Confessions of a Marketer

<p>On Episode 11, we have Tony Temple back to go through his list of the Top 5 B2B Marketing Fails. From too many propositions to too many words, learn what not to do in marketing. It's an interesting guide on what not to do if you have marketing as your bailiwick.</p>

<p>On Episode 10, we’re talking innovation districts with Chuck Tanowitz, director of the N-Squared Innovation district. Anyone who knows anything about technology knows Route 128. Companies on or around it were at the heart of the Massachusetts miracle back in the 1980s, and it has been at the center of technological breakthroughs for decades. Newton and Needham, Massachusetts straddle 128 in a unique arrangement of geography, demographics and commerce. Chuck is charged with taking business in a swath of that area to the next level. And, with innovation districts a hot business and political topic, I thought I’d go right to Chuck to get the scoop.</p>

<p>On Episode 9, we’re chatting about the often-fraught sales-marketing relationship. Morris Porter is my guest. He and I worked together in the early 2000s at a dot-com company that was undergoing a massive business model shift. He was running sales and I was in marketing. Through all the hard work, hair-pulling and sleepless nights, Morris was cool as a cucumber. So when I wanted to talk about the sales-marketing relationship, he’s the one person who came to mind. He’s also worked at Cisco and Citrix—and is currently VP of Sales for Alpha Software.</p>

<p>On Episode 8, we’re back with Duncan Chapple again--and a short part two that continues our discussion from last time. I stopped recording and Duncan and I started talking about death-by-PowerPoint, a common affliction for analysts. So I quickly restarted the recording and that's today's episode: slide shows and analyst relations. Or, death-by-PowerPoint.</p>

<p>On Episode 7, we’re talking with Duncan Chapple of Kea Company about analyst relations. Duncan is a Managing Partner at Kea, a global advisory firm that delivers influencer relations and strategic guidance for vendors of high tech products and services. Duncan has been a consultant and analyst with Ovum, Europe's largest technology analyst house and successfully founded and directed an international analyst relations business. He also played a central role in founding the Institute for Industry Analyst Relations in 2007, and was a member of its founding board. I wanted to get an inside view on analyst relations, so I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with Duncan. I was able to sit down with him on November 16 just after ARInsights in Cambridge, Mass.</p>

<p>On Episode 6, we talk with Sheryl Victor Levy, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Museum of the City of New York, about cause marketing and corporate social responsibility. How does it work? What are the ins and outs? Sheryl's been in marketing for a couple of decades and moved into the cause arena a while back. So she brings a unique perspective. It's a great discussion. Hope you enjoy.</p>

<p>On Episode 5, we’re talking with John Haworth--a veteran of senior management at Cigna, Pillsbury, the Washington Post, PeopleSoft and Fidelity--about vendor management and other marketing curiosities. John has had a remarkable career, in which he's had responsibility for business development, globalization and marketing. He’s one of the most thoughtful people I know, and in our chat we start off talking about supplier management--but that soon expanded into some other marketing curiosities.</p>

<p>On Episode 4, we’re talking with David Cooperstein. He's an independent marketing and strategy leader whose past clients include PebblePost, Adobe and Ascendant Network. David works with start up companies, including TVision Insights, SummitSync and Cuebiq, on marketing, positioning and strategic advice. I wanted to talk with David because he’s been a CMO and spent many years advising them when he was at Forrester. He knows what he’s talking about.</p>

<p>On Episode 3, we’re talking with Ben Afia – a real guru when it comes to tone of voice. You’ve probably heard that term bandied about. What is it, exactly? Well, Ben can tell you because he focuses on tone of voice, and what he says is “helping companies sound more human.” He is the head honcho at Afia, a UK-based firm he started in 2004. Before that, he was at Boots UK as tone of voice manager.</p>

<p>On Episode 2, we’re talking with Meg O’Leary, who cofounded InkHouse about 10 years ago. InkHouse is one of the country’s fastest growing and best PR agencies. Meg and I discuss the evolution of PR in that 10 year span—plus I find out about her recent move to become CMO of a startup.</p>

<p>On Episode 1, I talk with truth teller, brand guru and old friend Tony Temple. We discuss the state of B2B marketing. (Hint: It's not so good.)</p>