Shows
The Marketing CompanionSaying goodbye to TomIn this special episode, Mark Schaefer says farewell to Tom Webster as the long-time co-host of The Marketing Companion and announces plans for a re-boot of the podcast.2019-03-1725 min
The Marketing CompanionThe unintended consequences of techToo many times companies are saying "whoops" after introducing new ideas. Testing new ideas becomes complicated when the sample size has to be large and consumers don't want to be treated like lab rats. Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster unpack this vital issue. They also discuss the opportunity to turn Marketing Companion into a television series. Intro music credits: Heartwarming by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100207 Artist: http://incompetech.com/2019-02-0331 min
The Marketing CompanionA Marketing Rebellion has begunHow do you win in a post-loyalty, post-sales funnel, post-advertising world? Mark Schaefer discusses the genesis of his new book "Marketing Rebellion" with Tom Webster and reveals some exciting bonus content coming to Marketing Companion fans.2019-01-2039 min
The Marketing CompanionThe economics of professionalismHosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster explain how a strong economy impacts professional behavior, why streaming television is heading for a fall-out and how Facebook's first entry into hardware tips the creepy scale2018-10-2836 min
The Marketing CompanionRealities of the Entrepreneurial JourneyHost Mark Schaefer reflects on lesson learned in his ten years as an entrepreneur, and Tom Webster dissects why there are no new social media channels emerging.2018-10-1439 min
The Marketing CompanionWho rules the internet?Hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster tackle three huge topics: New regulations trying to get internet companies to conform globally to one country's standards, political stands in the marketing mix, and Apple's third act. Also, there is a surprise performance from Nipsey the smart speaker.2018-09-1739 min
The Marketing CompanionEmotional connection and the modern brandMark Schaefer and Tom Webster discuss the growing challenge of establishing emotional connection in a world of declining loyalty and point to an amazing success at Spotify, the rise of anger on Facebook, and a revolution at LinkedIn. They also vanquish Mercury Retrograde.2018-08-0635 min
The Marketing CompanionIs the future of retailing a store without sales?The retail industry has been in a state of upheaval for decades. Is a store that sells no goods the future? Tom Webster and Mark Schaefer think so, and they discuss it in this new episode of The Marketing Companion. Listen in as they also debate what will happen when digital ad prices keep rising, a threat to marketing nobody's really discussing, and their effort to make The Marketing Companion the world's most hipster podcast.2018-07-2238 min
The Marketing CompanionWhy customers really don't want to engage with your brandHosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster dissect several big new ideas, including the role of customer engagement in digital transformation, Facebook's big new opportunity for community leaders, and a content marketing fail from GE (or, is it?). Plus, Tom riffs on cows.2018-07-0833 min
The Marketing CompanionOur favorite marketing booksIn this episode, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster review some of their favorite recent marketing books, including new releases from Bernadette Jiwa and Neen James.2018-05-2934 min
The Marketing CompanionThere's no escaping FacebookHosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster examine several current marketing issues, including a stroke of brilliance from Amazon, Google culture, and the unexpected dominance of Facebook in the surging private messaging space.2018-05-1333 min
The Marketing CompanionThe brand stand: Mixing politics, social good and salesIn this episode, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster talk about a new Schaefer book in the works, AI, hacking, and how companies are being forced to take a social, and even political, stand in the world today. This trend is undeniable, but flies in the face of classical economics. how does a marketer sort it out?2018-04-3033 min
The Marketing CompanionThe New Ethics of MarketingThere are a number of ethical issues emerging as technology allows us to connect to consumers in new ways. Just because we can, should we? In this episode, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster look at "addiction" as a goal, the cultural implications of AI, and new research on the time it takes to become a friend. And oh yes, to celebrate a milestone, they introduce the world's first audio infographic!2018-04-0836 min
The Marketing CompanionBack to the future: What's old is new again in marketingHosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster reflect on the hot topics they covered five years ago and discuss the relevancy of influence marketing (and Klout), Google Glass, Twitter strategy and more. And they bring out a retro look at Google Pants!2018-04-0140 min
The Marketing CompanionSpinning social media in a new directionMark Schaefer and Tom Webster discuss revealing new research that may indicate a tipping point for social media, video, podcasts and smart speakers like Alexa and Google Home.2018-03-1936 min
The Marketing CompanionIs social media marketing still a thing?Social media marketing has been the hottest marketing concept for the last 10 years. Is it losing steam, or just taking off? In this episode, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster look at the data and reveal new perspectives on where social media fits in the marketing mix. The fellas also reveal a new premium service to sell fake followers so you can become an influencer in record time!2018-03-0532 min
The Marketing CompanionCocooning consumers and more amazing mega-trendsNew research from Ford shows that consumers are polarized, energized and a bit weirded out by what marketing is up to these days. Hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster take a look at this new report and discuss the implications for business leaders. And they have a casting call for "Marketing Companion: The Movie." Who will play Mark?2017-12-2439 min
The Marketing CompanionAre books the ultimate content marketing channel?How could writing a book help you establish thought leadership, open new opportunities, and grow your business? Hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster explore these issues and open the Marketing Companion Holiday Catalogue for exciting gift "ideas."2017-12-1035 min
The Marketing CompanionThree touchy subjectsOn the new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I open up a discussion on three touchy issues in the digital realm. YouTube's deplorable algorithm: The New York Times reported that evil people have been slipping violent cartoon knock-offs into the YouTube Kids channel. In this case, relying on an algorithm to vet children's programming is unacceptable. This is a problem that is not difficult to solve but it appears to us like greed and laziness is driving the wrong behaviors. We make a case that YouTube should be held to the same standard as...2017-11-0947 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Humor ShowOne of my great marketing heroes is Tom Fishburne. Not only is he a brilliant innovator and marketer, he is THE WORLD-FAMOUS MARKETOONIST: On the new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I had the great fun and pleasure of interviewing Tom about humor in marketing including ... The "slow revelation" that made him realize humor could be a key part of his marketing future The connection between "story" and humor in corporate communications The process companies go through to add humor to their marketing communications Why the best humor starts with pain points What happens when...2017-10-2734 min
