Actionable Marketing Podcast

The ad tech industry—specifically, Facebook—continues to create privacy consent concerns and public discontent. How much do people trust social networks and the brands that advertise on them?

Today's guest is Richard Jones, chief marketing officer (CMO) for Cheetah Digital. If you rely on social advertising to promote your business, Richard talks about what you need to know to prevent or handle damage to your brand's reputation.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Ethics: What problems does ad tech introduce into social marketing?
• Digital Footprint: Personal information gets presented without permission
• Under the Knife: Invasion of privacy when bombarded with ads on Facebook
• Stop Hate for Profit: Campaign to curb hate speech and put people before profit
• Money or Morality? Ad pressure makes it okay to break up with social media
• For Sale: Personal data creates polarization of society, dangerous environment
• Algorithms: People's inability to curate truth, not simply sort shared information
• Social Media Alternatives: How to shut off highly effective or targeted ad spend?
• End of Era: Fast and loose data powering third-party advertising economy is over
• Trust Economy: Why trust is most impactful economic power over data privacy
• COVID Impact: Expect increase in promotions and people looking for value

Links:

• Richard Jones on LinkedIn
• Cheetah Digital
• Stop Hate for Profit
• Econsultancy
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

Is a picture still worth a 1,000 words? What about videos? Any business or organization can use the power of video content to build its brand and promote its products. However, it's not always cheap to do or get it right to make a difference.

Today's guest is Doug Scott from Tectonic. He describes how nonprofits with small budgets, but big aspirations, maximize their impact with video marketing.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Film School Dropout: Doug's dream to make movies wasn't his reality
• Newfound Desire: Passion for storytelling led to helping nonprofits
• Why Video? Efficient, engaging, and preferred form of communication
• Challenges: Level of clarity to quantify cost for return on investment
• SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-bound
• SMART Metrics: Benchmarking, baseline, and big strategic objectives
• Mindset Shift: Video versus any content created based on outcome, not output
• Change Management: Provide data, demonstrate impact, and make progress
• Ethics: Offer marketing messages with simplicity, positivity, and compellingness
• Promotion: Gain exposure with compelling videos that the press can't ignore
• Social Media: Most engaging are user-generated single-shot videos

Links:

• Tectonic
• Nonprofit Video Index
• Mutual Rescue
• Heads Up: Health Awareness for Concussion Prevention
• TeachAids
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

When looking to get ahead in marketing, business, or life, the black community faces challenges and structural issues. What should white people consider to be effective allies to black colleagues, friends, and neighbors?

Today's guest is Muyinza Kasirye from APRT Media in Los Angeles. Muyinza immigrated from Uganda to Toronto and relocated to Boston after his mother's death due to cancer. Muyinza grew up with little money or privileges but worked his way up. He shares his perspective on challenges that black marketers and business owners experience.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Black Entrepreneur Challenges:
  • Don't know about or denied initial money to start a business
  • Higher barrier of proof required to get work
  • Fair distribution for work, investment, and positions of real power
• Negative Consequences: Economy isn't achieving its true potential
• Equal Opportunities: Different approaches equal different outcomes
• Status Quo: Drive positive change in the direction it is needed
• What white people need to know and do to dismantle barriers to success?
  • Help when and where you can
  • Start investing in black individuals to move forward
• Listen, not Lecture: Wherever white people are on spectrum of understanding

Links:

• APRT Media
• APRT Media on Instagram
• Muyinza Kasirye on LinkedIn
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

Doing social media marketing in a regulated industry isn't easy. Legal considerations, regulatory red tape, and compliance restrictions can make your job more difficult.

