Fast thoughts

Had a lot of fun being interviewed by James Hamlin of The CMO Circle*, for a quick tempo “Inside the Circle”.

See the video for the 90 second version but read on for the 3 minute version!

What’s the best piece of marketing advice you’ve ever received?

“Talk to customers every single week.” A veteran product-marketer drilled it into me years ago. Every great brief, campaign, and metric starts with a recent conversation, not a dashboard.

What marketing mistake taught you the most?

Early in my career I tried to build a gold-plated, multi-touch attribution model that impressed everyone - except the sales team. It was accurate but utterly unusable. Lesson: clarity beats precision. If a metric can’t guide today’s decisions, simplify it until it can.

What’s the most underrated marketing channel in 2025?

Communities. Reddit is king here, but also YouTube, Wikipedia and Quora. They happen to dominate LLM search results, but they’re also, the new word-of-mouth: hard to measure, impossible to fake, and packed with buying intent.

What are you most proud of in your marketing career?

Leading the EMEA marketing team that helped Adobe move from box software to SaaS. We shipped less swag and more ARR - and proved marketing deserves a revenue target.

AI in marketing: threat or opportunity?

Both! The threat is treating it like autopilot, the opportunity is as co-pilot. Teams that pair human insight with AI speed will lap everybody else.

What’s something in marketing you’ve changed your mind on?

Events. I once believed physical events were dying. Post-pandemic, I’ve seen the opposite: fewer events, but deeper, high-intent gatherings that generate pipeline faster than any webinar ever did.

What tool can’t you live without?

ChatGPT. It’s my strategist, copy-editor, and research intern.

What traditional marketing tactic is due for a comeback?

Direct mail - but stitched to digital. A personalised package that triggers an AI-built microsite or calendar link still stops a CFO in her tracks.

What’s your go-to productivity hack?

No meetings before 10am. Calendar blocked, phone on airplane mode, espresso within reach. Meetings can wait until 10am; creativity doesn’t.

What’s one thing marketers focus on that customers don’t care about?

Your funnel stage labels. Buyers don’t wake up thinking, “I’m in consideration.” They just want a faster path to value.

What makes a great event?

Curated audience, problem-first agenda, zero queueing, one clear next step. If attendees leave with momentum instead of swag, you nailed it.

What’s one marketing truth no one wants to hear?

No one cares about (or notices) your marketing as much as you do. So don’t get hung up on constantly creating new ideas - be consistent in market. Build momentum.

Top tip for those wanting to move into marketing leadership?

Spend 20 % of your week with customers and 10 % with sales. If you can’t speak revenue fluently, you’re managing campaigns, not leading marketing.

Favourite business book or podcast?

Pivot!

What will you do differently in 2025 vs. 2024?

AI, of course! Turn the AI experiments of 2024 into standard operating procedures - from content generation to predictive spend allocation. The goal: a proprietary flywheel that compounds results (and keeps me ahead of the curve).

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* If you’re looking for a UK-focussed marketing network, then I can highly recommend The CMO Circle. Senior membership (B2B & B2C), IRL events and dinners, regular webinars on strategy, execution and AI, priority access to industry events plus super-active WhatsApp groups. Oh, and its completely FREE to join! Contact James for more information.

I just reviewed 286 Job Applications

I just reviewed 286 job applications for a role I needed to fill. Yep, that’s right. Every single one.

LinkedIN is full of horror stories from job hunters. It’s time for a change. I don’t know if this is it, but I felt I needed to do something different.

And I’m glad I did.

Not because I'm a sucker for punishment. But because behind each CV and cover letter was someone who took the time to apply, so the least I could do was give them the same attention in return.

Buried in the details were small but meaningful signs - a specific achievement, a phrase that showed grit, a side project that revealed passion. Things no algorithm would catch. Things that tipped the scales.

Sure, I used AI. But as my assistant, not my decision-maker.

Here’s how:

  • Promotion via LinkedIN

  • Human brain for longlist (and yes, I actually notified the no’s)

  • ChatGPT to build interview questions and scoring framework

  • Cal.com for scheduling 30-min chemistry calls

  • Otter.ai to record conversations

  • ChatGPT to analyze transcripts against the framework (to back up my gut)

  • Human judgment for the final cut

The kicker? Attitude trumped everything. You can teach skills. You can't teach giving a damn.

And four observation for job seekers:

  • Make it easy for us to say yes, rather than no. Bring outcomes and key achievements to the top.

  • Stand out or stand aside. Many had more creative CV formats (this was a Content/Social Media role, so made sense). Guess who got noticed?

  • Typos = instant death. If you can't be bothered to spellcheck, why should I trust you with our brand?

  • Use AI to enhance, not replace. I expect you to use it. But total AI generation? You can smell it a mile off.

Here's the thing: in our rush to automate everything, we've forgotten that hiring is fundamentally human. It's not about efficiency at the expense of connection. It's about using efficiency to create MORE connection.

