In this episode, Emma, Ruta and Jennifer Macdonald dive into the all-too-common confusion between marketing strategy and business strategy—and why marketers shouldn’t be expected to magically fix business problems. They get into the mess that happens when there’s no clear business direction, how CEOs sometimes (okay, often) misunderstand marketing’s role, and why a solid business strategy is essential for marketing to actually do its job.

The conversation highlights the struggle marketers face in getting proper investment, battling unrealistic expectations, and setting boundaries with the C-suite. They call out fake engagement on social media and why it’s time for marketers to be real about the ups and downs of the job. Honest communication, a clear plan, and a reasonable budget? Turns out, that’s the real “secret sauce” for effective marketing.

Takeaways:

• Marketing ≠ Miracle Worker: Marketing strategy supports business strategy, but can’t fix what’s broken.
• Business Strategy First: Without a clear direction, marketing is left spinning its wheels.
• Educate the Execs: Misunderstandings about marketing’s role often lead to misplaced expectations.
• Set Boundaries: Clear communication between marketing and the C-suite can save everyone a lot of headaches.
• Demand What You Need: Marketing requires real investment; advocating for budget based on strategic priorities is essential.
  
  

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In this episode, Emma, Ruta, and Talya Heller G. Founder at 'Down to a T' tackle the misunderstood, often-overlooked world of product marketing. They dive into the real role of product marketing, share what it means to sit smack in the middle of marketing, product, and sales, and highlight why it’s one of the most misunderstood roles in the game. Talya drops a marketing confession about the chaos of translating customer comms for international markets and gives her two cents on the nonstop online “advice” around product marketing. Spoiler: not all of it is worth your time.

They also get into how product marketers can actually influence product decisions, pricing, and even the culture of the company. From navigating company culture to collaborating across teams, this episode’s packed with insights on how product marketing can make or break a company’s success—and why some marketers are ditching traditional roles to go freelance.

Takeaways:

• It’s a Balancing Act: Product marketing sits at the intersection of marketing, product, and sales—often juggling all three.
• Customer Insights Are Key: Understanding the market and the customer is everything in product marketing.
• Don’t Believe the Hype: Online “advice” on product marketing? Be discerning; not all of it holds up.
• Influencing the Product: Depending on the company, product marketers can impact product direction and pricing.
• Team Up: Collaboration with customer marketing and other teams is crucial for product marketing success.
• Culture Counts: Company culture can make or break product marketing’s effectiveness—especially in toxic workplaces.

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In this episode, Emma, Ruta, and Greg Landon take on the rollercoaster that is global marketing. Think juggling time zones, dodging cultural landmines, and realizing pretty quickly that a one-size-fits-all strategy is a no-go. They chat about how to tailor your messaging for different markets, why just translating your English tagline won’t cut it, and the massive importance of local market research (hint: you can’t just wing it). Greg spills some behind-the-scenes stories, like how Starbucks tiptoed into Italy’s hardcore coffee culture and actually made it work. If you're ready to take your brand worldwide (without falling on your face), this episode’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Lost in Translation? Directly translating your marketing materials is a recipe for disaster. Localization is key.
• Know Your Audience: Each market is unique—do the legwork and adapt your strategy to the local culture.
• HQ Doesn’t Know Everything: Letting one office call the shots for global markets? That’s asking for trouble.
• Virtual Boots on the Ground: You don’t need a full team in every country, but you need local insights.
• Global ≠ Copy-Paste: What works in the US might bomb in France—don’t assume success translates across borders.

Stop losing customers because of a bad user experience. Try Mouseflow for free and get a free extended trial at https://bit.ly/4dZp58a

Sponsors:

No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront!
Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!