Cold emails are dead. SEO is losing effectiveness. Marketing budgets are low. So what’s working in B2B growth right now?

→ Ecosystem marketing.

Jason Saltzman, Director of Growth at Live Data Technologies, knows this well. His team grew revenue by working with influencers, media, and communities to build trust and create content—all without spending money on ads.

From partnering with top voices Lenny's Newsletter and Emily Kramer of MKT1 to crafting compelling data-driven stories, Jason’s approach is simple:

Do cool things with cool people—and let them tell your story.

TL;DR: What’s brewing inside

• How ecosystem marketing outperforms traditional growth tactics

• How Chewy’s hiring strategy sparked viral insights

• Why timing and relevance crush cold outreach

• How others can amplify your insights for exponential reach

• What to measure when attribution falls short

Bonus: Post from your personal profile for 10x engagement.

Prefer watching? Check out the full conversation

5 ecosystem marketing plays for B2B growth

1. Why ecosystem marketing is your unfair advantage

Ecosystem marketing = using third parties to drive growth by co-creating value and leveraging shared audiences.

This isn't quick influencer marketing—it’s about building lasting trust. For Jason, gathering data and insights cost nothing but time (great news for lean and early-stage teams).

💡 Ecosystem marketing is more relevant than ever (see below).

2. Turn your data into stories people can’t ignore

Jason spotted a pattern: Chewy was hiring talent from Amazon. The insight? Chewy’s bet on e-commerce expertise. A simple observation turned into a viral LinkedIn post, positioning Live Data as an industry thought leader.

💡 Good content starts with good questions.

Apply it: Scan your data today. Find one surprising trend. Post about it.

3. Let others amplify your insights

Instead of hoarding insights, Jason handed them off to voices like Lenny Rachitsky and Emily Kramer for free. They shared these insights with their audiences, giving Live Data massive organic exposure—without lifting a finger on distribution.

💡 The best growth engine? Other people’s audiences.

Apply it: Identify top voices in your ecosystem. Give them irresistible data stories they’d love to share. Or ask them what data would be useful for them!

4. Lead with value, not a cold pitch

Jason didn’t just send cold DMs (though he tried). Instead, he waited for the right moment. When Lenny tweeted, "Is anyone still a Scrum Master?" Jason swooped in with a complete data breakdown. The result? Multiple collaborations.

💡 Timing and relevance beat cold outreach every time.

Apply it: Monitor conversations. Add relevant value—exactly when it matters.

5. Measure what matters (when attribution fails)

Ecosystem marketing is tough to measure. There’s rarely a direct path from post to purchase. That’s why execs often prefer measurable ads.

So how do you know it’s working? Jason put it simply: "You know it when you see it."

For Live Data, growth came from online presence—not ad spend.

💡 Focus on signals of influence:

• Conversations started: Are key voices engaging?

• Traffic spikes: Do visits rise after content shares?

• Media mentions: Are others referencing your insights?

• LinkedIn engagement: Are personal posts driving interactions?

These may not tie neatly to a closed deal, but they keep your brand top of mind when decisions are made.

💡 Influence drives growth, even when you can’t measure clicks.

The outcome? Massive brand awareness and inbound leads—with zero ad spend.

Bonus: Personal profiles drive real growth

Jason’s biggest unlock? Post from your personal profile. His personal LinkedIn posts consistently outperformed company page updates because personal voices feel authentic. Brands feel like ads.

Apply it: Post relevant content with your personal LinkedIn, repost with your company account. We do this at Arc.dev.

Quick challenge: Apply ecosystem marketing now

1. Identify three voices in your ecosystem who share overlapping interests.

2. Find one story in your data they would love to share.

3. Engage meaningfully—reply to a post, share insights, or DM a valuable data point.

Until next time…

Check out my full chat with Jason here. And keep the high-energy ideas flowing.

—Christine Orchard

PS: Think of someone who’d make a great guest? Reply and let me know!

PPS: Know a growth marketer who should read this? Forward this newsletter.