Shari Diamond

Here’s the thing. Place is one of the 7 Ps of marketing, but very rarely does the conversation go very deep on the working mechanics of what that actually means. Product marketers and brand marketers at the enterprise level have never really had to get in the weeds of looking at granular channel data like performance marketers have with regards to tracking and measuring campaign success. That’s what the analysts are for, right? Wrong. Even analysts I’ve met and worked with have never built a website and digital UX/CX from scratch to truly understand all the working parts of what makes consumers convert. Outside of pulling tagged audience segments from a CRM like Salesforce they don’t have the technical backend aptitude for getting the platforms to talk to each other or the number of steps it takes to set up a paid social campaign. This is often left to specialists. It’s really hard to lead strategy if you never been on the frontlines working with the IT team to I could list all the channels and tactics, but I’d run out of characters for the post. My point is T-Shaped marketers will and need to be the future CMO. This doesn’t mean the CMO has to do all the work, but they have to have had hands on keyboard learning by doing practice executing in ALL these areas to make better judgement calls and defend their position vs delivering spin/hype. They need to be able to speak multiple languages within the marketing org. Not just a few. The buck has to stop at the CMO level where they can no longer blame their direct reports. You can’t be reactive and yell at your team for not giving proper guidance and then pretend everything is ok in the Monday morning standup, ELT, or board meetings. That is a recipe for disaster in a kitchen where the house is built in sand.

5

3 Comments

Made for Advertising sites have had a tough year. Google has hit them twice from a rank ability perspective, and as other platforms continue to prioritize helpful, informative content, MFAs will continue to suffer unless they pivot. Check out this article from The Wall Street Journal for more information on this latest messy situation in the marketing industry. Link: https://lnkd.in/gWaudxfP

6

2 Comments

I’m a slightly obsessed observer of consumer behavior. Striking a balance between analyzing data and trends versus what my gut tells me. Predictions for what 2025 holds are wide-ranging (as they tend to be every year) but I’ve noticed several consistent topics that, from a marketer’s perspective, seem to be mentioned more than others. For those who like lists, here are the top five trends that I believe will define mortgage #marketing in 2025: 1. Enhanced Personalization through AI and Data Analytics: This is no longer optional nor is it something that takes an investment of millions. It means diving into available tech in a way that helps you tell a better story to the one who needs to hear how you can solve the problem they didn’t even know they had. 2. Integration of Advanced Technology into a Cohesive Ecosystem: Forget “tech stacks” (I’ve always hated that phrase); it’s all about systems that play well together and adapt to what’s next. This is as true for #martech as it is for sales tech platforms. 3. Increased Use of Video Content (you knew it was coming): Video marketing continues to rise, offering you opportunities to engage with consumers before you meet them and build rapport. I’ve been coaching on leveraging video content for almost a decade. If you’re rolling your eyes because you’ve heard me talk about it that whole time… imagine where you’d be today if you had started when I first told you to do it. 4. Emphasis on Sustainability and Purpose-Driven Marketing: Consumers are increasingly placing their trust (and their dollars) with brands that engage in sustainability, ethics they align with, and emphasis on positive human engagement. But it had better be genuine or you will never get a second chance if it’s faked. 5. Stay Ahead of the News Cycles: By the time the national media reports on something impacting our industry, we’ve already known about it anywhere from 48 hours to a few weeks (sometimes months). Be the expert who addresses coming changes and control the narrative with your community before the media does. To do that, though, you must be disciplined in paying attention to those changes and not only deliver the info but also the commentary on why it's important to your audience. These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re actionable shifts that can help you attract clients, build trust, and grow your business. Think back on the last two years and the business opportunities you missed out on… would a focus on any of these trends above have made a difference? Would any of them have helped you solve the problem(s) that kept you from growing? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this list or any other trends I didn’t talk about. #MortgageMarketing #DigitalStrategy #2025Trends #AI #VideoContent Lower

23

11 Comments

A compelling argument for the importance of experiments and the use of Bayesian modeling. The objection/notion of isolated, walled garden experiments is slowly becoming obsolete. As advertisers increasingly leverage open-source or proprietary geo/user-based experimentation on their own internal metrics, the need for incrementality testing as the gold standard for establishing media causality becomes undeniable. Incorporating experimental data into a Bayesian framework should enable more accurate and actionable insights in this regard.

13

Great article - these points still resonate for me on the #CMO role: **Data-Driven Insights**: Leverage data insights to drive strategic decision-making (but you have to HAVE the data). This enables CMOs to better understand customer behaviors and preferences, leading to more effective targeting and personalization. **Expanded Organizational Influence**: CMOs are now playing a more integral role in business strategy. Their influence extends across various departments, enabling them to contribute to broader organizational goals and drive innovation (marketing spread more thin as their stakeholders now reach the entire organization plus clients). **Enhanced Customer Journeys**: With the rise of digital platforms, CMOs are tasked with creating seamless and engaging customer experiences across all touchpoints. This requires a holistic approach to managing the customer journey, ensuring consistency and satisfaction at every stage (but requires insights shared from the business that marketing doesn't often receive).

11

3 Comments

Brand safety is kind of a given in terms of marketer expectations in 2024, but the reality of making brand safety happen is a bit more complex. Let's talk about it at the TAG "State of the Fight" event during Advertising Week New York!

