Women in B2B Marketing

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Gwen Lafage, VP of Brand and Content at Sinch, to discuss her journey in marketing. Gwen shares insights from her experiences in both B2C and B2B sectors, emphasizing the evolution of marketing tactics and the critical role of storytelling in branding. They explore how brand campaigns integrate with demand generation and highlight the importance of human connection in marketing. The conversation also delves into the value of transferable skills in career transitions and the necessity of self-advocacy and internal communication within marketing teams.Gwen and Jane talk through:Valuing human connections in brand marketing and relationships.Gwen's journey from B2C to B2B marketing.Advantages of agency experience for in-house roles, including context switching skills.Integration of brand campaigns with demand generation efforts.The concept of "performance branding" and its impact on business results.The importance of understanding business goals in campaign development.Linking product features to overarching brand narratives in campaigns.Linking complex technical updates to customer stories, enhancing understanding and engagement.Collaboration between brand, product marketing, and regional teams for campaign success.Insights into the difficulties of forming effective teams post-reorganization, especially after acquisitions.Maintaining a forward-moving mindset amidst organizational changes.The necessity of self-advocacy and visibility in the workplace.Key Links:Guest: Gwen Lafage - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-lafage/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra speaks with Talya Heller, a competitive positioning advisor and founder of Down to a T. Talya shares her career journey from industrial engineering to product marketing, emphasizing the importance of networking, especially after relocating to a new country. She provides insights into competitive positioning, discussing its strategic significance for both new and established companies. The episode highlights the value of embracing new opportunities, investing in personal development, and celebrating career milestones.Jane and Talya discuss:Career transitions from industrial engineering to product marketing.The significance of networking in career development, especially after relocating.The role of personal development in achieving long-term career success.Insights into competitive positioning for both new and established companies.The importance of defining and regularly updating the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).Strategies for gathering insights to refine the ICP.The relationship and overlap between product management and product marketing.The evolving use of LinkedIn for professional networking and knowledge sharing.Embracing discomfort and taking risks as a pathway to growth.Celebrating career milestones and achievements within the B2B marketing community.Key Links:Guest: Talya Heller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/talyahellermba18/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Irem Isik, Head of Marketing at Storyly, who shares her journey from B2C roles at Unilever and Nestlé to leading marketing in a B2B startup. Erin discusses the transition from structured corporate environments to the dynamic startup world, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and adaptability. Key takeaways include the significance of maintaining brand authenticity, leveraging content as a marketing asset, and building genuine relationships. Erin also highlights the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, where emotional connections and a customer-centric approach are crucial for success.Irem and Jane talk through:Differences between large corporations and startup environmentsImportance of understanding the customer and being customer-obsessedSkills and experiences carried over from B2C to B2B marketingMarketing the emotional benefits of products rather than just the functional aspectsThe evolution of brand marketing in the B2B spaceThe concept of the "media company mindset" in B2B marketingBuilding partnerships and community engagementChallenges in conducting customer research in B2BThe significance of personal branding and networking in marketing careersKey Links:Guest: Irem Isik - https://www.linkedin.com/in/isikiremtr/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Tas Bober, B2B SaaS Digital Marketing Advisor & Founder at Delphinium Solutions. Tas shares her unique journey from journalism to marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding product marketing and buyer journeys for effective landing pages. She discusses her experiences in sales, the challenges women face in the workplace, and the significance of supportive leadership. The episode offers valuable insights into digital marketing strategies, particularly around landing pages and paid media ads, and underscores the power of resilience and continuous learning in career growth.Tas and Jane discuss:The importance of understanding product marketing and buyer journeysStrategies for creating effective landing pagesHow deep product knowledge enhances the quality of landing pagesSharing insights from landing page tests with other marketing teamsConcentrating on a few effective marketing channels rather than spreading efforts too thinWhy content syndication is just glorified list buyingThe role of sales experience in enhancing marketing effectivenessExperimentation and iteration in marketing strategiesInsights on collaboration between marketing and product teamsChallenges women face in the workplace, particularly in leadership rolesMentorship and support among women in marketingThe impact of workplace culture on women's career advancementChallenges and responsibilities of running a business while managing personal