Today's guest is Regina DeMars, Director of Content Marketing and Social Media Strategy at First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). How can financial services marketers make friends with compliance and win at social media? Get creative with solutions to problems.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Content: Create financial advice/guidance that existing/potential customers want
• Common Problems: Marketers face ever-changing regulatory space and timeline
• Top Tactics: Urgent requests, audits, and procedures eliminate potential issues
• Social Media Channels: Monitor and archive online brand reputation, compliance
• Relationships Matter: Identify those interested in and active on social media
• Collaborative Compliance: Mitigate risk, accomplish goals, and stay compliant
• Organic Messaging: Focus on educational, inspirational, and entertaining content
• Paid Perspective: Focus on awareness, consideration, and conversion content
• Other Options: Social selling, influencer marketing, and employee ambassadors
• Make the Case: Do content marketing work that matters with more resources
• Mistakes Happen: Ensure everyone's following processes, procedures, policies

Links:

• Regina DeMars on LinkedIn
• First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO)
• FNBO's Dollar Belles on YouTube
• FNBO's Cashology Facebook Group
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

Does adding new martech tools always tackle problems and challenges for marketers? What matters most is finding the best technology solutions to solve the right problems at the right times for you, your team, and your organization.

Today's guest is Sean Doyle, co-founder, principal, and director of strategy at FitzMartin. Sean applies the science of behavior change to the art of sales and marketing. Rather than only choosing to make decisions based on thoughts and emotions, choose to use the power of data.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Reason Behind Sean's Book: Change how B2B marketers are respected or not
• FitzMartin: Modern marketing/sales that demonstrates ability to provide products
• Point of View: Comes from behavioral science—how people change
• Changing for Good: Book on transtheoretical theory of behavioral science
• Firings/Failures: Focus framework on capital and commitment to measurement
• Martech: Why it continues to expand? Measurable and customer-focused
• Vanity Metrics: Meaningful when understood by peers, clients, or customers
• Problem: Takes talent to read data, view analytics, and communicate effectively
• Martech Behavioral Science Categories:
  • Demand generation
  • Sales enablement
  • Customer success
• Simplify Scale: Ease of use wins over powerful and sophisticated martech
• Sales Barrier/Gap Analysis: Audit of all sales and marketing efforts
• Subjective Theory of Value: Three ways people buy
  • Revenue gain
  • Cost reduction
  • Emotional and strategic contribution

Links:

• Sean Doyle's Email
• Shift: 19 Practical, Business-driven Ideas for an Executive in Charge of Marketing but not Trained for the Task by Sean M. Doyle
• FitzMartin
• Sean Doyle on LinkedIn
• Changing for Good by James O. Prochaska, John Norcross, and Carlo DiClemente
• Web Analytics by Avinash Kaushik
• Google Ads
• HubSpot
• AdRoll
• Ignitium
• Salesforce
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

It may be a cliche, but it remains true that nothing is certain for business right now and in the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brand building is a long-term sport with no finish line.

Today's guest is David Lemley, a brand strategist with Retail Voodoo. He has worked with beloved brands, including Starbucks, REI, and KIND. David describes what steps to take to future-proof business and brands to thrive and survive for sustained success.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Branding's Value: More than a logo—develop a truly authentic brand built to last
• Past Background: Branding used to be all about making marks and doing things
• Present and Future Branding: Promises you make, keep, and feel
• New Things: Help food, beverage, wellness, and fitness brands win market share
• Future-proof Brand: Plan to survive and thrive during unforeseen circumstances
• Consequences: Loss of market share and impacts partner/customer relationships
• Essential Component: Data and research from brightest minds erodes resistance
• Future-Proof Process: Understand core audience to anticipate changing needs
• Building Blocks: People view brands as personal identity with values and morals
• Tasks, Tactics, and Tips: Read David's book, Beloved and Dominant Brands
• Vectors: Ingredient/technology, consumer preferences, worldwide, and relevance

Links:

• Retail Voodoo
• David Lemley on LinkedIn
• Beloved and Dominant Brands by David Lemley
• Essential Water
• LesserEvil
• Managing The Professional Service Firm by David Maister
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

How can you make remote work actually work? The right technology stack and the right processes to work from home on a distributed team.

