How to Become a B2B Tech Marketing Executive: Essential Skills & Career Advice with Sarah Lambert

How to Become a B2B Tech Marketing Executive: Essential Skills & Career Advice with Sarah Lambert

In this episode of Marcom Mode, host Kristin Jones sits down with Sarah Lambert, an experienced B2B tech marketing leader, to discuss how marketers can take control of their careers and advance to leadership roles. With a strong background in product marketing for companies like Oracle and Buckzy, Sarah shares her journey and offers valuable advice on:

• Identifying the right career path based on your skills and interests 
• Developing essential skills for B2B marketing directors and executives 
• Transitioning from individual contributor to team leader and enabler 
• Collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams to drive results 
• Building and leading high-performing B2B marketing teams 
• Leveraging important marketing metrics and KPIs at different levels 
• Cultivating crucial soft skills for marketing leadership success 
• Communicating with impact and inspiring action across the organization
• And much more

Whether you're a B2B marketer looking to move up from a Director to a VP or CMO role, or an executive striving to lead your team through the challenges of efficient growth in today's economy, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and strategies to help you succeed.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a seasoned B2B marketing leader with a passion for product marketing and a talent for building strong teams. Subscribe to Marcom Mode and catch this engaging discussion with Sarah Lambert, filled with advice and inspiration for advancing your marketing career in the B2B tech space.

#B2BMarketing #MarketingCareerAdvice #MarketingLeadershipSkills #B2BMarketingExecutive #MarketingTeamBuilding #CrossFunctionalCollaboration #MarketingMetrics #SoftSkillsForMarketers

Episode Transcript

(00:11):
1Hello and welcome to another episode of Marcom Mode, your podcast and webinar series for marketing leaders who enjoy the challenge of driving growth for a company but are overwhelmed by being expected to achieve the same or better results with fewer resources.
1We bring you meaningful conversations with marketing leaders who can provide real life examples of how to prioritize for success, overcome common challenges and build effective teams. We also discuss what's working well and producing results while sharing best practices for the three things most important to you generating a healthy pipeline, building brand awareness and achieving revenue goals

(00:49):
1As always, I'm your host, Kristin Jones, and we are especially lucky today because we have a special guest, Sarah Lambert, who is a marketing executive that has served as a marketing leader for a variety of B2B tech companies, including Oracle, Buckzy Payments and Symphony Talent. Welcome, Sarah, and thanks for being on the show today.

(01:09):
2Thanks so much for having me, Kristin I've really been looking forward to this.
1Me too. Sarah There are so many things we can talk about, but today, at least for your first appearance, I want to talk about how each of us can take control of our careers. So what we're going to do for everyone who's listening in on the show today is we're going to discuss how your job responsibilities evolve as you move from a director level position to a vice president or CMO level position.

(01:35):
1And if anyone has been feels like they've been stuck at a director level, this is the show for you. We're going to talk about the skills that you need to master in order to take your career to that next level. But before we get into that, Sarah, I want to let everyone listening understand a little bit about you.
1So tell us, what's your journey been like as a marketer and how have you taken control of your career?

(02:00):
2Thank you for asking. You know, just like everyone else who has been in the marketing space for the last 20 years, it's been a winding road with so many new things to learn and specializations to choose from. And I was fortunate to get into product marketing relatively early on in my career, which really suited my kind of big picture brain.

(02:23):
2And coming out of college, I wanted to work for a marketing or ad agency. I was really focused and I got a job at one, but there was a lot going on with 911 happening and the dot com bubble bursting. So I didn't get into agency life right away. In fact, there was a couple of jobs later. It was actually ending my time at agencies and getting more into the corporate client side roles that got me focused on what I needed to do to advance my career.

(02:51):
2And I realized pretty quickly that I was going to have to be self-directed about where I wanted my career to go. And what I mean by that is that some people are lucky to be tapped for high potential programs or put into a management track early in their careers. And that's great. But agencies don't have those kinds of programs.
2So I usually missed out on that opportunity by the time I got to corporate America. So I did my MBA, which you certainly do not have to do, but I did. And I loved it because I'm a nerd and it has helped me so much along the way. I really was able to move much more quickly into team lead roles, and I've also taken a few other classes and certifications along the way.

(03:35):
2I've also had to be really deliberate about deciding which opportunity is going to be best for me and getting me to the next level in my career. And I know a lot of people would have shied away from a big company like Oracle, especially when you're living in the Bay. But I knew that working there would provide a ton of opportunities for me, so I just went for it.
1I just love that. Sarah, Thank you so much. One of the things that I was thinking about when you were talking is you mentioned that agencies don't prepare you for moving up the corporate ladder and you're so right on that. I mean, I didn't you know, I started out in the agency side and I basically been agency my whole life.

(04:12):
1And I did not get that exposure into climbing the corporate ladder. I got different skill sets. I got the skill set of pitching new business and serving clients and
1packaging results. You know, those types of skills were really trained into us.
1And I would say that I took control of my career because I thought when I started my own agency and said that was almost 20 years ago, believe it or not,

(04:40):
1because I wanted to make sure that I always had control of my destiny.
1And I felt like having that in my own hands was the best way forward.
1But again, you've done that, you've been there, you've done that, and that makes you the perfect person to chat with about how to shape your career. So before we get into it, I just want to ask two questions.

(05:01):
1What do you love about marketing and why?
2You know, I'm actually just going to go with my own nerdiness here and say that I love the storytelling aspect of marketing because every brand is like a person and has different stories to tell. So as a marketer, when you tell the right story and it resonates with your audience, that feeling is kind of electric and you've mostly you've most likely helped to achieve something for that audience in that they found a partner who understands them by seeing themselves in that story or by being moved by that story or by being heard in that story.

(05:41):
2And they can feel good about choosing the brand that you represent when you tell that that right story.
1I agree so much. I've actually been doing a lot of research recently about,
1you know, with all of the ChatGPT and the AI generated content,
1generating content through A.I., that content tries to be correct and factual, but it's very dry. It doesn't tell stories. And that's where the real human element comes in.

(06:07):
1And that's what makes people love brands. So when done well, it makes a huge impact. I agree.
1OK, my second question, What is one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
2I think a lot of people would be surprised to learn that I'm actually an introvert. So I do, you know, and have done for years the whole trade show thing, you know, pressing the flesh, talking to talk about products and, you know, sell like crazy. But in order to get my energy to be able to do that kind of extrovert behavior and to recharge, I need to be by myself.

(06:43):
2So it's really important for me that, well, it was important for me to learn that that's where I got my energy, because otherwise you very quickly burn out and you get cranky and you cannot do your best work.
1Well, thanks for sharing that. Well, let's get into the meat of the show, which is all about advice for taking control of your career. So let's start with first, how does your job evolve as you move from marketing director to a vice president of marketing or to a CMO? Sarah What are the paths possible that one can take in their marketing career and and how can marketers determine which path is the right path for them?

