Confessions of a Marketer

Insights on the Brink Sep 30, 2024

Mark Reed-Edwards: I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Welcome back to Confessions of a Marketer. Today, I'm joined by Tim Hoskins and Brett Townsend of Quester, an insights and strategy company that specializes in human conversation. They've just released a new book called Insights on the Brink: Revitalizing the Market Research and Analytics Industry. As someone who has worked in and around analysts and market research for a long time, it's a subject near and dear to me. Tim and Brett, it's great to have you here.

Brett Townsend: Thanks, Mark.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Can you share your backgrounds and how you both ended up at Questor? Tim, maybe we can start with you.

Tim Hoskins: I came from the information security space and worked at a startup for several years and then made the jump over to quest or to lead their sales and marketing and about four years into the job, I was grateful to be promoted to president and then acquired the company in 2022.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Brett?

Brett Townsend: Yeah, I started my career on the agency side and then spent 15 years in corporate insights where I was a client of Quester's for 10 to 12 years, going back to my early days at PepsiCo and Tim and I became good friends over the years of being a client together and always kind of had this conversation, this ongoing conversation, about if I ever wanted to leave corporate, how it would be great to work together.

And so we made that happen about two years ago.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So, Brett, can you tell me, exactly what Quester does?

Brett Townsend: Well, I think we both could definitely take this one, but we are a branding and innovation strategy consulting firm where we work with a number of clients on: How do they build their brands? How do they innovate, properly, more effectively? And we really focus on consumer narratives and what are those stories behind the research that are really driving decision making?

And then we layer that in with a number of different things. So it's a very holistic consulting type of view where insights are the backbone of what we do, but we're not a full service agency, so to speak . Insights gives us the tools to help consult our clients on a number of different things, whether it's jobs to be done, demand space work or whatever. But at the heart of it all are these consumer narratives and really helping people tell better brand stories and, and create very meaningful, long lasting innovation.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So has it been the dream come true that you thought, leaving corporate life and working at Quester?

Brett Townsend: It really has been, you know, I mean, it's been fun to work together with Tim finally, after talking about it all these years and just being back on the agency side, after being on the corporate side for so long, I really have a lot of empathy for what our clients go through and what they face. And so it's really led to great, meaningful conversations where we're really able to help our clients in a way that's very beneficial to them.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So Tim, I'd like to ask you about this book that just came out. What prompted you to write it?

Tim Hoskins: Well, it all goes back to just a number of conversations that Brett and I had had through the years about the industry and the state of the industry and where it needs to go. And I've had the fortunate opportunity to be a co chair of the Insights Association's largest conference, the Corporate Researchers Conference.

And one day I called Brett and I said, "Hey, you should be a keynote and take all of the things that you believe in your heart and that we've talked about and get up on stage in front of hundreds of people and just kind of have a drop the mic moment." And so that's where it started. And I think that Brett received a lot of accolades and feedback.

And it was some of those attendees in the room who said, "you should put this into a book."

And when he joined Questor, he started talking to me about it and I said, Why not? Let's do it. And about halfway through the writing process, Brett called me up and he said, "Hey, I'd love for us to write this together." And to not only bring together his client side experience, but also my agency experience.

And so he wrote the first draft and we sat in a room for three straight days with a colleague of ours and we went back and forth and rewriting and the final version is definitely a labor of love and something that we're proud of, but our real goal is, is to just spark conversation.

Not everyone might agree with everything that we've written, and that's okay. The purpose is to spark the conversation, and to potentially create behavior change so that we can revitalize our industry.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, I want to talk about the book a bit and maybe we can, you know, kind of tear it apart in a moment, but Brett, I'm wondering what you learned in drafting this book that maybe you didn't expect.

Brett Townsend: Wow. That's a good question. Wow. The reason why I'm hesitating is because I think it turned out mostly the way I expected it would. As Tim was saying, this is something that's been kind of an ongoing decade long conversation that the two of us have been having and just things that we have both experienced through the corporate side or the client side.

Conversations that we've had with others, just observations we've made, you know, both Tim and I served on the, the board of directors for the Insights Association. So it gives us a lot of visibility to the industry as a whole. And so the book really is just a compilation of each of our over 20 years experience in the industry and things that we've done.

The only thing that might have been a little different than what we set out doing at the very beginning was maybe some of the structure, areas where we emphasized or de-emphasized. In fact, the chapter on human emotion looks very different than the original version that we wrote because as Tim said, as we were locked in that room together, we realized that we needed to take another direction with it.

And so we did that. And so with few exceptions, it's turned out the way that I thought it would.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So let's talk about the book and maybe Tim, you can start. Can you tell me how it's organized, what a reader is going to get out of it and maybe some of the highlights of the book. .

Tim Hoskins: The first chapter, the intro, is really just a historical, kind of how did we get to where we are and really setting the context and some of the challenges that we face within the industry. But the rest of the book is meant to be inspirational and also provide very specific tactics and strategies to implement everything from what Brett was talking about: emotion to storytelling, to influence.

The intent and the goal is for a reader to walk away and have practical ways to apply this in their day to day lives-- how to ultimately drive top and bottom line growth for their organization. And then the last chapter is one that I'm incredibly proud of. It's something that Brett really took the focus on writing, and that is a call to action for senior executives in these large organizations, because ultimately the senior executives set the culture.

The culture of how we view empathy, how we view consumer behavior, and whether or not we choose to listen and be humble to what consumers are providing as feedback, or to say that we know better. We hear this consumer centricity a lot as a buzzword within a lot of different publications.

But are we really living it? And it's really a call to action for senior executives to not only say it, but live it and to support it throughout the organization.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Brett, you and I were chatting before we started recording and we were talking about market research and the way it's sometimes just dumped on people's laps, right, in a presentation. So, following on what Tim was saying, how do you present data? How do you present insights to an executive in a way that they will then understand what the next step should be or present it in a way that is just clear. Sometimes it's just data, it's charts, and there's no conclusion. How do you present that conclusion?

Brett Townsend: Well, the easy answer is that I don't present data in the traditional sense. You know, our brains are not wired to remember numbers, but we are wired to remember stories. And usually when I am meeting with a CEO or senior executives in my career, I've had maybe 30 minutes, sometimes longer, but a lot of times I have 30 minutes to go in there.

So I'm not going in there talking about methodology. I'm not showing a bunch of numbers. I'm getting to the point. And I think one of the things that we have in the book is a saying that I've used a lot. It's: "I don't need to know everything, I just need to know what I need to know."

That's what I would tell the agencies when I was their client. But then the same goes true as I go up the ladder. And so, you know, my CMO doesn't need to know as much as I know.

The CEO doesn't need to know as much as I know. They just need to know what are the insights, what is the conflict we're trying to overcome and what am I recommending to go do it? And it's really that simple. And I do it in the form of compelling stories that they can relate to where they feel empathy for the consumer. And then always a call to action or something that can go be acted upon .

At the end of the day, we can give great insight and tell a great story, but if there's no call to action or direction at the end, then it's just story time at the library. So we have to really make sure that we're telling these senior executives what we feel they should go do, because they want to hear that from us.

You know, they want outcomes. They want direction. Now it's up to them whether they choose to follow it. And that's happened sometimes where they don't. But when I go in there with a concise story, clear insights and a clear direction on what to go do, they love it and appreciate it. And most of the time they agree.

And then we go forward from there.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So my next question kind of rises out of that: Why does the industry need to be revitalized? Tim, maybe you can start and then Brett, maybe you can follow up.

Tim Hoskins: Brett gave this great quote in the book that I wholeheartedly agree with. And that is, is that every department within an organization should want to work with insights. Theoretically, we should have no natural predators and provide a level of depth and nuance about consumer behavior and understanding that they should be clamoring over.

And yet that's not the case in all organizations and in many organizations. And that is the real challenge. And we actually control our ability to turn that around. And that's part of the reason why we think it needs to be revitalized. I think that you can look at other stats and figures in terms of marketing and messaging campaigns that don't resonate, innovations that fall flat.

Perhaps that's because we didn't have a visceral and empathetic understanding of the consumer's circumstance: their needs, their wants, their desires, and their emotions.

Brett Townsend: And then, I'll piggyback on that. The revitalization also comes with this mindset change where we have to realize that we are not clinicians and academics. Our job is not to conduct methodologies. This revitalization would take place as an evolution to understand that, A lot of the techniques and things that we use now were developed by people who did not work in business, who were not responsible for business results, who weren't held responsible if something didn't work because they weren't in charge of developing a product or increasing sales.

We are in a very disruptive environment with mergers and acquisitions and new players coming into the market. And the barriers of entry have been practically removed from most categories. And there's so much going on now that we have very specific demands from our employers and from senior leaders that desperately want things from us that as an industry, historically, we've not consistently given them.

And so this revitalization is this understanding of who we are, the power we have, and how we need to go about doing our jobs in the most effective way possible.

Mark Reed-Edwards: You used the word "empathy" quite a bit. And I think it's an interesting word to use in a world dominated by data points. That those data points actually represent human beings. Right? And injecting empathy into the way in which we examine that is really key because you know, people do make brand decisions for visceral reasons.
They have a love for a brand like Apple or Amazon or, you know, whatever it is. And that's why they make those decisions and that doesn't necessarily show up in data points.

Tim Hoskins: Absolutely. And we know, based on neuroscience work, that emotion drives a majority of the decisions that we make--whether conscious or, or unconscious--on a daily basis. But yet I don't believe that we're always taking that into context. When we're viewing decisions and specifically data. We love data.

The fact that the data analytics world has become so important within organizations and, is, is in many ways been democratized, is phenomenal for our industry and for organizations. But the difference is that you can't just stop at that data. You have to be able to understand the "why." Some of the best companies that we work with leverage the power of the data analytics and they marry it with the empathy and the "why" from consumers to help build their strategies.

And it's the one-plus-one that equals three. And right now we see a lot of companies, it's either one or the other. Rarely are we seeing where it's a complete mix and compimentary.

Mark Reed-Edwards: That's fascinating. So, let's maybe get to the payoff for all this. How can brands most effectively use analytics and market research to further their cause? Brett, maybe we can start with you.

Brett Townsend: Well, starting with what Tim said, don't make it an either or proposition. We need data and we need historical data and we need predictive data. But to your earlier point, there is no empathy in data. There is no emotion in data. And it is up to us on the market research side to marry the historical and predictive analytics with this empathetic storytelling that captures the emotion that the consumer is facing. Mark, it's not an issue of choosing to go data or consumer insights. You know, we hear there's a lot of companies that say we need to be more data driven, and usually that means, oh, we got to. Do more analytics and we're going to kind of get rid of traditional consumer insights and really what that's supposed to mean is that we stop making gut decisions.

We stop listening to the loudest voice in the room or the senior most person in the room just because we're deferring to him or her. We need to make decisions that are consumer centric decisions. And you know, in great qualitative can be data. And so I think that's kind of understanding what that term "being data driven" really means.

It doesn't mean just be numbers. But then it's also taking the responsibility of being consumer centric out of only being consumer insights' responsibility. Make it the responsibility of the whole organization. I mean, this is something Jeff Bezos said: this customer obsession that Amazon started with and still has. It's everybody's responsibility.

And in most companies, it's really only the responsibility of consumer insights, and to a lesser extent marketing. But I think the more marketing can work with consumer insights and take on that responsibility of consumer centricity, then you really start to see magic happen. And that's when you start to see very meaningful stories coming out of marketing where the consumer conflict is not only addressed, but resolved in the way that that brand is helping the hero or the heroine of the story, overcome their conflict.

And it leads to great innovation. It leads to great relationships with retailers because you're selling in stories that are going to help sell things in those retailers. It's this big ecosystem of consumer centricity that when everybody's pitching in and everybody takes it as their responsibility, it works so well.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, consumer centric rather than data centric.

Brett Townsend: Or product centric.

You're right. It's both. It's both. It's not being data centric or product centric, but being consumer centric, because then you're not worried about numbers or you're not worried about products. You're worried about solutions. Like if you really have empathy for you know, a low income consumer who has to decide whether or not to pay the electric bill or buy food for their family, then you really start to decide, okay, it's not that they need a product.

We need to come up with a solution to help them. And it's, that's that kind of feeling that we need to have.

Tim Hoskins: You know, one of the most popular things that we talk about with our clients-- and it usually happens at the front end of an initiative and then right before we're actually getting ready to take them through the story-- we sit down with everyone in the room and we talk about the power of narratives.

And narratives are formed and drive consumer behavior. But narratives are formed through stories. They're stories that we listen to every day or allow ourselves to listen to. They're stories that we seek out. They're stories that we actually tell others. Those stories at mass, create narratives that explain behavior.

But what's really important is, is that stories and narratives can be true or false, fact or fiction. But that doesn't matter. It's all about the context of how the consumer got there themselves or with others. And if we look at data, we look at insights, and we look at stories, we have to be able to do so in a way to where we see them as sacred, right?

Whether we agree with them or not, it's not to walk in and look at it and poke holes in it. It's this deep seeking to understand. And, you know, when we set the context in our presentations, it's a very interesting moment where, when somebody starts to ask a question or they start to think through things, once they've shifted their mindset into the power of narratives, then they start to look at the information from a whole different perspective. It's a challenge. It's not easy, right? Because we all have our biases and we bring them with us every day, but we have to leave those at the door and really be open minded to understand people as people.

Mark Reed-Edwards: People are people. It's a good thing to keep in mind as we stare at our computer screens all day long. Thanks for joining me for this great discussion, Brett and Tim. I really appreciate it. I'm assuming people can get "Insights on the Brink" on Amazon or any of the other online sources.

Brett Townsend: Yep, just go to Amazon and do a search for "Insights on the Brink" and you'll find it there, available both ebook and paperback. And we also have a link on our website at quester. com as well.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Awesome. Thanks, guys. We'll see you on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Links:

How To Love Your Customers So They Love You Back Jul 02, 2024

I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Welcome back to Confessions of a Marketer. This week, we have Ben Afia, who describes himself as a consultant, speaker, and author who's had his fill of cold corporate organizations treating their employees and customers like robots. So his mission is to make businesses more human.
And to that end, he has a new book out called The Human Business: How to Love Your Customers So They Love You Back. I've known Ben probably for about 15 years. We've worked together and he's been on this podcast a number of times.

Transcript

Ben, it's great to have you back.

Ben Afia: Thank you very much for having me on, Mark. It's a pleasure.

Mark Reed-Edwards: For those people out in the audience who don't know you, could you just sketch out your career history and how you came to write this book that I'm holding in my hands?

Ben Afia: So I started specializing in language at Boots, the chemist in the UK. In that role, I was working in brand strategy. And looking in particular at the voice of the brand and managing copywriting across the business. But I got made redundant about 20 years ago, decided it was time to go solo with a new baby on the way and about to move house, it was the perfect time to start a business. And so it turned out to be so my Boots colleagues went off to various places and encouraged me into companies like Eon, Barclays, Legal and General, and so my freelance career went from there. And I started as a copywriter specializing in brand tone of voice. But clients very quickly were asking me to extend that.
So we were looking at the language and this is the language that people might be using in the marketing team, writing communications, but also the language in customer service and throughout the business, indeed. And so we were asked to train people in writing skills, but also in spoken empathy skills.

So when the contact center people are on the phone with customers, they are speaking and then confirming things in writing. So that started to extend the work that we were doing. And very quickly, I realized that really what we were doing was change. So I started looking, this is probably 15, 16 years ago when we first worked together, probably thinking about how do we help this change to stick?

How do we get the right behaviors throughout an organization? And for me, the change really stems from the brand, from the brand strategy, your vision, purpose, values, behaviors. It's all an extension of the behavior on the front line. So that all of these things join up. And I ended up realizing that really I was working on three things.

I was looking at the culture or the employee experience. I was looking at the brand or the brand strategy. And I was also looking at the customer experience. So that's what I ended up trying to pull together in my book because I just needed to organize that thinking in a way that might make sense to the companies that I was working with.

And the insight that had come to me was that. Unless you align your culture and your brand, you can't possibly give the experience to customers that you hope. Or that they hope to receive because you end up promising through your marketing, things that you can't deliver through your service. And the only way to join those up is to align culture and brand.

Mark Reed-Edwards: And there's nothing more disappointing than to see some kind of marketing campaign that says, you know, our store is a great place to visit. And you go there and there's a disconnect between what you see in their marketing and what you experience. And so what you do is you kind of connect those two.

Ben Afia: Totally. A few years ago, I was running a workshop. I had 40 customer service people and the company, who will remain nameless for the moment, had just launched their new brand strategy. So they had a new strapline, a new campaign, and this had gone public. So I had 40 people in customer service in this workshop.

And I said, what do you think of your exciting new strategy? 40 faces just looked at me blankly. Nobody bothered to brief them. And this is the disconnect I'm talking about. You know, if you're going to send messages out to your customers, the first people they're going to talk to in your stores, in customer service, they need to know all about it.
They need to be briefed. They need to be trained. They need to be ready to deliver that service, to deliver that promise.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Many companies think of the brand as just a visual thing, right? So, we redesigned the website, we have a new logo. And maybe a new strap line or something, and maybe some new brand language, but that's kind of where it ends. And it's a top down procedure. I know when you and I worked together, I think about 15 years ago, that project, the verbal identity, tone of voice, rose out of us doing a revamp of the way the company looked.

And it became really evident that we needed to not just put a lick of paint on things, but to actually reengineer the way we talk to employees, the way employees talk to customers and partners and so forth. And that's when we called you in and it was maybe the most effective part of the brand revamp that we did because we had to go and enlist people.
When you ask people to talk differently, to use different language, you have to train them and you have to engage with them. And that's what we ended up doing. And I think maybe that's why that brand was more successful than it would have been otherwise.

Ben Afia: I think that's right because what happens when you ask people to talk differently or write differently is you're actually encouraging different behavior. Because really the speech is only a reflection of the underlying behavior. So the way I think about this is, and the way that I encourage change now is by recruiting a team of champions from throughout the business. So for example, I worked with Aldermore Bank in the UK, the mortgage business. They felt that they were delivering good service and their brokers and their customers were saying so, but they were getting complaints when they confirmed things in writing. And so by recruiting a team of champions, somebody representing every team in the customer journey, we were able to hear from the whole organization and sense and make the connections throughout the customer journey.

So from every touch point, every point of contact a customer experiences with the company, we can affect those and we can connect them up and align them. And what very quickly happens when you recruit this team of champions is they make connections and it reveals for them that there are problems in the process, that things aren't quite lining up in the process.

But of course this gives them the opportunity to fix it. So this is what I mean by changing behavior. It's the behavior of the organization, the systems and the processes. It's about redesigning them. So that rather than just trying to rewrite letters, which is, I suppose, what you might perceive a rebrand to do.

In fact, what we're doing is we're changing the systems, the processes, and therefore the culture. So to me, brand is absolutely, brand is the organization. I think Seth Godin said, "Marketing is everything a customer experiences." Well, a customer experience is everything that you do.

So we are all responsible for marketing. We are all responsible for the brand it runs throughout our organization. It's as much the responsibility of the legal team as the branding team. Operations, compliance, you know, whoever, are all making decisions that affect things that customers experience. So all of those people, we have to involve them.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, I mean the back end, how you sign up customers, how you sign up partners, the language you use in your contracts there are obviously some bits of language that you have to use. But you can make your contracts a bit more friendly. You can make the experience for the partner portal more friendly and have it match the experience you say people have with your company rather than just having what you say and what you do be separate things. It's integrating that brand because you know, as you say, the customer, or the partner, or, you know, the person off the street who just comes on your website, experiences the entire thing. They don't just experience your About Us page.
You know?

Ben Afia: No. And actually I was speaking to the chief exec of Aldermore Bank, who is now at Nationwide in the UK, last week. And he said that really it's about making the connection between the business's strategy and the frontline. And that's the thing that I think a lot of executive teams struggle to do. How do you help people on the frontline to understand the direction and adopt the values and behaviors that you're hoping to encourage? And there's often a big gap. Sometimes you can go to some of the big consultancies and they give you PowerPoint decks of strategy and cultural frameworks. But they don't help you to implement it.

They don't help you to drive it through the business and help everyone absorb and feel ownership for that behavior. So that's where I really focus: taking the strategy and translating that into things that people on the front line will understand, and therefore the messages will get out to customers and you get that consistency between strategy and execution to use a bit more jargon.

Mark Reed-Edwards: It's a real thing. That's, that's what's so amazing about it. You know, when you train or when you enlist those frontline workers, even earlier in the process, you know, to get their opinion on certain things, it pays dividends. It's not wasted effort. But it can be hard to do.

So I kind of want to go through the three parts of your book. And it's broken up into create your employee experience, build a better brand strategy, and energize your customer experience. Before we get into that, did you structure this in kind of a linear fashion? So you need to create your employee experience, and then once you've done that, you can build a better brand strategy and then energize your customer experience?

Or can this happen in any order? And then we can dig into the three parts.

Ben Afia: Yeah, it's a great question. And the model took a lot of thought actually, and months and months toing and froing. And I remember discussing it with a strategist friend of mine who said, "It's in the wrong order. Surely you start with the customer." And he's right, of course, we do start with the customer.

So where might the symptoms show up? Where might the problems occur that this might be a solution to? Well, it will tend to be in customer service. So it will be at the last stage, the last section of the book and the model because your symptoms might be you're getting complaints or escalated complaints to the chief exec are on the rise.

It might be that your sales are falling. It might be that your customer attention is dropping or your loyalty measures. So it's going to be at the customer end that you're feeling the pain because those things ultimately have an impact on your cost base and your profitability. So that's when you're going to feel the pain.

And often a company will go, "Clearly we need to sort out our customer letters." And they'll see that as a customer letter project. I absolutely believe in starting where the pain is because I find, you know, this can be quite an involved process. It can take some time and it needs some commitment of time, money and leadership. So we need to build the business case internally in order to be able to. You know, get permission to do this work. So I tend to start where there's pain and work to solve that, to have a, to find some quick wins, you know, fairly rapidly, but the reason the model is laid out in that, in, in that order is because the source of knowledge, the source of intelligence within the organization is your people. I genuinely believe that most answers are already within your people. So if we start with the cultural, the employee experience, we are doing what I think of as exploring times that we've been at our best in the past. And this is an approach called "appreciative inquiry" that I've been using for probably the last 10, 12 years.

And when we explore these stories of times we've been at our best --and we do this in interviews, in workshops--we find that people have a huge amount in common. It's fantastic team building, but it also gives us brilliant stories that give us evidence for how the organization is at its best. And from these stories, we then have a sense of the values, the behaviors, the things that we valued in common from these best past experiences, and that gives us a fantastic platform to make any change that we need. So I use this exploration to develop all elements of brand strategy because it gives us evidence.

It gives us truth from within the organization. But if we're looking to refresh. Anything around the customer experience. So the letters, the emails, the web pages --anything around the customer journey, again, if we start from what we like at our best, then whatever we create at the customer experience end is going to be authentic.

It's going to match the organization's ability to deliver. This is coming back to this point about making the promise and being able to deliver on it. So that's the reason these are in the order. Start with understanding what you're like at your best. That's your culture. Express that in your brand, and then you get onto the experience and making that human connection with customers.

Mark Reed-Edwards: There was a CEO of HCL Technologies back in 2010, published a book called "Employees First, Customers Second, turning conventional management upside down." His name was Vineet Nair. And it was kind of a startling idea to put your employees first, but it worked very well for them. And it seems like that's what you're doing here.
So let's look at part one of your book, Create Your Employee Experience, and you divided it into six parts. Can you just briefly go through how that works?

Ben Afia: Absolutely. So we've got I guess within employee experience, we've got five elements. So your heartbeat, alignment, values and behaviors and engagement. So what I mean by heartbeat is feeling the beating heart of the organization. So this is the process I've just described: understanding what you're like at your best, getting people telling these stories of times that they've been at their best at work. Through this, you hear things that give you really genuine language that you can then use to develop your values, your behaviors. Quite often, I mean, in businesses, I'm sure your listeners will recognize, you know, when you see values posters on the walls and these really generic corporate words, you know, they're just on the walls, aren't they? They're not the actual behavior that's going on through the organization. So for me, for this, stuff to work, you need to get to something really genuine and different. And that's what the heartbeat is about.

It's feeling the pulse of the organization. And when people tell you those stories, you get really human language coming through and that language gives us clues as to the sorts of words that we can use for our values and behaviors. And that makes it a down to earth, practical, authentic framework. The second step is alignment, and that's about aligning leadership. So when I start a project now, rather than say, starting in operations or marketing to look at a specific problem, I try and encourage the organization to align the people director, brand director, and operations director from the start and then take the message to the wider leadership, because we are absolutely talking about the culture throughout the organization.

So the whole of the exec team needs to be involved and your leadership team. The next stages are turning those stories of times we've been at our best into values that feel really authentic. And then a behavior framework, and this is very different from a competency framework, which should be banished now, I think competency is about measuring people for progression. Whereas for me, behavior is about encouraging the behavior that we want to see that stems from our values. So the values and the behaviors are kind of the guiding lights, if you like.

And of course, every organization has values. Sometimes they have behavior frameworks. Certainly the larger organizations I work with tend to, but quite often the values feel a bit flat. And so these stories of times we've been into our best are brilliant for bringing these to life and giving more color to them.

And what that does for people on the frontline is it helps them to connect with them. And to feel that they're true, because in my experience, training people, you know, people won't change behavior unless they believe that this is the reality that they live within. And then the last stage is engaging the rest of the organization. And again, appreciative inquiry helps us to do that, to reach out throughout the organization.

And as you were saying a moment ago, getting everybody on board and engaged in the change. For me, it's about encouraging people across the organization to feel like they're in partnership in creating the kind of organization that they love to work with, love to work for, and to be a part of that process. So that's the first step employee experience.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, and the way you describe it, it provides a perfect kind of launching point or foundation for the second part, which is Build a Better Brand Strategy, because you've enlisted the employees. And they're, they're then invested in it. They're part of it. They're not just told, "Oh, here's the new brand."

Ben Afia: Totally. We talked about brand being deep throughout the organization. My view is very strongly that brand is everybody's responsibility. We all own brand. We all are part of the brand. We all contribute to the brand, even though we may not have the job title. So if we start from within, from the employee experience that then yet mobilizes the organization. So then when you create your brand strategy, which I guess is the marketing jargon, isn't it for, I guess, a series of decisions about: Who are we trying to speak to? That's our audience. Why do we exist in the world? What do we set out to do? That's our purpose. How do we want people to think of us when we're not in the room? That's positioning. How do we express that? So that's our personality or identity. And then only at the end of that comes voice, the tone of voice of that expression, and this is, I suppose, a slightly different take on brand strategy.

All the big agencies have got their fancy models, haven't they? I can remember when I was at Boots, actually, we had a brand funnel and the brand funnel had pillars and I was. I'm still to this day, I mean, this is over 20 years...

Mark Reed-Edwards: Mixded metaphors, huh?

Ben Afia: Yeah. If you're going to use a model, you know, if you're gonna use something visual to help people grasp an idea, don't mix those metaphors.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah.

Ben Afia: And there were just so many words that seemed almost disconnected in a way. So this is why these stories at times were our best, are so important because that gives us the language to tie all of these things together. So the audience bit is about understanding who we're trying to speak to and we need insights. You know, classical marketing is to gather insight on the market and create a product or service to fulfill a need that we've identified.

But if we do that alone, often we end up ignoring the culture that has to deliver. That products or service. So that's why we start from within for me. And then the other elements slot into place as you need them. So I suppose there's three sections to the model and these 15 segments, actually, each of them has a chapter in the book and they are all projects that clients have asked me to do for them at some time in the past. So this is all based on work that I've done for clients. But no one company needs all of these 15 things. They might need one thing or they might need three or four.

So the idea behind the model is that we can pick and choose. We could acknowledge the things that already exist within the organization. You know, I mentioned values in the last bit. Most organizations have values. Sometimes they want to refresh them. So we might need, we might be able to leave the values alone for now, or we might want to refresh them, check that they still resonate and create stories to bring them to life.

So there's nuance to this. It's not saying you have to do all these 15 things by any means. And, and quite often, if your pain is in the customer experience end and it's your touch points, it's your customer letters, for example, you might go, "Well, actually under the brand strategy section, the place to focus is the tone of voice. You know, if we've got our positioning nailed and we've got our personality down, it might just need expressing in tone of voice. So we just pick the bits that we need.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So let's talk about customer experience. You create the employee experience, you build a better brand strategy, and you've got a foundation for the customer experience. I love, I don't know whether you intended it to be funny, but the journey, "What are you putting your customers through?" kind of made me chuckle.
You know, because sometimes the journey that, that companies put their customers through is, is not, it may be intentionally, but usually unintentionally painful. There's something in that journey. And I think we referenced it earlier, you know, maybe it's the contract, maybe it's the portal you have to sign up for and you don't get the email or the email that you get back is unclear.

There are a lot of bumps in the journey that Often arise because, well, you know, one group builds the portal and another group writes the copy and then there's someone else who comes in and does the visual and they're not talking to each other or the technology is outdated and, you know, they feel like they're stuck with it.
There's all kinds of reasons that that happened. But nonetheless, it affects that customer journey and it's the first item under "Energize your Customer Experience." So can you tell me about that?

Ben Afia: It's something that larger companies tend to spend quite a lot of time and effort working on because they are quite complex. But as companies are, you know, startups to scale ups, it can be a bit more patchy. Because as organizations grow, they tend to become inwardly focused. We tend to focus on the problems and the issues that we're solving internally, and you end up getting this level of conversation that's quite inwardly focused.

And this is normal. I think this is just human. And in fact, when, when I was growing my business 10 years ago and I had five employees and 20 freelancers, we spent a lot of time talking about how we were working internally as a team and we could have been spending more time focusing on our customers. So every organization goes through this. It's something to do with growth.

And so for me, the journey is about understanding what's going on for your customers and then matching their expectations, their needs. And that can be really difficult because within the organization, we're inwardly focused, but we're also technical experts. We know our subject matter and we have what Steven Pinker calls "the curse of knowledge." I think he uses the analogy of a brick wall. So when we start in our professions and we're at the basics, let's say we've just left university or, you know, we start as a junior marketing role and learning the basics of marketing . The lower bricks of a brick wall are those fundamental areas of knowledge. And then as we become more experienced, we lay more layers of bricks and this, this wall goes higher and higher and higher and higher. And as we become more and more expert, our focus is on the top rows of bricks of knowledge. And we lose sight of the bricks at the bottom.