50

Tired of buyer’s remorse in your Martech investments? Our latest ebook, Solving the Martech Mystery: Strategies for Avoiding Buyer’s Remorse, is here to help. Discover practical tips to make smarter decisions, avoid common pitfalls and ensure your Martech stack delivers real value. 📥 Download Cella's ebook today to get started! bit.ly/3ZIzUa5

2

The Multiplier Effect Marketing isn’t just a function—it’s a force multiplier for your business. When done right, it doesn’t just support growth; it accelerates it. The key? Leadership that aligns your vision, strategy, and team. Fractional CMOs don’t just manage campaigns—they reframe possibilities. Curious how this works? Let’s connect. #LeadershipMatters #BusinessGrowth #MarketingExcellence

1

Wondering what #digitalstrategy opportunities arise from analyzing search behavior? Plenty. Read my newest post on #search intent to find out. #blog #communications #digitalmarketing

7

Many marketing leaders have made heavy investments in technology. But, is a growing tech stack a good thing? Based on some of the research and other conversations I have had, it may not be as helpful as many think. I take a look at this in my latest article. https://lnkd.in/ew2ySyr8 #martech #b2b #technology #growth #makegrowthsimple #ROI

7

2 Comments

⚖️📏You’ve Measured Success – Now What? 📈 Once you’ve measured your marketing campaign’s performance, what’s the next step in your strategy? Our latest blog dives into what comes after campaign measurement and insights on how to: 🔎Analyze key performance data 🎯Refine your messaging and audience targeting 🛠️Improve your media mix for better results next time If you're looking to take your marketing strategy to the next level, this post is for you! 🚀 Check it out now ⬇️ #MarketingStrategy #CampaignSuccess #MediaPlanning #Optimization #GoldViewConsulting #MarketingConsultant

3

Always a treat talking to the mighty Drew Neisser. Drew's built one of the most vibrant communities in B2B. I loved chatting about unbundled ABM – and the importance of approaching Account-Based Marketing systemically. By the way – stay tuned. We have some big announcements in the upcoming weeks about unbundled ABM, both understanding it better, and also helping to provide some solutions that will give companies more choices about how to unlock account-based digital marketing. #B2B #unbundledABM

14

1 Comment

Personalization is often misunderstood by brands but commonly sought out by consumers. This Forbes article explains the common disconnect between brands and their target consumers.   “Personalization is not just about how you can sell more stuff to people through relevant, timely, and contextual campaigns….real personalization takes a more holistic view and operates across the customer lifecycle.”   When scaling personalization, it’s important to have a customer-centric rather than a product-centric mindset to offer a personalized customer experience at every touchpoint. https://lnkd.in/gy9ZGvyq   #CustomerExperience

20

4 Comments

Learn what it takes to crack the code on lead generation

31

1 Comment

No matter where the MarTech team or the MOps team sits within an org chart, the teams need to consider themselves strategic partners to product marketers, marketing strategy teams, sales ops, and the sales team. We may not realize it, but our language and actions guide how people view Ops in the org. You will likely lose your audience if brought into strategic conversations and you pull up complex operational diagrams. If you aren't conveying that you are thinking about the bigger picture of a GTM because you are focusing on just getting the data loaded and the campaigns launched, you will always be viewed as just the doers. 🔥 Hot take 🔥 Companies can always find more doers. However, the most valuable thing, and what will likely give you more satisfaction in your role, is if you can provide insights and direction that contribute to the success of your partners within the org.

21

1 Comment

Just read in the EMARKETER article: "The role of the CMO has completely shifted to be equally focused on tech, data, analytics, creative, and culture." I can fully relate to Raja Rajamannar, CMO at Mastercard, in this approach. 1️⃣ Tech Today’s CMOs must navigate a complex landscape of technology. My team, for instance, uses around 30 tools in our stack, each serving different purposes. Mastering these tools is essential to optimizing processes and driving results. It's no longer enough to be a good marketer. You need to leverage tech for efficiency and scalability. 2️⃣ Data Every marketing initiative begins with gathering data. Whether it's users' characteristics, customer behavior or market trends, data is the raw material that fuels everything else. 3️⃣ Analytics Raw data, however, means little without analytics. Understanding what you want from the data, creating correct and easy-to-use dashboards, incl. with predictive analytics, provides that 360-degree view of what’s happening. It takes time to learn tools like Power BI or Amplitude, but once mastered, you can make data-driven decisions just by glancing at a graph. Many innovative things were born and passed to the product dep thanks to analytics. 4️⃣ Creative Creativity isn’t about "let's do smth cool/expensive/AI/whatever just because we want it." It’s the key to boosting engagement, making your brand known and stand out in a crowded market and, as a result, increasing sales. This blend of analytics and creativity is what drew me to the CMO role — it’s a perfect balance of strategy and imagination, which I absolutely love. 5️⃣ Culture Culture is often overlooked by marketing heads, though it’s the foundation. While building culture is sometimes attributed to HR, I firmly believe it should be a joint effort between HR, Marketing, and, most importantly, top management. After all, marketing is about shaping or re-shaping perceptions, both internally and externally. #CMO #marketing #marketingchallenges #CMOrole #CMOinsights #strategy #CMOlife

58

4 Comments