(07:25):
2Yeah, this is so important, especially when we're sort of overcome by choice these days. So right off the bat, I think it's important to figure out which paths are in front of you
2and also envision where you see yourself in the future. So, you know, ask yourself, am I in the right place? Should I continue to do what I'm doing?

(07:48):
2Do I even like what I'm doing? Or did I just fall into it? Because that happens more than I think a lot of us would care to admit. And, you know, you really need to think about how you choose your path. So think about what you like to do or what you find yourself wishing you could be doing.
2And I have to say that when I mentor and build my teams, I have this conversation with them either when I'm hiring them or at their very first review and say, you know, what do you like about what you do and what you not like about what you're doing so that I can harness their energy into a growth path for them, but also, frankly, get more out of them because people want to do good work.

(08:33):
2They want to be good at what they do. And I think, you know, sometimes you just need a little bit of training and certification to move into a new role that you might not, never thought was possible. That's also another thing to think about is that a lot more companies are focused on skills as opposed to experience. So if you have a certification, it's actually a lot easier to get a job in that particular space.

(08:59):
2The other thing is what is the value of the specialization that you're looking to move into?
2And the reason why I focus on that is growth. Marketing is a combination of things mostly focused on demand and an expanding awareness of a brand or even a set of products which is directly connected to revenue and therefore a significant value.

(09:20):
2But marketing operations, on the other hand, while still really valuable, can be not as important and fall by the wayside if the organization is looking to cut costs or personnel. Now, the other thing to consider is scope. If you move from one size organization to another, your title can be completely different. So, for example, if you're a director at Oracle, you could easily be a VP at a smaller organization.

(09:46):
2However, if that VP had a smaller organization, does that automatically translate to a VP role at a large organization like Oracle? It would be a combination of experience and
2just kind of depth and breadth of your previous projects and activities.
1That's some really good insight. Sarah Thank you. One of the things you said that I really appreciated is that you, when you're building your teams, you actually talk to your people and ask them what they like, what they don't like, what they want to do. And I think that's really important. And it's been very eye opening to me as a leader because this just happened to me this week actually is I've had an employee who's been with me for a really long time and she's amazing.

(10:31):
1And I would
1rather die then lose her.
1So I'd always want to make her happy. And just this week she was like, Hey, I want to take on other other skills. I'd be interested in learning more about SEO. And she's a fabulous writer. She's been an amazing writer for us. All of our clients want her to write for them, and I actually hadn't occurred to me that she would want to learn SEO because that's more of a technical skill.

(10:55):
1And so by her bringing that and that's just one example of the other skills that she wants to learn. But by her bringing that to my attention and of course I talk to her about these in the reviews, but she just took an opportunity to tell me that. And I was very grateful because now I'm looking for opportunities to give her that type of work so that she can expand her skills, which helps her, of course, but it also helps us as an agency.

(11:17):
1So
1I do think it's important to always have that open conversation. And for the employees of your bosses, I'm asking you, you should just feel like you should tell them because they aren't you know, they're doing so many things that they're not, you know, every minute of the day thinking what I'm thinking at that level of your need.
1And so bring that to the table. And I'm sure that the reception will be positive.

(11:42):
2Yeah. You know, it's that old adage you can't get what you don't ask for because right.
1So let's talk a bit about how a director role is different from a vice president role, because I know there's a lot of professionals out there who get stuck at that director level and are challenged to move up to the VP or CMO level. So given the fact that you've been in both roles, so how was your job different when you're a director versus a VP?

(12:06):
2Well, you know, there's so many ways to think about this and to look at it, but I'm going to share the one that makes the most sense to me. And to be honest, you know, you can also align that same thinking to moving from a manager to a director, depending on where you are in your career. So I'm a huge fan of Trivial Pursuit.
2Are you familiar.
1With. Yes.
2Okay. So each time you land on a particular space, you can get a piece of the pie. If you answer the question correctly and you get to keep it and move to the next question. So as you make your way around the board, you fill up that pie, if you will. And when I think about moving from director to VP, I think having acquired all of the pieces in the pie to be ready to move up to V.P. And what I mean by that is each next piece in your career requires that you can demonstrate that you not only understand, but can execute on what you've done before.

(13:05):
2So you can move from manager to director. You can mentor those beneath you to level up. You can execute on their responsibilities, but also, if needed, could jump in to do their job. And moving from director to V.P. is a bit more complex, but frankly, very similar. So moving from manager director is about excellence and execution and expertise.

(13:28):
2But director to VP is more about leading. So bringing together larger teams across different areas of marketing, not just your area of expertise, but leading those teams, usually in a larger capacity across the company and being able to navigate much more often in a state of ambiguity. And that last piece is the most important and the most difficult.

(13:52):
1absolutely. Being able to navigate ambiguity, I mean, everything is ambiguous. Everything's changing and shifting. And some days you feel like it's chaos and marketing. That's why it's one of the most stressful jobs.
1But I would just say that there are many takes on any given situation as there are people involved. And so what you have to do when you're in that situation is just be open to listening to everyone's ideas and opinions.

(14:21):
1Putting your ego aside in is making sure that you're doing what's best for the program, best for the company, and best for all involved. And sometimes that's not your idea. Sometimes it's someone else's idea.
1So let's talk about the differences between the two roles of CMO and Vice President marketing. A lot of times people think those titles are interchangeable because they often lead marketing, but they're really very different roles in reality. So I would love to hear your thoughts on that.

(14:52):
2Yeah, I completely agree. And I've had so many conversations with people,
2especially in the last 12 months, about the difference between those roles.
2I've been very fortunate to see that the most successful CMO is bring this strategic long term view, exceptional measurement. They have a wonderful analytical capabilities,

(15:16):
2financial management rigor,
2and they're very clear about what they expect from each functional area within marketing.
2And I think the other key difference between that EVP, SVP and CMO role is that you're often the face of the organization externally on many topics, which means that there is a responsibility to not only manage, execute and deliver on all of the marketing and growth objectives for the organization, but also to have that executive presence to deliver messages to the board, to the industry and to the market.

(15:55):
2And the best CMO's are those who have built their own brand as well, which is often why they're brought in to help fix certain issues with well-known brands. And a great example of this is Bozoma Saint John. She is a rock star and I just adore following her career. And not only is she a powerhouse woman, but she's led marketing for Uber, Apple and Netflix,

(16:18):
2and she was there to invigorate the brand, but also inspire those teams to think differently.
2So I think it's really important to understand where you are in your career
2and frankly, whether or not you even want to go to that female role, because that is that is a step further.
2The other thing I would say is, you know, other senior marketing executives like VP of Marketing absolutely may excel at their function with a lot of experience building brands and executing programs, but without the skill to provide strategic and financial leadership to the organization as a whole,

(16:56):
2they really don't deserve a C-level title.
2And that VP or VP of marketing describes their role just fine. Now, there's also an expectation that a CMO can come into an organization that might be struggling quickly, diagnosed. What needs to be addressed in that marketing or sales arena to determine a solution and implement it and see revenues rise. And this is a vastly different expected version of that VP role and requires different skills.

(17:28):
1Absolutely.
1we all know that great C or a CMO's achieve amazing things. And I would add Apple, one of the CMO was so valuable to the organization that he was named a fellow and I just thought that was a huge testament towards, you know, a marketing executive.

(17:50):
1You know, one of the things that I'm thinking about on the other side of CMO is there's there's also,
1high churn rate at the CMO level. You know, jobs last one three years in some cases. And that gets me thinking about what we've all been reading about this last year, the great resignation. And I saw some recent findings from a PWC report that found that revealed one in five workers say they plan to change jobs in the next 12 months.

(18:23):
1And according to Pew Research, the nation's quit rate reached a 20 year high last November. And what's shocking to me about this is the state of the economy. And with all the tech layoffs, we're still seeing this, you know, which is so surprising to me.
1So people are leaving for a number of reasons. Number one, they want more money and they don't see an opportunity for advancement, which is something that we're talking about today.

(18:52):
1They feel disrespected and the lack of flexibility to choose when they put in the hours. And that's, of course, coming from this whole new remote hybrid situation. And as leaders, we definitely want to keep our best people. As I was just talking about earlier with one of my employees, we also want to make sure that the people who work for us are getting more than just a paycheck.

(19:17):
1They're building a set of skills and a portfolio. So that will not only help them take their careers to the next level, but can move up in your organization.
1I recently had an employee this is a different employee that I had spent countless hours training. I turned her into. So my skill set, what I've been known for in my reputation, is being really, really good at media relations. And so I trained her to become an absolute media relations star. I mean, she was getting hits everywhere. And anyone who knows PR, we know that's not easy, especially in today's environment where there's just not as many hits to be had.

(19:57):
1And she decided she was going to leave us. And I was, you know, disappointed because I trained her up. I invested a lot of time and energy in her. And, of course, I miss her. And I would always welcome her back. But I also am really proud that she found an opportunity to use skills that I gave her.

(20:21):
1And she got a job that she wouldn't have gotten had she not been at Joan's and been under my tutelage and had that training. So even though
1you know, we lost her to another agency,
1I still feel very proud for helping her to obtain those skills. And I'm happy for her that she was able to get a position that, you know, since she to spread her wings and try some new things.

(20:44):
1So my point is, is that whether it means getting promoted at your current place of employment or landing a new job, the at the bottom, at the end of the day, you just need to acquire skills that are necessary for that given role. And working hard isn't hard enough. It's about working hard, of course, because we're all in marketing of what we do, but also

(21:06):
1having the skills required to get to that next level.
1So let's talk about the skills required at the director level and then next we can talk about skills required at at the executive level.
2I completely agree. It's always good to see employees spread their wings and fly.
2I had something similar with someone. If I could have him back, I would call on him a thousand times over. So I feel your pain.

(21:30):
2But I think, you know, your your point about the different kinds of skills at the
2the different levels is actually really important, especially when it comes to self assessment.
2I think this question is a little bit tougher, especially because the term director gets tossed around and it means very different things in each organization. So the overall the following skills are expected from a director. Excellent. In their function be it demands gen, product marketing, competitive intelligence, what have you ability to recognize talent and help it grow.

(22:07):
2This is huge
2ability to build and lead teams.
2Organizational skills that go beyond their own responsibilities. And what I mean by that is like short and long term planning. So if you are great at demand gen but you cannot work with your partner or your sister teams within marketing to build an integrated approach that's going to address all of the goals.

(22:38):
2You're not helpful and your roadblock.
2Some roles also will include budget oversight, though this really depends on the size of the organization
2and, you know, frankly, how far down they go from a fiscal responsibility perspective.
1Next, let's talk about the skills required for the marketing executive position. Now, whether we're talking about a vice president of marketing or a CMO. Marketing leadership is not about individual marketing abilities. It's about enabling your team to perform. And that's some times really hard. So how is especially when we're talking about different generations that, you know, trying to relate to different types of people and different types employees?

(23:21):
1It's really challenging at times. So let's talk for a few minutes about how a marketer can move from individual contributor or you're focused on your specific goals to enabling your team to actually perform and achieve departmental goals that map all the way up to the organization's larger strategy and growth objectives.

(23:43):
2this is really where that exponential factor sort of comes into play. So and it's it's really about mindset in addition to skills. So as an individual contributor, if you're doing your job well, you usually reach a point where you start to get additional projects to take on or teach others how to do their job as well, because it's at this point you've been doing things, you know how to do it, you know how to navigate the system or the organization and really well.

(24:17):
2But you can also decide where you want to be a team, which would be kind of like a precursor to a manager or a director. And you can stay at that individual contributor. But if you choose to move toward becoming a people manager instead of an individual contributor, you really need to be sure to share that decision with your direct manager and raise your hand for new projects, because

(24:40):
2we're in those new projects where you can help to lead folks
2and also lead planning,
2Getting exposure to how it's done in your current organization really helps to build the foundation of the skills you need, so it will demonstrate to the higher ups in your organization
2that you're someone they can count on

(25:00):
2step in and get things done. And, you know, oftentimes if you have done a great job, as we all know, you know, you your reward for doing a great job is getting more work. So this is an opportunity to make that work for you and to say, hey, if I'm getting more work, I want to raise my hand and say, I think this is how we could do this and make it more impactful.

(25:23):
2You know, bring your ideas to the table and share your voice.
2I also highly recommend taking on new projects that help improve your presentation skills. This is so necessary on a number of fronts as you grow in your career, especially as a leader, you must be able to deliver presentations to any audience customers, sales teams, board members, investors and more.

(25:49):
2And if you can do it with poise and presence, you can quickly elevate the expectations of your managers, mentors and career trajectory. I do have to say, as a side note, one of the things I loved about my time at Oracle was
2part of the interview process for every product marketer that joined, whether you were

(26:11):
2just joining the organization at the very lowest level to director, VP and above, everyone had to present to the team and then we provided feedback.
2I loved that because it really separates the wheat from the chaff and
2really starts to help you understand what you're working with.

(26:32):
1Absolutely great advice. One of the things that that got at me was just this as I was as you were talking, I was thinking about my career and, you know, enjoyed the journey. And you have a long career ahead of you. You don't need to be a vice president out of the gate. Right. And you won't be but enjoy every step.

(26:54):
1I, I enjoyed being an individual contributor to when I was an individual contributor, which is why I was so good at it. And then, you know, at some point after you've gotten all the hits that you could possibly get and then you got the most strategic hits that you could possibly get, then you started like, okay, now what's the next challenge?
1And then that's when, you know, when you mastered that skill because you've been such a great individual contributor, that's when you know that you're ready for that next step when you're starting to be like, okay, I've done that, I've done that, I've done that, but really done it. Not just like, you know, done it for a year. You know, you really, really done it right.