We're no longer conscious of them. They're propping up our expertise, but we're not conscious of that level of knowledge. The thing is that our customers are at that lower level of knowledge and we're at this higher level. And so the language and the framing that we use in, within the organization is at an expert level, but our customers experience it at a non expert level. So for me, it's a level of translation. It's: how do we look at this journey from the perspective of customers so that we experience it through their eyes? And that's really quite challenging actually. It's quite difficult. I'm just starting work with a startup and they're growing rapidly and they haven't gone through this journey mapping process yet.
And this is going to be my first job. I'm joining as head of CX and the first task is to map the current journey that customers go through to understand how customers are feeling at the moment, at each point, at each touch point, and then the second part of this, this journey. Section of my model, empathy is about defining how we want customers to feel at each point.

So you can map the journey and then say how we would like customers to feel only when you've decided how you want customers to feel. And I also talk in the book about we want, you know, what do we want them to think and what do we want them to do? But to me, those things are quite obvious. It's the empathy part.
How do we want people to feel that in business we so often miss out on? And because of this internal focus, we just lose sight of how customers could be feeling and how they really are. So we map the journey, we work at how we want them to feel. The third stage is then to refresh all our touch points. So we can look at the advertising, all of the marketing material, the website, all the FAQs, the signup, the letters, the emails, so the whole process.

In a complex business, you have lots and lots of communications, especially in a service business. And which is where a lot of my experiences is in. But refreshing all of those touch points is crucial for (A.) making customers happy, (B.) encouraging them to come back and buy more from us , (C.) to refer their friends.

And this is how we grow a business, isn't it? We win customers, we keep them coming back and we get them to refer their friends. So this is where the benefits come through and lead to profitability. And then the last two stages are training and coaching, which is about how we then embed that within the organization.

So for me, it's about training people in the written skills, in the spoken skills, in other skills that lead to customer experience. But the coaching one is maybe unusual. And for me, this is about developing a coaching culture. So most organizations in their customer service will have a QA or quality assurance framework, and that'll be quite legalistic in its tone.
And this is how you're measuring people on those calls. And that can be quite debilitating actually, because the language can be quite fierce. So for me, I'm trying to encourage a coaching style where rather than pure measurement, we are trying to encourage people and encourage the right behavior and free themselves to be more themselves at work, to give more of themselves, to the business and the companies, to help them feel safe, encouraged, supported, and to thrive. And only that way, and you see how we come full circle from the employee experience, only that way, do you have happy people who can do more and that gives you happy customers who buy more.

Mark Reed-Edwards: It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? I mean, it just seems logical to me. There's one word that you used, and it's, it's the heading for one of the, one of the parts in here is empathy. And that has to be genuine.

Ben Afia: Absolutely, I think you can only deliver this through your staff, through your people and people who don't feel genuinely cared for, can't care for your customers. So you're absolutely right. You can't show empathy unless you feel it. And you're not feeling if you're shut down, if you're in flight and fight response, if you're feeling threatened all the time and measured against legalistic frameworks. So it's about creating an environment where people thrive and pass that thriving on to customers. I mean, it's a cliche. But Apple, I think, are the masters of this. When you go into an Apple store or when you're on customer, onto customer service on the phone it sometimes feels like you're the only person in the world.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Hmm.

Ben Afia: So that person in that moment, and how often does that happen in customer experience? It's, it's incredibly rare. But I remember the chief exec of Timpson's, which is a chain of key cutters and cobblers in the UK, which has quite a strong ethical stance and recruits a lot of people out of prisons because they believe in giving people a second chance. And I can't quite remember the whole interview, but one thing that struck me was that the staff's happiness was absolutely paramount because, and it's the manager's job to make sure that the store managers are happy, because if they're not happy, customers aren't going to be happy. And it sounds counterintuitive. You know, if you talk to a chief finance officer about staff happiness, they might look at you with bemusement. But Timpsons was saying that the stores led by the happiest people deliver in the most profit.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah.

Ben Afia: And that just seems astonishing to me.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, but it makes sense. You get a feel for a store or a business. I had an executive I worked with now 30 something years ago and he made a startling statement, he said, we should all have fun. And I thought, really, you know, you're supposed to have fun at work? But he was right, you know, why would you want to go into work unless you were having fun, unless you were enjoying what you were doing, the people you worked with and the work you did and that it has meaning, having a genuine smile on your face.

And I remember that John Lennon quote, attributed to him, that sincerity is important--once you've got that faked, you're all set. You really can't fake it. You can't really fake empathy. You can't really fake elements of your brand because the truth will be known when the customers experience you.

Ben Afia: Absolutely. I've been looking for some services just recently, some coaching services. And I've been looking at companies that have been suggested to me. And in this particular space, there are companies where they don't give you the names of any human beings in the organization. So this is an organization that's offering coaching, but they're not giving you the faces and the names of human beings.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah.

Ben Afia: I then found another organization and all of the staff have got photos and bios on the website. And there are videos, you can hear them talk. I was like, I'm buying from this company.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah. Well, they've got a face. They've got names. They've got a personality, right? And I've experienced the same things with some clients . When you go to their website and it's a people business, a consulting business. And you don't see any names or photos of people, you just see, here's what we do, like it or lump it, you know. You need some personality in this world because that's what can distinguish you.

Ben Afia: Maybe I'm just skeptical, but when I see websites like that with, with no humans, I'm immediately thinking the shareholders are just grooming that business for sale.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, right. Yeah.

Ben Afia: They're all, they're all commercial and no heart. And why would I buy from a company like that?

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, yeah.

Ben Afia: It makes no sense.

Mark Reed-Edwards: But the funny thing is that put some names and faces on there and you're going to sell the business probably for a higher multiple.

Ben Afia: Exactly. Totally.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, Ben, this was great. Can people go to Amazon and get this book, or benafia.com, what's the best way to pick it up?

Ben Afia: Yeah. So on my website, yeah, benafia.com/book is where you find the book and you can get a free chapter to get a sense for it. And on Amazon, if you just Google Ben Afia, and Afia is A-F-I-A, my name should come up. It's in the UK, in the US, across the world, and it's available now in paperback and Kindle. I still have to upload the hardback.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, wonderful. Well, Ben, thanks so much for joining me. This has been a great discussion.

Ben Afia: Thanks for having me on. Always a pleasure, Mark.

Mark Reed-Edwards: We'll see you on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Add the Bravery Trick to Your Marketing Toolkit Jun 11, 2024

Mark Reed-Edwards: My guest on Confessions of a Marketer today is Ed Evarts—author of The Bravery Trick: Four Ways to Say Hard Things. The book has been praised by scholar Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School as untangling the behavior of bravery in ways that allow us to move forward. The Bravery Trick is available on Amazon.

Ed is the founder and president of Excellius Leadership Development, which focuses on helping its clients build awareness of how others experience them in the workplace so they can manage that experience effectively. He’s written two other books and is host of the Be Brave at Work podcast.

If you're wondering what bravery has to do with marketing, well, everything, really.

So be brave and keep listening. I've also known Ed for longer than I'd care to admit, but it's great to have him here. Ed, welcome.

Ed Evarts: Thank you, Mark. I think we met when we were toddlers, or at least.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, preschool. Yeah. But anyway, we won't go into that. Could you tell me a bit about your career and what led you to found Excellius?

Ed Evarts: So I spent a number of years post college working in retail and worked for a number of local New England retailers, Jordan Marsh, Filene's and Lechmere, who are all gone. I left retailing in 1998 and began working at a records management company called Iron Mountain. I was at Iron Mountain for almost 10 years.

I got laid off from Iron Mountain in 2008 and was at a juncture in my life where I really didn't want to work for a company any longer. And so I spent that summer networking and talking with people about how to start your own business, which for somebody who had been employed with others for my whole career, I had no idea how to start my own business and what to focus on.

So I did that that summer. And then in the fall of 2008, decided to open up my own practice, which at first I called Evart's Coaching because I wanted people to know who I was and what I was doing. And then two to three years later converted it to Excellius Leadership Development.

Mark Reed-Edwards: It's funny how layoffs can have a catalytic effect on your life, not just economically, but sometimes success can come out of the hardest points in your life.

Ed Evarts: Well, I have built a new relationship with the person who laid me off at iron mountain. And just to tell that story quickly: my performance review was late and this boss called me and said, "Ed, I'm ready to give you your performance review. Can you come to my office at four o'clock today?" And I said, "Sure."

So I was excited to get my performance review. I went into her office and I sat down and she said, "In reality, Ed, I'm not here to give you your performance review. I'm here to let you know that we've made a decision to eliminate your role at the company." So for that day and for a few years following it, it was the worst day of my professional career.

And I can say with all honesty, Mark, 16 years later, it was the best day of my professional career because they kicked me out and I had to make some decisions, which I was not anticipating needing to make. And it just opened up a whole slew of opportunities. And I joke, I think today I'd still be at Iron Mountain if I didn't get kicked out.

And so to your point, it was you know, a great, great opportunity that at first felt horrible.

Mark Reed-Edwards: I have a similar story, which we won't go into, because this is all about you, Ed. So, I'd love you to share the story about your podcast, Be Brave at Work.

Ed Evarts: So I would say about five years ago, I had coffee with a colleague that I worked with at Lechmere, I think 20 years previously. And so when I left Lechmere, this person and I did not stay in contact at all. And then when I left Iron Mountain in 2008, we began connecting virtually. And so said hi on LinkedIn and checked in on LinkedIn.

And I think about 10 years after that, he said, let's go get a coffee, let's catch up and hear what's going on in our careers. So we met for a cup of coffee at the proverbial Starbucks in Waltham and we were updating each other on our careers. And he told me he was starting a podcast production company.

And I said something innocent, like, "Wow, I've always wanted to start a podcast." And he said, "Gee, Ed, what would it be on?" And I said, I really believe without missing a beat, "I think I'd want to talk about being brave at work."

And so that wonderful colleague who I met and who sparked this idea of being brave at work is none other than the great Mark Reed-Edwards.

Mark Reed-Edwards: No, that's me?

Ed Evarts: That's you.

Mark Reed-Edwards: That was a really interesting conversation that we had, because it was, quite innocently, it was just a couple of people who hadn't seen each other in 20 something years, just grabbing coffee and updating them. And it shows the value of meeting face to face and just having conversations with no pretext and what can come from that.

Out of the conversation rose Be Brave at Work.

Ed Evarts: Yeah. And it was a great combination, Mark, between your sincerity and interest in helping me kick off a podcast and making it work, and my commitment and interest in doing it, that led me to host almost 270 conversations with business leaders and professors and many average everyday people on bravery at work that ultimately led me to author the book that you mentioned earlier that came out in May of this year called The Bravery Trick. So all of that started with this innocuous, innocent little cup of coffee at a Starbucks.

Mark Reed-Edwards: And was the book something that was kind of percolating as you were producing episode 50, or was it something that when you got through all 270 or whatever it is that you thought out of that, I should be able to get a book. When when did the book start rising up as an idea?

Ed Evarts: So I don't know at what podcast the idea started to generate, but I did have one of those moments where I said, "You know, there's a book here. I'm hearing similar theories and philosophies and experiences from real people in the real world." So this isn't stuff I just sat back and created in the, you know, the confines of my office, but in listening to people and their experiences and the regret that they felt not saying something that was hard to say or doing something that was hard to do that I thought could result in a book.
I'm a big fan of the number three. And so, as you mentioned I needed a third book in order to satisfy my need to do things in threes, and so this became the recent book.

Mark Reed-Edwards: And the book is fascinating. I got it over the weekend. And I'm interested as I page through it, there is a section on Reasons to be Brave. Can you go into that and share a bit about the reasons we should be brave?

Ed Evarts: When I wrote the book, Mark, I really wanted to write it in a way that can connect with everyday, average people. I didn't want it to be too professorial or 800 pages, but I wanted it to be kind of a simple, easy to understand, easy to read, overview of ideas and suggestions on how you could be brave at work.
And there are an innumerable number of benefits that we lose or don't take advantage of for ourselves by not being brave at work. So for example, in the book, I talk a little bit about spiritual development that by being brave at work and saying something that's hard to say to a colleague or doing something that might be hard to do can actually help you feel better because you get it out of your head and out of your system.

It might be something that's stressing you out or making you feel uncomfortable. And if you never do anything about it, it might cause you to make bad decisions. So there's a spiritual development that can happen by saying something to a colleague that can be helpful to them. There's also mental development, right?

So, saying something that may be hard to say or doing something that may be hard to do helps build your mental capacity as a leader. We all want to be effective, impactful leaders and yet we can't get there unless we're doing things that help us grow and evolve. And, you know, I love and I mentioned in the book a quote from former first lady Michelle Obama who said, "Through my education, I didn't just develop skills, I didn't just develop my ability to learn, I developed confidence."

And so there's this ability mentally to be more confident with what you do and who you are. And then the last benefit is physical development. That there's this whole brain arena that I touch on quickly but don't go into great detail that allows certain things in your brain to work in a way that helps you grow and develop.

So it helps you physically be brave at work. It helps you spiritually and it helps you mentally say things respectfully and professionally at all times to a colleague, friend, a next door neighbor, a family member, whoever it might be in ways that help them.

Mark Reed-Edwards: But are there things that an organization, a company, can do to encourage bravery? To encourage me as an employee going to my manager with an idea that could help the company. In some cases that dynamic between the employee and the manager is fraught because the employee is afraid to raise his or her hand to make a suggestion because it might get shot down, you know, even though the employee might think it's a great idea.

Ed Evarts: You're dead on. And one of the obstacles that currently exists to being brave at work is: does our culture recognize it or honor it? And if I work in an organization where raising my hand and making a suggestion is not well received or is not honored or respected, my likelihood for doing it even if I want to do it is diminished. And so in the book I talked a little bit about the fact that being brave at work is a two way street.

I need to have the skills and capabilities to say what I need to say or do what I need to do in a very helpful and respectful way. But I need to know that the other person is going to receive it well. If I wanted to tell you something, Mark, that I think is hard to say, or I'm not sure if you're going to receive it well, but we have a great relationship, you know that I want to help you, I'm motivated to help you, your likelihood for listening and participating in that is significantly more likely than if you're not that way, right?

That if I think it's just going to fall on deaf ears and won't make a difference. So the culture we exist in is significant, and ironically, the person you mentioned at the start of the podcast, Amy Edmondson, Is an expert--global expert--on something called psychological safety, which is this arena or culture we create where I can be who I need to be professionally and respectfully.

But if I'm at a meeting and I need you to repeat something or I need to make a recommendation that's controversial, I can do it without feeling judged or belittled or get, you know, people getting defensive or argumentative. So the culture we create is super important to ensure people can be brave at work.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So, yeah, boy, it's such a big topic in marketing, I think, which is where I've made my living because we're always trying to come up with ideas, be creative or present data that may not be what our superiors want to hear. So I'm going to encourage everybody I know in marketing to pick up this book.
So can you share a bit about the Bravery Trick Model?

Ed Evarts: I can, but before we go there, Mark, I'm just curious as you talk about individuals who focus on marketing or have a career in marketing, do you believe that all of them have opportunities to be braver, to say something that might be hard to say, or do something that might be hard to do --respectfully and professionally at all times?

But I mean, do you think these opportunities exist out there for people who focus on marketing?

Mark Reed-Edwards: Oh yeah. And I mean, in my area, it's all about ideas. So when I present a concept, sometimes you're maybe a little hesitant to say, well, here's my real idea.
You're trying to gauge what the reception would be for an outlandish idea. And so maybe you go with a safe option.

Ed Evarts: Yeah, I am not an expert in marketing, but based on my expertise in bravery, I have to believe that marketing and the activity of marketing, especially this model of idea creation requires bravery constantly, that you constantly...

Mark Reed-Edwards: Mm hmm.

Ed Evarts: ...have to say, "wow, great idea. This is going to be very interesting or controversial.

How do I present it? How do I share it with others? What way can I engage others in respect to adopting this idea or at least considering it, right? How do I make it a candidate for something that we want to do?"

Mark Reed-Edwards: It requires bravery to press send on an email campaign. It requires bravery to push a website live after you've totally renovated a website. It requires bravery for me as, you know, someone who makes a living as a writer, sometimes to send a draft to a client. But, but you do those things as a matter of course, maybe you don't even think that it's brave to do that.

Ed Evarts: Yeah, I think a lot of times we do things that others think require bravery and we ourselves don't. Or required a ton of bravery that people think were easy to do. So bravery is complex in respect to its existence in the workplace. And again, I hope people find time to purchase the book and think about some ideas.

And I want to go back to the question you asked earlier, which was the bravery trick model. So based on the feedback that I heard from the people I interviewed in the podcast, we also did a survey of the marketplace in respect to bravery as it exists in the workplace. My own experiences being a corporate leader for 20 plus years, and my relationship with clients for the last 16 years in all different industries at all different levels.

You know, the model is essentially made up of four areas, which is Practice, Presence, Future Focus, and Flexibility. If you practice what it is that you want to say, that you're very present at the meeting, and ensure the person knows that you're all in on what it is that you're talking about, that you focus on the future, you focus on where you're going, not where you've been, and you're flexible with the outcomes and decisions and next steps, your likelihood for being brave at work is increased.

Mark Reed-Edwards: The thing that I like about the book is that it's really easy to follow. So as you said, you know, it's not a 400 page treatise on bravery. It's a really approachable, well organized book. So I recommend people go out and get it on Amazon right now. Finally, and maybe this is where marketing and bravery intersect: what's the experience of marketing and launching a book? That took some bravery, I would think, right?

Ed Evarts: I don't know if it took bravery. It certainly took diligence but yeah, I mean, you know, bravery again is very hard to define and very hard to understand what again might have been a brave thing for me. You know, there are some people who going to a networking event is bravery for them. It's very hard to walk into a room with people they've never met and interact.

And many people don't even do it because of that reason. For me, I could walk in and, next thing, you know, I've got 10 new best friends. So it's a no brainer, but you know, I think it's diligence and persistence. I think all books need to have some type of model or premise that you're operating around that you want to share.

Everything I write, Mark is designed to educate and help others. And that's why it's written in the way that it's written. I've been a big fan of business books throughout my career. I've read a million business books, and the ones I remember most, and the ones that I'm most attracted to and go back to, are the ones that are simply written, right?

They're written by people for people. And they're, again, they're not this 400 page, you know, encyclopedia type book on whatever topic it is that you're reading. Like you, I hope folks have an opportunity to read it and walk away with one or two ideas that they can integrate into their style that will help them be braver at work.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, it's great, Ed, and it's great reconnecting with you after a while. I hope the, the book continues to do well, and I wish you luck in the future. Thanks for joining me.

Ed Evarts: Thanks, Mark. It's been great chatting with you.

Mark Reed-Edwards: We'll see you on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

How to succeed on Amazon in 2024 Apr 16, 2024

Robyn Johnson, CEO and founder of Marketplace Blueprint, is with us on this episode of Confessions of a Marketer.

She has been heralded as one of the country's foremost leaders on the topic of selling and marketing products on Amazon.com.

And she has the distinction of being on the episode that kept this podcast going even while we were on hiatus, with hundreds of downloads and listens every month since we went on ice about three years ago.

TRANSCRIPT

Mark Reed-Edwards: Thanks for joining me today.

Robyn Johnson: It's my pleasure, and I think it's awesome that I can help you be here as we reopen things. And Amazon has changed so much. Dog years are, you know, one year is every seven years. I feel like Amazon every one year is 10 years.

Mark Reed-Edwards: That's for sure. I mean, think back three years ago, we were in the middle of the pandemic still. And the world was kind of getting used to using more and more technology. So Amazon had a huge boom as a result of that, along with the other tools that we all use every day.

So the world is definitely different from when you and I talked three years ago. I'm sure things have happened in your life that are make you different. Can you share a bit of your background and what you do at Marketplace Blueprint?

Robyn Johnson: Yeah, so I've been eating, sleeping, breathing Amazon for about 13 years now. We started as sellers, took a hundred dollars, grew our business to a million dollars in just a couple of years and primarily on Amazon. And after that, we coached a lot of other high volume Amazon sellers. This was when it was the wild wild west. You could do anything. People were taking apart food and repackaging it in very unsafe ways. We didn't do that, but there were a lot of people who were. And then about seven years ago, eight years ago, we started the agency called Marketplace Blueprint.

And in that agency, we specialize only on Amazon. So we don't do Facebook, no Meta, no Google. We only do Amazon. And the reason for that is because everything in Amazon is integrated. So to work on your SEO for Amazon, you have to coordinate with ads, compliance, inventory management, and negative customer experiences.

All of those need to be integrated to make sure that you get the best mileage out of your ad dollar on Amazon. And also that you don't get stuck with a bunch of fees or being unable to sell at all.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So every company that makes a product, pretty much, thinks they need to be on Amazon. How do you decide on whether Amazon is in fact the right forum for your products?

Robyn Johnson: So I will say that there are some products that Amazon is not a good fit for. Amazon works best on repeatable products, products that are going to be consistent. There is a space for custom products. We have a custom dog tag company that we've been working with for a long time that was on Shark Tank.

They do very, very well. You can do custom items, but one of a kind things that are not repeatable, those don't do as well because Amazon's algorithm is really designed for is you have to really be able to repeat that sale over and over again. Now, the things that have changed is it used to be, you know, field of dreams.

If you build it, they will come, you know, you just put a garlic press. press on there and you stick a label on it and it would sell. Those days are dying if they're not already dead. You really need something that will bring some unique value, so it fixes a problem or it solves a need in some way that's unique to others.

Or you need to have very, very deep pockets. You can still launch a garlic press, but to get it to where you're going to get those significant organic sales, you're going to need to invest a ton of money in ads and be willing to go into the negative for a period of time if it's a really competitive or commoditized product.

And then the other thing is we need to balance how much search volume is there for your product. So if Lego launches. anything, Lego will immediately get sales because Lego has such a loyal brand following.

Now, if I launch a new product with a new brand, I will not get those immediate sales because people aren't already looking.

So there's several tools that can help you look at that. And then the other thing we want to look at is-- especially with D to C. Sometimes D to C companies will come to us and want to take their product on Amazon. They've been very successful with D to C. One thing I want you to think about, if that's you, is when you're driving traffic from Meta to your website people are only seeing your product.

So if you have a higher than average price for your industry, the difference is when you come to Amazon, your competitors are going to be centimeters away from your product. And so that means if you have poor reviews, if you have a much higher price and you can't really isolate and crystallize why your product is so much more expensive,
it can be difficult for you to be successful on Amazon because the lower cost, higher reviewed items are going to be right side by side with you. I don't know if that helps.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, it's kind of interesting. All this direct consumer stuff, like Flex Tape or something that you see the ads for, they kind of existed in their own universe. And often when you see an ad like that you might Google it or go on to Amazon and search for that type of product.

And then, if that direct to consumer is playing in Amazon, you're going to see the alternatives. So maybe you know, a box of FlexTape is $12.99, but the competitor, or the Amazon Basics version is $9.50. You know, you go for the cheaper version. That's pretty much what you're saying, right?

Robyn Johnson: Yeah. And on the converse of that, so, it can be good to have your product on Amazon, even if you don't plan to focus on that channel and just do some branded search, make sure your product comes up for your brand. I have this little ADHD timer that I use and I saw an ad on Twitter or X and I went to go to Amazon to buy it. But it wasn't on Amazon so I bought a competitor. Sometimes you can lose that, but if I had gone and the one that they were trying to sell me was 27 and the other one was 999 and I could see they were the same, they still would have lost that conversion. So if you're close, it can be good to have a presence.

If you are going to be sold in retail stores , it can be even more important to make sure you're the one that creates the listing on Amazon so that you have control, that your brand registered. So that if you do decide you want to make Amazon a primary channel going forward, you don't have a lot of cleanup from resellers creating listings with any
false information that could also potentially get you into compliance or legal issues.

Mark Reed-Edwards: I think one of the big evolutions in the three years since you and I chatted last is how big Amazon has gotten as an advertising medium. Can you speak to that? How big are they? They obviously have a massive reach. And how do they determine where those ads show up?
Is it contextual? Are they driven by keywords? How does it work?

Robyn Johnson: Well, and you know, ads on Amazon used to be very simple, with keyword targeting, there really was only one placement, there really was no creative. But now Amazon has been adding more and more advertising product types. So this means there is more room for creative, there is a lot more granularity. And before, you know, I'll be honest, six, seven years ago, you could have been very successful just with an automatic campaign. And there are some select instances where you still can, but you're not going to get the same lift as if you have a really strategic thought out ad strategy.

You know, and the biggest mistake that people make on Amazon when it comes to ads is, let's say you have a clothing line and you're trying to get some more traction on your Amazon sales. If you have a finite amount, let's say you only have. 3, 000, 2, 000, you know, you can be successful with a small amount but you, let's say you have 5, 000 a month for, you know, 20 SKUs, a lot of times people will spread that budget out equally, and really what we want to do is we want to target that ad spend on a small number of SKUs, a small number of targets, whether that be keyword, demographic, category, competitor targeting, and really focus on trying to get those ads to cause conversions for that specific product. And the reason we want to do that is we want to try to cause enough conversions where the product starts to rank organically in the first five to ten positions because the best place to hide a dead body is still page two of Amazon search.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Ha, ha, ha.

Robyn Johnson: Before I would usually say like 25 results could fit on a page. Now on a competitive search term, you know, above the fold, you you might only see two or three organic ones. So there might be only 10 organic spots on the entire front page. That means that you really do need to cause those conversions. And when you're looking at your ads, Amazon provides an advertising cost of sale, which is kind of like the inverse of ROAS. But what we want to do is we want to really look at the equivalent of TROAS, which is TACoS.
And you know you've been doing Amazon too much when you see an ad for tacos and you immediately think ads and you have to recorrect yourself for the delicious snack. But TACoS will really tell you how your ads are impacting organic because that's really more than incremental sales. To maximize your profitability on Amazon we need to, of course, be looking at return on investment for each of those ads, but we want to see how that return on investment is increasing organic ranking because that was where you can start to bring back in some of that cost and increase profitability overall. So when it comes to Amazon, it's kind of like disciplining children, pick your battles, but win your battles at all costs.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So for the uninitiated, can you tell me what TACoS is? Because I'm uninitiated on that.

Robyn Johnson: So it's Total Advertising Cost of Sale. ACOS looks at, you know kind of what percentage of your ad revenue. TACoS looks at all of the revenue and the reason it's helpful is it tells us, you know, not just, you know, because sometimes what was we had a company where a specific campaign had like a 43 percent top ACoS, which is not good.
You know, we really want to keep that 20 to 30. But when we looked at the TACoS, because even though that conversion rate was a little bit more expensive, the conversions that were happening took them on a very important primary keyword from page three or four to being the second organic result.

So those ads were helping kind of feed the engine that kept them at the top of the page, if that made sense.

Mark Reed-Edwards: One of the other pieces of news is that Amazon is now selling ads on Prime Video, and I'm wondering is there a connection between those ads and advertising on Amazon itself?

Robyn Johnson: Yes, Amazon's offering a lot of sponsored TV, sponsored display, and they're beginning to test these. And a lot of times they even have no minimum budget. So, there's a lot of availability to kind of test and play. The negative is if you have a stakeholder or you as a stakeholder are very focused on direct ROI, we really have to remember that ad campaigns are going to be more brand awareness and you're not going to get the same numbers and direct ROI.

Our agency is really focused on profitability for our clients. So if somebody has got a very tight ROI or they're in a tight cash position, we usually will not recommend these because we're still trying to figure out --Amazon is still trying to figure out --how to get the best conversion off of these.

But Amazon has really been expanding the advertising capabilities for brands, and even services that don't sell on Amazon. And the really cool thing is while a lot of first party signals have been taken away from Meta and Google -- that's been a shifting ground for a long time.

Amazon has a pretty robust set of first party signals that you can target just the right shopper. And they've been growing and developing this thing called Amazon Marketing Cloud where they can measure impact of year over year campaigns. And so there are a lot of really cool, fun, new to market things to be testing.

There's a lot of new ad types, ad placements that are available for brands of all different sizes of budgets. It's just, you know, really understanding where those ads are, going to be surfacing. So like some of the Amazon DSP, which is kind of the, the managed used to be called kind of the managed services part, but now there's some self managed stuff in there as well.

Some of those videos will show on Twitch, which if you're selling a video game accessory is awesome. If you're selling, you know, Bengay ointment cream to 60 year olds, probably not going to convert well. So, you know, it is about making sure whoever you partner with really kind of understands where those will show and understands how to limit and adjust and kind of guide you in a way that those ads are going to get the best possible engagement.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So big question to close out. And maybe this is the theme for today's discussion. And , I think it's a rather big question, but if anyone's going to answer it, it's going to be you. What does it take to succeed on Amazon in 2024?

Robyn Johnson: So, you know, this answer is very different than what I would have given you even a year ago. Amazon right now is very focused on compliance. Courts have found that they're liable for unsafe products that are sold on their marketplace. So before it really was just a question of marketing.

Amazon has always been very concerned about the customer experience. This makes it a really complicated marketplace. And it makes it so that if you don't have experience with Amazon, let's say you are a guru when it comes to Google or Meta, Amazon can be different and difficult because a lot of things are labeled the same as they are in other
ecosystems but they work differently. The other thing is that you're really going to have to have your compliance documentation in order, especially in the area of food supplements, anything child and baby, you're going to need to make sure you have to have a CPSC, you're going to have to have any safety testing that's required.

You also need to be partnered with somebody to know the right words to say or you need to do that research on your own. So one of the things that Amazon a long time ago I'm guessing they got in trouble with the EPA or something along those lines. That's usually what causes this.

But Amazon got really, really committed to verifying that pesticides were safe, which is great. But now, you know, all of a sudden, overnight, your anti bacterial sock is now considered a pesticide. So there are a lot of trigger words. So if you say let's say, let's say, for example, if you put the word doll in your bobblehead, that might now trigger you to to provide all of the CPSC documentation as a toy, even though your bobblehead was really not a toy.

And then you have to really be watching your voice of the customer in Account Health, there's a tab called Under Performance, there's one that says Voice of the Customer.

You should be checking that twice weekly. Anything with more than two of the same negative experiences-- So let's say two people, three people all say the shirt was too small or three people say they got the wrong item. If we see it more than three times in a row, even if it's a slow velocity item, then we want to make sure: What do we need to change in the listing?

