The Content Cocktail Hour Jonathan Gandolf

"So I believe the true purpose of content is twofold: it serves as both an act of philanthropy and a marketing strategy for brands,” says David Ebner, President of Content Workshop.

In this episode, we’re joined by the one and only David Ebner, President of Content Workshop, to dive into the art and science of content marketing, covering everything from storytelling and attribution to the role of content as an act of philanthropy. David shares his unique journey from a creative writing graduate student to leading a successful content agency, emphasizing the importance of blending artistry with strategic goals while weighing in on the controversial topic of gated vs. ungated content. So grab your favorite drink and join us for a conversation that covers it all.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Effective storytelling in content marketing involves narrative flow, hero arcs, and overcoming challenges, regardless of the subject matterMeasuring the success of content varies but should align with the goals of providing value and building trust rather than merely driving conversionsSEO remains vital in content strategy, but it's essential to focus on high-intent, lower-volume keywords to effectively reach target audiences
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjebner/Check out Content Workshop: https://contentworkshop.com/
Timestamps:
[05:38] Content serves as value in relationships; audience matters
[09:58] Storytelling about narrative flow, arc heroes, and outcomes
[12:30] Measurement against goals, KPI work, and SEO importance
[15:49] Creative content marketers need to balance storytelling
[18:23] Artists straddle creative freedom and brand expectations
[24:11] Content is valuable, demands contact information exchange

“People are realizing now, with the higher level of scrutiny that they're facing, that they really have to be able to show the impact of what they're working on. And it's not just for the sake of reporting and saying it, but also because they all want to have an impact,” says Pranav Piyush, Co-Founder and CEO of Paramark.
In this episode, Jonathan Gandolf and Pranav dive into the intricacies of B2B marketing, exploring the shift from traditional content syndication to innovative content discovery and distribution. They'll tackle the question of marketing accountability, discussing how to demonstrate impact in marketing strategies effectively and the evolution toward a more humane approach to marketing analytics. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Focus on deepening engagement with core users to leverage word of mouth and virality, rather than dispersing efforts thinly over multiple unproven channelsTransition beyond basic leads metrics by modeling business inputs and desired outputs to accurately measure marketing impacts on various scalesUtilize a simple scorecard method for monitoring correlation between marketing efforts and business outcomes, allowing for strategic resource allocation based on observable successes or diminishing returns
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Pranav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranavp/Check out Paramark: https://paramark.com/
Timestamps:
[05:36] A more humane approach to content syndication.
[06:31] Curate content, attract followers, and maintain engagement
[11:25] Marketing must demonstrate tangible impact for strategy
[14:50] Prioritize capital allocation for predictable marketing returns
[17:24] Analyzing returns in channels for business growth
[19:55] Track marketing activity in spreadsheet and analyze patterns

"Salespeople know a lot, and yet that knowledge gets impacted. It just sits dormant inside us. But if you're in sales today, you have stories, you have assets that are underused. Start using your damn assets."
In this episode, we’re joined by Bill Caskey, President of Caskey Achievement Strategies, to stir the pot by challenging conventional sales tactics and advocating for a more profound, mindset-oriented approach to selling. Bill will help you rethink how sales teams operate, the critical interplay between marketing and sales, and why creating soul in your sales process can lead to more authentic and fruitful customer relationships. This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to leave the old-school sales playbook behind and engage prospects in a way that’s meaningful and effective. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Embrace a mindset change from aggressive sales tactics to understanding and solving potential clients' actual needsLeverage and maximize underused assets like social media platforms and storytelling to improve interactions with customersDiversify your lead generation strategies to reduce dependency on any single source, ensuring stability and continued growth
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcaskey/Check out Caskey Achievement Strategies: https://billcaskey.com/
Timestamps:
[04:35] Sales mindset is focused on closing, not relationships.
[07:58] Shift your mindset to abundance and focus on others
[12:23] Leverage your assets for success and growth
[15:42] Outbound calling and other pillars for success
[18:24] Content creation and sales team mindset
[20:55] Most marketing teams lack sales process knowledge
[24:00] Telling stories builds rapport and trust

"Content without consumption is just a massive waste. And I feel like often we build these big, robust content strategies and a big list of all these pieces of content we need to create, and we don’t optimize it to get consumed."
In this episode, we’re joined by Demandbase’s CMO, Kelly Hopping to discuss the new era of ABM and the key ingredients to success. Kelly dives into the transition of ABM from a focus on targeted, individual account strategies to a broader and more scalable approach that includes one-to-few and one-to-many strategies. She also discusses the critical need for alignment between sales and marketing teams and how crucial content is to the success of ABM. Tune in to your favorite listening app to take your ABM strategy to the next level.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Align sales and marketing teams effectively by simplifying tools and ensuring both teams utilize foundational data for efficient account-based marketing (ABM) strategiesOptimize content creation by focusing on generating bite-sized, searchable, and promotion-ready material that addresses specific customer pain pointsPrioritize content consumption by strategizing on the distribution and utility of content to ensure it reaches and resonates with the target audience
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyhopping/Check out Demandbase: https://www.demandbase.com/
Timestamps:
[05:46] Account based marketing: focus on key accounts
[06:32] Account-based marketing aligns sales and marketing effectively
[12:56] Utilizing customer data for targeted sales approach
[15:32] Different types of content fit into ABM
[18:45] Embracing uncertainty and investing in long-term transformation
[21:05] Kelly’s transformed content team boosted traffic and revenue

"Over the past decade, marketing has become more of a finance position and less of a creative position. A lot of marketers, today, forget how to be creative,” says Greg Wise, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at OneScreen.AI.

In this episode, we’re raising our glasses with OneScreen.AI’s Greg Wise on The Content Cocktail Hour for a discussion on how leading companies are leveraging out-of-home advertising to hit real-world targets effectively. Greg shares the relevance and opportunities of out-of-home advertising, the power of creativity in marketing, measurement and evaluation of OOH campaigns, and OneScreen.AI’s role and resources for marketers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Out-of-home advertising is increasingly valuable for B2B marketers seeking new, impactful ways to reach and engage target audiences in real-world settingsMeasuring the effectiveness of out-of-home campaigns is evolving, with greater use of data and technology such as AI and machine learning to enhance targeting and ROI assessmentsCreative execution is crucial, emphasizing the need for bold and memorable visuals that capture attention and provoke discussion among consumers
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwise/Check out OneScreen.AI: https://www.onescreen.ai/
Timestamps:
[06:05] Defining audience and human connection in marketing
[06:47] Many people pay to block ads online
[10:50] Enhancing conference presence with creative out-of-home marketing
[14:54] Out-of-home advertising offers new opportunities
[22:23] Differences between digital and static billboards
[24:28] Campaign grading system rates billboard inventory

"Content isn't just king. It's the whole kingdom when you're talking about digital transformation.”

These are the words from content expert Angus Edwardson, Co-founder at GatherContent by Bynder.

In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Host Jonathan Gandolf and Angus discuss the evolution of content operations, particularly focusing on the impact that content strategy has had on digital transformation, the role it plays in business at the strategic C-suite level, and how treating content as a strategic investment has become a prominent consideration for large enterprises. Tune in to learn the steps to revolutionizing your content strategy for success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Embrace a ‘content first’ strategy by prioritizing an understanding of your business and its information architecture to align content with design effectivelyAnalyze your current content operations to identify inefficiencies and adapt operating practices similar to those of product and technology teams to foster agility and speed in content deliveryLeverage AI for operational efficiencies and automation, while focusing on creating real human connections and utilizing proprietary data for unique marketing strategies
Resources:
Connect with Jonathan Gandolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/Connect with Angus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angusedwardson/Check out GatherContent by Binder: https://www.bynder.com/
Timestamps:
[05:29] Digital transformation, content evolution, design bias
[07:48] Content seen as product and changing content teams
[10:24] Challenges in content process and technology integration
[14:34] Mapping content origin to identify inefficiencies for improvement
[18:42] AI aids marketing and allows strategic focus
[20:08] Short-term focus: Human connection, unique ideas
[23:29] A look into Binder's customer scale and support