lifeTas's goal to support minority entrepreneurs and promote authenticity in entrepreneurshipKey Links:Guest: Tas Bober - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasbober/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Mentioned in Episode:Laura Nguyen - Executive Coach (Burnout) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauran546/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Natalie Marcotullio, the Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic. They explore Natalie's journey into B2B marketing, her insights on the evolution of SEO, and the importance of creating valuable content. Natalie emphasizes brand awareness and value creation over direct conversions, and discusses the collaborative development of a buyers report with Chili Piper. The conversation also highlights the impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and the significance of understanding customer needs and sales enablement.Natalie talks through:The evolution of SEO and its current relevance in digital marketing.The importance of creating valuable content that addresses customer needs.Collaboration on a buyers report with Chili Piper to enhance B2B buying experiences.Strategies for measuring success focused on brand awareness rather than direct conversions.The significance of understanding customer pain points and sales enablement.Challenges and successes of working in a small marketing team within a larger organization.How she collaborates with advisors for product and marketing insights.Identifying inefficiencies in business communication and operations.The impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and marketing.The role of word-of-mouth marketing in generating leads and building trust.Key Links:Guest: Natalie Marcotullio - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-marcotullio/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Chelsea Castle, Head of Content and Brand at Close. They delve into Chelsea's career journey, from journalism to tech marketing, and her new role's challenges. Chelsea shares her strategies for the first 90 days in a new position, emphasizing rapport-building and impactful contributions. The discussion highlights current content marketing trends, the importance of authenticity, and the need for creativity. They also explore balancing strategic planning with quick wins and the significance of qualitative feedback. Chelsea and Jane discuss:Chelsea's transition from journalism to B2B marketing and content strategy at tech companiesHer experience in marketing to marketers and sales teams Understanding your audience and getting creative with contentChelsea's approach to the first 90 days in a new role and the importance of setting achievable goalsBuilding rapport within the team and cross-functionally in a new roleBalancing long-term planning and quick wins in a marketing roleThe shift from SEO-based content strategies to new distribution channels in B2B marketingChallenging oneself to think differently and avoid following trends for the sake of being differentRethinking the approach to LinkedIn takeovers, making it more organic and impactfulSeeking inspiration from diverse industries and the role of intuition in marketingFostering creativity, including optional brainstorms and the concept of brain writingDefining content that converts, focusing on building connections and trust before driving actionSignificance of a diverse mix of content types and mediums to resonate with the audienceUnique advantages of written and video content, with an example of successful framework contentThe value of qualitative feedback in measuring content success and the discussion on overrated content practices, emphasizing the need for authenticity and depthReturning to work after becoming a mom and the challenges of adjusting to a new version oneselfKey Links:Guest: Chelsea Castle - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseacastle/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Margot Kashuba Lee, CMO at Belkins. Margot shares her unique career path from finance to marketing, driven by her passion for social media and community building. She discusses the importance of her finance background in shaping data-driven marketing strategies and bridging the gap between finance and marketing. Margot also highlights her approach to building high-performing teams, emphasizing soft skills and team chemistry. Margot and Jane talk through:Margot's transition from finance to marketing and her discovery of marketing strategies.The impact of her finance background on her role as a CMO and her approach to numbers and data-driven marketing.Building the right team and team structure to achieve company goals.Revenue-driving and demand strategies, including an omnichannel approach, account-based marketing, and thought leadership content.Challenges in measuring ABM campaigns and the tools used for tracking and analytics.Tracking the impact of omnichannel approach on cold email response rates and the importance of historical data for comparison.The changing landscape of cold email outreach and the need for personalized, validated databases and deliverability tools.Key Links:Guest: Margaret (Margot) Kashuba Lee - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leemargarita/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra engages with Maggie Blume, a Deliverability Consultant at The Luster Group, to delve into the intricacies of email deliverability in the B2B sector. Maggie shares her journey from an introverted accountant to a successful sales professional, emphasizing the power of active listening and asking insightful questions. The discussion covers essential deliverability strategies, such as avoiding spam words, warming up new domains, and the importance of segmentation. Maggie also highlights the value of collaboration between sales and marketing and