Actionable Marketing Podcast

The relationship between sales and marketing teams is often tumultuous and complicated. They share the same goals, yet they squabble and fight like children. They easily point fingers and tattletale about what the other is doing wrong. Let’s dive into the mind of a salesperson to understand how sales and marketing teams can work together, instead of against each other.

Today, we’re talking to Kris Nelson, head of sales at CoSchedule. He shares what sales teams truly think about marketers and how the two can minimize conflict and improve collaboration. Learn how to avoid pitfalls by following CoSchedule’s techniques.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Sales and marketing people typically argue about bad leads, not following up on leads, etc.; there’s a stigma that sales and marketing teams just don’t get along
• Minimize conflict through open lines of communication to develop rapport/trust
• Establish credibility that you know what you’re doing as a salesperson; gain marketers’ trust by being good at selling the leads they give you
• Share your opinions and feedback; don’t tear down processes, improve them
• Define/evaluate marketing qualified leads (MQLs)/sales qualified leads (SQLs)
• BANT: Budget, authority, need, and timing
• Biggest breakdowns often occur when learning how to work together and how individuals communicate to be more efficient
• Growing pains you experience as your platform, solution, and functionality evolve
• Not all prospects are created equal; ways to handle different types of prospects
• Establish who owns opportunities and when; work smarter, not harder
• Ideal profile/persona of a CoSchedule customer
• Common issue marketers struggle with centers around planning and visibility 

Links:

• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

Email marketing is that trusted friend that’s been around forever and will never let you down. You can always turn to it when you need some help. Plus, it gives you a whopping average ROI of 3,800%. That’s $38 for every $1 invested. 

Today, we’re talking to Matthew Montoya, the partner enablement and training manager at Constant Contact. He has helped consult more than 13,000 businesses on email marketing best practices. Email has been around a long time, but Matthew describes current trends and what works today. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• People who give you their email address are expressing interest in your business
• Quantify the value of your email list by multiplying the size of your list by the price point of the average they sell to get a dollar figure
• Biggest change in email marketing over the last seven years is mobile readership; 51% of business/non-profit emails will be opened on a mobile device
• People used to spent 35-40 seconds reading an email; now it’s 5 seconds
• Emails need to be succinct, make an impression, and include a call to action
• Think of an email not as a massage, but an advertisement where people see the information, act on it, and go to your Website or elsewhere to learn more
• Every contact matters and can produce money for your company
• The more targeting and testing you do, the better your responses
• HTML vs. Plain Text: Depends on your audience, but concise HTML emails usually generate higher, better responses
• Preview email messages to see how they display on different devices
• Know your audience to know what content they will find valuable and relevant
• Constant Contact’s Marketing Pillars: Segmentation, personalization, automation
• People look first at who sent an email, rather than the subject line; email should come “from” the brand
• Test subject lines to avoid repetition and make sure they grab readers’ attention
• Explore all marketing options across platforms - all work together to share a story

Links: 

• Constant Contact
• Constant Contact for Free
• CoSchedule Email Subject Line Tester
• CoSchedule Integrations
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

A funnel is a way to visualize your prospects’ journey through the marketing and sales process. Figure out where in the funnel they are at - from the unaware to the purchase stage. So, it’s time to put fun back into that funnel!

Today, we’re talking to Emma Tupa, CoSchedule’s marketing automation strategist. She shares how to create personas, find a voice, breakdown funnel stages, and change communication tactics. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Marketers, do you know who you’re talking to?
• Create buyer personas - collection of prospect characteristics based on research
• Ways to create buyer personas depending on the stage of your business
• Research and information lets you pinpoint your ideal customers and target them with specific messaging
• Find your tone and voice to input personality into copy and effectively communicate in the customers’ language
• Top of the Funnel or TOFU: Prospects in unaware or pain aware stage; use interesting and informational, but not intense content, to soft sell
• Middle of Funnel or MOFU: Prospects in the solution aware to product aware stages; content connects dots between the pain and the best solution for it
• Bottom of the Funnel or BOFU: Prospect are potentially purchase ready and in the most aware stage; content is geared to converting through calls to action  
• Marketing is a science; involves reacting and re-engaging with prospects to get them down the funnel
• Differences between marketing and sales materials, including emails

