So the first question, for listeners who may not know Bridger Photonics yet, how do you describe the company and the problem you help energy operators solve?

So Bridger Photonics helps detect methane, which is in colorless and odorless gas. So we fly over energy infrastructure most of the time oil and gas assets, and we’re able to … The photonic part of Bridger is actually attributing to our laser technology that everything is based off of. We use laser-based technology to detect methane. We’re able to show operators exactly where those leaks are coming from, how big they are. We give them a clear and actuary picture of what’s actually happening across their assets so that they can fix their problems, fix those leaks, prioritize, and then run more efficient operations.

Excellent. And I guess this problem that you just outlined, do your target customers already know that they have it, or are you sometimes having to educate them about the risks that maybe this problem could be in their future?

Yeah, that’s a great question. So there are folks who … Leaks are part of the infrastructure. It’s a lot of plumbing, basically, to put it way too simply, obviously, but everyone knows that the infrastructure can have some leaks. And so some people, there’s a lot of different methodologies that folks are using. Most of the time, it’s sending ground crews to a site using what’s an old-school camera and looking for these emissions. And so a lot of times they’re already doing their identifying leaks, but there’s a lot more efficient ways to be able to do that. And so that’s what our technology is able to do. And so I would say sometimes they know that there’s a problem, but I don’t know if they always are aware that there’s a way more efficient way to be able to do what they’re already doing.

Excellent. And so obviously you’re not selling a simple commodity here. You’re really helping customers trust highly technical methane emissions data. How do you approach educating them without overwhelming them? To your point, they’ve got lots of different options, lots of considerations. How do you frame that?

That’s a great question. I would say starting simple is the best way to do it and really just thinking about what questions your customers are asking and how can you solve their problem. Really for us, we’ve gotten to the point in terms of the tech adoption lifecycle where we’re at that stage where we are saying, how can we solve your problem or what problem is this solving? So they care less now about these technical nitty-gritty details and more about how to solve their problem. So for us, answering those real questions clearly and directly is super crucial. And for me, whenever we can get customer-led content, that is gold. Obviously that is for most marketers, but when we’re able to educate by saying, “Hey, here’s what your peer’s doing, here’s a case study, here’s a testimonial or a real-world application,” it’s so helpful to help folks really understand.

So over time you can add in, you need to add in some of that technical depth, but building that trust, answering those questions first is really crucial for us and is the first step.

Excellent. So in part of that education process, I’m assuming that some of your customers maybe have some misconceptions or things that maybe your salespeople feel, I wish only these customers could know this before I ever started the conversation with them. What are some of those things that you think come to mind for you guys?

Yeah, so the biggest one is probably just that this is a box to check. So some of that technology I mentioned previously, folks can use that other technology and sometimes it’s for regulatory requirements for the EPA or state requirements. But really in reality, we’ve had several customers that have been working with us for several years and the most sophisticated operators really treat this data that we provide as a core operational input. So they’re looking at it as a way to reduce unnecessary work, a tool to help them prioritize resources more effectively and really just use it as an indicator of how things are going in operations. So operators can use our data rather than just check a box. They can use it to deploy ground trees more effectively and efficiently, decide where maybe is there something that they need to replace across their infrastructure that’ll help them with leaks?

Is there one piece of equipment that’s constantly leaking with the focus on and more? So when you really integrate it into your program, it helps build operational efficiency more than anything else. And we’ve seen when it’s done, it actually simplifies operations in decision-making. So helping get over that hurdle and really highlight that we’re not adding complexity, we’re actually simplifying is a crucial part of our education process.

Yeah, that’s super interesting. That’s something that we see with our clients is it’s really complex out there with all of the applications, the different options, technologies, and simplifying in their minds the potential solution critical. So I completely hear you. Shifting gears to AI, this podcast wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about AI and us as marketers, we’re always trying to figure out how are target customers finding us? What does that buying journey look like? Could you talk a little bit about, from your perspective, how is AI changing the way your target customers are researching your solutions or your approaches?

That’s a great question. I mean, I think about myself, I am starting to use AI first versus using a search engine. I don’t know about you, but when I’m thinking about, for example, we want to paint our house this summer and instead of just going house painters near me and Google, I actually went to Cloud and I said, “Hey, we’re painting our house this summer. What do I need to know? What questions do I need to ask?” And then you learn like, “Hey, I have to care about what type of siding I have. ” And then you dive in and say, “What is it? Do I need to know about this? ” So that’s how if we’re doing that for direct to consumer, B2B buyers are definitely doing that. And really thinking we’re actually starting higher in the funnel and rather than hearing questions about your technology, we’re shaping how buyers understand the problem before they even reach out to us.

So for us, it’s not just being found, it’s being the best answer and answering those questions. So it really, like I mentioned earlier, answering those questions of your clients, if we can do that and be able to be found in a clear, structured and credible way on AI engines, that’s going to be the way that we can win. So for us, answering those questions, taking a step back even further earlier in the process and thinking about what our operators and what our prospects are thinking about earlier and before they even want to fund is crucial for us.

Excellent. And so maybe looking ahead, what changes do you think industrial marketers should be preparing for? If you were giving guidance to maybe somebody just entering this field, what are some things that we should all be mindful of?

Yeah, I think as marketers, obviously all of us have used AI by this point to accelerate our work, accelerate our content creation, do more jobs and wear more hats than we’re already all wearing. So what I think the biggest thing though is, is it’s going to accelerate and has already accelerated content creation, but not differentiation. And so having storytellers on your team or being able to still have the skill of storytelling is so critical. I am so grateful to have several really fantastic storytellers on my team, and I can just see the difference in their content. It just sticks with you so much more. As humans, I think we can really, we have that deeper understanding. We have that authentic storytelling. We can really tell when that comes through. And so human storytelling, I think you need to actually stand out more. And so preparing, understanding your skills there, apps, relying on AI, write all of your content is going to be critical.

And I would say combining clear narratives, combining that storytelling, that consistent voice with these AI tools is going to be the way to success, being efficient, but also not dehumanizing yourself.

Super interesting. Yeah, I completely agree. We’re seeing it with ourselves, with the content we create, with the content we create for our clients, creating really personalized stories and narratives and examples that customers grab onto. It makes a big difference when it comes to differentiation. And then maybe just one last question here, and I think you touched upon it, but if you could give one piece of advice to a manufacturing marketer trying to build visibility and preference in niche technical markets like you’re in, what would it be?

I love that question. So it was good for me to reflect on that and think about what’s most valuable for me. And I would say getting as close to your customers as possible is always so helpful and so foundational. So see if you can sit in on sales calls, go visit folks in the field if you can, go to conferences if you can, and really just sit in on those and listen more than you talk. Don’t just talk at folks and just hear from them. That really allows you to understand where they’re at and get to that point of education we had talked about. Learn how your sellers are selling, learn how your customers are asking their questions. And I think that uncovers more than any other education or marketing course or tip or trick, whatever you can find.

Tessa, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate this. This was interesting. Really helped me reflect on the direction that your company is going. And just again, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it. I know the listeners are going to really enjoy this conversation.

Yeah, thanks so much, Dan. Thanks so much for having me.