I stopped podcasting in the summer of 2021. I had several excellent reasons to do it at the time, but in hindsight, it was a mistake. Most of my decision centered around the resources it took to record, edit, publish, and promote the podcast... and then attempting to attribute sales to it. I had a difficult time doing that... but it didn't mean that those sales did not exist. I believe the momentum I had and the visibility it provided me was providing opportunities... long-term.

Podcasting can significantly enhance inbound sales strategies by leveraging the power of voice, capturing the attention of podcast listeners, and utilizing the necessity of repetition to get heard. Here's how:

• Engaging Voice: Podcasting allows businesses to convey their message using a human voice, which adds a personal touch and authenticity to the content. A well-spoken host or guest can establish a connection with the audience, making the content more relatable and trustworthy. This personal connection can positively influence listeners' perception of the brand and its products or services.
• Captured Attention: Podcast listeners are often highly engaged and attentive. Unlike written content, which requires visual focus, podcasts can be consumed while multitasking, such as during commutes, workouts, or household chores. This captive audience is more likely to absorb the message and remember it, increasing the likelihood of brand recall when making purchasing decisions.
• Necessity of Repetition: Repetition is key in marketing, and podcasting provides an excellent platform for consistent messaging. By regularly releasing podcast episodes, businesses can reinforce their brand's value proposition, key benefits, and offerings. Repetition helps ingrained the message in the minds of listeners, making them more likely to consider the brand when the need arises.

Incorporating podcasting into your inbound sales strategy can capitalize on the power of voice, engage listeners' attention, and ensure consistent repetition of your messaging, ultimately boosting brand awareness, trust, and conversion rates.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for me to get my momentum back... I'll keep you posted!

Sponsored By:

• Highbridge: With a minimum of a decade each in the technology industry, Highbridge is leading the way in helping clients maximize their technology investments. Promo Code: martech zone

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In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Kate Bradley-Chernis, the CEO at Lately. Kate has worked with the largest brands in the world to develop content strategies that drive engagement and results. We discuss how artificial intelligence is helping to drive organizations' content marketing results.

Lately is a social media AI content management platform that helps organizations understadn the words, phrases, and sentence strucutres of what your audience wants to read, hear, or watch. They have impressive results:

• Marketers are spending 84% less time generating content with Lately's algorithms highlighting what the audience will love.
• Marketers can automatically atomize any longform video, audio, or textual content into dozens or hundreds of pre-tested social media posts, producing 12,000% times more engagement.
• Marketers can get consistent, engaging content designed to generate 200%+ more high-quality leads without being experts at copywriting.

You won't find a more engaging speaker than Kate when it comes to learning about content engagement,be sure to listen to this fantastic interview!

Special Guest: Kate Bradley Chernis.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

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Links:

• Lately — A.I. that studies what your audience wants to watch, hear or read and then automatically atomizes any longform video, audio or text into DOZENS of pre-tested social media posts, based on what it learns.
• Lately: Automatically Create, Optimize And Share Social Media Updates Using AI and Existing Content — Lately's artificial intelligence platform constantly learns from your past social media posts and builds a writing model based on what is most engaging for your audience. Customers see real incredible results… including a 12,000% increase in engagement, 245% more clicks, and 200% more leads.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Mark Schaefer. Mark is a great friend, mentor, prolific author, speaker, podcaster, and consultant in the marketing industry. We discuss his newest book, Cumulative Advantage, which goes beyond marketing and speaks directly to the factors that influence success in business and life.

We live in a world where being great may not be enough. We need momentum.

From the best-selling author of KNOWN and Marketing Rebellion comes a practical guidebook to building unstoppable momentum for your ideas and your business -- even when the odds seem stacked against you. Filled with motivating ideas and fascinating case studies, Cumulative Advantage is an indispensable and practical source of inspiration for the entrepreneur, business leader, and every person with a dream that's ready to take flight. You will learn:

• How the initial advantage that drives momentum comes from everyday ideas.
• The inside secrets of creating vast awareness for your projects.
• How to nurture powerful connections that lead to break-through opportunities.
• Why momentum is driven by the speed, time, and space of a "seam."
• How the "certainty of business uncertainty" can be used to your advantage.

Mark Schaefer weaves decades of research and revealing expert views into an entertaining guide to building momentous success in the real-world. You'll never view the world the same way again after learning how initial advantages, seams of opportunity, sonic booms, and the lift from mentors can impact your world in powerful and permanent ways. Get ready to make Cumulative Advantage work for you and your ideas right now!