Links: 

• G2 Crowd
• How to Map Content to the Marketing Funnel
• Autopilot
• Why Your Customer Is The Key To Skyrocketing Conversion Rates with Talia Wolf from Get UpLift
• Joanna Wiebe
• Kathryn Nyhus

Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

As a marketer, there’s so much to think about and focus on - SEO, content, direct marketing, emails, inbound strategy…but where on that list does word-of-mouth marketing rank as a priority? Maybe it’s not high enough. How do you get your customers to talk about you? What are the steps to create a word-of-mouth strategy for your business?

Today, we’re talking to Daniel Lemin, head of consulting at Convince and Convert and co-author of Talk Triggers. He shares how “same is lame” because consumers like different experiences and ignore average, as well as how talk triggers can turn customers into volunteer marketers and brand evangelists. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Talk Triggers focuses on customer-driven conversation; as the client or brand, become the content and give a story to tell
• Talk Trigger Example: The Cheesecake Factory’s over-sized menu gets ⅓ of its customers to talk about it - usually, in jest
• Another Example: DoubleTree hotel’s fresh, warm cookies; customers talk about the uniqueness and difference they offer - tangible part of experience
• Talk Trigger Criteria: Remarkable, relevant, reasonable, repeatable
• Get out from behind your desk to connect with customers and listen to them to uncover gaps in the customer journey
• Talk triggers often live between what a customer wants and what they really want
• Avoid surveys - don’t ask the customer what they want
• Talk triggers could be characters or animals that become an integral part of branding and familiarity with your product (i.e. Freddie from Mailchimp)

Links: 

• Daniel Lemin
• Daniel Lemin on Twitter
• Convince and Convert
• Talk Triggers
• Jay Baer
• Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

What does marketing look like today? Well, it’s a blend of art and science. It brings together creative visuals and copy with marketing research and analytics. Marketers are now creative creators dressed in lab coats. And, conversion rate optimization (CRO) - a system that increases the percentage of visitors to a Website that are converted into customers - is a perfect example. 

Today, we’re talking to Talia Wolf of GetUplift, which offers businesses and entrepreneurs training on how to increase conversions. Talia tells the truth and dispels myths about CRO. She also explains why CRO needs to be more customer centric and what it’s like when done right. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• CRO is not just about changing elements on a page and hoping for the best; it’s about solving people’s problems and improving the customer’s journey
• Talia gets into people’s heads because they buy on emotion and then rationalize with different reasons; she focuses on people behind the screen rather than data
• Emotional Targeting Process: Identifying emotions and getting to know customers better
• Utilize customer surveys/interviews and competitor analysis; talk to people, ask the right questions, and analyze answers
• Conversion Psychology: You’re not buying a product, but higher self-esteem and better versions of yourself
• People browse and search for solutions via Google, then hit Command and open a bunch of tabs; 3 seconds to grab their attention and understand their pain
• Do groundwork and run meaningful tests on strategies, concepts, or hypothesis
• Color Psychology: People are influenced by colors in different ways due to their culture, emotions, experience, and more factors

Links: 

• GetUplift
• GetUplift Blog
• Joanna Wiebe
• Claire Suellentrop
• Tiffany daSilva
• Color Psychology in Marketing

Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

Do you love podcasts? Of course, you do. And you’re not alone. About 48 million people listen to them each year - up 6 million from last year. One-third of Americans (ages 25-54) listen to podcasts monthly, so they’re not just for nerds anymore. It's not too late to jump in the game. The time is now. Want to start a podcast? How do you it? How much does it cost? What equipment and technology will I need? How do I land the best guests?

If you don't even know where to begin, fear not. Nathan Ellering and Jordan Loftis of CoSchedule are here to talk about the early days of the Actionable Marketing Podcast (AMP) and lessons they learned along the way.  

