact of an integrated marketing approach on B2B revenue?

An integrated marketing approach, encompassing demand generation, product marketing, brand, and go-to-market efforts, is critical for B2B revenue teams. Shawn Herring stresses its role in aligning all marketing activities to efficiently scale the company and achieve revenue objectives.

Why is executive understanding of marketing value crucial for B2B organizations?

For B2B organizations, executive leadership's deep understanding of marketing's value is paramount. It empowers marketing leaders to confidently test strategies, secure resources for integrated campaigns, and ultimately drive sustainable growth and scaling efforts without internal resistance.

How does a 'less wrong' mindset optimize B2B marketing strategies?

A 'less wrong' mindset, as championed by Shawn Herring, allows B2B marketing leaders to iteratively test and refine strategies. By accepting that perfect certainty is rare, marketers can continuously adapt, learn from outcomes, and evolve their approaches to achieve more effective and scalable results.

What are key considerations for scaling B2B marketing efforts effectively?

Scaling B2B marketing effectively requires an integrated approach across all marketing functions, from demand generation to brand. Shawn Herring emphasizes the importance of a learning mindset, continuous testing of strategies, and close alignment with revenue goals to successfully expand a company's marketing impact.

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