MarTech360 Interview with Elliott Sprecher, VP of Marketing at Jotform

“Whether it’s exploring emerging platforms, creative content formats, or unconventional outreach methods, staying open to new ideas will help keep your brand agile and innovative in a competitive market.”

As the VP of Marketing at Jotform, you focus on empowering organizations through adaptable online forms. What key trends do you see shaping the future of marketing technology, and how does Jotform plan to stay ahead of the curve?

The marketing landscape is evolving rapidly, and there are three key trends that I believe will significantly shape its future: AI-powered agents, the continued rise of user-generated content (UGC), and the growing dominance of short-form video.

AI agents are becoming more sophisticated and personalized, offering powerful tools to automate and optimize customer interactions in real time. They will continue to revolutionize the industry. At Jotform, we’re looking to integrate AI to completely change the way users engage with online forms (and beyond). More to come on that soon — I spoke more about this during my presentation at Dreamforce 2024.

Next, user-generated content remains a crucial driver of authenticity and trust in marketing. We plan to harness this by continuing to invest in collecting success stories and use cases, amplifying their voices to inspire others.

Lastly, short-form video is essential for engaging audiences — particularly as attention spans shrink. We plan to capitalize on this trend by continuing to lean heavily on video content in our marketing efforts. We’ve invested in a full-time in-house video team, which has been a big differentiator for us.

By strategically leveraging these trends, Jotform is committed to staying ahead of the curve and delivering value to our users in innovative ways.

Elliott, can you tell us about your professional background and your current role at Jotform. Also tell us how Jotform differentiates itself from other companies in the same space?

My career started at a marketing agency with under one hundred employees. I worked as an account executive there, where I gained a lot of hands-on experience managing end-to-end campaigns for a variety of clients. One of the standout initiatives during that time was my work supporting the McDonald’s Mobile App. This sparked my interest in tech, and prompted me to shift my career more firmly in that direction.

Wanting to go in-house and focus on the tech industry, I found my way to Jotform, where I initially oversaw our video marketing growth. This role gave me valuable cross-functional exposure across various teams. Today, as VP of Marketing based in our San Francisco office, I oversee our marketing operations and seek to build out strategies that will continue driving Jotform’s growth.

What sets Jotform apart in the competitive form-building space is its versatility and power. We offer a highly customizable form builder with hundreds of integrations, conditional logic, a plethora of no-code features, and products like Jotform Sign, which allow users to collect e-signatures. Our no-code approach allows users to do more with the data they collect, whether it’s automating tasks or building sophisticated processes—all without needing technical skills. Being fully bootstrapped also gives us a unique advantage: we control our destiny and can innovate at our own pace, without the pressures of external investors.

Can you explain the range of form types that can be created with Jotform, including any specific features tailored for each type (e.g., surveys, event registrations, and lead capture forms)?

With Jotform, the possibilities for form creation are virtually limitless. If you can imagine a form, chances are Jotform can help you create it. We offer over 10,000 templates as starting points for all kinds of use cases, including surveys, event registrations, lead capture, feedback forms, and even more specialized needs like payment collections and consent forms.

In addition to our templates, we provide advanced features like conditional logic, which allows forms to adapt based on user responses, offering a more personalized and interactive experience. This is particularly useful for surveys or lead capture forms that require dynamic customization.

We also offer powerful workflow capabilities that enable users to automate actions based on form submissions—triggering tasks, sending emails, or updating databases automatically. This turns Jotform into more than just a form builder—it’s a comprehensive workflow management tool.

One of our standout features is the ability to use forms offline via our mobile app. Users can collect data even without internet access, and the forms will sync once the device reconnects to the internet. This is ideal for teams working in the field, at events, or in remote locations where connectivity may be an issue.

Also Read: MarTech360 Interview with Anastasia-Nikita Bansal, Chief Executive Officer at TeqBlaze

As consumer preferences shift towards more integrated, end-to-end solutions, how do you plan to evolve JotForm’s marketing messaging to position the platform as a comprehensive workflow tool rather than just a form-building solution?

The timing couldn’t be better, as we just launched Jotform Workflows in October 2024 —  a powerful automation solution designed to help organizations operate more efficiently by streamlining complex processes with adaptable workflows. With Jotform Workflows, organizations can now receive payments, request signatures, integrate their favorite apps, set up advanced approval systems, and automate a variety of other tasks — all in an easy-to-use, visual workflow builder, without writing a single line of code.

