How I Made it in Marketing

Come with me if you will, for just a moment, to the small shtetl of Anatevka, in Tsarist Russia, the year is 1905, and we are in the barn of Tevye, a dairyman.In his reality, he is poor. But in his imagination, ah in his imagination, he is a rich man.I thought of that famous musical number when I read this lesson in a recent podcast guest application – “Never forget the independence of your imagination.”A perfect explanation of Tevye. And hopefully, of you and I as well, after we listen to my latest guest…Jeffery Keilholtz, SVP of Marketing, Broadway Licensing Global [https://broadwaylicensing.com/].Tune in to the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingWin the day – how daily focus leads to campaign successStay nimbleStay cool under pressure“Never forget the independence of your imagination"Execution sets people apartEndurance is essentialDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI [https://meclabsai.com/GetProductive] – January 8th at Noon EST. There is no cost.Enterprise Solutions Marketing: You can make a big career, and still stay human (podcast episode #99) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/enterprise]Product Management & Marketing: Surround yourself with the right people (podcast episode #38) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/product]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

When this CMO's team proved her wrong about their ebook program, she didn't just accept it – she made them broadcast their victory to everyone. Hear that lesson – “let your team take a chance on testing it and prove you wrong” – and many more lesson-filled stories in my in-depth discussion with Susanne Rodriguez, Chief Marketing Officer, Auvik [https://www.auvik.com/].Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingBe an uncertainty killer Don't always trust your gutClear is kindLean in and listen on Zoom to connect and build deep relationships remotelyBring your best, most efficient self to the office every day to keep it movingPrioritize by business impactLet your team take a chance on testing it and prove you wrongDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI [https://meclabsai.com/GetProductive] – January 8th at Noon EST. There is no cost.Not Enough Lobster In The Ocean: Trusting their gut leads to 90,000% revenue growth at Mint Mobile (Podcast Episode #11) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/revenue-growth-podcast]Team Building: Loyalty, relationships, pre-selling, and other keys to marketing management success (Podcast Episode #16) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/team-building]A/B Testing Prioritization: The surprising ROI impact of test order [https://marketingexperiments.com/a-b-testing/surprising-roi-from-test-order]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

We recently published data on interdepartmental collaboration by marketing teams [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/interdepartmental-collaboration]. More leading marketing departments had a strong partnership with the product team than with any other internal team.But for the lagging marketing departments, strong partnerships with the sales team fell in the middle – 4th out of 7 departments – and they had far fewer strong partnerships with the product team than leading marketing departments did.I was working on the data for that chart article when a podcast guest application came across my desk with these lessons – People and culture matter a lot, mentorship matters even more, product matters the most.To hear the stories behind those lessons, along with more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Yana Ernazarova, CMO, Edushape [https://www.edushape.com/].Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingPeople and culture matter a lotMentorship matters even moreProduct matters the mostVision and culture are key to long-term results in large organizationsSometimes you should kill bad business ideas quickly, no matter how passionate you are about themA marketing or business idea is useless until it's executed uponDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI [https://MeclabsAI.com/GetProductive]– January 8th at noon. No cost.Enterprise Solutions Marketing: You can make a big career, and still stay human (podcast episode #99) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/enterprise]Marketing Mentorship: Direct feedback is a gift (podcast episode #98) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-mentorship]Product Quality: Marketing's job is to help the product win (podcast episode #97) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/product-quality]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

In this conversation with Allyson Havener, CMO of TrustRadius, the focus is on the importance of customer voice in shaping marketing strategies. She emphasizes that success in marketing means understanding what customers say when you're not there. Allyson shares insights on creating categories, the mantra 'done is better than perfect,' and the necessity of aligning marketing initiatives with revenue goals. She also discusses the vital collaboration between marketing and sales, making customer feedback a cornerstone of effective marketing.