The Marketing CompanionThe end of lazy marketingI had an opportunity to attend the outstanding Marketing Profs B2B Forum and witness a truly tour-de-force speech by my friend and podcast co-host Tom Webster. Although we had mentioned this talk in a previous podcast episode, I had not seen Tom's presentation and I found his insights to be remarkable and very relevant to marketing today. I thought our Marketing Companion fans needed to hear some of those insights. Using lessons from his political research, Tom makes the case that you can't win in marketing today by staying in the "treetops," by immersing yourself in...2017-10-1331 min
The Marketing CompanionMarketing dominance through content curationThere's a lot of pressure to create content today. Epic, authentic, viral content. But perhaps the key to content success is not necessarily through originality, but through creating a wise curated content stream that helps people save time and money. Most industries have at least one go-to newsletter of curated business highlights. If your industry doesn't have that, maybe it's a golden opportunity. I've seen people create curated content in pharma, tech, defense, and entertainment. Many have gone on to leverage this real or perceived expertise into consulting, books, and speaking careers. But summarizing the work of...2017-09-2935 min
The Marketing CompanionThe politics of content marketingIn this new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I cover some of the highlights of the 2017 Content Marketing World. It was the first conference Tom and I attended together for some time so it was a good opportunity to compare notes on the content marketing spectacular. We discuss: Why Tom faced a nearly empty room for his politics-related talk Why Mark thinks "loyalty" is a fading marketing idea Content Marketing World hits and misses And as a bonus, we announce new plans for Companion Storm 2! Check it out! Please support our extraordinary s...2017-09-1537 min
The Marketing CompanionAdvertising industry in a meltdownIt seems like everywhere you look the news is bad for the ad industry. In just the last few weeks, the news has reported ... The stock value for many large agencies is in decline as company billings fall. Traditional ad impressions are down almost everywhere as newspapers, radio, and magazines struggle to survive. Many of their customers -- the big CPG brands -- are cutting ad spending as their most valuable products struggle to be relevant to today's digital consumers. Ad blocking continues to rise in developed nations (Ad Age called it an "apocalypse") Many companies are bringing...2017-08-3131 min
The Marketing CompanionPersonal marketing successes and failuresIn this very personal episode of The Marketing Companion, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster reveal their own best marketing successes and failures. Learn why desperation may be a key to success, how money is made in the margins, and why a dial-up internet connection destroyed a great business. Mark and Tom also announce plans for the first human-powered self-driving vehicle!2017-08-1739 min
The Marketing CompanionAmazon's new social network primed for success?Starting a new social network is a perilous prospect. The battlefield is littered with companies that had big ideas and little results ... Meerkat Ello Path Google+ It's a tricky business. A new social platform needs to solve a unique customer problem or find an under-served niche and then avoid assassination by Facebook (by having intellectual property and a huge war chest to protect it). It has been so difficult breaking into the pantheon of elite social networks that in the past five years there has only been one new entry (Snapchat) that is attracting significant...2017-08-0437 min
The Marketing CompanionShould you believe the "Meeker Report?"Like many digital marketers, I look forward to the epic internet trends report produced each year by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins. Better known as "The Meeker Report," the epic slide deck is an exhaustive summary of the relevant trends we need to be considering for our companies as the digital world moves forward. Over the past few years, Tom Webster and I have discussed this report on our podcast, The Marketing Companion, and it has always been one of my favorite episodes of the year. However, this year, my keen-eyed co-host (who knows a thing or two about r...2017-06-2238 min
The Marketing CompanionAchieving escape velocity with your marketing messageMy Marketing Companion co-host Tom Webster told me that within a few weeks, three of his clients all came to him with the same question: How do we get our content discovered? The answer you typically hear in our space is "create quality content and it will rise to the top" but that does not work any more. Perhaps it never has. There are content discovery algorithms and bots working behind the scenes that hold us in our place. The digital world is presented to us in an ever-shrinking filter. Tom uses some examples from the music industry to...2017-06-0933 min
The Marketing CompanionArtificial intelligence, real marketingThe inevitability of a business world dominated by artificial intelligence seems to be the headline of the day, and yet the notion for many marketers may seem distant and unreal. On our Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I have been toying with this subject for years and decided it was time to devote a full-blown episode to the topic. Artificial intelligence and marketing -- what's real, what's now, what's ahead? Our latest episode is a far-ranging discussion that gets into: Customer service -- brighter days ahead The incremental change that is happening now AI as a source...2017-05-2631 min
The Marketing CompanionThe content monetization minefieldFor decades, I've been a big fan of the sports channel ESPN. They have a great brand -- serious about sports, but not too serious about themselves. Their bold style of storytelling went far beyond the cable TV channel to web, print, apps, satellite radio, social media, and podcasts. They created exceptional content, bought into premium sports events, and seemed to be nurturing their brand as effectively as any company. From a content standpoint, they seemed to be doing everything right in the digital age. And they just laid-off 100 people. It just made no sense. ESPN is an iconic...2017-05-1236 min
The Marketing CompanionThe real data behind content marketing secretsThis headline is a bit misleading. In fact, you will probably receive far more than 20 incredible insights from our Marketing Companion conversation with BuzzSumo founder Steve Rayson. The episode posted a few days ago and we have already received more comments on this conversation than any other episode. Arguably, Steve Rayson analyzes more content than any other person in the world -- billions of pieces in all. Tom Webster and I tap into his years of experience and I think you'll find some of his insights both remarkable ... and perhaps even a little controversial. Here's a sample:2017-04-2837 min
