The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

Today we’re going to talk about 'the reseller advantage' and how to modernize businesses by using cloud communications, without compromising customer relationships.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Patrick Sheehan, Intermedia's VP Channel Development and Distribution.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Intermedia website: https://www.intermedia.comSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about successful BPO, or Business Process Outsourcing, and what the enterprise can to do make it a win-win for the business and customers.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Sarah Ellenberg, Vice President of Professional Services.RESOURCESSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the ever-evolving landscape of work, where AI permeates our daily routines, it is imperative for teams at every company, including marketers, to embrace technology like AI in order to thrive and maintain a competitive edge. By understanding and harnessing the potential of AI, marketers can propel their companies towards success, keeping them relevant and at the forefront of their respective industries.Today we’re going to talk about why marketers need to be comfortable and fluent in technology like generative AI to support their org’s marketing strategy, development, and execution, and how reskilling and upskilling play a role in this.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO at Skillsoft.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Skillsoft website: https://www.skillsoft.comSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about Localization, Personalization, and AI, and how using these methods and tools well can increase ROI and improve the multi-channel customer experience.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Stephanie Shreve, Chief Marketing Officer at PowerChord.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companySYNOPSISIn this episode, the Stephanie Shreve from PowerChord emphasizes the importance of marketers dedicating time to reading and learning in order to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape. They highlight that with the constant changes, setting aside time to learn will help marketers stay at the forefront and avoid being left behind. While acknowledging that it may not always be easy, the guest believes that marketers should make an effort to learn as often as possible, considering it part of their job.Another topic discussed in the episode is the significance of predictability and demonstrating results for businesses. The guest speaker emphasizes the importance of being able to show businesses that their investment will yield specific results. This predictability is seen as beneficial for businesses in terms of planning and decision-making. The guest suggests that AI can contribute to this predictability by analyzing real-time and historical data to identify potential buyers and buyer groups that may have been overlooked. By having a more predictable understanding of what is likely to happen, businesses can target new markets and expand their brand's reach. Overall, the episode highlights predictability and the ability to show results as crucial factors for businesses to consider in their marketing strategies.The speakers also discuss how organizations should measure success in conversational marketing based on their goals. They emphasize the importance of analyzing where people drop off in their interactions. By identifying the reasons for drop-offs, organizations can gain valuable insights and make improvements to their conversational marketing strategies. For instance, if users are not completing a product recommendation chat, organizations can investigate whether all questions are being answered or if users are only answering a few before stopping. This analysis helps organizations understand user tolerance for questions and engagement levels. Additionally, organizations can identify areas where questions are not being answered properly and make adjustments to enhance the user experience. Overall, measuring success in conversational marketing involves analyzing user behavior and making improvements based on the insights gained.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about enhancing E-commerce with AI by improving personalization, relevance, and the overall customer experience.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Sean Mullaney, a former Stripe and Google Executive, who is now Chief Technology Officer at Algolia, which you may or may not know is actually the second largest search engine behind Google, powering more than 1.75 trillion consumer search requests each year.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Algolia website: https://www.algolia.comSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nano Interactive’s recent data showed that 70% of UK consumers now regularly hide their personal data when online, and as the Government pushes through both its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and its Online Safety Bill, marketers need to be prepared for the post cookie apocalypse or they risk being left behind and their ad effectiveness will suffer.Today we’re going to talk about the post cookie world and what this means for advertisers and marketers, and how it stands to affect the customer experience.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Carl White, Co-Founder and Group CEO at Nano Interactive.RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Nano Interactive website: https://nanointeractive.com/  The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companySYNOPSISIn this episode, guest Carl White shares valuable advice for brands navigating the post-cookie world. He emphasizes the importance of brands fully understanding the evolving technologies in marketing and advertising. This entails dedicating time to learn and familiarize themselves with emerging approaches and techniques. One specific recommendation is to acquire the skills to model and scale data using these new approaches. This involves analyzing and interpreting data to make informed decisions and optimize marketing strategies.Furthermore, White advises brands to move away from relying solely on identity and profiling techniques. Instead, he encourages them to adopt a post-ID approach, thinking beyond traditional methods. This means not depending solely on walled gardens, platforms with restricted access to user data, for answers. Instead, brands should explore alternative methods and solutions.Overall, the advice for brands in the post-cookie world is to proactively understand and utilize new technologies while avoiding over-reliance on traditional identity and profiling techniques.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are presenting our 2nd annual Black Friday special episode, where we focus on an aspect of retail, looking back on the current year, as well as to what retailers should be keeping in mind for next year.With the prevalence of online shopping and growing ecommerce providers, brick-and-mortar retailers require business intelligence tools dedicated to in-store analytics to stay competitive in an omnichannel world. Today we’re going to talk about real-time data and AI for in-store retail operations. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Joe Shasteen, Global Manager, Advanced Analytics at RetailNext.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcastSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companySYNOPSISReal-time data analytics can empower employees to make better decisions and meet customer needs by providing a clear understanding of their preferences and behaviors. This enables retailers to adjust strategies and approach to deliver a personalized and tailored experience for each customer.For instance, when a store experiences a high influx of customers, real-time data analytics can alert employees to crowded areas, allowing them to allocate additional staff members to manage queues and provide assistance. This ensures that customers do not have to wait for extended periods and receive prompt service.

Today we’re going to talk about proposals - love them or hate them, they are a requirement for so many companies, consultancies, and consultants to get new customers and new projects. Today we’re going to talk about some ways to do proposals better and smarter.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Joe Ardeeser, Founder & CEO at Smart Pricing Table.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Smart Pricing Table website: https://www.smartpricingtableFree download: The Profitable Proposal Blueprint: https://www.smartpricingtable.com/free-guideThe Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcastSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m excited to bring you the latest in a multi-part series sponsored by Contrast & Co., an award-winning brand strategy and communications agency determined to build the most strikingly different brand experiences anywhere.Today we’re going to talk about creating a strikingly different brand, why it is so important, as well as the cost of inauthenticity in branding. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Dharma Pachner, Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Contrast & Co.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcastSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am here at Opticon 2023, Optimizely’s annual conference, here in San Diego, California where there have been a lot of exciting announcements, and we’re going to get to at least a few of those today.Innovation and creativity don't happen in a vacuum. Humans work better in groups, and the right platform provides a base for their collective imagination to flourish. Today we’re going to talk about content creation and management as tools to boost creativity and effectiveness of marketing efforts, all to the benefit of the customer.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Deane Barker, Global Director of Content Management at Optimizely.RESOURCESPartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding!Optimizely website: https://www.optimizely.comThe Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcastSign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.comGet the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.comCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.companyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices