“Sponsor is not a dirty word. And I think that when it’s handled correctly, it can be very effective,” says Aaron Leeder, VP of Partnerships & Alliances at PavilionIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Aaron Leeder, VP of Partnerships & Alliances at Pavilion, shares the art of balancing sponsorships with community building. Aaron explains how Pavilion prioritizes member-first values while creating meaningful partnerships with brands. He also explores the value of unique activations like salon dinners and the shifting impact of event sponsorships in cultivating genuine connections. From creative event strategies to building favorability within a community, Aaron highlights the importance of long-term relationship building in today’s marketing landscape.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why sponsorships can enhance both member and sponsor experiencesHow to balance sponsorship revenue without compromising community valuesThe power of creative activations like dinners and social experiencesResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronleeder/Learn more about Pavilion: https://www.joinpavilion.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:13) Aaron’s unique path from music to partnerships at Pavilion(05:29) Balancing member-first values with sponsorship strategies(10:17) The ROI of creative activations like salon dinners(14:42) Tips for maximizing sponsorships(18:32) Creating amazing customer experiences through salon dinners(20:26) Long-term thinking in sponsorship and relationship building

“AI makes content creation easier, but curating the right information at the right time is what truly drives success,” says Jesse Bourgeault-Trickey, Global Deployment Manager at HappeoIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Jesse Bourgeault-Trickey, Global Deployment Manager at Happeo, talks about the challenges and opportunities of knowledge management and intranet systems. Drawing from his extensive experience, Jesse shares why aligning HR, IT, and Ops creates a “three-legged stool” for efficiency, how AI is transforming intranet functionality, and why curation is now more critical than content creation. He also explains the impact of knowledge systems on employee retention and how proactive strategies can help organizations avoid costly inefficiencies.In this episode, you’ll learn:How AI-powered knowledge engines close content gapsThe ROI of self-serve intranets in reducing redundanciesWhy shared ownership leads to successful intranet adoptionResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessebtrickey/Learn more about Happeo: https://happeo.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:25) The importance of shared ownership in intranet success(04:10) How AI is transforming knowledge management(08:45) Proactive vs. reactive approaches to intranet adoption(12:30) The ROI of reducing redundancy through self-serve systems(17:20) Creating feedback loops for internal and external insights(21:40) Curation vs. content overload: Striking the right balance

“The distance between passable and great content is enormous—and only creativity can bridge the gap,” says David Ebner, President at Content Workshop.In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, David Ebner, President at Content Workshop, explores the future of B2B content marketing and why creativity and storytelling matter more than ever in the era of AI writing. He shares insights on balancing measurable outcomes with bold ideas, the limitations of AI in storytelling, and how to create campaigns that resonate emotionally with your audience. David and Jonathan also recount their LinkedIn campaign experiment and discuss the role of influence, collaboration, and choosing the right medium for content creation.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why taking creative risks leads to memorable contentHow to leverage co-creation and influence in your campaignsThe difference between “passable” and “great” contentResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjebner/Learn more about Content Workshop: https://contentworkshop.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:13) Why creativity is essential in measurable marketing(03:34) Leveraging storytelling to build emotional connections(07:24) Why AI struggles with great storytelling (12:12) The viral LinkedIn campaign experiment(17:38) The value of influence and co-creation in marketing(22:08) Bold ideas vs. safe strategies

“The thing with territory planning is that people think of it as boring and terrible, I wanted the whole thing to have good energy, like a Corona commercial,” says Kevin Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of BoogieBoardIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Kevin Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of Boogie Board, shares his journey from sales leader to startup founder and how his company is reimagining territory planning. Kevin explores the evolving challenges of territory design in a hybrid world, the intersection of account-based marketing and sales strategies, and the importance of aligning internal teams around customer focus. Kevin also talks about the value of open-sourcing internal resources and how it’s helped his team create meaningful content for both internal use and external distribution.In this episode, you’ll learn: How to align your sales territories with your marketing strategies How open-sourcing content can help small businesses and teams grow Lessons from launching a startup in a rapidly changing environmentResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinboogie/Learn more about BoogieBoard: https://boogieboard.ai/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:13) Kevin’s journey from sales to startup founder(05:29) The evolution of sales territories in a hybrid world(07:33) Aligning sales territories and marketing strategies(10:18) The overlap of account-based marketing and territory design(17:10) Open-sourcing content for business growth(20:44) Transitioning to a founder-led strategy

“If you want your content to resonate, you need to understand your audience deeply and craft your message with intention,” says Tommy Walker, Founder of The Content StudioIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Tommy Walker, Founder of The Content Studio, shares some valuable marketing insights from their “State of Discontent” report on content marketing. He reveals why understanding audience motivations, conducting meaningful research, and prioritizing creative fulfillment are essential for creating content that truly connects with your audience. Tommy also discusses how the report’s findings can guide marketers toward more effective strategies in 2024 and beyond.In this episode, you’ll learn:Key challenges facing content marketers and how to overcome themThe role of audience research in driving authentic engagementPractical steps for improving creative satisfaction and executionResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Tommy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommyismyname/Learn more about The Content Studio: https://www.thecontentstudio.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(03:14) Why content marketers feel “disconnected”(07:45) The importance of audience research(12:18) How to balance creativity with leadership expectations(15:40) The juiciest insights from the “State of Discontent” report(19:02) Strategies for content marketing success in 2024 and beyond

