HMBT #302: One Kiss Only

In this lively and insightful episode, I sat down with Victor Julio Coupe, Head of Business Development at Kensho Media and host of  The Squared Table  podcast. We talked about how email outreach and sales strategies are evolving in 2026—especially in the world of iGaming—and how  personal branding  and  authenticity  are now more critical than ever. From cringe-worthy cold calls to genius video messages, Victor brought stories, strategies, and a whole lot of heart. We also unpacked how AI, oversaturation, and poor targeting are damaging trust in sales outreach—and what to do instead. Spoiler: it involves showing up, being human, and yes, sometimes asking for “one kiss only.” 💋 💡 Key Takeaways ✉️ Email is Still King—But Only If You Respect It Email remains the most controllable and reliable outreach channel—but it’s often undervalued or misused. Victor stressed the importance of  list quality over quantity , personalization, and relevance. 🧠 Stop Spray-and-Pray Outreach Don’t mass-email conference lists if people don’t know your name or brand. It’s lazy, and it hurts your sender reputation. “Just because you  can  doesn’t mean you  should .” Targeting starts with thoughtful list building. 📹 Use Video to Humanize Your Brand One of Victor’s best-performing tactics: short, energetic video messages on LinkedIn before conferences. Video builds connection, familiarity, and breaks through inbox noise. Tools like Bonjoro and BHuman make this easy. 🧍‍♂️ Build Your Personal Brand, Not Just Your Business People trust people more than faceless brands. In 2026, personal branding is a  non-negotiable  for sales pros. Even if you’re not camera-ready, start small: write, comment, share thoughts. Consistency beats perfection. 🔥 Conferences Need to Catch Up Conference organizers should allow speakers/sponsors to submit short intro videos pre-event. This helps with brand recognition and warms up leads in a human, value-driven way. 🧠 Know Your Audience (and Yourself) Cold calling may work in the U.S., but not everywhere. Know what fits your region and your style. Victor’s superpower? Being authentic, upbeat, and approachable. Figure out what your brand voice is and lean into it. 🤖 AI Isn’t the Enemy, Sloppy Outreach Is With AI-generated spam on the rise,  real, human-crafted messages  stand out more than ever. Personalized, relevant outreach = higher response rates. The “Dear Sir/Madam” era is dead. 🎯 Final Thoughts The episode wrapped with a challenge:  Start building your personal brand today.  Whether it’s posting on LinkedIn, recording a short video, or simply replying with heart, taking small, consistent actions builds trust—and trust leads to conversations (and conversions 💰). Victor said it best: “If you don’t ask for the kiss, you can’t get the conversion.”  💋 👀  Don’t Miss It : Listen to his podcast:  The Squared Table Find Victor on LinkedIn Get 5,000 free Kickbox credits with the code HMBT Audio:

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HMBT #302: One Kiss Only is an episode from Hank's Business and Marketing Tips by Hank Hoffmeier.

This episode is 39:07 long.

This episode was published on Feb 5, 2026.

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