The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

It’s increasingly clear that businesses that invest in their employees to achieve great employee experience are investing in their own future. To achieve this, inclusion across the organization, programs for professional development, and opportunities for employees to pursue their passion and purpose are critical for businesses. Today we’re going to talk about how leading organizations need to think about diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage, as well as a benefit to all involved. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Johane Domersant, Global Head of Human Resources at John Deere. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! John Deere website: https://www.johndeere.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, there was the promise of big data solving many of our business challenges, yet now here we are, flooded with data, and many business are having a hard time knowing what to prioritize and which data to pay attention to. Today we’re going to talk about prioritizing the right data and signals to make a meaningful impact on your business. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Prasanna Dhungel, Managing Partner at GrowByData. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! GrowByData website: https://www.growbydata.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about the role of artificial intelligence in creative roles and creative work, and how they can work together, conflict, and all of the above. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Toby Barlow, Co-Founder and Creative Chief at Lafayette American. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about AI and cybersecurity, and the promises, myths, and reality of how the two can work together to keep businesses and customers more secure. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Gary Guseinov, CEO at RealDefense. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about collaboration between product and marketing teams and how, when done well, this can drive business growth and an improvement in the customer experience overall. Some of what we will be discussing will be directly from Kameleoon’s 2023 Experimentation and Growth Survey and report, and we’ll make sure to put a link to access that report in the show notes. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Colllin Crowel, VP of Growth at Kameleeon and James McCormick. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Kameleoon website: https://www.kameleoon.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest challenges business leaders face today is managing multiple stakeholders. For the past half-century, most CEOs have simply sought to please board members and shareholders, with less regard to other stakeholders like employees, government entities or suppliers. But as demands for corporate responsibility have increased, CEOs are under increasing pressure to cater to a wide variety of stakeholder needs, and to find solutions that deliver across diverse groups. Today we’re going to talk about stakeholder design and how to approach it, and related approaches like horizontal thinking, to benefit the business, all of its stakeholders, as well as its customers. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Curt Schreiber, Chief Creative Officer at VSA Partners. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! VSA Partners website: https://www.vsapartners.com/ Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about a topic we don’t talk about much on this show - nonprofits, and more specifically since it’s December, end of year giving. If you’re like me, you’re probably currently being inundated with calls to donate from nonprofits on TV, email, social media, and any other channel you interact with. Just like other much larger brands, nonprofits struggle with acquisition and retention issues, and today we’re going to talk about how customer, or donor, retention is both a challenge and an opportunity, and even those in the for-profit space might get some insights from this discussion as well. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Ann Fellman, CMO at Bloomerang. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Bloomerange website: https://bloomerang.co/ Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about the role of product leaders in shaping the customer experience, and how continuous learning and continuous improvement help build great product teams. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jess Keeney, Chief Product Officer at Duck Creek Technologies. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about demystifying CX governance, what exactly we mean by “governance,” as well as the components that make it truly work for an organization—and their customers. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Sami Nuwar back to the show. He is a Customer Experience Leader and Thought Leader who has worked with some of the world’s top brands on CX initiatives. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Flavors of Governance: Governance can take many forms, but here we describe two types. We ask ourselves a key question: what are we governing? For operational governance, we're managing how we work or operate. For accountability governance, we're managing the changes to the business. Governance Functions: What are the types of work or functions that exist in a governance role? This document highlights the key jobs to be done within a governance function. Key Questions Gov Should Answer: As we drive our governance, what are the key questions we should be asking ourselves and our peers to be able to tell if we're making an impact? Goals and Measurements Success: measurements can depend on the state of your program and the readiness of the business, both of which can and will change over time. And so too should your measurements. Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about building a culture of experimentation and how it can benefit B2B brands. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Kirsty Dawe, CEO at Webeo. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Webeo website: https://www.webeo.com/ Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS Promoting innovation and experimentation in an organization begins with establishing clarity on the company's overall goals and ensuring that everyone is aligned towards those goals. This entails providing all employees with a clear understanding of the organization's collective objectives. Such clarity empowers individuals to confidently suggest ideas and communicate their thoughts, knowing that their contributions are in line with the company's overarching goals. Moreover, a clear understanding of the company's goals ensures that experiments and initiatives are more impactful, as they are aligned centrally rather than being isolated in individual silos. In the episode, it is emphasized that granting employees easy access to high-quality data is crucial for making informed decisions and determining where to focus experimentation efforts. The speaker underscores the significance of data within an organization, as it may sometimes be lacking. They suggest that access to data enables employees to decide where to begin and what to test or experiment with. By having easy access to data, employees can identify areas that are likely to have the greatest impact and allocate their time effectively. This access to data helps align experiments with the organization's goals and prevents individuals from working in isolation. Overall, the episode highlights the importance of providing employees with easy access to reliable data to drive effective experimentation and decision-making. According to the episode, creating a culture of experimentation involves celebrating both successes and failures. The speaker emphasizes the importance of acknowledging success and learning from failures. They suggest that failures should be presented as valuable insights into what doesn't work, rather than setbacks. This perspective reframes failures as opportunities for growth and learning. The speaker also highlights the need to share the lessons learned from failures across the organization. By doing so, everyone can benefit from the knowledge gained and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future. This culture of celebrating both successes and failures and sharing the learnings fosters a supportive and innovative environment where experimentation is encouraged. