We’re feeling the thrill mount as we at the moment are simply over two weeks away from the MaketingProfs B2B Discussion board!
As a lead-up to this occasion, we’ve been sharing an ongoing interview collection, “Feeling B2B,” exploring the feelings behind B2B advertising and marketing with prime minds within the business. These conversations vary from Joe Pulizzi’s insights into unconventional content material advertising and marketing ways to Ahava Leibtag’s ideas on the nuances that separate B2C from B2B content material experiences.
Right now we’re concerning a subject that’s been on each marketer’s thoughts for many of 2023: the position of generative AI in B2B advertising and marketing. We’re delighted to be joined for this dialogue by advertising and marketing influencer and bestselling creator Ann Handley. As chief content material officer at MarketingProfs, Ann is famend for her experience in B2B advertising and marketing and her capacity to attach with audiences by way of the artwork of storytelling.
This video interview collection is created by TopRank Advertising in partnership with MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board, an occasion that gathers the brightest minds within the B2B advertising and marketing business. The 2023 B2B Discussion board will happen in Boston October 4-6, and in addition has on-line participation choices.
On this interview, Ann and TopRank Advertising co-founder Lee Odden have a frank and insightful dialog concerning the integration of generative AI in content material creation. Ann opens up about her journey by way of constructing a relationship with this new device and affords sensible recommendation for entrepreneurs who wish to harness the facility of AI whereas staying true to their inventive spirit.
Watch the video now and ensure to tell us if YOU are feeling B2B!
Ann additionally shares a sneak peek into the upcoming MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board, highlighting how the occasion is designed to be, in essence, an optimum B2B advertising and marketing expertise. The Discussion board is designed to deal with critical enterprise matters whereas offering the human connection and levity that make for a memorable occasion.
Keep tuned for extra unique conversations within the #FeelingB2B collection, and mark your calendars for the upcoming MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board 2023. That is the place the business’s trailblazers collect to trade insights, share experiences, and propel B2B advertising and marketing into the long run.
Go to mpb2b.marketingprofs.com to study extra!
PLUS: Get $200 off particular person registration and $400+ for teams of three or extra by utilizing our particular code, “TOPRANK” whenever you register right here.
Tips on how to Join with Ann:
Ann Handley on LinkedIn
Right here is the total transcript from this dialog between Ann and Lee:
Lee Odden:
Welcome to the Feeling B2B present, a restricted interview collection that includes conversations with a few of the prime B2B voices within the advertising and marketing business, delivered to you by the fantastic people at MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board. I’m Lee Odden your host, and at the moment we’re talking with none aside from the queen of content material in B2B advertising and marketing so far as I’m involved, Ann Handley. Ann is a longtime buddy, canine mother to Augie, tiny home proprietor, and a advertising and marketing influencer beloved by hundreds of thousands. However wait, there’s extra — Ann can be a Wall Road Journal bestselling creator, a worldwide keynote speaker, the writer of an distinctive advertising and marketing publication, which you will discover at AnnHandley.com, chief content material officer at MarketingProfs, and he or she’s the brains behind the programming on the MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board arising in October. Welcome to Feeling B2B, Ann.
Ann Handley:
Oh my God, I’m feeling it after that beneficiant intro. How are you at the moment, Lee?
Lee:
I’m nice. Are you prepared to speak about your B2B emotions?
Ann:
I’m prepared. We’re going to get all up in our emotions at the moment…
Lee: It’s actually nice to see you. Let’s kick it off — what do you like most about B2B advertising and marketing?
Ann:
What do I like most about B2B advertising and marketing? I imply actually, we’ve got what — three, 4 hours to speak about simply this primary query, proper? I imply, there’s a lot that I actually deeply love about enterprise to enterprise advertising and marketing, however I feel the factor that I like probably the most is that it’s at all times altering. If you happen to had requested me this query 5 years in the past, and also you mentioned “, let’s discuss ways and alternatives,” I might have a really totally different reply than I do right here in 2023. I feel the evolution of B2B advertising and marketing — the way in which that it continuously challenges us as B2B entrepreneurs — is likely one of the issues that really retains me engaged and energized.
“I feel the evolution of B2B advertising and marketing — the way in which that it continuously challenges us as B2B entrepreneurs — is likely one of the issues that really retains me engaged and energized.” — Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Click on To Tweet
I might by no means have a profession like that, over 20 years, if I labored in finance or if I have been an actuary — no shade to monetary individuals, CFOs, or actuaries — however I simply wouldn’t be engaged in fairly the identical method. I really feel like I might’ve achieved a midlife profession shift already. I might’ve been like, all proper, I get it — let’s transfer on.