The Marketing CompanionYour content: When is it time to pivot or quit?I recently had a conversation with pioneering blogger Chris Brogan and he mentioned that he had ended his latest podcast series and had begun a new one. "I just thought it was time to create something new," he said. This seems like such a simple idea, and yet it set my wheels spinning. Creating content means building equity in an audience and a body of work. What would make you decide to walk away from that? My promise to you on this blog is that it will always be relevant, interesting, timely, and entertaining. It will be worth your...2017-04-1434 min
The Marketing CompanionA special 100th episodeIn 2012, I escaped the crazy crowds of SXSW to have dinner with my friend Tom Webster and his wife Tamsen. We had a magical evening and at the end of our time together I commented that I wish we had recorded the conversation. A lot of people would have loved to hear that debate! A year later, I was thinking about starting a podcast. It was a difficult decision because I didn't want to begin anything that would distract me from creating great content on the blog. I decided I needed a podcasting partner and there was literally only...2017-03-3136 min
The Marketing CompanionThe audio revolution and the opportunity for smart marketersIs social media turning into a three-horse race? New research by Edison indicates that Americans are starting to migrate to three big social media platforms, while usage and preference is flattening out on secondary platforms. In this scintillating, 99th episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster reveals a study 2o years in the making: The Infinite Dial. Some of the highlights of this show: The social media shake-out: Why Snapchat will last and Twitter is in trouble Emergence of smart speakers (like Google Home and Alexa) ... and why Apple is falling behind. The profound implications of the extraordinary...2017-03-1734 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat does digital transformation mean to marketing?Is your head spinning over the prospect of digital transformation and marketing? Certainly the change ahead might seem dizzying. Social media and social selling, Big Data and analytics, new listening platforms, and artificial intelligence are just a few of the ideas gaining momentum. How does a marketing leader manage through this level of change? In this new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I interview Bryan E. Jones, VP North America Commercial Marketing for Dell Technologies. I have known Bryan for four years and I always learn something from him. In all my travels, I've never met...2017-02-0226 min
The Marketing CompanionIs the Age of Apple over?The polish is off the Apple. One tech commentator said there was something missing from the recent Consumer Electronics Show: Nobody was saying they were the "next Apple of ..." Paypal founder Peter Thiel told the New York Times that the age of Apple is over. Provocative? Sensational? Or is there a kernel of truth there? The company seems to be focusing on incremental change instead of bold new life-changing tech. They are falling behind in AI and smart speakers. IOS-based phone sales have been flat to declining for years. The Apple laptops are getting unfavorable reviews from consumer...2017-01-2033 min
The Marketing CompanionStreamification, Smart speakers and other marketing changes to watchI've been in marketing more than 30 years and I think we're facing the period of greatest change in my experience, probably the greatest period of change in the history of marketing. In this new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and explore the bold ideas that will have a profound impact on marketers including smart speakers, artificial intelligence, and the "streamification" of content. You won't want to miss this episode. We also get into our new app SlapChat. You need it. We all need it. Resources mentioned in this podcast The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will...2017-01-0534 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Internet of Things and the future of marketingNo list of hot technology trends is complete without a mention of the Internet of Things (IoT). But as we go into a new year, how does this become real to us as marketers? How is IoT going to show up in our daily worklife? Tom Webster and I thought this would be a fascinating topic for an episode of our podcast but frankly the subject is over our heads! Not that this has stopped us before ... but we decided to try something new and actually get some expert advice on this important topic. On...2016-12-2331 min
The Marketing CompanionConversational marketing and the gig economyIn the next episode of The Marketing Companion Tom Webster and I explore three rich and timely topics: The "Gig economy" -- The ability to match buyers and sellers in order to monetize incremental time has revolutionized the economy. As much as 2 percent of the U.S. economy may be gig-based. But there is a seedy underbelly to this trend. Conversational marketing -- This is beyond the social media mantra of "conversation." New technology like bots enable one-on-one conversations to develop enhanced personal profiling about ... you. This could revolutionize customer service and targeted marketing. Will bots know you...2016-12-0837 min
The Marketing CompanionUnderstanding the US election and its implicationsAmerica has been through a tumultuous election cycle, perhaps the strangest and most divisive time in the country's political history. What does it all mean? Sure, a lot has been written about this, but it's rare to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse from a person who was in the very heart of the process. This week in our new Marketing Companion episode, Tom Webster provides extraordinary insight into what happened on election night and what it means to those of us in marketing. What happened to the polls, and what does it mean for the accuracy of market research...2016-11-2534 min
The Marketing CompanionThe content dominance strategyI want to share a statistic that kind of blew my mind. In 2011, about 20 percent of non-game Internet revenue came from content subscriptions (to stuff like Hulu, Spotify, Amazon Prime, and Netflix). The bulk of the revenue has historically derived from advertising. Today, that number has completely flopped with subscription-based revenue at 80 percent -- in just five years! And content-based subscriptions will account for more than half of all internet consumer media growth in the next five years. These projections came from Activate CEO Michael Wolf's presentation this month at a recent Wall Street Journal Conference. What makes this...2016-11-0934 min
The Marketing CompanionThe marketing skills you need to succeed todayThere has been nothing short of an intense debate about the marketing skills needed for career success today. Gurus like Gary Vaynerchuk have decried college educations, claiming they are a waste of time and money. In an excellent and thought-provoking post, the brilliant Christopher Penn scolds the profession for falling behind, and warns that we need to keep up with topics such as cloud computing, mobile development, and integration software to be relevant. Unilever CMO Keith Weed claims there is a "lost generation" of marketers in their 30s and 40s who are unprepared to lead digital brands and...2016-10-2730 min
