Stormie Haller
Head of Marketing | Tracker
In our new HR Connect series, Stormie shares her insights on marketing and sales alignment, building authentic relationships, and the evolving role of innovation in marketing.
In this conversation, Stormie highlights the importance of smaller industry groups, the power of peer-driven communities, and how businesses can adapt to the rapidly changing marketing landscape.
How can sales and marketing teams collaborate more effectively to align messaging with what truly resonates with their audience?
Sales and marketing alignment isn’t just about leadership meetings or strategy docs. It’s about actually talking to the sales reps and understanding what they deal with every single day. I don’t want to just take a high-level overview from a sales manager. I want to know what objections they’re coming up against daily and talk about the real conversations they’re having—what is actually going to help them move the needle. If marketing is creating content that sales doesn’t use, we’re completely missing the mark.
Another big piece of this is flexibility in strategy. Marketing and sales leadership need to align on what’s truly important and hold each other accountable. I’d like to think that my sales counterpart is the Joey to my Chandler. We don’t have to agree on everything, but we need to be aligned on what matters—and have the ability to adapt and pivot quickly based on what’s actually working.
What strategies have you found most effective for building authentic, long-term relationships with potential customers, especially as traditional methods like cold calls become less impactful?
There’s been a huge shift in how to connect with potential customers over the last year or so. Instead of blasting emails or making cold calls—which are still important—the problem is that those people don’t necessarily know you or trust you. I focus on where decision-makers are already having meaningful conversations—smaller, industry-focused groups. Most of the time, these discussions happen in niche communities, associations, and peer-led groups.
For example, HR leaders don’t want another generic sales email. They want to connect with peers, share insights, and learn from others who truly understand their challenges. Peer-led discussion groups and roundtables have proven to be incredibly powerful. I’ve found that a lot of the people I talk to in the industry are actually starting to create these discussion groups themselves. They’re forming communities, whether it be about sales, technology challenges, or other industry-specific topics, to get the insights they need.
Additionally, relationships don’t happen overnight. People often give up after one or two touchpoints, but it typically takes eight or more interactions for someone to engage. The trick is to mix up the approach—not just emails. Engage with their content, make warm introductions, or even send a personalized video message. If the message is tailored and relevant, people are far more likely to engage.
How do you balance the need for testing and innovation in marketing with delivering consistent, measurable results?
Honestly, you have to do both, and that means having a plan and testing without risking your core results. My approach follows the 80/20 rule: 80% of the budget goes to things we know will work, and 20% goes to testing new ideas. But here’s the thing—testing only works if leadership actually supports it.
I’ve been in situations where every single dollar needed to be pre-approved, and you had to show ROI before even launching a test. That just kills innovation. The best companies trust their marketers and give them the space to experiment. I’ve had leaders who have let me test new vendors, try different channels, and pivot my programs. Because of that, I now have firsthand knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Marketing isn’t a perfect formula—it’s about testing, learning, and adapting as fast as possible. Without leadership buy-in, you’re just running the same playbook over and over again, and that’s not how you grow.
In your experience, what role do smaller, niche groups play in fostering impactful discussions and long-term connections compared to larger industry events?
Larger events have their place, but real conversations happen in smaller groups. At big conferences, you might only get three to five minutes to talk to a prospect. In a smaller setting, you get one-on-one time that leads to deeper, more meaningful discussions.
I often ask my customers where they go for advice, and they repeatedly tell me they rely on small, self-developed groups—not big conferences. That’s why companies that create roundtables or peer discussion groups see better engagement. These aren’t one-off events; they’re designed to foster ongoing relationships. Many HR leaders actively seek out invite-only groups where they can talk openly without salespeople in the room. If marketers want real engagement, they need to stop thinking about events as transactions and start treating them as relationship-building opportunities.
How can companies approach creating meaningful connections with their audience while maintaining a value-driven, non-sales-focused mindset?
The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing—it feels like helping. Customers can spot a sales pitch from a mile away, so the way to stand out is by leading with value.
One strategy that works well is making outreach feel personal and peer-driven. Engagement rates skyrocket when an invite comes from a respected industry leader instead of a sales rep. Small shifts like this make invitations feel like real opportunities to learn rather than just another marketing email. At the end of the day, marketing should be about helping first and selling second. If you help people connect, learn, and solve their own problems, they’ll remember your brand when they’re ready to buy.
What advice would you give to marketing leaders on supporting peers or team members affected by layoffs, and how can leadership handle layoffs with empathy while maintaining trust within their teams?
Layoffs are brutal. I’ve been through one myself, and it’s not just about losing a job—it’s losing a sense of stability. The most important thing leadership can do is be transparent. Ambiguity makes things worse. Vague corporate statements don’t help anyone. People want honesty, an understanding of why layoffs are happening, and the reassurance that leadership is there to support them.
Companies also need to offer real help, not just severance packages. Networking introductions, resume coaching, and career support make a real difference. And for those who remain, leadership must address what I call survivor’s guilt. Employees need to understand why the layoff happened and how the company plans to move forward. Taking accountability as a leader goes a long way in maintaining trust.
For marketing leaders, the best thing they can do is help rebuild confidence for those affected—making introductions, sharing job openings, writing recommendations. Even just reaching out to check in can make a huge difference. The key message is that most layoffs aren’t about performance; they’re business decisions. Encouraging those affected to reflect on what they truly want can help turn a tough situation into an opportunity for something even better.
We thank Stormie for sharing her valuable insights on marketing, sales alignment, and the evolving dynamics of relationship-building in the industry. Her perspective sheds light on the importance of adaptability, genuine connections, and leadership with empathy.
If you’re interested in sharing your story and becoming part of our HR Connect series, please reach out to us at info@fip.agency.
Dilara Cossette
Founder
Dilara Cossette is the founder of Focus Image Pro, a boutique demand generation agency specializing in helping HR tech companies accelerate growth. With extensive experience in the industry, she partners with marketing leaders to craft strategies that drive demand, boost pipeline, and elevate brand presence. Dilara is passionate about fostering meaningful connections and sharing insights from HR tech innovators through the HR Connect interview series.