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about 'the reseller advantage' and how to modernize businesses by using cloud communications, without compromising customer relationships. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Patrick Sheehan, Intermedia's VP Channel Development and Distribution. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Intermedia website: https://www.intermedia.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about successful BPO, or Business Process Outsourcing, and what the enterprise can to do make it a win-win for the business and customers. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Sarah Ellenberg, Vice President of Professional Services. RESOURCES Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the ever-evolving landscape of work, where AI permeates our daily routines, it is imperative for teams at every company, including marketers, to embrace technology like AI in order to thrive and maintain a competitive edge. By understanding and harnessing the potential of AI, marketers can propel their companies towards success, keeping them relevant and at the forefront of their respective industries. Today we’re going to talk about why marketers need to be comfortable and fluent in technology like generative AI to support their org’s marketing strategy, development, and execution, and how reskilling and upskilling play a role in this. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO at Skillsoft. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Skillsoft website: https://www.skillsoft.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about Localization, Personalization, and AI, and how using these methods and tools well can increase ROI and improve the multi-channel customer experience. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Stephanie Shreve, Chief Marketing Officer at PowerChord. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the Stephanie Shreve from PowerChord emphasizes the importance of marketers dedicating time to reading and learning in order to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape. They highlight that with the constant changes, setting aside time to learn will help marketers stay at the forefront and avoid being left behind. While acknowledging that it may not always be easy, the guest believes that marketers should make an effort to learn as often as possible, considering it part of their job. Another topic discussed in the episode is the significance of predictability and demonstrating results for businesses. The guest speaker emphasizes the importance of being able to show businesses that their investment will yield specific results. This predictability is seen as beneficial for businesses in terms of planning and decision-making. The guest suggests that AI can contribute to this predictability by analyzing real-time and historical data to identify potential buyers and buyer groups that may have been overlooked. By having a more predictable understanding of what is likely to happen, businesses can target new markets and expand their brand's reach. Overall, the episode highlights predictability and the ability to show results as crucial factors for businesses to consider in their marketing strategies. The speakers also discuss how organizations should measure success in conversational marketing based on their goals. They emphasize the importance of analyzing where people drop off in their interactions. By identifying the reasons for drop-offs, organizations can gain valuable insights and make improvements to their conversational marketing strategies. For instance, if users are not completing a product recommendation chat, organizations can investigate whether all questions are being answered or if users are only answering a few before stopping. This analysis helps organizations understand user tolerance for questions and engagement levels. Additionally, organizations can identify areas where questions are not being answered properly and make adjustments to enhance the user experience. Overall, measuring success in conversational marketing involves analyzing user behavior and making improvements based on the insights gained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about enhancing E-commerce with AI by improving personalization, relevance, and the overall customer experience. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Sean Mullaney, a former Stripe and Google Executive, who is now Chief Technology Officer at Algolia, which you may or may not know is actually the second largest search engine behind Google, powering more than 1.75 trillion consumer search requests each year. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Algolia website: https://www.algolia.com Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nano Interactive’s recent data showed that 70% of UK consumers now regularly hide their personal data when online, and as the Government pushes through both its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and its Online Safety Bill, marketers need to be prepared for the post cookie apocalypse or they risk being left behind and their ad effectiveness will suffer. Today we’re going to talk about the post cookie world and what this means for advertisers and marketers, and how it stands to affect the customer experience. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Carl White, Co-Founder and Group CEO at Nano Interactive. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Nano Interactive website: https://nanointeractive.com/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, guest Carl White shares valuable advice for brands navigating the post-cookie world. He emphasizes the importance of brands fully understanding the evolving technologies in marketing and advertising. This entails dedicating time to learn and familiarize themselves with emerging approaches and techniques. One specific recommendation is to acquire the skills to model and scale data using these new approaches. This involves analyzing and interpreting data to make informed decisions and optimize marketing strategies. Furthermore, White advises brands to move away from relying solely on identity and profiling techniques. Instead, he encourages them to adopt a post-ID approach, thinking beyond traditional methods. This means not depending solely on walled gardens, platforms with restricted access to user data, for answers. Instead, brands should explore alternative methods and solutions. Overall, the advice for brands in the post-cookie world is to proactively understand and utilize new technologies while avoiding over-reliance on traditional identity and profiling techniques. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are presenting our 2nd annual Black Friday special episode, where we focus on an aspect of retail, looking back on the current year, as well as to what retailers should be keeping in mind for next year. With the prevalence of online shopping and growing ecommerce providers, brick-and-mortar retailers require business intelligence tools dedicated to in-store analytics to stay competitive in an omnichannel world. Today we’re going to talk about real-time data and AI for in-store retail operations. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Joe Shasteen, Global Manager, Advanced Analytics at RetailNext. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS Real-time data analytics can empower employees to make better decisions and meet customer needs by providing a clear understanding of their preferences and behaviors. This enables retailers to adjust strategies and approach to deliver a personalized and tailored experience for each customer. For instance, when a store experiences a high influx of customers, real-time data analytics can alert employees to crowded areas, allowing them to allocate additional staff members to manage queues and provide assistance. This ensures that customers do not have to wait for extended periods and receive prompt service.