Special Guest: Mark Schaefer.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

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Links:

• Cumulative Advantage: How to Build Momentum for Your Ideas, Business and Life Against All Odds — At its essence, marketing today is about answering one question: “How can we be heard?” How can we rise above the din of infinite options to create sustainable meaning with an audience or group of customers?
• Mark Schaefer — One of the world's leading marketing futurists and keynote speakers.
• Marketing Companion Podcast — The Marketing Companion is always fun, always interesting, and always on-target with insights and ideas that will turn up your marketing intellect to an “11.” Find a topic in the guide below or push one of the subscribe buttons to get episodes delivered free to your email account every other week.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to co-founder and CEO of Casted, Lindsay Tjepkema. Lindsay has two decades in marketing, is a veteran podcaster, and had a vision to build a platform to amplify and measure her B2B marketing efforts... so she founded Casted! In this episode, Lindsay helps listeners understand:

• Why video and audio are critical to B2B marketing strategies
• How technology is providing businesses with the means to edit, publish, and amplify that content
• An overview of Casted and how their ability to amplify and measure the impact of rich media B2B content marketing

With Casted, marketers can unlock the power of podcasts by giving enterprise organizations access to use your most valuable content across every channel.

Special Guest: Lindsay Tjepkema.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

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Links:

• Casted — Casted is the audio and video content marketing solution for enterprise brands.

For almost a decade, Marcus Sheridan has been teaching the principles his book to audiences around the globe. But before it was a book, the River Pools story (which was the foundation) was featured in multiple books, publications, and conferences for its incredibly unique approach to Inbound and Content Marketing.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Marcus Sheridan about the growing digital trends that businesses are not paying attention to, but that are having a dramatic impact on their sales and marketing processes. 33% of buyers want a sales-free customer purchase journey. Wether a consumer or business-buyer, customers are seeking assistance online where they can self-schedule, self-price, or walk through a self-assessment to reach a recommendation.

Marcus shares valuable information on the strategies companies should be adopting... including the seldom-seen strategy of disqualifying visitors who are not prospective buyers.

Special Guest: Marcus Sheridan.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Marcus Sheridan — Powerfully engaging. Obsessive about takeaways. When Marcus Sheridan gives a keynote, the audience is everything.
• River Pools and Spas — River Pools was the foundation of Marcus Sheridan's book “They Ask You Answer” and has been featured in multiple books, publications, and conferences for its incredibly unique approach to Inbound and Content Marketing.
• They Ask You Answer — They Ask, You Answer is a straightforward guide filled with practical tactics and insights for transforming your marketing strategy. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the evolution of content marketing and the increasing demands of today’s internet-savvy buyers. New chapters explore the impact of technology, conversational marketing, the essential elements every business website should possess, the rise of video, and new stories from companies that have achieved remarkable results with They Ask, You Answer.
• IMPACT+ — A FREE online learning community with on-demand courses, hundreds of expert-led sessions, thousands of your peers ready to support you, and much more.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Pouyan Salehi, a serial entrepreneur and has dedicated the last decade to improving and automating the sales process for B2B enterprise sales reps and revenue teams. We discuss the technology trends that have shaped B2B sales and explore the insights, skills and technologies that will drive sales performance in the coming year. Pouyan is passionate about the non-traditional, bottom up SaaS approach of selling to customers and how revenue teams are utilizing this as a key go-to-market strategy.

We discuss the key benefits of bottom-up SaaS including:

• How users can easily try or use the product without heavy integrations or cumbersome onboarding.
• How the decision-maker is sometimes a front-line employee (not always the C-Suite).
• How teams and individuals get immediate value from the product opposed to a full enterprise roll-out.
• How every application should have a consumer-like quality, making it something customers enjoy using.

Pouyan is the co-founder and CEO of Scratchpad. Scratchpad is the first workspace built for sales. They designed every feature and interaction with account executives in mind, which means speed. Scratchpad combines sales notes, spreadsheets, tasks, Kanban boards, search, collaboration, and sales process adherence in one simple and intuitive workspace - connected to Salesforce to eliminate all those tabs and double work.

Special Guest: Pouyan Salehi.

Sponsored By:

• Highbridge: With a minimum of a decade each in the technology industry, Highbridge is leading the way in helping clients maximize their technology investments. Promo Code: martech zone

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Scratchpad — Scratchpad is the fastest way to update Salesforce, take sales notes, and stay on top of to-dos. Designed for account executives. Fewer clicks. Free to use.
• Scratchpad Command — A detailed article on Martech Zone about Scratchpad Command, Scratchpad's Google Chrome plugin to interface directly with Salesforce easily.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Michelle Elster, the President of Rabin Research Company. Michelle is an expert in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies with extensive experience internationally in marketing, new product development, and strategic communications.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why do companies invest in market research?
• How can market research accelerate your product development and marketing strategies?
• What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
• What are the complexities of market research that are often missed when companies attempt a DIY approach?
• What are some examples of how B2C and B2B companies are utilizing research to drive business decisions?

Special Guest: Michelle Elster.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Rabin Research Company — With over 58 YEARS of delivering world-class research for Fortune 500 and emerging businesses, Rabin Research Company (a certified Women’s Business Enterprise) has been raising the bar on industry standards for decades, while setting its sights on the future.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Guy Bauer, founder and creative director, and Hope Morley, chief operating officer of Umault, a creative video marketing agency. We discuss Umault's success at developing videos for businesses that thrive in an industry rife with mediocre corporate videos.