What do we need to change in the way that the pictures are located? So, you might say, well, I can't help it if people buy the wrong size. Yes, you can. You can put a size chart in there. You can put measurements. You can put that item on different sized bodies, so people can see it's tighter in the waist.

And the reason that is important is if Amazon sees that your product is causing a negative experience, they will remove your product from the platform. Even if you're Lego. So don't think, well, my product is selling a lot. They won't do that. There are rare cases, but for the most part, if something's a negative experience, they will remove it from the platform.
So you have to have all of that.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Sorry to interrupt you, but is that done through sentiment analysis? Is it AI that drives that or are there people looking at these listings and looking at these ratings and investigating why they're low for a certain item?

Robyn Johnson: You know, I think anybody that could tell you the answer for sure probably wouldn't be able to say because

Mark Reed-Edwards: Mm hmm.

Robyn Johnson: Amazon has really great NDAs. But my guess is that it's primarily driven by AI and then reviewed by people under certain circumstances. Because there are times where we have a product that has a 20 percent negative customer experience rate, but it's because one person out of five said something and those don't flag, which makes it more difficult because there's not like a hard and fast rule. I can't say, well, as long as you're getting this many and your, your NCX is below this, but basically, you know, keep everything out of those bottom two, the, the poor and very poor, and you should be hypothetically okay.

But we want to keep everything good as much as possible.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So the upshot with Amazon is that it's really, it's not a simple marketplace to do business with.

Robyn Johnson: No, but it can be really, really powerful. You know, we have brands that were, you know, really struggling D to C. They weren't getting the brick and mortar spots, or they did get the brick and mortar spots that they wanted, and it caused more problems. They were dealing with returns and all sorts of different things.

Now, Amazon has its own sets of problems. It has not sunshine and rainbows. We do have some good TACoS. We have some brands that have been able to completely turn around negative things. We have some really large brands that are in every Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, and for the last several years, Amazon has been able to sustain growth for them even though every other channel has been significantly down.

So it has allowed them to have avoid layoffs. So it is definitely something that you want to consider. It can be a very powerful channel and you can use it to feed your other channels in some ways as well, because Amazon is so bottom of funnel. When you look at your ad conversions and you see what's converting there, that can really be sent back to your SEO, to your SEM agencies or if you're doing that yourself and really making sure that your product pages are using those keywords because those keywords that work on Amazon are all going to be very much the buyer intent. So it can be helpful there as well. It can also be really great for customer acquisition.

Now, if you don't get any customer information, but especially if you have a consumable product, Amazon Subscribe and Save Now offers this ability to add a coupon on the initial purchase. I'm a marketer. I know all the tricks, but I will tell you the number of times that I have signed up for a subscribe and save, even though I wasn't even sure if I really was gonna like this product, and I ended up on the auto ship because I was like, "Ooh, I'm cheap and I can get 25% off my first purchase and then, you know, 5% off everywhere after--
Yeah, of course I'll sign up for a subscribe and save. I'll just cancel it later."

And so usually two or three times later, then I, you know, go back.

Yeah. You know, so. If you have a consumable, make sure that you are really utilizing Subscribe and Save. Amazon is now providing a lot more data. Their brand analytics that they've been providing has been really amazing to help determine whether or not: is the category down or is my listing down?

We have two full time people that just handle Amazon compliance and then three people that just do Amazon seller support tickets.

We call it being professionally persistent.

There can be really good opportunities there. You do need to make sure that you have the margin in order to sustain on Amazon and really make sure you're looking at apples to apples. So the Amazon FBA fee, make sure when you're comparing that to your self fulfillment, you're including the cost, the tape, the labor to pack up everything.

Cause all of that is included in FBA, but then you also want to make sure you're thinking about Amazon's return fee. Return policies are probably a little bit more generous. So that margin is really your access to being successful on Amazon because you do need enough margin in order to at least launch with advertising and some deals, maybe a coupon or Prime exclusive deal.

And to be able to have that ability to discount on the big tent full days, like Prime Day and I think they're calling it T11 now, which is kind of ridiculous. It went from Black Friday to 11 days. I don't know when that happened.

Mark Reed-Edwards: That's great. What a crazy world. Well, Robyn, I, I hope we catch up sooner than three years next time. I really appreciate your insight and thanks for joining me.

Robyn Johnson: I hope it was helpful. And you know, if you're struggling with Amazon, no, it's not you. Amazon is, can be kind of a bear, but it can definitely be worth it.
And keep listening to this podcast. You can hear more amazing, different confessions from different marketers. And thank you very much for having me back on the show.

Paul Lowe: Marketing Consultant Mar 26, 2024

We're back with this mini series of Talent Showcase episodes focused on people in marketing, communications, PR, and allied fields who're looking for their next opportunity. You'll hear their stories, successes, and how they can help their next employer or client.

Today, I'm joined by Paula Lowe. Paula is the founder and principal of The PR Table, a marketing communications consulting firm, where all of marketing has a seat at the table. Although Paula's expertise is in media relations and communication strategy, her experience encompasses all aspects of marketing communications, from email marketing, content development, and social media to website creation and maintenance.

Paula has more than 15 years experience, having worked with large multinational corporate entities and small startup ventures within a wide range of industries, including technology, Financial Services, Health Care and Medical, Health IT, Supply Chain, Non profits, and Supply Chain and Logistics.

Transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Paula, it's good to have you on the show. Welcome.

Paula Lowe: It's great to be here, Mark. Thank you.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So, I just told your life story, but can you tell me more about yourself beyond what I just shared, your background and career path?

Paula Lowe: Sure. It's always fun to sort of remember the story. I actually went to school in Boston and graduated with an associate degree in hospitality management. I quickly got a job at the Ritz Carlton in a supervisory role, but realized that it was not going to afford me the opportunity to complete my degree, which was very important back then.

So I transferred and got a job as an admin assistant at an environmental engineering firm. And about a year in, I transferred from the facilities department to the corporate communications department. And that was it. I fell in love with corpcomm. I began to realize that my natural storytelling and relatability with people was something I could leverage in a career that I would find satisfying and challenging.

So I got in touch then with our PR consultant that was brought in. My boss said, "I'm going to have you work with our PR consultant, help tell some stories. I think you'd be good at it." I said, "Great." And that was it. From there, I left the environmental engineering firm and I joined Lois Paul Partners back up in Lexington.

I've had my career in public relations ever since.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So what is one of your most important career accomplishments, do you think?

Paula Lowe: I have to say, working for Hebrew Senior Life in Boston, which is a non profit. They have a hospital license for Hebrew Rehab Center. And they have eight or nine senior housing locations throughout Greater Boston. And I was there at the onset and throughout COVID.

And that was a very, very challenging, stressful, difficult time. But it was also a really great learning opportunity because HSL is a leader in senior care. And the then- CEO, he's since retired, but he was a real inspiration to see how he handled things and we were able to bring them through that crisis really successfully.

Mark Reed-Edwards: So what do you think you can offer your next employer or client?

Paula Lowe: I think that the years of experience I have have led me to be, although I am a PR specialist, if you will, my forte is media relations and analyst relations, securing those relationships, but you know, there's a breadth of services and strategy that I can bring to my clients, so relationship building, persistence.

One of the things I found as a PR person is that we have to be persistent. And if a client or I want a relationship with a particular member of the media, I will make it happen. It just might take some time and some creativity. I really find a lot of inspiration in trying to find different ways to do things.

I'm not a believer in "this is the way we've always done it so this is the way we should continue to do it." So if my clients are open to new ways of looking at things. I bring a lot of creativity and ideas that we can implement. And of course, strategy. I've done that for most of my career.

Nothing is done in a bubble. There's always a strategic reason and business objective we're trying to achieve.

Mark Reed-Edwards: I've never really done PR. I've been in areas around PR and talked to the press on occasion. But persistence is a quality for most of the people I know in PR who are great at their jobs. Because they build relationships over years. And you have to be persistent to do that.

Paula Lowe: Absolutely. And it's a fine line. Some of the relationships I built early on in my career, I'm still friends with those reporters and editors. And I think one of the things that sets me apart, and maybe even it's a generational thing at this point too, but I never went to a reporter or editor with a pitch that I had to read off a sheet.

I made sure I understood it. I made sure I understood the business value of what we were offering, and if they didn't accept it, I always asked why. I said I know that time is tight, but what am I missing here? Because I am trying to be a good resource. I do my research. If I'm missing, I need to know what I'm missing and why.

And sometimes they would tell me, sometimes they wouldn't, but often they'd say, "You know, that's a great question. Nobody asks that. It's not totally off the mark. It's the timing or it's this." And that's valuable information to take back to a client as well. Why the pitches aren't working or why the client thinks it's a great story, but maybe the media doesn't.

And then we find a different way to go back to that person with what they can use.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah, and finding out their editorial calendar and just partnering up with them over the course of months or even years so that you can align with what the reporter's needs are and those reporters are stretched thinner than ever now.

Paula Lowe: Oh, gosh, for sure. The landscape has changed significantly and it's very challenging. But you can still do it. I'm doing it right now for a client. I'm having a lot of fun. It's a really unique auto industry training software company that I'm working with and it's a lot of fun and I'm making those relationships on their behalf and it's just been great because you can still do that.

It just takes a little longer.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah. And how do you---I'll ask one last question. How do you work with your client to set their expectations that they're not going to be in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times next week.

Paula Lowe: Isn't that the age old question?

Mark Reed-Edwards: Yeah.

B You know, it's just a matter of being very honest and direct and saying, " When you have that story I'm happy to tell it, but you're not there right now, or you know, it's gonna take some time to secure those relationships and make those connections."

One of the challenges, too, is the way people move around.

Many of the people I worked with just a few short years ago are now in different roles. Still within the media landscape, but different roles. It might mean that I need to get reconnected or connected with someone new. And those things do take time. So I just sort of set the expectation up front and let them know that there are certain criteria that you have to meet to get into a big publication like that, or even Forbes, Fortune, those kinds of publications, and those take time. They're not an overnight thing.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, Paula, you've got a great story to tell for yourself, and thanks for joining me. I hope this podcast helps you find your next great gig.

Paula Lowe: Thank you, Mark. I appreciate being here.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, that's it for this mini series. Together, we've met some extraordinary people. Ben Bradshaw, Jason Rasmussen, Gem Passant, Chuck Tanowitz, Kelley Lynn Kassa, and today's guest, Paula Lowe.

I hope we helped tell their stories and that they have nothing but good fortune to come. As for what's coming next for this podcast, stay tuned.

We have one of the world's leading Amazon experts and the guest for the most popular episode of Confessions of a Marketer while we were away. That's Robin Johnson. She'll be with us next time, and we'll see you then.

Kelley Lynn Kassa: Passionate marketing executive Mar 19, 2024

Today, I’m joined by Kelley Lynn Kassa.

Kelley’s career evolved from public relations, media relations and analyst relations to marketing programs, content strategy, and content creation. She’s worked with a wide range of organizations, from start-ups to blue-chip technology companies.

Outside of her professional life, Kelley is a foodie and a rower (look for her on the Charles River!). Plus, she coaches recreational rowing to youth, adults, and para athletes.

The transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Kelley, welcome.

Kelley Kassa: Hey, Mark. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.

Mark Reed-Edwards: It's wonderful having you here. It's been a while since we've caught up, so it's great to chat. Can you tell me more about yourself beyond what I just shared, your background and career path?

Kelley Kassa: Sure, as you mentioned, I started in PR and I migrated or spread my wings into marketing. I tend to think of myself as a marketing utility player. And what I've found over the last few years is I've had a great deal of success and brought success to organizations that I've worked with by serving as a marketing mentor to them.

I can come in and bring them the strategy and work with their in house marketing person, who's younger in their career, on the execution or I really just serve as a manager for that person. This way they have somebody who understands marketing and helps them reach the marketing goals and metrics that the executive team wants, while also making sure that they are learning about marketing and they're growing in their role as well. For one company that I worked with---an innovation consulting firm---they had had a series of new people in their career in marketing, there was no marketing executive, and they were celebrating their 20th year in business.

After a few months of working with me, they said they've never been successful at marketing before. And now they've found that success. And so that's something that I'm rolling out as an offering to other organizations. It's something I've done not just with that firm, but also with a nonprofit organization that I work with where again, it was somebody newer to his career reporting into an executive director who had so many other things on his plate.

Things were going south quickly. So they brought me in and I met with him on a weekly basis. It's that hands on stuff of, "Okay, what's on your plate? Let's prioritize that. What's coming up? What do we need to think about in three months that we need to plan for now?" As well as the day to day care and feeding of your employees. Like, "How's it going?"
So that's what I'm really excited about right now.

Mark Reed-Edwards: It sounds fascinating to me because you have so much you can offer. You're, a utility player. How do you figure out where you focus with a client?

Kelley Kassa: Well, oftentimes, it's a matter of doing the initial triage. And my perspective comes from having worked for a number of PR agencies earlier in my career: "What are the bigger goals and then what are your quick wins?" Okay, so I'm probably going to butcher the baseball analogy because I'm not that much of an enthusiast, although I like going to Fenway to see the Red Sox. While you're focusing on what are the home runs we need to hit, how quickly can we get some singles under our belt, so to speak so that we start to get momentum.

I listened to your recent podcast with Chuck Tanowitz, who I know well, and he talked about bread rising and needing multiple projects going on while your bread is rising. And it's sort of the same idea. The home runs are going to take a little bit more. You're going to need to put more effort into it.

So what can we do in the short term to show some wins and prove that marketing will get them what they want?

Mark Reed-Edwards: So speaking of home runs, can you tell me one of your most important career accomplishments?

Kelley Kassa: You know, I pride myself on the relationships that I have with clients. And it's very easy to say, "Oh, I'm not just a vendor and I partner with my clients." But to use a very old cliche, the proof is in the pudding. And, and in this case, I'd say it's in the salad. In that I had a client who eventually was acquired by IBM, but I first started working with her in 1995 five --and I'm probably dating myself. I know I'm dating myself. And, up until recently, we still exchanged Christmas cards. You know, of course we're Facebook friends, but we still keep in touch. And she gave me a recipe, a fabulous recipe for salad that I still make every Easter for my family. And I don't know what it's called, but we call it Toby's salad because Toby was my client.

Mark Reed-Edwards: You're a rower, right? And we're connected on Facebook and that's a big part of your life. What do you think being a rower has taught you that you bring to marketing?

Kelley Kassa: So there are a number of things. And I'm sure that you've heard of the book and the movie, The Boys in the Boat, which is all about teamwork. What I see in rowers and when I coach, especially the middle schoolers, the number one quality that I really look for is grit and stick to attitiveness.

With marketing, you need that because your first, second, third, fourth idea might not get you what you want, but you need to just keep grinding it out. And with rowing, you have more failures with bad strokes than you have successes with good strokes. And it's about working through and fixing the things that are not working to get to those fabulous strokes that feel good, and that are in sync with everybody else in the boat.

My boat house does corporate events, where we teach teamwork. When you're thinking of a corporation, marketing can be hitting all of its marks, you know, perfect strokes. But if sales isn't in tune with marketing, the boat's not going to go very fast because you're fighting against each other.

And so you really need everybody working together the same amount of effort. A boat that's working together with eight people will actually go faster and farther than a boat of eight people that are fighting each other, even if those other eight people are bigger and stronger.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Last question. What do you think you can offer your next client?

Kelley Kassa: I can offer my next client that level of expertise of, having put in the hours, while helping them succeed with their marketing goals and growing their in- house marketing team and making their in- house team happier. That's one of the things I did with an organization. I worked with the executive director and the marketing person that were pretty close to strangling each other.

And they both ended up much happier in their roles with me being involved in bringing that experience and insight and sometimes just serving as a buffer between the executive who doesn't have a whole lot of time and the newer career person who needs a whole lot of time.

Mark Reed-Edwards: Well, Kelley, thanks so much for joining me. I hope this podcast helps you find your next great gig.

Kelley Kassa: Thank you so much, Mark, and have a great day.

Mark Reed-Edwards: I'm Mark Reed Edwards. See you on the next confessions of a marketer.

Chuck Tanowitz: Seasoned strategic communications pro Mar 05, 2024

Chuck Tanowitz is a seasoned professional in strategic communications, with a history of building strong programs that drive media and brand growth.

His experience spans more than 15 years—he has played key roles in shaping the marketing and communication strategies for various brands, including Paytronix Systems, Greentown Labs, the N-Squared Innovation District, TenMarks, and a long list of others.

Chuck is back on Confessions of Marketer for the second time—having joined us in 2017 in the very early days of this podcast.

Transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Welcome to this special episode of Confessions of a Marketer. I'm Mark Reed Edwards. We're back with this mini series of shows I've dubbed the Talent Showcase. These episodes focus on people in marketing, communications, PR, and allied fields who are looking for their next opportunity.

My guests share their stories, successes, and how they can help their next employer or client. Today, I'm joined by Chuck Tanowitz. Chuck is a seasoned professional in strategic communications with a history of building strong programs that drive media and brand growth. His experience spans more than 15 years.

He's played a key roles in shaping the marketing and communication strategies for various brands, including Paytronix Systems, Greentown Labs, the N Squared Innovation District, 10 Marks, and a long list of others.

Chuck Tanowitz is back on Confessions of a Marketer for the second time, having joined us in 2017, the very early days of this podcast.

Chuck, welcome back.

Chuck Tanowitz: Thank you. I I really appreciate you having me on.

Mark: It's great to chat. So can you tell me more about yourself beyond what I just shared, you know, your background and career path?

Chuck: You know, it's interesting. I was reading an article recently that talked about developing a career portfolio as opposed to a career path, and I feel like that's actually a little bit of what I've done. Yes, the core of my career has been in PR and marketing and brand, but I've also taken on these other roles outside.

That's how I ended up, for example, at the N squared Innovation District, which was really more of an economic development effort, as much it was a marketing effort. So it's given me this broad base of very interesting kind of pieces that I've done.

You know, when I look at the work I did at Paytronix, which was very much traditional marketing and PR and brand, which was: drive leads and drive interest in this company.
But then you look at something like N-Squared, where it was: "How do I develop a community? How do I bring in art into the project and develop placemaking? How do I connect with local colleges and universities?"

And then something like Greentown Labs, where it was: "How do you build something from zero and get it known where you're trying to not necessarily build leads, but certainly build brand around a name and what it means and giving it some brand equity?"

And then also creating my own PR from, which I had done a few years ago. And then also being a local advocate and sit on the Economic Development Commission. And then most recently, I spent three days in Vermont learning how to bake croissants. So it's, you know, how do I put all those things together and begin to say, "What do they all mean and how do you move forward?"

Mark: Boy, there are some analogies one can make to baking related to our profession. You know, being patient, right? And letting things rise.

Chuck: Yeah, sometimes I am not nearly patient enough in my rise. But yes, that is a big part of baking. In fact, I said to my wife the other day, "What I need to do when I bake is plan out a series of bakes along the way, so that while one thing is sitting and rising, I'm working on the next thing." You're right, it does align with where you are in PR, where you're kind of, yes, you might be working on a press release over here, but that's not going out, you know, for two months, three months, six weeks, whatever it is.

I also need to be doing the short- term pieces that's going to be driving things forward. But that's actually, I think, where, you know, if you want to kind of bring that analogy back out, where a lot of companies are missing the boat on PR. I know when I was doing my own agency, people would say to me, "Well, how will I know PR is working in the leads that I get?"
And I heard it described recently as: demand generation is my sales in this month and next month. PR and brand are my sales in six months to a year. Looking at that over the long term is very difficult to kind of parse out how much is PR and brand doing for you and how much is demand gen doing for you.

Those things have to work together, but you're right, there is a lot of patience involved in that PR and brand strategy because they are long term. You're not going to flip a switch and people are just going to know about you It's going to take some time.

Mark: And croissants are layered, and it's very fine layers, so maybe there's another analogy we could make there.

Chuck: I don't know if you've ever made croissants, but I was learning how to lock in butter which is a whole different thing. But yes, they are layered. There's a very careful folding process you need to do to get the right layers. You need to be patient. I was so proud of myself the other day when I made these croissants and I bit into it and I could see the honeycomb layer within it was like, Oh yes, I hit all those layers just right.

But again, you don't know until you're done, right? When I bake a bread, it really takes 24 hours for sourdough to mature and come to life.

And you put it in the oven and at that very last step, you could burn it. You could put it in too early, too late. And suddenly all this work you've done for the last 24 hours, is shot. And that's it. Right?

So there's a lot of businesses that operate like that, but PR is definitely the end of that process.

You can't rely on a single launch to make or break a company. You have to do it over time because there's too many factors that could get in the way that are often outside of your control. I mean, how many of us were working on a launch and the week before something major happens in the world and it completely changes what you're trying to do, right?

Happens to Hollywood all the time. How many times have you heard a movie getting delayed or moving around because another one was coming out? Or some major event happens in the world-- a news event, a death, something tragic-- and it's like, "Well, we can't release a movie into that environment."

So there's a lot of places that operate like that. Businesses need to be aware that they exist in that market and they can't plan these things out and say, "We have to hit that date, otherwise we're going to die."

That's not a good way to run that company. You have to think long term and having a whole host of things moving throughout the year. It's a long growth process.

Mark: It's kind of interesting. I don't want to get bogged down in this subject, but ESG and DEI have cropped up in the last several years for good reason. Prior to that, it's almost like companies existed in a different world. Most of them didn't want to get involved in what was going on in the greater society.

Chuck: We dealt a little bit with that at my last position. During the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter, before the federal government declared Juneteenth a holiday, my CEO had decided: we are going to close the office on Juneteenth. And we are going to encourage our employees to do public service, to take some time to read and to think.
And we put out, you know, internally, a bunch of reading suggestions and so on. I was on the DEI committee, so I was part of that decision. And we sent an email off to our customers to let them know that we were going to be closed that day. And our customers were nationwide. Many of them were convenience stores in the Midwest and South.
And we had a very mixed response back. Some people were very supportive: "Well, this makes a lot of sense." Some people felt that we were politicizing the business world. And to my CEO's credit, he said, "This is what we're doing." We didn't lose any business over it. None of that happened.

And a year later, the federal government made Juneteenth a holiday regardless.

So clearly, we were heading in the correct direction, but you know, he had to look at that response to say, "That's okay. I'm going to take that." And businesses do need to do that. They do need to realize that they live in a greater world and what they stand for matters.

I'm seeing that shift a little bit from where it was even a year or two ago, where people are getting a little less comfortable being out there. But I do think it's important and I do think people are making purchasing decisions, at least on the consumer side, in part by what your business stands for.

Mark: So this is about you, Chuck. So let's turn the focus back to you. And can you share one of your most important career accomplishments?

Chuck: It's interesting that there's actually a lot of things I can pull from that. Let me start recently and go backwards a little bit in time. I was very proud of the work that I did at Paytronix in launching the brand.

Getting the opportunity to launch a brand of that magnitude where it was not just, "Hey, let's just change a few aspects of how our logo looks." But this was a complete change in what we looked like, what we sounded like, who we were, how we talked about ourselves-- across the board, the tool sets, the graphic tool sets, the conversations.
To have that opportunity to build that and to say, "How do I bring that out internally? How do I bring that out externally?" That was really interesting. I learned a tremendous amount from that project. I was proud of the work that I did there. I was proud of what it did for the company. There was an, you know, some immediate jumps in, you know, that, that brand awareness that happened.

You don't often see that, but you know, it was nice to see those Google searches go through the roof. So you certainly saw that impact right away. Then I was sitting in a sales meeting a few months later and the chief revenue officer stood up there and said, "this is one of the things that's really working in our company. Our brand is making our sales process move faster."

There's some direct result. I can see that.

I was also equally proud of some of the work I did with Greentown Labs, spending a couple of years launching them into the market and getting them going from a place of sitting empty, really, to something that became very much part of the fabric of the clean tech landscape, certainly in Boston and began to emerge as we were wrapping up that work emerged around the country.

They're now in Houston. And a lot of the branding and the concepts that we laid out for them, they still use today. You know, one of the things I remember we talked about early on was we were debating how do we talk about their tenants, right? Because they were charging rent. How do they talk about tenants?
And we were like, "Well, if we call them member companies and we give them a badge, that's going to help our SEO." And they still talk about member companies and alumni companies and that sort of thing as part of their language. I was very proud of that work. It seems so small and minor, but it changes the nature of the way that you think about yourself.

It changed nature of the way companies think about themselves within it. And then the work I did at N Squared was spectacular. Not only did we see the results and the people coming in, but one of my favorite projects was the Greenway Arts Project. We had this greenway that was really underutilized and we were looking at how do we drive awareness for the N Squared Innovation District and engage with the local community.

And I synced up with Studios Without Walls to bring in sculpture. We had looked at a lot of different directions about how to do this. And we brought in this for two years, we brought in this the sculpture exhibit and not only did it get the neighborhood excited, but it completely changed the way the neighborhood looked at the center of its being where it had been looking at other areas.

This was a neighborhood that didn't really have a good center of downtown. They began to look at that greenway as their center, which they hadn't before. And considering that there's a major development happening on the other side of that greenway, the fact that they changed the center of their site to that location will change long term, the way that that whole neighborhood sees itself.

Mark: I think anybody who has listened to this podcast would know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. What do you think you can offer your next employer or client?

Chuck: I certainly bring a breadth of understanding of how people think. Right? And be able to get into that conversation in a very interesting way. You know, there's the tactical: writing skills, etc., down the line.

But there's certainly then the broad sweep of: "Who are we? How do we get that to market? How do we encourage people to know about us? How do we raise our awareness?"
So I bring that kind of skill set. At the same time you know, I have a pretty solid track record of training people, so there's not only the ability to bring that out, but also build a team underneath me that can help execute on that and help grow that team and encourage that team and keep them engaged in storytelling.

One of the things that I do take great pride in is the ability to tell that story and the ability to kind of turn that story outward. At Paytronix, I changed some things around to create what I called story- driven marketing, where we went and dug into the customer stories, figured out where those stories were, how those matched with our brand message and then move those into the various content components, the eBooks, the webinars, etc., blog posts, case studies, and pushed those out through our own marketing that we needed to get out for demand gen, but that also then fed the PR.

So being able to create these systems that can run and can help build for the future is where my skill set is. And then, you need to build the infrastructure underneath it to maintain those long term. But certainly it's about: "How do you create a process that's going to continually benefit across multiple touch points?"

So that's a lot of what I try to bring to the table.

Mark: Well, Chuck, it was great chatting again. Always enjoy it. And I really hope this podcast helps you find your next great gig.

Chuck: I appreciate it. I appreciate the time.

Mark: I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Join me on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Gem Passant: Customer leader with a focus on marketing through customer advocacy Feb 27, 2024

Gem Pasant has over 15 years’ experience in Customer Leader roles in a range of organizations from start up to large corporate, typically in the insurance sector.

Gem’s biggest area of interest is Customer Experience as culture—specifically how this links to company purpose, employee experience and sustainable growth through the practical application of the Net Promoter System.

Transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Welcome to this special episode of Confessions of a Marketer. I'm Mark Reed Edwards.

We're back with this mini series of shows I've dubbed the Talent Showcase. These episodes will focus on people in marketing, communications, PR, and allied fields who are looking for their next opportunity. My guests will share their stories, successes, and how they can help their next employer or client.

Today, I'm joined by Gem Passant.

Gem has over 15 years experience in customer leader roles in a range of organizations, from startup to large corporate, typically in the insurance sector. Gem's biggest area of interest is customer experience as culture, specifically how this links to company purpose, employee experience, and sustainable growth through the practical application of the Net Promoter System.

Gem, welcome.

Gem Passant: Thanks for having me. It's great to be here.

Mark: It's wonderful to have you on the show. So can you tell me about yourself, your background, and career path?

Gem: Yeah, sure. So I actually started out in human resources. I read archaeology at university with some anthropology and got really into human behavior and thought human resources is the way for me to go. And then got onto a graduate scheme. So that's what we call in the UK, would maybe be a postgraduate scheme in the US, basically working for an employer on a fast track scheme for a large insurance company in the UK called Aviva.

And I planned to stay in that field and not long in realized that I actually didn't understand my customers enough, which was the internal customers of the organization. And the only way to do a good job working in HR was to go and experience what they were experiencing and work in the business itself.

And so I was looking for a change, I asked for a change, and was invited to apply to be Chief of Staff to the Chief Operations Officer for the UK business, which was a great role, a super fast track learning, if anyone's ever done Chief of Staff they'll know. And that gave me an opportunity to really learn and understand the business cause I was right in the thick of it and look for what my next opportunity would be.

And there was an area that had been unloved for some while, which was the customer experience function. That was back then not called CX, which is what we tend to call it now. It was quite early days for having a customer experience function. And it had been run by somebody for a long time who'd moved into a different role and then there'd just been an absence of leadership for a while.

So I took that role and changed quite a few things within the team and propelled it into a new stage of growth, I guess you could say. But stayed there for four years, absolutely adored that role. I was then asked to do various other things, I think that's what happens when you work in a large organization and you're known to be flexible.

So I went on to do all sorts of other things, from head of internal comms, to more chief of staff roles, to running large billion pound transformation programs in the program office. But I then decided to have a break from all of that and retrained as a neuro linguistic programming coach.

So I quit that role--quit Aviva--and went and lived in Thailand, which is where I met my now husband. That's a different story for a different podcast probably. And then I came back and did some more customer experience stuff for another insurer, a slightly smaller one called Liverpool Victoria here in the UK.

And then I went back to Thailand. My husband and I decided that we were going to move back to Thailand together, because in the interim he'd gone to live in San Francisco. So we made a home together in Thailand, and that was a really interesting period of time because it included COVID. And so I did some consultancy work when I was there, but probably the most interesting thing I did was that the British Consul actually asked me to coordinate the community response for all of the Western Consulates for the, the Western communities in Chiang Mai--lots of older people, lots of retired people, lots of people who it was hard to reach out to, who they were genuinely really worried about health wise. So that was a thing that kept me really busy and active in my kind of final months in Thailand. And then my husband and I decided to move back to the UK at the request of my parents, to to live near them.

And I got my most recent permanent role, which was back again in Customer Experience as Global Customer Experience Lead for Many Pets, which was another insurance company, but this time pet insurance and a start up/ scale up. And then I left there almost a year ago now, and I've been self employed doing CX consultancy and short contracts since then.

Mark: Wow. Customer experience is just fascinating having worked in marketing pretty much my entire career, certainly the last 30 plus years, it's embedded in everything we do in marketing and we didn't even realize it. So, it's great to hear your perspective.

Gem: Yeah. Thanks.

