Full Stack Marketing and AI

Shownotes

In this episode of Sunny Side Up, host Erik Blaze interviews Carolyn Crandall on the evolving world of marketing and AI integration. She discusses the importance of personalised customer experiences and adopting a full-stack marketer mindset. Marketers should strategise effectively, embrace continuous learning, and recognise AI’s diverse impact beyond content creation. Forward-thinking leaders and tools like Imperative drive innovative marketing initiatives through data correlation and sentiment analysis.

About the Guest

Carolyn Crandall is a technology CMO and executive with over 30 years of experience in building emerging technology markets in security, networking and storage industries. She has a demonstrated track record of successfully taking companies from pre-IPO through to multibillion-dollar sales and has held leadership positions at Attivo Networks, Cisco, Juniper Networks, Nimble Storage, Riverbed and Seagate. Carolyn is recognized as a global thought leader on technology trends and for building strategies that connect technology with customers to solcomplexult information technology challenges.

Connect with Carolyn Crandall

Key Takeaways

• The interconnectedness of today’s world demands a seamless and personalised customer experience. It’s crucial to ensure that your brand resonates with the audience, making them want to engage in business with you.
• A full-stack marketer mindset focuses on the holistic customer experience.
• Amidst rapid changes, it’s essential to strategise effectively, start with small steps, and move quickly in executing projects.
• Emphasise ongoing self-improvement and learning. Dedicate your day to learning and development to stay ahead of the curve.
• While AI might not replace all functions, its integration can significantly improve efficiency, enabling marketers to undertake more activities and experiments.
• Recognise AI’s role beyond content and creativity, particularly in reporting, analytics, and predictive modelling.

Quotes

“So much has changed that I just encourage people to think strategically and think big but move fast and start small wherever you can to move your projects and initiatives.”

– Carolyn Crandall.

Highlights from the Episode

Can you give insight into your background and journey through marketing over the years?

Over the past 30 years, Carolyn observed the industry transform from the days before standardised computers to the advent of the internet, enhanced storage, improved security, and the emergence of AI. Technological innovations have significantly influenced how people live and work.

How do interconnectedness and evolving customer demands influence modern marketing strategies?

Personalisation stands paramount. Customers yearn for tailored experiences, driving the need for a full-stack marketing mindset. Brand resonance, identity, positioning, and varied communication channels like videos, texts, and emails play crucial roles. Moreover, collaborations enhance reach, making it imperative to think big, start small, and execute rapidly.

How can marketing leaders enhance upskilling within their teams and optimise internal processes?

Continuous learning is essential. With AI revolutionising sectors like demand generation, content creation, and data analytics, embracing its capabilities is crucial. It streamlines processes and can pave the way for innovative experiments. Explore available AI tools and question your vendors about how they integrate AI, helping you leverage tools you already possess.

How do you see AI impacting modern marketing practices, and what are your recommendations for integrating it effectively?

To keep pace with AI’s influence in marketing, consider starting with its role in content ideation. AI is here to enhance, not replace, human creation. Monitor your brand’s image with AI-assisted tools, and remember to delve into demand generation possibilities. Finally, stay educated with resources like the Marketing Institute for AI, and always remember to start slow, mastering one tool at a time and expanding your toolkit as you grow more confident.

What can we learn from the leading B2B tech brands with unique marketing initiatives?

Carolyn highlights forward-thinking leaders like Leslie Alore and Daniel Raskin, pioneers in AI adoption. She emphasises the broader applications of AI in reporting, analytics, and predictive modelling, citing Imperative as a valuable tool. Carolyn also commends companies like Matter Communications for their advanced PR strategies, driven by data correlation and sentiment analysis.

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

Marketing AI Institute

CMO Alliance

National Cybersecurity Society

Shout-outs

Leslie Alore – GVP, Growth Marketing at Ivanti

Daniel Raskin – Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at Mperativ

Melissa Turek – Integrated Marketing Strategy Director at Matter Communications