This launch adds to our suite of other powerful products including Jotform Tables, PDF Editor, Smart PDF Forms, and Jotform Apps — all of which help naturally position us as a comprehensive platform that empowers users to automate and streamline their entire workflow from start to finish. We really don’t need to force anything along those lines. In general, forms are our anchorpoint, and most user journeys begin with a form, but our marketing messaging will also naturally focus on this holistic ecosystem we’ve built. Jotform is not only about data collection any longer—it’s about helping users do everything they need to with that data, whether that’s automating approvals, syncing with other platforms, or driving actionable insights.

In a market where consumers are overwhelmed with options, what are the key strategies you’re implementing to build and maintain brand loyalty, particularly as user expectations around digital experiences and customer service continue to rise?

Building and maintaining brand loyalty in such a crowded market requires offering ongoing value and creating meaningful touchpoints with our users. One of our core strategies is investing heavily in our monthly newsletters, which are packed with valuable content that helps users get the most out of Jotform. We focus on delivering insights, tips, and feature updates that our users genuinely find helpful, ensuring that Jotform remains a go-to resource for them.

We also host regular webinars and “lunch and learn” sessions to provide real-time points of contact for our users. These sessions allow us to engage directly with our audience, answer questions, and share best practices. For our Enterprise customers, we take it a step further by offering 24/7 support through our dedicated customer experience team, ensuring that they receive top-tier service whenever they need it.

Plus, we’re regularly releasing new products, features, capabilities, and guides—continuously evolving to meet our users’ needs. Sharing customer success stories and user experience updates keeps our audience engaged and provides a compelling reason to stick with Jotform. By constantly offering fresh value and enhancing the user experience, we make sure there’s always a strong reason for our customers to return to Jotform time and time again.

What role does user-generated content and community engagement play in JotForm’s overall marketing efforts, and how do you leverage customer success stories, case studies, or reviews to build brand credibility and drive user adoption?

User-generated content, particularly customer success stories, case studies, and reviews, plays a pivotal role in our marketing efforts. We view these elements as some of the most powerful tools for building credibility and driving user adoption. Social proof is one of our core marketing pillars, and we invest heavily in collecting and packaging these stories for easy access on our website, in our newsletters, and through our ads.

In addition to showcasing customer stories, we also focus on maintaining strong community engagement across social media and other platforms. This includes responding to comments, engaging with reviews, and addressing issues raised by users online. By actively listening and engaging with our community, we not only enhance our brand’s credibility but also build trust with both existing and potential customers.

Ultimately, sharing real-world success stories and user experiences is invaluable for showing potential users the tangible benefits of Jotform, which makes it an integral part of our marketing strategy.

What is the biggest problem you or your team is solving this year?

While I wouldn’t necessarily call it a problem, keeping up with the rapidly evolving tech landscape — particularly when it comes to AI — is certainly something that has taken a lot of intention this year. AI is a game-changer for many industries, including ours, and while it offers a wealth of exciting opportunities, the sheer volume of innovation we’re seeing can be a lot to process. Navigating through the noise and identifying the most impactful AI applications that will be relevant for us and our user base is crucial.

Beyond that, our core focus remains on continuing the consistent growth momentum we’ve seen over the years, both in terms of customer acquisition and revenue. We’re also seeing more demand from upmarket, Enterprise-level organizations, and I anticipate this segment will drive a significant portion of our future growth. Building on our success in the Enterprise space will be key as we scale further and look to capture larger opportunities in the market.

What advice do you have for other leaders who are looking to drive growth for their brand?

My biggest piece of advice is to always start with the customer. Truly understanding their needs, challenges, and successes should be at the heart of every marketing strategy. Take the time to listen to your customers’ stories, and use those insights to craft campaigns that resonate on a personal level. One way to do this is by maintaining close communication with your sales and customer service teams—they’re on the front lines, interacting with customers daily, and can provide invaluable insights into what’s working and what’s not.

In addition, don’t shy away from experimentation. While tried-and-true strategies are important, growth can come from stepping outside your comfort zone and trying new, even experimental, marketing approaches. Whether it’s exploring emerging platforms, creative content formats, or unconventional outreach methods, staying open to new ideas will help keep your brand agile and innovative in a competitive market.

Is there anything that you’re currently reading, or any favorite books, that you would recommend?

From a work management perspective, one book I highly recommend is One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey. It’s a great resource for leaders and gives practical advice on how to empower your team, manage tasks efficiently, and ensure that responsibilities are placed where they truly belong.

On a personal note, I’m currently working my way through The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, and I highly recommend it. It’s an epic fantasy series with incredible world-building and characters. Its length can be daunting, but that’s also part of the fun of it.

Thanks Elliott!