Mark: So, what is one of your most important career accomplishments?

Gem: The things I feel strongest about are the things that often don't have the greatest data points attached. And that's all the leadership stuff. So it's building teams, not just that are high performing, but that genuinely care about each other and act like a team and support each other and deliver phenomenal outcomes.

So I feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't say anything I talk about in career outcomes is always because of a phenomenal team that has worked with me or around me. But I guess the things that have the tangibility to them --a really good example, it's a, it's a little bit of an older example now, but it was a, a huge success at the time-- which was when I worked at Aviva in the head of customer experience role.

Me and my team implemented Net Promoter Score, which most people will know about now, but back then was quite an early use of that metric, to understand how our customers were feeling about their experiences with us. And Net Promoter Score, for anybody who doesn't know, has a range of minus 100 to plus 100 as a score.

Financial services typically would hover, at that time, around the zero. The benchmark overall is a bit higher these days, but around that time. So we implemented it across the board and we discovered that in some of our contact centers, the ones that were doing the sales and the servicing, the initial scores were holding steady at minus 37 from launch and a few months in they were still there.

And so we dug into that information and tried to work out what was going on. And ultimately it was all to do with the types of calls being handled, where they were handled, by whom they were handled and with what kind of experience those people had. And what we recognized was that actually we needed to move work around and we needed to train people differently and we needed to move some of the work that was being handled offshore back onshore.

Some of the work that was being handled in the UK actually would be better handled by our Indian colleagues. And so by understanding what skill sets people had, what they preferred to do, and the types of training that they took to best, we were able to move work around so that actually everybody was playing to their strengths, and that really came across in the customer experience.

And we did all of that in less than a year, and the Net Promoter Score went to plus 12 from minus 37 in a period of just over, uh, six months. Which is a huge change and if anybody's ever tried to shift a Net Promoter Score before, you will know that typically you can move it a couple of points by tweaking around the edges. To move it so strongly, you need to do something quite radical. But we did that by listening to what our customers were telling us about the experience that we were giving them. And, not that they knew what the answer was, but we worked out what we thought an answer could be. And of course the teams went on to do more after that and continued to improve it.

But I think for me that's always been a really powerful example of how when you listen to your customers --and by the way, your employees, because everything they were telling us was very similar to what the customers were telling us-- that's how you can really shift the experience that both your customers and your employees are having.

Mark: So what do you think you can offer your next employer or client?

Gem: Interesting. I think it's sometimes a challenge when you have quite a broad brush background because you don't always know what it is because often it's things that people perceive in you rather than you know about yourself. And what I mean by that is I don't know that it's always the technical stuff.

So what I've learned about myself in this last year or so of being self employed is that actually the things that I offer that are my strengths are Looking at really complex problems and being able to see through them quite quickly and then taking customer data, employee data and other kinds of data and problem solving.

That doesn't sound like a pure customer experience type of behavior, and it's not. It comes from understanding my HR background, my operational background, my program management background. But pulling all that together to understand what is in the best interest of an organization commercially and for their customers and for their employees.

That, for me, I think I've worked out is my sweet spot, being able to look at all three of those areas together and get them to play nicely together to do something that's for the good of all.

Mark: Gem, I really appreciate you sharing your story. It was fascinating to hear. And I really hope this helps you find great gigs.

Gem: Thanks very much for asking me.

Mark: I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Join me on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Jason Rasmuson: Massachusetts-based writer for the technology industry Feb 20, 2024

Jason Rasmuson is a Massachusetts-based writer with more than 20 years’ experience writing for the technology industry.

He’s been self-employed for the last 15 years with experience in the cloud computing, cybersecurity, FinTech, HR/workforce management/talent management, and other specialized areas in high tech. He recently relaunched his business to offer a new take on writing: content delivered as a service.

This new model helps clients produce more content each month, yet in a much more flexible and cost-effective way than retainers or per-project engagements. You can learn more at www.runningstart.co

Transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Welcome to this episode of Confessions of a Marketer. I'm Mark Reed Edwards.

We're back with this mini series of Talent Showcase episodes that focus on people in marketing, communications, PR, and allied fields who are looking for their next opportunity. My guests will share their stories, successes, and how they can help their next employer or client.

Today, I'm joined by Jason Rasmussen.

Jason is a Massachusetts based writer with more than 20 years experience writing for the technology industry. He's been self employed for the last 15 years with experience in cloud computing, cyber security, fintech, HR workforce management, talent management, and other specialized areas in high tech.

He recently relaunched his business to offer a new take on writing content delivered as a service.

This new model helps clients produce more content each month, yet in a much more flexible and cost effective way than retainers or per project engagements.

Mark You can learn more at runningstart.co

Jason, welcome.

Jason Rasmuson: Thanks for having me, Mark. Really looking forward to our conversation.

Mark: Same here. You and I crossed paths several years ago and we reconnected on LinkedIn. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background and career path?

Jason: Yeah, sure. So I--probably like many of us--was slightly better at the kind of English major side. When I got out of school, I was lucky enough to join Kronos now UKG, which is where I believe we met.

So I was able to join as an house writer. You know, marketing collateral and things like that. And was really pretty happy in my role there. And at a certain point, just wanted to grow a little bit. So I. I got an MBA and moved from job to job a little bit. I had a couple stints at local software companies.

And, ultimately the Great Recession in 2009 resulted in layoffs that were probably the push I needed. Because I ultimately did want to start my own thing and kind of work for myself. So, since 2009, I've been kind of a one man band here supporting the technology industry, and marketing teams in tech, with a lot of content--kind of the typical things you'd expect, I'm sure.

Mark: Yeah, yeah. So what is one of your most important career accomplishments?

Jason: So I would say, boy, I mean, the MBA for me was really big. As someone who was an English major and thinking that I was kind of predestined to only go down one path, being able to get my MBA was really a big achievement for me.

But I would say just in general, I think maybe a lot of writers or creative people tend to be introverted. So I would just chalk it up to the fact that I've been able to make it work in an industry where you need to be outgoing or salesy or relationship driven.

Mark: Yeah, if the world was full of extroverts it wouldn't be very fun, would it?

Jason: Yeah. Right. My wife thinks it's a character choice and a character flaw on my part. But we're wired the way we're wired, I guess.

Mark: So, if you've got a client coming your way, or hey, you decide to take another full time job, what do you think you can offer that next employer or client?

Jason: So a few things. The good news is because I'm as old as I am-- experience, certainly in technology and specialized areas such as cyber security or fintech. And that's come from doing it for a little bit. But the other thing that I'm really excited about at this point in 2024 is much more of a partnership approach with tech going through some slowdowns.

I lost one or two clients, probably the way we all have, and I've kind of reimagined my business. And part of that is trying to be much more proactive in being a kind of a virtual team member and a partner. So I think it's really paying off. I'm pitching ideas more proactively. I'm doing a little bit of research for clients and things like that where I'm able to come up with ideas that they might not have necessarily thought of -- they're busy people too. So I'm really happy to see how that's unfolding at this point. And I just have anecdotal evidence, but one of my clients has appreciated me coming up with project ideas.

Mark: So, it's a partnership that you offer.

Jason: Yeah, I think so. I really hope to continue it because I think it is a valuable piece of the puzzle here. But it's certainly a little bit of a new thing for me. And it's, it's probably because things are a little bit slower. But I think these are the times when, you know, maybe we do reinvent ourselves a little bit.

And so for example, I'm owning one client's editorial calendar and pitching ideas. This particular client, the person who was in charge of kind of outsourcing and managing creative resources came up on the design side. So she's very talented and wonderful and a great client, but I think sometimes the idea of content, certainly like business- level writing , you know, she might be more focused on design and brand and things. So I think, in relationships like that, it's a good opportunity to do a little bit more for clients.

Mark: Great. Well, Jason, thanks for joining me for this overview of your career and what you can offer your clients and employers and I hope this helps you find your next gig.

Jason: Yeah. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it. And I've been looking at your success with Confessions of a Marketer. So I appreciate the chance to be here.

Mark: Thanks so much. I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Join me on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Ben Bradshaw: Marketing and brand leader in sustainability, energy, and clean technology Feb 13, 2024

Ben Bradshaw is an experienced brand and marketing leader in energy and cleantech. He helps progressive businesses in the Energy Transition create a standout brand, and marketing that powers profitable and sustainable growth.

He has 25 years’ experience as a marketer in the UK energy & cleantech sectors and particular strengths in marcomms, brand, strategy, planning, insight for B2C, B2B, corporations or start-ups. Ben has held Head of Marketing positions transforming brands and building teams - with a passion for sustainability, brand and culture.

He is now seeking his next senior marketing role with an ambitious pioneer in the clean energy sector.

Transcript

Mark Reed-Edwards: Welcome to this special episode of Confessions of a Marketer. I'm Mark Reed-Edwards. It's been a while, but we're back with this mini series of shows I've dubbed the Talent Showcase. These episodes will focus on people in marketing, communications, PR, and allied fields who are looking for the next opportunity.

My guests will share their stories, successes, and how they can help their next employer or client. We have about five episodes lined up and today I'm joined by Ben Bradshaw.

Ben is an experienced brand and marketing leader in energy and clean tech. He helps progressive businesses in the energy transition create a standout brand and marketing that powers profitable and sustainable growth. He has 25 years experience as a marketer in the UK energy and clean tech sectors and particular strengths in marcomms, brand, strategy, planning, insight for B2C, B2B corporations or startups.

Ben has held head of marketing positions, transforming brands and building teams with a passion for sustainability, brand and culture. He's now seeking his next senior marketing role with an ambitious pioneer in the clean tech sector.

Ben, welcome.

Ben Bradshaw: Oh, well, good to meet you, Mark. Thank you very much for inviting me on the show.

Mark: Yeah, it's great to have you here. So can you tell me about yourself, your background and career path beyond what I just shared with the audience?

Ben: Yeah, sure. So as you said, I've been in the energy industry—UK-based—for over 25 years and I've got a personal passion in sustainability and got a career in marketing. Really I've brought those two interests of mine to create a career to support the growth of renewable, sustainability, clean technology. So we're talking about EV charging, solar panels, battery storage. And I'm really excited about the opportunity here because it's growing massively. And I, I was really involved in sustainability from the start from my environmental engineering over almost 30 years ago now.

And I've already dedicated a career in supporting businesses to further their brand and to develop marketing to really grow, take up an interest in these new products and services. And I've worked in the last four years in early stage businesses, startups, establishing a marketing function a brand and a team within those businesses that are rapidly growing for the first time. So, really, for me, it's looking at my next opportunity. It'll be in the space of energy and clean technology. And I'm looking for head of marketing positions. And really helping those businesses power growth, whether they're early stage startups scale ups, or established corporations who are diversifying into sustainability services.

Mark: And you're based in the UK.

Ben: I'm based in the UK, I'm based in Nottingham but the hybrid working arrangement now means that where I could work is broadened out.

Mark: So what is one of your most important career accomplishments, do you think?

Ben: Well, I mean, I've been in the energy industry in the UK for, as I said, over 25 years and seen huge change moving from it being, you know, just gas and electricity powered by fossil fuels, all the way to, now, renewable energy and growth in that space. I've also seen huge change in terms of consolidations.
And that was one of the areas that I got involved in. So, I was working for Powergen. It was one of the largest energy suppliers in the UK. And the global energy provider, E. ON, bought out Powergen as a route to access the UK market. I led the strategy and the rebranding from Powergen to E.ON and really supported the growth of the E. ON brand via a gradual transition strategy moving from Powergen, a household name back in 2006 and in three years rebranded to E. ON and move from a 10 percent awareness of, Of of of Eon to a 65 percent brand awareness in three years, supported, of course, by investment into the brand TV -led campaigns the sponsorship of the F. A. Cup and new products. And I was really delighted to be involved in that three year strategy and leading it to success.

Mark: So thinking about all that, and my introduction to you earlier, what do you think you can offer your next employer or client?

Ben: Well, I think it comes down to about four things, really. And there's quite a lot within each of the four. One is powering growth. When I say growth, I'm talking about really using marketing and branding to engender more engagement and more interest into the product or the brand. And that drives inquiries, that drives interest, that drives revenue growth, and ultimately profit.

So that's the first thing, driving growth. The second one's really, and again, about driving growth, but probably more so on, in the medium to long term. This is about setting a standout brand, defining a strategy, an identity, for the brand that allows that business to grow, particularly understanding the needs and interests of the target audience and really, and really building that.

But it also supports the engagement and motivation of all the employees as well, of course. The third one is related to growth, but it's the commercial performance. It's making sure that the marketing is delivering the return on investment it needs to, making sure there's the investment needed into the brand, and demonstrating how that's delivering a return, whether it's in the short term, or medium, or long.

And then the final point, I think I mentioned it, was really developing a culture. Brand is such a, an all pervasive notion that impacts not just customers, but also employees, investors. Partners and particularly for early stage businesses, getting that right and defining the right culture to enable that growth and ensuring there's alignment between the brand, the culture and the customer experience.

Because ultimately a great promise can be great, but it's got to be delivered through the entire process. So those four things kind of characterize the things I'll be looking to offer my next employer.

Mark: Yeah, that's a great list and I think you've shared your background really well here and, Ben, I really want to thank you for joining me and I hope this this little time that we had together will help you find your next gig.

Ben: Absolutely. And if anyone is interested to get in touch, I'm on LinkedIn. Be more than happy to respond to any messages and take it from there.

Mark: Thanks, Ben. I'm Mark Reed Edwards. Join me on the next Confessions of a Marketer.

Ben: Thanks, Mark.

I'm back! May 31, 2023

I've been away from podcasting for two-plus years. I miss it. I've been working as a CMO recently. But I'm returning to consulting. And now I'm ready dip my toe back in the world of CoaM. Over the past couple of years, I've had a blast. I've been on endless Zoom calls, talked with countelss people, shared stories about marketing, led events online (and finally in-person!), hosted webinars, shot too many videos, written thousands of emails, overseen campaigns, and talked with clients. I've learned a hell of a lot. I want to sahre some stories, talk to the industry's best people, solve some problems, and maybe rattle a few cages. Stay tuned in the coming weeks.

Product Marketing Strategies For Amazon Jan 26, 2021

On this episode, we have Robyn Johnson, host of the Marketing Blueprint podcast and a world renowned Amazon Consultant and expert. Amazon is ever-present but can be a mystery. We learn about Robyn’s background, and then dig into how she thinks marketing on Amazon has changed for 2021, how COVID pushed brands to use Amazon, and how a retailer can prepare for using Amazon. Plus, Robyn demystifies how Amazon’s search and paid algorithms work and shares the keys to navigating fulfillment by Amazon. Then, we gaze into the future.

Links of interest:

Multichannel Search Marketing Jan 19, 2021

On the latest episode, we have Chris Dickey, founder and CEO of Visably, in to talk about multi-channel marketing for search. We find out all about Visably and moving the goal line from “How do I improve my website’s ranking in search?” to “How do I improve my brand’s ranking in search?” Plus, we learn why brand-owned websites are at such a disadvantage compared to ecommerce and media companies when it comes to search, and we find out how a brand can stack the search engine results pages. We pack lots more into this interview.

The First Few Months in a New Marketing Role Jan 12, 2021

On this episode, we continue our two-part discussion about taking on a new role as a marketing leader. Joining me are Josh Martin and Auseh Britt. This time, we learn about the mentors Josh and Auseh turn to for advice--and we hear about the Slack communitiesAuseh uses actively.We also get a look at what the first 30-60 days were like in their new roles. Did they have a specific plan? And how did that work out? We find out. Gong // chorus

We also shift the discussion to B2B sales and what it takes to succeed. Then we round out the two parts by learning what it was like finding a new role in these strange times. And they share advice for listeners who are also in search of the next thing. A great way to start off the new year!

Links to things we discussed:

Matt Heinz (host of the Slack channel Auseh mentioned)
Chorus
Gong

Starting a New Marketing Role Amid COVID Jan 05, 2021

On this episode, we start a two-part discussion about taking on a new role as a marketing leader. Joining me are Josh Martin, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Decision Lens, and Auseh Britt, Vice President of Growth Marketing at Terminus. They both joined their companies in 2020. Josh has been on a few times before talking about product marketing. Auseh is here for the first time.

We discuss what it was like onboarding during Covid--the challenges, what worked well, and what (if anything) they would do differently. Plus, we look into the kind of training their new companies offered and what they did to prepare for their roles. To wrap up this episode, we chat about the biggest challenges they faced at their new companies. Great chat with two great marketers.

Behind the Confessions of a Marketer Name Dec 29, 2020

We have a bit of a change of pace for this episode. Back on episode 171, ten episodes ago in the long-ago days of early November, Leslie Zane and I were chatting as we got ready to record. And just as I hit the record button, she asked me a question. I’d heard it before, but never really answered it. So, here on this special episode, we share that short discussion. This one won’t take long. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your holiday festivities.

Enjoy the chat.

The Language Strategist Dec 22, 2020

On this episode, we have another visit with Ben Afia, who describes himself as The Language Strategist, with a goal of making companies more human—in their culture, brand and communications. Ben was one of the first to bring attention to tone of voice and now works with companies around the globe. I worked with him more than a decade ago on a tone of voice project and we’ve kept in touch ever since—in fact, he was an early guest on this podcast—on Episodes Three, Twenty Two, and Sixty One. Now we’re 180 episodes in, it’s great to have him back on. We talk about what words have to do with a brand and why they are important, what you can learn about a company’s values from their website, how to get everyone in a company using the same tone, and how to use the right words at the right time.

A topic we discussed:

Appreciative Inquiry

More about Ben:

Making the Most of Podcast Content Dec 15, 2020

On this episode, we welcome Jaclyn Schiff, founder of PodReacher, a “done-for-you” service that transforms podcast episodes into high-quality articles. Before starting PodReacher, Jaclyn worked as a journalist for leading healthcare publications in Washington, D.C. and Chicago and also served as director of communication for a global health research association. We dig into what PodReacher is all about, how podcasting fits into an overall content marketing strategy, how people should look at the content they produce in a podcast, the role of show notes, and repurposing episodes into articles and blog posts. We also get a glimpse into the future of podcasting.

A few things we discussed:

Brandon Huffard: SEO for the rest of us
Podboxer
The podcast episode that PodReacher worked on for me: Video in Marketing

As I look at my paltry show notes, it’s clear Jaclyn’s service is superior to anything I can do.

Taking the Silos Out of B2B Marketing Dec 08, 2020

    <p>On the latest episode, we have <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mike Maynard</a>, managing director of <a href="https://www.napierb2b.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Napier</a>--a B2B PR and marketing agency based in the UK. Mike describes himself as a geek who loves talking about technology. We learn about his background and the path he took from engineer to marketer and then from in-house to agency. We also dig into the shift from siloed marketing to organizing around content development and content distribution, and why marketers often fail to get the ROI they expect from tools like marketing automation. Plus we have a discussion about account-based marketing fails and what it’s been like communicating with people during COVID-19. A fun chat with Mike.</p>

Growth Marketing in the COVID Era Dec 01, 2020

    <p>On the latest episode, we have the founder of <a href="https://rightsideup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Right Side Up</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerelliston" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tyler Elliston</a>, in for a discussion about growth marketing in the COVID era. Right Side Up is a collective of growth marketing specialists that have helped 200+ venture-backed tech companies hit their goals. They’ve worked with names such as Stitch Fix, DoorDash, Calm, Roman, Segment, Crunchbase, Faire, Wealthfront, Zenefits, and many earlier stage companies.</p><p>We get a glimpse into Tyler’s background and what it’s been like working during COVID-19 (he and his family all got it and have recovered, which I was relieved to hear). We also dig into shifting product/market fit on a dime (we’ve all had to shift a bit this year, but some have shifted further and faster than others). Plus, we take a look into the future. This was a great, optimistic chat with a growth marketer of the highest order.</p><p>Have fun!</p>

Engagement During and After COVID-19 Nov 24, 2020

    <p>On the latest episode, we’re sitting down once again with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amslavin/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amanda Slavin</a>, co-founder of <a href="https://www.catalystcreativ.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CatalystCreativ</a>. Amanda is all about engagement—and I thought it might be interesting to chat about it in the wake of COVID-19. Since we last spoke, Amanda became a mother, so we find out all about that, plus we dig into how engagement has changed during COVID, how creative has been transformed, and what engagement might look like in the future. We touched on a lot more. As always with Amanda, this was a great chat. Listen closely. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>A few of the things we discussed:</strong></p><ul><li>Amanda’s book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Level-Transform-Meaningful-Engagement-ebook/dp/B07YL59HPT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Seventh Level: Transform Your Business Through Meaningful Engagement with Your Customers and Employees</a></li><li>Brand acupuncture mentioned in this LinkedIn article: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-marketing-lessons-weve-learned-years-amanda-slavin/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The 5 Marketing Lessons We’ve Learned in 5 Years at CatalystCreativ</a></li><li><a href="https://poets.org/poem/work-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“On Work” by Kahlil Gibran</a></li><li>Apple’s video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_pru8U2RmM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How’s the whole working from home thing going for you?</a></li><li>Amanda featured in Forbes: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/garrettgunderson/2020/06/24/working-from-home-is-amplifying-your-workplace-issues-heres-how-to-fix-it/#3da3d0f14abc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Working From Home Is Amplifying Your Workplace Issues. Here’s How To Fix It.</a></li></ul>

Omnichannel Marketing Nov 17, 2020

    <p>On the latest episode, <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rytisl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rytis Lauris</a>, co-founder and CEO of marketing automation platform&nbsp; <a href="https://www.omnisend.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Omnisend</a>, joins us to discuss omnichannel marketing. We learn all about Rytis and Omnisend, plus we find out exactly how omnichannel marketing works, why email marketing is dead, and how to do personalization and relevance right. In addition, we hear how Rytis bootstrapped several businesses (including Omnisend), how to figure out whether you’re offering a <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230736" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">painkiller or a vitamin</a>, and how his firm and clients have fared during COVID-19. Enjoy!</p>

Agility in the Marketing Jet Stream Nov 10, 2020

    <p>On this episode, we welcome a fellow podcaster Stephanie Cox to chat about agility in marketing. Stephanie is the host of the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-marketers/id1441675127" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">REAL MARKETERS</a> podcast, where she’s interviewed marketing leaders with brands such as MGM Resorts, Crayola, GE, Campbell Soup Company and others. She is also VP of sales and marketing at <a href="https://www.lumavate.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lumavate</a>. We learn why agility in marketing is so important, how to manage marketing efforts that are so fast moving, and what hinders marketers from moving as fast as possible. Stephanie also makes some recommendations for marketing leaders on how to move fast if their organization or senior leaders don’t share that same desire. We dig into a lot more and also gaze into the future. A very agile discussion about marketing. It’s a good one.&nbsp;</p>

Doing Business During COVID Nov 06, 2020

    <p>This time, we have food entrepreneur and pierogi queen <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessajwhite/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vanessa White</a> back for a discussion about life during COVID-19, running a small business and what the post COVID world might look like. Vanessa is co-owner of <a href="http://www.jajupierogi.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jaju Pierogi</a>—now sold in stores all over New England. I think there’s no better way to view the business world than through the eyes of a small business or startup owner. We learn what life has been like the past six months. And we get a glimpse into the effort it takes for a small business to get shelf space. The life of a small business person is full of stress, so Vanessa shares some of the stresses she sees every day and how she deals with them. The post-COVID world will be here soon and Vanessa has some thoughts on that as well. Vanessa used to work for me, and it has been great seeing her build her business from scratch. Overall, a very appetizing discussion about food and more.&nbsp;</p>

Video in Marketing Nov 04, 2020

    <p>On this episode, <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/orengreen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oren Greenberg</a>, founder of <a href="https://kurve.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kurve</a>, which is a modular growth marketing consultancy. Oren has been instrumental in the growth of a number of client brands and has been featured in The Telegraph, Social Media Examiner, and the HubSpot blog. We get the details on Oren’s background and learn all about Kurve. We also find out how he’s using video with his clients and how they’re affecting conversions. In addition, we discuss the role personalization plays, how to align your values with your clients. Plus, we find out how to get people to engage with a video--and what happens when a person engages. Of course, we also touch on the future. A podcast about video is so 2020.</p><p>Have fun!</p>

Subconscious Marketing Nov 02, 2020

    <p>On today’s episode, we have Leslie Zane, President of Triggers Brand Consultancy with us. Leslie is a TEDx Speaker, and contributor to Harvard Business Review, Media Village, Scientific American, and CMO.com. We are privileged to have her with us to dig into a subject that seems absolutely massive and critically important to understand: Subconscious Marketing. We learn about her work at Triggers Brand Consultancy and how she got involved in the subconscious, why the subconscious is so important for businesses to understand. And we hear about the epiphany she had early in her career that set her on her current path. Plus, we learn exactly what subconscious marketing is and how it differs from conscious marketing. We also get a new term for cocktail party conversations (whenever those happen again): the Brand Connectome. Plus, we dig into a lot more. A great discussion, packed with a ton of wisdom.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>A few links to things we discussed</strong></p><p>●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/cracking-code-brand-growth/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cracking the Code on Brand Growth</a></p><p>●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dollar Shave Club Video</a></p><p>●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Porter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Porter</a></p><p>●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter%27s_five_forces_analysis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Porter's Five Forces Analysis</a></p><p>●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MadMen “The Carousel”</a></p>

Social Marketing Content Oct 27, 2020

    <p>On this episode, we’re talking with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/urrutia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kevin Urrutia</a>, cofounder and Facebook expert at <a href="https://voymedia.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Voy Media</a>. Kevin has quite an entrepreneurial story to tell. We hear about his agency, the best kind of content to offer, how a company can ensure it diversifies its traffic, and selling globally. Plus, we learn how COVID affected VoyMedia, get a pulse on the state of mind of his clients, and peer into the future for agencies in the post-COVID world. </p><p>Thumbs up on this chat!</p>

The Human Marketer in a Digital World Oct 20, 2020

    <p>On the latest episode, we are fortunate to have a repeat guest back with us. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/awithers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alex Withers</a> is in to talk about the role of the human marketer in an increasingly digital world. Alex is COO of a company called <a href="https://margo.me/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">marGo</a> and has a long background in marketing. We learn about his background, a bit about marGo, why he left his cushy CMO job to start a new business, the role of the human marketer in light of constant amazing tech advancements, the direct sales industry, and how human marketers will evolve over the next few years. Alex is always a fun guest. Enjoy this one!</p>

Building a Content Platform Oct 13, 2020

    <p>On this episode, we’re joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorilla76joe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joe Sullivan</a> for a discussion about creating a content platform. Joe is an industrial marketing consultant with more than 10 years of experience and is cofounder of the St. Louis-based industrial marketing agency <a href="https://www.gorilla76.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gorilla 76</a>. In our chat, we learn his background and all about building a content platform: how to start it out, what the steps are, the social platforms to concentrate on, frequency, and so much more. We also learn about how COVID-19 has affected his business. A real gem of an interview. </p>

Prepping for the COVID Holiday Shopping Season Oct 06, 2020

    <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-savin-85a6a6/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Danielle Savin</a> is our guest today. She’s Senior Director of Marketing Solutions and Senior Principal at <a href="https://www.capgemini.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Capgemini</a>, where she focuses on retail. As we prepare for the holiday season, it made sense to have her back to see how retailers are preparing, and to see what the season might hold in store. We discuss--of course--data, supply chain efficiencies, personalization, and digital marketing efforts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Plus, we look into the kinds of messaging strategies that might work this year and how customer service departments are getting ready.</p>

Marketer to Marketer: Turning the Tables Sep 29, 2020

    <p>I'm starting this season with a bit of a change of pace. I’m turning the tables.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmachado/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Victor Machado</a>—a friend, colleague, and guest of the podcast on episodes 86 and 87—is in to ask <em>me</em> questions. This was his idea, and although we discussed it beforehand, I wasn’t 100% sure what he’s going to ask. I thought it could be a lot of fun or a complete disaster. I’ll let you decide.</p><p>Anyway, Victor is founder of <a href="https://www.pwdigitalagency.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PW Digital Agency</a>, which combines a couple decades of sales, business and tech experience to deliver unbeatable digital marketing programs rooted in analytics and driven by creativity.</p><p>Here’s Victor’s post on LinkedIn about this episode: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6714527302203580416/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6714527302203580416/</a></p><p>(BTW, I thought it was a lot of fun, by the way. Enjoy!)</p>

From the Archives: Why CMOs Should Listen to Creatives Aug 26, 2020

    <p>As we kick back in our beach chair, we're taking a look back at some of the best episodes of CoaM. This time, we find out why CMOs should listen to their creative teams from Alex Withers, who was CMO of InMotionNow back in 2018 when we recorded this during our first season. He's now Chief Operating Officer at marGo LLC, which provides CRM and marketing tools for the direct sales industry. In this chat, Alex shares his belief that creatives have a lot to offer CMOs. It was an inspirational discussion. And the first of a couple times we've had Alex on. Hoping to get him on again in season 4.</p>

Creative Audacity Aug 11, 2020

    <p>On Episode 165, Keith Cartwright is into discuss starting his new agency--Cartwright--with the backing of WPP amid COVID-19 and the racial tensions. We cover all of that plus working with the support of WPP and Grey, creative audacity, and his side hustle, Saturday Morning, a non-profit that aims to bring awareness to and shift perceptions of racial bias and injustice.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Keith Cartwright on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cartwrightkeith/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li>Keith Cartwright on <a href="https://twitter.com/kmcartwright?lang=en" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </li><li>The agency: <a href="https://www.cartwright.co/" target="_blank">Cartwright</a></li><li><a href="https://adage.com/article/agency-news/keith-cartwright-opens-new-wpp-backed-agency-bearing-his-name/2260561?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_term=adage&amp;utm_content=bb784eb2-1e64-4869-8d6e-2d791a0ecc6b" target="_blank">Keith Cartwright opens new WPP-backed agency bearing his name</a> (Ad Age, subscription)</li><li><a href="https://www.saturdaymorning.co/" target="_blank">Saturday Morning</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Light a Fire Under Your SaaS Aug 04, 2020

    <p>On Episode 164, Nicolas Vandenberghe is in to discuss B2B SaaS products and lots more. Nicolas runs Chili Piper, which says it can turn inbound leads into qualified meetings, instantly. He’s started and sold lots of startups. And then he saw an opportunity in sales tech. So we get into everything around B2B marketing--whether people want hyper-specialization or all-in-one, meeting the needs of customers, making revenue teams more productive, and lots more.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Nicolas Vandenberghe on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nvandenberghe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.chilipiper.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ChiliPiper</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kosmotime.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KosmoTime</a></li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

