Numbers and Narratives

This episode of Numbers and Narratives takes listeners on a journey through the evolving landscape of marketing technology. Hosts Ibby Syed and Sean Collins welcome Allan Heo, founder of For Now Marketing, who shares his expertise on Braze and technical marketing. 

The discussion kicks off with an exploration of what it means to be a technical marketer in today's data-driven world. Allan breaks down complex concepts, explaining how marketers can leverage powerful platforms like Braze to create sophisticated, personalized customer journeys. The conversation then dives into the nitty-gritty of implementing marketing automation, using the example of appointment reminder flows to illustrate the unexpected complexities that arise. 

Allan also offers his perspective on the strengths and limitations of AI in marketing, providing valuable insights for professionals navigating this rapidly changing field. The episode concludes with a comparison of leading marketing automation platforms and a look at Allan's journey as a founder. 

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a true expert in the field and gain insights that could transform your approach to customer engagement.

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, hosts Ibby Syed and Sean Collins engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Lauren Vriens, a startup advisor, former general manager at Revel and VP of Growth Strategy at Accenture, about the changing landscape of go-to-market strategies for startups in the AI era. 

The conversation kicks off with Lauren sharing her extensive background in AI product development and Fortune 500 strategy, setting the stage for a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing modern startups. The episode explores critical topics such as the importance of niching down, differentiating from competitors, and leveraging founder-led marketing in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Lauren offers valuable insights on why traditional advertising methods are losing effectiveness and how startups can utilize innovative tactics like user-generated content, creative PR, and AI-driven marketing to gain traction. 

The discussion also touches on fascinating subjects like the potential of AI agents in marketing, the future of internet anonymity, and the delicate balance between human intuition and AI-driven decision-making in startup growth. Listeners will gain practical advice on crafting shareable product features, building engaged communities, and aligning marketing strategies with founder strengths. Lauren shares her experiences with various AI tools like lovable.dev and Jennifer, offering listeners a glimpse into the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of marketing. 

Tune in to gain actionable insights and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of startup marketing.

  This week, we had an insightful conversation with Krystina Rubino about managing agencies for optimal output and setting yourself up for success. Krystina brings a wealth of experience from her time at various agencies and her current role at Right Side Up, where she started the growth marketing practice for offline marketing.

Three big things that stood out:

1. Choosing the right partner - Be clear about scope and capabilities, and don't ask agencies to go beyond their expertise.

2. Active management is key - Don't "set it and forget it" with agencies, especially if you're not a large client.

3. Briefing is crucial - Provide comprehensive materials and context to avoid miscommunication and unnecessary revisions.

Krystina shared valuable insights on agency dynamics, including the importance of treating agency partners like part of your team, being aware of potential hidden clauses in contracts, and the benefits of working with consultants for smaller brands. You can find more conversations like this on Krystina's podcast, Growth Talks, or check out Right Side Up's website for their services.

rightsideup.com

This week, we had a fascinating chat with Juliana Evangelista about what makes luxury customer experience actually luxurious. Juliana comes with a really interesting perspective from working with brands like Swarovski on how to train retail teams and create those "wow" moments that keep people coming back.

Three big things that stood out:

Discovery before transaction - don't just ask "what are you shopping for?", learn about the customer first 

Consistency matters more than fancy perks - you'd have someone spend $100 ten times than $5k once

AI should enhance human connections, not replace them - use data to empower staff, not automate them away

Juliana shared horror luxury shopping experiences, which drive home her points that every interaction matters, especially in luxury. You can find her at jewelsempre.com if you're looking to level up your CX game.

This week, we had a super interesting chat with Giancarlo Bizzarro from Crooked Media about the ins and outs of podcast advertising. It was fascinating - turns out there's way more to this than just throwing money at podcasts and hoping people buy your stuff.

Key things we covered:

Your budget should be big, but not as big as you think
Host-read ads crush pre-recorded ones
Target specific shows over mass blasting

The coolest part was learning how different ad placements work - like how post-roll ads are perfect for promoting other podcasts (makes total sense when you think about it, just like Netflix recommendations). Giancarlo dropped some real knowledge about tracking conversions too - apparently you need multiple tools to actually understand what's working.

By the way, this episode definitely wasn't sponsored by ExxonMobil, though Giancarlo would love to chat if you're ready to scale your podcast advertising. Hit him up at Crooked Media!

This week, we had a pretty fascinating chat about how SEO and content marketing are changing. Turns out 97% of web pages get zero (yes, actually zero) traffic from Google, and we went into detail about how SEO has basically ruined the internet by gaming the system with crappy listicles and generic content.

Key stuff we covered:

- How AI is taking over search results (but might not be terrible)
- Why most SEO strategies are kind of pointless now
- Why distribution matters more than ever
- Using programmatic SEO (which sounds cool)

We got into some really practical stuff about content strategy - like how companies need to stop delegating thought leadership to junior writers and actually get their experts involved. Sean makes this great point about how brands should create content that's actually valuable, not just trying to game Google's algorithm.

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, we rambled about a wide array of things including conference experiences, the trend of bundling vs. unbundling in SaaS products, and the challenges of building software for small businesses. 
Key takeaways from the discussion:

Value of smaller, focused conferences
Bundling trend in SaaS products
Challenges of all-in-one solutions
Rippling as an example of the above
Importance of "one core feature" in bundled products

We talked about the benefits of attending smaller, more focused conferences that prioritize education and networking over aggressive product pitching. In regards to software, we focused on SMBs and the potential drawbacks of all-in-one solutions.

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, Ibby and Sean engage in a candid discussion about the changing landscape of B2B marketing, particularly focusing on the decline of cold email outreach and the rise of AI-powered marketing tools. They explore alternative strategies for building meaningful connections with potential clients and share insights on leveraging AI effectively in marketing efforts.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

- Cold email effectiveness declining
- AI-powered SDRs flooding inboxes
- Value of genuine, personal connections
- Using AI for intelligent lead engagement
- Importance of providing value upfront

The hosts emphasize the need for marketers to shift away from disruptive tactics and focus on building authentic relationships. They discuss innovative approaches to using AI, not for mass outreach, but for identifying relevant conversations and opportunities to engage meaningfully. The conversation highlights the enduring importance of inbound marketing strategies and the power of founder branding in establishing credibility.

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, we spoke with Rebecca Holliday, Head of Customer Success and Impact at Groundswell. Rebecca shared insights on corporate philanthropy, employee engagement, and the evolving landscape of donation platforms. Drawing from her experience in both nonprofit and corporate sectors, Rebecca discussed how Groundswell is revolutionizing corporate giving programs.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

• Democratizing corporate philanthropy
• Balancing admin and user needs
• Customizing success metrics
• Addressing disaster fatigue

Rebecca emphasized the importance of empowering employees to choose causes they care about while providing companies with robust tools for program management and impact measurement. The conversation touched on the challenges of maintaining engagement in a world of constant crises and the shift towards more personalized, direct giving models.

Be sure to visit groundswell.io to explore how their platform is helping companies of all sizes drive impact in their communities.

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, we speak with Naomi West, a seasoned email and lifecycle marketer (currently at Parcel). Naomi shared insights from her extensive experience in the email marketing space, including her work with various ESPs and her recent venture into course creation. The conversation delved into the intricacies of email marketing, its importance in the digital landscape, and strategies for effective customer engagement.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

- Email's role in customer relationships
- Common mistakes in D2C email marketing
- How to start an email program from scratch

Naomi emphasized the enduring power of email marketing in an era where social media algorithms constantly change. She highlighted the importance of testing, personalization, and understanding your audience's preferences. The conversation also touched on the challenges of creating and marketing an online course, reflecting the ever-evolving nature of digital content creation.

Listeners interested in deepening their email marketing knowledge can explore Naomi's course, "Email Marketing: Everything You Need to Know," which covers a wide range of topics from basic concepts to advanced lifecycle strategies.

Find Naomi's course on her website: https://www.naomiwest.ca/shop-and-learn