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• AMP podcast was created as a supplement to CoSchedule’s blog and reach new audiences
• Smart people use CoSchedule as a tool, so the podcast gave the company an opportunity to build relationships with them
• Finding guests can be intimidating; start with those around you,then feature customers and their stories and experience using your product and services
• AMP was initially focused on content marketing; but people who do content marketing, do it as one part of marketing - that's not all they do
• AMP gives you helpful information, and expect you to act upon it
• If you want a podcast, start simple with just a microphone, room, and people to talk to; that's all you need - don’t over-complicate it and learn as you go
• Listening to and looking at yourself at first is weird; may sound like a 12-year-old chipmunk and look like Harry Potter in flannel
• Ultimately, when it comes to podcasts, it's about the content - whether it gets shared and how it connects with people
• High-priced and high-tech mics and other equipment are not necessary; keep the cost low when starting a podcast - look around to see what you already have
• Necessities: Mic, filter for that mic, Internet connection, call recorder, and quiet room; use Libsyn or some other podcast hosting option
• Interviewing: Can be kind of a nerve-wracking experience - do it to learn it; #1 thing when interviewing is to be the listener's advocate or sit in the listener's seat
• Build credibility to snag big-name guests; but don’t try to just name-grab, invite people who you think highly of and offer incredible value

Links: 

• Andy Crestodina
• Gini Dietrich
• CoSchedule’s Blog
• Libsyn
• Neil Patel
• Michael Brenner
• Rand Fishkin
• Pat Flynn
• Noah Kagan
• Amy Porterfield
• Content Marketing World
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

Do you work remotely? A recent Gallup study shows that more than 40% of the American workforce works remotely, at least some of the time.

Today, we’re talking to Sandra Lewis, founder and CEO of Worldwide101. It’s a premium subscription staffing company with virtual assists, expert marketers, and others across the world. Sandra shares six keys you need when working with a remote team to amplify their abilities and make them successful. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Key 1 - Hire for passion: You want them to be interested, passionate, and obsessive in your service and product
• Key 2 - Analyze skill sets and strengths: Worldwide101 has two pillars that categorize someone's strength - structured or creative
• Key 3 - Amplify those strengths: Amplifying a strength is having someone do what they do best; also look at what can complement a core strength (soft skills)
• Key 4 - Provide ongoing learning opportunities: Keep people engaged and provide a path and cross training for them to grow their strengths
• Key 5 - Provide great tools: Try new tools and build a tool stack that helps workers be more efficient and productive
• Key 6 - Over communicate: Have face-to-face meetings, acknowledge every email, set check-in times to build trust and get to know someone remotely
• To lead a successful remote team, keep it personal; do little things that make working remotely less isolated; love the people you work with and celebrate them

Links: 

• Worldwide101
• Upwork
• Slack
• Constant Contact
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

The struggle is real for marketers because they are in the midst of a customer trust crisis. And things are only getting worse. Studies show that only 48% of the general population in the United States trust businesses. Earning the trust of customers can be difficult, so deliver what you promise when it comes to your products. 

Writing a case study is a great way to do just that. Today, we’re talking to Whitney Deterding, CoSchedule product marketing specialist, who focuses on the company’s case studies. You’ll learn from her that case studies need to resonate with your prospects and have a purpose. She shares best practices to use when selecting customers and avoiding pitfalls. Discover how to craft case studies that move your prospects down the funnel. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Case studies need to have social proof to build trust; gives people insight into how great your product or service is direct from the customer’s mouth
• CoSchedule’s Customer Success Team has direct connection to customers; identify which customers should be used in case studies and testimonials
• Sales Team deals with prospects all the time and become aware of problems they face and trends in various industries
• Incent is a common tactic used to get customers to be in case studies; both CoSchedule and its customers reap benefits
• Send personal Thank You messages or gifts to the customers to show how appreciative and grateful you are for their time
• Questions to Ask: What  is the problem that your service/product solved? What steps were taken relieve a pain pont and generate results?
• Do research beforehand to help you discover and uncover unique things that a customer might discuss
• Transcribe and listen to interview recordings to highlight quotes and case studies
• Present case studies with the customer’s logo, headshot, demographics, and other items to make it authentic and give readers something valuable to pull out
• Once you’ve done the interview, there’s many ways you can use that information to move prospects through the funnel
• Measuring the ROI of a case study depends on how it’s being used; include a call to action to measure conversions
• Common pitfalls include trying to do too many case studies together - they tell the same story; and don’t control the interview - be able to pivot

Links: 

• Edelman Trust Barometer
• Joanna Wiebe
• CoSchedule’s Customer Stories
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

For companies that generate $5-$20 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), marketing typically sources about 42% of an account executive’s leads. For larger revenue-generating companies with $20-$50 million in ARR, marketing sources only 36% of an account executive’s leads. So, if your inbound traffic is flatlining, it’s time to look into new lead sources to grow your business. How? Outbound sales and marketing processes, which diversify lead sources that help grow your business.

