Podcast
We like to think of our podcast series as This American Life for the BtoB marketing set.
If only we had David Sedaris on staff. Well, anyway, enjoy.
Season 11
Episode 6 - Content Marketing Measurements That Matter with Michael Brenner
Putting on our analytics cap to ensure efforts contribute to the bottom line for clients, the Arketi team is embarking on a journey to better understand the metrics that matter most in B2B technology marketing. To do this, we’re speaking with some of the smartest industry experts measuring marketing and communications.
To continue our Measurements that Matter series, we spoke with Michael Brenner, author of "The Content Formula," to discuss measurements for B2B content marketing.
Episode 5 - Search Marketing Measurements That Matter with Rand Fishkin of Moz
Putting on our analytics cap to ensure efforts contribute to the bottom line for clients, the Arketi team is embarking on a journey to better understand the metrics that matter most in B2B technology marketing. To do this, we’re speaking with some of the smartest industry experts measuring marketing and communications.
To continue our Measurements that Matter series, we spoke with Rand Fishkin, best known as The Wizard of Moz, to discuss measurements for search engine marketing.
Episode 4 - Measurements that matter with the PR Measurement Queen Katie Paine
Putting on our analytics cap to ensure efforts contribute to the bottom line for clients, the Arketi team is embarking on a journey to better understand the metrics that matter most in B2B technology marketing. To do this, we’re speaking with some of the smartest industry experts measuring marketing and communications.
To kick off our Measurements that Matter series, we spoke with Katie Delahaye Paine, best known as The Measurement Queen, to discuss measurements for PR.
Episode 3 - Out of many, one
How do you build a brand for a newly-renamed company when many of its products have better-known names than their parent? It’s a key question organizations undergoing mergers and acquisitions often face. Find out how Aptean and Arketi brought order to chaos – and $21 million to the funnel.
Episode 2 - Winning webinar results in revenue
As the volume of business data grows exponentially, physical and electronic records management is a concern that can’t be ignored. Recall, now an Iron Mountain company, enlisted Arketi Group to help position itself as an educator and trusted advisor. And the effort paid off, generating $290,000 in sales pipeline from a single webinar alone.
Episode 1 - Small business, big buzz
For technology providers selling to small businesses, generating media buzz in a crowded market can be challenging. NCR Small Business turned to our team to help them build awareness and draw more prospects into the funnel. (Spoiler: it worked out pretty well.)
Season 10
Episode 9 - Optimizing headlines for search from Business Wire
Is your headline hurting or helping drive media pickups? Often, we focus on ensuring the body copy includes all the necessary keywords. But if your headline isn't optimized for search, then your release may be buried among a sea of forgotten news releases. We sat down with Serena Ehrlich, director of social at Business Wire, to discuss how to optimize headlines for Search and drive engagement in your press releases.
You can also learn more about PR and Search in our September 2015 Core newsletter.
Episode 8 - 8 videos you meet in BtoB marketing
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much more is a motion picture worth? That seems to be the thinking behind the rapid rise of video in B2B marketing. In fact, 4 out of 5 B2B marketers report success in using video as a marketing tool, and two-thirds of them say they plan to increase budgets for video. Here are eight types of compelling BtoB videos to consider.
Episode 7 - Putting the "Y" back in marketing
At Arketi, we've started asking “why?” more. Why you ask? We believe this simple question has the power to make us, and our clients, better marketers. Just because something’s always been done one way, doesn’t mean it should continue to be. So let’s put the “why?” back in marketing, by reminding ourselves to question four commonly held assumptions.
Episode 6 - Corporate vs. agency
My name is Dan Earle and I’m a corporate marketer who now works at an agency. Wait what? How did this happen? I always thought I was destined to stay in the corporate marketing world, using my skills to grow a single brand into something amazing from the inside. How did I become that specialist “sitting on the other side of the table?” Check out my thoughts on the transition from corporate to agency.
Episode 5 - Open organization
If I were to ask you, “how open is your organization?” odds are, you would immediately think of your office layout, right? But what if “open” is how you describe your office culture? At a recent Technology Executives Roundtable event, Jim Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat, discussed his tips for building an open organization. Having left Delta for Red Hat, he pointed out the vast differences between both organizations.
