After recording this episode and knowing the knowledge and insights that are in it, I'd have to say this is one of the best episodes you could be listening to. I'm definitely biased here. We have an exciting guest, Jay Acunzo, on the show to talk to us about resonance in our work. What he says throughout this episode is gold, and you do not want to miss it.

He even performs the perfect cast for us at the end (if you know, you know).

Get connected with Jay:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Unthinkable Podcast
• Website

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/resonating-with-your-audience and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

This prediction episode has been a long time coming! Today Mike and Doug will be tackling their predictions including items like data security and privacy, remote work, and so much more.

Big News: 2022 Predictions
Question of the Episode:  What is one thing you learned last year that others listening in can benefit from as we get further into 2022?

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/2022-predictions and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

Presentations suck today. Most people waste time, waste money, and don't focus on the client with their presentations and it becomes hell because they don't know the connection between what's on the screen and how they want to effect their audience. Today we welcome guest James Ontra, CEO of Shufflrr, to the show to give us the 411 on presentation management. (Spoiler Alert: Doug and James do disagree on a few things here.)

If you'd like to follow James you can do so in these locations: 

• Podcast: Presentation Hell
• LinkedIn: James Ontra

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/problem-with-presentations and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

Today is the last episode of the year, can you believe it? 2021 has been a fast year, though the older we get the faster the years go by, so every year feels like it’s fast. All the events that we’re used to having either didn’t happen or weren’t in person, so there hasn’t been anything to break up our year. There’s been no chapters. We can only hope that in the next few years we get those chapters back. The focus today is on sales and marketing discounts and whether they’re good or bad. And surprise, Mike and Doug disagree on the answer.

 Thank you everyone for listening and watching over the course of 2021. We have some exciting things lined up for the new year and can’t wait to bring you on the journey with us. Until next time, have a safe and happy new year!

Big News: End of Year Discounts
Question of the Episode:  If there’s one piece of advice that you could give someone else going into 2022, what would it be?  

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/end-of-year-discounts and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

Doug has noticed for quite some time that tech stacks have been exploding. We’re no longer just talking about cloud tech stacks anymore, we’re talking about (what Doug has coined) mushroom cloud tech stacks that have been sprawling technology.

Each episode is broken up into three sections: Big News, The Question of the Episode, and Takeaways.
Big News: Mushroom Cloud Tech Stacks
Question of the Episode: The new holding company name for Facebook was released and will now be Meta with plans of building out a "metaverse." What are your thoughts? Will it be successful or will it forever be a meme for years to come?
Takeaways: 

• Mike - Work hard, make bank. Bank can be substituted with anything.
• Doug - Focus on the trend, don’t focus on the gadgets.

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/mushroom-cloud-tech-stack and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

The Blackline Podcast has always been based on issues between sales and marketing. That line is blurring - alignment is always improving - but alignment isn’t always (and shouldn’t be) a happy peaceful place. So what is alignment, and can you have alignment without conflict? Let’s find out!

Each episode is broken up into three sections: Big News, The Question of the Episode, and Takeaways.
Big News: The blame game between sales and marketing
Question of the Episode: What one piece of advice would you give sales and marketing teams today to improve their attempts to be more aligned?
Takeaways: 

• Mike - If you’re in sales, go spend some time with the marketing team. Tell them what you’re being asked and tell them what you need. If you’re in marketing, go and spend time with the sales team to hear the questions they’re being asked. 
• Doug - Cross-discipline objectives and metrics. How often does each team have its own metrics that aren’t informative? There is no such thing as sales and marketing; they were created to manage organizations. They’re both responsible for revenue problems.

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/blurring-the-blackline and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

F^ck Hustle Culture. I don’t think we can get anymore to the point. While the hustle culture seemed to have gone away, it’s come back with a vengeance over the last couple of months. It’s got to a point where we have to wonder what are people doing day to day? Are they doing or just talking?

Each episode is broken up into three sections: Big News, The Question of the Episode, and Takeaways.
Big News: The Hustle / Bro Culture
Question of the Episode: what are some ways to make sure everyone is aligned / stays aligned? Is it different if you're remote vs. in office?
Takeaways: 

• Mike - I had zero clue that Doug is moody. Just kidding. Figure out what is best for your own work-life balance. Don’t subscribe to the hustle culture just because you think you have to be successful. Success comes in all shapes and sizes. 
• Doug - Relax. Any performer will tell you that growth comes when you relax. We’re working so hard that we are our own worst enemy. It’s fine to have some downtime. It’s okay to say no and not doing anything in the evenings. Take some time to just relax.

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/fck-hustle-culture and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

Today’s episode is a special one as we welcome guest Mark Kilens, VP of Content and Community at Drift, to the show. You’ll receive expert insights into the topics of revenue acceleration, building insights from data, and community. We are so excited to share this episode with you all, and thank you Mark for joining us.

If you'd like to follow Mark you can do so in these locations: 

• Twitter: @MarkKilens
• LinkedIn: Mark Kilens

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know what your question is on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/revenue-acceleration and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

The hosts are feeling a bit salty and fatigued today due to all the “State of” reports. So, this will be the last one we do for now to give everyone a break and go back to our regularly scheduled programming.

HubSpot put out their Not Another State of Marketing Report 2021, “a new report by HubSpot, Litmus, and Westin to help marketers prioritize their strategies and outperform their goals.” Did they deliver on the promise that it was in fact not another state of marketing report? Unfortunately, no.

Question of the Episode: What are the things you think companies should be focusing on during the last half of the year? Are there any trends you are starting to see that could affect business?
Takeaways: 

• Mike -  I’m going to be happy to not read these state of reports. People should stay away from them. 
• Doug - Play your game. Now is the time. There’s so much stimulus out there. Be focused and know what you’re trying to do. Oh and be consistent.

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes, let us know on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/hubspots-not-another-marketing-report and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.

Vidyard put out their 2021 Video in Business Benchmark Report and although it isn’t a “State of” report officially, it’s referenced as one in their promotion of the report. We won’t be going through everything like our other report reviews because the information is overwhelming and it’s hard to find out what to do with the information. 

Question of the Episode: What's the most important thing you can do to prepare for a sales call?
Takeaways: 

• Mike -  Read the benchmark reports (or any reports) with some skepticism. Don't let all your decisions be formed from these reports; avoid the silver bullet. 
• Doug - Play your game. Games work because of rules. There are things you're going to want to jump on. If you don't know what your game is, everything will overwhelm you. As you dial your game in, it'll open up opportunities.

If you'd like to be featured in upcoming episodes or have a report that you want us to comment on, let us know on Twitter @DemandCreator or email our Podcast Producer at [email protected]

And if you want to watch the video recording of this episode, you can do so at
https://blog.imaginellc.com/theblackline/video-benchmark-report and follow us on Twitter @dougdavidoff, @knowingwhen & @DemandCreator.