However the factor about B2B advertising and marketing is that in the end, you actually by no means get it. What I imply by that’s that as a result of there are at all times new alternatives, there are at all times new instruments and ways and challenges that come up, and that’s actually what fuels me. I feel it’s additionally what fuels all of us as B2B entrepreneurs.
Lee:
Completely. There are at all times thrilling instances within the B2B world, and there’s at all times one thing new, one thing altering, such as you say, and what’s to not love about that, proper? Everyone knows concerning the quote from Maya Angelou, that folks will overlook what you mentioned, however they’ll always remember the way you made them really feel. What position do you suppose this concept of emotions performs in trendy B2B advertising and marketing?
Ann:
Oh my gosh — I feel it’s monumental. We regularly affiliate B2B advertising and marketing as far more simple, — it’s all concerning the knowledge and it’s all about how we promote options and we promote software program or we’re in manufacturing, and we promote a service or regardless of the case could also be. However I feel in the end, the chance in B2B to consider telling the tales in a method that can actually join with who we we search to serve is a lot richer than it’s in virtually another form of advertising and marketing. If you happen to’re going to CVS and also you’re going to pick a chunk of chewing gum, you’re not going to consider how this Large Purple versus Juicy Fruit makes you are feeling.
As an alternative, I feel it’s far more of a snap, in-the-moment determination. Additionally, there aren’t any nice stakes, however I feel the other is true in B2B advertising and marketing, the place we do have to suppose fairly deeply about how these companies and options, if you’ll, match into our lives. How will they make our lives higher, not solely as individuals, but additionally inside organizations. The stakes are larger, and I feel that the emotional resonance in the end is usually a lot deeper. What does that imply? I feel it’s incumbent on us to consider how can we deliver some emotion into B2B advertising and marketing, as a result of individuals’s lives and their jobs are on the road each single day. That’s a fairly excessive stakes setting, and there are quite a lot of emotions all up in there. I feel there are many alternatives to essentially embrace feelings in B2B advertising and marketing.
“I feel it is incumbent on us to consider how can we deliver some emotion into B2B advertising and marketing, as a result of individuals’s lives and their jobs are on the road each single day.” — Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Click on To Tweet
Lee:
Completely. we’ve all heard that adage that folks make choices primarily based on emotion, justified with logic. When you concentrate on the shopping for committee, there are different people concerned. There’s consensus that it’s important to obtain when making suggestions on distributors and issues like that. There are feelings concerned with that — the extra people who find themselves concerned, and I like what you mentioned about storytelling, as a result of there’s one other expression: information inform, story promote — and what higher technique is there to attach with individuals on an emotional degree than by way of efficient storytelling?
Ann:
Sure, and , I’ve by no means given a speech, written a publication, or publishing a weblog submit that a number of years down the road, after I stumble upon any person at an occasion or when I’ve a dialog with any person, what they bear in mind from all of these interactions with me is often a narrative that I informed. If you happen to extrapolate that extra broadly, it’s precisely what you simply mentioned. Tales promote. They stick in our brains. We bear in mind them at a a lot larger diploma than we do exactly from say a bunch of information or options a couple of B2B answer or device. I feel it’s incumbent on us to essentially harness that energy and that chance.
Lee:
Completely. For lots of content material creators and entrepreneurs, generative AI and synthetic intelligence represents a form of menace, however in some methods you could have embraced it. I’m curious, what recommendation do you could have for coming over to the darkish aspect? Simply kidding — what recommendation do you could have for entrepreneurs making an attempt to make sense of AI and content material?
Ann:
I don’t consider it as a menace, actually. I did undergo this form of Kubler-Ross 5 phases of grief, or seven phases of grief, the place I bought to some fairly darkish locations when ChatGPT got here on the scene. November thirtieth, 2022 is a date that’s burned in my mind as a result of I keep in mind that feeling of, “OK, nicely it’s been run. Guess I higher go turn out to be an actuary now, , as a result of my life in B2B advertising and marketing is completed. It’s over. I’ve nothing left.” If I’m exhibiting up as a author and a inventive day-after-day, and if that’s what in the end engages me, then what does that imply in a world the place the robots are writing for us? So I needed to work by way of that by myself.
