[ Heart + Smart ] Blog by Authentic Brand - Marketing content for B2B growth organizations

05May 2017 by Jennifer Zick

The Hard Truth About Marketing Automation

It's one of the greatest misnomers of modern marketing: Marketing Automation. It's not a new term or technology. In fact, the pioneers in this space entered the market as early as 1999. And yet, despite its strong adoption and incredible growth (300 solutions added in just the past year - see graphic below), businesses large and small still struggle with what marketing automation actually means, and the level of commitment and resources required to manage an effective program. (more…)

26Apr 2017 by Jennifer Zick

Brace Yourself: It’s Marketing Conference Season

Brand & Messaging, Digital

It seems that every 18 months or so, the conversations around B2B marketing shift. The most obvious way to observe this evolution is through the themes and titles of marketing conference keynotes and breakout sessions. A few years ago, all the conferences were focused on social and mobile. More recently, inbound and content marketing have dominated the topic lists. Today, everyone's talking ABM, predictive analytics, and lifecycle marketing. And rumblings are picking up around artificial intelligence, machine learning, and virtual / augmented reality. (more…)

12Apr 2017 by Jennifer Zick

The Problem with Modern Marketing

Marketing

If you're in B2B marketing, you probably feel it. Something's not quite right. I felt it, too. In previous roles as a corporate B2B marketing leader, I spent nearly two decades building marketing programs and teams, sensing along the way that - though we were constantly innovating, producing great content, and growing our engagement numbers - we were missing the mark somewhere. (more…)

11Apr 2017 by Jennifer Zick

My Goal: Grace

Marketing

This post is not about B2B marketing, brand, content, data, or digital. This is just about me, being authentic with you. Because that's my brand, after all. And I'd like for you to know me. And my journey toward embracing grace. While I was still working as a corporate marketing leader, earlier this year, a younger female colleague approached me with a sincere question: "What are your big personal goals this year? What is driving you?" (more…)

06Apr 2017 by Jennifer Zick

B2B Marketing: The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Brand & Messaging, Digital, Marketing

Take it from someone who’s been there, done that in B2B marketing: The more things change, the more they stay the same. This idea is one of the reasons I’ve set out to build my business, Authentic Brand, to help B2B leaders and marketers guide their brands and teams - consistently, intelligently, and authentically - through whatever comes their way. Because, though change is fast and constant, one thing remains true: it’s always been about the customer relationship. (more…)