“Content isn’t just a lead magnet, it’s a strategic tool that can guide prospects at every stage of the buyer journey,” says Tom Rudnai, CEO of Demand-Genius. “In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Tom Rudnai, CEO of Demand-Genius, discusses how high-value content drives revenue, and how we can effectively attribute our content to business growth. He shares insights from his background in media and B2B SaaS on redefining content marketing strategies, revealing how Demand-Genius uses content to close gaps in the buyer journey. Tom also talks about the compelling shifts in content creation, and why engaging your sales team as content “connectors” can make all the difference.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to turn B2B content into a revenue-driving assetWhy traditional metrics often miss the mark on measuring content effectivenessPractical tips for using AI and SEO strategies for high-impact contentResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-rudnai-0539b6151/Check out Demand-Genius: https://www.demand-genius.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:46) The content strategy shift from branding to revenue(06:32) The role of content in guiding buyers through the funnel(10:18) Using data for content attribution and measurement(14:05) Why AI is reshaping SEO and content distribution(17:45) Empowering sales with content as “information connectors”

"There’s two ways to be creative: you can sing and dance, or you can create environments where singers and dancers can flourish. I’m the second," says Patrick Reynolds, CMO at BlueConicIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, our guest is Patrick Reynolds, CMO of BlueConic. Patrick shares how BlueConic leverages first-party data to build tailored, empathetic customer experiences during busy shopping seasons like Black Friday. He also talks about his insights on the evolving role of AI, which helps marketers focus on creativity and strategy by automating repetitive tasks, and explains why the best marketing often works quietly in the background, enhancing customer engagement without overshadowing it.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to use first-party data to create personalized experiences that resonate with customers during high-stakes shopping seasonsThe importance of balancing data-driven insights with empathy to better serve consumersWhy AI can be a game-changer in freeing marketers to focus on strategic, creative workResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patreynolds/Check out BlueConic: https://www.blueconic.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(03:24) Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategies(04:37) The importance of empathy in marketing(08:29) Leveraging customer data for better marketing(10:20) Balancing data and creativity in marketing(17:40) Content strategy and measurement(20:46) The role of AI in modern marketing(23:43) Why marketing should be invisible to the consumer

"If you want to portray your message exactly the way your brand would say it, then use your brand to say it. If you want to use an influencer to say it, then you need to let that person shine through. Otherwise, your content won't work," says Tanya Alain, VP of Marketing at UpfluenceIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Tanya Alain, VP of Marketing at Upfluence, shares the key strategies that make influencer marketing a brand game-changer. She breaks down the dos and don’ts of partnering with influencers, from finding voices that resonate with your brand’s audience to letting the influencer’s authenticity shine for stronger engagement. She also talks about how they do influencer marketing at Upfluence and how AI may change the way we do influencer marketing and content marketing in general.In this episode, you’ll learn:Effective strategies for making influencer marketing successfulHow influencer authenticity can help your brand succeedHow AI is reshaping content marketing and what that means for influencer marketingResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Tanya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-alain/Check out Upfluence: https://www.upfluence.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:59) What is influencer marketing(05:31) Balancing brand voice and influencer authenticity(08:34) How to get started with influencer marketing(10:53) How Upfluence does influencer marketing(15:32) The future of influencer marketing with AI

“Now, where we feel pretty strongly and what we kind of benchmark this company against is we still believe humans need to do two core things. They need to be the creatives and the strategists,” says Elaine Zelby, CRO and co-founder at TofuIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Elaine Zelby, CRO and Co-founder of Tofu, shares her journey from biomechanical engineering to growth marketing and founding a top-of-funnel platform. She discusses why many B2B companies face challenges with tool overload and siloed workflows, as well as how AI and automation can rebundle and streamline marketing efforts for leaner, more efficient teams. Elaine also explores how content serves as the backbone of marketing strategy, emphasizing its role across every funnel stage.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Tofu is redefining top-of-funnel strategies with a unified platform approachWhy many companies struggle with too many tools and data silosPractical AI applications for automating and scaling marketing tasksResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainezelbyCheck out Tofu: https://www.tofuhq.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(07:32) The role of content in marketing(09:37) AI's impact on creative work(10:29) Getting started with AI(12:34) Exploring AI opportunities in professional life(13:21) Practical applications of AI in marketing(14:25) Rebundling AI for marketing efficiency(14:59) Solving tool fatigue for growth teams(18:10) Innovative uses of AI in content marketing

"A fractional CMO can be incredibly effective and can get you where you want to go far faster than going through the entire process of hiring a VP who you might fire in nine months anyway," says Shannon Curran, CMO & Advisor at SSC ConsultingIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Shannon Curran, Fractional CMO & Advisor at SSC Consulting, shares what life as a fractional CMO looks like and how this growing trend is reshaping marketing for early-stage B2B companies. Shannon explains why more founders are turning to fractional CMOs to scale faster and make smarter marketing decisions. She also gets into strategies for founder storytelling and effective budgeting for your marketing campaigns.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why founders might want to hire fractional CMOs for more effective marketing strategiesKey marketing strategies for scaling early-stage companies  The role of founder storytelling in brand growthResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran-55332942/Check out SSC Consulting: https://sscconsulting.io/Timestamps(00:00) Intro(03:42) Current budgeting and planning trends in marketing(10:12) Differentiating founder brand from company brand(15:23) Aligning content strategies with your brand(16:20) Corporate content strategy vs. Founder content strategy(18:18) Transitioning to Fractional CMO(21:12) Challenges of becoming a fractional CMO(24:23) Fractional CMO vs. VP of Marketing