CTM Takeover Episode - Adam Needles: 2X Stakeholders, QLs & Buyer Unit Demand
How can B2B marketers succeed when every deal involves 11 or more stakeholders?
This special Hard Corps Marketing Show takeover episode features an episode from the Connect To Market podcast, hosted by Casey Cheshire. In this conversation, Casey sits down with Adam Needles, CEO and Co-Founder of ANNUITAS, Inc., to unpack the game-changing concept of Buyer Unit Demand (BUD). Adam challenges the outdated reliance on MQLs and ABM and introduces a new framework for engaging the full buying unit, with multiple stakeholders who have diverse roles and needs throughout the journey.
He shares how marketers can design conversation tracks that align with real-world buying dynamics and explains why buyer-led orchestration, not sales-led tactics, is the key to driving meaningful engagement and revenue. Adam also discusses the organizational shifts and mindset changes required to fully adopt this buyer-first approach.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why MQLs and ABM fall short in complex B2B buying environments
- How to map conversation tracks around stakeholder needs and behavior
- The importance of aligning marketing, sales, and automation tools to the buyer journey
- Why focus beats scale when prioritizing content and engagement strategies
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Connect with Adam:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abneedles/
- Annuitas: https://www.annuitas.com/
- Twitter: x.com/abneedles
- Balancing the Demand Equation: https://a.co/d/12hGF4F
- The Chief Growth Officers Handbook: https://www.annuitas.com/downloads/the-chief-growth-officers-handbook/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763
- Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-show
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6Kdsamn
- Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show
- Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93
Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/
Creators and Guests
Host
Casey Cheshire
CEO & Founder of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. Casey Cheshire is a marketer, serial entrepreneur, and adventurer. He has been in EO for close to 10 years and counts his relationships as a key reason for his continued success. Casey’s passion for podcasting led to him founding Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. Ringmaster helps B2B businesses launch podcasts that drive growth and revenue. Previously, Casey founded and ran Cheshire Impact for 10 years. It became the top Salesforce Pardot marketing automation solutions partner in the world before a successful exit in 2021. He is also a US Marine Corps Veteran where he served in the Infantry and deployed to some very hot climates. In his free time, Casey likes to skydive, climb mountains, and pretend to be a hungry bear for his two kids.