Why Relationships and Referrals Outperform Branding in B2B (with Marta Dalton) | Ep. 2

Darn Good Distributors

Explaining B2B to someone who only knows consumer brands can feel like a challenge. Kyler Nixon sits down with Marta Dalton, VP of Customer Growth and Data at PetSafe Brands, to explore the core differences between B2B and B2C eCommerce and where they overlap.

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Marta shares how pricing, catalogs, checkout, and delivery look completely different in the B2B world and why customer-specific journeys matter so much. She explains why Invisible Fence operates like a B2B despite being a consumer-facing brand, and how she balances the emotional pull of consumer marketing with the financial and operational focus of B2B.

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From podcasts and print mail to re-engagement cycles and referrals, Marta outlines the channels, data strategies, and retention frameworks shaping growth today. This conversation highlights how distributors can move beyond spray-and-pray marketing toward precise, data-driven approaches that strengthen relationships and increase customer lifetime value.

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👤 Guest Bio

Marta Dalton is VP of Customer Growth and Data at PetSafe Brands. With a career that includes leadership roles at Unilever and Coca-Cola, Marta brings deep expertise in global eCommerce, data analytics, digital marketing, and customer experience. At PetSafe Brands, she focuses on building strategies that keep pets happy, healthy, and safe while driving customer growth across both B2B and B2C channels.

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📌 What We Cover

• The distinct differences in products, pricing, checkout, and delivery between B2B and B2C
• Why Invisible Fence functions like a B2B despite being a consumer brand
• The “big B vs little b” concept and how business size affects buying behaviors
• How emotions drive consumer purchasing while logic and business needs shape B2B decisions
• Channels fueling growth marketing today, from podcasts to local events and print mail
• Why timing and targeting are critical to effective email and print campaigns
• How referrals outperform branding as a growth strategy in B2B
• The role of adoption and re-engagement in retention and lifetime value
• Using frequency data and missed buy cycles to prevent customer churn

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• PetSafe Brands
• Invisible Fence
• Marta Dalton on LinkedIn
• Kyler Nixon on LinkedIn

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