(27:39):
1And when we think about really mastering something, what is it, 10000 hours. So master something. So you've got to really spend some time digging in and being good at what you do, and then you'll be good enough to take on that next role of helping others be good.

(27:59):
2Yeah.
1Though don't rush it. But, you know, enjoy, enjoy every moment. It's, you know, it was kind of Ok, I’m a parent. It's kind of like having children, You know, you enjoy when they're babies and then you enjoy when they're toddlers and then, you know, so enjoy every moment of the journey because it's not about it's not always about the destination.
1Although we feel like that at times, it's really the most enjoyable part is the journey to to arrive for. And you've got plenty of time to arrive. Yeah. One. Okay, let's talk about the next point, which is the really the importance of being able to work with higher levels of leadership and collaborating with cross-functional teams. I mean, that is such an important skill for marketing executives.

(28:47):
1But you know, cross-functional collaboration can be tough. It's essential, you know, and you have to do it and you have to do well in. You have to have people like you. A report by Deloitte calls organizational performance a team sport, and it tells us that 31% of leaders say most of most or all of their work within the organization is done with cross-functional teams.

(29:17):
1And it's often up to us as marketing leaders to organize the cross-functional efforts which is, again, another reason this skill is so important. And so when we think about the difference between a functional expert like a director, you know, individual contributor level versus a marketing vice president or CMO, being able to effectively communicate, you know, being an expert and being a strategic counselor and advisor while also being open towards others and, you know, losing your ego and inviting others to participate.

(29:54):
1Those are all essential. So we're starting to get into the heart of why that skill so important. So let's if we can, Sarah, let's walk through an example. Tell us about how bringing a new product to market requires careful planning. It requires a whole lot of cross-functional collaboration, and you just need all the things you need to be successful.

(30:18):
2I think having spent the majority of my career in product marketing, this is my bread and butter, right? So I'm the moment you say, what does it take to bring a new product to market? I'm like, okay, there's so much that has to happen.
2But for some marketers, this can be a tough area to get comfortable with because other functional areas in the organization don't always respects the work.

(30:43):
2The marketing team does or see them as a rival. Sometimes sales see that and really don't want to partner with them.
2But when I build out a plan for bringing a new product to market, I do so in partnership with product sales, customer success, operation and finance. So we can consider all of the moving pieces and parts that will take the time and support of the launch

(31:12):
2in the consideration as much as possible so that we're successful.
2And the reason I do that is not only because I actually really genuinely enjoy working collaboratively and cross-functionally is threefold. One, it helps every team involved in that discussion, share their ideas and concerns while making them feel heard and included it also. Secondly, ensures that everyone hears the same information at the same time. But

(31:45):
2this is so critical.
2It's kind of ridiculous. Pardon me. And thirdly, it helps align the team to the plan and the goals of the launch, as well as what part they're going to play in the success of the launch. So at the heart of this is building consensus, which is most of what you do as a leader in general. And this is most important because of the diversity perspective.

(32:10):
2And that cross-functional collaboration is what makes that launch and frankly, that team successful because sales has their own point of view, as does product marketing and so on. When all of that information comes together, you can create the most informed, complete and frankly well-thought out plan as possible. Because finance me, think about something that I as a marketer am not going to think about pertaining to cash flow and vice versa.

(32:43):
2Corporations may say, you know, we have to get these partners in place before we can launch this. But product was like, No, actually I've already taken care of that. So there's, you know, getting people in the room versus working in a silo that not only is the work going to be better, but that's really where you start to see that skyrocket as a leader take place.

(33:08):
1You know, one of the things I am thinking about is how do you ensure all of those participants viewpoints are actually being heard? I mean, there's always at least one person in the room and it's usually the introvert is super smart, thinks really hard, has lots of great insights because they've observed everything, but they don't say anything. So you got to find a way to get, you know, get their viewpoint heard.

(33:33):
1But there's always also another person who dominates the conversation and direction of the group. They're the loudest voice. And just because they're the loudest doesn't mean they're right. But sometimes those loud, the loudest voice has the most. You know, it's sways the group. You know, the group doesn't want to disagree or dissent because they just want to get out of the meeting and get on with it.

(33:53):
1and oftentimes that that dissenting voices in opposition to marketing. So how can you effectively manage around both of those situations?
2Well. Well, you know, exactly to your point, this is kind of the the killer of that collaboration.

(34:13):
2And so I find that there are actually a few different ways to address this. But I love to go back to the kindergarten approach, which is I go around the room and I ask for everyone's input and no one is allowed to say nothing.
2So it's that everyone is expected to contribute and everyone is given the time to be heard. Now, this allows those who might need a little bit more processing time. So shout out to my introverts or just aren't as comfortable pushing their own agenda in a crowded room.

(34:47):
2it's it's simple and it's really effective and I use it so every single meeting, even with executives because I don't like someone coming up to me after a meeting and saying, you know, we really could have done X, Y, Z.
2And I'm like, You had all that time room where we're trying to be collaborative and do our best work and be efficient, and you didn't bring that to the fore. And that's that's difficult and that's frankly not fair to everyone in that room to hear your ideas and how important that is. So I think it's also important to really reiterate that silence and not contributing is agreement.

(35:29):
2So if we settle on a decision or a direction that you don't agree with, you're welcome to come to me. But it's not fair. Like I said, it's not fair to say to anyone else, I think that's wrong or I think, you know, this should have been done differently. You didn't share that with the rest of the group.
2And we deserve the opportunity to address that.

(35:53):
1Absolutely. Have you ever had a situation where you know someone from product or sales or another, you know, discipline has gone around marketing and gone to the CEO and if so, how have you managed that?
2I have had that
2And I find that right away. If I if I do find out that that has happened and someone has gone around marketing, I try to address that head on and not in regards to creating conflict, but to say, where am I not listening? Like when did you feel like you work hard and how did I miss the mark?

(36:36):
2And I'll be perfectly honest with you, the right, I feel like I have done a great job and I actually heard this from my product and product strategy partners over the years that I may ask too many questions, but at least they feel heard and that we are on the same page about why something was built and to whom it serves and delivers value, and what the future of that particular product might be.

(37:07):
2But I really try to address that head on because none of us are going to do our best work if we're going around and circumventing not only the process, but,
2you know, it's hard to respect each other as leaders if that's the way that someone's going to work.
1Yeah, absolutely. I agree 100%. And that's why it's so important to really, you know, really, really focus on building those relationships with your peer leaders, your vice presidents, your your head of sales, so that you guys are in lockstep and that you trust one another and that you have each other's back. So, I mean, that's the ideal. It's not always reality, is always the situation, but it's the goal, right?

(37:51):
1Yeah. So one other thing that we talk about all the time in is KPIs. And every marketing executive needs to be very comfortable dealing with marketing metrics and key performance indicators. But they're very different at the executive level than at the director level. So let's talk about that. What do you need to be thinking of as a marketing executive, you know, as opposed to how that's different from a director level?