encourages women to embrace opportunities and build personal brands.Maggie and Jane discuss:Maggie's introverted nature and how it has become a strength in her sales career.The value of active listening and asking good questions in sales conversations.The importance of focusing on the prospect's needs rather than pushing a personal agenda.Understanding the significance of email deliverability for sales and marketing, and its impact on open rates.Key steps to improve deliverability, including consulting with software providers and IT teams.The impact of subscriber engagement on deliverability and the importance of managing subscriber lists effectively.The process of warming up a new domain to make it appear more human and improve email deliverability.Collaboration between sales and marketing, and how support content can lead to more leads.Key Links:Guest: Maggie Blume - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieblume/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Catherine Solazzo, CMO at Syntax. Catherine shares her career journey, starting as an intern at IBM and evolving into leadership roles. She discusses the challenges and strategies involved in leading marketing transformation, emphasizing the importance of trust, data-driven decision-making, and agile methodologies. Catherine also highlights her expanded responsibilities, including inside sales and sales operations, and reflects on her aspirations beyond the CMO role. Jane and Catherine discuss:Differences between public company and private equity ownership in terms of flexibility, focus, and historical processesChallenges and strategies in setting a marketing foundation, establishing expectations, and gaining buy-in for transformationImportance of trust and collaboration in leadership - and why she never misses a deadlineShifting from reliance on sentiment to dataUse of agile frameworks and methodologies in marketing transformationIntegration of technology and tools for an efficient and collaborative work environmentThe reasoning behind Catherine's expanded CMO role to include inside sales and sales ops functions Catherine's participation in the Marketing Academy fellowship program and the valuable experiences and learnings gained from itContemplation of transitioning into a CEO role after CMOThe importance of self-analysis and finding one's identity and purposeKey Links:Guest: Catherine Solazzo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-solazzo/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ The Marketing Academy - https://themarketingacademy.org/us/the-fellowship/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Alessandra Colaci, an AI consultant and founder of Humans Plus AI. Alessandra shares her journey from B2C to B2B marketing and her transition into AI. They discuss the practical applications of AI tools like ChatGPT, emphasizing the importance of providing context and experimenting with different approaches. Alessandra offers insights on managing AI initiatives, handling sensitive data, and integrating AI strategically into marketing efforts. She also highlights the need for continuous learning, ethical considerations, and embracing mistakes as part of the growth process in AI and marketing.Alessandra walks us through:Starting with AI tools like ChatGPT and providing context for AIGuardrails for using AI, privacy, and handling sensitive dataHer clients' approach to AI initiatives and guidance on leveraging AI efficientlyPotential of AI in marketing and its impact on business relationshipsLeveraging AI for data analysis in marketing, including product marketingPractical advice on managing logistics for AI analysis and providing context for accurate analysisUse of AI tools like Midjourney, Magnifique, and Perplexity for image creation and data analysisEthical considerations and biases in AI, diversity and inclusion in training dataContinuous learning, experimentation, and embracing mistakes for growth and success in AI and marketing landscapeKey Links:Guest: Alessandra Colaci - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandraco/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Humans + AI: https://humansplus.ai/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Allyson Havener, SVP of Marketing and Community at TrustRadius. Allyson shares insights from the B2B Buying Disconnect report by TrustRadius and Pavilion. She emphasizes the value of leveraging customer reviews, original content, and proprietary research to build brand trust and influence buyer decisions. Allyson also highlights the growing role of millennials and Gen Z in the B2B buying process and the significance of balancing positive and negative feedback. Allyson and Jane discuss:Leveraging customer reviews and original content in B2B marketingSignificance of easy access to product information for buyersGrowing influence of millennials and Gen Z in the B2B buying processThe growth of buying committees in the enterprise and the shrinking buying groups in the mid-market and SMB segmentsThe top three factors that make buyers more likely to purchaseBuilding brand trust through review strategiesLeveraging proprietary research for marketing strategy and to build brand authorityTrustRadius' goal of driving consumption of the report to change industry perceptionsEmbracing mistakes and learning from them for personal and professional growthKey Links:Guest: Allyson Havener - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-havener/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ 2024 B2B Buying Disconnect Report: The Year of the Brand Crisis

