With the competitive marketplace, how do we successfully build a brand? In such a chaotic environment – COVID-19, the Great Resignation, and now an economic downturn, how do we attract and retain top talent? In this episode, Julia Stead dives into the practicals on implementing a systematic marketing plan, focusing on investment, marketing research and analysis, and understanding the growth stages of the company. Listen closely as she offers advice on what leaders can do to attract and keep top talent and the ways to create a supportive work environment. Tune in!
As CMO at 15Five, Julia helps create transformational change in the world of people management, delivering tools and education to HR leaders, managers, and employees that unlock every individual’s peak performance. She brings over 15 years of B2B marketing experience driving market leadership and revenue at high-growth SaaS companies.
“So often, companies lead their marketing with their product value proposition, product features, and product, product, product… That can be boring or just generic. It doesn’t create that emotional pull for your buyer, right? But if you can tap into what their world is, what they are living and breathing, and create a higher-level story that connects with them and feels like you get them, even if it’s not pushing your product… I think that goes a long way to capturing the hearts and minds. It’s almost like what do you, as a brand, stand for?”
– Julia Stead
First, it is critical to consider your market and the current conditions. Standing out in a crowded market requires investment in the brand. To implement this, organizations need to understand where the highest concentration of their audience can be found. From there, it is about investing in the right channels such as billboards, signages, radio, podcasts, etc. Creates a lasting impression on the audience through interconnected channels and telling a consistent story. By running the production cycle while keeping the marketing campaigns fresh with the element of emotion instead of pushing the product, brands may power their growth.
Spending on branding strategically sets you up for future success. Scaling back may be necessary to fill the pipeline. The keys are to have honesty, vulnerability, transparency, and good relationships among leaders and peers. Ensure that everyone is on the same wavelength on the company’s focus and that marketing must be in alignment with everyone’s awareness of the company’s trajectory.
The marketing leader must observe data points on business interest, product or service demand, pipeline, deal cycles, retention rates, and customer sentiments to clearly understand how the business is doing. This facilitates a more informed opinion on the market conditions and how the business should react. Doing this allows marketing leaders to make a recommendation on the next steps to take.
When it comes to attracting talent, it boils down to what the company has to offer. It is not only about the benefits, but how they can be part of the company’s growth. Getting to know the person may require asking personal questions because home and work life are highly intertwined. The hiring manager sets the tone for the outcome of the relationship with talents, so it is important to be willing to communicate directly with the candidates. Empathetic leaders are in demand. As the company grows, it is vital to keep the team focused on high performance while balancing the empathy for stress. People in the team want to feel supported. The key to retaining the team is by keeping them engaged. Focus on winning together as a team, set the right goals and priorities, make the whole team aligned and going in the same direction, and celebrate business success. Keep the environment open and allow for people to talk about things outside of work to promote stronger relationships between peers. Finally, ensure that people are paid fairly for their roles and responsibilities.
Bróna O’ Connor – VP Marketing at MediaValet
Joe Chernov – Marketing leader at Pendo.io
Udi Ledergor – CMO at Gong
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