The Marketer's Journey

Does the term “growth hacking” make you cringe?   What if we called it “analytically measuring ROI conversion rates at each point of the funnel and applying ingenuitive methods to the customer journey”?   On this episode, I interview Patrick Edmonds, CMO at Proposify, about explosive growth:   What we talked about: Is the quick path to CMO a good or bad thing? How to balance two execs who each focus on demand and content communications Don’t let vacation days pile up. Take a staycation instead. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

What do you think of having a “smarketing” department? It’s one team, essentially, with two interior sets: marketing and inside sales. In this episode of The Marketer’s Journey, I interview  Edwin Abl, CMO at Modulr, about heading up the smarketing department. What we talked about:The entrepreneurial mindset inspires marketing leadership in so many waysWhere should SDRs sit, marketing or sales? (Marketing, actually)Why you should put your laptop and phone in the cupboard after 7:30 PM Check out this resource we mentioned during the podcast:Edwin’s site: www.edwinabl.comCheck out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

At DW’s company, there are 60 in sales and 8 in marketing. Yet he counts the marketers as part of sales (and the SDRs as part of marketing). This exemplifies the extent to which marketing IS sales—in other words, smarketing.   In this episode, I interview Dailius Wilson, VP of Sales and Growth at Get Accept, about how he positions sales and marketing.   What we talked about: Why he has 60 salespeople and 8 marketers How he’s excited to use tech to influence the buyer experience Learning languages, writing plays, DJing, and Hollywood life   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: DW and his brother were on the Ellen Show Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

It’s not really a buyer’s funnel anymore. It’s a buyer’s circle — with 9+ on a buying committee at any given time. Which makes things seem pretty impossible to personalize.   On this episode, I interview Meredyth Jensen, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Communications at RGP:   What we talked about: How taking a wandering career path can be highly advantageous Communicating with buyers using the methodology they prefer You can’t be fully present for your team if you’re burned out Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

It can be a huge struggle to get started in a new role when you don’t have good records. Or any records. And building a content marketing strategy from scratch is a challenging feat for anyone!    On this episode, I interview Patrick Spencer, Senior Director of Content Marketing at Fortinet:   What we talked about: What it was like for Patrick to start his career mid-30s with a Ph.D. The questions Patrick asked to form the journey stages for customers Where to start when you’re starting a content strategy Why we love Iceland   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: The CISO Collective, where you can read Patrick’s articles   Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.  

Every step of the marketer’s journey takes trust: from implicitly trusting your team to creating innate trust in your company’s brand.    On this episode, I interview Jeanne Hopkins, CMO at Lola.com:   What we talked about: Trusting your team, 3 buyer personas, and the impossibility of using the same messaging Creating content for individual personas and the Voice of the Customer meeting Where you vacation when you work for a travel company (New Hampshire, actually) Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Don’t choose an opportunity based on the role. Look for a cause, not a job (something you’re so excited about that you’ll do pretty much anything to be a part of that story).On this episode, I interview Latane Conant, CMO at 6sense.What we talked about:Why she chooses her job based on a cause she believes inAll about the details of implementing V2MOM Keeping your inner kid and being an unofficial waterski instructorCheck out these resources we mentioned:Trailhead on  Writing a V2MOMMarc Benioff’s book  Behind the Cloud Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

What’s it like in your first year of your first job as head of marketing? For one thing, you have to build your team.On this episode, I interview James Winter, VP of Marketing at Brandfolder, about his first year in his first VP marketing role.What we talked about:From job hopper to explosive growth at his first VP roleSell to the buyers, not to the analystsIf you’re looking for the trip of a lifetime, go to ColombiaCheck out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

82% of the buying cycle is spent doing research, but not research that includes talking to salespeople. It’s in front of their computers or phones.On this episode, I interview Christina Bottis, CMO at Coyote LogisticsWhat we talked about:Career Journey: Mentors who encourage you to leave the comfort zone are everythingCustomer Journey: Creating the buyer journey starts with empathy with the buyerPersonal Journey: How to love your work travel and keep yourself balancedCheck out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

To create trust in the buyer’s journey, you have to be consistent. Just as employees have to buy into the brand of their organizations, buyers have to buy into the brand and the product.On this episode, I interview Julie Springer, CMO at TransUnion, about how to build a consistent brand — and therefore build trust.What we talked about:Career Journey: your team will fail without a sense of mutual trustBuyer’s Journey: brand consistency is everythingPersonal Journey: work/life balance often means ditching your phoneCheck out this and other episodes of The Marketer’s Journey at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.