This time on Marketing Meanders, Sally and Sam discuss the soft skills of marketing. What do marketers need to enable them to be successful in the workplace beyond technicla abilities? Well, we've identified five including communication, creativity, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and analytical skills.

See if you agree with us in part one.

In part two of our exploration of email marketing with Chris Barnett from 1973 Limited, we delve into the technical aspects of email marketing, focusing on email design, optimisation, and audience engagement. Topics include the effective use of animated GIFs, the importance of editorial planning for newsletters, and the role of dynamic content. The discussion also covers the significance of analytics in understanding email performance and making data-driven decisions. Pick up some practical tips on maintaining newsletter relevance, segmentation, the use of AI in personalisation, and measuring success. You'll also gain some insights on handling mistakes in emails and ensuring consistent, valuable communication with audiences. Have fun listening.

In this two-part episode, Sally, and Sam are joined by Chris Barnett, founder of 1973 Limited, who delivers a tour de force in email marketing. Chris shares his background and the origin story of his company, which he started with his friend Dave Black. Initially focusing on web development, the company gradually shifted to email marketing, earning a strong reputation in the field. Key topics include the importance of data quality, segmentation, and relevancy in email campaigns. Chris emphasises the skills and best practices required for creating effective emails, including considerations for design, deliverability, and user experience. He also discusses the evolving role of email in marketing toolkits and offers insights into the potential of newsletters for building brand trust and engagement.
We hope you enjoy gaining all the valuable insights!

Sally and Sam are back with part two of their discussion of marketing agencies. This time we explore the nature of work agencies can take on, what you need to consider when writing a tender for agencies or a brief, how you can define and measure the success of an agency working relationship, and we give some examples of agencies providing additional value you'd not anticipated...

We're excited to make our return after a lengthy hiatus! We've been busy with various personal and professional commitments over the last few months, but we're back with a dive on the topic of why businesses might choose to work with marketing agencies. In Part One, we'll cover the symptoms for why your business might actually need an agency, such as lack of time, the need for specialised skills, and the desire to scale marketing efforts efficiently. Then we look at the value that marketing agencies bring, such as expertise in specific areas, the potential to save time for the in-house team, and the strategic advantage they can offer. Finally, we start to set out the importance of briefing marketing agencies properly and setting clear expectations for a successful partnership. Enjoy!

In this Mini Meander, Sam shares his experience with email marketing and discusses its effectiveness. He recounts receiving a mis-targeted chaser email that had a slightly terse tone, which made him question the negative effects of mass email campaigns on brand reputation. Sam advocates for a more targeted approach, comparing it to networking events where personalisation and value are key. He also discusses the potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI and sophisticated learning algorithms for marketing purposes. Sam invites listeners to share their thoughts and experiences with targeted marketing campaigns and business development strategies. The episode concludes with a preview of the upcoming mini-series on proposition development and starting a new business.

Timestamps

The Problem with Mass Email Campaigns [00:02:08]
The Importance of Targeted Marketing [00:05:42]
Diminishing Returns of Mass Email Campaigns [00:07:52]
The importance of providing value and being transparent [00:08:48]
The challenges of targeting the right audience [00:09:58]
The impact of approach and tone in marketing [00:11:02]

We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences, so please share! Tweet us at @meanderspod, message us on Facebook, or email meanderspod@gmail.com

Marketing Meanders is hosted by Sally Green, Partner at YMS and Senior Marketing Consultant, and Sam Birkett, founder of Amiable Marketing and Specialist Marketing Consultant.

Sally Green:

I am an experienced marketing consultant who loves helping people plan and implement successful strategies, creating campaigns that both strengthen the brand impact and increase revenue streams.

Working with me will give you a proper understanding of what does and doesn’t need to be done, how you can measure your success and how to get the best return on the effort you put into your marketing. Working with both large organisations and SMEs, I will help you set achievable goals, create a strategy and develop sustainable marketing plans that will show positive returns on your marketing effort.

Connect with Sally on LinkedIn.

Sam Birkett:

I specialise in higher and executive education marketing strategy, and operational and tactical support. Specialisms include LinkedIn lead generation and conversion campaigns, Persona and Proposition development, Content strategy, Webinar, Interview, Podcast and Video creation.

My consultancy works with institutions and organisations both in the UK and internationally, and over the last 16 years, I've been fortunate enough to work for world-leading organisations.

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn.

We dive into part two of our discussion on tone of voice. This time we explore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on tone of voice, emphasising the need for clear instructions to ensure desired outcomes. Sally shares her experience as a former marketing director, focussing on the importance of tailoring messaging to maintain a strong relationship with the audience.

Timestamps

AI and Tone of Voice [00:00:59]
Monitoring Audience Tone of Voice [00:05:19]

Customer Tone of Voice and Referrals [00:08:30]
The importance of audience and brand identity [00:09:26]

The impact of brand refresh on tone of voice [00:10:17]

The evolution of tone of voice in newspapers [00:15:44]

Teachers' tone of voice [00:19:30]

Company's tone of voice [00:20:57]

Challenging conventions in tone of voice [00:26:35]

The importance of tone of voice in energy company marketing [00:28:17]

We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences, so please share! Tweet us at @meanderspod, message us on Facebook, or email meanderspod@gmail.com

Marketing Meanders is hosted by Sally Green, Partner at YMS and Senior Marketing Consultant, and Sam Birkett, founder of Amiable Marketing and Specialist Marketing Consultant.

Sally Green:

I am an experienced marketing consultant who loves helping people plan and implement successful strategies, creating campaigns that both strengthen the brand impact and increase revenue streams.

Working with me will give you a proper understanding of what does and doesn’t need to be done, how you can measure your success and how to get the best return on the effort you put into your marketing. Working with both large organisations and SMEs, I will help you set achievable goals, create a strategy and develop sustainable marketing plans that will show positive returns on your marketing effort.

Connect with Sally on LinkedIn.

Sam Birkett:

I specialise in higher and executive education marketing strategy, and operational and tactical support. Specialisms include LinkedIn lead generation and conversion campaigns, Persona and Proposition development, Content strategy, Webinar, Interview, Podcast and Video creation.

My consultancy works with institutions and organisations both in the UK and internationally, and over the last 16 years, I've been fortunate enough to work for world-leading organisations.

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn.