Women in B2B Marketing Podcast Host: Jane Serra, 15+ years in B2B marketing across all industries from SaaS to Marketing Agencies and International Outsourcing.

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Natalie Marcotullio, the Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic. They explore Natalie's journey into B2B marketing, her insights on the evolution of SEO, and the importance of creating valuable content. Natalie emphasizes brand awareness and value creation over direct conversions, and discusses the collaborative development of a buyers report with Chili Piper. The conversation also highlights the impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and the significance of understanding customer needs and sales enablement.
Natalie talks through:
The evolution of SEO and its current relevance in digital marketing.The importance of creating valuable content that addresses customer needs.Collaboration on a buyers report with Chili Piper to enhance B2B buying experiences.Strategies for measuring success focused on brand awareness rather than direct conversions.The significance of understanding customer pain points and sales enablement.Challenges and successes of working in a small marketing team within a larger organization.How she collaborates with advisors for product and marketing insights.Identifying inefficiencies in business communication and operations.The impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and marketing.The role of word-of-mouth marketing in generating leads and building trust.
Key Links:
Guest: Natalie Marcotullio - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-marcotullio/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Chelsea Castle, Head of Content and Brand at Close. They delve into Chelsea's career journey, from journalism to tech marketing, and her new role's challenges. Chelsea shares her strategies for the first 90 days in a new position, emphasizing rapport-building and impactful contributions. The discussion highlights current content marketing trends, the importance of authenticity, and the need for creativity. They also explore balancing strategic planning with quick wins and the significance of qualitative feedback.
Chelsea and Jane discuss:
Chelsea's transition from journalism to B2B marketing and content strategy at tech companiesHer experience in marketing to marketers and sales teams Understanding your audience and getting creative with contentChelsea's approach to the first 90 days in a new role and the importance of setting achievable goalsBuilding rapport within the team and cross-functionally in a new roleBalancing long-term planning and quick wins in a marketing roleThe shift from SEO-based content strategies to new distribution channels in B2B marketingChallenging oneself to think differently and avoid following trends for the sake of being differentRethinking the approach to LinkedIn takeovers, making it more organic and impactfulSeeking inspiration from diverse industries and the role of intuition in marketingFostering creativity, including optional brainstorms and the concept of brain writingDefining content that converts, focusing on building connections and trust before driving actionSignificance of a diverse mix of content types and mediums to resonate with the audienceUnique advantages of written and video content, with an example of successful framework contentThe value of qualitative feedback in measuring content success and the discussion on overrated content practices, emphasizing the need for authenticity and depthReturning to work after becoming a mom and the challenges of adjusting to a new version oneself
Key Links:
Guest: Chelsea Castle - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseacastle/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Margot Kashuba Lee, CMO at Belkins. Margot shares her unique career path from finance to marketing, driven by her passion for social media and community building. She discusses the importance of her finance background in shaping data-driven marketing strategies and bridging the gap between finance and marketing. Margot also highlights her approach to building high-performing teams, emphasizing soft skills and team chemistry.
Margot and Jane talk through:
Margot's transition from finance to marketing and her discovery of marketing strategies.The impact of her finance background on her role as a CMO and her approach to numbers and data-driven marketing.Building the right team and team structure to achieve company goals.Revenue-driving and demand strategies, including an omnichannel approach, account-based marketing, and thought leadership content.Challenges in measuring ABM campaigns and the tools used for tracking and analytics.Tracking the impact of omnichannel approach on cold email response rates and the importance of historical data for comparison.The changing landscape of cold email outreach and the need for personalized, validated databases and deliverability tools.
Key Links:
Guest: Margaret (Margot) Kashuba Lee - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leemargarita/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra engages with Maggie Blume, a Deliverability Consultant at The Luster Group, to delve into the intricacies of email deliverability in the B2B sector. Maggie shares her journey from an introverted accountant to a successful sales professional, emphasizing the power of active listening and asking insightful questions. The discussion covers essential deliverability strategies, such as avoiding spam words, warming up new domains, and the importance of segmentation. Maggie also highlights the value of collaboration between sales and marketing and encourages women to embrace opportunities and build personal brands.
Maggie and Jane discuss:
Maggie's introverted nature and how it has become a strength in her sales career.The value of active listening and asking good questions in sales conversations.The importance of focusing on the prospect's needs rather than pushing a personal agenda.Understanding the significance of email deliverability for sales and marketing, and its impact on open rates.Key steps to improve deliverability, including consulting with software providers and IT teams.The impact of subscriber engagement on deliverability and the importance of managing subscriber lists effectively.The process of warming up a new domain to make it appear more human and improve email deliverability.Collaboration between sales and marketing, and how support content can lead to more leads.
Key Links:
Guest: Maggie Blume - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieblume/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Catherine Solazzo, CMO at Syntax. Catherine shares her career journey, starting as an intern at IBM and evolving into leadership roles. She discusses the challenges and strategies involved in leading marketing transformation, emphasizing the importance of trust, data-driven decision-making, and agile methodologies. Catherine also highlights her expanded responsibilities, including inside sales and sales operations, and reflects on her aspirations beyond the CMO role.
Jane and Catherine discuss:
Differences between public company and private equity ownership in terms of flexibility, focus, and historical processesChallenges and strategies in setting a marketing foundation, establishing expectations, and gaining buy-in for transformationImportance of trust and collaboration in leadership - and why she never misses a deadlineShifting from reliance on sentiment to dataUse of agile frameworks and methodologies in marketing transformationIntegration of technology and tools for an efficient and collaborative work environmentThe reasoning behind Catherine's expanded CMO role to include inside sales and sales ops functions Catherine's participation in the Marketing Academy fellowship program and the valuable experiences and learnings gained from itContemplation of transitioning into a CEO role after CMOThe importance of self-analysis and finding one's identity and purpose
Key Links:
Guest: Catherine Solazzo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-solazzo/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

The Marketing Academy - https://themarketingacademy.org/us/the-fellowship/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Alessandra Colaci, an AI consultant and founder of Humans Plus AI. Alessandra shares her journey from B2C to B2B marketing and her transition into AI. They discuss the practical applications of AI tools like ChatGPT, emphasizing the importance of providing context and experimenting with different approaches. Alessandra offers insights on managing AI initiatives, handling sensitive data, and integrating AI strategically into marketing efforts. She also highlights the need for continuous learning, ethical considerations, and embracing mistakes as part of the growth process in AI and marketing.
Alessandra walks us through:
Starting with AI tools like ChatGPT and providing context for AIGuardrails for using AI, privacy, and handling sensitive dataHer clients' approach to AI initiatives and guidance on leveraging AI efficientlyPotential of AI in marketing and its impact on business relationshipsLeveraging AI for data analysis in marketing, including product marketingPractical advice on managing logistics for AI analysis and providing context for accurate analysisUse of AI tools like Midjourney, Magnifique, and Perplexity for image creation and data analysisEthical considerations and biases in AI, diversity and inclusion in training dataContinuous learning, experimentation, and embracing mistakes for growth and success in AI and marketing landscape
Key Links:
Guest: Alessandra Colaci - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandraco/
Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

Humans + AI: https://humansplus.ai/