Empowering Business Success through Data-Driven Insights and Collaborative Marketing

Shownotes

In this episode of Sunny Side Up, host Chris Moody interviews Paige Marsin, a Marketing Strategy Specialist at Palo Alto Networks and Demandbase Champion on her transition from higher education to the fast-paced tech industry. Paige emphasises the unexpected advantages of imposter syndrome in driving efficiency and innovation. She underscores the value of precise, data-driven targeting over broad campaigns. Drawing from her past, Paige highlights how working with tight budgets has honed he resource optimisation skills, even in a well-funded environment. This episode dives into insights such as the significance of tracking accounts across funnel stages and the importance of critical metrics in campaign evaluation.

About the Guest

Paige is a seasoned marketing specialist, passionate about data-driven sales and marketing strategies. She started her career in higher education where she learned the importance of using data in her marketing campaigns. She is an expert in ABM/ABX and takes pleasure in learning new targeting strategies to keep Palo Alto Networks ahead of the competition. Outside of work, Paige is a mom to two very active boys, enjoys yoga and hiking.

Connect with Paige Marsin

Key Takeaways

• Imposter syndrome can be an advantage. It challenges individuals to achieve better results with fewer resources, leading them to optimise efficiency and innovation.
• Focus on what delivers the most value, not just where there’s ample budget.
• Prior experience in lean environments can inform strategies in better-funded sectors.
• The “Spray and Pray” approach is broken. Precise targeting, backed by data, is more effective than a broad marketing approach.
• Not every process has to be templated – When standardised tools or platforms don’t cater to unique business needs, manual customisation is worth the effort.
• Continuously tracking account movement through varying funnel stages, from top to mid to lower, is vital for valuable insight.
• Metrics and data-driven insights are crucial in evaluating campaign success. Metrics like account lift, engagement rates, and impression counts are particularly significant.
• Centralising the process through a dedicated team ensures effective targeting without oversaturating shared accounts across multiple go-to-market strategies.

Quote

“We are empowered to make our own decisions. It’s very different from higher education, where you have to go through a slew of approvals to get something done.”

– Paige Marsin

Highlights from the Episode

From higher education to tech, what fundamental changes did you notice in your role and responsibilities from higher education to tech?

In transitioning from higher education to tech, Paige noticed a shift from the slower pace of higher education to the fast-paced tech sector. She observed bureaucratic challenges in higher education, whereas the tech industry allowed quick decision-making. This new environment and responsibilities were a significant adjustment for Paige, even leading to feelings of imposter syndrome.

How does your experience in higher education give you an advantage in today’s efficiency-driven tech industry?

Paige believes her experience in higher education helped her become more efficient and innovative. In higher ed, she had to create organic campaigns for engagement with little funding. Upon transitioning to the tech sector, even with more available funds, her mindset remained focused on maximising efficiency. She leverages the targeting criteria offered by Demandbase to ensure they only spend on accounts that matter most to them.

How does your passion for data-driven decision-making help fuel your motivation? Does it shape your perspectives on work?

Paige developed a passion for data-driven marketing while collaborating with a data science team in higher education. This emphasised the value of targeted outreach over broad campaigns. At Palo Alto Networks, she utilises Demandbase, benefiting from its extensive data to craft precise marketing strategies. Her early work in segmenting alumni foreshadowed current account-based marketing practices.

Considering your multiple go-to-market strategies, how do you leverage and track journey stages for each?

When managing multiple go-to-market strategies, it’s essential to adapt and customise your journey stages to fit specific needs. Creating tailored approaches, like custom account lists for various funnel stages, can yield more precise results. Recognise the value of out-of-the-box solutions, but be prepared to innovate for unique challenges.

Tell us about how you launched 170 global ad campaigns last fiscal year. What key metrics did you focus on, and were there any challenges or blind spots you faced?

The launch of 170 ad campaigns began gradually, with a few pilot campaigns focusing on key markets within their paid media team. This led to increased demand for similar campaigns. A central team managed these campaigns, benefiting from Demandbase’s unique position as a rare B2B DSP. While there were challenges with manual journey stage campaigns and setting up pipeline acceleration, the positive outcomes and growth in opportunities were evident. This approach established a successful “pull strategy” in account-based marketing.

Is there a book, blog, newsletter, website, or video that you would recommend to our listeners?

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Shout-outs

Lauren Daley – Director, Marketing Operations at Palo Alto Networks

Lauren Beer – Digital Product Manager at Palo Alto Networks

Jeremy Schwartz – Sr. Manager, Global Lead Management & Strategy at Palo Alto Networks