“There’s been a big change in how businesses went to market.” Through a storied career that has taken her from Netscape to Salesforce to Oracle, Bonnie Crater gave use some important context in how brand building for B2B tech brands has evolved in the valley and beyond. She also stressed the ongoing importance of experimentation and optimization. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.

About Bonnie Crater

Prior to joining Full Circle Insights, Bonnie Crater was a five-time vice president of marketing and executive at many software companies in Silicon Valley. Bonnie held vice president and senior vice president roles at Genesys, Netscape, Network Computer Inc., salesforce.com, Stratify, Realization, and VoiceObjects (now Voxeo). A ten-year veteran of Oracle Corporation and its various subsidiaries, Bonnie was vice president, Compaq Products Division, and Vice President, Workgroup Products Division.

In 2013, Bonnie was named one of the “100 Most Influential Women” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, in 2015 the Sales Lead Management Association named her one of the “20 Women to Watch” and in 2016 Diversity Journal honored her as one of the “Women Worth Watching.” Bonnie holds a B.A. in biology from Princeton University.

Episode Highlights

“If you’re not experimenting, your marketing is probably going to get worse.” While most marketers and brand builders agree that experimentation is a good thing, few put this into practice in a consistent way. That’s why Bonnie advises, “20% of your marketing should be experimentation.”

Agile + brand management? Bonnie’s work at Full Circle Insights sits at this intersection. “Our software is designed to help marketers optimize their mix.”

“Most companies don’t measure enough.” Bonnie shared her thoughts on how measuring what matters supports ongoing optimization efforts. While there are countless metrics marketers can follow, Bonnie points to “measuring processes and budget effectiveness” as those most useful in optimization.

What brand has made Bonnie smile recently? Our closing podcast question actually made the conversation for Bonnie’s family dinner the night before. While Bonnie pointed to Grisini as a brand that made her smile, the whole family loves the brand of Dog Whisperer Caesar Milan.

To learn more, go to the Full Circle Insights website.

As We Wrap …

Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.

On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

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