The Marketing CompanionCourageous marketingIn our latest edition of The Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I explore a couple of fascinating topics. The first is that marketers seems undeterred by the fact that most corporate content is not working, at least in a measurable way. Various research reveals that content marketing is not seen as effective by a majority of marketers, yet content creation budgets continue to rise dramatically. In our podcast, Tom Webster described content marketing as "an uphill slog" with the value of content "rapidly approaching zero" due to the flood of helpful and quality content that's available. But Tom...2016-09-2931 min
The Marketing CompanionWhy Content Shock is coming to an ad near youIf you read between the lines, Facebook just told us it’s going to become a lot more expensive to be in marketing soon. In their recent blockbuster earnings announcement, CFO Dave Wehner said something interesting: Facebook’s ad load, or the total number of ads the company can show to each user, will be a "relative non-factor for predicting Facebook’s future revenue growth starting this time next year." Translation: Facebook is about to max out on the number of ads it can show users inside its platform, which means it will need to find other ways to...2016-08-0538 min
The Marketing CompanionThe new psychology of content consumptionIs the psychology of content consumption changing? That's the central idea behind an amazing new discussion featured on The Marketing Companion podcast. Have you tried our free Internet radio program yet? You'll have to hear this podcast to believe it -- the first order of business is the introduction of the world's first audio emojis! But then we get serious. Tom Webster and I get into some discussions that are guaranteed to get you thinking about the nature of content and content consumption today. This 30-minute episode includes ... Why Snapchat may be the most important communication channel on earth rig...2016-07-0838 min
The Marketing CompanionMarketing mega-trendsEach year, Mary Meeker compiles a wide-ranging report on the top Internet trends on behalf of venture capitalist firm KPCB. The report goes on for 213 pages. And do you have time for that? No! That's why Tom Webster and I distilled the report into the profound marketing trends that will have the biggest impact on you. Some of the ideas we cover in our new podcast are: Why "viral" is more is more viral that ever and how Facebook Live will become the ultimate in reality TV and a revolution in journalism. Why self-driving cars will dramatically change o...2016-06-2337 min
The Marketing CompanionThe greatest social media opportunity? You might be surprised!We are rapidly moving toward an ad-free world, which is kind of scary because the Internet really, really, really depends on ads. Ad blocking increased by 94 percent between 2015 and 2016. About one-third of all smartphone owners block the ads that make all that great free content possible. I probably consume more content than ever. But I do it though Netflix, through Sirius radio, through Spotify. I don't personally use an ad blocker ... but I don't see ads, either. Fortunately, there is a new social media super-power that presents an extremely attractive new advertising venue: Podcasting. You heard me correctly. Podcasting...2016-06-0930 min
The Marketing CompanionCutting through the marketing noiseIn our new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I explore a theme of marketing challenges to rise above the increasing noise levels to connect to our customers. It's a difficult proposition and getting harder all the time. Some of the topics in this jam-packed 30 minutes of marvelous audio content include: Rising losses from ad-blocking are pushing marketing dollars into new places. An unlikely source of content innovation -- printed magazines and books. Innovations to merge games with serious editorial content to drive page views and engagement. Surprising insights on what almost every marketer is missing...2016-05-2737 min
The Marketing CompanionA modern marketing wish listIn the latest episode of The Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I reveal our wishlist of what we would like to see "more of" and "less of" on the web. Among the topics we explore: Brand skepticism and brand bullying -- It seems like any time a company authentically tries to be "human" on the web it attracts an attack. If we want brands to show up in a more human way, shouldn't we reward them? Evangelism -- This word is a red flag for me. When anybody describes themselves as an evangelist for ... (fill in the latest s...2016-05-1334 min
The Marketing CompanionFacebook chases down SnapchatSo much going on today! So many changes to consider. Facebook and Snapchat and content wars. OH MY! In this new episode of The Marketing Companion Tom Webster and I consider some EPIZOODIC new ideas that will be affecting your marketing programs now and in the future. Listen in for some TREMENDIFIED new insights on: Snapchat rejected Facebook's takeover bid last year. Mark Zuckerberg is taking revenge like a jilted lover. Watch out for this ZUCKERFICATION of Facebook Messenger. Facebook and Snapchat ... AT WAR? The surprising new study that shows how people consume content in their cars. GOLLY G...2016-04-1438 min
The Marketing CompanionWhy Twitter mattersFirst, let's establish something. Despite all the Wall Street belly-aching about Twitter, The Bird is a powerful force in our world. It is a place for innovation, conversation and collaboration. It is where news breaks and politicians rant. It is the place for real-time commentary on live events. But if Twitter has no paying customers, it will not be a platform forever. So there is the rub. Twitter has an enormous and passionate audience. It has a goldmine of real-time data. It is a primary method for getting news to spread. It is changing the world through Twitter chats...2016-04-0136 min
The Marketing CompanionSnapchat For the WinFor the first time since Facebook unseated MySpace in the hearts and minds of teens, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new social media champion -- Snapchat, at least if you're a young American (cue David Bowie). While Facebook continues to dominate overall social media usage, in a new report from Edison Research, Snapchat has eclipsed Facebook with social media users aged 12-24. In fact, 72 percent of them now use Snapchat and 26 percent cited this as the channel they use most often, up from 15 percent just a year ago, a mind-blowing statistic. At the same time, Facebook dropped from 43 p...2016-03-1833 min
The Marketing CompanionUnlocking the new secrets of customer serviceHow much time do you spend each week learning something new? It's a problem for me, which is why I love podcasts so much. I can usually find a way to fit in a 30 minute podcast and feel energized and refreshed. I am even getting a lot of new blog posts ideas from podcast discussions that inspire me. If you haven't discovered podcasts as a way to get energized and inspired, the latest edition of The Marketing Companion would be a great place to start. In this latest edition you'll hear about two new apps to help you create...2016-02-2036 min