Episode 4 - New marketing tech economy
At a recent Technology Executives Roundtable event, executives from four of Atlanta’s marketing tech companies — Arke Systems, Cardlytics, Insightpool and Salesfusion — came together to discuss marketing and sales today. Tune in to find out the key take-aways from their discussion.
Episode 3 - Predictive analytics
According to a survey of B2B marketers, the vast majority of leads never get past sales When performance is measured by revenue. One-third of marketers looking to find a way to make their leads better currently use some type of predictive analytics tool. Tune in to learn more.
Episode 2 - Media relations checklist
Whether you are fresh to the PR scene or a media relations veteran, pitching reporters can be one of the most trying aspects of your job. Why? Reporters are busy. While breaking through the clutter can seem almost impossible, Arketi outlines five ways to help you establish better relationships with reporters and transform your pitches into placements.
Episode 1 - 5 Account-based marketing mistakes you’re probably making
Account-based marketing continues to be a hot topic among marketers. Whether account-based marketing is truly an innovative concept or just marketing’s latest shiny new toy, one thing is certain. It won’t deliver results if you don’t do it right. To help you implement a successful account-based marketing campaign, we’ve shared five critical mistakes to avoid.
Season 9
Episode 5 - The Future of Search and PR
The metrics journalists are judged by has changed as social media and search influences how news is shared. Therefore, as the media landscape continues to evolve, PR and marketing professionals must adapt how they communicate with journalists. Arketi's Mike Neumeier and Erica England sit down with Serena Ehrlich, director of social at Business Wire, to discuss the future of Search and PR.
You can also learn more about PR and Search in our September 2015 Core newsletter.
Episode 4 - 7 Web Design Trends That Will Stick Around
The web is constantly evolving, and the impact a website has can make all the difference to a discerning customer. After all, your website is the most significant place to share your brand’s story with an audience. It’s worthwhile to take a look at some Web design trends we think will continue well into 2015.
Episode 3 - Your New Secret Weapon in SEO is PR
It’s widely known that Google is secretive about the algorithm it uses to rank web pages in search results – and understandably so. However, they recently filed a new patent titled US Patent application 8,682,892 that offers some encouraging clues to PR pros.
To learn more about SEO, check out our May 2014 and June 2014 Core newsletters.
Episode 2 - How to Right Size Your Messaging Approach
While many BtoB marketers understand the importance of creating “sticky” messaging that resonates with customers and prospects, they may feel they don’t have sufficient time to develop solid messaging because of a real or perceived need to rush to market. Even with adequate time and budget, others struggle to use a message approach that best suits their company’s need to communicate effectively and drive sales.
To learn more, visit our May 2013 Core newsletter.
Episode 1 - Who Needs an Agency?
We are often asked, “How do I know when I need an agency?” or “Do we have the right situation to hire an agency?” An agency can be a critical tool and resource to help your organization generate revenue. Of course, many executives come with their biases either for or against agencies, often based on past experience. Regardless, there are four questions you should ask yourself when trying to decide if you need an agency partner.
Still questioning if you need an agency? Visit our October 2013 Core Newsletter.
Season 8
Episode 8 - How to Give a Presentation in 9 Words
All communications professionals are called to give presentations from time to time, and for many, the prospect can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be hard. The secret to a great presentation can be summed up in nine simple words.
To learn more about giving an effecitve presentation, visit our April 2013 Core Newsletter.
Episode 7 - Analyzing the Analysts
When correctly engaged, industry analysts can play a major role in successfully bringing a product or solution to the marketplace. Analysts can help technology companies better understand complex markets, avoid costly mistakes, pinpoint competitive threats and evolve offerings to better match buyers' requirements.
This hour-long, special edition of Arketi's BtoB Marketing Minute features a recent Technology Executives Roundtable (TER) panel discussion, moderated by Principal Mike Neumeier, APR.
