NeoMartech: The Land-Expand-Deepen-Defend Playbook

Published December 18, 2024

1

Overview

NeoMartech represents a new way to martech. It is a fundamental reimagining of marketing technology, moving beyond traditional campaign management to enable true retention re-engineering, thus shifting the landscape from Big Adtech to Big Martech. It prioritises long-term customer value over one-time transactions, aiming to maximise Lifetime Value (LTV) and minimise Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC). Unlike conventional martech focused on managing customer communications, NeoMartech companies serve as profitability partners who combine AI-first architecture, interactive engagement platforms, and aligned business models to help brands achieve exponential forever profitable growth through retention re-engineering.

At their core, NeoMartech companies embody four defining characteristics: a foundational belief in anti-acquisition that prioritises retention over costly customer acquisition, the creation of two-way customer hotlines through innovations like NeoMail, a relentless focus on N=1 personalisation powered by AI Twins and Large Customer Models, and a comprehensive 4S delivery framework that aligns success through Strategy, Software, Services, and profit Sharing. By addressing the three critical challenges of insufficient customer data (“Not for Me”), attention recession (“No Hotline”), and platform underutilisation, NeoMartech companies help brands reclaim their share of the $350 billion lost annually to AdWaste, transforming from being profitless (generating no profits or lower profits) to achieving profipoly status in their industries.

The question to discuss next: how will NeoMartech companies get a foothold in the market? Traditional martech companies already have a strong foothold with established customer relationships, proven technology stacks, and deep integration into marketing workflows. These incumbents have spent years building their platforms, acquiring customers, and creating switching barriers through complex implementations and data dependencies. It will not be easy to replace or displace them.

The challenge for NeoMartech companies is therefore threefold. First, they need to identify the right entry point – whether it’s through solving an acute pain point that existing solutions handle poorly, or by targeting a specific customer segment underserved by current offerings. Second, they must demonstrate clear, measurable value quickly – showing how their retention re-engineering approach can deliver superior results compared to traditional campaign management solutions. Third, they need to create a compelling migration path that minimises disruption while maximising early benefits.

This is where the land-expand-deepen-defend strategy becomes crucial. NeoMartech companies must first establish a beachhead by solving specific problems extraordinarily well, then systematically expand their footprint through additional use cases, deepen their integration by becoming indispensable to daily operations, and finally build strong defensive moats through proven profit impact and transformed marketing operations. This comprehensive strategy addresses both technical integration challenges and organisational change management, recognising that success requires not just superior technology but a fundamental shift in how marketing teams operate, measure success, and deliver value. The journey from peripheral player to strategic partner to essential platform requires patience, proven results, and a clear roadmap for transitioning brands from profitless acquisition to profitable retention at scale.

[Also see: LEMMMA: A Playbook for US SaaS Success at Scale]

In this essay, I will outline the playbook for NeoMartech companies to establish their initial presence, expand and deepen their value footprint, and build lasting competitive advantages in the emerging Big Martech era.

2

Land: Creating Initial Footholds

NeoMartech companies can establish their initial presence through two powerful entry points: NeoMail and AI Twins. Both solutions address critical pain points while complementing existing martech infrastructure, making them ideal “land” opportunities that demonstrate immediate value without disrupting current operations.

NeoMail: The First Hotline

NeoMail offers a strategic entry point by enhancing emails sent via API calls to ESPs, transforming traditional one-way communications into dynamic, two-way customer hotlines. This transformation is achieved through three key enhancements:

• Mu (Atomic Rewards) in the Subject line to drive higher open rates through micro-incentives
• “Smart Blocks” (containers) in the footer to enable progressive profiling and sustained attention
• “ActionAds” units that create new monetisation opportunities while maintaining engagement

The beauty of this approach lies in its ability to work alongside existing systems. While brands continue to use their marketing automation platforms and ESPs for campaign emails, NeoMartech companies can demonstrate value by first enhancing transactional and service emails – typically high-open, high-value communications that are currently underutilised for engagement. This creates a perfect testing ground that allows brands to:

• Experience the impact of two-way engagement
• Measure the uplift in opens and interactions
• Generate incremental revenue through ActionAds
• Build a case for broader implementation

AI Twins: The Intelligence Beachhead

The second landing strategy leverages AI Twins built from publicly available adtech data, offering brands an immediate window into customer behavior without requiring access to their private data. These Adtech Twins harness search and social media data to create interactive personas that brands can converse with, providing rapid, actionable consumer insights without the complexity of traditional market research.

AI Twins serve as an ideal entry point because they:

• Deliver immediate value through deterministic, observable data
• Require no integration with existing systems
• Demonstrate the power of AI-driven personalisation
• Create a foundation for deeper customer understanding

As demonstrated by Consumr.ai (a Netcore investee), AI Twins transform generic personas into dynamic, data-driven customer profiles that reflect real behaviours and preferences. Instead of relying on time-consuming focus groups or potentially biased surveys, brands can gain instant insights based on observed online behaviour. This enables them to understand why customers make certain choices, what drives their purchasing decisions, and how to craft more resonant messaging.

