I’ve been a fan of Smart Brevity for years. It made communication better because it forced us to respect the reader: get to the point, use structure, make content scannable, and stop burying the thing people actually need. But AI has changed the assignment. Today, anyone can paste a long report, newsletter, or article into […]
Smart Brevity Has an AI Problem Read More »
For years, brand narrative was often treated as a marketing exercise. Important? Sure. Strategic? Sometimes. A boardroom conversation Rarely. But this is changing. Recently, I came across a trend that immediately caught my attention: major organizations are increasingly creating roles focused on storytelling and narrative. Titles like Head of Narrative, Lead Storyteller, and Storytelling Director
Why Brand Narrative Is Finally Getting the Respect It Deserves Read More »
I was reviewing a piece of copy recently and scratched out the word “fast” when it referred to the B2B buyer journey. My thinking was simple: B2B buying is not fast. These are big decisions. Expensive decisions. Decisions that involve multiple stakeholders, budget scrutiny, procurement, demos, internal conversations, and usually at least one person who
B2B Buyers Don’t Need More Content. They Need Better Marketing Moments. Read More »
AI is showing up everywhere in brand messaging right now. That is not the problem. The problem starts when brands lean on the term too heavily without clearly explaining the value behind it. That is where AI-washing begins. AI-washing happens when companies use AI language to sound more advanced, modern, or competitive, but fail to
AI Is Not the Message. The Outcome is. Read More »
AI is no longer coming. It is already inside the tools, workflows, client expectations, and boardroom conversations shaping how marketing teams operate. The question is no longer, “Are people using AI?” Most are. The better question is, “How far are they using it?” Because using AI to polish emails, write first drafts, or speed up
AI Won’t Replace Your Team. But It Will Expose It. Read More »
As cookies disappear and privacy expectations rise, marketers need a smarter way to understand their audience. In this Podcast, Sarah and Dave break down zero-party data: what it is, why it matters, and how value-based data exchange can accelerate trust, personalization, and sales outcomes in both B2B and B2C marketing.
Podcast: Zero Party Data Read More »
No small change B2B marketers used to treat the buyer journey like a long, linear path. Awareness. Consideration. Decision. A whitepaper here. A webinar there. A nurture sequence somewhere in between. That model does not reflect how B2B buying works anymore. Today’s buyers are doing more of the decision-making on their own, across channels that
The B2B Buyer Journey Is Moving Faster Read More »
AI is everywhere, but not always in the way brands claim. In this Podcast, Sarah and Dave unpack the growing risk of “AI washing” and why overusing the term can erode credibility. They discuss how marketers should refocus their messaging on real outcomes rather than inflated promises. This is a timely conversation on trust, transparency,
Podcast: AI Washing Read More »
AI has brought power and precision to marketing. Campaigns launch faster. Content scales with ease. Data flows in real time. But for all that intelligence, one thing is too often missing: empathy. As I said in Forbes: “Don’t automate without empathy. The most effective automated emails feel like they were written just for the reader
The Missing Link in AI Content Marketing: Emotional Mapping Read More »
From 60 Minutes to Smarter Leads: How We’re Rethinking B2B Campaigns A creative obsession that hasn’t let up About a decade ago, I found myself across from Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes, talking through a hospitality concept that mixed early tech with everyday life. Facial recognition was part of it—a wild idea then, a reality
How SmartLead Is Redefining B2B Lead Generation with AI and Strategy Read More »
