Rob Smith

New 2024 research: Marketing Automation Platforms: A Marketer's Guide. Some key trends: 1) Marketers are replacing MAP, CMS and email marketing platforms at a robust rate in favor of nextgen AI-centric personalization tech. 2) The big mergers are over - The AICX Institute sees functionality converging over time and becoming commoditized. If you are investing in AI personalization, membership in The AICX Institute is critical. Join today, membership is free to individuals. The Institute's patented MET-A system for ranking AI vendors keeps you a step ahead. aicxinstitute.com https://lnkd.in/gwAbqic5 #cx#ai#martech#marketingautomation#personalization#AICX#marketing#CDAO

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The "A" in ABM does not stand for "Acquisition" only (upsell/cross-sell is an even more powerful use case for most enterprises) The "B" does not stand for "BS Intent" The "M" does not stand for "Magic" At Demandbase we believe in shattering black boxes. 🔦 That's why we're thrilled to unveil new features designed to enhance customization and transparency! Watch as Tom Keefe, Principal GTM Expert, walks through how to use database folders in Demandbase One to streamline and organize your workflows. With this new feature, you can: ✅ Organize your lists into specific folders for easy access. ✅ Customize the structure to fit your workflow with nested folders. ✅ Enhance transparency by clearly categorizing and managing all your lists. ✅ Save time by quickly locating and accessing your lists without hassle. Explore the full capabilities of our latest innovation in our blog (link in comments)

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"The bathtub effect" has many versions. In today's podcast I apply the bathtub to attribution. What does a bathtub tell us about customer actions and how to attribute marketing campaigns to sales.

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The Dark Side of Personalization: When Convenience Tips Over to Manipulation Technology has revolutionized marketing, allowing us to personalize experiences for individual customers. But is there a fine line between personalization and manipulation? Here are some worrying trends in hyper-personalization: Echo Chambers and Filter Bubbles: Algorithms curate content that reinforces existing beliefs, limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints. This can lead to confirmation bias and hinder critical thinking. Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Marketers can leverage personal data to target individuals during vulnerable times, potentially influencing purchasing decisions based on emotions rather than needs. The Loss of Privacy: The vast amount of data collected for personalization raises concerns about privacy and security. Consumers are increasingly wary of how their data is used and shared. These trends highlight the ethical considerations of hyper-personalization. As marketers, we have a responsibility to: Prioritize Transparency: Be clear about how data is collected and used for personalization purposes. Offer Opt-Out Options: Give users control over their data and allow them to opt-out of personalized experiences if desired. Focus on Building Trust: Personalization should enhance the customer experience, not manipulate behavior. Focus on building trust and long-term relationships with your audience. The Future of Personalization: Striking a Balance The goal is not to abandon personalization altogether. Done responsibly, it can be a powerful marketing tool. The future lies in striking a balance between personalization and ethical considerations. We need to personalize experiences in a way that respects user privacy, avoids manipulation, and ultimately fosters genuine connections with our audience. https://lnkd.in/gm9Eg7va What are your thoughts on the ethics of personalization in marketing? Share your comments below! #personalization #marketingtrends #dataprivacy #transparency #ethicalmarketing

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How do you show B2B clients the value of productivity improvements? It starts with a strategic and systematic approach to building a winning business case. https://hubs.ly/Q02sTYJ_0

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When I started out in marketing I was really sensitive. Really thin-skinned. I was wounded by feedback (especially late feedback) that was anything less than a pat on the head for being great. I was incapable of hearing criticism of any work I had done as anything but a damning of my character. I realize I don't come out very well in this story. That's ok. This isn't really about feedback. It's about learning to collaborate. Because somewhere - I honestly don't know where or when - I learned to listen (a bit). I don't think I'm perfect at it (who is?) but I stopped bristling at an alternative approach and started to rule it in. Is that idea valid? Is it better than my original idea? I've heard some things about how some really successful companies operate on a 'best idea wins' approach. In other words, it's not hierarchical, anyone with a good suggestion can put it forward. Sometimes the people that cause the most friction are the ones that get the most done because they spark us all into action. If you want to dive into better collaboration without the huge emotional journey I highly rate Neil Stoneman's post tagged below. Also tagging Hilton Barbour as someone who (dare I say relentlessly?) challenged me back in the day and made me stand on my own feet to better defend my views but also accept an outside view. #b2bmarketing #b2bstrategy

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B2B Marketing is so much more than marcomms and project management. Yet we hear regularly how easy it is to sleepwalk into the role being consumed entirely by this. How do B2B Marketers move from esoteric engine room to strategic leadership and core pillar of GTM? This is precisely what we will be discussing at the Propolis leaders round table on May 14th.

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Came across the below hub of AI business insights relevant to B2B professionals. This research, from multiple organizations, essentially ladders up to the same point: AI has become the standard in marketing.