(38:23):
2So I think you hit the nail on the head. Kristin In the KPIs are important, but they shift at the executive level from tactical measurements like the number of visitors to the website or even conversion rate of those visitors, and the potential prospects for things like ARR annual recurring revenue, which is really important in the South base or CAC, which is customer acquisition costs.

(38:50):
2This last one is very important for marketers in the executive suite because it's essentially the ROI on any and all efforts to expand your client base. Now the simple answer here is that this is about the mindset shift that we've been talking about all along that also takes over in this arena. So this also points directly back to what we were saying earlier about how the CMO needs to be providing strategic and financial insights.

(39:17):
2In addition to leading marketing efforts. As a leader, you must respond. So you must respond and also have a and be able to look beyond the functional area to the larger organization. So you have to respond to your team on what's working and address those issues, but you also have to look beyond your functional area to that larger organization and consider those KPIs in comparison to year over year results as well as against your competitors.

(39:50):
2And the last thing to consider here is how all of the KPIs at the executive level are interdependent and require a really good C-suite to work together to achieve their goals. You know, at Buckzy I was really fortunate to work with a Great C suite team where everyone was contributing and, you know, sharing the KPIs and the direction. And we knew how interconnected all of our work was.

(40:20):
2You know, I couldn't promote new better different until product felt comfortable and, you know, had gone through beta and, you know, worked with several customers to work out the bugs so that we could really promote and have any number of even, you know, like spec. So, you know, sales would be involved as well. And then obviously finance and everything is connected.

(40:50):
2So again, that that feels to me is working together to achieve their goals. But
2like I said, things like ARR renewal rate pipeline and even revenue per employee, which is very important in the startup space, are all about how the organization is working together to create success.

(41:12):
2one of the one of the slides that I wanted to share that I think really is
2I think this is a really good example of a traditional kind of, you know, marketing dashboard that are from tactical. So visitor counts, you know, how is that changing? What does your bounce rate look like? You know, things of that sort where you can see, you know, your conversion. Some of you know, there are some of these things in here that might be a little bit more executive and high level, but a lot of these are pretty tactical.

(41:50):
2And what they do is they lead you to bigger questions, right? And so if you can go to the next one.
1These and what before we probably go to one of the things that I was straight that I was being struck by when you were talking about this is that, you know, as a vice president or a CMO, each one of your direct reports is going to have a different reporting structure. You're going to have an SEM reporting structure, you're going to have a PR, you're going to have SEO, you're going to have, you know, this demand gen.

(42:23):
1So all there'll be there'll be many different types of dashboards for that. Each director level position would be responsible for. Right. And is that right?
2totally, yeah. And so to your point,
2this would be like the online marketing dashboard and this represents the activity just on the website, whether or not we're able to convert. And to your point,

(42:45):
2an overarching, you know, full marketing approach would include what's our share of voice, How many placements were we able to get? Are we are we maximizing the distribution of, let's say, a recent article that leveraged our CEO and quoted him in Forbes you know, that would potentially help to increase the traffic to the website and then that in turn could we could look at those different pieces coming together to impact

(43:17):
2the success overall of the marketing department.
2But to your point, this is just one example of the kinds of metrics that you would look at more at a kind of directory level.
1Yes. So the executive needs to be able to, you know, look at all these disparate reports. I mean, they're all together, but it just doesn't really happen that way. All these disparate, disparate reports and then, you know, make analyze them and, you know, look to the team to make recommendations on how to make those better. And then that's obviously very different from an executive dashboard, which we're looking at now.

(43:52):
2Right. And I think, you know, this for me is it kind of pares down a little bit. What is more important
2around
2wins?
2you know, you see in this corner here, this page views referral, direct and organic search. What I look at these pieces together as well as the stats by country. I'm looking at how these different pieces work together, but also how potentially

(44:25):
2some possible issues with maybe not having as many referrals.
2So people who might already know us or give us credibility,
2that could potentially be an issue. It's great that we have so many wins and that we're up 25%, but what does that look like in regards to the year over year? Right. We may be down, so we may be up month over month, but maybe not year over year.

(44:49):
2And so there's a combination of pieces
2for that executive dashboard
2that also need to be considered around history.
2Also. And the stats by country,
2usually the director level from a country perspective, that would be managed by, let's say, a director for Canada or a director for the United Kingdom.

(45:09):
2And so that CMO or VP or SVP level would have a conversation with what they UK and say, Hey, what's going on?
2We've got a huge gap, this middle space. We're either getting small opportunities or really huge ones and frankly, not a lot of those. So what what are we thinking about here? What's happening? What's the impact?

(45:34):
2And that helps you to dig in and ideally make changes to the program and your approach to to make it better?
1And what do you think is most important to like? What does the CEO want to hear from marketing? Like, what's most what are the most important metrics you need to deliver to the CEO?
2Well, you know that always that always changes based on what the goals of the organization are. But

(46:01):
2there's always to be, you know, what are we doing to drive traffic? What are we doing to
2improve the customer or prospect's experience?
2And as far as those data points are concerned, it would be,
2who and how often and what kind of content people are interacting with.

(46:25):
2That is so important, especially these days. I think
2some marketing organizations have just gone too far and are just constantly churning out content and not thinking about what's being consumed and you know, how much money they're spending on it and, you know, whether or not they could be leveraging that in different ways. There's this this phrase that a lot of people use their term.

(46:48):
2It's snackable, right? And it's I hate the term, but I totally get it because who these days has time to sit down and read a white paper anymore? Like unless it's the American Medical Association, which is very important for them to read those kinds of things. I certainly don't have time to read white papers terribly much anymore.
2So I think I think for the CEO, it's definitely, you know, what kinds of what kind of MQLs are we we're getting through the pipeline.

(47:18):
2How are we helping to move those those MQLs down to be able to talk them over the fence to sales, but also for the CEO in general, especially because he or she tends to be most connected to the board? What are the kinds of efforts that marketing has in place and what does that calendar look like to ensure that that engine continues to run?

(47:42):
2Yeah, because oftentimes you will run into a, you know, a downturn of time or resources and then what do you you're stuck for three months. So it's it's really important to make sure that
2your KPIs are in place and your your data points are ready to be able to demonstrate back to the organization, to the CEO and to the board

(48:06):
2what's going on and why.
1Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it all comes down to revenue goals, right? And are you you know, how are we how is marketing,
1you know, contributing to revenue growth?
1and how can we demonstrate that?
1You know, one of the things that I've been thinking a lot about in this ad during these economic times is we're in this do more with less environment.

(48:30):
1And so, you know is there I sawI don't have the exact quote in front of me, but there's a stat out there that says something about, you know, they're cutting marketing and cutting in. They're cutting marketing in many cases, but they're not cutting your revenue goals.. You still have to achieve the aggressive growth goals with less. And so, you know, so there's a lot of talk about efficient growth, you know, so making sure that you're prioritizing the right programs and cutting the programs that aren't producing results.