Progressive Web Apps Jul 28, 2020

    <p>On Episode 163, David Etheredge is in to discuss progressive web apps, technology, generating prospects and lots more. David’s CEO and co-founder at SavvyCard, which he describes as a mobile engagement SaaS platform that creates customized web applications to make it easy for businesses to create connections, build relationships and drive transactions with their customers through the mobile web. Think real estate agents and the like. David has an interesting background. He worked in renewable energy in the wind sector, trying to make it as an actor in Los Angeles, and working as a game developer. A couple decades ago he got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. Now he’s running SavvyCard--I’ll let him tell that story. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>David Etheredge on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-etheredge-7960a34/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.savvycard.com/" target="_blank">SavvyCard</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Allies in Action--Racial and Economic Equity as Corporate Competitive Advantage Jul 27, 2020

    <p>Allies in Action™, a new web forum created from a strategic partnership between <a href="https://aperturevc.docsend.com/view/2wcp9ie6fd87pwm3" target="_blank">Aperture VC</a> and <a href="http://www.impactroiglobal.com/" target="_blank">Impact ROI LLC</a>, held its inaugural event on July 8. The Zoom-based event featured a prestigious group of speakers from the venture capital, real estate, healthcare, management consulting and media/publishing industries. Read the full press release <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/aperture-vc-and-impact-roi-announce-strategic-partnership-launch-allies-in-actiontm-web-forum-on-racial-and-economic-equity-2020-07-21" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><strong>July 8 Forum</strong></p><p>In the wake of the death of George Floyd, advocates for racial and economic equity have called for companies to take leadership. This means going beyond supportive press releases and new CSR programs, to the commitment for strong diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, measurable DEI personnel growth, supportive public policy advocacy, and strategic investment in new innovation models for the emerging “Multicultural Mainstream.”&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Speakers</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-rochlin-2095818/" target="_blank">Steve Rochlin</a>, CEO, IMPACT ROI</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-greene-4a63553/" target="_blank">Bryan Greene</a>, Director of Fair Housing Policy at National Association of REALTORS®</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiecopelandcarsonbio/" target="_blank">Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland</a>, CEO, The WISE Fund</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritseerumi/" target="_blank">Ritse Erumi</a>, Technology Fellow, Future of Work(ers), The Ford Foundation</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=Melissa%20Potter&amp;origin=GLOBAL_SEARCH_HEADER" target="_blank">Melissa Potter</a>, Head of Social Impact and Communications, Odyssey Impact</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamcrowder/" target="_blank">William Crowder</a>, Founder, Aperture Venture Capital</p><p><br></p>

Demystifying Digital Marketing Jul 21, 2020

    <p>On Episode 162, Marty McDonald is in to discuss digital marketing in the COVID-19 era and lots more. Marty is co-founder and CEO of Bad Rhino, and full-service social media marketing agency. He likes developing unique and customizable strategies for his clients. I wanted to get together with him to discuss his approach and also find out his point of view on marketing in the COVID-19 era. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Marty McDonald on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmcdonald/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://badrhinoinc.com/" target="_blank">Bad Rhino</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

The Age of Quantitative Creative Jul 14, 2020

    <p>On Episode 161, Travis Chambers is in for a discussion about Quantitative Creative. Travis runs Chamber.Media and says there’s a science behind creativity and content. We dig into that and also find out how he approaches the creative process—and he shares some advice for all of you. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Travis Chambers on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisallenchambers/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.chamber.media/" target="_blank">Chamber.Media</a></li><li>Made to Stick on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/1400064287" target="_blank">Amazon</a></li><li>Purple Cow on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Cow:_Transform_Your_Business_by_Being_Remarkable" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></li></ul>

Telling a Great Story Jul 07, 2020

    <p>On Episode 160, Naira Perez is in to discuss Instagram stories, her firm Spring Hill Digital--and lots more. We talked way back in the pre-COVID days, but the discussion is really valuable for all of us right now. I will say up front, that Instagram is not my specialty, so I learned a lot from Naira. We discuss how companies can use them to their advantage to get engagement, how she has used them with her clients, and other platforms that are getting her attention. Plus, we learn how she ended up in Portland, Oregon.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Naira Perez on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairaperez/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.springhilldigital.com/" target="_blank">SpringHill Digital</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Ageless Creativity Jun 30, 2020

    <p>On Episode 159, we have a really important discussion with Ian David on ageism in advertising and marketing--and his collective called FEARLESS. Ian has worked with a variety of the biggest brands in the world as a copywriter and creative director. A couple of years ago, he found himself out of work and was sending out resumes everywhere--and got little response. He realized that it was because ad agencies are obsessed with youth. So, after some thought, he created FEARLESS--a network of freelance ad talent dedicated to helping ambitious clients achieve outrageous goals. On his website for FEARLESS, he says “Ad agencies are obsessed with youth. We’re obsessed with talent.” We have a chat about his background, the underpinnings of FEARLESS and ageless creativity, how he’s organizing FEARLESS, what success looks like, and also how he sees the need for big thinking increasing as we (hopefully) emerge from the COVID lockdown sometime soon. If you’re of a certain age--really, if you’re of any age--this is an important discussion.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Ian David on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/iandavid/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="http://www.iandavid.me/about" target="_blank">About Ian David</a></li><li><a href="https://www.forthefearless.com/" target="_blank">FEARLESS</a></li><li><a href="https://www.adweek.com/agencies/how-agencies-are-addressing-ageism/" target="_blank">How Agencies Are Addressing Ageism</a> (AdWeek)</li></ul><p><br></p>

Marketing Operations Jun 23, 2020

    <p>On Episode 158, Naomi Liu is in to discuss marketing operations. It’s hard for me to sum up our discussion. It’s really about so much more than marketing operations. We talk about her background, how she views marketing operations, how marketing operations interacts with the rest of marketing, the key skill sets for marketing ops, and balancing the right-brain and left-brain. In addition, and here’s where we really go beyond the subject, we learn about her journey as a woman in tech--and how she has battled imposter syndrome. Plus, we explore the idea of being a “boundary spanner”--and I think it’s clear Naomi is one. This was a wonderful discussion--and it was so great to catch up with a colleague from a decade ago.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Naomi Liu on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomiliu/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.efi.com/" target="_blank">EFI</a></li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/real-women/201809/the-reality-imposter-syndrome" target="_blank">Imposter Syndrome</a> (Psychology Today)</li><li><a href="https://hbr.org/2019/12/why-every-sales-and-marketing-team-needs-a-boundary-spanner" target="_blank">Why Every Sales and Marketing Team Needs a “Boundary Spanner”</a> (HBR)</li></ul><p><br></p>

Ensuring Client Success Jun 16, 2020

    <p>On Episode 157, Iain Preston, chief client success officer for EMEA at Wunderman Thompson joins us. We talked as COVID was making headlines and had client success and modern marketing as the focus of the discussion. But we started off talking about the dot-com boom and bust of 20 years ago, how empathy is so important in this global health crisis. And we also talked about how your life outside of work is so important and we’re all human. Plus, we cover the needs of the modern marketer, how to consider the customer experience, collaboration inside of WPP--and of course his role in ensuring customer success. We close with a discussion about how Wunderman Thompson has been working with brands during the COVID-19 crisis. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Iain Preston on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainpreston/?originalSubdomain=uk" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li>Wunderman Thompson Appoints Iain Preston as Chief Client Success Officer, EMEA (<a href="https://www.lbbonline.com/news/wunderman-thompson-appoints-iain-preston-as-chief-client-success-officer-emea" target="_blank">Little Black Book</a>)</li><li><a href="https://upload.latest.facebook.com/WundermanThompson/photos/a.397330496995051/2848583721869704/?type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank">Say hello to Iain Preston</a></li></ul>

Affiliate Marketing Jun 09, 2020

    <p>On Episode 156, Larry Ludwig is to chat about affiliate marketing, plus the early days of the web and web development. Larry has had a long career at the forefront of technology, digital marketing, and online business. It all started when he went to work for an ad agency in 1994. He helped create some of the first websites for the likes of JPMorgan Chase, LensCrafters, Minolta, T. Rowe Price, IBM, and ING Bank. We have a brief chat about the early days of the web. In December 2009, Larry created the website Investor Junkie to help satisfy his own needs and the needs of others to find unbiased investment content. From scratch, he created the leading investing review and comparison site, generating revenue only from affiliate marketing. And that is the subject we dig into, along with a bit about SEO, building an audience, and conversions. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Larry Ludwig on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryludwig/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://larryludwig.com/" target="_blank">Ludwig Media</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Traffic Secrets for Marketers Jun 02, 2020

    <p>On Episode 155, Dave Woodward of ClickFunnels is in to talk about Traffic Secrets and the book of the same name. Dave is chief revenue officer and a partner at ClickFunnels, a company that promises that you are “just a few simple clicks away from a beautifully-designed website marketing funnel.” I wanted to get to the bottom of that--and get a view into the book the head of ClickFunnels, Russell Brunson, wrote recently--Traffic Secrets. So Dave and I chatted a while back. You’ll get a view into Dave’s background, how ClickFunnels grew to $100 million in less than five years, a little about direct response advertising, and what is happening with ClickFunnels. This was recorded before COVID-19 had started to take over the world, but it’s still brimming with great thinking.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Dave Woodward on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-woodward-6726636/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.clickfunnels.com/" target="_blank">ClickFunnels</a></li><li>The Book: <a href="https://trafficsecrets.com/ts-free-book" target="_blank">Traffic Secrets</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

The Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams May 26, 2020

    <p>On Episode 154, Xenia Muntean is in to talk about her manifesto--important reading if you’re in the content business (aren’t we all in it?). We talked a while ago--way before COVID took over our lives, and that’s why it’s taken some time for me to get to this very valuable discussion. Xenia runs Planable--a social media collaboration and approval platform. And she has a new book, “The Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams,” which lays out how teams should work together in the new world of content marketing. </p><p>In our chat, we learn about Planable, the key points of the books, the biggest hurdles content teams face, and how marketing teams can connect content and social media marketing to the results of the business. Plus, we delve into process, technology vs. phone calls and face-to-face conversations (remember, this was pre-COVID), and we get her view on where marketing is headed. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Xenia Muntean on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/xeniamuntean/?originalSubdomain=uk" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://planable.io/" target="_blank">Planable</a></li><li><a href="https://planable.io/content-marketing-teams-book/" target="_blank">The Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

SaaS and B2B Marketing May 19, 2020

    <p>On Episode 153, Henrik Becker is in to chat about SaaS and B2B marketing. Henrik’s a marketer who helps prepare companies for the next step in their growth. That involves marketing strategy, marketing automation, and laying the operational foundation for dealing with growth. It all sounds good, doesn’t it? </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Henrik Becker on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikbecker1984/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li>Henrik’s <a href="https://www.henrikbecker.nl/" target="_blank">website</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Win Without Pitching May 12, 2020

    <p>On Episode 152, Blair Enns is in to talk about his book “The Win Without Pitching Manifesto.” Blair’s idea challenges agencies to buck the conventional wisdom that puts the client in the driver’s seat—a scenario that makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to lead in the engagement. He lives in the wilds of rural British Columbia, so we get a taste of that lifestyle as well—and the unique point of view on business he has from his outpost. Plus, we discuss getting by when the power goes out. Blair is a fascinating guy and it was a fun discussion.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Blair Enns on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairenns/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/" target="_blank">Win Without Pitching</a></li><li><a href="https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/books/" target="_blank">Blair’s Books</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaslo" target="_blank">Kaslo, BC</a></li></ul>

Being a Mindful Marketer May 05, 2020

    <p>On Episode 151, Lisa Nirell joins us to discuss Being a Mindful Marketer—just when we need it most. Lisa was introduced to me by my frequent guest Alex Withers. I was fascinated by her focus, spelled out in her trailblazing book The Mindful Marketer. In our discussion, we learn what prompted the book, the key tenets of being a mindful marketer—and how we can all be more mindful. Plus, of course, we touch on data, how to make the marketing organization a healthier, more sustainable organization.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Lisa Nirell on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/energizegrowth/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li>More about Lisa on her <a href="https://lisanirell.com" target="_blank">website</a></li><li><a href="https://lisanirell.com/quiz-mindful-marketing-meter/" target="_blank">The Mindful Marketing Meter</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Genius-Revolutionize-Thinking-Through/dp/1605095257" target="_blank">Accidental Genius by Mark Levy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Power-Force-David-Hawkins-M-D/dp/1401945074" target="_blank">Power vs. Force by Dr. David Hawkins</a></li></ul>

The Anxiety Index Apr 28, 2020

    <p>On Episode 150, Mark Truss, chief research officer at Wunderman Thompson, joins us. Mark has a long background in advertising and marketing. Mark has been running an Anxiety Index for 17 years. The latest one was run in March—and with anxiety at all-time highs, it’s a very timely study. Mark and I have a wide-ranging discussion about the index, what it all means, and what marketers should do in reaction to his data. Plus, we gaze into the future and think about the emotional state of people around the world once the crisis abates.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Mark Truss on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-truss-284570/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.wundermanthompson.com/insight/anxiety-index" target="_blank">The Anxiety Index</a></li><li><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/martyswant/2020/04/10/new-surveys-show-how-americans-are-anxious-about-covid-19-and-what-brands-should-do-about-it/#f474c75d14ac" target="_blank">New Surveys Show How Americans Are Anxious About COVID-19 And What Brands Should Do About It</a> (Forbes)</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia" target="_blank">Apophenia</a>: the tendency to mistakenly perceive connections and meaning between unrelated things</li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p>

COVID-19 Crisis Management Apr 23, 2020

    <p>On Episode 149, we’re talking about managing the crisis that is COVID-19. Rich Lyons, EVP and Digital Customer Experience Leader for North America at Capgemini. He’s an expert on e-commerce and the customer experience and these days he’s specializing in crisis management. In our chat, we discuss how e-commerce is positioned in the COVID world, the trends he’s seeing, how the current environment is pushing digital transformations and habits, and we zero in on the grocery segment.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Rich Lyons on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardblyons/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.capgemini.com" target="_blank">Capgemini</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Retail in the Time of Corona Apr 20, 2020

    <p>On Episode 148, Michael Mathias is in to discuss the times we find ourselves in and the world of retail.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In truth, Michael and I spoke at length more than a month ago—in the very early days of the COVID crisis. As I listened back to the interview, it was packed with lots of great information, but it really needed a current perspective. So Michael was gracious enough to come back in for another chat. In this discussion, we dig a bit deeper than the headlines, and look at the retail landscape, how retailers can market these days, what the world will look like after the crisis ends, and how retailer will retain and gain new customers when the time comes.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Michael Mathias on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmathias/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.whereoware.com" target="_blank">Whereoware</a></li></ul>

The Future of Advertising Apr 14, 2020

    <p>On Episode 147, we’re talking the future of advertising with Catharine Hays.&nbsp;</p><p>We have been on hiatus for a couple of weeks as we looked around and assessed this changed world we live in these days. The world has turned upside down. I wondered how to make the interviews I already had in the can before the crisis started relevant to this world. And I think the best way is to just forge ahead. The things we knew before COVID-19 took over our consciousness will return—in some form—at some point in the future. Life also goes on. So we’ll continue Confessions of a Marketer with that spirit—dealing with COVID-19 where it makes sense and thinking about how marketing can contend with all the things.&nbsp;</p><p>One thing I will ask of you—if you are hiring marketers, or if you have a compelling story to tell about finding a job in this environment, I’d love to hear from you—just email me at <a href="mailto:confessionsof@icloud.com" target="_blank">confessionsof@icloud.com</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Most of all, what I hope for you and your families—and all of our families, is continued good health.&nbsp;</p><p>Catharine Hays is an executive advisor, speaker, and co-author of “Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through All Customer Touchpoints,” which synthesizes more than 200 diverse perspectives, across disciplines and around the world, yields a broader conception of the scope, practice, and value of "advertising," encompassing every communication or point of interaction between a brand and a person. It is an important book. Catharine also previously served as Co-Founder and Executive Director at the Wharton Future of Advertising Program. And if that weren’t enough, she is also co-host of The CMO Spotlight on SiriusXM channel 132, where she speaks with the world’s top CMOs.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Catharine Hays on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/catharine-hays/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.siriusxm.com/businessradio" target="_blank">SiriusXM Business Radio Ch. 132 (home to Catharine’s CMO Spotlight)</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?asin=B01BKJIDRG&amp;preview=inline&amp;linkCode=kpe&amp;ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_I51IEbBDP2K9F" target="_blank">Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through All Customer Touchpoints</a></li><li><a href="https://www.edelman.com/trustbarometer" target="_blank">Edelman Trust Barometer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessroundtable.org" target="_blank">Business Roundtable</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Why CMOs Need to be Great Business Strategists Part 2 Apr 08, 2020

    <p>In Part 2, we continue our conversation with Julie, discussing how to bring great marketing leadership to fruition and breaking down the concept of “fail fast” culture.</p><p><strong>Links of interest</strong></p><ul><li>Julie Zadow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliezadow/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://demandspring.com/" target="_blank">Demand Spring</a></li><li><a href="https://pinchhitcmo.com/" target="_blank">PinchHit</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Why CMOs Need to be Great Business Strategists Apr 01, 2020

    <p>In this episode, Julie Zadow provides some incredible insight into what makes a great CMO and provides countless lessons on marketing effectiveness from her work as an executive coach and CMO whisperer.</p><p><strong>Links of interest</strong></p><ul><li>Julie Zadow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliezadow/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://demandspring.com/" target="_blank">Demand Spring</a></li><li><a href="https://pinchhitcmo.com/" target="_blank">PinchHit</a></li></ul>

Special: How to Quantify Success Mar 25, 2020

    <p>In this episode, we’re back with Adam Gesuero as we discuss how to quantify the success of a project and the importance of establishing collaborative relationships with your clients.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.icscreative.com/" target="_blank">Image Conscious Studios</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgesuero/" target="_blank">Adam Gesuero LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Lovemarks Mar 24, 2020

    <p>On Episode 146, Kevin Roberts, former CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi, is in to talk about “Lovemarks”—a great book (translated into 17 languages) and the very definition of the big idea. If you’ve been in marketing over the past couple of decades, like me, you’ve marveled at the work Kevin has overseen. On the back of the book, he describes the idea—and in these uncertain times, it really resonates: “The idealism of Love is the new realism of business. By building Respect and inspiring Love, business can move the world.”</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Kevin Roberts on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-roberts-b873a6139/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="http://redrose.consulting/" target="_blank">Red Rose Consulting</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovemark" target="_blank">Lovemarks on Wikipedia</a></li><li><a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B002PKBLBA&amp;preview=newtab&amp;linkCode=kpe&amp;ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_lA3CEbZ6J9JMA&amp;reshareId=TNXQPFEYA563E8WG597C&amp;reshareChannel=system" target="_blank">Lovemarks on Amazon</a></li></ul>

Special: Getting the Most Mileage From Agency Partnerships Mar 17, 2020

    <p>In this episode, we talk to Creative Director and small business owner, Adam Gesuero, the founder of Image Conscious Studios about the perils of not giving your agency partners enough freedom and creative license and the value that great creativity can bring to brands.</p><p><strong>Links of interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.icscreative.com/" target="_blank">Image Conscious Studios</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgesuero/" target="_blank">Adam Gesuero LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Episode 63: Use Cases for VR in Sustainability Mar 17, 2020

    <pre><code>    &lt;p&gt;Lane Jost, Environment and Americas Leader for PwC and a well-known impact investing expert, continues his takeover of #theipod and he’s back with Rory Mitchell on the use cases for VR and how the technology can create immersive experiences for customers to better understand sustainability.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Links of Interest&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lane Jost on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhjost/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Rory Mitchell on &lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/JCFreehogg&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Twitter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;

The Marketing of Ideas Mar 17, 2020

    <p>On Episode 145, we’ve got Duncan Chapple, head of analyst relations at CCgroup, in to talk about a range of subjects around the state of influencer relations and the marketing of ideas. Plus, we dig into a couple of items from a decade or so ago from his manifesto on analyst relations, and then we take a look at the gyrations in the market and world with all the uncertainty we face—with elections, Brexit, COVID-19, and more.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Duncan Chapple on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanchapple/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ccgrouppr.com" target="_blank">CCgroup</a></li><li><a href="https://www.influencerrelations.com" target="_blank">Influencer Relations by Duncan Chapple</a></li><li><a href="https://www.influencerrelations.com/tag/credo" target="_blank">Duncan’s Credo Manifesto for Analyst Relations</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

The Content Queen Mar 10, 2020

    <p>On Episode 144, Content Queen Shay Rowbottom joins Mark to talk about video, LinkedIn, and even a little rap. Shay has an incredible background. She runs Rowbottom Marketing, which specializes in creating LinkedIn content. In this fascinating discussion, we learn about Shay’s background, what her agency is up to, what makes for good content, how to do video--where to use it, how to produce it, and so forth—and whether there is a secret making a viral video. Plus, we learn about her recent success on LinkedIn. And we also find out about her earlier career as a rapper. It was a fun chat.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.shayrowbottom.com" target="_blank">Rowbottom Marketing</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Shay on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayrowbottom/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shayrowbottom_shayshine-activity-6630520276926947329-0VpM" target="_blank">Video of Shay rapping at age 22</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6548942693282746368" target="_blank">Shay’s Post Malone parody about office life</a>&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p>

Blending Marketing with Experiential Mar 03, 2020

    <p>On Episode 143, Ruthie Schulder is here to chat about one of our favorite&nbsp;&nbsp;subjects—experiential marketing. Ruthie is co-founder and CEO of The Participation Agency, and in our chat we get a lot at how marketing and experiential blend, what it’s like to work as an embed in so many different companies, and her role as a mentor to young women in business. Plus, we get a glimpse into the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Ruthie on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthie-schulder-470b715/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> </li><li><a href="https://thisisthepa.com/" target="_blank">The Participation Agency</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Customer Loyalty Is Dying Feb 27, 2020

    <p>On Episode 142, Mark Schaefer is back to continue our discussion as we focus on customer loyalty dying and what marketers can do about it. In addition, we delve into viral marketing, what should be at the heart of successful marketing strategies, and how a marketer or executive can take practical and meaningful steps course-correct their business. Plus, we’ll look ahead, as we always like to do.</p><p><strong>LInks</strong></p><ul><li>Mark Schaefer on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaefer/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://businessesgrow.com/rebellion/" target="_blank">Marketing Rebellion book</a></li><li><a href="https://businessesgrow.com/" target="_blank">Mark’s website</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Marketing Rebellion Feb 24, 2020

    <p>On Episode 141, Mark Schaefer is in to talk about his book—Marketing Rebellion—along with consumer trends, customer loyalty, and viral marketing. Marketing Rebellion is a manifesto of sorts about the rate of change in this world. In part one of our discussion, we talk about Mark’s notion that certain cataclysmic consumer trends are a predictable result of a revolution that started 100 years ago. And we find out about human impressions vs. advertising impressions.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li>Mark Schaefer on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaefer/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://businessesgrow.com/rebellion/" target="_blank">Marketing Rebellion book</a></li><li>Mark’s <a href="https://businessesgrow.com" target="_blank">website</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

The CEO/CMO Relationship Feb 20, 2020

    <p>On Episode 140, Maggie Fox is back for part two of our chat—and we get into the CEO/CMO relationship. Maggie has been on the front lines of that relationship and has some real wisdom to share. We also hear what her approach to being an “activist CMO” is, how the CMO role has changed in the recent years, and her reaction to whether the CMO role is dying—or not.</p><ul><li>Maggie Fox on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiekfox/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

From Solopreneur to SAP Feb 17, 2020

    <p>On Episode 139, Maggie Fox is in to talk about the early days of building a social media consultancy, working at SAP and more. Fox is a CMO, social entrepreneur, advisor to high-growth companies—and so much more. In the first part of our discussion, we learn Maggie’s background, how she ended up at SAP, what it was like founding one of the first social media consultancies, and the advice she gives her clients at those high-growth companies.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Link</strong></p><p> Maggie Fox on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiekfox/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p><p><br></p>

Special: The Problem of Pandering: Marketing's Responsibility to Truth Telling & Authenticity Feb 12, 2020

    <p>In this episode, we talk to self described "unapologetic truth teller" Katie Martell about balancing the desire to be part of zeitgeist narratives like "Me Too" and LGBTQ rights with authenticity in supporting those same narratives. It's all about putting your money where your mouth is and we dive deep into the responsibility of brands in the modern world.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.katie-martell.com/" target="_blank">Katie Martell Website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemartell/" target="_blank">Katie Martell LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Google’s “Loretta” Spot Feb 10, 2020

    <p>On Episode 138, Vincenzo Landino. Last time we talked about Secret, Jeep, Walmart, Hulu, Mountain Dew, and Hyundai. But there was one missing, wasn’t there? Google’s “Loretta” spot. Plus we get a glimpse into Vincenzo’s background and what he’s up to with AFTERMARQ.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://twitter.com/vincenzolandino/status/1224057270427967495" target="_blank">Vincenzo’s #BrandBowl thread</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincenzolandino/" target="_blank">Vincenzo on LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://aftermarq.com" target="_blank">AFTERMARQ</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p>

#BrandBowl Feb 06, 2020

    <p>On Episode 137, we have Vincenzo Landino in to talk about Super Bowl ads. I bumped into him on Twitter a while back and we struck up a discussion. I was originally thinking of talking to him about CEOs and social. But then I saw his Twitter thread on #BrandBowl and asked him if we could go through some highlights of the spots. He agreed. And here we are—talking about Secret, Jeep, Walmart, Hulu, Mountain Dew, and Hyundai in part one of our chat.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://twitter.com/vincenzolandino/status/1224057270427967495" target="_blank">Vincenzo’s #BrandBowl thread</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincenzolandino/" target="_blank">Vincenzo on LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://aftermarq.com" target="_blank">AFTERMARQ</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Part 2: What Good Looks like In Marketing Feb 05, 2020

    <p>In Part 2, we discuss ideation in marketing and where the best ideas come from, as well as the brands we admire and why.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchernov/" target="_blank">Joe Chernov LinkedIn</a></p><p><br></p>

From the Archives: Rebel Talent Feb 03, 2020

    <p>This week, we're digging into the archives. Today, we look back on a great discussion with Francesca Gino, the Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. We went on location to talk with Francesca, who has been honored as one of the world’s top 40 business professors under 40 by Poets and Quants. When we talked, he book, Rebel Talent—Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and In Life, had just come out. If you fancy yourself a marketing rebel, or want to foster or understand the rebels in your company, you should listen closely to my chat with Francesca.</p>

How to Adapt for Better Engagement Jan 30, 2020

    <p>On Episode 135, Amanda Slavin is back to continue our chat about engagement. This time, we learn about some of the advice Amanda gives her clients looking for better engagement. We also get some success stories, find out the best ways to land customers and get them to stay loyal. And we take out the crystal ball and discuss how engagement will change in the years ahead. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.catalystcreativ.com/" target="_blank">CatalystCreativ</a> </li><li>Amanda Slavin on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amslavin/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-seventh-level-book/" target="_blank">The Seventh Level book</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: B2B marketing B.C. (before Content Marketing) Jan 29, 2020

    <p>In Part 1, we were joined by Joe Chernov and we talked about how content marketing emerged as a discipline in B2B and the convergence of content and growth.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchernov/" target="_blank">Joe Chernov LinkedIn</a></p>

All About Engagement Jan 27, 2020

    <p>On Episode 134, Amanda Slavin, who runs an agency—CatalystCreativ—that focuses on engagement through design, experiences, and marketing strategy, is with us. She has a book called The Seventh Level, which is based on an engagement framework she uses with her clients. In part one, we touched on a constituency that is often ignored when we think about engagement—employees. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.catalystcreativ.com/" target="_blank">CatalystCreativ</a> </li><li>Amanda Slavin on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amslavin/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-seventh-level-book/" target="_blank">The Seventh Level book</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Building a Great Brand Jan 23, 2020

    <p>On Episode 133, we’re joined by Jocelyn Kopac to talk about building a great brand. Jocelyn started out in music and moved into speaking, venture capital, and brand work. She currently works with clients that need to move their brand online—people like speakers and coaches. It’s an interesting space, and Jocelyn has a fascinating point of view.&nbsp;</p>

Special: The Science and History of B2B Demand Generation Jan 22, 2020

    <p>In this interview, we talk to one of the pioneers of demand generation about the birth of the discipline and look at what goes into building great demand gen teams, creating process that scales and the critical skills shared by the most successful demand gen marketers.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougsechrist/" target="_blank">Doug Sechrist LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.zenefits.com/" target="_blank">Zenefits website</a></li></ul>

Building a Business on SEO Jan 20, 2020

    <p>On Episode 132, we’re back with Joe Auer, who founded Mattress Clarity. This time, we dig into SEO, his YouTube strategy, and where he sees SEO and content headed in the years ahead. He starts off with his secrets to SEO success and how he built his business on SEO. </p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.mattressclarity.com/" target="_blank">Mattress Clarity</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQCQQ6wQlaKtIcxKG3tZFTw" target="_blank">Mattress Clarity on YouTube</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Mattresses and Marketing Jan 16, 2020

    <p>On Episode 131, Joe Auer, who founded Mattress Clarity, joins us to talk about SEO. Mattress Clarity is a source for finding sleep product information and reviews online. So what does that have to do with marketing? A lot. In the first of two parts, we get Joe’s backstory, how he founded Mattress Clarity, and how he’s scaled the business. Let’s get to it.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.mattressclarity.com/" target="_blank">Mattress Clarity</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQCQQ6wQlaKtIcxKG3tZFTw" target="_blank">Mattress Clarity on YouTube</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Part 2: Hitting Creative Home Runs Everytime Jan 15, 2020

    <p>In Part 2 of this interview, we explore some of the reasons why creative projects stall out and the things that great marketing departments do right when it comes to making progress on big initiatives.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougkessler/" target="_blank">Doug Kessler LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://velocitypartners.com/" target="_blank">Velocity Partners</a></li><li><a href="https://velocitypartners.com/blog/" target="_blank">Velocity Partners Blog</a></li></ul>