The Marketing CompanionWords that inspire and the stories behind themOn the latest edition of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I get personal. Between us, we have more than 50 years of marketing experience and we've learned many important lessons along the way. In this new episode, we look back and discuss the advice we have received from mentors along the way that changed the course of our careers. We also take Bollywood by storm. More or less. I think you will really enjoy this one ... Please support our extraordinary sponsors. Our content is free because of their generosity. GoToWebinar – a leader in online events - i...2016-02-0627 min
The Marketing CompanionAchieving the digital mindsetWhat does it mean to be "digital?" Is your business digital? How do you know it is? Is it enough? Research shows only 18 percent of all businesses are really optimizing digital in a way that creates competitive advantage and those that do leave their competitors far behind. Which side do you fall on? In this new episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I go deep on this topic and discuss what it really means to be a digital business, the importance of adopting a digital mindset and the impact on all of us as marketers. We also...2016-01-2535 min
The Marketing CompanionThe internet we need to saveTom Webster and I have been doing a podcast together for nearly three years. And this is what Tom had to say about our latest episode: "This was our best podcast ever." What made it so? Is the Internet changing for the better or for the worse, and should businesses care? We were inspired by a passage in a recent London Guardian post by Hossein Derakhshan. I miss when people took time to be exposed to opinions other than their own, and bothered to read more than a paragraph or 140 characters. I miss the days when I...2016-01-0938 min
The Marketing CompanionTwitter strategy, politics and authenticity gone madWhat impact does social media have on politics? In this episode, Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster look at current events in the marketing space including Twitter's marketing strategy, the impact of social media on politics, the expectation of authenticity and Millennials in the workplace.2015-12-2636 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat's next for marketing in 2016The Star Wars editon of Google pants. Let's just get that out of the way. Yes this is part of the cherished and much-anticipated Marketing Companion Holiday Catalogue. It's not just the dream book of 2016. This may be the Dream Book of the Century. At this point you may wondering, "Mark, where can we get this spectacular book of wonder?" The answer my friends is blowing in the wind. No it's not. There is no wind on a blog. The secret is in the latest edition of The Marketing Companion podcast. In our annual holiday extravaganza, my s...2015-12-1134 min
The Marketing CompanionEvery way to monetize content I went into the business for the money and the art came out of it. If people are disillusioned by that remark, I'm sorry. It's the truth. -- Charlie Chaplin There are lots of amazing ways to use content for your business. You might want to establish your voice of authority, use content to educate, to help with customer service, perhaps even to entertain. But some of us want to make money. The opportunities to make money from content have changed dramatically in the past 18 months. Traditional methods like inbound marketing and advertising have been under attack...2015-12-0132 min
The Marketing CompanionStats-A-PaloozaI'm a data junkie. So this is a good time for me to be in marketing because we sure have a lot of amazing facts and figures at our finger tips. But once in a while I see some fact that is mind-blowing and I thought it would be fun to share some of these with you! On our latest podcast episode, Tom Webster and I dug deep into the bowels of the Internet to explore some of the most amazing facts and figures from the social web. It's social media BELIEVE IT OR NOT! The number one...2015-11-1433 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Rant Show Bollywood dancing. You know you love it. You know you want to do it. So join Tom Webster and me on The Marketing Companion to learn of our new "product line" (many thanks to out friend Ralph Cipolla for the awesome graphic!). Tom and I also get a little prickly on the new edition of podcast. After a brief dance routine (really) we tee-off on online trends that drive us a little nuts: Faking your way through the work-life balance The "live your dream" fallacy Bizarre eMail marketing mis-fires Android podcast dreams Inane round-up blog posts LinkedIn spam 2015-10-3137 min
The Marketing CompanionSales and marketing transformation in the digital world There is no corporate function that has been transformed more quickly -- and more dramatically -- by technology than sales and marketing. In this episode of The Marketing Companion, Tom Webster and I look at the state of the art of sales and marketing, and discuss the role and relevancy of this career path in a digital age. Some of the incredibly interesting topics we cover include: Emerging technology focuses on many traditional marketing functions. Are marketers becoming redundant? Are we in an era of real-time sales ... or real-time marketing? Or both? Sales has always been day-to-day/tactical...2015-10-1633 min
The Marketing CompanionCompetitive pressures on content marketing Tom Webster and I have the opportunity to experience a broad swath of marketing ideas, organizations and people during our travels and it's always fun to compare notes on what we're seeing out there. In this episode of The Marketing Companion we look at some interesting things that will be transforming content marketing efforts in 2016 and beyond. Some of the things we cover in this new episode of The Marketing Companion ... Is content marketing about leads or relationships? How is this shifting? What is Inbound Marketing? Is it merely a source for potential cold calls or so...2015-10-0334 min
The Marketing CompanionCritical marketing lessons from 2015 2015 is going down in the books as a transformational year for the discipline of marketing. There is just so much going on ... and it's going on so FAST! As Tom Webster and I compared notes from our recent journeys we began to see some themes and marketing lessons that we thought would be entertaining and useful to discuss on our podcast. So ... we did! On the latest episode of The Marketing Companion we get into some wild discussions on some thought-provoking developments such as: Branding is more important that ever. In fact we're at a tipping point where...2015-09-1934 min
The Marketing CompanionTelltale signs that it's time to end your business The entrepreneurial spirit was strong in me, even at an early age. I always had some gig going. I sold Christmas cards door-to-door. I raked leaves and cut grass. I watched kids and dogs. I did anything I could to make a buck. But my first entrepreneurial venture was also my shortest one and it occurred when I was five years old. That's right. I started my first business before I entered the first grade! My family home at that time was at the intersection of two busy streets. When people stopped at this corner from any...2015-08-2133 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Influence Marketing Show Advocate marketing is getting a bit ... prickly. While there are undoubtedly some wonderful programs out there, and many brands are doing it well, there is a rising tide of weird stuff going on in the influencer space, as we explore on the latest episode of The Marketing Companion. The ability for anybody to publish content and gain an active audience has transformed the media world and democratized influence. Many companies are becoming aaware of these "citizen influencers" and how they might be impacting the attitudes and buying behaviors of a target audience. Connecting to these trusted influencers and advocates...2015-08-0929 min