The beauty of this approach lies in its rapid implementation – AI Twins can be deployed within minutes using publicly available data. This makes it an ideal “land” opportunity, allowing NeoMartech companies to demonstrate value quickly while laying the groundwork for more sophisticated N=1 personalisation strategies. As brands experience the power of conversational intelligence through these initial twins, they become more receptive to deeper engagement with the full NeoMartech stack.

3

Expand: From Periphery to Core

Using NeoMail’s hotlines and AI Adtech Twins’ intelligence to land, NeoMartech companies can then use Reactivation and AI Madtech Twins to expand their presence and start moving from the periphery towards the core of the business.

Reactivation: Converting Cost to Profit

The reactivation of dormant customers presents a compelling expansion opportunity. With proven success in enhancing transactional emails and gathering customer insights through AI Twins, NeoMartech companies can offer to tackle the pressing challenge of inactive customers. By leveraging NeoMail’s interactive capabilities and zero-CPM model, brands can transform their inactive email databases from cost centres into revenue generators. The approach is twofold:

• Direct reactivation through enhanced brand communications using the brand’s domain
• Indirect reactivation via BEAN (Brand Email Ad Network) partnerships and ActionAds

The business case for reactivation is compelling: for a typical brand, 60-80% of customers in their database are inactive, representing millions in potential revenue currently being spent on reacquisition through adtech platforms. By offering to manage these reactivation campaigns on a performance basis – where the NeoMartech company shares in the success of outcomes – brands get a risk-free opportunity to reclaim revenue that would otherwise be lost to AdWaste. This expansion proves the NeoMartech value proposition at scale: the ability to transform profit-draining acquisition spending into sustainable, profitable growth through retention re-engineering. It also introduces brands to the comprehensive NeoMartech partnership model – where Strategy (reactivation planning), Software (NeoMail platform), Services (content creation and campaign management), and profit Sharing align to deliver the fifth S: Solutions that drive measurable results.

AI Madtech Twins: Bridging Martech and Adtech

The next expansion phase introduces AI Madtech Twins – a more sophisticated evolution that combines marketing and advertising data to create comprehensive customer understanding. By adding a JavaScript on the website and/or a small tracking code in the app SDK (without disrupting the core workflows), the NeoMartechs now can gain a deeper foothold with data. The AI Twins can thus integrate:

• First-party data from brand interactions
• Behavioural data from advertising platforms
• Transaction and engagement histories
• Predictive analytics for future behaviour

This expanded twin capability enables:

• Better content strategies for different customer segments
• More accurate customer journey mapping
• Better prediction of churn risks
• Personalised reactivation strategies
• Cross-channel engagement optimisation

By establishing this robust data foundation and consistently delivering actionable insights through AI Madtech Twins, NeoMartech companies transform from peripheral players to essential strategic partners. The combination of enhanced customer understanding and proven value delivery creates a compelling case for deeper integration. As brands witness the power of unified martech-adtech intelligence in driving better decisions and outcomes, they become more receptive to comprehensive marketing transformation. This sets the stage for the next phase: deepening the NeoMartech position to become the central nervous system of the brand’s marketing operations, ultimately enabling the shift from profitless acquisition to profitable retention at scale.

4

Deepen: From Point Solution to Platform

The stage is now set for NeoMartechs to convert the point plays into a deployment of the full platform for the complete retention and growth side of the business by bringing the full power of the “House of Anti-Acquisition“. With proven success in creating hotlines and leveraging AI Twins, NeoMartechs can now deepen their integration into the core marketing operations.

Omnichannel Hotlines

Having demonstrated effectiveness with emails, NeoMartechs can now make the compelling case for powering unified message delivery across all channels through Unichannel and Channels 2.0. This evolution transforms traditional push channels into interactive engagement hubs, creating consistent two-way conversations with customers. The approach combines:

• Interactive email experiences through NeoMail
• Rich messaging via WhatsApp and RCS
• AI-powered chat interfaces for real-time engagement
• Seamless in-channel conversions across touchpoints
• Cross-channel coordination for consistent experiences

By centralising customer communications and ensuring every interaction is both personalised and interactive, NeoMartechs help brands solve the “attention recession” problem while building stronger customer relationships. This comprehensive approach turns every channel into a potential revenue driver while reducing dependency on costly adtech platforms.

N=1 Personalisation

Having demonstrated the power of AI and data through initial wins, NeoMartechs can now introduce their complete technology stack for true one-to-one marketing. This comprehensive solution includes:

• Unistack for unified customer data across touchpoints
• Large Customer Model for deep customer understanding
• AI Marketer (Co-Marketer) for orchestrating personalised journeys
• AI Twins for segment and individual-level insights
• Predictive analytics for anticipating customer needs

This integrated approach enables brands to:

• Transform random purchases into predictable recurring revenue
• Create a “department of one” serving “segment of one”
• Deploy hyper-personalised experiences at scale
• Generate actionable insights for continuous optimisation
• Build sustainable profit flywheels through improved customer engagement

The deep integration of these capabilities transforms NeoMartechs from vendors to essential strategic partners in the brand’s pursuit of sustainable profitable growth. By combining unified customer data, AI-powered personalisation, and omnichannel hotlines, brands can finally solve the persistent “Not for Me” problem – delivering truly relevant experiences that anticipate customer needs and preferences. This leads to a virtuous cycle of value creation: as customer engagement deepens, LTV grows through increased purchase frequency, higher average order values, and expanded category adoption. The ability to identify and nurture high-potential customers enables more sophisticated Velvet Rope Marketing (VRM), creating differentiated experiences that further maximise the value of best customers while providing aspirational targets for others. Meanwhile, enhanced customer satisfaction drives organic referrals and word-of-mouth, effectively reducing CAC and improving Earned Growth as acquisition shifts from paid media to owned channels.