Episode 6 - The Need to Know of BtoB SEO
To understand BtoB SEO and execute search campaigns effectively, you need to know two things: the buyer cycle and the buyer. A thorough understanding of your buyer cycle not only gives you the means to properly calculate SEO return on investment, but also helps you determine which call-to-actions will be the most successful. And taking the time to understand the buyer helps you work out which keywords to target and when to optimize for specific keywords.
Episode 5 - The State of Technology in Georgia
This hour-long, special edition of BtoB Marketing Minute features a recent Booth 61 interview with Arketi Principal Mike Neumeier, APR. He joins a host of influential members from Georgia's technology community, and together they discuss the state of the tech industry.
For more about the state of the technology industry in Georgia, visit http://tagstateoftheindustry.com/.
Episode 4 - Together We Did It: How Arketi Client Brickstream Broke Through at NRF
In November 2012, Brickstream, a developer of behavior intelligence solutions for environments where people shop, gather, work and play, asked Arketi Group to craft and execute a strategy to re-launch the 12-year-old company at the largest retail show in North America – NRF's Annual Convention & EXPO, otherwise known as "Retail's BIG Show."
For more about the rebranding and event marketing campaign, visit our March 2013 Core Newsletter.
Episode 3 - What You May Not Know About BtoB Tech Marketing in 2013
The sixth annual Technology CMO Roundtable, presented by Arketi and our media partner PR News, buzzed with ideas, best practices, learnings, questions and – most importantly – actionable insights. With more than 50 PR and marketing executives at 14 roundtables, this was the largest such event to date. We compiled the findings from this event into a must-read white paper for BtoB tech marketers.
To download a free copy of The Outlook for Business-to-Business Technology Marketing in 2013, click here.
Episode 2 - Rewarding – and Awarding – PR and Marketing Tips
Recently, Arketi and clients earned 13 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) awards at the PRSA|GA Phoenix Awards Celebration. Given annually, the PRSA|GA Phoenix Awards recognize excellence in Georgia’s PR community. Upon reflection, we’ve distilled seven learnings from our entries that may be of interest to BtoB marketers.
For more about our wins and learning, visit our January 2013 Core Newsletter.
Episode 1 - A Few Lead Nurture Resolutions
The new year is here, and now is the perfect time for marketers to make (and start on) a few New Year’s resolutions related to optimizing lead nurturing efforts. In this podcast, Vice President and Practice Director of Lead Nurturing Micky Long shares five points for consideration.For more marketing insight from Micky, visit an archive of his B2B Marketing News blog posts here.
Season 7
Episode 12 - The Personal Path to Customer Connections
International Data Corp. conducted its “2012 Buyer Experience Study,” in which the research firm polled nearly 200 BtoB technology buyers on the reasons why they buy. To simply summarize the results, buyers need love too. Despite cuts in travel budgets and fewer mega industry conferences, respondents still prefer personal connections over technology touch points.
For more resources that can help you get closer with your customers, visit here.
Episode 11 - Best of the B2B Marketing News Blog
Earlier this year, Arketi’s B2B Marketing News was named a best B2B blog of 2012 in The Best of BuyerZone series. BuyerZone applauded Arketi’s strong mix of knowledgeable contributors with diverse BtoB marketing and PR thinking. We’ve reflected on our favorite posts and rounded up six of our best.
To read more posts from Arketi’s award-winning blog, click here.
Episode 10 - Bulletproof Your Marketing Budget
The key to bulletproofing a budget is to let metrics drive the conversation, using a return on investment model that demonstrates the dollar value of marketing. If the ROI model is strong enough, it will not only protect your marketing budget, but even increase it. And that’s a budget that is bulletproofed. Three main factors to consider include:
- Pipeline impact
- Spend saturation
- Program attribution
For more information, download the free Arketi Insights paper, Bulletproof Your Marketing Budget.
Episode 9 - Stop Pitching. Start Listening.
Media relations is key to the overall success of your marketing strategy, but if you’re like most companies, you’d like more success. We have a suggestion – Stop Pitching. Start Listening. Journalists regularly comment they are not being listened to. Instead, they’re being blasted with irrelevant information. Here’s how to get out of the pitching rut and get interest in your story.
