The Marketing Gap Killing Your Valuation (and How to Fix It) with Bill Woods

The Elevate Your Business Podcast with Adam Koos

In this episode of the ELEVATE Your Business Podcast, host Adam Koós sits down with Bill Woods, co-founder and CMO of 50 Marketing and host of the Missing Half podcast, to explore the crucial role marketing plays in scaling your business and boosting your company’s value at exit.

With over two decades of experience in B2B and manufacturing marketing, Bill breaks down how building a repeatable, scalable, and predictable marketing and sales engine can elevate your valuation multiples and attract the right kind of buyers. He shares what most business owners get wrong about marketing, the surprising return of direct mail, why voice-of-customer research matters more than ever, and how founder-led branding can give you a competitive edge.

This episode also covers the difference between brand promise and brand aspiration, the importance of patience in ROI expectations, and actionable ways to align your strategy with what today’s acquirers are really looking for.

Whether you’re scaling for growth or preparing for a strategic exit, this conversation delivers practical insights every business owner should hear.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and Intro to Elevate Your Business 01:50 - Meet Bill Woods: CMO of 50 Marketing and Host of Missing Half 03:15 - Common Marketing Mistakes: Strategy Gaps and Customer Disconnects 05:30 - Voice of Customer: Why Listening Drives ROI 08:00 - Content That Converts: 100 Views from the Right People Can Be a Game-Changer 10:50 - Direct Mail Isn’t Dead: Why Physical Mail Works in B2B Again 13:10 - Brand Promise vs. Brand Aspiration: A Critical Distinction 18:00 - AI in Marketing: What’s Useful and What’s Overhyped 22:30 - Personal Branding for Founders: Standing Out in B2B 27:30 - Patience and ROI: Marketing Isn’t a 30-Day Turnaround 31:20 - Content Strategy at 50 Marketing: Algorithm Awareness + ICP Focus 36:30 - Posting Natively vs. Schedulers: Does It Make a Difference? 41:20 - Marketing’s Role in Multiples and Buyer Readiness 44:30 - Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More

Key Takeaways:

🔹 Strategy Before Tactics: Most marketing fails because the strategy is unclear or disconnected from real customer needs.

🔹 Marketing = Multiples: A repeatable, scalable marketing engine drives higher valuation and buyer interest at exit.

🔹 Voice of the Customer Matters: Consistent customer feedback loops lead to better product-market fit and stronger ROI.

🔹 Direct Mail Is Back: In a cluttered digital world, physical mail stands out—and even Gen Z is paying attention.

🔹 Don’t Confuse Brand Promise with Brand Aspiration: Your brand must reflect what you can deliver today, not what you hope to deliver someday.

🔹 Native Posting Wins: Social media platforms often suppress scheduled posts—posting directly can boost reach and visibility.

🔹 Be Patient with ROI: B2B buying cycles are long. You need time, consistency, and persistence to see returns.

🔹 Founder-Led Branding Is Underrated: People buy from people. Having the founder as a visible brand advocate can give your business a real advantage.

Key Quotes from Bill Woods:

"100 views on the right B2B video could be worth $20 million. Don’t compare it to YouTube influencers." — (08:00)

"Your brand promise is what you deliver today. Your brand aspiration is where you want to be—don’t confuse them." — (18:00)

"We’re in an age where voice-of-customer research isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a must." — (05:30)

"Everything old is new again—direct mail is winning attention where email is overflowing." — (11:00)

"The companies with repeatable, scalable marketing engines earn the best multiples. Period." — (41:20)

Connect with Bill Woods and 50 Marketing:

Website: 50marketing.com

LinkedIn (Personal): Bill WoodsLinkedIn (Company): 50 Marketing

Facebook: 50 Marketing on Facebook

Instagram: @50marketing

Connect with ELEVATE and Adam Koós:

🎧 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the ELEVATE Your Business Podcast on Apple

🌐 For more resources on scaling your business, building a successful exit strategy, and business transition education, visit: https://www.elevateandexit.com

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Adam Koos, CFP®, CMT® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and one of only 2,600+ Chartered Market Technicians (CMT) worldwide, as well as a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe®) through the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA). He’s been named by Columbus Business First as one of their 20 People to Know in Finance, was a recipient of the Forty Under 40 award, is ranked by Investopedia as one of America’s top 100 Most Influential Advisers, and is the winner of the coveted Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethical Enterprising. Adam serves his clients as the president and portfolio manager at Libertas Wealth Management Group, Inc., a Fee-Only Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm located in Columbus, Ohio.

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