As competition heats up across professional services, simply telling people what you do is no longer enough. The difference between winning and blending in ultimately comes down to perspective: how you see the world, not just what you sell. Too often, brands overlook this, falling back on cliche messaging in their industry that leaves buyers unmoved.

In this episode, James Lawrence (Co-Founder, Rocket Agency) welcomes back Alex James - one of Australia’s leading messaging strategists - to discuss what it takes to build a B2B messaging perspective that actually cuts through. If you’re leading in-house strategy, this conversation will reshape how you think about differentiation and help you find a standpoint your market won’t forget.

• Why rising competition has made differentiated messaging a necessity in B2B services
• The distinction between what you do, how you do it and why a strong perspective matters most
• The pitfalls of relying solely on frameworks like “purpose, vision, mission, values,”
• How to find and own a perspective that cuts through sameness by challenging the status quo
• Practical ways to involve leadership and non-marketing teams in building messaging that sticks
• Why speaking to your audience’s aspirations, not just pain points, attracts better-fit clients
• Common mistakes in B2B messaging to avoid, including the dangers of presenting as a vendor rather than a true expert partner
• The importance of living your perspective consistently across team culture and every client touchpoint

Alex James is a B2B messaging strategist and the founder of Minimalist Marketing Co, a Melbourne-based consultancy that works with B2B service firms across the US and Europe. Drawing on over a decade of experience and a journey that spans multiple marketing roles, viral TikToks and content that’s shaped entire client pipelines, Alex helps firms build standout perspectives that resonate with buyers.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/

Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

Marketing in 2025 is being shaped by what some experts call a 'polycrisis' - disruption layered upon disruption. From global conflicts to inflation to AI-driven job shifts, the market conditions facing both brands and consumers are becoming more complex and unpredictable. For marketers, the challenge isn’t just keeping up; it’s finding ways to cut through the noise and still build for the long term.

In this episode of Smarter Marketer, Host James Lawrence (Co-Founder, Rocket Agency) speaks with Dan Robertson-Jones (Partner, Kantar) about the findings from Kantar’s recent report on marketing effectiveness in Australia. They discuss the pressures driving short-term thinking, the impact of brand erosion, why creative quality matters more than most marketers realise and how consumer behaviour is changing as 'sameness' floods the markets.

Whether you’re a CMO navigating budget scrutiny or a marketer trying to align brand and performance, this conversation offers a clear-eyed view of where marketing is heading and how to adapt.

• Why Australian marketers are facing mounting pressure to prove short-term ROI
• The risks of over-indexing on performance marketing
• How consumers are reshaping brand relationships as economies face stress from the polycrisis
• The drop in meaningfully different brands over the past decade, and what’s driving it
• How the “sea of sameness” in creative is eroding the effectiveness of marketing
• Why cultural relevance is key to standing out
• Why consistency across touchpoints is harder now, and how measurement systems can bridge short and long-term goals
• The importance of boldness and foresight for growth in a volatile market

Read the report here: Marketing Effectiveness Hub

Dan Robertson-Jones is a Partner at Kantar, one of the world’s leading marketing data and analytics companies. With over two decades of experience in strategic marketing research, Dan helps brands navigate disruption and decode shifting consumer behaviour.

• James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/
• Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast
• Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/
• Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

• Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg
• Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

Most marketers are pressured to focus their energy on the 5% of buyers ready to purchase today, but what about the 95% who aren’t in market yet? Ignoring them likely means missing your biggest growth opportunity. Building mental availability with future buyers is critical, yet often overlooked in the rush to chase immediate sales.

In this episode, James Lawrence (Co-Founder, Rocket Agency) sits down with Nick Palmer (CEO, House of Brand) to unpack what it really means to balance current and future demand. They explore why brand building is still misunderstood, how demand generation works differently in B2B vs B2C, and why many marketers still struggle to make the case for long-term investment internally. Expect insights on how mental availability drives growth, what it takes to win both short-term conversions and tomorrow’s customers, and practical ways to make brand work count in 2025.

Whether you’re working with a lean budget or leading a brand with national reach, this conversation will challenge how you think about demand generation.

• Why marketers are pushing back against vanity metrics - and what they’re focusing on instead
• How big brands and small brands should think differently about performance vs brand
• Why chasing perfect attribution can lead you in the wrong direction
• What you can measure when it comes to brand - and how to make it count
• What to prioritise when building future demand in B2B vs B2C
• How to stay top of mind with buyers long before they’re ready to act

Nick is a brand and communications researcher and strategist, and a recognised specialist in measuring advertising effectiveness, with global experience in agencies ranging from Millward Brown to Hall & Partners. Through his role as CEO at House of Brand, Nick relentlessly pursues breakthrough brand insights for clients.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/

Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.