For more media relations tips, visit our July 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 8 - 10 Must-Haves for a Buyer-Centric BtoB Website
Your company’s website is its face to the world. It’s the first place anyone, and most everyone, goes to understand who you are and what you do. Arketi clients often ask what features and functionality they should incorporate into their websites. Here are our top 10 must-haves for a buyer-centric BtoB site.
To check out the complete list, view our August 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 7 - Summer Fling: Apps to help you get away
These days, there is a mobile app for everything. While some enhance productivity and advance our professional endeavors, others are enjoyed purely for their entertainment value. Listen to find out the top 10 apps for this summer.
To check out the complete list, view our June 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 6 - Big Data: Big opportunity or big headache?
Marketers have long dreamed of having accurate information about customers and prospects. With today’s social media, CRM, ERP and new tools for data collection, what was once a hard-to-find trickle of customer data has become a torrent of information. Companies are asking themselves how they can effectively manage the increasing volume and complexity of the data stream. They ask:
- What are the most efficient tools to collect and analyze the data coming in?
- How do we store customer information so that it’s readily accessible but still secure?
- How can we use the data to advance our marketing efforts while still protecting customers’ rights to privacy?
- How can we find the talent needed to tap into big data and effectively manage it?
To learn more about benefitting from big data in a big way, view our May 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 5 - From Buyers to Believers
Across almost every industry, new customers cost more than old ones – so customer satisfaction, as a means to retention, is “job one” for most businesses. In recent years, the stakes have grown even higher as economic conditions and the growth of social media have given customer opinions more significance. Today, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn make it easy for a customer to share a positive or negative brand story with hundreds or thousands of people as quickly as one can hit the submit button. If customer retention is a goal, then customer advocacy – turning buyers into believers – is essential.
For more on the avenue to advocacy, view our April 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 4 - Stop Selling. Start Listening.
It’s time to stop selling and start listening. This is a way of thinking that places buyers at the center of all marketing priorities. Understanding what buyers care about, how they make their decisions, and how they want to receive information, makes marketing about them, not about us. This isn't about doing more – or even about doing less. It's about doing what matters. And since most of us are being asked to stretch our resources ever further, focusing on what’s important is more important than ever.
For more on this movement, and to add your voice, visit arketi.com/stopselling.
Episode 3 - The Outlook for BtoB Tech Marketing in 2012
Arketi’s fifth annual Atlanta High-Tech CMO Roundtable and the first such Roundtable for the Raleigh-Durham area featured marketing and PR executives from leading technology companies throughout the Southeast. The collection of top marketing and PR minds gathered to discuss the current and future state of BtoB marketing, and five common themes emerged.
To learn more about the Roundtable’s proceedings, download the “The Outlook for Business to Business Technology Marketing in 2012” white paper here.
Episode 2 - Could Your Writing Stand to Lose a Few Pounds?
The holiday season is full of family, friends, fun and food. If you’re like us, that homemade pie was just too tempting to resist a slice… or two. Now, as the new year starts, we notice our waistlines seem a little fuller, our motivation kicks in, and we make resolutions to drop the added weight. Instead of trying to lose your love handles, shed some pounds elsewhere – your writing. No sweating is required (we promise!) and this is a resolution that you can actually see through the end of the year.
For more on writing concisely, view our January 2012 Core Newsletter.
Episode 1 - Tips for Powerful Quotes That Get Noticed
News release quotes are often the most underutilized communications tool at a PR professional’s disposal. Quotes in releases have determined company policies, influenced political decisions and inspired strategic vision. To craft powerful quotes that influence, engage and drive interest from both media and customers, follow these four tips:
- Write the way people speak
- Use your quotes to add information
- Incorporate your organization’s name into your quotes
- Avoid clichés like the plague
For more on crafting quotes with impact, view our Core Newsletter.
Season 6
Episode 8 - The Marketing Dream: Make it hard for them to leave
A recent article on a BtoB Marketing website titled “Facebook user satisfaction dips; could face user exodus,” reports that the online service’s customer satisfaction has hit an all-time low. In fact, half of those questioned in an informal poll were prepared to abandon the social network in favor of Google+. Isn’t that one of our dreams as marketers? Have the switching costs be so high, that folks would rather stay with you than go through the pain of moving?
