Mastering Positioning & Messaging in the Age of AI with Lori Stout, CMO of Bigleaf Networks

Performance Delivered

📝 Episode Description

In this episode of Performance Delivered – Insider Secrets for Digital Marketing Success, host Steffen Horst is joined by Lori Stout, CMO of Bigleaf Networks.

Lori shares how marketers can blend AI-driven insights with customer feedback loops to sharpen positioning and messaging in a fast-changing landscape. From leveraging advisory boards and user groups to setting AI guardrails, Lori explains how to keep authenticity at the center of your marketing while using AI to accelerate efficiency and testing.

💡 You’ll learn:

• How Bigleaf has incorporated AI since its founding
• Why authenticity and warmth in messaging can’t be automated
• Practical testing methods for headlines, value props, and campaigns
• Which metrics prove that blended AI + customer insights drive impact
• When and how often product marketers should revisit positioning

⏱ Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction

[00:10] Positioning & messaging in the AI era

[01:15] Lori’s journey into marketing

[02:18] AI at Bigleaf Networks

[03:26] “Cheating” perception of AI in marketing and schools

[05:18] Balancing AI analysis with direct customer feedback

[07:00] Messaging as a living playbook

[08:11] Accelerating AB testing with AI + traditional tactics

[09:49] Human warmth vs. AI automation

[10:31] Guardrails: prompts, brand voice, human input

[13:19] Training AI with brand docs & guidelines

[15:21] Advisory boards, user groups, and peer reviews

[18:34] AI freeing marketers for higher-impact work

[19:58] Revisiting positioning: frequency & triggers

[21:11] Signals: churn, NPS, competitor moves

[22:30] Testing across dashboards & user journeys

[23:00] Metrics that prove real outcomes

[24:15] Sales team feedback as qualitative insight

[24:27] Closing thoughts & connect with Lori

🔗 Links & Resources

• Discover Symphonic Digital: https://www.symphonicdigital.com

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed on the Performance Delivered podcast are solely those of the author and guests and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity. This podcast is an independent production of Performance Delivered, and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2025.