Umault have an impressive portfolio of wins with clients large and small, their short videos invoking emotion, each which its own well-crafted story. Guy and hope discuss why doing a corporate video has very little to do with the actual recording and production work... and starts with exceptional research, discovery, and understanding of the vision they want to develop for their clients' prospects and customers.

It's an insightful interview that hopefully sways your perception of what corporate videos should be if you wish them to be effective.

Special Guests: Guy Bauer and Hope Morley.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Umault — Umault is a boutique video marketing agency that helps B2B businesses create captivating content, engage the right people, and drive sales. We concept, script, and oversee video campaigns that make the complex simple and sexy, transforming ordinary businesses into extraordinary brands.
• Umault: Work — Captivating content that engages the right people to drive more sales.
• Umault on YouTube — Subscribe to Umault on YouTube.
• Book: Death to the Corporate Video — Death to the Corporate Video: A Modern Approach That Works by Guy Bauer
• Podcast: Death to the Corporate Video — A podcast featuring tools and advice to make B2B videos people actually want to watch.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Jason Falls, author of Winfluence: Reframing Influencer Marketing To Ignite Your Brand. Jason speaks to the origins of influencer marketing through to today's best practices that are providing some superior results for the brands that are deploying great influencer marketing strategies. Aside from catching up and discussing Jason's road to success, we discuss:

• What is influencer marketing and how has it evolved over the last decade?
• Is influencer marketing about follower counts? Is it only digital?
• Why are brands counting on influencers to effectively grow their marketing?
• How to determine whether an influencer is a fit for building awareness about your brand.
• If you're an influencer, how can you approach brands to assist with their markeitng strategies?

Tune into this interview where Jason shares his exprience, use cases, and strategies for brands to adopt and deploy influencer marketing as part of your overall digital and traditional marketing mix.

Special Guest: Jason Falls.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Winfluence: Reframing Influencer Marketing to Reignite Your Brand — THE authoritative book about influencer marketing from the perspective of businesses and brands. An invaluable guidebook for marketing managers, small business owners, marketing consultants, and agencies alike, the book explains how influencers came to be, how they came to be so powerful, why so many brands are counting on influencer marketing for business success, and how anyone who is not, now can.
• Jason Falls — Digital Marketing Thought Leader, Influencer, Author, Speaker, and Podcaster
• Winfluence Podcast — Winfluence - The Influence Marketing Podcast explores the world of influencer marketing from a strategic perspective to help your influence efforts align with driving business value.
• Cornett — We make creativity your business practice. Creativity is present in everything we do, and is not at all restricted to the department that bears its name. We’re curious, crafty, experimental and disruptive thinkers. We know that a great idea can come from anywhere, and can take many forms. With fearless imagination, we consistently arrive at breakthrough ideas and uncover new opportunities.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to John Vuong of Local SEO Search, a full-service organic search, content, and social media agency for local businesses. John works with clients internationally and his success is unique among Local SEO consultants:

• John has a degree in finance and was an early digital adopter, working in traditional marketing with small businesses where he fell in love with helping them with their marketing efforts.
• John started Local SEO Search, Inc. in 2013 to help local business owners in Canada with Internet marketing.
• John started his business using a mobile phone... he didn't even own a laptop at the time!
• With the huge impact of COVID-19, John's company has continued to thrive because of John's honesty and his team's dedication to their clients and always providing value.

Tune into this important episode. Too many small businesses fail to see their investment in local search consultants or an agency pay off. You'll find out why in this interview... hint: It's not about algorithms.

Special Guest: John Vuong.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• Local SEO Search — Local SEO Search is honoured when you allow us to work alongside you. It’s a privilege when you trust us, and we will do everything we can to ensure that trust brings value to your company.
• Local SEO Today — A podcast with John Vuong and Roger Murphy where they interview business owners and provide you with tips to grow your business today!

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Jake Sorofman, President of MetaCX, the pioneer in a new outcomes-based approach for managing the customer lifecycle. MetaCX helps SaaS and digital product companies transform how they sell, deliver, renew and expand with one connected digital experience that includes the customer at every stage.

Buyers at SaaS and digital product companies feel a lack of confidence that sales promises will be kept. What happens after the deal is signed? Now, with MetaCX, both buyers and suppliers can track the lifecycle and move between the various phases together. The result is better trust and transparency which positively impacts the momentum of the customer relationship. Buyers and sellers arrive at a mutual trust.

In this interview, we discuss:

• What is Outcome-Based Selling
• What are the benefits of Collaborative Success Planning
• How does MetaCX help coordinated Post-Sale Handoffs
• What is Outcome Attribution and can you provide examples?

By creating shared spaces that allow suppliers and buyers to define and measure target outcomes together, MetaCX helps align sales, success and delivery teams around real value that customers can see.

Special Guest: Jake Sorofman.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: Douglas Karr is a recognized influencer in the marketing technology industry. Hire Douglas to speak at your next event, develop an online webinar, host and develop your company's podcast, or train your marketing team. Promo Code: dknewmedia

Support Martech Zone Interviews

Links:

• MetaCX — MetaCX is transforming how suppliers and buyers collaborate and win together with shared success plans backed by live performance data.