To learn more about increasing switching costs by adding more value, visit our September 2011 Core Newsletter.
Episode 7 - 2011 Arketi Web Watch Survey
The 2011 Arketi Web Watch Survey: Inside BtoB Media Usage of Social Media is hot off the press and reveals BtoB media continue to have a rich appetite for using social media tools. This year's survey found that 92 percent of journalists have a LinkedIn account, an increase from 85 percent from the 2009 survey. Find out where journalists are getting their story ideas and which channels you can utilize to engage with target audiences.
Download your free copy of the 2011 Arketi Web Watch Survey here.
Episode 6 - Is It Time to Say Good Bye?
As BtoB marketers, we know what follows flies in the face of all that’s instinctive. But the time has come for all of us to confront a tough reality – some of our prospect relationships just aren’t working anymore. And it may be time to turn these prospects loose.
To learn more, view our August 2011 Core Newsletter.
Episode 5 - Making Email Newsletters Work Better
The email newsletter has become a mainstay of every BtoB marketing mix. But as the novelty of getting a newsletter in one’s inbox has worn off, open rates and clickthroughs have declined. Much of this can be remedied by making the enewsletter more relevant, targeted and just plain interesting. In parallel to content and segmentation efforts, enewsletter design can also be tweaked to yield better results by keeping 4 key points in mind:
- There’s more clutter to break through
- Think more about mobile
- Video is not vital
- Email newsletters have long lives
For more on making email newsletters work better, view our May 2011 Core Newsletter.
Episode 4 - Behind the Scenes with IT Marketing World Founder, Jim Novy
Arketi interviewed Jim Novy, founder of IT Marketing World, to discuss the growing online community made up of the best and brightest information technology marketing and PR professionals.
The online community is committed to establishing and refining industry best practices for communications professionals working in technology organizations.
Jim and Mike Neumeier, principal at Arketi Group, discuss:
- Growing trends in the industry
- How to utilize the community’s content
- The changing roles of BtoB tech and tech marketing professionals
Episode 3 - Content Creator or Content Curator?
Did you know that 90 percent of BtoB organizations are now engaged in content marketing? In addition, more than a quarter of a BtoB organization’s marketing budget this year alone will be spent on content marketing. WOW!
For more on content curation, visit our April 2011 Core Newsletter.
Episode 2 - Mobile Apps for BtoB Tech Marketers
As the numbers of mobile device users continue to increase, so does the amount of people who rely on mobile apps on a regular basis. After reading an entertaining article in Lexusmagazine on the top mobile apps for Lexus owners, it got us thinking, “What are the top apps for BtoB technology marketers?” After posing this question to the Arketi team, we discuss five of our Top 10 mobile apps.
For links and descriptions on our complete Top 10 list of mobile apps for BtoB tech marketers, visit our post.
Episode 1 - The Outlook for BtoB Tech Marketing in 2011
Arketi’s fourth annual Atlanta High-Tech CMO Roundtable featured marketing and PR executives from leading technology companies throughout the Southeast. The collection of top marketing and PR minds gathered to discuss the current and future state of BtoB marketing, and four common themes emerged.
To learn more about the Roundtable’s proceedings, download the “The Outlook for Business to Business Technology Marketing in 2011” white paper here.
Season 5
Episode 8 - The Role of Collateral in a Digital Age
In today’s marketing world, “print collateral” is a deceptive term. To meet the demands of today’s digital world, collateral pieces must translate beyond print and into digital formats.
This new definition has resulted in marketers shifting design philosophy to remain effective in all media and accommodate the widest audience possible.
When developing web-friendly pieces, marketers should consider:
- Print quality
- File size and e-mail restrictions
- A single page format
- Content construction
For further details on creating effective collateral, visit our September 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 7 - Building a Successful Speakers Bureau
Every executive wants to see the words “Industry Expert” in front of his or her name. In the quest for thought leadership, the speaker circuit can drive both brand awareness and lead generation—if executed strategically. Arketi believes there are five main elements to building a successful speakers bureau.
