Author: Melissa Caffrey

What do surfboards, The Grateful Dead, and the Savannah Bananas baseball team have in common? If you ask marketing expert David Meerman Scott, they all hold valuable lessons for creating a standout marketing strategy that connects deeply with your audience. 

In this episode, David joins host Drew Neisser to discuss the latest (9th!) edition of his iconic book, The New Rules of Marketing & PR, and how CMOs can navigate a rapidly changing landscape with AI, content creation, and fan-building strategies. From redefining traditional marketing to real-world examples with unconventional success, David offers practical advice for B2B CMOs aiming to stay ahead in 2025 and beyond. 

A few key takeaways: 

• Why understanding your audience is still the bedrock of effective marketing. 
• How AI is impacting content creation—and where companies are getting it wrong. 
• The power of newsjacking: how to inject your brand into breaking news to capture attention and boost visibility. 
• The enduring value of building real-world experiences to connect with customers. 
• Marketing lessons from the Grateful Dead and how to apply them to your business. 

Tune in for insights on the future of marketing, how to stand out, and how unconventional thinking can drive success in the B2B world.

What You’ll Learn 

• How to newsjack (aka leverage breaking news for brand visibility) 
• How B2B companies should be using AI 
• Real-world examples of winning brands 

How can CMOs effectively coach their CEOs and cultivate a strong, productive relationship? In this episode, executive coach Susan Gurnik shares her expert strategies for CMOs looking to navigate the complex dynamics of working with CEOs, whether they’re first-timers or seasoned leaders.

• Learn how to actively listen and align with your CEO’s vision, even when it’s not fully formed. 
• Discover techniques for handling high-stress situations and managing all different flavors of executive leaders. 
• Explore real-world examples of successful CEO-CMO relationships and how subtle coaching can lead to transformational growth. 
• Understand the importance of setting boundaries, using common language, and being adaptable in the face of ever-changing business demands.

If you’re a marketing leader looking to strengthen your relationship with your CEO and drive greater success for your organization, this episode is packed with practical advice and insights you won’t want to miss! 

What You’ll Learn 

• How to build a better relationship with your CEO 
• Tips for active listening 
• How to navigate fundamental disagreements 

How can marketing truly lead transformational change in an organization? In this episode, top B2B CMOs Paige O’Neill of Seismic, Kevin Ruane of Precisely, and Amy Messano of Altair share their experiences and strategies for driving big change within their organizations. 

• Uncover the strategies behind successful brand consolidation and the impact it has on growth and employee engagement. 
• Explore how to position marketing at the center of your business strategy and why it’s crucial for driving long-term success. 
• Hear real-life stories of how these marketing leaders have navigated the challenges of shifting to ABM, embracing generative AI, and fostering a culture of innovation. 
• Gain insights into securing and maintaining executive and board-level buy-in for ambitious marketing initiatives.

If you’re ready to take on the role of a change agent in your organization, this episode offers the insights and inspiration you need to lead with confidence. Tune in!

What You’ll Learn 

• How 3 CMOs drive change at their organizations 
• How to navigate an acquisitive brand 
• Tips for driving organizational change 

Standing out in the B2B world isn’t getting any easier. In this episode, we dive deep into the art of positioning with Allyson Letteri, author of Standout Startup. 

• Learn the top three mistakes brands make and how to avoid them 
• Discover how to create compelling messaging that sets you apart 
• Hear real-world success stories from companies like Handshake and Thumbtack 
• Understand the importance of alignment between marketing and sales 
• Get actionable tips on content strategy and customer journey optimization

If you’re ready to transform your startup into a standout success, this episode is packed with practical advice you won’t want to miss!

And to hear more from Allyson, she’ll be speaking at the upcoming CMO Super Huddle in Palo Alto (Nov 7th-8th, 2024).

What You’ll Learn 

• 3 key positioning mistakes most brands are making 
• How to create compelling messaging that sets you apart 
• Why you need to map to the customer journey 
• Real world use cases of B2B brands who mastered positioning 

Struggling with your executive job search? Dive into this can’t-miss episode featuring marketing guru Drew Neisser! Discover:

• Why the B2B CMO job market is so challenging right now 
• The 6-step process to land your next role faster 
• How to craft a personal brand that stands out 
• Tactics for leveraging LinkedIn (and avoiding its pitfalls) 
• Interview prep secrets to outshine the competition 
• The truth about starting a consultancy during transition

Plus:

• Should you build a personal website? 
• Is the CMO role really “dying”? 
• Video introductions: yay or nay?

Packed with actionable advice and insider tips used in the CMO Huddles Transition Team curriculum, this episode is a must-listen for any B2B marketing leader navigating career transitions in today’s competitive landscape.

A special thank you to today’s guest host, Julie Michelle Morris and the DIY Influence Community for inviting Drew to share his wisdom and guiding the conversation.

What You’ll Learn 

• How to strategically approach the CMO job search 
• Why the CMO job market is so challenging 
• Pre and post interview strategy 

“Even if great writing eludes you, brevity needn’t.” 

This powerful principle drives Smart Brevity, the transformative communication method pioneered by the founders of Axios. Join co-author Roy Schwartz, a true brevity mastermind, reveals how to ditch corporate waffle and get to the point.

Discover strategies to distill complex ideas into impactful bites across the organization, like: 

• Visualizing your audience (literally) 
• The magic formula of “What’s New” and “Why It Matters”  
• Mastering information hierarchy 
• Crafting compelling internal updates 
• Transforming your team into concise communicators

Learn why 200,000+ pros swear by Smart Brevity. Your audience (and inbox) will thank you. 

What You’ll Learn 

• The core principles behind impactful writing 
• How to get good at smart brevity 
• How smart brevity connects to pipeline and revenue