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The low-cost for print and mail service providers to start and maintain an effective content marketing strategy makes it very attractive to companies in this industry. Read more 👉 Link in comment #ContentMarketing #Mail #MailingSystemsTechnology #InTheTrenches

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Ever wonder why some blogs are simply better at driving sales or leads? Here's how you can turn your blog from a mere information platform to a powerful lead-generation engine. Check out these unique strategies: Embed "Smart" CTAs 🎯 Use dynamic CTAs that change based on the visitor's past engagement with your site. First-time visitor? "Subscribe for More Insights" might be your CTA. Returning visitor? Try "Download Our Detailed Guide". You can also make it unique per the article's subject. Interactive Lead Magnets 🖥️ Why stick to PDFs? Use interactive tools like calculators, polls, quizzes, configurators, or design templates that provide personalized value in exchange for contact details. Micro-commitments 📈 Ask for small actions that don't intimidate—like answering a poll question—to warm up your audience for bigger asks like signing up or scheduling a demo. Content Personalization 🎭 Segment your audience and personalize blog content based on user behavior or demographic data. More relevance equals higher engagement and conversion. Narrative-Driven Sales Funnel 📚 Transform your blog structure into a narrative funnel that guides readers through a story, leading them to a natural and compelling sales outcome. Exit-Intent Offers 🚪 Capture potential leads just as they're about to leave your site with an irresistible offer tailored to the content they engaged with. Flash Consultations ⏰ Offer a 15-minute consultation for questions related to the blog post topic, booked directly via an integrated calendar. Gated Video Content 🎥 Instead of gating a whitepaper, try gating a high-quality video tutorial that goes deeper into the blog topic, accessible in exchange for an email. Leverage User-Generated Content ✍️ Encourage readers to share their own stories or tips related to your blog topic, which can be featured in future posts or newsletters. A/B Test Everything 🔍 Constantly test different headlines, CTAs, and formats to see what converts best and refine your strategy based on data. 👉 Let’s turn your blog into a conversion powerhouse! Who’s ready to experiment with these strategies? 🔗 Feel free to connect or drop a comment if you want to discuss more innovative conversion techniques! #MarketingInnovation #SEO #BlogToSales #ContentMarketing #LeadGenStrategy #GrowthHacking

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Understanding and leveraging different types of positioning can significantly enhance your marketing strategy, ensuring your brand stands out in a competitive marketplace. Learn more. https://ow.ly/TkLf50SeHeZ #marketinglogix #marketingstrategy #brand #branding

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Learn how creative marketing teams can leverage AI while maintaining credibility and an authentic connection with their audience. https://ow.ly/gzvS50ReiPY #marketinglogix #content #digitalmarketing #AI

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AI helps marketers move quickly beyond the mundane, allowing us the mental capacity to be more creative and open up new ideas that we can explore as both SEOs and content marketers. Read more. https://ow.ly/uXUS50SftAH #MarketingLogix #AI #SEO #marketingtools #marketingstrategy

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#AUDIENCES My friend Jonathan Lucenay said recently that "2024 will be the year of the audience" and I agree. #Autodealers are just starting to manage their first-party data and now, carefully testing the effectiveness of third-party audience data. All audiences (dynamic lists) are not created equally so we will be discussing actual campaign results and data strategies to help dealers navigate the new opportunities for #automotive marketing to increase sales. Join us at #DMSC, if you have a desire to unlock better performance in your marketing investments. Tickets and hotel info here: https://lnkd.in/grxemSR #automotiveindustry #automotivetechnology #firstpartydata #map #cdp #identityresolution #audiences

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Using the wrong content at the wrong time can stall the sales process. Here's when to use company-centric vs. customer-centric content. https://hubs.ly/Q02xjlg00 #buyersjourney #content #salesprocess

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Most manufacturers never really paid attention to marketing. Unlike B2C businesses who always seem like they’re running a sprint, you can sometimes think of manufacturers as those guys in a marathon prancing around to the tune of Lana Del Ray’s song, “Queen of Disaster” while everyone is playing “Eye of the Tiger.” Anyway, it goes like this: Got me spinning like a ballerina Feeling gangsta every time I see ya You’re the king And, baby, I’m the queen of disaster Disaster Sounds familiar, now? Maybe not if you haven’t been scrolling through social media, but anyway, it was famous in TikTok for some time and a lot of people created memes around that. Our point here is, most manufacturers often think that marketing is not necessary. After all, they’re not about glitz and glamor–they’re the tough guys in hard hats, getting their hands dirty maneuvering those heavy machineries or negotiating terms with suppliers. You can say that the industrial sector is devoid of emotional, attention-grabbing ad campaigns. However, the rise of digitalization has also given your competitors more avenues to reach new markets. The good news is–so are you. This means that the competition has indeed gotten tougher, but the opportunity for growth has also increased. So, how do you, as a traditional manufacturer, navigate this new terrain? Here’s where we come in. We have compiled 8 guiding principles for manufacturing marketing success that you can follow so you can keep up with the times and get ahead of the curve. https://hubs.la/Q02tm-YG0

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Looking over this report, just released on Wednesday, it's interesting to see that only 26% of organizations are currently measuring and attributing their ABM programs separately. It seems that while many recognize the potential benefits of ABM, some still hesitate to fully commit to its specialized metrics and processes. However, it's encouraging to note that an additional 36% of organizations plan to implement ABM-specific measurement in the next 12 to 18 months. This shows a growing recognition of the importance of these metrics. Looking forward to seeing how this trend develops! https://lnkd.in/gyJKru3T #ABM #MarketingMetrics #BusinessGrowth

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