Plot twist: Reddit runs the AI search game now

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁.

The team at Profound just conducted a massive study - 30 MILLION citations analyzed to understand how different AI platforms source their content. This results are fascinating.

Here's what they found:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗚𝗣𝗧 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱.
- Nearly HALF of all citations came from Wikipedia. Reddit limped in second at 11%. That's concentration risk on steroids.

𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 = 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁/𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗧𝘂𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄.
- Much more balanced mix here. Reddit (21%), YouTube (19%), and Quora (14%) dominate. Google clearly trusts community-driven content.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆? 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱!
- 47% of answers sourced from Reddit. FORTY. SEVEN. PERCENT. YouTube came second but wasn't even close.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗜 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

I’m embarrassed to say Reddit wasn't even on my radar. But if Reddit isn't in your strategy yet, you're losing the AI Search game.

Each AI platform has its own source preferences. What works for ChatGPT won't necessarily work for Perplexity. But overall it’s the power of community-led content.

Wikipedia, Reddit, YouTube - who knew they should be in the B2B marketer’s plan?

Time to get surgical with your AI optimization strategy. The rules have changed!

5 sentences that could get you a seat at the leadership table

Here's what I learned across countless leadership meetings, reviews and QBRs:

Business leaders don't want marketing updates. They want business truth.

They've heard every buzzword. Seen every hockey stick projection. Sat through countless "brand perception" slides.

What they crave? Someone who understands the business deeply enough to speak plainly about what's actually happening.

The path to the board table isn't through perfect dashboards or flawless campaigns. And certainly by marketers talking marketing speak.

It's through the courage to say what others won't.

Most marketing leaders never learn this because they're too busy managing up instead of thinking like an owner.

Here’s 5 examples I've seen work in the past:

1. "That's going to cost us 3 deals this quarter."

Not "impact pipeline" or "affect velocity." Real numbers. Real consequences. When I showed how a product delay would kill specific deals in Germany, France, and UK, suddenly marketing had weight.

Most marketing leaders say: "This could impact our pipeline health." Business leaders hear: "I have no idea what this means for the business."

2. "We don't understand the real reasons why our customers actually buy."

Showed leadership actual call recording transcripts (summarised with AI). What customers told sales vs. what they told their CFO. The gap was massive. It changed our entire GTM strategy.

Most marketing leaders say: "Our voice of customer research indicates..." Business leaders hear: "We asked leading questions and got the answers we wanted."

3. "I was wrong about that. Here's what actually happened."

Predicted enterprise adoption would drive growth. It didn't. Mid-market was carrying us. Admitted it. Adjusted everything. Leadership loved the honesty.

Most marketing leaders say: "Results were mixed but we're optimizing..." Business leaders hear: "I'm covering my a*se."

4. "We're wasting €2M a month on attribution theatre."

Killed our 6-figure attribution platform. Showed leadership how deals actually happened - dinner conversations, event connections, account management, customer referrals. Not our 47-touchpoint fantasy map.

Most marketing leaders say: "Our attribution model shows marketing influenced..." Board members hear: "I'm justifying my existence with made-up maths."

5. "If we lose Customer X,Y & Z, we lose the market."

Named names. Showed an ABM plan with specific customer names & data-driven insights. Got micro not macro. Made retention our #1 priority. It worked.

Most marketing leaders say: "Customer retention is crucial for growth." Business leaders hear: "Generic strategy consultant speak."

Want a seat at the table? Stop talking like a marketer. Start talking like someone who owns the outcome. Break out of that marketing bubble!

But what do you think of our logo?

“But what do you think of our logo?”

The chilling first question asked by a CEO after an hour’s strategic marketing presentation.

Briefed to outline my broader vision and action plan to accelerate growth in a global tech brand, I dutifully laid out a short presentation covering:

  • Marketing Vision

  • Market Forces & Ecosystem Dynamics

  • Repositioning the Business

  • Strategic Marketing Priorities

  • First 100 Days Action Plan & Success Metrics

  • Team Vision, Leveraging AI & Leadership Approach

You know when you think you nailed it. The CEO nodded along, seemed engaged and thanked me for laying things out. But then came the all important first question. I was floored. I didn’t know what to say.

But there you are - all was revealed about the role of marketing in THAT company - make things look pretty and solve the company’s ills by “better” “marketing”.

Reminds me of another company who, in the hiring process, wanted to see my campaign portfolio. FFS. Again, pointless. My prior work could’ve been backed by a $10M agency budget just as much as by knocking things up myself in Adobe Creative Suite. I politely pulled out of the process.

For many business leaders, marketing hasn’t broken out of the colouring-in department.

So the lesson? Perhaps as it’s always has been - marketing lacks a standard definition, and a CMO/VP Marketing/Head of role can mean anything to anyone. The Job Description may say “strategic leader driving growth, able to operate at the highest level”, but don’t make assumptions. If you’re in the business, be clear on KPIs. If you’re going in to a business, really understand what is meant by “marketing”. Quiz deeply, ask questions, clarify.

