Marketing Spotlight: Mapping Boost.ai’s marketing and sales tactics

At Milk and Cookies Studio, we like to think of ourselves as part of “The Detective” brand archetype (about this in one of our next articles). We really like investigating and tackling interesting challenges. That’s why we created a new series called “Marketing Spotlight.” In this series, we analyze companies’ digital marketing strategies, sales approaches, content marketing tactics, and social media presence. The main goal of this fun project of ours is to help other marketing people understand how theoretical marketing concepts are applied in real world scenarios.

For our third challenge, we chose to analyze Boost.ai (as of October 2024), focusing again on companies in the generative and conversational AI space. This area is especially interesting because it’s a hot topic and creates a lot of buzz for our ideal customer profile: B2B tech startups.

So stay with us if you want to learn how companies implement their marketing and sales strategies.

Understanding Boost.ai

Boost.ai is a Norwegian company, founded in 2016 by Lars Ropeid Selsås. It provides conversational AI services in industries such as Finance, Telecommunications, Hospitality, and the Public Sector. The company is headquartered in Sandnes, Norway, with global offices in cities including Los Angeles, Copenhagen, and London.

Boost.ai has a wide range of areas of expertise, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, natural language generation, and conversational AI. At the time of analysis, the company has 167 team members listed on LinkedIn, with a median employee tenure of 2.6 years.

Boost.ai’s brand promise analysis

Their brand promise is directly and clearly presented, as you can see in the print screen below. This means they are focused on creating conversational AI technology while staying responsible and ethical.

They talk a lot about “delivering unparalleled customer experiences through automation”, which matches their value proposition of using “cutting-edge technology” to improve interactions between people and organizations. Their promise shows both innovation and reliability.

What service do they offer

Boost.ai offers three primary use cases, each with its own dedicated landing page:

• customer service
• internal virtual agents
• agent assist

Each use case has its own landing page, where visitors can learn about its benefits with detailed descriptions and client testimonials. For example, the customer self-service page explains how companies can boost customer autonomy, while the agent assist page shows how AI helps customer service teams improve their performance.

Boost.ai’s platform also has 5 separate landing pages for their products, as shown in the image below.

Each of this products has a dedicated landing page, where we can find more details, CTA such as “Get a customised demo”, and testimonials to prove their credibility and the impact of their services.

How do they differentiate themselves

We were pleased to see that Boost.ai has its own academy: Boost.ai Academy same as DRUID AI and yellow.ai.

They offer many free video courses that are split into different sections like:

• Understanding the Boost.ai Platform
• Product & Features
• Building virtual agents with Gen AI
• and many other

Each course is labeled with a difficulty level (Beginner or Intermediate) to help users easily find the right match. This shows consideration for the user’s time and expertise.

Course titles such as “Create value by using voice bots” and “Create value by implementing live chat” could show the practical benefits of using their platform.

We can make an educated guess that with this section, Boost.ai aims to educate potential and existing customers on the benefits and uses of conversational AI, and to show how their platform can solve different business challenges their IPC might face.

This idea is clearly reflected in the sub-heading on their academy main page: “Get a quick overview of what virtual agents are, the parts that they are made of and how they work within the boost.ai platform.”

Leadership presence and content strategy on LinkedIn.

CEO, Jerry Haywood

Jerry Haywood is the CEO of Boost.ai and has about 6,400 followers on LinkedIn. His content strategy on LinkedIn doesn’t seem very clear. Rather than focusing on thought leadership or building authority, which is often expected from a CEO, his posts mostly highlight company activities—like attending conferences, announcing partnerships, and promoting upcoming events involving Boost.ai.

While this is not bad (at all we’d say), showing Boost.ai’s involvement in the industry and the health of the employees, it doesn’t do much to position Jerry as a thought leader. Why is this important? Being seen as a thought leader could help both him and Boost.ai gain more recognition in the industry. Along the same lines, Jerry doesn’t follow or engage with key influencers, which could be a missed opportunity to grow his network and increase visibility for Boost.ai.

