Alignment between sales and marketing continues to be a prevailing topic of discussion. Despite their shared goal of driving business growth, their distinct approaches often lead to divergent strategies and perspectives.During this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, hosts Cari and Dana chat with industry pioneer Pam Didner about why this alignment is still a subject of contention and explores the underlying disparities that fuel this conversation. Some key points discussed included:Practical ways marketing can better support sales, such as analyzing attendee data from webinars and events to find new leads for salespeople.Advice for marketers in the current economic environment, such as focusing on quick wins in the first 90 days at a new job.Perspectives on how AI can help but not replace human judgment and the importance of having a unique point of view.RELATED LINKSConnect with Pam on Twitter and LinkedIn.Learn more about Pam’s career.Learn more about Unreal Digital.

In this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, we listen back to Cari and Dana's conversation with Sandra Freeman, VP of Strategic Marketing at Demandbase, a software company helping companies give better account-based experiences (ABX). With all of her experience, she has seen her share of marketing mess-ups! Even seasoned professionals can hit some bumps when working to drive revenue.Join our hosts, Cari and Dana, as they dive into Sandra's unforgettable moments when everything went wrong, from accidentally misspelling the CEO's name to shedding tears after webinars. The group also discusses their mishaps during in-person events, including the infamous "Silverado Weekend Mistake." Get ready for some real-life stories and valuable lessons learned. Tune in now!RELATED LINKSConnect with Sandra on Twitter and LinkedIn.Learn more about Demandbase.Learn more about Unreal Digital.

If you're a marketing pro eager to stay ahead of the cool stuff that happens when AI and marketing collide, this is the place for you! We're here to spill all the juicy insights and practical tips for using AI tools in your marketing adventures. So, let's dive in and discover how AI can supercharge your marketing game without any worries or doubts holding you back.During this episode, Dana and Cari chat with Lynsey Barron, the newly appointed President at Unreal Digital Group, about artificial intelligence and how it relates to B2B marketing. Tune in to learn:The different use cases of AI, like content generation and process efficiencies; Opportunities and challenges around AI discoverability; and Lessons from using AI for consumer research and personalizing content. RELATED LINKSFollow Lynsey here!Learn more about Unreal Digital Group.Check out our other episodes!

As many generations coalesce in today's dynamic workplace, colliding perspectives, values, and work styles will either lead to tension or become a powerful catalyst for growth and innovation. But to ensure you’re fostering this innovation, business leaders must be authentic and supportive, and create a nurturing environment where teams can thrive. It’s very similar to parenting!During this episode, Cari and Dana chat with Hana Jacover, ICF certified coach and advisor for the consulting firm Hype House. The group discusses the intersection of leadership, authenticity, and parenting, uncovering the key principles and strategies to help us become empowered and influential leaders within our workplace and families.Listeners will learn about:What leadership journeys look like for new and experienced professionals.How professional development and emotional intelligence play into building leadership acumen.Diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as Neurodiversity accommodations and support.RELATED LINKSFollow Hana here!Learn more about Unreal Digital Group.Check out our other episodes!

As we gather again to embark on our next thrilling podcast adventure, we can't help but reflect on the whirlwind journey we've been on over the past couple of years. It has been nothing short of chaotic and exhilarating, hasn't it? Now, as we dive into this new chapter, we find ourselves asking some important questions. How can we, as B2B marketers and entrepreneurs, seize the opportunity amidst our challenges? With recessions looming and marketing departments tightening budgets, how can we navigate this chaos and turn it to our advantage? These are the conversations we're eager to delve into – exploring the strategies and insights that will help us uncover hidden opportunities amid uncertainty. During our first episode this season, we discuss plans for the podcast and talk about realigning Unreal Digital Group to serve clients better, hiring new talented team members, and opening an office in the UK. Tune in to hear:Changes and restructuring agencies to focus more on client needs and expectations;Opportunities to help clients navigate economic challenges through ideas like focusing on revenue, marketing operations, and go-to-market strategies; andThe podcast’s upcoming episode topics like AI, generational differences in the workplace, and better-aligning sales and marketing.RELATED LINKSFollow Cari here!Follow Dana here!Learn more about Unreal Digital Group.Check out our other episodes!