Finally, don’t get me wrong, image, identity, naming, logo, lock-ups, strap-lines, colour palette are all REALLY important components of great marketing. But to get there takes insight & data. Not a gut feel assessment. And certainly not the first question out of the gate.

Next up: the CRO who told me that marketing doesn’t generate leads (!)

Always walk facing the traffic

"Always walk facing the traffic" 🚶‍♂️‍➡️🚗

Still the best advice I got at 11 years old.

Picture this: A rain-soaked Boy Scout, freezing his a*se off on a "summer" hike in the Lake District. Our leader drops this wisdom: When there's no footpath, walk where you can see what's coming.

Don't get hit from behind.

Decades later, I still work out the logic. Even in Italy last month, watching a Piaggio Ape buzz towards me (that's "bee" not "gorilla" for the non-Italians).

Here's the thing: Marketing works the same way.

Too many marketers get blindsided. They're so busy looking at dashboards, they miss the truck coming around the corner.

The only way to survive? Face the traffic head-on.

Some examples from my own journey:

2000s: Founded a face-to-face networking dinner club when everyone was going digital. Built connections that still pay dividends today.

2010s: Got my hands dirty as a CMO - even wrote a daily music blog for a year. While others debated strategy, I learned by doing.

2020s: Dove headfirst into AI. Not just talking about it - actually building with it. Prompts, agents, automation. The works.

The pattern? I didn't wait for change to hit me from behind.

That free webinar you're avoiding? The coffee with someone outside your bubble? That AI tool you're "too busy" to learn?

That's your traffic.

Stop walking backwards. Turn around. Face what's coming.

It won't cost you much. Just the willingness to see what's ahead before it runs you over.

Angst!

I’ve never seen so much angst in marketing as there is right now!

Having had several rich, unfiltered conversations with other marketing leaders in the past few weeks a few things really stuck with me.

Marketing is having an identity crisis. Are we growth drivers? Brand builders? Revenue enablers?

We debate this more than any other function. Instead of obsessing over internal definitions, we should obsess over customers.

And when it comes to reaching new customers, we’re so caught up in contemplating our own navels, we ignore the way WE actually buy - through referrals, networks, and recommendations. And yet, many marketing teams are still chasing attribution models that rely on outdated touchpoints when most real influence happens in “dark social” and trusted peer networks.

Imagine flipping your new logo strategy to focus entirely on turning happy customers into referral engines. Connect them to prospects at events, put them front and centre in your brand campaigns, make them the heroes of your website.

And, no, AI is not the enemy - slow, expensive marketing is. I’ve used it to create campaigns, analyse customer transcripts, build ICPs, and generate Share of Voice insights. AI lets me spend less time formatting and more time thinking.

So enough with the angst! Let’s stop debating what marketing is and start showing what marketing does - by putting customers at the centre, embracing AI as a force multiplier, and driving real impact where it counts.

Time to lead with confidence.

Managing Growth Through Uncertainty

Enjoyed listening to Sam Jacobs of Pavilion on the topic of "Managing Growth Through Uncertainty" at this week's Chargebee's Beelieve London Conference.

Here are my top takeaways for anyone trying to grow efficiently in 2025:

📉 Growth at any cost is dead. Marketers need to understand the cost of capital, not just how to spend a budget. It’s not about hitting your number; it’s about hitting it at the right cost.

🔁 Retention is your growth strategy. Still over-indexing on acquisition? Sam made it clear: retention beats new logos. Make sure your funnel extends after the sale and on renewals.

🎯 Revisit your ROI assumptions. LTV is fragile if your churn’s creeping up or cost to serve is ballooning. Efficient growth needs solid unit economics. Benchmark: LTV:CAC ratio of 5:1, payback under 18 months.

🎢 Test, learn, experiment (I've always been a fan!). Use data to drive learning an split your budgets to support this mantra: 60%: on proven channels ; 30% on confident experiments ; 10% on risky but worth-it ideas.

📊 Run marketing like finance. That means:

  • Monthly cash flow forecasts (yes, even for marketing!)

  • Gradual scaling (10k on LinkedIn this month? Cap next month at 15k)

  • Aligning incentives around moments that create value, not just clicks

Most importantly: Don’t freeze. So many practitioners are delaying right now. But delay = decline. If your competitors hit pause, it might be your best shot at market share.

Biggest takeaway? "Let’s not create a self-fulfilling slowdown by pulling back on smart growth. Use the data. Make the case. Keep moving."

Thanks Sam for the clarity 🙌

And great to see you, albeit briefly, Katherine Torrence, Jessica Michael, Dhevesh Mewawalla.

#B2BMarketing #EfficientGrowth #Pavilion #RetentionMarketing #CMO #MarketingStrategy #Beelieve2025