A Vision for Growth Jan 13, 2020

    <p>On Episode 130, we’re back with Mel Edwards, global CEO of Wunderman Thompson is back to continue our chat. This time, we talk about Mel’s vision of inspiring growth for ambitious brands, look ahead to 2020 (spoiler alert: we’re both excited about it), and we start this second part of our discussion about consulting—consulting companies are gobbling up creative firms and ad agencies are doing more consulting.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.wundermanthompson.com/" target="_blank">Wunderman Thompson</a></li><li>Mel Edwards on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meledwards4/?originalSubdomain=uk" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

The State of the Ad Business Jan 09, 2020

    <p>On Episode 129, I’m joined by Mel Edwards, global CEO of Wunderman Thompson. We have a wide-ranging discussion about the ad business, consulting, the Wunderman Thompson merger and lots more. In this part, we learn about Mel’s background, the state of the ad business, a frenetic 2019 for Wunderman Thompson, and what they accomplished.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.wundermanthompson.com/" target="_blank">Wunderman Thompson</a></li><li>Mel Edwards on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meledwards4/?originalSubdomain=uk" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Part 1: Why B2B Marketing Gets a Bad Rap Jan 08, 2020

    <p>In Part one of this interview with Doug Kessler, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of the award winning agency, Velocity Partners, we talk about the key differences between B2C and B2B marketing and why B2B sometimes fairly gets a bad rap.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougkessler/" target="_blank">Doug Kessler LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://velocitypartners.com/" target="_blank">Velocity Partners</a></li><li><a href="https://velocitypartners.com/blog/" target="_blank">Velocity Partners Blog</a></li></ul>

Breaking Bad News Jan 06, 2020

    <p>On Episode 127, Jeff Hahn is back and we’re talking about his book Breaking Bad News as well as the work his agency does to support habitat for bees. He’s an Iowa farm boy, and the connection to fragile ecosystems is something he’s passionate about. This is worth the time to listen to closely.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Jeff Hahn on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-hahn-aa2aa0119/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://apronfoodpr.com/" target="_blank">Apron Food &amp; Beverage Communications</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Marketing Food Jan 02, 2020

    <p>On Episode 127, Jeff Hahn, principal of Apron—an agency focused on marketing and PR in the food business—is with us to chat about marketing food and his new book (Breaking Bad News), which we get to in the second part. This time, we learn about Jeff’s background, the challenges of working in the food business, how companies should handle crises, and more.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Jeff Hahn on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-hahn-aa2aa0119/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://apronfoodpr.com/" target="_blank">Apron Food &amp; Beverage Communications</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Google’s Perfect World Dec 30, 2019

    <p>On Episode 126, Geoff Atkinson of Huckabuy is back. This time we learn about building a site for SEO, Google’s Perfect World, algorithms, and B2C vs. B2B.&nbsp;Let’s get to it.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest:</strong></p><ul><li>Geoff Atkinson on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-atkinson-7311872/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://huckabuy.com/" target="_blank">Huckabuy</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

From $0 to $300 Million Dec 26, 2019

    <p>On Episode 125, we have former SVP of Overstock.com, Geoff Atkinson, who’s now founder and CEO of Huckabuy, on to talk SEO and more. We get the story of taking Overstock from nothing to $300 million. He has some great tales to tell, and in this first part we learn about structured data and more.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest:</strong></p><ul><li>Geoff Atkinson on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-atkinson-7311872/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://huckabuy.com/" target="_blank">Huckabuy</a></li></ul>

Special: Skills and Metrics for Every CMO Dec 24, 2019

    <p>In the second part of her discussion with Brian Kardon, CMO at InVsion, Elle and Brian discuss critical skills for marketing leaders and the metrics every CMO should live by. What are the effective traits of marketing leaders? How should CMOs approach everything from building teams and establishing trust. Plus, what are the critical skills today’s CMOs need?</p><p>Brian Kardon on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-kardon-446b4/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p>

The Politics of Marketing Dec 23, 2019

    <p>On Episode 124, we’re back with Phillip Stutts and we delve more into politics and hear his story of perseverance as he faces an incurable disease. Phillip has a long background in politics, which we uncover in this part of our discussion. But the more fascinating and inspiring part of our discussion is his story of facing an incurable disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest:</strong></p><ul><li>Phillip Stutts on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-stutts-a9ba872/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.winbigmedia.com/" target="_blank">Win BIG Media</a></li><li><a href="https://gobigmediainc.com/" target="_blank">Go BIG Media</a></li><li>Phillip’s book <a href="https://www.phillipstutts.com/fire-them-now/" target="_blank">Fire Them Now</a></li><li>Phillip’s <a href="https://www.phillipstutts.com/audit/" target="_blank">free 5-minute marketing audit</a> </li></ul><p><br></p>

Fire Them Now Dec 19, 2019

    <p>On Episode 123, Phillip Stutts is in to talk about marketing, politics and his new book—Fire Them Now: The 7 Lies Digital Marketers Sell...And the Truth about Political Strategies that Help Businesses Win. That’s a mouthful, but it’s a great read. Phillip has an interesting background, which we get into over the next two episodes.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest:</strong></p><ul><li>Phillip Stutts on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-stutts-a9ba872/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.winbigmedia.com/" target="_blank">Win BIG Media</a></li><li><a href="https://gobigmediainc.com/" target="_blank">Go BIG Media</a></li><li>Phillip’s book <a href="https://www.phillipstutts.com/fire-them-now/" target="_blank">Fire Them Now</a></li><li>Phillip’s <a href="https://www.phillipstutts.com/audit/" target="_blank">free 5-minute marketing audit</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Special: Kindness in Leadership Dec 18, 2019

    <p>This is the premiere of The Further Podcast. In this episode, Elle is joined by Brian Kardon, CMO at InVision. Elle and Brian talk about the challenges facing marketing leaders when it comes to building teams and starting in new roles. Across both parts of this interview, they discuss effective traits of marketing leaders and how to approach everything from building teams, establishing trust and the critical skills today’s CMOs need.</p><p>Brian Kardon on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-kardon-446b4/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p>

Finding the Right Freelancers Dec 16, 2019

    <p>On Episode 122, we have Nathan Hirsch in to share some wisdom on finding the right freelancers. You’ve probably had to find freelancers every now and then. Nathan has figured it out. He founded FreeeUp to help people in search of freelancers. In our chat, we learn about Nathan’s background and what brought him to start FreeeUp.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Links of interest:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://freeeup.com/" target="_blank">Freeeup</a></li><li>Nathan Hirsch on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhirsch/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Managing the Funnel Dec 12, 2019

    <p>On Episode 121, we’re back with Rob Patterson, CMO of AWeber. We continue our chat about email marketing and more. This time we dig into more about the email market, plus how to manage your funnel, and a few things marketers need to consider in 2020. But we start things off by talking about free trials. Pay attention to Rob’s answer.</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li>Rob Patterson on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robppatterson/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aweber.com/" target="_blank">AWeber</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Action-Packed Marketing Dec 05, 2019

    <p>On Episode 119, Justin Christianson, co-founder and president at Conversion Fanatics, is back. This time, Justin tells us how marketers can make things more action-oriented, how A/B testing plays into everything, and we learn all about his book—coincidentally, it’s called Conversion Fanatic—and what he’s hoping to help people achieve.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><ul><li><a href="https://conversionfanatics.com/" target="_blank">Conversion Fanatics</a></li><li>Justin on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-christianson-33b4836/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

We’re Conversion Fanatics Dec 02, 2019

    <p>On Episode 118, Justin Christianson joins me. Justin is co-founder and president at Conversion Fanatics. I wanted to have Justin in to get to the bottom of conversion optimization. In this first part of our chat, we hear his background, how he came to co-found Conversion fanatics, some of the secrets to conversions, and how marketers can optimize user experience and conversion rates at the same time.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://conversionfanatics.com/" target="_blank">Conversion Fanatics</a></li><li>Justin on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-christianson-33b4836/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Let’s Get Planning Nov 27, 2019

    <p>On Episode 117, Danielle Savin of Capgemini is back to continue our chat about marketing the holidays. This time, we talk about some retailers of the past, lessons learned, and customer experiences. And we get down to&nbsp;&nbsp;planning. What can retailers do to prepare for next year and the 2020 holiday season—including things like voice search, SEO, cashless payments, AI, predictive analytics, and, of course, the importance of data.&nbsp;</p>

Marketing the Holidays Nov 25, 2019

    <p>On Episode 116, we’ve got Danielle Savin of Capgemini in to discuss marketing the holidays. Danielle is senior director of digital marketing services at Capgemini North America. She knows retail—from the manufacturers to the point of sale. I wanted to chat with her about digital, brick and mortar and everything in between—especially now that we have the holiday season upon us. In this first part, we cover the best practices for retailers at the holidays, her advice for retailers, and more.</p>

Tackling Amazon Nov 21, 2019

    <p>On Episode 115, we're back with Kiri Masters to continue our discussion about Amazon. This time we delve into the kind of team you need to assemble to tackle the Amazon Marketplace, common mistakes, and her advice on how to approach Amazon. Plus, we discuss the brands that are doing well with Amazon and we learn about Kiri’s podcast—the E-Commerce Braintrust.&nbsp;</p>

Marketing Amazon Nov 18, 2019

    <p>On Episode 114, we're joined by Kiri Masters, founder and CEO of Bobsled Marketing. Kiri focuses on retail marketing, with a particular focus on Amazon—that behemoth we all can’t live without. In this first of two parts, we learn about Kiri, her firm and get some answers on what CMOs get wrong about Amazon.&nbsp;</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.bobsledmarketing.com" target="_blank">Bobsled Marketing</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/" target="_blank">Kiri Masters on LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Is the CMO Role Dying? Nov 14, 2019

    <p>On Episode 113, Beth Comstock is back to wrap up our discussion. We continue our look at long-range planning. Plus, we talk about transparency and how data helps you to ask better questions. And, Beth has a challenge for you marketers: Get out of the office and do some old-fashioned work in the field—put texture to the data. Plus, we take a look at how technology and data have shifted marketing in the past decade or so. Is the CMO role dying? Maybe, maybe not. Listen to find out.</p>

A Journey of Discovery Nov 11, 2019

    <p>On Episode 112, Beth Comstock, former vice chair and CMO of GE, joins us again. I talked to Beth about a year ago when her book, Imagine it Forward, came out. Now, a year later, we check in on what she’s learned from the book tour. Is there a follow-up in the works? Find out here. We also chat about what the heck has been going on at GE, where Beth served as vice chair. Plus, we get a start on planning for 2020. Beth notes that we might be kidding ourselves about the control we think we have over planning.&nbsp;</p>

Episode 133: The Secrets to Engagement Nov 07, 2019

    <p>Chris Stefanyk, head of brand partnerships at Wattpad, is back to discuss the secrets of engagement. Chris has some case studies to share. And we get into them here, including stories about NatGeo and T-Mobile. Plus, we bat around the future of content and the immersion of video games, 3-D, AR, and so forth.</p>

It’s Storytime Nov 04, 2019

    <p>On Episode 110, Chris Stefanyk, head of brand partnerships at Wattpad is on to talk about the power of stories. Wattpad works with global brands Kraft, AT&amp;T, GE, Warner Bros., and Universal Pictures to help them to harness storytelling to solve their marketing challenges. Wattpad has an audience of more than 55 million Millennials and Gen-Zs—and we learn about what appeals to those elusive audiences. Plus, we learn about Chris, his background, and the Wattpad story.&nbsp;</p>

The Art and Science of Conversion Oct 31, 2019

    <p>On Episode 109, Jon MacDonald is back to continue our discussion of conversion optimization. This time, we talk about best practices—Amazon and the like. But Jon makes a point that you need to know YOUR data, and shouldn’t focus on your competitors because you don’t know whether that’s working. After all, you may have seen an A/B test. Plus we talk about how B2B companies can avoid having a leaky funnel and how there’s a lot to learn from your e-commerce colleagues.&nbsp;</p>

Time to Optimize Your Marketing Oct 28, 2019

    <p>On Episode 108,  Jon MacDonald is in to talk about conversion optimization. Jon helps brands understand the clicks and movements of their website visitors, and how to use that data to convert more existing visitors into buyers. His company, The Good, is an interesting operation that has worked with Adobe, Nike, Intel and a lot of other household names to help them squeeze more revenue from their e-commerce. In this first part, we get a look at Jon’s background, mistakes people make when they think about conversion, and how The Good helps. Oh, and as usual, we talk about data.</p>

B2B is Really P2P Oct 24, 2019

    <p>On Episode 107, we're back with Carman Pirie. Carman thinks that, from a tactical perspective, although B2B is different, people want consumer-like digital experiences in their B2B experiences. Plus, he shares some insights on working with an agency and says the secret to success is taking advice—listening.&nbsp;What a concept!</p>

Your Funnel is Flawed Oct 21, 2019

    <p>On Episode 106, Carman Pirie is in to talk about marketing, the metrics we watch, and lots more. Carman started out in politics and then came to marketing with an interesting point of view. All the technology we’ve thrown at the task doesn’t mean that we’ll improve lead flow. He says marketers focus on vanity measures and things that appear to show ROI but really don’t. Plus, the notion of the funnel is really flawed. He also tells us a much more useful metric that might not be as easy to illustrate in PowerPoint.</p><ul><li>Carman's company, <a href="https://kulapartners.com" target="_blank">Kula Partners</a></li><li>Carman on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pirie/?originalSubdomain=ca" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

The Business of Expertise Oct 17, 2019

    <p>On Episode 105, we dig back in with David C. Baker on the subject of his new book. Anyone who’s a consultant—in advertising, marketing, you name it—is in the business of expertise. David’s new book (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Business-Expertise-Entrepreneurial-Experts-Convert/dp/1605440604/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Business+of+Expertise&amp;qid=1571245916&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Business of Expertise)</a>, with all of his rich experience, is a must-read for those of us who sell our expertise. How can you make a difference in your client’s lives and make money at the same time? David has some answers. Plus, we talk a lot about storytelling, the in-housing of marketing, and purpose-driven companies.</p><p>The book David mentioned: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Power-Stories-Daniel-Taylor/dp/0385480504" target="_blank">The Healing Power of Stories</a> by Daniel Taylor</p>

Things Are Never as Good or as Bad as They Seem Oct 14, 2019

    <p>On Episode 104, David C. Baker joins me to talk about building an agency and so much more. In this first part of our discussion, we have a bit of a philosophical discussion and then talk about how his skills, including being a pilot, prepared him for building an agency and being “the expert’s expert.” As an entrepreneur, he says he thinks like a pilot--things are never as good or as bad as they seem. </p>

Human Experiences Oct 10, 2019

    <p>On Episode 103, we're back with Steve Randazzo to talk about human experiences. In this second part of our chat, we delve more into the emotional connections that experiences can foster. Plus, Steve shares stories about experiences he’s created for Tractor Supply Company and Disney. Sure, it’s about emotion, but there’s a science to making an experience magical. Plus, we look at the future of experiences—with AR/VR and all of that.&nbsp;</p>

Building Connections Oct 07, 2019

    <p>On Episode 102, we've got award-winning experiential marketer Steve Randazzo. Steve has had an idea for a book in his head for a while and finally was able to get it out this year. It’s about how brands can stand out in this cluttered world. We talk about the book, the work he does at his company around building experiences, and the “aha” moment he had that helped him change the title of his book. Oh, and we also talk about the key to a good customer experience. The key? Emotion. And that leads us into a discussion about B2B and B2C experiences.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steverandazzo/" target="_blank">Steve Randazzo on LinkedIn</a></li><li>Steve's book, <a href="https://www.steve-randazzo.com" target="_blank">Brand Experiences: Building Connections in a Digitally Cluttered World</a></li><li>Steve's company, <a href="https://promotion1.com/" target="_blank">Pro Motion, Inc.</a></li></ul>

Episode 123: A Focus on Brilliant Creative Oct 03, 2019

    <p>On Episode 101, we're back with Lindsay Pattison, chief client officer of WPP. In the second part of our discussion, we look at what it's like to manage such a large organization, the transition of WPP, and the advice she gives to clients on working with an agency. Have we been spending too much time on technology and programmatic work and not enough on creative? Creativity can make a difference. Listen and learn.</p>

It's All About the Clients Sep 30, 2019

    <p>On Episode 100—and the first episode of the third season of Confessions of a Marketer—we're chatting with Lindsay Pattison, WPP's Chief Client Officer. Lindsay is right there on the front lines with WPP's clients around the globe. She has an interesting point of view on her role, and the ongoing changes at WPP. In the first part of our interview, Lindsay gives us a glimpse at her background, what drives her every day, and what she’s hearing from clients—their confessions.</p>

Brainy Marketers Sep 27, 2019

    <p>On Episode 99, we feature a look back over the wisdom we've heard from our guests. We feature some of brainy people I've had the good fortune to talk with, including Tony Temple, Tony Rudel, Duncan Chapple, Jacques van Niekerk, and Elle Woulfe.</p>

Marketing Starbucks Sep 26, 2019

    <p>On Episode 98, David Lemley is back to continue our chat about retail marketing. This time we focus on his time early on at Starbucks, which taught him a lot. He takes that education with him today to help him current client roster. There are some valuable lessons in David’s story—plus he gives us a look at the future.</p><p><br></p>

Marketing in Retail Sep 23, 2019

    <p>On Episode 97, we have David Lemley in to chat about marketing in retail—he calls it retail voodoo.&nbsp;David was an early employee at Starbucks, and that experience taught him a lot. His company, Retail Voodoo, does brand strategy for specialty food and beverage brands. David’s expertise in brand strategy, innovation, consumer markets, and consumer behavior is deep, so I wanted to talk to him about retail marketing, what the retail landscape looks like, and of course Starbucks (which we get to in part two). But in part one, we get the low down on retail voodoo.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

Celebrating Our Differences Sep 19, 2019

    <p>On Episode 96, Christina Mallon and and I continue our discussion on the way in which fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger have been on the vanguard of celebrating our differences. We discuss how Tommy Adaptive elevated the brand by making functional and fashionable clothing available. We also delve more into the work that Wunderman Thompson did. The key, Christina says, is staying away from inspiration porn. We also talk about the non-profit organization she co-founded—the Open Style Lab, which works on accessible technology, teaching STEM through accessible fashion design. Great—important—discussion.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkTP2zaCBXE" target="_blank">Tommy Adaptive on YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://usa.tommy.com/en/shop-by-solution?cid=cpc_generic_adaptive_textad_google_us_%7BAdaptive%20Brand%20Unisex%7D_%7BAdaptive%20Clothing%7D_tommy%20adaptive&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs_W-1Pza5AIVElYMCh2zMAatEAAYASAAEgJPEPD_BwE" target="_blank">Tommy Adaptive on the web</a></li><li><a href="https://www.wundermanthompson.com" target="_blank">Wunderman Thompson</a></li></ul>

Inclusive Design: A Better Way to Design Sep 16, 2019

    <p>On Episode 95, we're talking with Christina Mallon, Inclusive Design Lead at Wunderman Thompson and Partner/Board Member of Open Style Lab, which was founded at MIT.&nbsp;Christina has a fascinating story to tell about her career path and her creation of the inclusive design practice at Wunderman Thompson. We discuss the three principles of inclusive design, how we see inclusive design in practice, how Christina employs design thinking in her inclusive design work (they’re really the same thing), the use of cross functional teams, plus we get the story on the inclusivity practice at Wunderman Thompson and the work they did for Tommy Adaptive.&nbsp;</p>

Five Keys to Brand Strategy Sep 12, 2019

    <p>On Episode 94, Mitch Duckler is back to discuss brand strategy. Mitch has a book out called The Indispensable Brand. In part one, we touched on the premise of his book and the value of brand equity. This time, we cover the five key components of brand strategy—brand positioning, brand portfolio strategy, brand experiences, brand extension, and brand story.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Mitch's firm: <a href="https://www.fullsurge.com" target="_blank">FullSurge</a></li><li>Mitch's book: <a href="https://www.fullsurge.com/indispensable-brand?hsCtaTracking=af45b2de-9a66-4267-aedb-1443143593e1%7C18f7ea0b-d291-4341-b2b3-3d48443387e4" target="_blank">The Indispensable Brand</a></li><li>Mitch on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchduckler/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

The Indispensable Brand Sep 09, 2019

    <p>On Episode 93, we're joined by Mitch Duckler to talk about differentiating your brand in this era of sameness. Mitch has a book out called The Indispensable Brand. In this first part, we talk about the premise of his book: that brands are very much copycats these days, what's lost in the effort to measure everything, the value of brand equity, and the keys to standing out in this crazy world. It's fairly simple: what, how, why, and who.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Mitch's firm:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fullsurge.com" target="_blank">FullSurge</a></li><li>Mitch's book:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fullsurge.com/indispensable-brand?hsCtaTracking=af45b2de-9a66-4267-aedb-1443143593e1%7C18f7ea0b-d291-4341-b2b3-3d48443387e4" target="_blank">The Indispensable Brand</a></li><li>Mitch on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchduckler/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Have We Reached Peak Podcast? Sep 05, 2019

    <p>On Episode 92, we chat more with fellow podcaster Ben Shapiro. I read something recently that said, with some 700 thousand podcasts, we have reached peak podcast. I wanted to run that by Ben. He thinks we’re not even close. We talk about that and a few other geeky podcast things.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Ben’s Podcast:&nbsp;<a href="http://martechpod.com/" target="_blank">The MarTech Podcast</a></li><li><a href="http://alongroadhomepod.com/" target="_blank">A Long Road Home</a>, the podcast Ben mentions that started in his Lyft ride</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjshap/" target="_blank">Ben on LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Wisdom on Brand Aug 30, 2019

    <p>On Episode 91, we take a different approach--collecting wisdom on brand, creativity, the words we use, and the value of a good creative brief from some our our guests over the past two years.</p><p>We're joined by Elle Wolfe talking about her secret weapon during a rebrand at Path Factory, Tony Temple on how to approach the work, Alex Withers on creativity throughout an organization, Ben Afia on the power of words and and how it's really about culture, he says. And then there's the dreaded creative brief. Greg Quinton has an idea on the purpose of the brief and how to write it.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

A Podcast About Podcasting Aug 29, 2019

    <p>On Episode 90, Benjamin Shapiro, host of the MarTech Podcast, joins us. Ben and I have bumped into each other a few times over the past year. We chatted on the phone a while back about our shared experiences as podcasters. In this first part of our chat we get a look at Ben’s background, and how he came up with the idea of starting a podcast. He says he started it as an art project and that it can all be traced back to a few too many beers and a ride in a Lyft.</p><p>Episode Notes</p><ul><li>Ben's Podcast: <a href="http://martechpod.com" target="_blank">The MarTech Podcast</a></li><li><a href="http://alongroadhomepod.com" target="_blank">A Long Road Home</a>, the podcast Ben mentions that started in his Lyft ride</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjshap/" target="_blank">Ben on LinkedIn</a></li></ul>

Video Saved the Marketing Star Aug 26, 2019

    <p>On Episode 89, Joe Martin of CloudApp is back to finish our discussion about video, visuals, and marketing. We learn about what CloudApp has been up to, the kinds of customers they have and how they use it to enhance productivity. Then we turn to the future, and Joe sees video and mobile at the center of the marketer's universe in the years to come. And, we agreed, we need to do better with mobile--much better.</p>

Using Video and Visuals in Your Marketing Aug 22, 2019

    <p>On Episode 88, we're talking video and visuals in your marketing. Joe Martin is GM, VP of Marketing and Strategy at CloudApp, which helps you share video, screenshots, and gifs. He has a heritage of working at Adobe, and when I started thinking about having an episode about videos and visuals in marketing, he seemed like the obvious choice. In this first part, we talk about the way people respond to visuals, how Joe employs them in his marketing, and the lessons he carries with him from Adobe.</p>

We're Still Googling Aug 19, 2019

    <p>On Episode 87, Victor Machado and I continue our chat about Google My Business. This time, we examine the role it plays in the life of a business, plus we also discuss some quirks we’ve all seen in searching for businesses, how to go about hiring an agency to help you with GMB, and lots more.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmachado/" target="_blank">Victor Machado on LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.postandwall.com/" target="_blank">Post&amp;Wall Digital Marketing Agency</a></li><li><a href="https://www.google.com/business/?&amp;gmbsrc=us-en-ha-se-z-gmb-s-z-h~bk;&amp;ppsrc=GMBS0&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrfLAlLD-4wIV4pJbCh1JVwXHEAAYASAAEgL4DPD_BwE" target="_blank">Google My Business</a></li></ul>

The Basics of Google My Business Aug 15, 2019

    <p>On Episode 86, Victor Machado joins me to dig into Google My Business. When he was in last, we dug into SEO and SEM and touched briefly on it. Now, he’s back for the first of two episodes to get a bit more detail on GMB, as we like to call it.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmachado/" target="_blank">Victor Machado on LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.postandwall.com/" target="_blank">Post&amp;Wall Digital Marketing Agency</a></li><li><a href="https://www.google.com/business/?&amp;gmbsrc=us-en-ha-se-z-gmb-s-z-h~bk;&amp;ppsrc=GMBS0&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrfLAlLD-4wIV4pJbCh1JVwXHEAAYASAAEgL4DPD_BwE" target="_blank">Google My Business</a></li></ul><p><br></p>

Mastering LinkedIn Marketing Aug 12, 2019

    <p>On Episode 85, AJ Wilcox is back with me to chat about mastering LinkedIn marketing. AJ Wilcox. We go deep on how he sets the expectations of clients, how he uses LinkedIn to nurture prospects, and some trends he’s following. We start with a discussion about how he talks with clients about targeting specific job titles and industries, and the metrics he uses.&nbsp;</p>

Social Media Marketing Aug 08, 2019

    <p>On Episode 84, I'm joined by social media advertising expert AJ Wilcox. AJ is founder of Founder B2Linked - The LinkedIn Advertising Agency and he's an expert on social media advertising, with a particular focus on LinkedIn. In this first part of our discussion, we look into what makes a good social media ad, how Facebook is doing as an advertising medium, how LinkedIn has been developing its marketplace, and how he advises his clients to utilize social media advertising.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://b2linked.com" target="_blank">B2Linked</a>: This is AJ's LinkedIn ad agency.</li></ul>

Reimagining Marketing Aug 05, 2019

    <p>On Episode 83, Angel Hollis Vaccaro, digital practice lead at Hux by Deloitte, is back. Last time, we were discussing the Deloitte report Beyond Marketing: Experience Reimagined and talked a lot about how the CMO and CIO are close partners now. We then delved into the key findings of the report, which center on data, decisioning and delivery. We covered a bit about data in the previous episode, and we pick up with a point I made about data being at the core of that blossoming CIO/CMO relationship.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/tech-trends/2019/personalized-marketing-experience-reimagined.html" target="_blank">Beyond marketing: Experience reimagined</a> CMOs and CIOs partnering to elevate the human experience. In the new world of marketing—personalized, contextualized, and dynamic—CMOs are partnering with their technology organizations to bring control of the human experience back in house, with a fresh arsenal of experience-focused marketing tools.</li></ul>

Beyond Marketing Aug 01, 2019

    <p>On Episode 82, Angel Hollis Vaccaro, digital practice lead at Hux by Deloitte discusses the report Beyond Marketing: Experience Reimagined. I read it a while back. It painted an interesting picture of how marketing has changed, and how it is still changing. There are two keys: the connection between the CIO and CMO is tighter than ever and treating your customers like humans (not lines on a spreadsheet or targets in a campaign) is the only way to go. This is part one of two.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/tech-trends/2019/personalized-marketing-experience-reimagined.html" target="_blank">Beyond marketing: Experience reimagined</a>, from Deloitte Insights: CMOs and CIOs partnering to elevate the human experience. In the new world of marketing—personalized, contextualized, and dynamic—CMOs are partnering with their technology organizations to bring control of the human experience back in house, with a fresh arsenal of experience-focused marketing tools.</li></ul>

Building a Marketing Machine Jul 29, 2019

    <p>On Episode 81, we're back with Scott Horn, CMO at PrismHR. In the first part of our chat, we looked at how how he approached his new job and interviewed candidates. Now we get a bit deeper. How does he run the marketing machine? He uses OKRs—a term that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Plus, we chat about the creative side of marketing, and a possible brand refresh for PrismHR. Then we look at how the CMO role is evolving and get Scott’s perspective on trends he’s following.</p>

Being a High-Growth Company CMO Jul 25, 2019

    <p>On Episode&nbsp;80, PrismHR CMO Scott Horn&nbsp;joins me to discuss being a CMO in a high-growth company. He’s new in the role, so I wanted to talk with him to get a couple of perspectives: What it’s like running marketing at a fast-growing company and how he approached his new job and tackled things like interviewing job candidates. He’s got a system that was interesting to hear about. The key, as you’ll understand when you listen, is to put people before technology.&nbsp;</p>

Making the Most of Intent Jul 22, 2019

    <p>On Episode 79, Rob Weedn of DealSignal and Jeremy Middleton of Pramata are back for part two of our chat about ABM and intent.&nbsp;In the first part of our chat, we discussed the winnowing down of the martech stack plus a lot about ABM. Today we continue our chat about it--how to use intent-based data, the promise of technology, programmatic advertising, and more. And we start with a question about the tension around ABM.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Pepper and Rogers: <a href="https://hbr.org/1999/01/is-your-company-ready-for-one-to-one-marketing" target="_blank">Is Your Company Ready for One-to-One Marketing?</a></li><li><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/account-based-marketing-guide" target="_blank">The Ultimate Guide to Account-Based Marketing (ABM)</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Cover image is copyright 2019 Mark Reed-Edwards from a recent hike in Massachusetts.</p><p><br></p>

Whittling Down Your MarTech Stack Jul 18, 2019

    <p>On Episode 78, Rob Weedn of DealSignal and Jeremy Middleton of Pramata join me. I had Rob on early in the series for a chat about data in marketing. I wanted to have him back, and when he mentioned he could get one of his customers to join him, I jumped at the chance to talk about account-based marketing, data, intent and marketing, plus the ever-present martech stack. We have divided this chat into two parts.&nbsp;This is part one.</p><p>Cover photo is copyright 2019 Mark Reed-Edwards from a recent hike in Massachusetts.</p>

All About SEO and SEM Jul 15, 2019

    <p>On Episode 77, we have Victor Machado of Post&amp;Wall in to talk about SEO and SEM. Victor cofounded his firm, an integrated digital marketing solutions, in 2014. He's on the front lines of developments in search. So, as a follow up to my chat with Taylor Ryan in Episode 76 episode about the Google algo changes, I thought it would make sense to get a bit further into the weeds on SEO and SEM—and Victor was the right one to talk with. We talk about organic SEO, location SEO, confusion about SEO, plus we delve into the data and the possible blending of the big networks. And, maybe most importantly, we debate why so few get digital right.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmachado/" target="_blank">Victor Machado on LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://www.postandwall.com/" target="_blank">Post&amp;Wall Digital Marketing Agency</a></li></ul>