(49:10):
1But there's also, you know, some expectation setting that needs to be done, whether, you know, that's an internal client with the CEO, whether that's, you know, one of the things that happens a lot is someone coming to marketing and just saying, hey, we need this, we need this, we need this, and we get distracted with, you know, it's our job to make sure that we have our strategies documented and that they map to the revenue goal.

(49:40):
1And if if it's not on the plan, it doesn't it's getting especially in the do more with less environment. It's not going to happen. Maybe maybe it'll happen at some point, but it's not going to happen today and we have to get out of that knee jerk reaction of being that service oriented person of just of doing everything that people ask and making sure that, you know, we can we're really strongly prioritizing the the deliverables that achieve revenue.

(50:14):
1So let's talk about that for a minute.
2and I certainly don't want to say that any other area of marketing
2doesn't run into this, but I found that in product marketing because we tend to cover so much,
2especially when it comes to driving the value proposition and
2putting the benefit and that sort of core brand story and product story into words. More often than not, we'll go, can you turn out like a one pager for me?

(50:44):
1Slow you're roll.
2Like, I Got where you're going. But just let's talk about why and what's the goal and who's it for and what's the immediate need and what does the support as it pertains to those goals and exactly to your point, if it doesn't map to what what's in process and or needed right now, then let's take a step back.

(51:07):
2So I think there's there's two things to consider. One is you really have to maintain focus and prioritize ruthlessly. And that's that's just one of the things that I that I, I want to speak to. And I think
2can you focus your team on the most important things and build a fence around them so that they can focus on those things?

(51:31):
2Can you communicate that vision that is compelling enough so that your boss and other leaders will trust you to say no to activities in favor of the initiative that you've defined as a top priority? And frankly, that everyone has agreed to? Right. Like we I know that everything changes, especially when it comes to quarterly results. But at the end of the day, the organizations that do well stick to that Northstar And and they're all focused on that same goal and delivering on that.

(52:09):
2And then, you know, I think also can you build relationships that are strong enough not just with your boss and other leaders but in your cross-functional teams that are strong enough to allow you to say no or not yet and that they will believe you, right. Instead of saying, well, you know, no, I'm not going to do that for you yet, but I'm going to slot it in the six months and then six months down the road, we forget about it.

(52:38):
2Right. And they will come back and be like, hey, that thing that we talked about. Yeah. No, I also think, you know, the more proactive you are sharing your mission with others around you so they can get invested in your priorities, the better off you'll be. And that's, that's kind of what I was touching on before, which is communicating that vision.

(52:58):
2And when you fail to get others excited about your priorities, they may actually start to project their priorities onto you and your team. All due respect to sales I love you guys, seriously,
2I despise when they jump into marketing. They're like, I can do marketing. I'm like, okay, does that mean that I can do so? You know, like, you know, you just you have to get them excited about where you're headed with what your projects are and your priorities are and when.

(53:26):
2And you know, I feel very lucky to have worked with amazing sales folks, especially at Symphony Talent and Oracle and Buckzy. You know, I'm the head of sales advocacy and I are still very, very close
2because he knows that I listen to him and what his priorities are and vice versa. I'm going to do my damnedest to help make sure that his teams are successful while staying on task for what the goals of the organization are.

(53:57):
2And I think, you know, the more visible your mission is to the organization as a whole, the fewer requests you have that come to you, because people know that you're focused and you continue to go back to that. So, you know, it's it's not just about being ruthless, but also about communicating. And then, you know, the second thing I would just say is get ready to pivot because sometimes, you know, it's critical.

(54:25):
2Sometimes you you get, you know, into your space and you're like, this is what the priorities are. And this is what we agreed to. And then you have a conversation with the CEO and she says, listen, fully respect and appreciate that you're headed in this direction. This is what we agreed to. But we do we need to address this issue A.S.A.P.

(54:46):
2So 3 hours with your team, figure it out and just be ready to roll. And you know, it's critical to be comfortable in ambiguity. The priorities of an organization can change based on the economy or supply chain feedback from investors. So like I said, you know, it's important to be prepared to reconsider your priorities in order to meet the needs of the organization and and where they're headed.

(55:11):
2And as many have said before, this state of change in which we find ourselves is the new normal. You know, little is up in the stone. And in order to not just survive, but thrive, you have to be ready to pivot.
1Yeah, absolutely. And it cannot be
1it cannot be overstated how important it is to educate and evangelize what your what your objectives and goals are in marketing and how you're and what your strategy is to achieve that and get buy in. Because, you know, I've been in situations where, you know, you get so heads down on getting the work done because there's so many things to do that that sometimes can take a backseat.

(55:55):
1And when I looked away from that, you know. Northstar and not taking that time to educate and evangelize, it's always come back to bite me.
2Yeah.
1So that is so important in that role. And the other thing is after you've done the education and the evangelism, then you need to package your results and show people what you've done and let people know how great the marketing has done for this organization In the last quarter.

(56:27):
1Let's see. The B2B sales cycle is long and it's getting longer and it takes time to build that pipeline.
1Yes. So our objective in not just generating revenue, now we're on the hook to making sure we're building a healthy pipeline. So let's talk about

(56:48):
1another important skill, which is a building pipeline. And then I also want to transition into cultivating other leaders on your team and maybe those can go hand in hand. Do you want to talk a minute about
1marketing executives needing to have the ability to create a team of people that you can trust and how you can make sure that the team has all the bases covered, whether that's that healthy pipeline, the demand.

(57:17):
1Gen, PR. So, well, let you talk a little bit about team building.
2I have been so lucky to have amazing teams that I have been on but also have had the opportunity to build. And I think that building a team, especially in marketing, is a privilege and something that should be considered a partnership between the employee and the manager, as well as the leader and the team.

(57:43):
2You know, the key reason to have a rock solid team you can trust and empower is because the stronger they are, the less you need to pay attention to what they're doing. And what I mean by that is that if you have a team of rock stars who will deliver on their mandate, then you can stay focused on that strategic view instead of being in the weeds, ensuring that all of the marketing activities are being completed properly through those team members.

(58:07):
2So trust here is the key ingredient, and I'll actually put it back to say think of the person that you work with that you're like, I can I know that they will deliver no matter what. And every single job you've ever been at, there will probably be like a handful and you will go back to those people time and again because they will deliver.

(58:32):
2They are amazing. And if you ever get the opportunity to work for them, for or with them again, you're like, Hell yeah, let's do that.
2I also think that being a team leader requires a lot of conversation about what people want to do. So going back to kind of what we talked about originally, which is what do you like to do?