CMO, Thomas Mullertz

Thomas Mullertz, the Chief Marketing Officer of Boost.ai, is fairly active on LinkedIn, with 1,525 followers. He posts weekly, but his engagement levels remain quite moderate.

While he doesn’t often share original content, Mullertz regularly reposts company-related updates. His content typically revolves around events where Boost.ai is featured, announcements about upcoming webinars, and job openings at the company.

Mullertz shows some level of engagement by participating in the comment sections of posts distributed by other C-level executives. This kind of interaction helps build relationships within his professional network and contributes to Boost.ai’s visibility.

Since the CMO is already active in the comments section, Thomas could lean into a social selling strategy, really focusing on relationship & network building with potential customers and partners. This might make the sales process a lot smoother and can boost conversion rates, as these leads are more likely to trust the brand and move forward with a purchase.

Boost.ai’s Social Media Strategy

n this section, we discuss about Boost.ai LinkedIn strategy. Although they have a Facebook and Instagram account, they have been inactive for a while now. That’s why we decided not to analyze it.

LinkedIn

Boost.ai’s LinkedIn page, with 22K followers, is the main platform for building brand awareness and educating their audience. They post regularly, but their engagement is rather low. Comments on their posts often go unanswered, which is a missed opportunity to connect with their community.

Content and Engagement

Boost.ai shares around 30 posts a month, mixing educational content, PR updates, and branded posts. They use a variety of formats, including text-only, images + copy, and videos. One interesting thing they do is their #TechDemoThursday series, where they show off demos of their platform’s capabilities.

These posts help followers understand how the tech works and offer tips on how to use it.

They also host events like “Afternoon Tea with genAI” on Zoom, where they chat with their audience about generative AI and how it can improve customer service. This can also be seen as an opportunity to communicate boost.ai’s value proposition and nurture their audience interest.

They often share content featuring their CTO explaining conversational AI notions and its applicability, such as personalization. This is important because it positions the CTO, and by extension Boost.ai, as an authority on these technical subjects.

On top of this, Boost.ai has a monthly LinkedIn newsletter with 4,826 subscribers. Not too shabby. It’s a cool way to stay in touch with their audience, sharing the latest news in conversational AI trends.

For driving engagement they sometimes use polls. However, the number of responses is quite small compared to the number of followers.

Best performing 3 posts

The best performing posts are from #BoostCamp2024 event, an event where they take the opportunity to recognize the remarkable achievements of their customers.

The Sales Funnel from LinkedIn

Overall, Boost.ai doesn’t seem to put much focus on using social media to drive leads to their website, except when they are promoting their one-on-one demos, where they can talk to an expert.

Instead, their efforts are more focused toward demand generation, educating their audience, and building brand awareness. Also, Boost.ai doesn’t really push their blog content on LinkedIn, which could be a missed opportunity for demand generation and thought leadership.

When clicking on the link (from above), the prospects are sent to a landing page where they can book the personalized demo (see below). Following this, they will be in contact with (probably) a SDR.

Boost.ai’s reviews on platform profiles

G2 platform

Boost.ai has a profile on G2, a leading software review platform, where they have 17 reviews. Customers talk about the platform’s ease of use and praise the hands-on approach of Boost.ai’s customer success managers. Several reviews show that Boost.ai offers one of the most powerful Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities in the market while maintaining user-friendly features, making it accessible even for non-technical users.

Having feedback from trusted review platforms helps Boost.ai build credibility, as potential customers often depend on these reviews when considering new tools.

Capterra profile

On Capterra, Boost.ai boasts an impressive 4.8/5 star rating, based on 22 reviews. Many reviewers highlight how user-friendly the platform is, making it easy for employees to learn and set up, even without technical expertise. However, some users expressed a desire for additional features like voice support and messenger integration, and they also mentioned wanting more resources to compare Boost.ai with other competitors in the market.

