Discover how Grain’s innovative AI-powered note-taking and SEO strategies are reshaping marketing with CEO Jeff Whitlock on our most recent episode of Demand Gen Studio!
Watch on Spotify
Watch on YouTube
Introduction to Grain
In this episode of Demand Gen Studio we were joined by Grain's CEO, Jeff Whitlock, and Growth Marketer, Cameron Walker. Grain is an innovative platform focused on sales intelligence and AI-powered note-taking, helping teams streamline their workflows and enhance collaboration.
At Boundify, we use Grain daily to record and document meetings both internally and externally. As a fully remote team, It has helped us easily keep our team in sync and document processes and next steps from every call and conversation.
Jeff shared his journey in startups and Grain's evolution, highlighting its demand generation strategies. Grain primarily leverages SEO and a mix of word-of-mouth marketing and "casual contact," where users naturally promote the tool by sharing its AI-generated call summaries. This unique approach has been a key driver of user signups and engagement.
The Evolution of SEO and AI's Impact
Jeff discussed the evolution of SEO and AI’s impact on demand generation in Grain's strategies. He highlighted how Grain integrates AI to enhance user experiences and drive growth.
The platform’s AI-powered note-taking not only streamlines meeting workflows but also naturally generates exposure through its shared summaries, which often lead to new signups.
This approach demonstrates how AI is reshaping traditional SEO strategies by blending organic visibility with innovative, user-driven engagement methods, creating new opportunities for growth in the digital landscape.
Content Distribution and Brand Exposure
The dynamics of content distribution and brand exposure have been changing due to the influence of AI. The traditional role of SEO as a distribution channel introduces a brand to new audiences by providing valuable content in exchange for visibility. However, with AI now enabling access to valuable information without necessarily exposing the brand, companies like Grain are rethinking their strategies.
Jeff noted that while traditional SEO still delivers positive results, the approach may need to adapt and integrate with other channels like social media or platforms like Reddit to maintain relevance.
He also mentions the emerging impact of AI-driven discovery, as users increasingly cite AI tools as a source for discovering Grain, prompting the team to explore how to optimize SEO strategies in this new context.
Attribution Challenges in Marketing
Attribution in marketing has become increasingly challenging as traditional methods evolve. Earlier SEO tactics and platforms like Google provided clear attribution, where content efforts could be directly linked to website visits and opportunities. However, with new channels and AI-driven interactions, marketers must now rely on less tangible metrics, such as brand positioning through impressions and unclicked sensors.
Grain’s approach to these difficulties is focusing heavily on bottom-of-funnel attribution by directly asking users where they heard about the platform. While this method may have some inaccuracies, it offers a straightforward way to gauge what truly influences users, simplifying the attribution process in a shifting landscape.
Grain's Growth and Marketing Strategies
Grain’s growth and marketing strategies have evolved organically, driven by experimentation and a focus on what works for the business model.
Initially, growth relied on word of mouth and organic user engagement, until the team began to build out Grain's SEO strategy through trial and error. This foundational effort transformed SEO into a significant source of site traffic and signups, providing the confidence to invest further.
For Grain, product-led growth remains the core engine, with sales as a supporting but non-central component.
Investor Influence on Marketing Decisions
Investor influence on marketing decisions often reflects their biases, shaped by the types of businesses they’ve previously invested in or built. Jeff warns against over-relying on investor advice, sharing how an investor-driven push to prematurely build a sales team proved to be a costly failure.
While investor input can be valuable, businesses must prioritize their unique dynamics and growth strategies. For Grain, which operates as a product-led growth company, sales plays a supporting role but is not the primary driver of growth.
Investors may gravitate toward sales-driven strategies because of their perceived ability to target specific markets, industries, or company sizes directly. However, for businesses like Grain, organic and marketing efforts often align better with their core growth engine and long-term goals.
Aligning Product Features with Your Target Audience
Aligning product features with the target audience is critical but challenging, especially for product-led growth companies leveraging organic channels like SEO and word of mouth.
Jeff highlighted how high-performing SEO content can sometimes attract customers outside the ideal target market. While these customers may use and pay for the product, their feedback can misguide product development if it does not align with the core audience's needs.
Filtering feedback to prioritize input from the intended customer segment is essential to staying on track. Jeff referred to this as an "organic tax"—the broader reach of organic efforts inevitably brings in a wider audience, some of whom fall outside the company's total addressable market. Balancing this mix ensures resources are allocated to the most valuable growth opportunities.
Category Creation vs. Category Attachment
Jeff shared his perspective on the trade-off between category creation and attachment. He is skeptical about pursuing category creation for smaller companies, as it can be resource-intensive and may not yield immediate benefits.
Instead, Grain has focused on attaching itself to existing categories like "AI note-taking" and "conversation intelligence," which closely align with its offering, even if imperfectly. This strategy allows the company to leverage established recognition while evolving its positioning over time.
While category creation offers the advantage of dominance, it requires significant effort to educate the market, making it a costly and challenging endeavor for early-stage businesses.
By attaching to known categories, Grain can benefit from accessibility and differentiation within a familiar framework, balancing growth with efficiency.
Skills for Aspiring Marketers
To close out our discussion, we asked Jeff to share his thoughts and advice for new or aspiring marketers entering the workforce. Jeff emphasizes three key skills for aspiring marketers entering the industry.
First, the ability to engage in conceptual problem-solving is crucial—understanding users, business contexts, and creating clear hypotheses to address challenges.
Second, an orientation toward experimentation is highly valued. Candidates should demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to test ideas, even in personal life, as this mindset drives innovation.
Third, high-quality craftsmanship in outputs like writing, design, or video is essential, especially in an era where AI-generated content saturates the market.
Quality and attention to detail are becoming even more critical to stand out. These traits collectively reflect adaptability, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, which are key to thriving in marketing roles today.
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Grain and Jeff's insights!
Interested in learning more? Check out the rest of the episodes of Demand Gen Studio. We discuss marketing and demand generation topics, with inspiring interviews with thought leaders. See you next time!
Let's Get Rolling
Are you ready to take your company to the next level?