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Brianna Doe, Founder & CEO at Verbatim. Brianna delves into how she built her "portfolio career," revealing her creative passions and her role as a guiding light on LinkedIn, where she created a job board to help others. The conversation touches on her organizational strategies, the nuances of B2B influencer marketing, and the importance of clear communication with influencers to ensure campaign success. Brianna walks through:balancing multiple roles and the importance of a well-structured schedulethe concept of a portfolio career and how to pursue multiple passions professionallystigma and nuances of job hopping in the corporate worldstrategies for staying organized and managing various projects and time effectivelyleveraging SOPs - standard operating procedure docs - to scalechallenges and opportunities in B2B influencer marketingestablishing clear goals and metrics with influcner partnerships and collaborationssetting boundaries and seeking mentorship in the early stages of a marketing careerKey Links:Guest: Brianna Doe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Verbatim - https://www.weareverbatim.com/Brianna's Site - https://www.briannadoe.com/Stop the Scroll - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stop-the-scroll-w-brianna-doe/id1732308502

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Tara Robertson, Head of Demand Gen at Chili Piper, for a rich discussion on the intersection of brand and demand generation. Tara shares her marketing journey, emphasizing the importance of brand strength, sales alignment, and the power of collaboration for successful marketing initiatives. They explore the value of honest feedback, the role of influencers in content creation, and the challenges of traditional email nurturing. Tara also highlights Chili Piper's selective hiring process, the benefits of a global remote team, and their unique "ABM lite" strategy. Tara and Jane discuss:The importance of brand in demand generationAlignment and collaboration between marketing and sales teamsCollecting and encouraging honest feedback - even anecdotal Documenting feedback, especially for events and sponsorshipsThe shift in influencer collaboration from distribution to early involvement in content creation, with an example of successful collaborationLimitations of traditional email nurturing and the move towards retargeting on LinkedIn as a non-traditional approach'The need for diverse event locationsHiring and building a strong team at Chili PiperRemote work setup and its impact on team collaborationIntegration of account-based marketing (ABM) and demand generationEvolution of the B2B marketing landscapeAdvice for young marketers to start sharing their thoughts and ideasKey Links:Guest: Tara Robertson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraarobertson/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra is joined by Melissa Moody and Nycole Walsh to dissect their "Balancing the Boardroom" research report. They delve into gender equity in leadership, the impact of societal norms on women's career choices, and the balancing act of family and work life. The conversation reveals generational shifts in leadership aspirations and the hurdles women face in seeking speaking opportunities. Emphasizing the need for systemic change and allyship, the speakers share personal stories and stress the importance of language in shaping gender roles. They conclude with empowering advice for women to trust their inner voice and challenge stereotypes, urging listeners to spread the word and continue the dialogue for a more inclusive professional landscape.Nycole and Melissa help us unpack:The importance of addressing disparities in leadership representation for womenGenerational differences in attitudes towards leadership rolesThe impact of childhood messaging on women's confidence and career choicesChallenges women face in balancing family and professional responsibilitiesGender gaps in applying for speaking opportunities and societal conditioningThe importance of raising awareness and promoting events to prioritize diversity and inclusionBeing mindful of language and stereotypes when it comes to parenting and gender rolesEmbracing the "second voice" for personal growth and decision-makingEncouraging women to challenge gender stereotypes and pursue their goals with confidenceKey Links:Guests: Nycole Walsh - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nycole-walsh/Melissa Moody - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissammoody/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Balancing the Boardroom - https://www.wednesdaywomen.org/post/balancing-the-boardroom-2024

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra chats with B2B rockstar Sydney Sloan, CMO of Drata, about the power of personal branding and networking for career advancement. Sydney also shares her B2B marketing journey, emphasizing the need to understand the market and be passionate about solving customer problems. She advises listeners on building networks, engaging with industry influencers, and the steps to transition into advisory and board roles. Sydney walks us through:the importance of personal branding and its impact on career growthher journey in B2B marketing and transitioning into techbuilding a strong professional network and engaging with industry influencerstips for effective networking, making relevant connections, and the importance of being prepared for mentoring sessionsexploring career goals and the value of seeking advice from multiple sourcesovercoming discomfort in networking situations and the importance of putting oneself out theretransitioning into advisory and board rolesnavigating the competitive job-seeking landscapeasking the right questions when looking for a new role to ensure the fit is right, and the value of regularly assessing if the role still feels rightunderstanding one's worth and leveraging networks for job opportunitiesKey Links:Guest: Sydney Sloan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Women in Revenue - https://womeninrevenue.org/Breaking the Tech Ceiling - https://www.breakingthetechceiling.com/