I would never read so much text. This is long and boring to me. Versions of this have been said to me throughout my career from designers. And not to pick on designers, but I really don’t care. Because they weren’t the ideal customer for the product. So of course they weren’t interested in the copy.Like my old boss Mike Morgan used to tell me – you never read the refrigerator ad on page 3 of the newspaper…until your fridge breaks.So when I came across this lesson in a podcast guest application, it grabbed my attention – ‘You don’t have to like it. You aren’t the target.’To hear the story behind that lesson, and many more lesson-filled stories, I invited on Renee Miller, Founder and Executive Creative Director, The Miller Group [https://www.millergroup.com/].Tune in to the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingTo mine own self be true. Say YES then figure out how to get it doneProvide an exceptional experience Be modestYou don’t have to like it. You aren’t the target.The more you value yourself, the more likely you are to take calculated risksDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI – November 20th at noon EST: Join Flint McGlaughlin, CEO, MeclabsAI, for an accelerated version of the AI Guild MEC050 course. There is no cost. See the 7 principles you can learn in this session and register to join us at MeclabsAI.com/GetProductive (from MarketingSherpa’s parent organization, MeclabsAI).Customer-First Marketing: A conversation with Wharton, MarketingSherpa, and MECLABS Institute [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/wharton-interview-customer-first-marketing/]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Value Proposition Articulation: Examples of helping customers understand and believe your business’ marketing messages [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/value-proposition]Strategy: Don’t think of your customers as a ‘target’ to acquire (podcast episode #65) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategy]Enterprise Solutions Marketing: You can make a big career, and still stay human (podcast episode #99) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/enterprise]Special Report: How to Market to the Super Rich -- 4 Challenges and 8 Must-Know Strategies [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/how-to/how-to-market-to-super]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

One of the biggest transformations in my career came when I went from trying to sell people with my writing, to trying to help them.Helping people understand whether a product or service is truly right for them creates long-term trust. So does helping them even when they don’t buy from you.Not only is this more effective, but my work is part of my life. My soul doesn’t magically leave my body during the workweek. And it is fulfilling to help people – both morally and financially.So when I read this lesson in a podcast guest application, it struck a chord – "Clear, simple language can cut through the noise and drive results." I knew I wanted to sit down with the man behind it, and see what we can learn from him.I talked to Dr. Yaniv Zaid, CEO, The Art of Persuasion [https://www.persuasion.co.il/en/], and author 11 books (most recently The 21st Century Sales Bible [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-21st-century-sales-bible-yaniv-zaid/1142120003]).Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingClarity is powerful for persuasionUnderstand cultural nuancesTurn failures into learning opportunitiesEffective storytelling is a tool for persuasionBe Batman, because nobody is really SupermanPositive messages win over more people than negative messagesDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for Get Productive With AI – November 20th at Noon EST. No cost to attend. See the 7 principles we'll be teaching and register at MeclabsAI.com/GetProductiveClarity Trumps Persuasion: How changing the first seven seconds of user experience drove a 201% gain [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/surprising-wins-from-2009-using-insights-from-an-uncertain-economy-to-drive-302-growth]Global Technology Leadership: Adapt your marketing to reflect cultural nuances (podcast episode #113) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/global]Branding Lessons from TV Production: Don't focus on failure, keep moving towards success (podcast episode #92) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/brand-lessons]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Think branding and demand generation are separate functions? Jim Kruger, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Informatica [https://www.informatica.com/], discusses why they shouldn’t be on this episode of How I Made It In Marketing.Informatica is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. It reported total annual recurring revenue of $1.63 billion for 2023. And Kruger manages a team of 140 people.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingUnderstand your customers' needs and build personalized strategiesCombine your branding and demand generationEliminate silos and cultivate trusting relationshipsPeople want to feel part of a team and without empathy, that is very difficult to doBranding is much more than a campaign and it must be connected to your strategy and messaging hierarchyTest messaging and usabilityThe higher you get in the organization, the more details you need to knowDiscussed in this episodeCustomer-first Objective (CFO) Builder: In this episode, Kruger discusses customer strategy. If you need help, try the CFO Builder app in MeclabsAI [https://meclabsai.com/share/8ZiYRidqZbqPvEg]. It’s free to try, you don’t even have to register to get started (from MarketingSherpa’s parent organization, MeclabsAI). Empathy Marketing: 3 examples of empathetic marketing in action (with results) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/empathy-marketing]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Marketing is about helping your ideal customer perceive the value your products deliver.But before they can perceive that value, you have to create it.When I received the podcast guest application for my next guest, in my due diligence I found that Consumer Reports named its Stratami mattress one of the 9 best mattresses of 2024.To hear key lessons and stories from building the company behind made that mattress, I talked to Jack Dell’Accio, CEO and Founder, Essentia [https://myessentia.com/].Dell’Accio originally funded Essentia himself, investing $3 million to develop the products and build the brand. The organic mattress company is projected to surpass $50 million in revenue in 2024. He oversees the company’s 100 employees, but does not manage the marketing team directly.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingInnovation driven by personal passion can lead to extraordinary outcomesKeep pushing forwardEducating consumers about the products they use and the impact on their health is crucial for building trust and driving changeFind a strategic partner who understands your visionCollaborate to bring greater visibility to your brandDiscussed in this episodeConversion Pro – In this episode, Dell’Accio emphasizes consumer education. The Conversion Pro expert in MeclabsAI [https://meclabsai.com/share/v1rYyjM1ZgieOa5] can help you understand how to optimize your marketing strategies to not only educate but also convert your audience effectively (MeclabsAI is MarketingSherpa’s parent company).Female Entrepreneurship and Marketing: Having built a big community doesn't mean you will be able to monetize it [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entrepreneurship]Marketing is Teaching: 3 examples of high-performance marketing that worked by educating the customer [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/3-examples-marketing-is-teaching]Strategic Marketing Collaboration: Find your partner in crime (podcast episode #68) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic]Marketing: It’s not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