The Marketing CompanionThe real story about real-time marketing Real-time marketing is one of the hottest trends around, prompting entirely new agency specialists and tactics in the last few years. But it has also proved to be disastrous for several brands and the trend might even be losing some steam. This is an issue for rich discussion on the latest Marketing Companion podcast and, in fact, Tom Webster and I disagree on the promise and potential of this marketing trend. In our latest episode we discuss ... Are brands still holding onto old business models because real-time marketing is disruptive How real-time marketing (like the Oreo moment) might...2015-07-2533 min
The Marketing CompanionWhy privacy is about to become the hottest marketing issue If you read through one piece of research this year it might just be a new report from the University of Pennsylvania on marketers, consumers, and privacy. The research is important not just for its surprising revelations about privacy but also for its unapologetic scolding of the way marketers have been mis-leading their customers. The new Annenberg survey results indicate that marketers are misrepresenting a large majority of Americans by claiming that Americans willingly provide personal information as a tradeoff for benefits they receive. To the contrary, the survey reveals most Americans do not agree that "data for discounts"...2015-06-2634 min
The Marketing CompanionIn defense of FacebookIn a scathing blog post, the co-founder of Ello blasts Facebook as monstrous entity dedicated to hurting people in the margins of society. In this episode, hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster blast Ello back and explain why Facebook's "real name" policies provide a healthier and authentic social media platform.2015-06-1333 min
The Marketing CompanionHow we keep up and improve as marketers?It's hard to believe but Tom Webster and I have been making beautiful podcast music together for two years and in this anniversary extravaganza we have a long list of celebrity appearances. None of them could actually make it to the show, but we did have a long list. Thanks to Marketing Companion Super Fan Rev Ciancio for this awesome graphic![/caption] Actually we do have moderately interesting guest stars on the show including the robot from Lost In Space. His price was right and he did not eat much. We also use this opportunity to explore...2015-05-3034 min
The Marketing CompanionDo marketing personas still matter? On The Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I continue to plow new ground. For example, in this latest episode, we become the first on-demand radio show to mention The Kardashians and B2B buyer personas in the same sentence. We discuss why Zappos employees are fleeing the holocracy, and explain how this concept began with Star Trek. Sort of. And just when you thought it could not get any more interesting, Tom Webster defines the "rectally derived persona." It's insane I tell you. But we also get into some pretty awesome discussions on the Verizon-AOL deal, why sender-centered co...2015-05-1636 min
The Marketing CompanionThe rise of new content forms One of my predictions for 2015 was that the incredible wave of information density we all face as marketers will force innovation in content forms. Let's face it, the way we create and consume content has not changed significantly in a decade. The need to stand out will finally force companies to help us create and consume in new ways. And change is in the air. A few new ideas are percolating out there and that is just one of the subjects covered in a very entertaining episode of The Marketing Companion (how many podcasts feature McDonald's characters, an imitation...2015-05-0235 min
The Marketing CompanionThe new realities of podcasting Last week I was having a new Internet line installed at my home. I explained to the workers, all under 30, that I needed a period of quiet during the middle of the day because I was about to record a podcast. "What's a podcast?" one of the young crew asked. "It's an Internet radio show," I explained. "Oh," he said, "I have heard a few of those. But what's a podcast exactly?" I then launched into an impromptu lesson on podcasts but it dawned on me that this fellow, like about 20 percent of Americans, was indeed listening to a...2015-04-1728 min
The Marketing CompanionCompany culture and your future marketing success I used to work for a big metals and mining company called Alcoa. Whenever I worked on a new customer contract, we always had an extremely conservative legal position, especially when it came to anything that had to do with the competition. Everybody in sales and marketing had to go through annual training programs about what to do if we ever saw a competitor, or a competitor spoke to us. If we were attending a trade show where a competitor would be, we had to get written permission ahead of time from the Legal Department and brush up on...2015-03-0633 min
The Marketing CompanionDon’t Block Me, Bro! Ad blocking seems to have the advertising industry in crisis but there doesn't seem to be a unified plan to do anything about it. Why? If you haven't become addicted to The Marketing Companion podcast yet, this would be a good episode to try it out. Tom Webster and I cover some amazing topics ... with a little humor and fun thrown in the way as well. In the latest episode, we unwrap: Ad blocking -- A crisis is emerging in the online ad industry. 9 percent of all Internet ads are now being blocked. To make things worse, Ad Blocker is h...2015-02-2030 min
The Marketing CompanionThe world's most under-utilized social media platforms In the latest edition of The Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I climb all over today's hottest marketing topics. Here's a sampling of our latest audio adventure: Tom amazes Mark with his knowledge of the Seven Dwarves. Cancelling Google Glass -- Is this a blip on the wearable tech radar or has Google set the industry back a step? Under-used social media platforms -- Mark tried an experiment that increased his page views by more than 10X. Would it work for you? What platform seems to be attracting more thought leaders than any other? Clever ways to...2015-01-2336 min
The Marketing CompanionNothing but the funny bits We've had a great year on The Marketing Companion podcast and Tom Webster and I thought we would end 2014 with a bit of fun. We've compiled a few of the most hilarious highlights from our podcast so you can ring in 2015 with a laugh. Nothing But the Funny Bits features some of our most popular "products" that got us laughing the hardest, including: Google Pants -- The Party in your pants! Ass Ads -- Monetizing your wearable technology Mark and Tom's first movie "Drone Wars: Rise of the Machines" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Christian Bale as Jeff Bezos. P...2014-12-2633 min
