On Episode 163, David Etheredge is in to discuss progressive web apps, technology, generating prospects and lots more. David’s CEO and co-founder at SavvyCard, which he describes as a mobile engagement SaaS platform that creates customized web applications to make it easy for businesses to create connections, build relationships and drive transactions with their customers through the mobile web. Think real estate agents and the like. David has an interesting background. He worked in renewable energy in the wind sector, trying to make it as an actor in Los Angeles, and working as a game developer. A couple decades ago he got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. Now he’s running SavvyCard--I’ll let him tell that story. Links of InterestDavid Etheredge on LinkedInSavvyCard

Confessions of a Marketer

Progressive Web Apps

Allies in Action™, a new web forum created from a strategic partnership between Aperture VC and Impact ROI LLC, held its inaugural event on July 8. The Zoom-based event featured a prestigious group of speakers from the venture capital, real estate, healthcare, management consulting and media/publishing industries. Read the full press release here.July 8 ForumIn the wake of the death of George Floyd, advocates for racial and economic equity have called for companies to take leadership. This means going beyond supportive press releases and new CSR programs, to the commitment for strong diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, measurable DEI personnel growth, supportive public policy advocacy, and strategic investment in new innovation models for the emerging “Multicultural Mainstream.” SpeakersSteve Rochlin, CEO, IMPACT ROIBryan Greene, Director of Fair Housing Policy at National Association of REALTORS®Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland, CEO, The WISE FundRitse Erumi, Technology Fellow, Future of Work(ers), The Ford FoundationMelissa Potter, Head of Social Impact and Communications, Odyssey ImpactWilliam Crowder, Founder, Aperture Venture Capital

Special: Allies in Action--Racial and Economic Equity as Corporate Competitive Advantage

On Episode 162, Marty McDonald is in to discuss digital marketing in the COVID-19 era and lots more. Marty is co-founder and CEO of Bad Rhino, and full-service social media marketing agency. He likes developing unique and customizable strategies for his clients. I wanted to get together with him to discuss his approach and also find out his point of view on marketing in the COVID-19 era. Links of InterestMarty McDonald on LinkedInBad Rhino

Demystifying Digital Marketing

On Episode 161, Travis Chambers is in for a discussion about Quantitative Creative. Travis runs Chamber.Media and says there’s a science behind creativity and content. We dig into that and also find out how he approaches the creative process—and he shares some advice for all of you. Links of InterestTravis Chambers on LinkedInChamber.MediaMade to Stick on AmazonPurple Cow on Wikipedia

The Age of Quantitative Creative

On Episode 160, Naira Perez is in to discuss Instagram stories, her firm Spring Hill Digital--and lots more. We talked way back in the pre-COVID days, but the discussion is really valuable for all of us right now. I will say up front, that Instagram is not my specialty, so I learned a lot from Naira. We discuss how companies can use them to their advantage to get engagement, how she has used them with her clients, and other platforms that are getting her attention. Plus, we learn how she ended up in Portland, Oregon.Links of InterestNaira Perez on LinkedInSpringHill Digital

Telling a Great Story

On Episode 159, we have a really important discussion with Ian David on ageism in advertising and marketing--and his collective called FEARLESS. Ian has worked with a variety of the biggest brands in the world as a copywriter and creative director. A couple of years ago, he found himself out of work and was sending out resumes everywhere--and got little response. He realized that it was because ad agencies are obsessed with youth. So, after some thought, he created FEARLESS--a network of freelance ad talent dedicated to helping ambitious clients achieve outrageous goals. On his website for FEARLESS, he says “Ad agencies are obsessed with youth. We’re obsessed with talent.” We have a chat about his background, the underpinnings of FEARLESS and ageless creativity, how he’s organizing FEARLESS, what success looks like, and also how he sees the need for big thinking increasing as we (hopefully) emerge from the COVID lockdown sometime soon. If you’re of a certain age--really, if you’re of any age--this is an important discussion.Links of InterestIan David on LinkedInAbout Ian DavidFEARLESSHow Agencies Are Addressing Ageism (AdWeek)

Ageless Creativity

On Episode 158, Naomi Liu is in to discuss marketing operations. It’s hard for me to sum up our discussion. It’s really about so much more than marketing operations. We talk about her background, how she views marketing operations, how marketing operations interacts with the rest of marketing, the key skill sets for marketing ops, and balancing the right-brain and left-brain. In addition, and here’s where we really go beyond the subject, we learn about her journey as a woman in tech--and how she has battled imposter syndrome. Plus, we explore the idea of being a “boundary spanner”--and I think it’s clear Naomi is one. This was a wonderful discussion--and it was so great to catch up with a colleague from a decade ago.Links of InterestNaomi Liu on LinkedInEFIImposter Syndrome (Psychology Today)Why Every Sales and Marketing Team Needs a “Boundary Spanner” (HBR)

Marketing Operations

On Episode 157, Iain Preston, chief client success officer for EMEA at Wunderman Thompson joins us. We talked as COVID was making headlines and had client success and modern marketing as the focus of the discussion. But we started off talking about the dot-com boom and bust of 20 years ago, how empathy is so important in this global health crisis. And we also talked about how your life outside of work is so important and we’re all human. Plus, we cover the needs of the modern marketer, how to consider the customer experience, collaboration inside of WPP--and of course his role in ensuring customer success. We close with a discussion about how Wunderman Thompson has been working with brands during the COVID-19 crisis. Links of InterestIain Preston on LinkedInWunderman Thompson Appoints Iain Preston as Chief Client Success Officer, EMEA (Little Black Book)Say hello to Iain Preston