Today's guest is Lars Helgeson from GreenRope. Based on Lars' two decades of 100% remote work experience, he offers simple and practical advice to pair technology with processes that establish a solid, remote-working foundation.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• GreenRope: CRM/marketing automation software in single, unified platform
• Simplify Complexity: Successfully scale company by shifting toward remote work
• Advantages: Freedom and flexibility to work when and where you want
• Disadvantages: Not ideal for those needing space, structure, and office/cubicle
• Remote Work Necessities: Internet connection and quiet workspace
• Focus: What do you need to get work done? Requirements and right tools
• Data: How to create and distribute it to hold people accountable?
• Processes: Manage, control, understand, and document how people do things
• Structure: People need to have structure and know what they're working toward
• Key to Success: Solid CRM that has all data fully integrated, built into platform
• Work-from-Home Policies: Mistakes made due to lack of structure and planning

Links:

• GreenRope
• Zoom
• FaceTime
• GoToMeeting
• Microsoft Teams
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

How can businesses and marketers adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, such as COVID-19? Seek reassurance and practical advice to move forward when there's no clear end in sight. Not only survive, but thrive.

Today's guest is David Schneider, CEO of Shortlist.io, a digital marketing agency. David understands how to handle challenges that affect businesses, marketers, and clients.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Challenges: Budget cuts, resource constraints, adjusting KPIs, building network
• Networking Concept: Recognize importance of recession-proof buffer for career
• Human Connection: Reach out to others and acknowledge/recognize importance
• Cultivate Relationships: Who do you admire/follow on social media channels?
• Natural Ice Breaker: Start a conversation by checking in; still happy and healthy?
• Marketing Copy and Conversion: Pivot messaging away from content cliches
• Growth: Despite less money and resources, work more efficiently and effectively

Links:

• David Schneider on LinkedIn
• Shortlist.io
• NinjaOutreach
• Ben Sailer on LinkedIn
• CoSchedule

What does it take to make sponsorships successfully work? Turn one-off transactions into powerful, long-term relationships between brands by picking the best partners and proving ROI.

Today's guest is Ken Ungar, founder and president of CHARGE, a sponsorship marketing agency. Also, Ken's a former chief executive for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and author of Ahead of the Game: What Every Athlete Needs to Know About Sports in Business.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Take CHARGE: Unlock power of sponsorship to accomplish business objectives
• Third-Party Validation: Marketers convince consumers, sponsors transfer affect
• Partners and Collaborators: Choose wisely to create a positive relationship
• Potential Sponsors: Know/share audiences; identify brand/property reputation
• Pitch Perspectives: Create win-win attitude when attracting or selling sponsors
• Relationship Results: Both sides benefit; if nothing's invested, nothing's gained
• Strategy, Plan, Work: Leverage and activate relationship to make it mutually beneficial
• Mindful Mistakes:
  • Understand audiences via discussions, surveys, and data
  • Activate sponsorship to advertise benefits
  • Measure success or plan to fail
• Stakeholder Sponsorship Skepticism: Convince with case studies, testimonials

Links:

• CHARGE
• CHARGE Sponsorship Insights
• Ahead of the Game: What Every Athlete Needs to Know About Sports in Business
• SurveyMonkey
• CoSchedule

Everyone knows the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted sales, marketing, and businesses worldwide. Uncertain times call for empathy to best serve others.

Today's guest is Jim Benton from Chorus.ai, a conversation intelligence platform. Early on, Jim and his data science team recognized the need to crunch and record a lot of numbers to analyze how customer bases are adapting and adjusting to changes.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Daily Briefing: Share unique and empowering productivity, sales, business data
• Weekly Briefing: Bring rich data and best practices to market to adjust/reopen
• Why bring CFOs into sales calls? Rationalize numbers and reduce friction
• Extreme/Outsized ROI: Present with clarity, rigor, and above-the-line selling
• Human Side of Problem Solving: Challenging events create massive change
• Leadership: From chaos to sanity through data-driven coaching to grow people
• Intimidating Interactions: Team effort, roles to play, and desired outcomes
• Collaboration: Offer equal access to rich data, come together to solve problems
• Future Trends: Dealing with even bigger issues, not related to COVID

Links:

• ai
• CoSchedule