Our neighborhood of B2B entrepreneurs loves Ann Handley and that’s why Ann will not be solely the individual we’ve interviewed extra instances than every other (that is the sixth), she additionally helped title this very podcast, Past B2B Advertising.
So in celebration of her sixth interview with TopRank Advertising, this sixth episode of Past B2B Advertising options Ann, who’s a really gifted supply of perception, inspiration and training on all issues B2B digital and content material advertising and marketing.
Now simply in case, you’re questioning, who’s Ann Handley? Ann is a multi-book greatest promoting creator, worldwide keynote speaker and Chief Content material Officer at MarketingProfs, a neighborhood of over 350,000 entrepreneurs worldwide. Ann has additionally performed a central function within the growth of content material and programming at MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board through the years. She is a grasp at storytelling and walks the speak on authenticity, neighborhood and creativity.
On this episode of the Past B2B Advertising podcast, Ann and I cowl:
- The function of AI (Analog Intelligence) but additionally the opposite one in B2B advertising and marketing
- What’s Ann Handley’s new e book ASAP about?
- Classes from Taylor Swift for B2B entrepreneurs
- An unlikely supply for progressive storytelling in B2B advertising and marketing
- The influence of Instagram’s new visibility in Google search
- How social media engagement has modified
- The ability of electronic mail newsletters
- The upcoming B2B Discussion board 2025 convention
- And a enjoyable social media phrase affiliation recreation
Now I do know anybody who has been within the B2B advertising and marketing area for so long as we’ve, acknowledges the speed of change and stress to carry out most B2B entrepreneurs are experiencing proper now will not be making something simpler or more practical. There’s an expression within the army when issues get overwhelming, “sluggish is clean, clean is quick”.
Whereas Ann hasn’t really served within the Navy Seals, she has lengthy been a powerful advocate of slowing the heck down. In actual fact, her new e book, ASAP, As Gradual As Attainable, goes past her advertising and marketing viewers and explores how one can reclaim our humanity and our company in an period of hyper effectivity. Ann’s final e book, Everyone Writes, has offered an insane variety of copies and has been translated into I don’t know what number of languages. You’ll positively wish to hear about her new e book.
Join with Ann on LinkedIn, subscribe to her well-known publication Annarchy, e book her to keynote your occasion, try her books and naturally there’s additionally the MarketingProfs web site and the B2B Forum in November.
Should you want extra of Ann’s knowledge, then tune in to our interview under:
You can even watch our full dialog right here – do it, the power is great.
After all for those who’d want a fast textual content abstract of our interview, right here you go:
Ann Handley and sat down and related on all the pieces from AI to her new e book, ASAP. Ann has such a terrific perspective on integrating synthetic intelligence into our work as entrepreneurs and even coined the expression, “analog intelligence” to explain how we are able to preserve personal considering sharp.
Don’t invite AI into the method too quickly, as a result of I believe that’s once you’re going to get this form of flattening of content material, flattening of writing, mediocrity of thought.
Ann makes a compelling case towards leaping to AI too early within the artistic course of, warning that it may possibly result in a “flattening of content material” and “mediocrity of thought”. Her recommendation is to first map out your concepts and write that “ugly first draft” your self. Solely after you’ve established your distinctive viewpoint must you herald AI as a “copilot,” asking it to assist strengthen your work. It’s a wise manner to make sure expertise enhances our human creativity as a substitute of simply changing it.
ASAP is about how we present up creatively. It’s how we innovate. It’s how we join with different individuals in our lives, whether or not we’re a marketer working for a model or whether or not we’re a health care provider, a pupil or any of these issues.
ASAP: As Gradual As Attainable, which tackles the thought of “reclaiming our humanity and our company in an period of hyper effectivity”. It is a subject she’s been enthusiastic about for a very long time, having first offered on it practically a decade in the past at Content material Advertising World. She’s taking an enormous swing together with her new e book, shifting past her advertising and marketing consolation zone to discover how we are able to all innovate and join with one another on a extra human degree. It’s a message that actually questions the relentless push for velocity in our trade and one I believe is extra vital than ever.
There’s a lot of issues that I like about Taylor Swift as a marketer and positively some inspiration that we are able to take as B2B entrepreneurs from her method. The most important one for me is her vulnerability. And that’s one thing that I believe we want extra of in B2B advertising and marketing.
Ann additionally shared some good advertising and marketing classes she’s discovered from an surprising supply: Taylor Swift. Effectively, perhaps not so surprising from Ann as a self-proclaimed Swiftie, which is why I requested her about it. She identified that in an age of automation, vulnerability is a game-changer for constructing authenticity, and that’s what actually sells. Ann highlighted how Taylor Swift creates a robust one-to-one reference to hundreds of thousands of followers by her weak and private songwriting. For entrepreneurs, the takeaway is to inform tales which can be private sufficient to be distinctive to you, but additionally common sufficient that your viewers can see themselves in your story. It’s about constructing an actual bond, not simply sending a message.
My LinkedIn technique is to speak about what I’m doing within the context of why it issues to others after which to solely put up when I’ve one thing to say. I don’t take heed to any of the consultants or any of the LinkedIn consultants.
Given the B2B nature of this podcast, we additionally talked about Ann’s method to LinkedIn, the place she practices what she preaches together with her “much less is extra” philosophy. Ann believes that posting much less often could be a “energy transfer” if what you share is efficacious and has an actual story behind it. However a very powerful a part of her technique, and one thing so many individuals miss, is engagement. She careworn how vital it’s to answer considerate feedback and construct a relationship together with your viewers. It’s such a easy idea, however as Ann mentioned, it’s the alternative of simply “posting and ghosting” and is essential to constructing a significant neighborhood. With practically half 1,000,000 followers on LinkedIn, Ann is certainly somebody you need to take note of for those who’re on the lookout for somebody who’s strolling their speak with success.
Thanks Ann!
You’ll find Beyond B2B Marketing wherever you take heed to your favourite podcasts (hyperlinks under). After all you received’t wish to miss the following dialog with a B2B advertising and marketing professional, so remember to subscribe. And keep in mind, there’s no higher time than now to interrupt freed from boring B2B!
Concerning the creator
Lee Odden has been acknowledged as a high B2B Advertising skilled by Forbes, The Economist and the Wall Road Journal. For over 20 years he is labored together with his staff at TopRank Advertising to assist elevate the B2B advertising and marketing trade by artistic advertising and marketing packages that ship extra genuine, experiential and inclusive content material for manufacturers like LinkedIn, Dell and Adobe. Lee is the creator of Optimize and has revealed over 1.4 million phrases on his company’s B2B advertising and marketing weblog. As a trusted advertising and marketing thought chief, he has given practically 300 displays in 20 completely different nations on B2B content material, search and influencer advertising and marketing. When not advertising and marketing, Lee might be working, cooking or touring.
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