Ensuring Client Success

On Episode 156, Larry Ludwig is to chat about affiliate marketing, plus the early days of the web and web development. Larry has had a long career at the forefront of technology, digital marketing, and online business. It all started when he went to work for an ad agency in 1994. He helped create some of the first websites for the likes of JPMorgan Chase, LensCrafters, Minolta, T. Rowe Price, IBM, and ING Bank. We have a brief chat about the early days of the web. In December 2009, Larry created the website Investor Junkie to help satisfy his own needs and the needs of others to find unbiased investment content. From scratch, he created the leading investing review and comparison site, generating revenue only from affiliate marketing. And that is the subject we dig into, along with a bit about SEO, building an audience, and conversions. Links of InterestLarry Ludwig on LinkedInLudwig Media

Affiliate Marketing

On Episode 155, Dave Woodward of ClickFunnels is in to talk about Traffic Secrets and the book of the same name. Dave is chief revenue officer and a partner at ClickFunnels, a company that promises that you are “just a few simple clicks away from a beautifully-designed website marketing funnel.” I wanted to get to the bottom of that--and get a view into the book the head of ClickFunnels, Russell Brunson, wrote recently--Traffic Secrets. So Dave and I chatted a while back. You’ll get a view into Dave’s background, how ClickFunnels grew to $100 million in less than five years, a little about direct response advertising, and what is happening with ClickFunnels. This was recorded before COVID-19 had started to take over the world, but it’s still brimming with great thinking.Links of InterestDave Woodward on LinkedInClickFunnelsThe Book: Traffic Secrets

Traffic Secrets for Marketers

On Episode 154, Xenia Muntean is in to talk about her manifesto--important reading if you’re in the content business (aren’t we all in it?). We talked a while ago--way before COVID took over our lives, and that’s why it’s taken some time for me to get to this very valuable discussion. Xenia runs Planable--a social media collaboration and approval platform. And she has a new book, “The Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams,” which lays out how teams should work together in the new world of content marketing. In our chat, we learn about Planable, the key points of the books, the biggest hurdles content teams face, and how marketing teams can connect content and social media marketing to the results of the business. Plus, we delve into process, technology vs. phone calls and face-to-face conversations (remember, this was pre-COVID), and we get her view on where marketing is headed. Links of InterestXenia Muntean on LinkedInPlanableThe Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams

The Manifesto on Content Marketing Teams

On Episode 153, Henrik Becker is in to chat about SaaS and B2B marketing. Henrik’s a marketer who helps prepare companies for the next step in their growth. That involves marketing strategy, marketing automation, and laying the operational foundation for dealing with growth. It all sounds good, doesn’t it? Links of InterestHenrik Becker on LinkedInHenrik’s website

SaaS and B2B Marketing

On Episode 152, Blair Enns is in to talk about his book “The Win Without Pitching Manifesto.” Blair’s idea challenges agencies to buck the conventional wisdom that puts the client in the driver’s seat—a scenario that makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to lead in the engagement. He lives in the wilds of rural British Columbia, so we get a taste of that lifestyle as well—and the unique point of view on business he has from his outpost. Plus, we discuss getting by when the power goes out. Blair is a fascinating guy and it was a fun discussion.Links of InterestBlair Enns on LinkedInWin Without PitchingBlair’s BooksKaslo, BC

Win Without Pitching

On Episode 151, Lisa Nirell joins us to discuss Being a Mindful Marketer—just when we need it most. Lisa was introduced to me by my frequent guest Alex Withers. I was fascinated by her focus, spelled out in her trailblazing book The Mindful Marketer. In our discussion, we learn what prompted the book, the key tenets of being a mindful marketer—and how we can all be more mindful. Plus, of course, we touch on data, how to make the marketing organization a healthier, more sustainable organization. Links of InterestLisa Nirell on LinkedInMore about Lisa on her websiteThe Mindful Marketing MeterAccidental Genius by Mark LevyPower vs. Force by Dr. David Hawkins

Being a Mindful Marketer

On Episode 150, Mark Truss, chief research officer at Wunderman Thompson, joins us. Mark has a long background in advertising and marketing. Mark has been running an Anxiety Index for 17 years. The latest one was run in March—and with anxiety at all-time highs, it’s a very timely study. Mark and I have a wide-ranging discussion about the index, what it all means, and what marketers should do in reaction to his data. Plus, we gaze into the future and think about the emotional state of people around the world once the crisis abates. Links of InterestMark Truss on LinkedInThe Anxiety IndexNew Surveys Show How Americans Are Anxious About COVID-19 And What Brands Should Do About It (Forbes)Apophenia: the tendency to mistakenly perceive connections and meaning between unrelated things

The Anxiety Index

In each episode of Confessions of a Marketer, Mark Reed-Edwards talks with a marketing leader or thinker about the deepest challenges in our business. Luminaries such as Beth Comstock, Whitney Johnson, Jacques van Niekerk and more have all shared their wisdom with Mark. Now in its second season, and covering everything across the marketing landscape--from brand to product to privacy, and everything in between--the podcast has become a must-listen for marketers around the world.Episodes go live most Mondays and Thursdays. 

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Confessions of a Marketer

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