The Marketing CompanionOur most valuable content lessonsHosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster have been creating written, video, and audio content for years. In this episode, they share with you some of the lessons they have learned from the mistakes and victories they have experienced along the way. 2014-12-1331 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat's next in digital marketing? New from The Marketing Companion! Your favorite social media personalities as bendable action figures. Just $12.99. Limited quantities available except for the Mark Schaefer edition. We have plenty of those. One of my favorite activities is thinking and talking about what's coming next and there is nobody more fun to have that kind of discussion with than Tom Webster as we take on what's next in digital marketing. On the latest Marketing Companion, Tom and I introduce the Marketing Companion Holiday Catalog (and our new League of Legends Action Figures!) and dive into some things we're watching for 2015: Why...2014-11-2833 min
The Marketing CompanionIs Personal Branding Effective, or A Waste of Time? Do you nurture your online personal brand? Or is your brand simply your personality? Does your personality create your brand or does your brand create your personality? Tom Webster and I had a disagreement on this and the discussion was so compelling we decided to create some content around this in the form of a podcast. In fact, Tom characterizes personal branding as a "load of crap." What is the role of personality containment? Vulnerability? Is there a formula for a personal brand? Opportunities for power today that didn't exist 10 years ago. Creating transferable assets with a personal...2014-11-0129 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Mobile Commerce Revolution It seems at the end of every year, pundits predict that "this is the year of MOBILE!" And perhaps it is finally true. But as my podcasting partner in crime Tom Webster writes in his new book The Mobile Commerce Revolution: Business Success in a Wireless World (with co-author Tim Hayden), it is mobility, not just "mobile", that is changing the world. You are not going to want to miss this insightful discussion on the new Marketing Companion podcast about Tom's new book. You also do not want to miss our discussion of the world's worst mobile a...2014-10-1732 min
The Marketing CompanionEllo and the economics of social networks The advent of Ello has been one of the most interesting developments of the year. The new social network promises a simple, ad-free platform to connect and share. Wait. Ad-free you say? In fact, the platform's founder, Paul Budnitz, has been making the media rounds proclaiming he "doesn't care about money." While there is probably more to this network than pure virtue, Ello is undeniably HOT, signing up 30,000 new users every HOUR. Many bloggers are trumpeting this little start-up as the Facebook killer but is that realistic? Is it possible? And when the stripped-down application offers significantly less functionality...2014-10-0432 min
The Marketing CompanionAuthenticity and the Human Brand My friend Justin Levy just had brain surgery. He went into the operation not quite knowing what would be on the other side. Despite this personal nightmare, Justin's social media presence was extraordinarily brave, honest, and revealing. Through his timely and detailed posts, his friends and followers could get a daily peek into every aspect of his trial. His successful operation was finally trumpeted with a triumphant "thumbs up photo" on Facebook. Thousands of people felt relief. This very public, courageous journal of his trials made a big impact on me and my podcasting mate...2014-09-1931 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat are the boundaries to inbound marketing? One of the most interesting aspects about being an observer in this particular time and place in the history of marketing is watching the continuous cycle of innovation, experimentation, and maturity. The dynamics of our age are unprecedented and exciting. For example, let's say we were in the 1970s. In that entire decade, what innovation caused us to re-think marketing strategy? There was probably one in the entire ten-year-period: the emergence of cable TV. If you compare it to what we face today, it really re-defines what marketing is all about, doesn't it? We need a core competency in...2014-09-0534 min
The Marketing CompanionComing clean on Facebook reach Is there any greater source of emotional debate and mis-information on the web today than Facebook reach? I recently had a little debate on this subject with a person who wrote a glowing article on the promise of Facebook reach -- despite what appears to be pretty bad news in this corner of the web. I challenged him -- Why write an article that seems to be so counter to the facts? "I'm tired of so much negativity about Facebook," he said. "I wanted spin the facts in a more positive way." With so much at stake and so...2014-08-2436 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Time for Twitter is Now Are you using Twitter for your business? Maybe the time for Twitter is now if you consider some of the trends on this popular social media platform: Twitter has momentum. Revenue jumped 124 percent in the latest quarter, and it "beat the Street" estimates for user growth. Twitter shined during the World Cup, owning the online conversation for the planet's biggest sporting event. It appears that Twitter is preparing a "buy now" button. In our new Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I dissect the economics of Twitter for business and demonstrate why this might be the best t...2014-08-0832 min
The Marketing CompanionWould you erase yourself from Google Search? Have you tried The Marketing Companion podcast yet? People seem to love the humor and intelligence of our audio marketing adventures. If you have not listened in yet, this would be a great edition to begin with. In this show, Tom Webster and I were far too caffeinated to stick to one subject so we decided to go through a grab bag of current topics including: Erasing yourself from Google. New European Union legislation on "the right to be forgotten" allows people to remove themselves from search results. Why hasn't this been an issue in the U.S,? And w...2014-07-2531 min
The Marketing CompanionIf I were the King of Facebook Complaining about Facebook has become one of the web's favorite spectator sports. But if you were the king of Facebook, what would you do to fix it? Well, Tom Webster and I decided to do something about it. We appointed ourselves the potentate and caliph of Facebook for a day and solved all of the company's problems in 30 minutes. Impossible you say? Well, we can cover a heck of a lot of ground in just one podcast, like ... Can Facebook be a profitable company without pissing people off? How much personal information is too much? Is Facebook lacking...2014-07-1133 min
The Marketing CompanionThe Invisible Blogger By Mark Schaefer My friend and podcast co-host Tom Webster recently penned a really honest and thought-provoking post called "Authorship." In the post, Tom laments that the more he guest posts and syndicates his writing, the less relevant he may become. I know that sounds counter-intuitive but he makes some good points. The web cares about CONTENT, not necessarily authors, and Tom postulates that in our frenzy to write and distibrute content, we may be creating more and more work only to become less and less visible. Are you getting lost in the ether of the blogosphere? Are we...2014-05-3031 min