In the end I got here out the opposite aspect with a particular feeling of acceptance. However greater than that, I might say truly some pleasure round it, as a result of I see it as far more of a possibility for us to create in a method that’s unprecedented, actually. I do know these are some large phrases, however I actually do imagine that I consider generative AI extra as an effectivity device than I do as a straight up writing device. We name them writing instruments, as a result of that’s a simple solution to discuss them. However I see them far more as effectivity accelerators than anything, in B2B advertising and marketing. That’s how I consider it. Once more, we might discuss this for an additional three or 4 hours, however , at a excessive degree, that’s how I give it some thought.
“I consider generative AI extra as an effectivity device than I do as a straight up writing device. I see them far more as effectivity accelerators than anything, in B2B advertising and marketing.” — Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Click on To Tweet
Lee:
Thanks for that, as a result of I feel there are quite a lot of people in that state of affairs, making an attempt to make sense out of this expertise. What does it imply to them? We’ve each been round for a short while, and we bear in mind when issues like social media have been model new, and there was a form of section that quite a lot of people went by way of the place they’re simply questioning what’s it? , who cares — the outdated taking photographs of my meals form of factor. And clearly it’s a fairly large platform, and it’s ubiquitous in how individuals talk lately. I feel generative AI is similar method. We’re simply getting began actually, with all of the plug-ins and add-ons and issues that actually may also help optimize duties and creativity.
I bought to provide a presentation on generative AI and content material after I was overseas lately, and the factor that stood out with lots of people was this concept of generative AI making you extra what you’re. Form of like, for those who’re a broke jerk and also you get some huge cash, you’re only a wealthy jerk. If you happen to put crap right into a generative AI platform, you’re going to get crap out, proper? So lots of people who’re form of not likely seeing it aren’t actually essentially perhaps bringing creativeness to the state of affairs, and having that creativeness of what’s potential. It’s the individuals who do which might be actually seeing these productiveness and creativity beneficial properties.
Ann:
I like that. I feel that’s so correct. I like what you simply mentioned about the way it amplifies extra of who we’re at our core, and I feel that’s the place I needed to get to after I went by way of these 5 phases of grief to get to acceptance. And now I’m utilizing it very a lot as a — nicely, I name it my fairy godmother, — it’s the form of factor the place I don’t know begin this presentation. True story: Just lately I spoke to a bunch of entrepreneurs, but additionally their spouses at an occasion in Missouri. I’m used to chatting with enterprise audiences, however I assumed, spouses — I don’t know communicate to this viewers — however who actually helped me there, to speak by way of virtually like a fairy godmother, to assist me discuss by way of what does this viewers want, what are the weather of what I discuss with AI that truly can be related to a broader viewers.
AI was enormously useful. Now, I might have achieved some market analysis. I might have known as up a few of the spouses and spoken to them one-on-one. That most likely would’ve been nice too, however it was an unlimited time saver only for me to ask ChatGPT what ought to I be fascinated with with this viewers? That doesn’t imply that it did the work for me, however it gave me a place to begin, and that’s the piece that’s so essential. It could possibly actually provide you with a launchpad to make your concepts larger or make them richer, and that’s the place I feel the true worth is for thus many people. I feel that’s what we have to unlock as B2B entrepreneurs.
Lee:
Completely. So on prime of the superior recommendation you’re giving proper now, there’s going to be programming at B2B Discussion board on generative AI, proper? I’ve observed fairly a bit in this system, with a lot of people speaking with numerous angles, which is nice to see. Folks can stay up for that. If you wish to get your questions answered about generative AI, content material, and B2B advertising and marketing, B2B Discussion board is the place to be. What are you trying ahead to most on the occasion this 12 months?
“If you wish to get your questions answered about generative AI, content material, and B2B advertising and marketing, B2B Discussion board is the place to be.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden Click on To Tweet
Ann:
At B2B Discussion board we’ve got improbable momentum this 12 months. Final 12 months was our first 12 months again in individual after a number of years off due to Covid. So final 12 months was a bit of tough. It was a bit of arduous for us as a result of it was a constructing 12 months, however this 12 months we’re on monitor to promote out, and I really feel actually nice about that. We’ve bought some very nice momentum, and together with that I feel we’re seeing a lot of new concepts and periods. Such as you talked about, there’s a complete lot extra of AI that’s form of woven all through this system, as a result of that may be very a lot how B2B entrepreneurs are experiencing AI proper now.