The 5 elements are:
- Know your target
- Timing Is key
- Making your speaker pitch sing
- Preparation is never overrated
- Leave them wanting more
For a detailed summary of each element, visit our August 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 6 - Lights… Camera… BtoB Marketing Success!
Over the past year, the use of video marketing has rapidly increased. Researchers have found that half of Internet users watch videos at least weekly and three-quarters watch professionally-produced online videos regularly. Arketi believes there are five main elements to effective BtoB videos.
The 5 elements are:
- A meaningful message
- Focusing on the customer, not yourself
- Being authentic
- Brevity and simplicity
- Getting the video online for SEO
For a detailed summary of each element, visit our July 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 5 - A New Revolution in Content Management Systems
One of Arketi Group’s digital designers, Charles, shares his musings from the MODxpo 2010 in Dallas, a two-day conference to discuss the hottest and most advanced content management system (CMS). This is a quick dive into how the next-generation of CMS tools “helps even regular individuals manage content on their websites simply, quickly and intuitively.”
What makes MODx such a revolution?
- MODx is a framework you can use to build your website
- Templates and template variables rock
- The platform converts the proper elements on the page into snippets, chunks and wayfinder pieces
- Page titles and headings are created in a search-engine-friendly manner
- It’s very streamlined, highly customizable and boasts an open community of developers sharing new applications
To learn more about creating a CMS through MODx, visit our June 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 4 - Recapturing Lost Leads
At Arketi, we recommend applying the principals of nurture marketing to recapture unfulfilled sales through strategic communications and continual outreach. Before lead nurturing can occur for an unfulfilled lead, you must identify why it was “lost” in the first place. Recognizing when and why a lead moved on from your company is critical to knowing how to best reach out to them in the future.
We consider three phases – Awareness, Discovery and Validation – to describe the mindset of leads.
- Awareness: Prospects are interested in knowing the benefits of technologies but not actually shopping.
- Discovery: Prospects are starting to shop and are looking to determine their buying criteria.
- Validation: Prospects are ready to buy and want to know your differentiators.
To learn more about Recapturing lost leads, visit our May 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 3 - Three-Dimensional Content Mapping
Recent industry studies have indicated that BtoB companies will invest as much as one-third of their total marketing budgets in developing lead nurturing content. While this may be a smart investment, many companies will not reap the rewards due to the absence of a comprehensive content strategy. Three-dimensional content mapping, as the name suggests, consists of three different strategic components:
- Segmentation: Map content to a prospect’s unique pain points
- Buying cycle: Develop content that addresses different stages of the buying cycle
- Content type: Leverage various mediums of delivery to increase consumption rates
To learn more about the emergence of three-dimensional content mapping, visit our April 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 2 - Common Mistakes in Business Writing
As more BtoB companies begin ramping up their content marketing efforts, the role of clear, well-structured writing has never been greater. While grammatically correct writing is a start, copy that is direct and compelling is just as important in today’s attention-challenged, time-sensitive marketing world. Arketi Group highlights three common mistakes in business writing that plague even the best of us:
- Develop an outline to help clearly organize your thoughts before writing
- Less is more. Focus on simplicity and steer clear of superfluous language
- Avoid technical or business jargon to ensure your message is clearly conveyed
To examine these mistakes in further detail and learn additional insights on effective business writing, visit our March 2010 Core Newsletter.
Episode 1 - The Outlook for BtoB Tech Marketing in 2010
Arketi’s third annual Atlanta High-Tech CMO Roundtable featured marketing executives from leading technology companies throughout the Southeast. The collection of top marketing minds gathered to discuss the current and future state of BtoB marketing, and a handful of themes emerged:
- The newfound convergence of Sales and Marketing to generate leads
- Social media’s role as a strong supplementary communications channel
- The importance of relevant and compelling content to fuel lead nurturing initiatives
To learn more about the Roundtable’s proceedings, download the “The Outlook for Business to Business Technology Marketing in 2010” white paper here.