This comprehensive transformation of the marketing function, powered by AI and data, establishes NeoMartech platforms as the central nervous system of customer relationships. By creating powerful defensive moats through proven profit impact and deep customer understanding, NeoMartechs position themselves for the final phase: defending their role as the brand’s essential platform for sustainable profitable growth and the journey from profitless to profipoly.

5

Defend: Building Invincible Moats

With a deep presence established through hotlines and hyper-personalisation, NeoMartech companies will face intense competition from multiple directions: displaced traditional martech incumbents fighting to regain lost ground, emerging NeoMartech challengers, and potentially even adtech giants seeking to pivot. The question becomes: how can the now-incumbent NeoMartech companies build sustainable competitive moats and defend their strategic position within brands?

The answer lies in the powerful combination of Kaizen Progency and the 4S delivery model. The Kaizen Progency – a thin services layer that ensures continuous improvement – becomes the key defensive weapon, creating multiple reinforcing moats:

1. Data and Learning Moats

• Daily improvements driven by AI analysis of customer interactions
• Accumulated learning about customer behaviour and preferences
• Continuously refined personalisation models
• Growing repository of successful use cases and best practices
• Deepening understanding of brand-specific nuances

2. Integration Moats

• Progressive enhancement of tech stack integration
• Expanding connections across customer touchpoints
• Growing dependency on unified customer data
• Increasing customisation to brand requirements
• Rising switching costs for the brand

3. Results Moats

• Demonstrated and growing profit impact
• Consistent improvement in key metrics
• Proven ability to reduce AdWaste
• Track record of LTV maximization
• Measurable Earned Growth gains

The 4S framework reinforces these moats through:

Strategy

• Continuous strategic guidance and planning
• Regular review and optimisation of approaches
• Proactive identification of opportunities
• Long-term roadmap development
• Joint innovation initiatives

Software (Stack)

• Regular platform enhancements
• New feature development
• Integration of emerging technologies
• Customisation capabilities
• Security and performance improvements

Services

• Dedicated customer success teams
• Content creation and optimisation
• Campaign management excellence
• Performance monitoring and analysis
• Knowledge transfer and training

Sharing

• Aligned incentives through profit-sharing
• Joint investment in success
• Shared risk and reward
• Transparent performance metrics
• Collaborative decision-making

This comprehensive approach makes the NeoMartech partner increasingly indispensable to the brand’s success. The combination of daily improvements, deep integration, and aligned incentives creates what Warren Buffett calls a “wide economic moat” – a sustainable competitive advantage that becomes stronger over time.

The ultimate defence comes from becoming essential to the brand’s profitability. As the NeoMartech partner helps transform the brand from being profitless to achieving profipoly status, the relationship becomes virtually unassailable. The continuous delivery of measurable value, combined with deep platform integration and accumulated customer intelligence, makes any potential switch both risky and costly for the brand.

In this way, the defend phase completes the NeoMartech journey – from initial landing through expansion and deepening, to finally establishing an invincible position as the brand’s essential platform for sustainable profitable growth.

6

CMO Dialogue – 1

I asked ChatGPT and Claude  to demonstrate how a NeoMartech company would pitch its proposition to the CMO of a B2C ecommerce company.

ChatGPT

Here’s a dialogue between Maya, a skeptical CMO of a B2C eCommerce company, and Amit, a persuasive salesperson from a NeoMartech company. The dialogue showcases how Amit addresses Maya’s skepticism by highlighting AdWaste, limitations in traditional Martech, and the strategic advantages of NeoMartech. Through a gradual, value-driven explanation, Amit successfully persuades Maya, showing how NeoMartech’s strategic shift from acquisition to retention aligns with profitability goals and innovative leadership.

(Scene: Corporate conference room. Maya has a wary look as Amit sets up his presentation.)

Amit: Maya, I appreciate you taking the time. I understand that our NeoMartech solution may seem a bit different from what you’re used to. But I think it’ll resonate once we get into how it addresses some big issues I’m sure you’re facing, like AdWaste.

Maya: (smiling slightly but still skeptical) I’ll be honest, Amit, I’m here because I’ve heard some buzz about NeoMartech. But my main goal is customer acquisition, and my martech stack already handles a lot of what you seem to be offering. (pauses) And yes, I know AdWaste is an issue, but isn’t that just part of the cost of getting in front of more customers?

Amit: I completely get that, Maya. AdWaste is something a lot of CMOs accept as a “necessary evil.” But let’s take a step back: what if there’s a way to target not just more customers, but the right customers, while also increasing your Lifetime Value (LTV) and reducing Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)? NeoMartech is designed to create a shift from constantly acquiring customers to actually growing the value of the ones you already have.

Maya: Hmm. I get the value of retention, but it’s hard to ignore the acquisition numbers we report. Besides, my martech stack does support retention efforts with segmentation and email marketing. What makes NeoMartech different?

Amit: Great question. Your current stack probably helps with campaign management and some basic segmentation. But NeoMartech offers what we call “N=1 personalisation.” (leans forward) It’s not about broad segments but about treating each customer as an individual, predicting what they need next, and connecting on a personal level across all channels.

Maya: N=1 personalisation? Sounds like just another layer of personalisation. I mean, how different is that from what’s already out there?

Amit: I’d say it’s a paradigm shift. Think about it this way: traditional Martech treats customers like data points, segments, maybe personas. But NeoMartech uses AI to create what we call Digital Twins – highly interactive, predictive models of individual customers. These twins evolve in real time based on behaviour and preferences. So instead of blasting campaigns and hoping they resonate, you’re creating tailored experiences that drive loyalty and genuine connection.

Maya: (raises an eyebrow) Digital Twins? Predictive modeling? I get the appeal of being hyper-relevant, but won’t that require more data and resources to manage?

Amit: Actually, it’s the opposite. The technology does the heavy lifting. For example, with our Large Customer Model and AI-driven Digital Twins, our system autonomously identifies high-value customers, anticipates their needs, and delivers relevant content through what we call “customer hotlines” across email, SMS, and even WhatsApp. We aim to cut down on the endless reacquisition loop – those customers you constantly reacquire because the connection was lost in the first place.

Maya: That reacquisition loop has been painful. (sighs) And yes, reacquisition isn’t cheap. (pauses, thinking) So, what you’re saying is that instead of reacquiring, we’re… deepening?

Amit: Exactly. Imagine spending less on reacquisition and more on engagement that keeps customers coming back. And that’s where we reduce AdWaste. By moving customers through a retention-driven model, you lower that dependency on paid acquisition channels.

Maya: (leans in, intrigued) Lower AdWaste, fewer reacquisition costs… that sounds appealing. But at the end of the day, it’s all about driving profits. We still have to justify every dollar spent.

Amit: And that’s what NeoMartech aims to do – turn marketing from a cost centre into a profit engine. By focusing on retention and reducing CAC through personalised engagement, you increase each customer’s lifetime value without the constant cost of reacquisition. NeoMartech essentially allows you to shift from a “growth at any cost” mindset to what we like to call the “House of Anti-Acquisition.” Here, every interaction is measured not by its immediate conversion but by its long-term profit impact.

Maya: (thoughtfully) You know, Amit, it sounds like you’re asking me to rethink my whole approach to marketing metrics. I’m so used to acquisition numbers, CAC, ROI…

Amit: And imagine if, instead of focusing on those metrics alone, you tracked “Earned Growth” or Customer Lifetime Value as primary metrics. Imagine yourself not just as a Chief Marketing Officer but as the Chief Profits Officer. With NeoMartech’s retention-driven approach, you’re not just acqu7iring customers – you’re building profit flywheels that spin continuously, requiring less input over time while delivering sustained revenue.

Maya: (smiling, visibly more open) Chief Profits Officer… Now, that’s a title I’d like. But there’s one more thing. What if we want to start small, test it out before going all-in?

Amit: Absolutely, Maya. NeoMartech is designed to work incrementally. You can start by transforming a few high-impact areas, like transactional emails with our NeoMail solution. We can also begin with Digital Twins for a targeted segment, allowing you to see the results in real time. Once you’re comfortable, you can gradually expand, deepen, and ultimately defend your NeoMartech integration.

Maya: (nods, impressed) You know, Amit, I came in here skeptical. But the way you’re framing it, it’s hard to ignore the potential. NeoMartech isn’t just a system—it’s a strategy. I think it’s time we explore what it could mean to build our own profit flywheel.

Amit: (smiling) Exactly, Maya. Let’s start small, prove the value, and turn your marketing into a profit powerhouse. Together, we’ll make that “Chief Profits Officer” title a reality.

7

CMO Dialogue – 2

Claude

(Setting: Maya’s office at A1Beauty, a D2C beauty and skincare brand)

Amit: Thank you for your time today, Maya. I understand you’re looking to improve your marketing ROI.

Maya: (skeptically) Honestly, Amit, I see multiple vendors every week promising revolutionary solutions. What makes you different?

Amit: Instead of pitching our product, could we start by discussing your current marketing spend and results?

Maya: (sighs) Sure. We’re spending about $5 million annually on marketing. While revenue is growing, our profits aren’t keeping pace. CAC has doubled in the past year.

Amit: And how is that spend split between acquisition and retention?

Maya: About 80% goes to acquisition – Google, Meta, influencers. The rest is split between our martech stack and branding.

Amit: What percentage of your acquisition spend would you say goes towards reaching customers already in your database?

Maya: (pauses) I… actually haven’t looked at it that way. We target based on interests and demographics.

Amit: Would you be surprised if I told you that typically half of a brand’s acquisition spend goes towards reaching existing or past customers?

Maya: (leans forward) That’s… concerning. Are you saying we’re paying to reach our own customers?

Amit: Exactly. We call it AdWaste. Let me show you some numbers from your industry…

(Opens laptop to show analysis)

Maya: (studying the screen) So you’re saying we could be wasting over $1 million annually just on reacquisition?

Amit: Yes. The question is: why do brands need to reacquire their own customers? It’s because traditional martech hasn’t solved three fundamental problems: the “Not for Me” problem of irrelevant messaging, the “No Hotline” problem of poor engagement, and platform underutilisation.

Maya: (nodding) That resonates. Our email engagement rates are low, and our personalisation feels basic despite all our tools.

Amit: What if, instead of paying Facebook and Google to reach your customers, you could build direct, personalised hotlines to them?

Maya: Sounds good in theory, but how?

Amit: Let’s start small. We can demonstrate this with just your transactional emails first…

(Explains NeoMail concept)

Maya: (interrupting) But we already have an ESP and marketing automation platform.

Amit: We’re not asking you to replace them. We’ll work alongside them, showing you measurable improvements in engagement and revenue. Here’s the interesting part: we’ll do this with no upfront cost.

Maya: (raises eyebrows) No upfront cost?

Amit: We believe in sharing success. We only make money when we help you make more money. Think of us as your profit partners.

Maya: (thoughtful) That’s… different. But what about the technical integration? I can’t afford to disrupt our current systems.

Amit: Minimal integration required. We start with a simple API implementation for transactional emails. As we prove value, we can discuss deeper integration.

Maya: And you said something about AI and personalisation?

Amit: Yes, but let’s prove the concept first with NeoMail. Once you see the impact of true two-way engagement, we can explore how AI Twins and other capabilities can transform your entire marketing approach.

Maya: (thinking out loud) If we could reduce our reacquisition spend and improve retention… that would directly impact our bottom line…

Amit: Exactly. Instead of being measured just on growth metrics, you could become the driving force behind profitability. Think of yourself as the future Chief Profits Officer.

Maya: (smiles) That has a nice ring to it. Okay, let’s talk specifics. What would a pilot look like?

Amit: We’d start with your order confirmation and shipping notification emails. These typically have the highest open rates, making them perfect for demonstrating our capabilities.

Maya: (cautious) Those are critical customer touchpoints. We can’t risk disrupting them.

Amit: Absolutely right. That’s why we maintain your existing templates as fallback. We’ll first run this for 10% of your traffic, doing an A/B test against your current emails.

Maya: What changes would we see in these emails?

Amit: Three key enhancements. First, we add micro-rewards – what we call Mu – in the subject line to drive higher opens. Second, we include interactive elements in the footer that collect zero-party data. And third, we add an ActionAds unit that can generate incremental revenue.

Maya: (skeptical) Ads in transactional emails? Won’t that hurt the experience?

Amit: These aren’t traditional ads. They’re interactive units that add value. For example, in an order confirmation email, it could be a personalised product recommendation with a one-click add to next order. The key is relevance.

Maya: (interested) And you mentioned revenue sharing. How does that work?

Amit: Any incremental revenue from the ActionAds is split three ways: between your brand, us, and the email ad network platform. For the pilot, we’re suggesting placement of your own products only – cross-sell and upsell opportunities.

Maya: What metrics would we track?

Amit: Primary metrics would be:

• Open rate improvement
• Click-through rate on interactive elements
• Zero-party data collection
• Revenue from ActionAds
• Overall engagement time with emails

Maya: And what kind of improvements should we expect?

Amit: Based on similar implementations, we typically see:

• 25-40% increase in open rates
• 3-5x higher click-through rates
• Average of 30 seconds more engagement time per email
• $0.05-0.10 incremental revenue per email sent

Maya: (calculating) With our daily order volume, that could be significant… How long would the pilot run?

Amit: We suggest 8 weeks. First two weeks for implementation and testing, then 6 weeks of data collection. We’ll provide weekly reports and a final analysis.

Maya: And if it works?

Amit: Then we explore phase two: expanding to marketing emails and implementing our AI Twins for better segmentation and personalization. But let’s prove value first with the pilot.

Maya: Okay, what do you need from us to get started?

Amit: Three things:

1. Access to your email API
2. Your current email templates
3. A small test segment of customers

We can handle everything else, including template enhancement and performance tracking.

Maya: And absolutely no upfront costs?

Amit: None. We succeed only when you succeed.

Maya: (thoughtful) This could be interesting… Let me discuss with my team. Could you send over a pilot proposal with all these details?

Amit: Of course. I’ll include case studies from similar implementations. When would you like to review it together?

Maya: Let’s set something up for next week. I’ll bring my tech team as well.

Amit: Perfect. And Maya, I appreciate your openness to trying something new. I think you’ll find this is just the beginning of transforming your marketing approach.

Maya: (smiling) Well, Chief Profits Officer does sound better than Chief Marketing Officer. Let’s see if you can help me get there.

8

CMO Dialogue – 3

Claude

(Setting: Virtual meeting, following an email exchange about personalisation challenges)

Maya: (appears on screen) Hi Amit, I’m intrigued by your email about understanding customers without accessing our data. How exactly does that work?