"One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight, for a very long time, of the shore."That quote is from Nobel Prize winning novelist André Gide. And I think there is a great lesson for marketers here.For 25 years, MarketingSherpa has published case study articles. And sometimes when I talk to marketers, they are so myopically focused on just the case studies from their industry.We’re an ideas profession. And sometimes to get the best ideas you have to step away from the familiar…including your industry.Which is why I was intrigued by a story in a recent podcast guest application, about a tech industry leader who learned the transformative power of digital marketing by pivoting away from the tech world for a bit to run a charity.To hear that story, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Tim Peters, the CMO of Enghouse Systems [https://www.enghouse.com/].Enghouse Systems is a public company, founded in 1984, that trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange. It reported $454 million in revenue for fiscal year 2023. Peters manages a team of 52 marketing professionals at Enghouse.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingLeverage digital platforms to build strong communities and amplify your messageAdapt your marketing to reflect cultural nuances for global successFoster trust and cooperation through transparent communication in M&AEmbrace strategic thinking and creativity to drive measurable marketing outcomesInvest in people to foster talent growth and a collaborative team environmentAlign marketing strategies with financial accountability for strategic successDiscussed in this episodeResume and Cover Letter Writer – Some marketing professionals listen to How I Made It In Marketing to get ideas for managing their career. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, here’s a shared chat I made in MeclabsAI that can help – the resume and cover letter writer [https://meclabsai.com/share/NUB98Ta7PdfdhA8] (MeclabsAI is the parent company of MarketingSherpa). Customer-First Marketing: Every click is a wish (podcast episode #85) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-first]CMO-CPO Collaboration: Bridge Marketing and Product for collaborative growth (podcast episode #95) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/CMO]Marketing: It’s not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]Marketing: High growth can be excruciating (podcast episode #64) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-growth]Marketing, Communications, and Pricing Leadership: Business must have a relentless focus on ROI, which includes marketing (podcast episode #35) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-communications]Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Imagine this: you've spent months ideating, planning, and crafting the perfect marketing campaign. The creative is stunning, the messaging is on point, and the target audience has been meticulously defined. But as the launch date approaches, things start to wobble. A key department is out of sync, a crucial piece of technology isn't ready, or the timeline starts to slip. We've all been there – standing on the precipice of what could be a game-changing launch, only to watch it teeter on the brink of failure.The truth is, no matter how brilliant your marketing idea is, it will never see the light of day without the support of a well-oiled machine behind it. And that machine? It’s built on relationships.So I loved this lesson in a recent podcast guest application – ‘Building healthy cross-functional relationships is the key to any successful marketing launch.’To hear the lessons behind that story, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down Nicole Sumner, Brand Director, Ollie Pets [https://www.myollie.com/].Ollie has delivered more than 200 million meals, and Sumner leads a team of nine marketers at Ollie.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingBuilding healthy cross-functional relationships is the key to any successful marketing launchSometimes you must let go of a creative idea to ensure you have the opportunity to stand up for something you really believe in laterIf you don’t have contagious conviction in your idea, you can’t expect anyone else to be excited about it. Act like you already have the job title you wantIt’s OK if you’ve never done something before, say yes and figure it outYou can’t be upset over an opportunity that you don’t raise your hand forDiscussed in this episodeBrand value prop refinement [FREE interactive tool] –After listening to this episode, you may be inspired to brainstorm on your brand a bit. I can’t be there with you, but I gave custom instructions telling MeclabsAI how to help you. Just click here to try out this shared chat [https://meclabsai.com/share/IxnQg61yGo65oY6]. It’s FREE to try, you don’t even have to register to get started (from MarketingSherpa’s parent organization, MeclabsAI).Enterprise Solutions Marketing: You can make a big career, and still stay human (podcast episode #99)Creative UX/UI For Impactful Marketing: Think, build, and scale like a product owner (podcast episode #102)Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application