The Marketing CompanionLifehacks for the Modern Marketer How do you get it all done? If I had a nickel for every time I heard this question ... well, I wouldn't be rich (let's be honest) but I could probably treat you to lunch. It seems that people have an endless curiosity about how I get things done. Tom Webster and I thought marketing lifehacks would be a very interesting podcast topic -- and it was, because Tom and I had some pretty divergent views on tech solutions versus old-school lifehacks to manage a busy schedule. Some of the topics we covered: Multi-tasking eMail management tricks Tricks to staying...2014-05-1632 min
The Marketing CompanionNew insights on digital radio, Facebook and Google+ In the newest episode of The Marketing Companion Tom Webster and I examine a brand new study from Edison that reveals some eye-popping new insights on podcasting, online radio and social media consumption. Some of the highlights of this podcast episode include: Introducing "Poodle King" Webster and Social Media Explained The explosion of online radio and the implications for content consumption Extraordinary changes in podcasting content, consumption, and audiences Mobile implications for content consumption and "digital snacks" Surprising new numbers on Google+ (is it finally a real thing?) The phenomenon of Instagram and Snapchat Where is Facebook in...2014-04-0435 min
The Marketing CompanionTips for leveraging public speaking in your marketing mix Over the past decade, companies and executives have re-discovered the power of incorporating public speaking into the marketing mix. Some of the advantages include: Creating high-quality content that can be leveraged in many places Cost-effective way to reach a targeted audience with a message Good PR opportunities. Building a personal brand that also can accentuate a product and company brand (think of Richard Branson) Leveraging a position of personal thought leadership to promote a company This growing trend has impacted marketing strategies and transformed the professional speaking industry. One speaker told me that it is...2014-02-0734 min
The Marketing CompanionLeadership is not a dirty word When I was in graduate school I took a class that examined the qualities of leadership. I have to make a confession ... the only reason I took it was because I thought it was going to be an easy blow-off class! I was completely wrong. This turned out to be one of the most interesting and inspiring classes of my career and it ignited a lifetime of study on the subject. It turned me into a leadership junky. My fascination with this subject was one of the reasons that drove me to write Return On Influence. I be...2014-01-2433 min
The Marketing CompanionHow data is screwing up content marketing An early Google Pants sighting[/caption] Companies like Forrester and Gartner -- who used to make their money providing expensive and exclusive research reports -- are finding it impossible to "contain" the data. If somebody buys just one report, it's likely to very soon be distributed widely on the web for free. As a result, there is a very subtle but important change going on in the world of research with profound implications for what we can see and believe on the social web. In our latest Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I explore some of...2013-11-0931 min
The Marketing CompanionA Forecast for Podcasting: Trends, Predictions and Google Pants Podcasting, which traces its roots back to "audioblogging" in the 1980s, has enjoyed a renaissance as smart phones have become nearly ubiquitous. But what does the future hold? The great hope for podcasting might be the emotional, immersive nature of the medium. It's a rich content relationship, not a digital "snack" and a unique opportunity to provide both entertainment and information. A podcast is a companion and the engagement level might make it ideal for business development. Now that Tom Webster and I have 10 episodes of The Marketing Companion podcast under our belts, we thought...2013-10-2631 min
The Marketing CompanionThe biggest business opportunity in marketing today Here's the number one business opportunity in marketing today: Teach marketing leaders, social media gurus and SEO professionals how to ask the right questions about data. I'm serious. There is a golden opportunity here because many businesses leaders don't seem to know enough about basic marketing analytics to know whether their programs are growing or not. We are leading "by our gut" in a world that promises true wisdom and insight if we can understand the numbers. The implication is that we are potentially (and probably) making incorrect decisions because we're mis-interpreting the numbers ... perhaps...2013-10-1130 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat skills do you need to succeed in marketing? I have a new Twitter follower who has branded herself as an "authenticity coach." This puzzled me. Is that a real business? Is "authenticity" a critical business skill so important it has become a cottage industry? And perhaps the bigger question is, exactly what DO you need to learn to succeed in a marketing career today? This is a complex question because marketing as a career discipline has evolved differently than other areas of business. If you are a finance professional or you work in accounting or economics, the fundamentals of your career success are not sliding un...2013-09-1231 min
The Marketing CompanionWhat does it take to start a blog today? The blogging life used to be so easy. Just five years ago, a blog was still a novelty and if you started one, you would probably occupy a niche in your industry. But since then, the world has conspired to make blogging very difficult ... "Content marketing" also means "content overload," -- this is a crowded and noisy field for newcomers. The dynamic world of search engines and SEO has made it complicated for bloggers to become discovered. New entertainment alternatives and social media distractions have probably challenged blogging's role as the king of content. Even technology like...2013-08-3029 min
The Marketing CompanionWill Jeff Bezos lead the next media revolution?Newspapers are dying. Local TV stations are struggling. Many radio stations have been in decline for more than a decade. And then, Jeff happened. This has been a fascinating couple of weeks if you're interested in newspapers and digital media. John Henry (owner of the Boston Red Sox) bought the Boston Globe and Jeff Bezos (Founder of Amazon) bought The Washington Post within the same week. When I first heard about the Bezos move, I thought "huh?" But the more I considered it, the more excited I became. The Post and many other t...2013-08-1631 min
The Marketing CompanionGoogle Glass: Is this the future, or does it just make you look like a dork? Can you imagine anything that would inspire marketing creativity more than a device that allows you to view the Internet all the time, everywhere ... like a digital layer across the world? That certainly seems to be the promise of Google Glass, perhaps the boldest step forward in the trend of "wearable technology." In my mind, this will be a transformational opportunity for, well ... everything! Education. Connection. Discovery. Entertainment. Business. But my wise friend and podcast co-host Tom Webster is not so sure. In the latest edition of The Marketing Companion, Tom a...2013-08-0239 min