Boost.ai’s paid approach

Most of Boost.ai’s LinkedIn ads are all about getting leads to take action, whether it’s downloading a report, booking a demo, or reading an article on their website (just like the example below). Once leads land on their website, they’re hit with even more calls-to-action (CTAs) encouraging them to book a demo.

Common CTAs in their ads include phrases like “Download the guide” or “Get the report.” A lot of their ads also direct prospects to specific Use Case pages, which break down how their conversational AI platform can solve industry-specific challenges. This approach shows their potential customers exactly how Boost.ai can help their business. There are no ads on Facebook.

Boost.ai’s Content Marketing and Demand Generation

We wanted to understand into how Boost.ai creates content around generative AI and explore their demand generation strategies. After analyzing their approach, we’re ready to share the insights with you. In this section, we’ll focus on their blog page, community and webinars.

Boost.ai Blog

Boost.ai’s blog posts are a bit irregular in terms of frequency. For example, in April, they published around 17 blog posts, but after that, the content stream slowed down with no posts in the following months.

They prefer long-form content, that really digs into conversational AI topics. The tone is casual and friendly, which makes this complex subject a bit more approachable. For instance, titles like “What is conversational AI, anyway?” shows this laid-back, easy-to-read style. Even their calls-to-action (CTAs) follow this tone, with phrases like “Want to put this in action?”

Each blog post typically includes two CTAs. Readers can either schedule a meeting with a customer experience specialist or download a guide. The idea behind might be to move readers from educational content to more direct interactions.

However, they seem to lack a clear propagation strategy. Their content doesn’t appear to be widely promoted across other channels, meaning there could be room to improve how they share and spread their blog posts to reach a wider audience.

Boost.ai community

Boost.ai has built an active community where users can connect and share ideas.

This community has access to live sessions, hands-on workshops, and office hours to help users get the most out of the platform. There’s also a forum where members can engage in discussions, ask questions, and share solutions. This community might be focused mostly on building a thought leadership platform.

Boost.ai’s webinars

Boost.ai regularly organizes events and webinars. They offer both live and on-demand webinars, making it easy for users to access information whenever it’s convenient for them. Many of these webinars can be watched directly on their platform without needing to provide any contact information.

Below the webinar video, there’s a CTA inviting prospects to meet with one of their experts, “Meet with CX Specialist”, if they’re ready to put what they’ve learned into action.

Boost.ai’s resources on GenAI

Boost.ai doesn’t offer whitepapers, but they do have a “Learn” section within their Resources page on the website. This area features long-form articles on general/beginner topics on “Chatbots”, “Live Chat”, “Customer experience”, etc. The articles contains lots of data and are divided into 4-5 big sections. Apart from the educational purpose, these articles seem to be an opportunity to promote their “4-part masterclass on conversational AI”.

So, prospects can see on the left side of the article, the CTA “Join the class”, which sends them directly to sign-in up to the newsletter.

They also provide guides that are available for free download, giving visitors easy access to valuable resources without needing to fill out forms.

More than that, we have noticed that Boost.ai likes to promote their webinars on the home page, and the method is quite innovative. What they do it is to place an announcement at the very top of their main page. Here, Boost.ai is promoting a major update to their platform that rebuilds it around generative AI. By placing the webinar at the top of their homepage, they are likely trying to give it maximum visibility. The webinar could be a way for boost.ai to educate potential customers about the platform’s new capabilities.

Boost.ai’s marketing and sales funnel (Prospecting)

In this section, we will focus on marketing and sales funnel.

The Marketing funnel

Top of the funnel

Boost.ai’s top-of-the-funnel strategy is focused on building awareness. You can see this on LinkedIn, their blog, and even through their ads. Their blog focuses on educational content targeting people who are just getting familiar with conversational AI. For example, articles like “Chatbot vs Conversational AI: What’s the difference?”.

Middle of the funnel

At this stage, Boost.ai creates more specific content, such as webinars, case studies and guides. Their case studies dive into different industries, and here’s the best part: you don’t have to give any contact info to read them.

