The Content Cocktail Hour

“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

"Usually it starts with a pilot campaign, and that means that you're not trying to validate that ABM works. What you're really trying to do is to create a repeatable model,” says Vincent DeCastro, President at ABM AgencyIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Vincent DeCastro, President of ABM Agency, explains the foundations of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and why it’s a game changer for B2B marketers. He walks through the process of building focused target account lists and outlines the importance of aligning your ABM efforts with business objectives. Vincent also highlights the value of first-party intent data in understanding when an account is truly in-market, and shares advice on how to successfully align sales and marketing teams. Lastly, he offers a thoughtful perspective on why third-party intent data can be unreliable.In this episode, you’ll learn:The steps to building an effective ABM strategyWhy first-party intent data is key to ABM successHow to align sales and marketing around ABM goalsResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Vincent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentdecastro/Check out ABM Agency:https://abmagency.com/Timestamps(00:00) Intro(03:19) The rise and misconceptions of ABM(06:53) Effective ABM strategies(09:30) Building a target account list for ABM(11:57) Reverse engineering in ABM(13:21) Who should own ABM?(15:02) In-house vs. outsourced ABM(15:31) ABM maturity model(18:24) The role of third-party intent data

"That's how everyone should approach working with AI SDRs. You have to experiment. There is no rule of thumb on how to build things when you're launching AI outreach," says Alina Karnaukh, Head of Marketing at AiSDRIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Alina Karnaukh, Head of Marketing at AiSDR, shares how AI SDR technology is transforming sales and marketing efforts. Alina talks about the rise of AI-powered sales agents, the balance between human SDRs and automation, and how AiSDR uses AI to scale outreach while keeping campaigns personal. She also highlights the importance of experimentation and how marketers can refine their strategies in a fast-paced industry.In this episode, you’ll learn:How AI SDRs can streamline sales outreach and save time on repetitive tasks The balance between human SDR personalization and AI automation Strategies for experimenting and scaling AI-powered marketing campaigns Resources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinakarnaukh/Check out AiSDR: https://aisdr.com/Timestamps(00:00) Intro(02:43) Exploring the world of AI SDRs(05:11) Why AiSDR still values the work of human SDRs(10:50) How AiSDR creates their own marketing content(19:56) Tips to getting started with AI SDRs(21:05) Creating standout content by being vulnerable

“We believe that education is a tool for growth, whether that be personal growth, professional growth, growth of a business or growth of a person. And that's the umbrella that we sit under,” says Christie Horsman, VP of Marketing at ThinkificIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Christie Horsman, VP of Marketing at Thinkific, explains how customer education can play a key role in growing your funnel. She shares how Thinkific strategically uses long-form content and repurposes it to maximize its value. Christie also highlights Thinkific’s unique branding approach and emphasizes why focusing on quality over quantity in content creation is the smarter way to go.In this episode, you’ll learn:How customer education impacts every stage of the funnelStrategies to make your content do more with lessUsing courses as a content format for brandsResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Christie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-e-horsman/Check out Thinkific: https://www.thinkific.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Christie and her work at Thinkific(04:28) How customer education affects your funnel(12:06) Creating content with many use cases(17:20) Thinkific's branding and sub-branding strategy(25:17) Your content needs to do the heavy lifting