Today we’re going to talk about proposals - love them or hate them, they are a requirement for so many companies, consultancies, and consultants to get new customers and new projects. Today we’re going to talk about some ways to do proposals better and smarter. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Joe Ardeeser, Founder & CEO at Smart Pricing Table. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Smart Pricing Table website: https://www.smartpricingtable Free download: The Profitable Proposal Blueprint: https://www.smartpricingtable.com/free-guide The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m excited to bring you the latest in a multi-part series sponsored by Contrast & Co., an award-winning brand strategy and communications agency determined to build the most strikingly different brand experiences anywhere. Today we’re going to talk about creating a strikingly different brand, why it is so important, as well as the cost of inauthenticity in branding. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Dharma Pachner, Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Contrast & Co. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am here at Opticon 2023, Optimizely’s annual conference, here in San Diego, California where there have been a lot of exciting announcements, and we’re going to get to at least a few of those today. Innovation and creativity don't happen in a vacuum. Humans work better in groups, and the right platform provides a base for their collective imagination to flourish. Today we’re going to talk about content creation and management as tools to boost creativity and effectiveness of marketing efforts, all to the benefit of the customer. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Deane Barker, Global Director of Content Management at Optimizely. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Optimizely website: https://www.optimizely.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, brought to you by Ceres Talent, a marketing staffing agency run by modern-day marketing matchmakers, we’re going to talk about planning for 2024, and what the experts are seeing as marketing leaders are identifying hiring needs and developing headcount budgets for 2024. To help me discuss these topics, I’d like to welcome Sue Keith, Corporate Vice President at Ceres Talent. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Ceres Talent website: https://www.cerestalent.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS The episode delves into the significance of returning to the office, highlighting that it encompasses more than just resuming work tasks. It emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions and spontaneous conversations, such as hallway chats and impromptu whiteboarding sessions, in fostering innovation within the organization. These types of interactions are seen as lacking on platforms like Zoom, which lack the spontaneity and connection-building that comes with face-to-face communication. Furthermore, the guest, Sue Keith from Ceres Talent, underscores that being physically present allows for the development of what they refer to as the "connective tissue" of the organization. This involves getting to know individuals in different departments and areas of the company, such as operations, finance, or HR. Building these connections and understanding everyone's collective role contributes to a stronger sense of connection to the overall mission of the company.

Today we’re going to talk about headless commerce, what it is, how to do it well, and why it is making sense for more and more brands. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jim Tattersall, Founder & CTO at Rotate°. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Rotate website: https://studiorotate.com/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, Jim Tattersall from Rotate emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the customer experience over solely maintaining a system. They explain that when organizations focus too much on maintaining the system, it can cause teams to lose sight of their philosophy. This means that teams may become overly focused on the technical aspects of system maintenance rather than finding ways to enhance the overall customer experience. The speaker stresses the need for organizations to fully operationalize this customer-centric approach. They highlight the significance of clean and reliable data in this process. It is crucial for organizations to determine the source of truth for their data and where it should be stored. oices

According to a recent report titled “The Tipping Point for Travel Loyalty in 2023” from iSeatz, while 61% of consumers believe that the loyalty programs they belong to are helping them to save money and get more value from their travel experience, only 51% of them visit their loyalty program website first when making travel booking decisions. What’s worse - 63% of loyalty providers thing they are their members’ first choice. So there are some disconnects between what customers want and are experiencing, and what loyalty programs are providing. Today we’re going to talk about the state of customer loyalty programs and the role of personalization in improving customer retention and lifetime value. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Andy Hermo, Chief Commercial Officer at iSeatz. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! iSeatz Loyalty Series report: https://www.iseatz.com/loyalty-series-report?utm_campaign=Tipping%20point%20for%20Loyalty%20H2%20-%20Clone&utm_source=Press%20Release&utm_content=Download%20Form iSeatz website: https://www.iseatz.com/en/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS According to the podcast episode, companies must prioritize understanding and meeting their customers' needs to improve their loyalty programs. One challenge is the lack of options and breadth of offerings in loyalty programs, which prevents customers from always choosing their loyalty program provider first. To enhance loyalty programs, customers expect a wide range of options that cater to their preferences and interests. Technology also plays a crucial role, and companies without modern tech stacks may struggle to keep up with evolving consumer needs. It is essential to invest in scalable and adaptable platforms that can incorporate advanced personalization capabilities. Additionally, dedicated and highly talented resources are necessary to drive a strategic loyalty approach. Relying on shared or part-time resources from marketing or finance departments may not be sufficient for effective loyalty program management. Therefore, companies should prioritize understanding and meeting customer needs, leveraging technology, and investing in the right talent to improve their loyalty programs.