The guides are focused on how to use conversational AI in customer service across different industries, and like their case studies, they’re free to download—no form-filling required. Some of their blog posts also fit into the middle of the funnel, offering more specific content that’s closer to their actual services.

Bottom of the funnel

At the bottom of the funnel, the focus shifts on converting prospects into paying customers. Boost.ai offers personalized demos and free consultations with their AI experts, allowing potential clients to experience the platform firsthand. CTAs like “Book a Personalized Demo” or “Contact Us” are strategically placed throughout the site and within blog posts and resources to encourage direct interaction with the sales team.

The sales funnel

Their sales funnel goes as follows: first, hypothetically, let’s say a lead enters boost.ai website. The first thing that might encounter are the CTAs buttons, “Demo” or “Contact Us”, which are prominently displayed across their website. These CTAs guide leads to either schedule a demo or contact Boost.ai for more information on how the platform works, or even about the cost.

After providing contact details, leads are typically contacted by a Sales Development Representative (SDR) or another expert from Boost.ai. This representative arranges a demo presentation, showcasing Boost.ai’s platform and capabilities. The demo serves as a key conversion step, allowing potential customers to see firsthand how the platform can meet their needs. Following the demo, leads might be further nurtured through follow-up emails or additional touchpoints, helping them make a decision about purchasing Boost.ai’s solutions.

Boost.ai’s lead generation strategy for genAI solutions

Partner-first approach

Boost.ai’s partner-first approach also plays a significant role in lead generation. By collaborating with system integrators and partners, they extend their reach and influence, with around 80% of their deals coming through these partnerships.

Newsletter

Boost.ai’s newsletter is an important part of their lead generation strategy for genAI solutions, acting as a lead magnet.

When signing up, leads are rewarded with a free 4-part masterclass on conversational AI, which serves as a great lead magnet for those wanting to dive deeper into the topic. This approach captures leads interested in learning more and might help convert them into potential customers. The newsletter can be found at the bottom of any landing page on their website.

Boost.ai’s future plans

The job openings at Boost.ai, might suggest a clear indication of growth and strategic expansion for the company.

Technology Partner Manager: This role likely signifies Boost.ai’s continued focus on expanding partnerships with other tech companies (remember their partner-first approach).

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): The search for a CMO might mean a strong focus on creating better and more efficient marketing strategies. This could also involve increasing brand awareness, growing demand generation efforts, and positioning Boost.ai as a top-of-mind choice in the AI market.

Strategic Account Executive: This can be a signal that Boost.ai is looking to strengthen its sales efforts, particularly in high-value, strategic accounts.

Software Engineer: Hiring a Software Engineer, especially in locations like Oslo or Stavanger/Sandnes, shows a focus on continuing to build and refine their platform.

Inspiration points

• Compared to yellow.ai and DRUID AI, boost.ai has a dedicated page for stating their values, “Why boost.ai?”. This page is mostly for potential customers who are considering GenAI solutions. With this landing page they might be trying to convince potential customers that Boost.ai is the ideal solution for their needs. On this landing page they have case studies, reports and a CTA for requesting a personalised demo.
• Boost.ai’s service runs 24/7, offering continuous support and engagement. By providing round-the-clock support, Boost.ai ensures that customers can get assistance whenever they need it, regardless of time zones or business hours. This constant availability significantly improves the overall customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty
• They offer a free 4-part masterclass on conversational AI, along with a customized demo, giving prospects a hands-on experience of their platform.
• Boost.ai offers a variety of resources, such as a blog, case studies, webinars, guides, an academy, and a community. These resources help them showcase their expertise and educate potential customers about the benefits of generative AI. By doing this, they bring customers closer to making a purchase.

We hope you found this article helpful and full of inspiration for your future digital marketing campaigns. There’s much more to come, so be sure to follow us as we continue to analyse and share insights from tech companies digital marketing and sales strategies.