Google Algo Changes Jul 11, 2019

    <p>On Episode 76, we have Taylor Ryan in to talk about the latest batch of Google algo changes. We chatted with Taylor back in Episode 47 about Hacking Your Marketing. One ingredient in hacking is how you use Google. And Taylor, who’s CMO at Valuer in Copenhagen, is an expert on that. So, with the hubbub about the Google algo, I asked him to join me to make sense of it. I think we made some headway.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-begins-rolling-out-june-2019-core-update-317741" target="_blank">Google Algorithm Update</a></li><li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-update-aims-to-show-more-diverse-results-from-different-domain-names-317934" target="_blank">Google Diversity Update</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/" target="_blank">Matt Cutts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.inc.com/gary-vaynerchuk/askgaryvee-episode-101-marketers-ruin-everything.html" target="_blank">Gary Vaynerchuk on Why Marketers Ruin Everything</a></li><li><a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/june-broad-core-update-e-a-t/311937/" target="_blank">Google E.A.T.: Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness</a></li><li><a href="https://www.hencove.com/blog/your-money-or-your-life-what-googles-recent-algorithm-update-means-for-the-healthcare-and-financial-industries" target="_blank">“Your Money Or Your Life”: What Google’s Recent Algorithm Update Means For The Healthcare And Financial Industries</a></li><li><a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/19/google-explains-how-it-is-fighting-fake-news/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG5pu7v7Usx1Ki-be6LwLVOllI7-AxWjDjIvyQ8TuSkV1M-TJ1qlkBM6vGhVzJcJ-IkcRl2YtsHoJiFxb0Jc-7MUjBHUy4Pw-13oi-60lU-xvuXZXq5L6rkRZHczlnwF5xVNdjaO3wToc67JbmW8bPqd5Pdn4pR2XcZsN4NQQtkR" target="_blank">Google explains how it's fighting fake news</a></li><li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-search-quality-raters" target="_blank">Who are Google search quality raters and what do they do?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=4&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwixxuyUg6jjAhWwc98KHfslA5oQFjADegQIAhAC&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.googleusercontent.com%2Fmedia%2Fwww.google.%2520com%2Fde%2F%2Finsidesearch%2Fhowsearchworks%2Fassets%2Fsearchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf&amp;usg=AOvVaw1AWuWgYlzODNhq4HssgvpM" target="_blank">Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_My_Business" target="_blank">Google My Business</a> (It’s on Wikipedia, so it’s trustworthy)</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_be_evil" target="_blank">Don’t be evil</a> or <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2015/10/02/alphabet-do-the-right-thing/" target="_blank">Do the right thing</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Cover photo is copyright 2019 Mark Reed-Edwards from a recent hike in Massachusetts.</p><p><br></p>

Switching on Sales Jul 08, 2019

    <p>On Episode 75, Jonathan Soares is back to continue our chat about social selling. We got to my favorite subject—trends—late in this chat. And we also discussed some success stories for Jonathan’s firm, Agency Labs. But to start, I asked him about the right time to start talking about your product—really when you start the switch from marketing to sales. And his answer was loaded with the kind of insight you’d expect from someone who deals with CMOs all day long.</p><p>Cover photo is copyright 2019 Mark Reed-Edwards from a recent sunset in Massachusetts.</p>

From the Archives: Building an A Team Jul 02, 2019

    <p>I remember connecting with Whitney Johnson years ago on Twitter. Her posts were always brimming with insight. But her game is innovation and the focus of this podcast is marketing. So, how could I have her on? Didn't seem possible. Then she came out with a great book--Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve and I wanted to have her on so the managers, directors, VPs and CMOs in my audience would gain from her insight. It was a great discussion that closed out the first season of CoaM. I present it here as we head into a quiet holiday week in the US so you can contemplate her wisdom as you flip burgers and laze around in the sun.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://whitneyjohnson.com/build-an-a-team/" target="_blank">Build an A-Team</a> - Disrupting yourself is a way of life around here, so it’s only natural that it is my turn to be disrupted.</li><li><a href="https://whitneyjohnson.com/meet-whitney/" target="_blank">Meet Whitney</a> - Whitney Johnson is one of the 50 leading business thinkers in the world (<a href="http://thinkers50.com/biographies/whitney-johnson/" target="_blank">Thinkers50</a>) and an expert on disruptive innovation and personal disruption, a framework codified in the critically-acclaimed book&nbsp;<a href="http://amzn.to/2lBMO41" target="_blank"><em>Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work</em></a>&nbsp;as well as well as the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.axiomawards.com/83/2019-winners" target="_blank">award-winning</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://amzn.to/2zRQv0R" target="_blank"><em>Build an “A” Team: Play To Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve</em></a>, published by Harvard Business Press in 2018.</li></ul>

Social Selling Jul 01, 2019

    <p>On Episode 74, Jonathan Soares, founder and CEO of Agency Labs, joins us. His firm builds websites, software and mobile apps for companies around the globe. One common denominator: social media. He’s become an expert on social selling. So we dug into how to best use social media, when to sell, when to market—and lots more.&nbsp;</p><p>Cover photo is copyright 2019 Mark Reed-Edwards from Boulder Mountain Park, Colorado.</p>

Becoming Better Marketers Jun 27, 2019

    <p>On Episode 73, Jon Chang is back to continue our discussion about his five-year career planning template. This time, he shares how you can use it to improve your work life and even become a better marketer. It's a good meditation on what's possible in your career and how to make it actually happen. dreaming is great, but doing is even better.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Jon Chang’s career planning template is right&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jonchang.co/content/2019/4/9/5-year-career-planning-template" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>See more of Jon’s thinking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jonchang.co/content" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>Learn more about Jon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchangny/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Cover photo from <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14782941015/in/photolist-owjrkn-r5qB8F-smtnkP-agaLS6-ejdR3t-ocJSiN-2duDiR4-dXUA5z-qB4wzx-dXUA7g-hLgvoy-ejjzco-ocAxJZ-rmRqSd-HhSmBB-ejjzaW-HhSmEc-owAnex-WKraiq-tDN4HB-219ARw9-JYZFrT-odaxMZ-oeVnaT-ejdR5x-ow96th-od8SxQ-hLFNXU-odj5kM-rp5DTb-hLGJdi-ocazqU-owgzuJ-osx3Ld-ou2Evd-i6Ba5T-ou57vz-w9TRAN-qrPAb3-x36Qes-aRTzxk-ov1Gzw-oubDwG-hLgQWi-oeZoDX-oeUDbp-ow5y4D-otQYP8-ovVwRr-kHBWLa" target="_blank">Flickr</a>, no known copyright restrictions.</p>

Special: Pilot for the Demystifying Data Podcast Jun 24, 2019

    <p>We're thrilled to share the pilot episode for a new podcast we'll be producing starting in July. It's the Demystifying Data podcast with Chris Clegg, president and research director of <a href="http://www.portma.com/" target="_blank">PortMA</a>. Chris has been my go-to on data and marketing. You may remember him from his previous appearances on Confessions of a Marketer. We got to know each other and his ability to deconstruct data and all it means for marketers was clear. So, as we look to expand our podcasts beyond this one and The Innovation Podcast, Chris was an obvious first choice. In each episode, alternating between interviews and commentary, Chris will deconstruct an element of data with the aim of making it less mysterious to marketers.</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><p>In this pilot episode, Chris tackles the challenge of defining the dollar value of impressions.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the most popular blog post on PortMA's <a href="http://www.portma.com/" target="_blank">Experiential ROI</a> blog and garners the most activity when they post on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/portma" target="_blank">@portma</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Chris breaks the problem down into three business challenges:</p><ul><li><strong>How to collect experiential marketing impressions reliably: </strong>Turns out, that consistency is more important than accuracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chris breaks down this critical data science principle and provides simple solutions to avoid this common mistake.</li><li><strong>Methods for recording the five primary impression categories: </strong>In experiential marketing there are five impression categories that every campaign should be tracking.&nbsp;&nbsp;Don’t sell yourself short by missing one of these key areas of value.</li><li><strong>Assigning a legitimate dollar value to experiential marketing impressions: </strong>Finally, Chris reveals the industry standard for impression valuation modeling and provides several examples that allow the non-data minded marketer a clear roadmap to assigning the right dollar value to experiential impressions.</li></ul><p><strong>Links of Interest</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.portma.com" target="_blank">Portland Marketing Analytics (PortMA)</a> is a marketing research firm&nbsp;specializing in the develop of marketing communication strategies and measuring the return-on-investment of experiential marketing campaigns.</p><p>You can follow Chris on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/PortMA" target="_blank">@portma</a>.</p><p>For a more compressive review of Ad Value Equivalency Modeling techniques including criticisms of the approach visit PR Week’s article, <a href="https://www.prweek.com/article/903837/ave-debate-measuring-value-pr" target="_blank">The AVE debate: Measuring the value of PR</a>.</p>

Marketing Your Career Jun 20, 2019

    <p>On Episode 72, Jon Chang is back in to talk about some thinking he’s done on career planning for marketers. I first spoke with Jon early this year about a survey that IBM Watson did on marketing. Jon was knowledgeable, insightful and passionate—and not just about marketing. Follow him on LinkedIn or Twitter and you’ll see someone with broad interests in helping others figure things out. When I saw him post a career planning template, I thought it would be fun to have him in to chat about it and see how he formulated it. This is the first part of our discussion. We talk about starting with your passions and figuring out two things you can be great at.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Notes</strong></p><ul><li>Jon Chang's career planning template is right <a href="https://www.jonchang.co/content/2019/4/9/5-year-career-planning-template" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>See more of Jon's thinking <a href="https://www.jonchang.co/content" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>Learn more about Jon <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchangny/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Cover photo from <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mahernajm/16255146758/in/photolist-qLpSP1-p23wYy-p7ex73-25jVuwx-poGLWu-2f64G2T-poJpPi-CS7G4K-poJqh2-poGM55-p7eeqk-qEUnub-oALagf-p7ee8B-owrH1o-4jubRn-VV8NrT-pmGnYG-bDeJjs-G5LMps-6Bka2g-oum7Cr-ow776a-osSbm5-psUiUv-pmGnHG-pos436-a2nQcZ-pmGoaU-nRSmrG-YUTxqe-p7eeFa-6v9yvW-dQTTZQ-7vxDDG-c4j5Yy-oePruN-7FbHaq-953w6U-e8CU5j-8XQou7-p7ewWo-co517Q-w9EkAn-qXipVb-PopqFw-6kt9a2-owaZZe-bZ1Nt3-bUAAcY" target="_blank">Flickr</a>, public domain.</p>

The Key to B2B Marketing Jun 17, 2019

    <p>On Episode 71, I continue my discussion with Elle Woulfe. What is the key to B2B marketing? It's simple--think of everyone as a person. That's the main conclusion of my discussion with Elle. There's a lot more to it than that, though. So you'll have to listen to get the whole story. As always, a fun chat with Elle.</p><p>Cover image from <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/78423546@N06/34618601533/in/photolist-UK8o9e-S3MrYN-D7LkS-ZjBbz3-23E3HXj-JRRGFa-2aCdKUu-ZRUzsP-Yf59XH-29S4CSf-oqfc4w-R8xF1G-29EYwPm-cfr8BU-6cgUW8-496BGu-255wKRa-YkLnJ3-2b1gioW-qJMXbg-VXNV2j-pRqz27-UoXjYz-24jLtSb-d3QDmG-Rrm5sQ-27L59rX-rjEnhm-22WmLyp-U4ozmV-2dMQpGK-2313UHr-WmhT64-Nw2Vim-ESmf21-SS6k68-2fGnMeS-bzq2E4-NrfNgj-MsnWNC-Sh5b2s-28t5y4y-2f7rvkx-k5Rx6s-Jzpu78-W9yzww-nFqvE2-X1rR9p-8cGJjp-25vosUY" target="_blank">Flickr</a>, public domain.</p>

Special: E-Sports Jun 14, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of The Innovation Podcast: We have Bruno Aguiar, VP Commercial Management &amp; Analytics at ESL/Turtle Entertainment. Of course, ESL is the trailblazing e-sports brand. We were thrilled Bruno agreed to sit down with us. To kick off the first of three episodes, we heard about Bruno's background and learned about the difference between e-sports and real sports (hint: there isn't one). We had a few laughs along the way, too.</p><p>Cover and header image from <a href="https://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/e-sports.html?&amp;sti=oc6k94n3prp8dews1z|&amp;mediapopup=97365427" target="_blank">123rf</a>, standard license.</p>

Data and B2B Marketing Jun 13, 2019

    <p>On Episode 70, Elle Woulfe joins us to dig into data and B2B marketing. Elle is VP of Marketing at PathFactory. You may remember the chat we had about six months ago about her rebrand. Elle did some special work with that and we got lots of reaction to it. But Elle has a lot of knowledge about using data as a marketer. What’s behind the data we collect and how should we use it? We get into that and more in part one of our chat.&nbsp;</p>

Marketers as Customer Advocates Jun 10, 2019

    <p>On Episode 69 we’re talking marketers as customer advocates with Riccardo Osti. In the second part of our discussion, we delve into how marketers can be customer advocates, the trends Riccardo is seeing, and we learn more about Wonderflow.&nbsp;</p>

Marketing and the Customer Experience Jun 06, 2019

    <p>On Episode 68, we have Riccardo Osti in to discuss marketing and the customer experience. Riccardo is CEO of Wonderflow, and we start our chat by defining the customer experience, then branch out into how to improve it and the role data can play in it. Riccardo is a fascinating guy with a really interesting company. Wonderflow gathers and makes sense of unstructured feedback from consumers. So Riccardo was the right one to speak to about the customer experience.&nbsp;</p>

From the Archives: Why CMOs Should Listen to Creatives Jun 04, 2019

    <p>We're taking another look back into the archives. In the middle of the first season, I had a chance to speak with Alex Withers, CMO of InMotionNow. It was great to get a CMO on the show with a fresh perspective. And it was even greater when we started chatting and Alex started to explain his thesis: that people like him should listen to creatives. As I wrote when I published it all the way back in March 2018, it was an inspirational chat--one that marketers and creatives alike will enjoy. Give it a listen.</p>

You and Your Funnel Jun 03, 2019

    <p>On Episode 67, we continue our chat with Chris Dayley about converting social media traffic. We discuss split testing, understanding where people are in your funnel, and, of course, data—and lots more. He’s an engaging guy, and I think you’ll enjoy the chat.&nbsp;</p>

Converting Social Media Traffic May 30, 2019

    <p>On Episode 66, Chris Dayley is back to discuss the dark arts of social media conversions. We start off our two-part chat with a discussion of what a company should expect from social media, the value of a two-way dialogue, and using tech like Facebook LIve.&nbsp;</p>

Even Deeper on Product Marketing May 28, 2019

    <p>On Episode 65, we go even deeper on product marketing with Josh Martin. We talk about the value of data, balancing the demands of the day with planning for the future, plus he lets me in on the story behind his current company—Perfect Sense. It was a great discussion that makes, um, perfect sense. Enjoy!</p>

Knee-Deep in Product Marketing May 23, 2019

    <p>On Episode 64, we're knee-deep in product marketing with Josh Martin. Josh and I spoke in an early episode of Confessions of a Marketer. And today we expand on that in the first of two episodes. We start off by talking about the ideal background for a product marketer, Josh’s career path, understanding the audience, and the value of working hard.&nbsp;</p>

SEO Is Dead (Or Is It?) May 20, 2019

    <p>On Episode 63, we're back with Karin Conroy, founder and creative director of Conroy Creative Counsel. Last time, Karin introduced the concept of whole-brained marketing. In this second part of our discussion, we examine trends Karin is following, and things like chatbots. Oh, and I declare that SEO is dead, but I'm not sure Karin agrees. Listen to find out.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://conroycreativecounsel.com/" target="_blank">Conroy Creative Counsel</a></li><li><a href="https://conroycreativecounsel.com/about/" target="_blank">About the Firm</a></li></ul>

Marketers: Time to Use Your Noggin May 16, 2019

    <p>On Epsiode 62, we have Karin Conroy, founder and creative director of Conroy Creative Counsel. She champions an approach called whole-brained marketing. Her business focuses on web design and digital marketing for law firms. But she found that many lawyers needed to modernize their marketing, and with whole-brained marketing she gives them an approach that balances the rational and creative. She even shares what it's like to negotiate with an attorney. It’s a challenge, but Karin has navigated it well. We had a fascinating discussion that I’ve divided into two parts. Here’s part one.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Episode Links</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://conroycreativecounsel.com" target="_blank">Conroy Creative Counsel</a></li><li><a href="https://conroycreativecounsel.com/about/" target="_blank">About the Firm</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/The_Thinker%2C_Rodin.jpg" target="_blank"><em>Wikimedia Commons</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p>

A Language Manifesto for Marketers (and Everyone Else, too) May 12, 2019

    <p>On Episode 61, I've got Ben Afia back in. I’ve known him for a decade and he has trailblazed the world of tone of voice. You may remember him from the other times he’s been on. He always talks sense about tone of voice. This time, he has a language manifesto. I knew when I saw he’d posted it, that we’d have to have him on. As always, it was an informative, engaging discussion.&nbsp;</p><p>Episode Links</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.benafia.com/language-manifesto-optin/" target="_blank">Download Ben Afia's Language Manifesto</a>&nbsp;— When you focus on language, you help everyone connect as humans. You’ll find it easier to give customers what you promised and they’ll be happier.</li><li><a href="https://www.benafia.com/about/" target="_blank">About Ben Afia</a>&nbsp;— A brand strategist, coach and international speaker – how did I end up here?</li></ul><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kmsiever/5895380540/in/photolist-9YXnf5-5B1aSS-LRGEeB-UXMEkw-KBJ3pj-WQqmYX-BhkkMh-XhtYHc-JL8V73-6F685v-o7ru1t-ouoPm7-arGNjY-oePPM4-dhZvjr-ou8c5m-dYKP2Y-ouwDR1-4UbgBr-odxHEH-oeQDE9-x4gcaL-ovXswk-owkrUg-hZoqbV-bJeRQg-osGSmf-5RWLSc-ouryoV-ocZBji-odaoo1-Pt7hAt-ovsyvm-ocULeT-EQKg1w-mLssvp-odar7X-dhZtvP-g6Usdm-odEHhy-2fn4UXM-ouXbm8-ovuSXs-83iZJB-6Zr5mG-YZPTPd-odbUEv-otHUrC-UJJLDx-xemPUN" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p>

From the Archives: Marketing in the #FakeNews Era May 10, 2019

    <p>We're taking one more episode to peer back into the archives--this time with Peter Horst, longtime CMO and new author when we chatted in the fall of 2018. He'd just come out with a book called "Marketing in the #FakeNews Era." To say it was timely was an understatement. With decades of experience as a global marketing exec and CMO working with market leaders such as Capital One, Hershey, General Mills, and Ameritrade, Peter approached things with a unique perspective. Some things don't age well. But it seems like fake news will be with us for a while. So whether you like it our not, it makes sense to figure out how to deal with it.</p>

From the Archives: Death by PowerPoint May 08, 2019

    <p>We're still digging into the archives. This time, we've come up with a short chat I had with Duncan Chapple, the world's foremost authority on analyst relations. He's a great guy, and when he was in Cambridge, Mass. for a conference back in late 2017, I grabbed a few minutes with him to chat about marketing and analyst relations. We had a fun discussion. And, as I was packing up my gear, we started to talk about the evils of PowerPoint. I knew I had to record it, so I set things up again and we had at it. Herewith, Death by Powerpoint. Enjoy!</p>

From the Archives: You and Me, Not B2B May 05, 2019

    <p>We're digging into the archives for the next few days. This time, we return to ground zero for Confessions of a Marketer and give you Episode 1. I was new at this, and wanted a first guest who I knew well. And I also wanted to be confident that the guest could chat for more than a few minutes. That person was the inimitable Tony Temple. Back then, Tony was working solo as a brand consultant. Now, he's executive creative director at DirectionGroup (https://www.directiongroup.com) in the UK, where he's evangelizing about the death of B2B. When we had our chat, he was noodling around with the idea that it's You and Me, Not B2B. I hope you'll like this view back to October of 2017, when I brought CoaM from the drawing board to reality. Enjoy.</p>

Special: Beyond the Redline--Opportunity Zones Up Close May 02, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of The Innovation Podcast: We're focused again on Opportunity Zones--this time with Lane Jost. Lane is an expert in both corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability, having held leadership roles over the last 10 years in the consulting, financial services and food service sectors. He currently serves as part of PwC’s national Responsible Business Leadership team, helping the firm and its clients leverage human capital capacity to drive social and environmental impact. This is the first of two-parts, as we zero in on Opportunity Zones. Plus, we discuss redlining--the systematic denial of services in racially diverse neighborhoods and communities.</p>

Hey Siri, What's Up at the Intersection of Marketing and Technology? Apr 29, 2019

    <p>On Episode 60, we have Tiesha Miller, VP of growth and marketing technology at iCrossing. We start our discussion about a couple of words in her title, then dig into how she advises clients to utilize technology, how GDPR and other legislation in the offing will affect the business, and also what trends she’s tracking (hint: voice is gonna be big).</p><p>Episode Links</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.icrossing.com/" target="_blank">iCrossing</a>&nbsp;— iCrossing has been unleashing brand potential for 18 years. As an agency owned by Hearst, we have access to the most valuable ingredients for effective marketing: insights, talent and audiences.</li><li><a href="https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2019/01/15/auto-voice-and-tv-technologies-amplify-the-marketer-s-dilemma" target="_blank">Auto, voice, and TV technologies amplify the marketer’s dilemma</a>&nbsp;— Our jobs as marketers continue to intensify and become more complex. Yet, we still need to deliver on short-term sales while building future strategies. Balancing the two in today’s environment is a dilemma exacerbated by the landscape of ever-proliferating technology, sophisticated and oversaturated consumers, and more and more complex playgrounds to engage customers.</li><li><a href="https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/past-promises-advanced-data-management/316996" target="_blank">How to see past the promises of advanced data management and get what you need</a>&nbsp;— Adopting a cloud solution is about as easy to grasp as quantum physics, but it's become a necessity as marketers grapple with a fragmented consumer landscape: People are interacting with brands at physical stores, online, via voice, over the phone, in-app, chat, email and on social. Data across these channels has historically existed in silos, which is not ideal for brands trying to figure out who their audiences are and how to best serve them.</li></ul><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/volvob12b/9580811408/in/photolist-fACarA-bB8eC-it3ZK-nnk9Rp-gu3yzU-5pi8s9-eHEDst-Sd4K6f-3gpFLa-7eoesG-7eoeGs-WNScJV-Chors9-UZXEF2-2aNUG5V-joBVhG-ahGYub-orX2vL-Qv7iHd-FDcq8M-dkCvpP-bxBzsQ-eiuexp-gu3vH9-4CdPa-otuqFS-yK3N61-iC4j67-38L9E3-bNULWp-W3MgXs-265vxmx-2duDiR4-BWpQdu-XopAUA-smtnkP-4C9ky-VqhNz7-hT3kuX-YrMbdt-fmyB5Q-Ga8KYk-pwzsAi-VwUZEV-NrEKkS-2aWaEYJ-ahmUvh-24iZtyX-5HzdBB-MoRqC8" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p>

Special: Innovation at Ultimate Guitar Apr 28, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of the Innovation Podcast: How do you create, bootstrap, innovate and keep going at a startup based in Kaliningrad, Russia? We were curious, so we talked with Daniel Ray, director of the innovation labs at Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore. Daniel has a fascinating background in music that led him from playing bassoon and contra bassoon in symphonies, to rocking out with bands, then into the tech world, and finally combining his love of tech and music at Ultimate Guitar. Join Garnet and Mark to hear the story behind it all, and where UG is headed.</p><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/155287329@N08/34986832905/in/photolist-ViEEuZ-oeVEKT-XZBh5i-aJEVYK-6hDWUG-odv8Y9-qWgdUw-aJCAxc-aJDni2-AwjJ5E-rdFqCi-Suuzhw-WqCUVc-nxgbbN-zeWtiX-aJCFET-UKfX5i-ap1nQd-aJCxoT-SMu5kw-WRm7wb-r2e1qc-ouHqnd-ov8nzG-rpvdvv-9fJUjs-6ZFWvP-rbwMFq-9RRaZr-aJDdfe-Rzqate-sbzGSY-odDJgv-zQ36Ez-H9U923-Xjeit4-cSNigo-9CZm9k-QSHAFm-6SWFJ1-rp4UmF-qvxW7C-dbmJux-duUjxN-Tmd2nb-qh2mJ8-p4q7J8-TbPDJq-TQ23DG-6SSDF8" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p>

Marketing Tiger Apr 25, 2019

    <p>On Episode 59, I’ve got Eric Smallwood of Apex Marketing Group in to chat about the marketing value of Tiger Woods winning the Masters. Eric was quoted far and wide about the marketing value of Tiger’s Masters win. I got in touch with him to get to the root of the numbers. We had a great discussion about it, and he shed some light on the way he calculates the value, plus we discussed his other focus—naming rights.</p><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/golf_tee.html?&amp;sti=ocpn2mqrzvca1bbzoj%7C&amp;mediapopup=10668793" target="_blank"><em>123RF</em></a><em>, Standard License.</em></p>

Stronger Marketing with Data Apr 22, 2019

    <p>On Episode 58, we're talking with Chris Clegg, president and research director of PortMA, which is short for Portland Marketing Analytics. His firm works with some of the world’s biggest brands on using data to drive communications strategies and make better marketing decisions. Chris posted on LinkedIn a while back about how to create stronger marketing with data—and that got my attention. So I asked him to come on the show to share his ideas with you.</p><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14756168652/in/gallery-runlevel0-72157703602703562/" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p>

Marketing After the Attention Economy Apr 18, 2019

    <p>On Episode 57, Cahill Puil is back to look at world beyond the attention economy. What’s next? How can we deal with the piles of data and sort the wheat from the chaff, what can marketers do to remain relevant, and what trends is Cahill watching? You’ll want to stay with us for this one.</p><p><em>Cover and header image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/138815570@N08/31842920447/in/photolist-QvRhRM-KXgpsH-S93DnG-24cTHKN-dM4sDX-6ERNYS-ULcbd9-ZnWNsa-KQy45T-9tcbDx-SQpiek-24Vb6yG-2ecxPgQ-dNYPeW-29aDWnM-DayuMr-C4MtM8-eS2uHG-MRBj1d-fgfRs-SQphJT-ohEUeJ-RArtxx-2aPp969-6VeW3-U3KESv-p8jnjR-2atVLJQ-SQphw8-D7Kf6u-SQphZn-23pnF3R-o5GfTV-UB1zgU-qZ788Y-h6K7Fz-CjHG9o-SQpfG6-6EMCYt-28jmuBH-SLPDqu-4qHQCq-28B7Ldc-ZRza1e-SQpfda-Lv84xt-27tSkKD-WuZScH-HyGQRg-YVDmbY" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p><p>Episode Links</p><ul><li><a href="http://podcasts.joerogan.net/" target="_blank">Joe Rogan</a></li><li><a href="https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast" target="_blank">Bill Simmons</a></li><li><a href="http://www.wtfpod.com/" target="_blank">Marc Maron</a></li><li><a href="https://medium.com/the-mission/get-1-better-every-day-the-kaizen-approach-to-self-improvement-b79c9e045678" target="_blank">How to be 1% Better Every Day (The Kaizen Approach to Self-improvement)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.statisticsviews.com/details/feature/5799231/Three-Yards-and-A-Cloud-of-Dust-The-Evolution-of-Passing-in___.html" target="_blank">Three Yards and A Cloud of Dust: The Evolution of Passing in the NFL</a></li></ul>

Short Attention-Span Marketing Apr 15, 2019

    <p>On Episode 56, Cahil Puill joins me for a chat about short attention-span marketing, or the attention economy. Cahill thinks the attention economy is nearing an end, and we’re moving to, as he puts it, the visiconomy. We’re inundated with information—messages flying at us every minute of every day—and that’s just not sustainable. So, how should marketers deal with it and what’s next? We get to that in part one of my chat with Cahill.</p><p>Episode Links</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.bytemediagroup.com/" target="_blank">Byte Media Group</a>&nbsp;— We help blockchain and tech companies unlock their full potential with marketing &amp; branding strategy.</li><li><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action" target="_blank">Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk: How Great Leaders Inspire Action</a>&nbsp;— Simon Sinek has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership -- starting with a golden circle and the question: "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Wright brothers.</li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lomlpJREDzw" target="_blank">Colin Kaepernick Nike Spot</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/117682788@N08/37915352622/in/photolist-ZLs6of-27uodfD-YJske3-258BSUc-2ahEQUa-27gVoEo-NdXZho-ZTkPHC-NdVF29-22mDJ1x-Yd3AwA-24D7a2P-25SrApL-Kz21zv-GMLXE6-KJcvtu-5WLqah-F6czRG-FXU2cG-21btBxE-2715S7i-29QiMdj-ZuC7jj-23prNL8-21BEaW8-YhmKgE-281Te9L-26ib3cR-21jWfKT-22Z2ZRB-NcVEDw-LAw2EK-FpZY7c-2e2tz6n-2e4ZbAG-2avSNDf-RBPG8B-LArRBM-SukCcS-QzRuun-Zwnw9W-26YAs2c-26hXfaf-217KP49-28YmNVx-M8PhN1-ZPZGZz-RvnV2W-2aKYQk2-2b9zYs6" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p><p><br></p>