Amit: Thanks for your time, Maya. Instead of making claims, could I ask you about your current personalisation efforts at A1Beauty?

Maya: (sighs) Honestly, quite basic. We segment by purchase history and website behaviour, but it feels rudimentary. Our messaging isn’t as personalised as I’d like, despite all our martech investments.

Amit: And how do you currently gather customer insights? Focus groups, surveys?

Maya: The usual mix. Quarterly focus groups, NPS surveys, social listening. But they’re slow, expensive, and often the insights feel outdated by the time we act on them.

Amit: What if you could have an interactive conversation with different customer segments right now, understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviours in real-time?

Maya: (sceptically) Sounds like science fiction. You mean some sort of chatbot?

Amit: Not quite. Let me show you something. (Shares screen) This is an AI Twin we created for a beauty brand’s premium skincare segment. It’s built using deterministic, observable data from search and social platforms.

Maya: (leaning closer) What kind of data exactly?

Amit: Public data showing how customers interact with beauty brands – their search patterns, content engagement, purchase consideration journeys. No private or PII data. Would you like to ask this Twin some questions?

Maya: (intrigued) Alright… Let’s see… What’s driving premium skincare purchases right now?

(Amit demonstrates the AI Twin conversation)

Maya: (surprised) That’s… remarkably specific. And you built this without access to customer data?

Amit: Exactly. We can create these Twins for different segments in minutes. Want to try your core customer segment?

Maya: (typing) These insights about sustainability concerns and ingredient preferences… they align with what we’re hearing from customers. How current is this data?

Amit: Real-time. The Twins continuously learn from public data streams. No more waiting for quarterly research reports.

Maya: And you said this is just the beginning? What do you mean?

Amit: This is our land opportunity – showing you the power of AI-driven insights without requiring any integration. As we prove value, we can introduce more sophisticated Twins using your first-party data, leading eventually to true N=1 personalisation.

Maya: But no integration needed for now?

Amit: None. We can start delivering insights immediately. Would you like to see Twins for other segments – perhaps your churn risk customers?

Maya: (thoughtful) That could be valuable…Let’s discuss what a pilot would look like. How would we measure success?

Amit: We suggest a focused 6-week pilot targeting three specific use cases. First, understanding your premium skincare segment better. Second, insights into customers who haven’t repurchased in 90 days. And third, analysing your competitor’s customers.

Maya: (interested) You can create Twins of competitor customers as well?

Amit: Yes, using the same deterministic data approach. It helps you understand why customers choose competitors and what might bring them to A1Beauty.

Maya: What exactly would we get in these 6 weeks?

Amit: Three key deliverables:

1. Weekly interactive sessions with each Twin, with your team asking questions
2. Detailed reports with actionable insights for product, pricing, and messaging strategies
3. Comparison matrix showing gaps between your current assumptions and Twin insights

Maya: (practical) How would my team use this day-to-day?

Amit: Here’s a concrete example. Your social team could ask the Twins about content preferences before creating next month’s calendar. Your email team could validate campaign themes. Product team could understand emerging trends. It’s like having focus groups on demand.

Maya: (thinking) And all insights are based on actual observed behaviour, not just claimed preferences?

Amit: Exactly. No survey bias, no small sample sizes. Just pure behavioural data at scale.

Maya: What would you need from us?

Amit: Just two things:

1. Your key segment definitions so we can create relevant Twins
2. A committed time slot each week for insight sessions with your team

Maya: (cautious) And after the pilot?

Amit: If you see value, we can discuss phase two – creating Madtech Twins that combine this public data with your customer data. That’s when we can start moving towards true N=1 personalisation. But let’s prove the concept first.

Maya: Interesting… Send me a proposal with the pilot structure and expected outcomes. I want to particularly understand how we’d measure ROI.

Amit: Absolutely. We can demonstrate ROI through improved campaign performance, reduced research costs, and faster time-to-market for new initiatives. I’ll include case studies showing specific metrics.

Maya: One last question – how does this fit into your broader NeoMartech vision?

Amit: Think of it as building blocks. AI Twins give you the intelligence layer. Combined with engagement channels like NeoMail, you get both the insights and the means to act on them. It’s all part of the journey towards true personalisation at scale.

Maya: (nodding) Alright, send over that proposal. Let’s aim to start in two weeks if everything looks good.

Amit: Perfect. And Maya, I admire your openness to innovation. These Twins are just the beginning of transforming how you understand and engage with customers.

Maya: We’ll see. Right now, I just want to validate that the insights are as good as you claim.

Amit: That’s exactly the right approach. Let the results speak for themselves.

9

Moreover

I asked ChatGPT and Claude for additional ideas on the Land-Expand-Deepen-Defend playbook.

ChatGPT

Land

• Data-Driven Proof of Concept: Include a data-driven proof of concept for NeoMail or AI Twins that highlights the potential to generate incremental revenue or significantly improve engagement in a limited trial. Demonstrating results with real-time metrics builds trust and provides a low-risk entry for NeoMartech into the brand’s ecosystem.
• Partnership Approach: Position NeoMartech not just as a vendor but as a profit-sharing partner in growth, offering to share the upside on results such as re-engagement or incremental revenue generated during the pilot. This profit alignment model can further differentiate NeoMartech from traditional solutions, underlining it as a trusted, long-term partner.