It’s not like we’re all out of the blue switched to turn out to be simply AI-centric and AI targeted. We now have to determine how can we take these duties that we do day-after-day and determine, is that this match for AI or not, a lot as we’re experiencing AI woven all through our jobs. That’s very a lot how this system is designed too.
The second factor that I’m actually enthusiastic about is that we’ve bought a pleasant combine this 12 months of some excessive degree periods that could be nice for leaders of groups. They’ll go and get a really broad take a look at key management classes and key management concepts. Katie Robert is main a session round management and the way do you discuss to the individuals who handle the robots, I feel is the identify of our session, or how do you handle the individuals who handle the robots? So it’s very a lot from a frontrunner’s standpoint.
We now have different periods which might be actually targeted on leaders, as a result of I needed groups to have the ability to come to the B2B Discussion board and expertise — the tacticians in your employees can expertise extra of the instruction that they want, the ways and the instruments to achieve their roles and to guide themselves additional of their careers. But additionally I needed to supply programming for the leaders who’re bringing these groups, to make it far more of a form of inclusive expertise for these groups. That’s one of many ways in which we’ve actually thought of this system far more deliberately this 12 months.
“There’s a complete lot extra of AI that is form of woven all through the #MPB2B program, as a result of that may be very a lot how B2B entrepreneurs are experiencing AI proper now.” — Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Click on To Tweet
Lee:
That’s so sensible, as a result of — past simply bringing your group to an occasion and having the shared expertise, the bonding and studying about new issues on the similar time, I like that concept that you just’ve bought content material particular to these leaders as a result of they clearly have totally different obligations, and there are totally different expectations than somebody who’s solely targeted perhaps on implementing. In order that’s tremendous sensible.
Ann:
The opposite factor that I’m,actually enthusiastic about is that’s how we selected the keynotes as nicely. We now have, for instance, Nilofer Service provider who’s going be speaking about management classes, but additionally in a method that pertains to each, proper? She’s gonna be speaking to leaders, but additionally providing some takeaways for people. It’s a bit of bit difficult discovering keynotes that I feel can actually hit each personas successfully. I’m actually enthusiastic about her capacity to do this.
We even have some enjoyable surprises. One of many issues that I obsess over, and this since you’ve been there for thus a few years, is that I don’t need anyone to stroll into the Omni Boston and mistake it even for a second as another enterprise to enterprise occasion. I don’t need you to be on the present flooring and be like, am I at a Gartner occasion?
I needed to really feel very very like this might solely occur at a MarketingProfs occasion, and the way in which that we execute on that’s by way of one million little contact factors. They’re so improbable about actually embracing the tradition of the B2B discussion board that I feel is actually particular, and it’s so totally different than anything on the market.
Lee:
It’s nice that you just introduced that up, as a result of that’s one of many issues that actually differentiates B2B Discussion board — there’s a wealthy tradition and a wealthy group linked to the occasion. You hear lots of people use the expression, “These are my individuals,” and the eye to all the main points is fairly superior too. There are humorous placards within the bogs, indicators and goofy sun shades, and all types of marching bands, and also you taking part in an accordion on stage. There’s simply a lot that you just’re not going to seek out anyplace else.
Ann:
It’s enjoyable, and I feel that’s not simply because we’re foolish individuals. Actually, it’s fairly the other. We’re all very critical entrepreneurs, however on the similar time, nobody needs to go to an occasion and really feel such as you’re not having enjoyable, ? I feel the extra you could have enjoyable, the extra receptive you’re to all that’s occurring. It’s not unintentional that we incorporate all these little moments which might be memorable, and supply a richer expertise for attendees, as a result of we wish you to recollect, and we wish you to be open to studying and to creating new connections and networking. The one method to do this is to make individuals really feel comfy, seen, and welcome. That’s why we do all of these little issues.
Lee:
And also you’re bringing it again dwelling to “Feeling B2B,” proper. It’s an expertise, and folks really feel it. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us, Ann.
You possibly can see and study extra from Ann at MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board in Boston or on-line, October fourth for workshops, and October fifth and sixth for the principle convention. You will get all of the details about the occasion, the audio system, the agenda, venue, lodge, and extra at mpb2b.marketingprofs.com.
We’ve additionally bought far more info obtainable concerning the large MarketingProfs B2B Discussion board 2023 occasion:
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