In a world where digital marketing is king, it's easy to forget the power of good old-fashioned event marketing. But this tried and true approach can still be highly effective in engaging potential customers and driving leads. All that said, event marketing is its own breed and can lead to unique mishaps and uh-oh moments. Stefanie Maragna is a passionate, tenacious, motivated sales and marketing professional with 20+years of experience in both sales and marketing fields. She has a strong track record of success in sales, field marketing, events, customer advocacy programs, and marketing communications. She has worked both in FMCG, Not-for-Profit and IT. Currently managing corporate marketing at Sage Intacct, Stefanie has many experiences and “Oh-Shit” moments to share, highlighting what can happen when working events for enterprise-level brands. Tune in to this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, where our hosts Cari and Dana talk with Stefanie about the value of having a sales background in a marketing role. The group also discusses Stefanie’s “Ha-Ha” moments in event marketing, including running events while struggling with morning sickness and losing a whole truckload of branded swag for an event!

Marketing leaders know that building a customer-centric organization is essential for success in the modern marketplace. And while there are many different approaches to achieving this goal, one critical element is cultivating a diversity, equality, and inclusion (DE&I) mindset within your team. With a great passion for being a driving force for innovative change, Deanna Ransom is a woman on a mission to make a difference through empowering women and DE&I positive businesses. She is a leader with over 25 years of growth and leadership within B2B and non-profit sectors, recently serving as the Global Head of Marketing Services and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chairperson for Televerde. Deanna helped develop a new go-to-market strategy transforming and modernizing the business while delivering organizational change by leading the cultural transformation initiative for the company. As the Executive Director of Women in Revenue, Deanna and the team at Women in Revenue are helping businesses grow and scale with a DE&I mindset. They continue to help women in revenue-impacting business roles through education, support, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Tune in to this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, where our hosts Cari and Dana talk with Deanna about the current state of diversity, equality, and inclusion in the marketplace. The group also discusses Deanna’s biggest “Oh Shit” moment, in which her team was persuaded into a big (and unsuccessful) product marketing campaign and its impact on customer relationships.

Businesses are forced to take a look at their marketing messaging when surprises of any severity occur. To ensure that they are not putting any customer relationships in danger, businesses have to pull back the reins on their marketing efforts in certain situations–from industry speedbumps to global pandemics! While this is understandable, it can also be quite detrimental to a company's bottom line. So, what is the right way to handle marketing during unforeseen circumstances? And what should you avoid doing? Meg Hoyecki serves as Vice President of Marketing, leading go-to-market strategy, communications, and voice-of-customer initiatives for SOC Telemed. Meg brings 15 years of healthcare marketing expertise and has been part of SOC Telemed’s leadership team since 2017. Prior to SOC Telemed, Meg led marketing teams at high-growth companies including Ciox Health and Optum, specializing in creating awareness and demand in new markets with innovative solutions. Meg has a plethora of experience marketing in a chaotic market, and has many stories to share highlighting what it takes to make messages stick with patient-first prospects. Tune in to this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, where our hosts Cari and Dana talk with Meg about some of their “Oh Shit” moments in their career, including the headaches that happen when a healthcare company goes public and needs to set up a BDR team during a global pandemic! The group also discusses how messaging has grown evermore important at a time where buyer expectations and needs can change at the drop of a hat.

It's no secret that employees are the lifeblood of any company - they're the ones who keep things moving and make things happen. But while it's important to focus on employee satisfaction and engagement, it's also crucial to remember that companies have goals to meet as well. So how do you balance the two? Ari Fefferman works at Fitbit, recently acquired by Google, for the company’s Health Solutions team as Director of Demand Generation. She has worked in digital marketing since she was 16 with a variety of clients ranging from small business retail to global financial services. She transitioned to in-house marketing roles with Google and a cloud monitoring software startup called SignalFx, which is now a part of Splunk. Tune in to this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, where our hosts Cari and Dana talk with Ari about what it’s like to run marketing at startup and enterprise companies alike. The group also discusses how to work with lean resources and walking the tough tightrope of balancing employees’ professional goals and company goals.

Marketing leaders know that in order to be effective they need to be flexible. The marketplace is always evolving and with it, the needs of the customer. To keep up, marketing teams must be able to rapidly adapt their strategies and tactics. Mac McConnell is a veteran in the marketing world and business tech market. As the former VP of Marketing at ServiceChannel, he saw firsthand how flexible teams are helping companies overcome uncertain market conditions and create unique ways to provide awesome customer experiences. He also helped many businesses adopt marketing automation as one of the co-Founders of Bluebird Strategies, now part of Square2 Marketing. Tune in to this episode of the Marketing Gets Real podcast, where our hosts Cari and Dana chat with Mac about how being flexible can help in times of uncertainty–from poor budget choices to a full-blown pandemic. The group also talks about the value of persona messaging, so demand gen, content marketing and product marketing are working from the same playbook.