An Appeal to Chief Marketing Officers Apr 11, 2019

    <p>On Episode 55, Alex Withers is back with an appeal to his fellow CMOs. There are five points, all drawn from the data in the <a href="https://www.inmotionnow.com/project-workflow/in-house-creative-management-report-2019/" target="_blank">In-House Creative Management Report</a>, that Alex feels CMOs need to take to heart. Some very valuable info here, and some advice on shouting louder than your spend.</p><p>Episode Links</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.inmotionnow.com/project-workflow/in-house-creative-management-report-2019/" target="_blank">The 2019 In-House Creative Management Report</a>&nbsp;— inMotionNow has partnered with InSource to conduct a survey of over 500 creative and marketing professionals across industries to gather insight into the leadership, collaboration and relationship between marketing and creative teams. The report combines key findings with best practices and take-away ideas from industry experts at VSP, Delta Vacations, Denver Broncos, Adobe, and many more!</li><li><a href="https://www.inmotionnow.com/" target="_blank">inMotionNow</a>&nbsp;— inMotionNow is the leading provider of workflow solutions for enterprise creative and marketing teams.</li><li><a href="https://www.confessionsofamarketer.com/17" target="_blank">Episode 17: Why CMOs Should Listen to Creatives</a>&nbsp;— On Episode 17, we find out why CMOs should listen to their creative teams. Alex Withers, CMO of InMotionNow, is our guest. And he believes that creatives have a lot to offer CMOs. We recorded this episode on March 7th, 2018, and packaged it up within a couple of hours because it was inspirational. You have to listen to it. Why should CMOs listen to creatives? Let's ask Alex Withers.</li><li><a href="https://www.confessionsofamarketer.com/54" target="_blank">Episode 54: In-House Creative Management</a>&nbsp;— On Episode 54, we're talking in-house creative management with InMotionNow CMO Alex Withers. Last year, in episode 17, we chatted with Alex about why CMOs should listen to creative. It was a powerful episode and I’ve wanted to have Alex back to chat again, and the release of the In-House Creative Management Report gave me a good reason to ring him up. We cover the background of the report, the key conclusions, how a closer creative and marketing relationship can benefit both sides, the always-fun creative brief, and how creatives can use data. Lots packed into this chat.</li></ul><p><em>Cover image from&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/162279984@N04/39073968805/in/photolist-22wQiBk-SuZ6qE-5tuDWG-rpVkwf-24rDJvu-24FDtuY-ywWZSJ-26HDdSk-ywFUos-ztHFbH-z9P1BV-ywQbQP-yB6r7b-zguZG3-zp1NrG-zc6zLN-zguYYj-z9GUEN-zc6AKG-apzatW-yBeN68-ztTyeN-yCEQmA-yCPrjz-LkyT4G-zzGVCp-zguZKE-zv8bhd-SF84FL-SgNcYZ-24scLbn-tDN4HB-ow7V6f-oeTEHd-ovbGgB-zjAqgf-EFVi8n-zBdTwp-zcsRAa-odauKg-MzaDaT-zjApg9-i7iDNU-dQGSqZ-dQNsRS-odjv3H-zccJxT-DV9CHB-i2LFRY-zjAq3E" target="_blank"><em>Flickr</em></a><em>, public domain.</em></p><p><br></p>

In-House Creative Management Apr 08, 2019

    <p>On Episode 54, we're talking in-house creative management with InMotionNow (https://www.inmotionnow.com) CMO Alex Withers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/awithers/). Last year, in Episode 17 (https://www.confessionsofamarketer.com/17), we chatted with Alex about why CMOs should listen to creative. It was a powerful episode and I’ve wanted to have Alex back to chat again, and the release of the In-House Creative Management Report (https://www.inmotionnow.com/project-workflow/in-house-creative-management-report-2019/) gave me a good reason to ring him up. We cover the background of the report, the key conclusions, how a closer creative and marketing relationship can benefit both sides, the always-fun creative brief, and how creatives can use data. Lots packed into this chat.</p>

Marketing Isn't About You Apr 04, 2019

    <p>On Episode 53, we've got Adam Fairhead—founder of Fairhead Creative—here to discuss his new book. Adam’s firm, Fairhead Creative, focuses on cause-driven companies. And he bills his new book as a marketing and communication blueprint for companies with a cause. It’s called Marketing Isn’t About You: The Two Things that matter if You Sell Things that Matter. He’s distilled a lot of his thinking from years of helping companies.</p>

Special: Opportunity Zones, Part 2 Apr 02, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of the Innovation Podcast: This week, Garnet and I continue our chat with Peter Stuart of Outlier Capital about Opportunity Zones -- we learn the three most important things to know about them, how Peter is capitalizing on them at Outlier Capital, some common mistakes, and we get a broader understanding of opportunity zones in general.</p>

Rebel Talent Apr 01, 2019

    <p>On Episode 52, we talk with Francesca Gino, the Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. She has been honored as one of the world’s top 40 business professors under 40 by Poets and Quants. And she has a new book out called Rebel Talent—Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and In Life. You fancy yourself a rebel, or have some rebels in your company? Listen closely to my chat with Francesca.</p>

3 Minute Extra: What Is a Brand? Mar 29, 2019

    <p>Mark shares some thoughts about brand in this 3-Minute Extra.</p>

Less Fear, More Community Mar 28, 2019

    <p>On Episode 51, I continue my chat with Beth Monaghan about fear and the future of PR. Beth and I started our talk about her thoughts last time. This time, we journey into the real world and her thoughts about the power of community, finding common ground, what’s happening in PR in the era of fake news and me too, and what she sees happening in marketing in the coming months and years. Hope you enjoy the rest of the chat.</p>

Fear and the Future of PR Mar 25, 2019

    <p>On Episode 50, we have Beth Monaghan in to talk about fear and the future of PR. Beth runs InkHouse—one of the brightest PR agencies in the land. She wrote a post (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fear-future-pr-beth-andrix-monaghan/) a while back that got my attention. In today’s world, there is lots of fear in the marketplace. And Beth deals with that every day. So she came up with a guide on how to think a bit differently. Beth is a thoughtful person who has built a great business—so it’s worth a listen. Here’s part one.</p>

2019 IBM Watson Marketing Trends, Part 2 Mar 20, 2019

    <p>On Episode 49, we have more with Jon Chang of IBM Watson Marketing about the IBM Watson 2019 Marketing Trends Report. We talk about agile marketing, the blending of MarTech + AdTech, customer centricity, and the emotion economy. Plus, we get Jonathan’s takeaways from the report and trends he’s watching in 2019 and beyond.</p>

Episode 59: Special: Facial Recognition Mar 17, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of the Innovation Podcast: Facial recognition is taking the world by storm. So we found the most innovative mind in the business--Panos Moutafis, who founded Zenus Biometrics in Houston--to tell us what he and his company have been up to. Zenus has a unique technology, which Panos describes in our chat, focused on facial recognition for event check ins. The company heralds it as the world's fastest checkin, which requires no ticket scanning or wearables.</p>

2019 IBM Watson Marketing Trends Mar 13, 2019

    <p>On Episode 48, we have Jon Chang of IBM Watson Marketing in to chat about the 2019 Marketing Trends Report. This is the first of two episodes with Jon. In this episode, we cover the first five of the top nine trends that IBM covers in the report, including the emergence of the tech-savvy "martecheter," how the director of marketing is hottest new role in marketing, making hyper-personalization a reality with AI and machine learning, how digital marketing agencies transform into "consulgencies," and how GDPR actually helps marketers. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Hack Your Marketing Mar 06, 2019

    <p>On Episode 47, we’re talking growth hacking with Taylor Ryan, CMO of Valuer (https://valuer.ai). Growth hacking is one of those terms that people just toss about. But Taylor has hacked himself to success at Valuer, a firm that matches startups with corporations, accelerators, and investors. We share some LinkedIn war stories, explore techniques you can employ in your marketing right away, and Taylor shares some trends he's watching for 2019. And we also bat around SEO and Google. So, get ready to hack your marketing. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Special: Opportunity Zones and E-Sports (Don't Worry, It All Makes Sense) Mar 03, 2019

    <p>Special Guest: Garnet Heraman</p><p>A look at an episode of The Innovation Podcast: Garnet and Mark chat about two things that have been on their minds: opportunity zones and e-sports. </p>

Marketing Is (Still) Broken Feb 26, 2019

    <p>On Episode 46, we're back with Tim Burke of Affinio (https://www.affinio.com). Last time, Tim and I discussed his thoughts about marketing being broken. One week later, and it's still broken. There's a massive disruption happening that is leaving few parts of our business untouched--there’s consolidation happening everywhere. He sees a lot of pressure for media agencies, as enterprises take over that task as part of the in-housing trend. So, to start part two of our chat, I asked Tim why enterprises—drowning in data—think they can take on that task. Plus, we look ahead into the rest of 2019.</p>

Special: AnytownUSA and the Future Feb 25, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode of the Innovation Podcast: We're back with Geralyn Breig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/geralynbreig/), founder of AnytownUSA (https://anytownusa.com). In the first part, we talked about Geralyn’s back ground and career. In this episode, we get into her new venture—something Garnet knows well—and then we take a peek at the future.</p>

Marketing Is Broken Feb 20, 2019

    <p>On Episode 45, Tim Burke joins me all the way from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he runs Affinio (https://www.affinio.com)—a firm that tries to understand people at a deep level. That takes data and AI, machine learning, and all that. But Tim isn’t just a data jockey. He has a real point of view on marketing—that it’s broken. And the only way to fix it is to seize on the power of the data we’re all collecting and put it at the fingertips of the marketers who need it. Lots to unpack there, so we’re giving this chat two episodes. This is part one.</p>

Special: A Made-In-America Success Story Feb 17, 2019

    <p>A look at an episode from the Innovation Podcast: In this episode, the first of two parts, we interview Geralyn Breig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/geralynbreig/), founder and CEO of AnytownUSA.com (http://AnytownUSA.com), which launched in June 2018. Geralyn has a storied career. She was President of Clarks, Americas from 2014 to 2016. Geralyn's career in consumer products spans 35 years in executive, marketing and omnichannel business development roles. In this part of our discussion, Garnet explores the early days of Geralyn's career and all the stops along the way to her current venture.</p>

3 Minute Extra: Keep At It Feb 15, 2019

    <p>I don't know about you, but one of the things over the course of my career that I've run into is an inability for an organization to stick with something. Whether it's a marketing initiative, maybe the design of the website, maybe a TV campaign. Doesn't really matter what it was. But there's often a level of impatience or an inability to stay with something to give it time to work. Herein, my thoughts on that. </p>

Getting Great Design Feb 13, 2019

    <p>On Episode 44, we have have Greg Quinton, chief creative officer of WPP’s design powerhouse Superunion, on to talk about all things design. When I met Greg a decade or so ago, he was executive creative director at The Partners—a great design house based in London. He's now the chief creative officer at Superunion—which was formed with the combination of The Partners, Brand Union, Lambie Nairn, Addison and VBat last year. We talk about what it takes to get great design, and also about the book he cowrote—a Smile in the Mind—a kind of design source book that I recommend you pick up.</p>

Special: The Future of Experiences Feb 10, 2019

    <p>Special Guests: Chris Clegg, Garnet Heraman, and James Kern</p><p>A look at an episode from the Innovation Podcast: In the second part of our chat about experiential marketing, we get into the future with James Kern and Chris Clegg. Garnet noted something he read in Ad Age recently about companies, in the wake of the data backlash, deemphasizing digital marketing and focusing on real-time face-to-face experiences. No people better than Chris and James to chat with about the implications of such a trend. </p>

The Future of Marketing Feb 06, 2019

    <p>On Episode 43, we have Jeremy Goldman, host of the FUTUREPROOF podcast in to talk about the future of marketing. Jeremy does a lot of thinking about the future of marketing. We talk about how data is disrupting marketing, how marketers can futureproof their careers and marketing approaches, and what 2019 holds for we marketers. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Special: Experiential Marketing Jan 30, 2019

    <p>Special Guests: Chris Clegg, Garnet Heraman, and James Kern</p><p>A look at an episode from the Innovation Podcast: In this episode, we chat with James Kern of XISM and Chris Clegg of Portma about experiential marketing. It's the first part of a two-part chat. 2018 was the year of experiential marketing and the notion of engaging through experiences. Garnet frames the discussion with a quote, VP of marketing strategy and communications at Adobe, that was in CMO Magazine. Martinet posits that, "It’s all about refocusing your strategy around experiences and an ongoing relationship with your customer, rather than just vying for a single transaction.</p>

Special: CES Day Three Jan 25, 2019

    <p>Special Guest: Garnet Heraman, Laura Haykel, James Kern, Bart Jacobcz Rosier  </p><p>A look at an episode from The Innovation Podcast: We visit again with Laura Haykel of Language Line, in a chat recorded at the Connected Home, Transport Innovation Space. Garnet asked Laura what she really liked at CES this year. Then Garnet reconnected with CES Insider James Kern, Founder and CEO of XISM, to see what the highlights were for him. James and Garnet strolled over to chat with Bart Jacobcz Rosier, the guy behind the scooters we mentioned in the first episode. He’s CEO of Etergo—the Tesla of scooters.</p>

Real World Data Stories Jan 23, 2019

    <p>On Episode 42, we continue our chat with Bill Burkart. In the first part, we had a wide ranging chat about turning data into stories. This time around, we discuss some real world examples and peer into the future of data. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Special: CES Day One Jan 17, 2019

    <p>Thought I'd share the first full episode of my collaboration with Garnet Heraman--The Innovation Podcast. In this episode, Garnet goes on location to CES and chats with with Flo Miniscloux from Extraordinary Events in Los Angeles, the company that designed the Indiegogo Space about what she liked and what she expected from CES this year. Then, he moves to the Medialink opening night party, that legendary event that hosts dealmaking between old media giants from Hollywood, Inc. and new tech from Silicon Valley. He was joined there by Bill Westcott of Medialink, our friend James Kern of Xism and Laura Haykel of Language Line—who started off by describing the Lamborghini massage chair. Head over to <a href="https://theinnovationpodcast.co" target="_blank">theinnovationpodcast.co</a> to subscribe and listen to other episodes.</p>

Turning Data Into Stories Jan 16, 2019

    <p>On Episode 41, we have Bill Burkart, president of Wunderman Data Management, in to discuss turning data into stories. Bill joined me from chilly Omaha, Nebraska, where he was visiting a Wunderman client. As the amount of data has grown exponentially, there's so much hidden behind the numbers. Bill shares how to take those mounds of data and create a story that resonates with individual customers.</p>

Rebranding, part two Jan 09, 2019

    <p>On Episode 40 of Confessions of a Marketer, we go deeper on rebranding with Elle Woulfe. We covered the rebrand pretty deeply last time. This time, Elle tells me her secret weapon, how long the process was, what she learned that might help you if you’re contemplating a rebrand, and what—if anything—she’d do differently.</p>

Rebranding Jan 02, 2019

    <p>On Episode 39, I've got Elle Woulfe in for the first of two episodes on the rebrand she undertook with her company PathFactory—which used to be LookBook HQ. I’ve worked with Elle on a couple of occasions and have known her since the early 2000s. Elle’s rebrand wasn’t a new coat of paint. It was a top-to-bottom rethink. I wanted to get to the origins of the rebrand, what the process was, what the thinking was, and so forth. It was such a great discussion, we’re extending it to two parts. Here’s part one.</p>

Special: Preview of the Innovation Podcast Dec 31, 2018

    <p>Special Guest: Garnet Heraman</p><p>I've got a special episode to share--a new podcast I'm producing with Garnet Heraman. It's the Innovation Podcast, and in this preview, we share our plans for the subjects, the guests and the discussions to come. </p>

Keys to Planning Dec 17, 2018

    <p>On Episode 38, we're ending the year in style, with Ro Bhatia, chief product and marketing officer at Limelight -- a Bay Area eCommerce SaaS platform. He’s worked at Yahoo, eBay and a host of other companies. He has an interesting point of view about planning. And, as we near the end of this year, it’s a good thing to keep in mind. He thinks you shouldn’t get too wrapped around the axle on strategy. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Conversational Marketing Dec 10, 2018

    <p>On Episode 37, we're having a conversation about conversational marketing. It's a hot topic, and I knew exactly the right person to give me the download. Kevin Flanagan and I have known each other for a while. He's one of the steadiest marketing hands I know. He’s worked in a number of neat sectors and is now Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Boston-based Micronotes, a leader in AI-driven conversational marketing for financial institutions. I hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

The Big Privacy Players Nov 26, 2018

    <p>On Episode 36, we've got Jacques van Niekerk back in. Jacques and I have chatted a few times -- mainly about GDPR and its effect on marketers. After the last episode, I rang him up to chat about some events we saw in the news, and we decided to commit the discussion to the hard drive and share it with you.</p>

GDPR Five Months On Nov 08, 2018

    <p>On Episode 35, we’re revisiting GDPR with Jacques van Niekerk. Jacques and I first chatted last May about GDPR and what we could expect. Now, about 5 months out from GDPR, I thought it would make sense to check in with him to see what the effects of GDPR have been. Of course, Jacques is the CEO of Wunderman Data -- the very firm that invented direct marketing, so he speaks from experience and broad client roster. This chat was so interesting -- and there was so much to talk about in the news -- that I asked him back for another chat, which will be out next week. But hope you enjoy part one.</p>

Marketing in the #FakeNews Era Oct 30, 2018

    <p>On Episode 34, we’re talking marketing in the era of #FakeNews with Peter Horst. Peter's a global marketing exec and CMO with a few decades of working with market leaders such as Capital One, Hershey, General Mills, and Ameritrade. He’s recently turned his attention to a major trend in the world -- fake news. He’s got a book called "Marketing in the #FakeNews Era." It’s a very timely look at the challenges marketers and brands face. It was a very engaging read, and a terrific chat.</p>

Can PR Agencies Boost Analyst Relations? Oct 19, 2018

    <p>On Episode 33, we have Duncan Chapple in to discuss PR agencies and how they can boost analyst relations. Maybe no one on the earth has thought as much about analyst relations as Duncan. He's written a book on influencer relations, plus he’s a managing partner at Kea Company, which has trailblazed influencer research and analyst relations for tech and telecom firms. If that weren’t enough, he’s also a PhD candidate in management at the University of Edinburgh, which is where he was when we spoke. Duncan has the acumen of a business person and the insight of an academic. I wanted to talk to him about how PR agencies can add value to analyst relations, and our discussion took off from there -- as it always does.</p>

Telling an Authentic Story Oct 12, 2018

    <p>On Episode 32, we're talking with Matt Solari, creative director at BRC Imagination Arts. Matt’s worked with some great brands, and tells some stories about creating authentic experiences for Jameson and NASA.</p>

The Need for Corporate Empathy Oct 04, 2018

    <p>On Episode 31, we talk with Scott Monty, principal at Scott Monty Strategies. He’s the former head of digital at Ford, and is now a popular keynote speaker who advises clients and writes regularly on customer experience, leadership and marketing. Scott wrote a piece on the need for corporate empathy that caught my eye. I wanted him to come on here to talk about it and give our first—and hopefully not last—poetry reading.</p>

3D Budgeting and the Future Sep 26, 2018

    <p>On Episode 30, Beth Comstock, author of Imagine it Forward and former vice chair and CMO of GE, is back with us to share the 3D budgeting secret she has used. Plus, she gives us a peak into the future.</p>

Imagine It Forward Sep 19, 2018

    <p>On Episode 29, we’ve got Beth Comstock in for a two-part discussion about her new book, Imagine it Forward. In part one, we talk about what it was like when she took on the CMO role at GE, how confidence plays a role, and how she dealt with feedback. Plus, we learn how she got GE to adopt a marketing mind. It was a fascinating discussion. Hope you enjoy it.</p>

Season Two Preview Sep 06, 2018

    We're getting ready for the second season of Confessions of a Marketer. We're lining up some great guests, including Beth Comstock, former vice chair of GE; Scott Monty, the first head of social for Ford; Jacques Van Niekerk, CEO of Wunderman Data--and lots more. Listen to this brief preview and tune in for the start of season two on September 19.

Build an A Team Jun 20, 2018

    <p>On Episode 28,&nbsp;we talk with Whitney Johnson about her new book, Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve. Whitney is all about disruption, and we marketers love that word. And, if you’re like me, you’ve hired a lot of people over the years. So building an A Team is what you aim for. But how do you do it? Whitney’s book is a great guide and I had a fun discussion with her. Hope you enjoy it.</p>

Quizzing the Quizmaster Jun 12, 2018

    <p>On Episode 27, we’re quizzing the quizmaster. My guest is Josh Haynam, co-founder of interact, which is a company that does quizzes. He’s a lifelong entrepreneur who found that asking the right questions was the secret to success--whether he was doing lawn work at age 16 or working as a web consultant. So he made it his full-time occupation and he has now done more quizzes than anyone else. So, let’s quiz the quizmaster.</p>

Marketers: The Next Generation May 30, 2018

    <p>On Episode 26, we're talking about the next generation of marketers. And we have hope for the future. My guest is professor Bob McCullough, who&nbsp;worked in marketing and as an analyst before striking out into academia. One thing that always struck me was how glowingly he talked about his students—how bright they were and how they were brimming with ideas. So—interested in talking about the next generation of marketers, I turned to Bob for guidance. Hope you enjoy the episode.</p>

GDPR--Whose Data Is it Anyway? May 16, 2018

    <p>On Episode 25, we're talking GDPR, which takes effect on May 25. Are you ready? Are you saying, what the heck is GDPR? Either way, you need to listen to my guest--the CEO of Wunderman data, Jacques van Niekerk. Of course Wunderman trailblazed direct marketing in the late 50s and remains at the leading edge of the business. So I couldn't think of anyone more qualified than Jacques to tackle all the marketing issues surrounding GDPR--and there are a lot. Hope you enjoy the episode.</p>

Design in an Era of Sameness May 14, 2018

    <p>On Episode 24, we're talking with Joe Kashurba about design in an era of sameness. Everything looks the same. And it’s not just the web. Logos, signs, you name it--they all have a prepackaged feel to it. That’s because they are prepackaged. So I asked Joe, who runs his own design firm, to help me understand what’s going on.</p>

Be Nice to Product Marketers May 02, 2018

    <p>On Episode 23, we're talking with product marketer Josh Martin. He runs product marketing for LogiAnalytics, the leading embedded analytics software firm. He started his career as an analyst and made the move to product marketing a few years ago. I wanted to get the inside scoop on product marketing—how it should work, why it’s important, and so forth. And I knew Josh would be the ideal person to discuss it with, because I knew he’d have a unique perspective.</p>

Cut the Crap! Apr 11, 2018

    <p>On Episode 22, we’re cutting the crap with tone of voice guru Ben Afia. Ben has a new ebook out. It's a great guide to better writing. Whether you have "writer" in your title or not, you need to listen to this episode and grab the ebook and BenAfia.com. Enjoy the discussion.</p>

Funding and Marketing Apr 04, 2018

    <p>On Episode 21, we're talking funding and marketing. Garnet Heraman is a renowned investor based in New York. He started his career in marketing, so he has an appreciation for it. I wanted to find out the role marketing should play in securing funding. So I knew he’d be the one to turn to. Hope you enjoy the discussion.</p>

Deep Dive into Data Mar 28, 2018

    <p>On Episode 20, we take a deep dive into data with Rob Weedn, founder of DealSignal. We all live with data around us all day, every day. And we know it’s critical to our marketing efforts. But what does it all mean? Rob's firm is all about data--the freshest, most accurate, most relevant data. With that background, Rob has a unique perspective on data in marketing. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

Marketing Mind Meld Mar 21, 2018

    <p>On Episode 19, we're&nbsp;talking with Chris Dayley, VP of testing and site optimization at Disruptive Advertising. Our discussion centers on psychology and marketing--what’s going on between our ears. Chris is steeped in this stuff and told me that one of the things he loves about his job is being proven wrong almost every day. Hope you enjoy the chat.</p>

What the Heck Is MarTech? Mar 14, 2018

    <p>On Episode 18, we chat with David Meiselman about MarTech. David is CMO of ezCater, which is the only nationwide marketplace for business catering. A while back I thought of doing an episode on MarTech and asked around about who would be an ideal guest. A couple of people--including David Cooperstein, an early guest on the pod--said I had to talk with David M. And I'm glad I did. He really distills MarTech to its essence. It was a great chat. Hope you enjoy it too.</p>

Why CMOs Should Listen to Creatives Mar 07, 2018

    <p>On Episode 17, we find out why CMOs should listen to their creative teams. Alex Withers, CMO of InMotionNow, is our guest. And he believes that creatives have a lot to offer CMOs. We recorded this episode on March 7th, 2018, and packaged it up within a couple of hours because it was inspirational. You have to listen to it. Why should CMOs listen to creatives? Let's ask Alex Withers.</p>

Marketers and Designers Face Reality Mar 01, 2018

    <p>On Episode 16, we continue our discussion of augmented reality, virtual reality and associated technologies. But today we get to the "So what?" What does this mean for designers, for marketers, for UX and UI? No one has all the answers, but professor Brian Lucid gets us close.</p>

Reality--What a Concept Feb 22, 2018

    <p>On Episode 15, the first of a two-parter we talk virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. What does it all mean? And what are the implications for you as designers and marketers? Interaction design professor Brian Lucid, of Massey University in New Zealand is my guest. Brian is unique because he's a great designer and knows this technology inside and out.</p>

Being a Pinch-Hit CMO Feb 05, 2018

    <p>On Episode 14, we're talking with Julie Zadow about being an interim CMO. What are the unique characteristics of that type of engagement? What kind of person is ideally suited to it? Julie knows first-hand the pressures and opportunities involved in the role. When I thought of this as a topic, I knew Julie was the one to talk with.</p>

Lessons from Radio Jan 31, 2018

    <p>On Episode 13, we're talking with Anthony Rudel, who runs WCRB in Boston. He's a legendary figure in radio and has also spent a lot of time as an author, a communications and branding consultant, and a college professor. I wanted to understand the lessons that radio can teach us marketers, and maybe what marketers could teach radio. So Tony, with his distinguished career, seemed like the right one to talk with.</p>

Inside an Upstart Food Business Jan 24, 2018

    <p>On Episode 12, we're talking with Vanessa White, who founded Jaju Pierogi with her sister not long ago. It's become something of a phenomenon here in the Boston area. We talk about life inside this kind of frenetic startup, how they've built the business and what's in store. It's a unique look at life inside an upstart food business.</p>

5 B2B Marketing Fails Jan 16, 2018

    <p>On Episode 11, we have Tony Temple back to go through his list of the Top 5 B2B Marketing Fails. From too many propositions to too many words, learn what not to do in marketing. It's an interesting guide on what not to do if you have marketing as your bailiwick.</p>

Inside Innovation Districts Dec 18, 2017

    <p>On Episode 10, we’re talking innovation districts with Chuck Tanowitz, director of the N-Squared Innovation district. Anyone who knows anything about technology knows Route 128. Companies on or around it were at the heart of the Massachusetts miracle back in the 1980s, and it has been at the center of technological breakthroughs for decades. Newton and Needham, Massachusetts straddle 128 in a unique arrangement of geography, demographics and commerce. Chuck is charged with taking business in a swath of that area to the next level. And, with innovation districts a hot business and political topic, I thought I’d go right to Chuck to get the scoop.</p>

The Sales-Marketing Relationship Dec 12, 2017

    <p>On Episode 9, we’re chatting about the often-fraught sales-marketing relationship. Morris Porter is my guest. He and I worked together in the early 2000s at a dot-com company that was undergoing a massive business model shift. He was running sales and I was in marketing. Through all the hard work, hair-pulling and sleepless nights, Morris was cool as a cucumber. So when I wanted to talk about the sales-marketing relationship, he’s the one person who came to mind. He’s also worked at Cisco and Citrix—and is currently VP of Sales for Alpha Software.</p>

Death-by-PowerPoint Dec 04, 2017

    <p>On Episode 8, we’re back with Duncan Chapple again--and a short part two that continues our discussion from last time. I stopped recording and Duncan and I started talking about death-by-PowerPoint, a common affliction for analysts. So I quickly restarted the recording and that's today's episode: slide shows and analyst relations. Or, death-by-PowerPoint.</p>

Analyst Relations Nov 27, 2017

    <p>On Episode 7,&nbsp;we’re talking with Duncan Chapple of Kea Company about analyst relations.&nbsp;Duncan is a Managing Partner at Kea, a global advisory firm that delivers influencer relations and strategic guidance for vendors of high tech products and services. Duncan has been a consultant and analyst with Ovum, Europe's largest technology analyst house and successfully founded and directed an international analyst relations business. He also played a central role in founding the Institute for Industry Analyst Relations in 2007, and was a member of its founding board. I wanted to get an inside view on analyst relations, so I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with Duncan. I was able to sit down with him on November 16 just after ARInsights in Cambridge, Mass.</p>

Cause Marketing Nov 20, 2017

    <p>On Episode 6, we talk with Sheryl Victor Levy, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Museum of the City of New York, about cause marketing and corporate social responsibility. How does it work? What are the ins and outs? Sheryl's been in marketing for a couple of decades and moved into the cause arena a while back. So she brings a unique perspective. It's a great discussion. Hope you enjoy.</p>

Managing Suppliers and Other Marketing Curiosities Nov 13, 2017

    <p>On Episode 5, we’re talking with John Haworth--a veteran of senior management at Cigna, Pillsbury, the Washington Post, PeopleSoft and Fidelity--about vendor management and other marketing curiosities. John has had a remarkable career, in which he's had responsibility for business development, globalization and marketing. He’s one of the most thoughtful people I know, and in our chat we start off talking about supplier management--but that soon expanded into some other marketing curiosities.</p>

All Things CMO Nov 06, 2017

    <p>On Episode 4, we’re talking with David Cooperstein. He's an independent marketing and strategy leader whose past clients include PebblePost, Adobe and Ascendant Network. David works with start up companies, including TVision Insights, SummitSync and Cuebiq, on marketing, positioning and strategic advice. I wanted to talk with David because he’s been a CMO and spent many years advising them when he was at Forrester. He knows what he’s talking about.</p>

Demystifying Tone of Voice Oct 30, 2017

    <p>On Episode 3,&nbsp;we’re talking with Ben Afia – a real guru when it comes to tone of voice. You’ve probably heard that term bandied about. What is it, exactly? Well, Ben can tell you because he focuses on tone of voice, and what he says is “helping companies sound more human.”&nbsp;He is the head honcho at Afia, a UK-based firm he started in 2004. Before that, he was at Boots UK as tone of voice manager.</p>

The Evolution of PR Oct 21, 2017

    <p>On Episode 2, we’re talking with Meg O’Leary, who cofounded InkHouse about 10 years ago.&nbsp;InkHouse is one of the country’s fastest growing and best PR agencies. Meg and I discuss the evolution of PR in that 10 year span—plus I find out about her recent move to become CMO of a startup.</p>

You and Me, Not B2B Oct 05, 2017

    <p>On Episode 1, I talk with truth teller, brand guru and old friend Tony Temple. We discuss the state of B2B marketing. (Hint: It's not so good.)</p>

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