Expand

• Vertical Expansion with Specialized Twins: Consider positioning AI Madtech Twins for specific verticals or customer segments that the client may struggle to reach. These Twins could bring unique, actionable insights that are difficult to gather otherwise, helping to solve “blind spots” and strengthening NeoMartech’s role as a critical insight provider.
• Reactivation at Scale with Omni-Channel Strategy: Beyond email reactivation, show how reactivation efforts can scale across multiple channels—like SMS, in-app messages, and social ads—maximizing the reach and engagement of dormant customers. This omni-channel reactivation approach reinforces the value of a unified NeoMartech solution.

Deepen

• Unified Customer Experience with Cross-Platform Coordination: Strengthen the idea of NeoMartech as a central hub for coordinating the customer journey across touchpoints. By enabling clients to create seamless experiences across platforms (e.g., web, mobile, email, social media), NeoMartech becomes integral to delivering an optimized, unified customer experience.
• Incorporation of Customer Voice through AI Twins: Position AI Twins as a means of “hearing” the customer voice directly and continuously. By using real-time data to simulate customer preferences and pain points, brands gain an ongoing stream of insights to drive decisions, making NeoMartech indispensable to customer experience refinement.
• Self-Sustaining Profit Flywheel: Emphasize that the platform creates a “self-sustaining profit flywheel,” where high engagement reduces the need for reacquisition, and every positive customer interaction feeds into future growth. This message reinforces the idea that NeoMartech transitions brands from a costly acquisition model to a profitable retention-first model.

Defend

• Innovation as a Service with Kaizen Progency: In addition to Kaizen-driven continuous improvements, offer “Innovation as a Service” to deliver regular updates on new features and best practices tailored to the client’s evolving needs. This would add an ongoing service layer that ensures NeoMartech remains highly valuable and relevant.
• Proactive Data and Compliance Management: Strengthen defense by embedding proactive compliance measures that protect customer data while adhering to evolving regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Demonstrating NeoMartech as a privacy-focused platform reinforces its value and helps clients navigate regulatory challenges confidently.
• Long-Term Partnership Roadmaps and Goal Alignment: Develop a comprehensive roadmap with clients, aligning NeoMartech’s growth trajectory with their strategic goals. By setting long-term milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs), NeoMartech solidifies its role in achieving client objectives, increasing retention through shared, measurable progress.

Incorporating these ideas could further enhance the persuasive narrative of NeoMartech as a transformative, growth-focused solution that evolves alongside the client’s needs, fostering both immediate and long-term strategic value.

Claude

Land

1. Risk Mitigation

• More emphasis on zero-risk pilots
• Fallback mechanisms for critical touchpoints
• Clear success metrics and exit criteria

2. Quick Wins Focus

• Identify high-impact, low-effort opportunities
• Focus on metrics CMOs care about most
• Show immediate ROI potential

Expand

1. Cross-Functional Value

• Show value beyond marketing (product, customer service)
• Integrate with existing business processes
• Enable better decision-making across teams

2. Data Network Effects

• Demonstrate how more data improves performance
• Show compounding value of insights
• Create virtuous cycles of improvement

Deepen

1. Team Enablement

• Training and knowledge transfer
• Self-service capabilities
• Empowerment of marketing teams

2. Innovation Partnership

• Joint development of new features
• Custom solutions for unique needs
• Strategic roadmap alignment

Defend

1. Ecosystem Building

• Partner network development
• API and integration marketplace
• Community building

2. Value Documentation

• Regular business impact reviews
• Success story documentation
• ROI tracking and reporting

3. Advanced Applications

• Predictive modeling capabilities
• Advanced analytics and insights
• Custom AI model development

4. Future-Proofing

• Technology roadmap alignment
• Innovation partnerships
• Joint research initiatives

10

GTM

I asked ChatGPT and Claude for a low-cost GTM strategy for a NeoMartech company and for how it could generate inbound leads at scale.

ChatGPT

For a NeoMartech company aiming for a low-cost go-to-market (GTM) strategy, the key is to leverage digital channels, partnerships, and a strong inbound marketing approach that educates and attracts prospects organically. Here’s a GTM strategy with ideas to generate inbound leads at scale:

1. Content-Driven Inbound Marketing

• Thought Leadership Content: Publish valuable content that addresses common pain points in marketing (e.g., AdWaste reduction, retention strategies, personalization). Whitepapers, blog posts, case studies, and research reports can position the NeoMartech company as a trusted source on retention-first strategies and innovative Martech practices.
• SEO-Optimized Blogs: Use SEO-optimized blogs to capture high-intent search traffic. Target keywords such as “reduce customer acquisition costs,” “boost customer lifetime value,” or “Martech for retention.” Focus on long-tail keywords to attract niche, targeted audiences with higher intent.
• Lead Magnets: Offer downloadable resources such as playbooks, ROI calculators, and industry benchmarks. These resources can be gated, requiring users to provide contact information, helping build a list of interested leads.
• Case Studies and Success Stories: Publish detailed case studies showcasing how NeoMartech solutions have helped companies reduce CAC, improve LTV, or reduce AdWaste. These serve as social proof, especially when they feature well-known brands or relatable examples.