Today, we’re talking to Trish Bertuzzi, CEO and founder of The Bridge Group and author of The Sales Development Playbook. The Bridge Group provides services to the B2B technology space in three areas: Sales development, inside sales, and account-based selling. Trish identifies the biggest challenges when companies are getting started with outbound sales or marketing. Best practices include automation and getting past cold processes to drive huge returns from outbound efforts. 

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Getting to engagement is hardest part of the sales process because we overwhelm buyers spam emails and robo voicemails
• Different buyer types react to different ways of outreach; figure out your buyer type, analyze their preferences, and build a strategy
• Effective Outbound Outreach Tactics: If you’re going to use the phone, tell a story with your voicemails; back that up with great emails and valuable content
• Sales and marketing teams should build stories together and consider implementing a CRM, sequencing tool, and conversational intelligence tools
• Get a steady stream of outbound leads through a strategy: Who to go after, what to say, how to say it, how message will be delivered, and how to analyze results
• Get to the point when reaching out to someone for the first time; tell them your objective and what’s in it for them
• Make voicemails and emails concise; subject lines matter and no attachments
• The Bridge Group publishes two primary reports: Inside Sales for SaaS Metrics and Comp and Sales Development Metrics and Comp
• Reports are the #1 lead source for The Bridge Group; they’ve impacted the company’s pipeline and revenues.
• Look at the right numbers; how many fit your ideal customer profile?

Links: 

• The Bridge Group
• The Bridge Group’s Blog
• The Bridge Group on LinkedIn
• Inside Sales for SaaS Metrics and Comp
• Sales Development Metrics and Comp
• The Sales Development Playbook
• Chorus
• Gong
• ExecVision
• OutBound Sales Acceleration Conference
• Fanatical Prospecting
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package

Marketers usually have many goals—sometimes too many. And let's not forget about these Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As marketers, we can measure so much, but what should we focus on to influence real growth? There are several specific lead indicators that marketers can measure that ultimately influence revenue growth: Website visitors, email subscribers, marketing qualified leads, sales qualified leads, and customers.

Today, we're talking to Lindsey Morando, director of marketing at Hello Bar, which is dedicated to helping marketers build their email list. In this episode, learn why your community of email subscribers is your most valuable asset as a marketer. You’ll get advice on conversion tactics, as well as how to create lead magnets and content upgrades that turn Website visitors into subscribing fans.

Some of the highlights of the show include: 

• Definition of List Building: Creating, building up, and cultivating a community of people who have a common interest that you can support and offer a solution
• People are 40% more likely to sign up for your email list than social media; 73% of companies report that email marketing is their top ROI channel
• Generate traffic to Website to convert visitors into email subscribers; look at SEO efforts, social media, and where your ideal client is to be in front of them
• Traffic Building Tips: Joint training, tutorial videos, and Webinars get people to know, like, and trust you; speak at events to increase brand awareness
• Convert traffic into email subscribers by understanding users and what's going to get them to take action; see where people are going on your site using analytics
• Pop-ups and lead captures sometimes get a bad rap; it's because you're not presenting the right message, at the right time, to the right people
• Content upgrades are a lead capture within a blog post - it’s a pattern interrupt; quizzes, challenges, and games also work well
• When building an email list develop a plan and schedule based on why someone would want to join your list; provide content that brings value to your community
• First email should welcome people, share your story, and introduce you; can include a video or downloadable
• First Email List: Start with people you know; let them know what to expect, what you're going to share, and what value you're going to provide with a call to action

Links: 

• Hello Bar
• Marie Forleo
• ConvertKit
• Bonjoro
• Write and send a review to receive a CoSchedule care package