Avoiding B2B beige & the importance of listening to customers with Jennie Holmes

Read the full transcript here: 

Welcome to the latest episode of Truth, Lies, and B2B Tech. This week’s episode is a little different because I’m not joined by my usual co-host, James. Instead, we have an incredible guest: Jennie Holmes, who is the Growth Marketing Director at Desana.

Jennie and I go way back. We’ve worked together for several years, and I first met her when she was at a HubSpot agency, which was also when I began my own journey with HubSpot. Since then, we’ve both had similar career paths. Jennie has worked both on the client side and the agency side, so she has a really good understanding of B2B marketing and sales and always has interesting insights into tech.

Jennie is exactly the type of person we hope is listening to this podcast, and I’m really excited about the conversation we’re going to have today. Let’s jump straight in. Jennie, could you start by telling us a little about Desana and what you do there?

Sure. Desana is at the intersection of PropTech and real estate. We work with global real estate teams to provide an agile workspace solution. The way the world has changed means we’ve moved away from ownership and toward everything being on demand. Desana is the workspace solution for this shift.

For example, companies like Amazon have recently made headlines for mandating employees to return to the office. In theory, that’s great—until everyone needs to jump on a Zoom call and there aren’t enough meeting rooms.

So, there’s been this fascinating shift. Everyone went remote, then there was a move back to the office, and now people are finding that the office setup doesn’t really work for the way we work today. Desana solves this problem by providing access to the global workspace market in one unified platform—a web app, Android app, or iOS app—that essentially puts workspace access in your pocket and makes it available on demand.

That sounds incredible. I imagine there’s a heavy reliance on tech in your role?

Absolutely. As Growth Marketing Director, I’ve spent the past year focusing on aligning our systems. The tech stack is becoming increasingly fragmented—there’s more choice than ever, but that also creates complexity. My role involves making sure our systems work together, figuring out attribution across the funnel, and aligning our reporting with our channel strategies.

It’s a really exciting time for B2B marketing. We’re blending what’s new and exciting with things that have always worked. For instance, people still value remote work flexibility but also want face-to-face interactions. Similarly, in marketing, LinkedIn is key, but so is in-person networking. It’s all about balancing those things.

This evolution is one of the reasons we launched this podcast now. Having been through multiple marketing cycles, I feel like we’re on the verge of one of the biggest shifts yet. There’s so much hype and noise in the market, and we want this podcast to cut through that and uncover the truth.

You mentioned HubSpot earlier. It’s your platform of choice at Desana, isn’t it? Can you talk about how you’re using it and what else is in your tech stack?

Yes, HubSpot is central to our operations. We use it as a CMS, and 

I think AI as a creative tool or as a time-saving tool is incredible. It's absolutely amazing. I was able to build a prospect list in a way that I couldn't have done 12 months ago, using LinkedIn matching and audience targeting to create a hyper-niche audience. I just wouldn't have been able to do that before.

Or when I'm looking for new creative ideas or trying to find a new tone, there's this concept around creativity that nothing is ever truly new. Creative ideas tend to be two existing ideas that have been "mashed." For example, Bob Dylan is often praised as creative, yet some of his songs repurpose melodies from older folk tunes.

So AI is actually a great way to explore tone and concepts by mashing them together. For instance, I like testing ideas in different tones—perhaps imagining something in the tone of Iron Man. While the result might not align perfectly with the ideal customer profile (ICP), it can help break out of a fixed mindset, which is incredibly valuable for small, remote teams. In such cases, AI can act as a powerful brainstorming partner.

Beyond AI, other significant trends are emerging. LinkedIn, for instance, has shifted its strategy to cater to personal brand builders. As a result, traditional strategies like driving traffic from LinkedIn to external sites have become more challenging. LinkedIn now suppresses such efforts in favor of promoting internal engagement, meaning brands must adapt to educate audiences directly on the platform. Organic strategies, personal profiles, and even articles published on LinkedIn are now more critical than ever.

Search has also changed significantly. Featured snippets and AI-powered search tools impact how users find information, forcing businesses to rethink their SEO strategies. For instance, answers served via AI platforms like ChatGPT or Perplexity often don't attribute traffic back to the original source. And with OpenAI and others launching their own search engines, the landscape will evolve further.

That said, I don't think websites are dead. They remain integral, particularly for enterprise-level solutions. Decision-makers still visit websites to validate solutions, access supporting documents, or explore additional resources. The shift we’re seeing means brands will need to work harder on their websites to ensure a seamless, engaging user experience. Websites must go beyond being online brochures; they need to be optimized for conversion and engagement. Businesses that ignore this risk falling behind.

In-person events, or "IRL" interactions, are also making a comeback. While conferences and events have always been essential, we’re seeing an evolution toward smaller, curated gatherings, such as roundtable discussions. These formats build trust and foster deeper connections, much like the traditional golf course meetings of the past. In addition, professional WhatsApp groups and other community-building tools are gaining traction as ways to maintain engagement post-event. Businesses must determine what’s right for their brand and resources and focus on strategies that deliver genuine value to attendees.

AI may save time, but we still have finite resources. It's crucial to prioritize where to invest effort and identify the areas with the highest potential for impact. Metrics play a key role in this decision-making process, though the metrics themselves are evolving. While traditional metrics like traffic and MQLs remain relevant, some organizations are shifting focus toward brand awareness or revenue-based metrics, depending on their model and market maturity. The key is aligning marketing goals with the broader business strategy.

Finally, let's address one of the biggest sources of bullshit in B2B marketing: the silver bullet mentality. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, yet LinkedIn and other platforms are filled with self-proclaimed experts selling their "secret sauce" as the ultimate answer. Whether it’s ABM, AI, RevOps, or a new take on MQLs, these trends often oversimplify the nuanced reality of marketing. The truth is, there is no singular path to success. The best strategies are tailored to the unique needs of the organization and continuously refined based on results.

We need to move away from polarization and embrace the messy, complex nature of marketing. Platforms like LinkedIn aren’t designed for dialogue or debate—they thrive on bold, definitive statements. But meaningful progress comes from asking the right questions, exploring the gray areas, and engaging in constructive conversations.

The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, but the fundamentals remain unchanged: deliver purpose, understand your audience, and adapt to their preferences. Whether it’s through AI, events, websites, or social platforms, success comes from thoughtful, strategic decision-making—not chasing the next big thing. Ultimately, it’s about finding the approach that works for your organization and delivering real value at every touchpoint.