2. Community Building and Educational Webinars

• Educational Webinars and Workshops: Host free webinars that discuss industry trends, common Martech challenges, and solutions. Focus topics on pain points, such as achieving “N=1 personalization” or transitioning from AdTech to Big Martech. These webinars allow potential clients to engage with the NeoMartech brand and get a hands-on understanding of its capabilities.
• Online Community and Forum Engagement: Engage in online communities where CMOs and Martech enthusiasts gather, such as LinkedIn groups, Quora, and Reddit. By contributing valuable insights, the company can subtly promote its solutions and drive interested leads to its website.
• Customer Success Stories via Webinars: Showcase satisfied clients in webinars where they share their journey with NeoMartech. These peer-based testimonials are influential, as prospects can hear directly from users about the impact of the solution.

3. Partnerships and Co-Marketing

• Strategic Partnerships with Related Tools: Collaborate with complementary platforms, such as CRM or CDP providers, for cross-promotion. This could include bundled offerings, shared lead-generation campaigns, or joint webinars. Partnerships expand reach to a qualified audience without the need for extensive advertising.
• Influencer Marketing with Martech Thought Leaders: Identify Martech influencers on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or niche marketing blogs. Engage them in content collaborations, product reviews, or endorsements to reach a broader audience.

4. Free Tool or Limited Trial Offering

• Launch a Free Tool or Freemium Version: Offering a simplified version of the NeoMartech platform or a standalone tool (such as an LTV calculator or engagement health check) can attract potential users. Freemium tools not only generate leads but also familiarize prospects with the platform, easing the transition to a paid model.
• Time-Limited Trials: Offer free, time-limited access to core features. Prospects who see immediate value in tools like AI Twins or personalized customer engagement solutions are more likely to convert to paying customers.

5. Leveraging AI and Automation for Lead Nurturing

• AI-Driven Personalization in Email Marketing: Use automated email campaigns tailored to user engagement, industry, and pain points. For example, an email sequence for leads interested in reducing AdWaste could include testimonials, case studies, and detailed ROI breakdowns to move them along the funnel.
• Predictive Lead Scoring: Implement a predictive model to score and prioritize leads based on behavior and engagement. Focus resources on high-scoring leads to increase conversion rates while minimizing costs.

6. Social Media and Retargeting Campaigns

• LinkedIn Content and Ads: LinkedIn can be a powerful channel for B2B engagement. Publish regular updates, engage in discussions, and leverage LinkedIn ads to target CMOs and marketing teams. Sponsored content, especially articles and case studies, can effectively capture interest.
• Retargeting with Value-Driven Content: Use retargeting ads on Google and social media platforms to re-engage website visitors and prospects who have interacted with gated content. Drive them back to the site with valuable content offers or trial invitations.

Additional Tactics for Scaling Inbound Lead Generation:

• Customer Referral Program: Incentivize current clients to refer other businesses by offering discounts, extended services, or financial rewards. Word-of-mouth is powerful in B2B, and happy customers can be strong advocates.
• Podcast Appearances and Guest Blogging: Seek opportunities for executives to speak on popular Martech podcasts or guest blog on high-traffic websites. These platforms allow NeoMartech’s experts to showcase insights on retention marketing, reducing AdWaste, and other core topics.
• Targeted Industry Reports and Surveys: Conduct industry research on Martech topics, such as the “State of Martech for Retention in 2025.” Use survey results to create a valuable report that can be gated for lead generation. Share findings via press releases, social media, and webinars, generating credibility and interest from potential clients.

A low-cost GTM strategy leveraging content, partnerships, and community-driven engagement can efficiently position a NeoMartech company as a thought leader while generating leads at scale.

Claude

Content-Led Thought Leadership

1. Educational Content Pipeline

• Blog series on AdWaste, retention re-engineering
• Weekly newsletter on anti-acquisition strategies
• Case studies showing profit transformation
• LinkedIn posts and engagement
• Video content explaining core concepts

2. Market Problem Focus

• Content highlighting AdWaste problem
• Tools to calculate AdWaste for brands
• Industry benchmarks and comparisons
• ROI calculators and assessment tools

3. Community Building

• LinkedIn/Twitter engagement with CMOs
• Private CMO communities/forums
• Virtual roundtables and discussions
• WhatsApp groups for marketing leaders

Inbound Lead Generation

1. SEO Strategy

• Focus on acquisition cost keywords
• Target retention marketing terms
• Build content around CMO pain points
• Create comprehensive resource center

2. Free Tools and Assessments

• AdWaste calculator
• Marketing efficiency scorer
• Retention health check
• CAC vs LTV benchmarking tool
• Email engagement analyzer

3. Lead Magnets

• Playbooks and frameworks
• ROI calculation templates
• Best practices guides
• Industry benchmark reports
• Implementation checklists

4. Strategic Partnerships

• ESP partnerships for reactivation
• Agency relationships
• Tech ecosystem integrations
• Industry influencer collaborations

5. Event Strategy

• Virtual workshops and webinars
• Industry conference speaking
• CMO roundtables
• Live demos and workshops