(58:53):
2Where do you get your energy from doing that? And how can you together leverage the information about what people do to give or what they like to do to give everyone the opportunity to both grow their skills and do things they're good at? Because I find that it's really important to be honest with your team about how their contributions help you are going to organization, deliver on their goals as a whole, and if there's a bonus program in place, how the work they do helps to contribute to the overall success of the organization and how in turn that comes back to them because it helps them feel not only more connected to the overarching business,

(59:32):
2but also sees the benefit for themselves. And I think that will one last thing that I kind of want to say about that is oftentimes in marketing, it can feel like we're shouting into the wind, right? Like we have nothing to show for all of our time and effort

(59:53):
2and, you know, the mountains that we've moved and all of the magic that we've made happen because it's very rare that tangible, right.
2Or there's like something to celebrate. And when sales closes an opportunity, very rarely is marketing given a pat on the back. Like, thanks guys, for bringing in all of this opportunity into the pipeline, into the funnel. And so I really try to do my best to make sure that when there is a win, my team is either recognized throughout the organization

(01:00:31):
2for what they did to contribute to like the number of opportunities that came in or
2to myself at our next team meeting, say, Hey guys, this wouldn't have happened without you.
2So be proud of the work that you've done because you know, we don't always get to see the success.

(01:00:53):
2I have heard from multiple teammates over the years, you know what? I didn't think about my contribution to how that happened. But you're right. If I weren't here and I weren't doing this, that wouldn't happen. And so I think it's really important to just to reiterate
2how important what we do is.

(01:01:15):
1Yep, I agree 100%. And, you know, thinking about, you know, building that solid team that you can trust and I have a really solid team right now, really great people. And I think about that, like, how do I how do I get those people and how do I keep those people?
1And I actually got a note just yesterday from one of my employees that said, thank you for being such a great boss and always caring about your employees.

(01:01:42):
1And I was you know, that felt really good to me. And the reason that that came about was, you know, this particular employee has an opportunity to go to Africa with her husband for a month.
2And she.
1Wanted to you know, we have unlimited vacation and she wanted to know if she could work remotely. I mean, we're already remote anyway, but she wanted to work really remotely in Africa, but not the whole time, you know, Not like it's not like. No, you know, So I said, absolutely, go to Africa. I mean, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

(01:02:15):
1You need to go. And so what I did is made sure that and she intends to do some work while she's there. But I also don't want her to work the whole time she's there. I don't want her to be stressed out and thinking I can't enjoy Africa because I've got a paper to write. And so what I've done is I've given her, you know, we kind of front loaded her with work that we knew needed to get done.

(01:02:42):
1You know, we had her work ahead on some client work. And then when she's gone, we've planned for her to do some non time sensitive work. That's kind of like half time, you know, like when she has time so that she doesn't feel too guilty, you know, for not working, but knowing that she should not be stressed out and feeling like she has to work full time, she's in Africa.

(01:03:05):
1And so the reason I share that with you is because I trust her, that she would always do the right thing. She would always work when she needed to work. And
1I think she always also trusts me and appreciates that I had empathy in that situation. I was like, Absolutely go do it.

(01:03:25):
1So, you know, it's definitely hard to find and keep the right people and it's often like a one step forward, two steps back process.
1Like just when you feel you've got the team in place, you have and then boom, you're, you know, you're back to steps.
1So we've touched on the hard skills that are required, but soft skills are just as important in terms of being perceived as ready for that next level role. And so, for example, just being able to make deep human connections and building a warm rapport with people, that's essential.

(01:04:03):
1One thing that I sometimes struggle with, and that is as long as I'm exercising and doing my morning run, I'm way better. But the need to be level headed. So I know I sometimes get frazzled again, more so when I'm not getting my run in during the day, but being frazzled as an executive presence killer. Because if I get frazzled as the leader, then it just freaks people out.

(01:04:30):
1You know? So I've consciously been working on on that, on making sure that I'm not getting frazzled and that I'm communicating with poise, being calm in the moment. And, you know, it's a work in progress, but, you know, making change. So why don't you talk about if you have if you had some thoughts on soft skills that you think are important.

(01:04:54):
2these are tough. But I do think that they help to separate you from the rest of the herd, if you will,
2you communication and being able to communicate so well that you have the ability to make resistance and conflict evaporate. So you can do that in a couple of ways. One, knowing your subject matter inside and out, knowing the values and goals of your audience so that you can align your message to what they need to hear.

(01:05:31):
2It wipes away any doubt about the message you're trying to deliver and also makes them feel important and heard.
2the great thing is I've had a really I had a really fortunate number of relationships with my senior leaders. And at Buckzy in particular, we were

(01:05:58):
2looking for opportunities to
2find the ways to cut cost, as every organization does.
2And
2when I a conversation with, frankly, the entire C-suite, but the CEO in particular and the CFO were concerned about what was the value of the PR,
2you know, what was it doing for us? Were we getting the value for it? And, you know, I'm really fortunate to have worked with amazing PR teams, both internal and external.

(01:06:28):
2And when I just kind of walked them through like, okay, I just want to help you understand where PR is in the process, right? And and also how PR connects social media and how PR of the Amplify, you know, any of the other messages that we're looking to put out to the marketplace in regards to thought leadership.

(01:06:50):
2We can't do all of that on our own.
2You know, we had four people on our team and none of them had any PR experience. So having an entire separate team be able to not only promote the the value and the thought leadership that we had to deliver to the market, but also the the channels through which they were able to get that message out to market were more than what we could have paid for.

(01:07:23):
2And you know as well or better than I how expensive those pay to play properties become. You know, and if you're trying to do anything of value,
2you know, it also comes back to credibility, right? Because if a reporter believes in the message enough to want to have an interview, that's a big step forward. You know, if they're all they're doing is just, you know, reposting your press release, then they don't care.

(01:07:52):
2Which, you know, I totally get it. But, you know, by the same token, you know, I was able to,
2you know, talk through the value of what that was doing in regards to filling our funnel and our pipeline. And the the CEO and the CFO said, okay, you know, I get it. I get where you're coming from. And I think, you know, the the important thing there is that I knew what they were trying to achieve.

(01:08:19):
2We did find other ways to cut cost, but I was really I knew where they wanted to go. And if we had gotten rid of that partnership, we would really we would not have been able to address their concerns and do as well as we did.
1Yeah, and I love that. Well, you know, I'm obviously a fan of PR, so my roots are in PR I started in PR, are then moved know for, you know, expanded into marketing. But it's so essential, especially for startups since it's the fastest way to build your brand. Yeah. Yeah.

(01:08:56):
2Because no one cares. No one cares what you have to say. And I totally get it. It's it's a sea of messaging and issues.
2And then the last thing I will just say on this is that
2communicating with intention and passion
2and it's actually kind of goes back to that storytelling approach.

(01:09:17):
2If my job is to inspire action, which it is that right action, I need to make things happen.
2I need to inspire you to act in not just the right way, but to get things done in a way that is compelling and frankly, that translates not just to, you know, you as a member of my team, but also to customers, to sales teams, to executive leadership, to anyone, frankly, that you're talking to. And so I'll give you a great example.