In December of 2022, digital marketers in the healthcare industry were impacted by an expanded definition of PHI or personal health information in the HIPAA, or the health insurance portability and accountability act regulations, which are the the federal law in the United States that protects sensitive patient health incormation from being disclosed. While this impacts healthcare companies in the US most specifically, and our conversation today is going to center around healthcare marketers, there are lessons to be learned here for marketers in any industry or locale where consumer data privacy is under increased scrutiny and regulations Today we’re going to talk about creating a HIPAA-compliance marketing technology stack, and how to not sacrifice marketing effectiveness while still protecting consumer data, in this case personal health information. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Ray Mina, Head of Marketing at Freshpaint. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Freshpaint website: https://www.freshpaint.com Privacy First Framework Article: https://www.freshpaint.io/blog/privacy-first-framework-for-hipaa-compliance The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS n this episode, the speaker discusses the challenges faced by healthcare organizations in highly regulated industries, such as healthcare, where a compliance-driven mindset often hinders progress. This mindset is characterized by a tendency to avoid taking risks and halt all activities when problems arise. However, the speaker emphasizes that this approach is ineffective for achieving patient-focused outcomes. Instead, they suggest adopting a mindset shift that focuses on finding effective ways to address issues while still complying with regulations. To navigate the compliance landscape more effectively, the speaker mentions the availability of tools like Fresh Paint for healthcare organizations. They emphasize that although this approach may differ from traditional methods, it is not necessarily more difficult. The key is to embrace a mindset shift that prioritizes patient outcomes and adapts to the changing regulatory environment. The concept of "compliance by design" is also discussed in the episode, which involves incorporating compliance considerations from the start of any project or initiative. By integrating compliance into the operational side of healthcare organizations, they can avoid losing sight of patients and other important aspects, such as marketing. This approach allows organizations to use the tools that work best for them while still ensuring compliance.

Today we’re going to talk about the power of finding the right channel to share your expertise with others, while finding ways to continually learn more. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jonathan Rivera, Founder of The Podcast Factory and Host of ResultsLeader.fm. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Podcast Factory website: https://www.thepodcastfactory.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, Greg Kihlström is joined by Jonathan Rivera, founder of The Podcast Factory and host of resultsleader.fm, to discuss the power of finding the right channel to share your expertise with others while continually learning. They share valuable insights and tips for marketers and CX professionals on how to create an agile brand. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge on marketing technology and CX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about using customer feedback effectively, and how businesses can take the wealth of information they collect from their customers to make better business decisions that help both the customer, their employees, and the business. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Adam Alfia, Founder of Real Time Feedback. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the importance of responding to feedback is emphasized, with both the host and guest agreeing on its crucial role for brands. They discuss the negative impact of sending surveys and not receiving any response, which makes customers feel like their feedback is being ignored. The guest, Adam Alfea, founder of Realtime Feedback, emphasizes that responding to feedback is a win-win situation for both customers and employees. Customers feel heard and valued, while employees receive recognition for their good work. Adam also suggests that brands should analyze the feedback they receive to identify areas of concern that need improvement. Overall, the episode highlights the significance of responding to feedback and using it to enhance the customer experience. The episode also explores how effectively using customer feedback can benefit businesses. The host introduces the topic and mentions that businesses can use the wealth of information collected from customers to make better decisions. Adam Alfea further discusses the importance of responding to customer feedback and recognizing employees for their good work. He advises brands to respond to customer feedback as a first step in improving their methods of collecting and implementing insights from customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about how focusing on internal processes can provide both internal and external benefits to a business. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Nikhil Nandagopal, Co-Founder and CPO of Appsmith. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about first-party data strategies and how to be successful in a world of cookie deprecation, evolving data privacy regulations, the evolution of data clean rooms, and retail media networks. To help me discuss these topics, I’d like to welcome Derek Slager, CTO & Co-Founder at Amperity. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Amperity website: https://www.amperity.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the speaker emphasizes the value of taking action and implementing real use cases. They highlight the tendency for people to get lost in the abstract and stress the importance of focusing on the details and putting ideas into practice. By engaging in real use cases and collaborating with others, individuals can gain valuable insights and learn from both laggards and leaders. The speaker also emphasizes that progress should not be hindered by the pursuit of perfection, and encourages listeners to go out and apply real use cases. They mention that customers who have done so have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of results they achieved. Overall, the episode underscores the significance of taking action and implementing real use cases to drive learning and improvement. In addition, the speaker discusses the crucial role of better data in achieving better results across various marketing technology use cases. They explain that at Amparity, everything is viewed through the lens of better data leading to better outcomes. This principle applies not only to traditional MarTech use cases, but also to upcoming changes in ad tech, data clean rooms, and retail media. The speaker suggests that better data is essential for achieving improved outcomes in these areas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brands must meet customer expectations for a personalized experience throughout the buyer's journey. One key opportunity to achieve this is by leveraging AI-based tools that offer relevant images and videos. These resources educate customers, manage their expectations, and ultimately drive higher conversion rates while reducing return rates. Today we’re going to talk about enhancing the e-commerce experience using personalization and generative AI, and to do this we’re going to talk about some statistics in some research that was recently done by Cloudinary. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Paul Thompson, Head of Technical Marketing at Cloudinary. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Cloudinary website: https://www.cloudinary.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the importance of personalization and customization in enhancing the e-commerce experience and driving higher conversion rates is discussed. The host highlights a study by McKinsey, which reveals that 78% of consumers are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that personalize their offerings. This underscores the significance of tailoring the customer experience to meet individual preferences and needs. The guest, Paul Thompson, further elaborates on how platforms like Cloudinary can facilitate this level of personalization. By leveraging their platform and APIs, businesses can create customized experiences and images for their customers. For instance, they can develop image target ads with localized text overlays or content specific to a user's location. Such customization fosters a more engaging and relevant experience, thereby increasing the likelihood of conversion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence these days in many areas of the business, and marketing is one that we talk about a lot on this show, but there’s a reason why - and that is because AI is fundamentally shifting the way we not only work, but the way we think about our work. Today we’re going to talk about AI as marketing team member, not simply as a tool you use in isolated instances. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Daniel Maloney, CEO & Co-Founder of Tailwind. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the importance of having a plan and a willingness to learn and improve when adopting AI tools is emphasized. The guest speaker acknowledges that initially, the quality of AI tools may be average, underscoring the need for a well-thought-out plan. The person responsible for exploring and implementing the AI tool must be willing to acknowledge its imperfections and be open to learning and finding ways to enhance it. This highlights the significance of having a growth mindset and adaptability when integrating AI into marketing strategies. The episode also highlights the importance of leaders initiating conversations with their teams about AI. This is crucial because the team may already be utilizing AI in ways that the leader may not be aware of. By creating a safe space for dialogue, leaders can quickly gain insights into the AI tools and processes their team is using, while also fostering an environment where team members can educate each other. These conversations can also help leaders understand the challenges and opportunities that AI presents in their specific work environment. Engaging in dialogue with the team allows leaders to gain valuable insights and knowledge about AI and its potential applications within the organization. Furthermore, the guest discusses how AI can be utilized as a tool to enhance workflows and improve efficiency. They suggest that individuals should focus on improving one specific workflow and begin exploring the various AI tools available for that purpose. By concentrating on a specific area, individuals can gain a better understanding of the AI tools that are available and how they can be integrated into their workflow. This targeted approach enables a more effective implementation of AI technology. Additionally, the guest emphasizes the importance of human oversight and intervention in checking the work done by AI tools, as they are not perfect substitutes for human capabilities. Human involvement is still necessary to ensure accuracy and quality. Overall, the episode highlights the potential benefits of incorporating AI into workflows and encourages individuals to explore the various AI tools that can support their specific needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am here at Hubspot’s INBOUND Conference in Boston to talk about the impact that AI is having on marketers and how they can more effectively reach their customers. Today we’re going to talk about how marketers can avoid the hype and meaningfully use AI to create better customer experiences and build loyalty. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Nicholas Holland, VP of Product and GM of HubSpot Marketing Hub. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! HubSpot website: https://www.hubspot.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am here at Opticon 2023, Optimizely’s annual conference, here in San Diego, California where there have been a lot of exciting announcements, and we’re going to get to at least a few of those today. Organizations that have a culture of experimentation are able to innovate more quickly and get to the best ideas by learning both what does and what doesn’t work. Today we’re going to talk about how marketers can use experimentation to get the most out of their MarTech stacks, their AI tools, and their collaborations in general. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Kevin Li, VP, Product Strategy, Optimizely. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS Building a culture of experimentation is crucial for organizations to thrive, but it is a challenging task that requires collaboration and involvement from various teams, including marketing, product, design, legal, and compliance. However, many organizations struggle to establish this culture due to factors such as lack of visibility, poor communication, and inefficient workflows. Without the right tools and processes in place, teams can face difficulties in completing tasks and understanding what is happening. For instance, a customer from the financial services industry shared their experience of trying to solve a workflow problem using spreadsheets, approval chains, and email. In their case, a single change required approval from seven different people, resulting in inefficiencies and delays. This lack of streamlined processes and visibility can lead to confusion and frustration within the organization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am here at Opticon 2023, Optimizely’s annual conference, here in San Diego, California where there have been a lot of exciting announcements, and we’re going to get to at least a few of those today. Today we’re going to talk about an exciting announcement at the show this year, which is called Optimizely One, and while I will let my guest provide a more robust definition for us, it’s a SaaS platform for digital marketing that is decoupled, highly composable, and includes components for creation, delivery, personalization and testing of digital content to improve the customer experience. This connects to several trends happening in the market which include a shift towards both composable approaches while also providing marketers with the need to provide consistent and continually improving experiences in an omnichannel world. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Rupali Jain, Chief Product Officer, Optimizely. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode of the Agile Brand podcast, host Greg Kihlström and guest Rupali Jain, Chief Product Officer at Optimizely discuss the announcement of Optimizely One at the Opticon 2023 conference. Optimizely One is a SaaS platform for digital marketing that offers a decoupled and highly composable approach. It includes components for creation, delivery, personalization, and testing of digital content to enhance the customer experience. This aligns with the current market trends of composable approaches and the need for consistent and improving omni-channel experiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m excited to talk with my guests today on a special episode brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated and collaborative agency that believes in the power of ideas and the strength of people. Today we’re going to talk about demystifying platform selection and how taking the right approach enables better strategic alignment, streamlined integration, and a better customer experience. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Bryan Jones, CTO and Cara Bourdage, Director of Product at The Office of Experience. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! The Office of Experience website: https://www.officeofexperience.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the speakers discuss the importance of successfully adopting new platforms and how it can optimize operations and reduce maintenance time for organizations, allowing them to focus more on sales. They emphasize the significance of selecting the right platform and suggest considering key features and requirements to achieve these benefits. By identifying the most important features that drive revenue and minimize customization needs, organizations can streamline processes and enhance efficiency. This enables them to allocate more time and resources to sales and growth. The speakers also highlight the need to consider both the end customer experience and the internal customer experience. They emphasize that if the teams using the platforms cannot effectively utilize them, it will hinder their ability to serve the end customers. Therefore, successful platform adoption should aim for a win-win situation where both internal and external customers benefit. The episode emphasizes that digital transformation should be approached as a top-down exercise, requiring alignment and buy-in from senior executives. It is crucial for all key stakeholders to share the same vision and work towards common goals to ensure a cohesive and effective digital transformation initiative. Additionally, involving employees who will be working with the new tools or platform on a daily basis is equally important. Their feedback should be sought early and often to understand what is currently working and what improvements they would like to see. The episode also stresses the importance of cultural fit when selecting an implementation partner. While expertise and capabilities are important, having a positive working relationship with the partner, even during disagreements and challenges, is crucial. The ability to handle tough situations professionally and respectfully is essential for a successful partnership. Collaboration and finding solutions together when things go wrong are also mentioned as important factors to consider. Cultural fit and the ability to work well together should be evaluated when choosing an implementation partner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about the power of data sharing and collaboration and how data clean rooms can help organizations in several ways. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan, Founder & CEO at Samooha. RESOURCES PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Samooha website: https://www.samooha.tech/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the concept of data clean rooms and their benefits for organizations in terms of data sharing and collaboration are discussed. The guest speaker explains that clean rooms are secure platforms for data collaboration and sharing, comparing them to popular tools like Zoom, Slack, and Teams. The speaker highlights the accessibility and comfort that non-technical individuals have developed with these tools, especially during the pandemic. A data clean room is defined as a secure environment for sharing data with external parties who share a common objective of gathering insights from the shared data. The speaker emphasizes that the data sets within a clean room are processed in a way that ensures data remains in its original location, stored on the cloud. Both parties can collaborate and combine their data sets without visibility into each other's data. The episode also emphasizes the importance of respecting customers' and consumers' data privacy. Using a data clean room eliminates the need to compromise data privacy. While the episode briefly mentions the benefits of data clean rooms for marketing and advertising professionals, it does not delve further into this topic. Guest speaker Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan, the founder and CEO of Samuha, provides insights on data sharing and collaboration. She highlights the significance of these practices in the world of big data and the opportunities for enterprises to gain insights by sharing and collaborating within their ecosystem. Kamakshi acknowledges the availability of tools for data sharing and collaboration but emphasizes the need to make it easier and more accessible, particularly for non-technical audiences such as marketing, customer success, and customer experience teams. Her company, Samuha, aims to address this problem and create success in the B2B enterprise technology space. Kamakshi advises marketers to consider data collaboration as a critical part of their arsenal and choose a secure solution that aligns with their needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about growing current leaders and aspiring leaders into the best possible version of themselves. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Nate Prosser, Head of Learning, Leadership and change at Wawa and Host of the Leadership Chalk Talk Podcast. Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Leadership Chalk Talk website: https://www.leadershipchalktalk.com/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Synopsis Building positive leadership-focused habits is crucial for creating a successful team. When leaders are self-aware and conscious of their habits, they can effectively respond to trigger points and avoid negative reactions. By cultivating positive habits, leaders can operate on autopilot, making their team feel comfortable and psychologically safe. They can also coach and develop their team members, fostering an environment where everyone feels supported and motivated. Consistently exhibiting these positive habits encourages team members to go above and beyond, resulting in a strong and cohesive team working towards shared goals. Therefore, developing positive leadership-focused habits is essential for building a successful team. In the episode, the speaker highlights the significance of self-awareness and conscious habit-building for positive change. They mention that individuals often operate on autopilot for up to 40% of the time, similar to driving to work and realizing they don't remember the journey due to being lost in thought. Similarly, in a leadership context, individuals may unknowingly respond habitually to certain situations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about how to create compelling personalized content and campaigns even in highly regulated industries. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Diana Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Constellation. RESOURCES Resources PartnerHero: to waive set up fees, go to https://partnerhero.com/agile and mention “The Agile Brand” during onboarding! Constellation website: https://www.helloconstellation.com/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about AI and the workforce, and how intelligent businesses embrace automation to empower citizen developers and others to work smarter. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jon Darbyshire, CEO at SmartSuite. RESOURCES SmartSuite website: https://www.smartsuite.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS Workflow automation using AI has become increasingly important for businesses seeking to enhance operational efficiency. The accessibility of AI tools, such as chat GPT, has brought AI to the forefront in recent months. As a result, many businesses are now turning to AI to streamline their workflows and make more informed decisions. One key issue that workflow automation can address is the reliance on multiple disconnected tools. Instead of using separate tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, and JIRA, businesses can consolidate their workflow automation needs into a single platform. This eliminates the need for manual data transfer and promotes a more seamless and integrated workflow. Another pain point that workflow automation can alleviate is the need for efficiency in business operations. By incorporating AI into workflows, businesses can automate tasks and approvals, reducing the time and effort required for manual processes. For instance, AI can validate information before granting approvals, ensuring that all necessary criteria are met. This not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of human error. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about Customer Journey Orchestration with a focus on SMS and messaging to help brands drive greater customer engagement and personalize the customer experience for consumers that quickly grow impatient by being saturated with impersonal messages from the brands they support. In fact, according to a recent report by Twilio, two-thirds of consumers say they’ll quite a brand if their experience isn’t personalized. I’ve seen in my own work with leading brands that customer journey orchestration can help this, and to help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Trent Rossini, Managing Director at inQuba. RESOURCES inQuba website: https://www.inquba.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode of The Agile Brand, host Greg Kihlström explores the topic of customer journey orchestration with a focus on SMS and messaging. He discusses the importance of personalized experiences and how customer journey orchestration can help brands engage with their customers more effectively. Joining Greg is Trent Rossini, Managing Director at inQuba, who shares his expertise on this subject. Tune in to learn how brands can leverage SMS and messaging to create a more personalized customer experience. The podcast also discusses the benefits of customer journey orchestration and its impact on understanding and influencing customer behavior. Customer journey orchestration goes beyond traditional customer experience (CX) by not only capturing feedback but also analyzing customer behavior. By understanding how customers progress along their journey, organizations can identify where customers may encounter obstacles or drop off. One key benefit of customer journey orchestration is the ability to maintain context and track customer interactions across multiple channels, such as call centers, websites, and instant messaging. By aligning with the customer's objectives, organizations can move the customer forward by providing relevant interactions that create value. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about how to create engaged teams by creating a culture of self-awareness and continuous learning and improvement. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Kelsey Bishop, Founder at Candor. RESOURCES Candor website: https://www.joincandor.com/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Synopsis According to the podcast episode, self-awareness is crucial for both leaders and teams to improve and create a cohesive culture. The host and guest emphasize the importance of self-awareness in leadership and its impact on team performance. The guest shares their personal experience of seeing a coach for several years, which has greatly contributed to their leadership journey and team performance. They attribute their growth to being aware of how they show up to work every day and the unintentional culture they create. The guest also highlights the significance of recognizing one's own weaknesses and areas for improvement, and how having a supportive team can aid in this growth journey. The episode also emphasizes the benefits of self-awareness for teams as a whole. When individuals take responsibility for their own growth and development, it reduces the burden on managers in terms of coaching and performance management. It becomes a collective effort, with everyone working together to improve. The episode also stresses the importance of fostering a feedback culture and gaining a comprehensive understanding of oneself within the team. Overall, the episode underscores that self-awareness is key for high-performance individuals and can provide them with a competitive advantage. It helps individuals identify their weaknesses, create a growth plan, and seek support from their team. For leaders, self-awareness plays a significant role in how they influence the team and create a cohesive culture. The episode recommends engaging in coaching, 360 reviews, and utilizing tools like Candor profiles to cultivate self-awareness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about the role of print media in a digital world, and why it’s important to not overlook valuable channels that your customers value. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Curtis Tingle, CMO at Vericast. RESOURCES Vericast website: https://www.vericast.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m excited to talk with my guest today on a special episode brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated and collaborative agency that believes in the power of ideas and the strength of people. As marketers, we all know that it’s not enough to create a really compelling-seeming campaign, it has to perform, and continue to perform in order to be successful. Today we’re going to talk about media sufficiency and why it is important for marketing campaign success. RESOURCES The Office of Experience website: https://www.officeofexperience.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about marketing technically complex products and services, and some of the challenges and opportunities they present. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jaxon Repp, Field CTO & Head of Marketing at HarperDB. RESOURCES The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is part 1 of a special series about how organizations can streamline business processes, increase workflow efficiency and mitigate risk with hyperautomation. This series is brought to you by TEKsystems, a global provider of business and technology solutions. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jon Barton, a director at TEKsystems. RESOURCES The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next week, Content Marketing World will be coming to Washington, DC on September 26-28 and I’m excited to be attending (and that it’s in my backyard). There’s an amazing lineup and lots of great topics for those in the content marketing industry. Additionally, the Content Marketing Institute’s Content Marketing Career & Salary 2024 Outlook is now available, and it offers some interesting insights for those of us in the business of content marketing. Today we’re going to talk about some of the key findings in this report, and to help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Lisa Murton Beets, Research Director, Content Marketing Institute. RESOURCES Content Marketing World 2023, the largest gathering of content marketers in the world, is in an all new location, Washington D.C., September 26-28. Produced by the Content Marketing Institute, #CMWorld is jam-packed with keynotes, sessions, workshops, and masterclasses, covering all aspects of content marketing. No matter your level of expertise, you can customize your experience at #CMWorld 2023. Come learn, network and have fun making meaningful connections with fellow attendees and speakers before, during, and after the event. Register today: https://cmi.media/cmw23/agile BONUS: Use the code AGILE100 to save an extra $100 on your registration. The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating accessible digital experiences enables brands to create a more equitable, inclusive world, but doing accessibility well can provide challenges, and unfortunately, many organizations treat accessibility as an afterthought, which makes updates and innovations move slowly and ultimately making digital accessibility harder than it needs to be. But there’s a solution to this, and it involves… Agile. Today we’re going to talk about Agile Accessibility, and to help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Corbb O'Connor, Director of Accessibility Advocacy, at Level Access. RESOURCES Getting started with Agile Accessibility report: https://www.levelaccess.com/earesources/getting-started-with-agile-accessibility-a-five-step-guide/ The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about doing digital experimentation well and what this means in terms of your platform choice, and the way you approach experimentation as a marketing team. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Dejean Brown, Principal Product Evangelist at Optimizely. RESOURCES Optimizely website: https://www.optimizely.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about headless e-commerce, and how it improves personalization, reduces friction, and drives greater loyalty. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Chris Bach, Co-Founder, CCO and CSO at Netlify a company that powers web experiences for major retailers like Victoria Beckham Beauty, Paul Valentine and Butcher Box. RESOURCES Netlify website: https://www.netlify.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode of The Agile Brand, host Greg Kihlstrom speaks with Chris Bach, co-founder, CCO, and CSO at Netlify, about the concept of headless e-commerce and its benefits for retail providers and customers. They discuss how Netlify powers web experiences for major retailers and the innovative opportunities that headless e-commerce presents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re going to talk about why customer journey mapping matters, and how it can improve customer loyalty, and drive other customer and business outcomes. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Percy Rose, Customer Success Strategy Executive, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. RESOURCES Hewlett Packard Enterprise website: https://www.hpe.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the guest speaker emphasizes the crucial role of gathering customer data and understanding their goals and desired outcomes in order to create a successful customer journey map. They stress the importance of conducting persona work and gathering strong intelligence about the customers before starting the mapping process. This includes understanding the key individuals in the tech industry such as heads of infrastructure and operations, CTOs, and CIOs. By understanding their goals, how they are measured, and their desired outcomes, organizations can engage in meaningful conversations with customers and gather the necessary information. The guest speaker also highlights the need to directly communicate with customers rather than relying solely on survey data. They believe that simply collecting survey data is insufficient and that skipping the step of talking to customers is a significant oversight in the customer journey mapping process. By engaging in conversations with customers, organizations can gain valuable insights into their experiences and preferences, which can then be used to create an accurate and effective customer journey map. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recent data from Ware2Go, a UPS Company, found that 89% of consumers are comparison shopping on 2+ marketplaces before they make a purchase. The same research found that 89% of consumers would consider purchasing through an online marketing place they have not previously shopped on in the next year. To me, this means three things - one, that competition is steeper than ever, two, that there is dwindling loyalty in the online marketplaces, and three, that there is opportunity for new or competitor entrants in online marketplaces if they are able to create the right type of end-to-end customer experience. Today we’re going to talk about all three of these aspects, and I’m thrilled to have a guest today with extensive experience in both his time as an executive at companies like eBay as well as his current position at Ware2Go, a UPS Company. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Steve Denton, CEO at Ware2Go. RESOURCES Ware2Go 2023 eCommerce Marketplace Report: https://ware2go.co/market-research/ecommerce-marketplace-report/ Ware2Go website: https://www.ware2go.com The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/ The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company SYNOPSIS In this episode, the exciting development of new AI technology is discussed, which allows brands to predict potential delays in package delivery. This capability enables brands to proactively reach out to consumers and inform them about any potential delays, which is particularly important for audiences who prioritize timely delivery. By utilizing AI technology, brands can identify potential delays and take necessary actions to mitigate the issue. This predictive capability is made possible through customer segmentation. For instance, brands can provide special attention and a "white glove treatment" to first-time buyers or customers who haven't made a purchase in a long time. This personalized approach not only helps manage customer expectations but also enhances the overall delivery experience. Overall, AI technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the delivery experience by enabling brands to predict and address potential delays. By leveraging customer segmentation and personalized approaches, brands can ensure that their customers receive a flawless commerce logistics experience. This is particularly important in a competitive landscape where customer loyalty is declining, and consumers are open to trying new online marketplaces. Therefore, brands must prioritize the delivery experience and leverage AI technology to stay competitive and drive conversion rates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices