Episode Summary
In this episode of Tech Qualified, Meredith Metsker and Justin Brown dive into essential marketing strategies. They reflect on an interview with Tory Kindlick, VP of Marketing at Corti, discussing the fundamental role of content marketing. Kindlick’s approach to building a marketing team prioritizes content creation, highlighting its vital role in successful marketing strategies.
The conversation shifts to the importance of diverse skill sets in marketing teams. Justin, with a background in content, emphasizes the need for technical expertise in tandem with content creation. This balance ensures a comprehensive approach to marketing, facilitating both creative and analytical strengths. They underscore the need for marketers to possess a blend of skills to adapt and thrive in various marketing environments.
Lastly, the episode focuses on the art of interviewing in marketing. Justin stresses the significance of asking the right questions to gain deeper insights. This skill is crucial for understanding market needs and crafting relevant content. Their discussion reveals how effective interviewing can lead to more impactful marketing strategies and better audience engagement.
Justin Brown
Co-Owner
Noteworthy: Justin Brown: Content expert and firm believer in strategic content planning.
Key Insights
Critical Importance of Questioning in Marketing
Justin Brown emphasizes the significance of asking the right questions in marketing. He highlights how understanding the true intentions and needs of clients is pivotal. This involves going beyond surface-level inquiries to dive into deeper motivations. Justin points out that without this skill, marketers risk pursuing irrelevant metrics, potentially leading to misguided strategies. It’s not just about what clients say they want; it’s about understanding their underlying goals and objectives.
The Art of Interviewing in Marketing
The episode sheds light on the crucial role of interviewing skills in marketing. Justin underlines that teaching strategists to conduct effective interviews is key. This includes asking primary and secondary questions and exploring various market aspects. He asserts that these skills are fundamental for marketers to gain comprehensive insights. Whether in related fields or completely different markets, the ability to extract valuable information through interviews is a core competency for successful marketing.
Leveraging Interviews for Comprehensive Marketing Strategies
Justin and Meredith discuss the multifaceted benefits of conducting interviews. They point out that interviews not only aid in gathering information but also enhance the quality of marketing initiatives. This approach allows for greater control over the content’s quality and ensures active listening. Conducting interviews equips marketers with a deeper understanding, leading to more effective and targeted marketing campaigns.
Episode Highlights
Importance of Hiring Based on Needs
Justin Brown discusses the importance of building a marketing team based on specific needs rather than personal preferences. He reflects on Tory Kindlick’s strategy of prioritizing content marketing hires, analyzing the balance between technical and content expertise in marketing. Justin stresses that while content planning is essential, technical skills should not be overlooked. He believes a successful team requires a blend of both skill sets.
“Tory comes from Refine Labs. He is a big data person. He’s more technical in nature. […] He had the skill sets of the more technical marketer and he’s hiring the thing that he didn’t have.”
Manufacturing Credibility in New Markets
The conversation highlights Tory Kendlick’s approach to establishing credibility in a new market. Justin relates to the challenge of entering unfamiliar markets, as Tory did with healthcare technology at Corti. They discuss how placing experts like doctors alongside company personnel in marketing materials like podcasts and articles can effectively build trust and credibility in new sectors.
“One of the ways he manufactured that credibility was to like place experts in the field like doctors alongside folks within his company who knew the product best.” – Meredith
Leveraging Interviews for Comprehensive Marketing
Justin explains how conducting interviews has become a critical aspect of their marketing strategy. By engaging in interviews, their team rapidly acquires comprehensive knowledge about various sectors. This method proves effective in creating diverse marketing materials like blog posts, short videos, and social content. Justin emphasizes the power of these interviews in gaining real-time qualitative insights for their clients.
“These interviews are so powerful and being able to get in front of people in your space is so important… we can still produce Three blog posts out of it, multiple short videos, social content etc.”
The Role of Expert Interviews in Content Creation
Justin highlights the importance of expert interviews in creating authentic and credible content. He compares marketing to journalism, where interviews with subject matter experts are crucial for producing quality content. Justin argues that engaging directly with experts, such as doctors in healthcare marketing, results in more authentic and impactful content than relying solely on secondary online materials.
“Let me talk to a doctor […] The article that we write after we talk to a doctor or two. […] Most journalists in health care were not doctors. […] They leverage interviews with experts to support the article that they’re writing.”