(01:09:53):
2When I was working at Oracle, I was really lucky to work on this diversity, inclusive and inclusive inclusion and equity initiative. And,
2Oracle is such a huge organization and is incredibly diverse
2and they have struggled over the years to be able to, I think, well represent just how diverse and inclusive they are, but they also had some really cool products, very compelling products that I got really excited about

(01:10:28):
2that they were bringing to market as a way to substantiate the DENI initiative inside an organization.
2So essentially being able to benchmark, through analytics, the kinds of impact that your DENI initiative were having, I don't know about you, but I get really jazzed about that because what that means is when you can substantiate the impact that any program has to your bottom line, be it through employee engagement and retention, which, as we all know, is especially now stupidly expensive.

(01:11:06):
2I think there's something now like it's 4 to 10 times on the level inside the organization of your salary that it takes that much to replace you.
2So So that alone was really exciting to me. Plus, I was working with actually the the VP of our diversity program to get her feedback. Like, you know, do you agree that this message is appropriate?

(01:11:33):
2Are you excited about what this product means?
2And I was also able to really competitively approach the the story about what was most important and also inspire our sales teams to deliver on this in a way that was both connected to the ROI of the business, but also about making good choices, just being good business. Like if you can be a good human and, include people and make them feel safe and and you can track all of that activity and prove that you're able to address the bottom line, well, that's a win win for like it's a win win win win, right?

(01:12:23):
2Like everybody is getting a win. And that to me is exciting and when that went to market
2both our some of the analysts in the space actually called out our messaging and approach on it as the way to think about this moving forward. I don't know about you, but that for me was such a huge win because it's like, yes, you got it, you got it.

(01:12:49):
2And I it the right way and it feels really good and people feel that passion and that action. And there's nothing more exciting and interesting than that. And so if you can combine the ability to understand your audience and also deliver your message with passion, I mean, you're Beyonce, right? Like, that's amazing. You win automatically.

(01:13:13):
1Absolutely. I love that example. It makes me think of, you know, some of the soft skill as being curious and being creative. And I can find anything interesting. And and I think you came to you because we're nerds, right? Yeah. And I think about there was this so when I was before I started my own agency, I worked in another agency and I had worked on the HP imaging and printing business for years.

(01:13:40):
1And, you know, that's the printers was digital cameras, scanners and supplies. But I mean, nobody wanted to work on supplies, ink and paper oooo like. That's not exciting, right? And so anyway, I go on maternity leave, I come back and I get the news that I've been put on supplies and I'm like, What? What if you and they're like, No, this is going to be great.

(01:14:04):
1It's going to be awesome. And we pitched to you because, you know, you're so good at media. We thought you're the right person to do this. And I'm like, okay, thanks for the hard sell here. And but you know what? It was the best campaign I we've ever, ever done. And it was so for HP, anyone who knows HP knows that supplies is where the money is at, right?

(01:14:26):
1Yeah, We give the printer away and then all the money is made off the ink and paper. And so we came up with this campaign, me and a bunch of people way smarter than me,
1came up with this campaign called The Science of Printing. And I was in charge of, you know, delivering on that campaign, which was getting big media hits around supplies and talking about why it's so important to why people should want to spend more and pay more money for HP supplies versus re-manufactured inexpensive supplies because it's of higher quality.

(01:15:04):
1And so we did this whole campaign science of printing where we got our HP scientists in, their lab coats. We brought journalists into the labs, we gave them lab coats, We had to mix their own ink. We gave them all these little demonstrations and we had, I mean, hit after hit after hit. You know, it was even on the Discovery Channel.

(01:15:25):
1wow. Yeah. So, I mean, it was something that I was really proud to be a part of. But I was thinking, you know, you think, how can you make you have to think outside the box, think, how can I make anything interesting? And let me tell you, if you've ink and paper interesting, you can make anything interesting.

(01:15:46):
1Yeah. Yeah And so anyway, you know, I think your point is, is that being creative with strategic thinking that the ability to communicate and present effectively is so important, so
1on that note, any additional advice that you can share with marketers on communicating more effectively?

(01:16:09):
2Well, I try to remember this one quote that just always floors me, I always have to kind of say it multiple times myself, which is that the most valuable thing you can give someone is your time and attention. And, you know, sort of an alternative to that is that there's nothing more powerful than your attention. And I think if you are not only looking to communicate effectively, but also impact someone's choice or opinion, you need to give them your undivided attention.

(01:16:50):
2And people to be led and partnered with and working with someone who makes them feel like they're the only person that they're talking to or that they feel heard. And you know, how you make people feel has everything to do with whether or not they want to work with you and whether or not they want to listen to you and whether or not they're willing to do their job to the best of their ability

(01:17:19):
2to achieve the goals of the organization.
2And then, you know, the last thing I would just say, you know, marketing's we we are unsung heroes inside the organization. I think we you know, like I said before, we very rarely get the opportunity to have our due, you know, I mean, how often you ever hear of a marketing person going on, you know, the sales trip.

(01:17:46):
2You know that that you know, the winners across the world have achieved their their goals. Like you never see a marketing person going on that. And that's a real bummer, right? Because we work hand in hand and like I said before, none of what happens would happen without us. But because of that, you have to have a strong sense of your own value and the value that you bring to the table.

(01:18:12):
2And I think as a leader, that is incredibly important. You help others on your team and in your organization understand how important that is. So, for example, you know, the ability to not react and take things personally. Don't assume when someone disagrees with you that they just respect you. It's not personal.

(01:18:33):
2I think it's it's just really to remember that, you know, everyone has things going on that no one else knows about.
2So as long as you are true to yourself and you know your value, then you can both dig in and do great work or you can get up and walk away. It's really about how you feel you're being treated and continue to move forward. But I think you have to remember the value that that you contribute to the organization.

(01:19:11):
1Absolutely. And that goes back to that one. It's one of the reasons people leave organizations is because they feel disrespected. So that soft skill of able to like, really read the room and make people, you know and know their role and know how important their role is and all the value that they contribute is just it's really important.

(01:19:34):
1So. Well, thank you, Sarah. These insights have been amazing. And I know we're running short on time, so I don't want to keep you too long,
1but we'll definitely continue the conversation in another episode because there's so much more that we can dive into. I know that, you know, for example, what did people need to do? What are the steps they need to take to get to their next promotion or get that next level job?

(01:20:02):
1So there's a lot more to talk about. So I appreciate you taking the time.
1And of course, I can't wait to do it. And everyone who's listening, Thank you for checking out Marcom Mode, the podcast and webinar series and just make sure to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. But before you take off, Sarah, again, this has been great.

(01:20:25):
1Let's let people know the best way to get in contact with you or connect with you.
2Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. Kristin. This has been super fun.
2You know, I'm, I'm always happy to connect with folks on LinkedIn or Fishbowl definitely sent me messages. I'm always interested in meeting new people who are ambitious, focused and energetic and definitely up for collaborating or, you know, talking through how you approach your career. I've gotten several messages already just in the past couple of months and really been able to kind of point people in the right direction of, you know, new network opportunities.

(01:21:03):
2So I love to help and, you know, help create something that's awesome.
1And thanks everyone for listening. Until next time, remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars and achieve your goals. Go get it.