Tell us about your new role at Videolicious. What are some goals that you’re working towards?

Videolicious is on the cusp of explosive growth. Our goal is to establish and own the category of video automation in the Sales and Marketing technology ecosystem — sitting firmly between Marketing Automation and Sales Automation tools. If we’re put on the map for that and can transform video automation from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have for the market, it would be a huge win.

Internally, our goals include establishing best practices in Marketing and Sales Operations, building out our demand gen program and solidifying our team as thought leaders in our space.

How does Videolicious differentiate from other video platforms that work with enterprise B2B Sales and Marketing organizations?

We are the first and only end-to-end video automation solution. While most solutions allow for teams to create video at scale, our platform not only allows for this creation, but for deep analytics and reporting (down to patented message-based heat maps that show where the engagement was), and then feedback and insights on what is working and what is not. Additionally, we offer deep domain expertise with our hands-on training on how to message and create really effective video.

How does video help Marketing and Sales organizations to ‘break through the noise’?

In the age of Artificial Intelligence and chatbots, companies bringing the “human touch” back to business are actually those with a competitive advantage. Employees are a company’s best asset and they’re the people that buyers need to feel a strong connection to in order to invest in the company. Video can break through the hundreds of emails buyers receive every day and accelerate a relationship because there’s a real person behind the correspondence. At Videolicious, we’re using technology to enable authentic human connections, rather than simply digitizing them.

What valuable lessons did you learn from your roles at Grapeshot and iQ Media? How did your accomplishments in those positions prepare you for your new role as CMO?

My last two roles taught me a lot about leadership. I was managing teams of up to 15 globally, as well as managing up to the executive staff and board members at the same time, which requires a great deal of trust, prioritization, and flexibility.

Now being back in a smaller organization with the need to be more hands on, I feel more prepared because of my previous roles. I learned a great deal about how to quickly make decisions on what to let go of, what to champion for, and how to manage expectations and communications. Proper communication is one of the most valuable steps to becoming a respected leader.

Tell us about your go-to strategies to support rapid growth and lessons learned through periods of massive shift and transition.

Trust your gut and your team. Organizations that are successful at rapid growth have confidence about the direction they are moving in and give their teams the autonomy they need to get it done. It goes back to my favorite saying of “progress, not perfection.” Sometimes a campaign or idea won’t be fully baked but it’s important to allow your team to get it to 80% and figure out the other 20% later.

How do you motivate and mentor your marketing team at Videolicious?

We give purpose to everything we do, and the reason behind it. When employees are connected to the bigger goal of the company — whether it’s sales, category ownership, fundraising, etc. — it gives them a sense of mission that they can work towards on a daily basis.

Which Marketing and Sales Automation tools and technologies do you currently use?

Aside from the 800-pound gorilla, Salesforce, Pardot has been a go-to for a few years now. For B2B organizations of our size who want to accomplish Account-Based Marketing automation, it’s been invaluable. Uberflip has been key to tracking content usage, as well as Terminus for account-based ad targeting, and SalesLoft for true Sales and Marketing plays. And of course, Videolicious!

How can Marketing and Sales departments work together to increase the bottom line?

The number one thing is being completely aligned with the revenue goals and the sales targets that will help you meet those goals, together. Anything out of the boundary is simply noise. I’ve found by having Sales and Marketing teams share funnel metrics benchmarks – Sales-qualified leads and pipeline created, the alignment is incredibly natural. One team, one goal.

What are your predictions on the most impactful disruptions in Video Marketing operations for 2019-2020?

The biggest disruption will simply be that video marketing will become a need in the Sales and Marketing process. At one point not too long ago, video was viewed as a premium piece of content; now with the ability to create and deliver high-quality video at scale — it’s becoming the norm. The idea that you can create a real connection with a prospect rather than jamming another email into an already full inbox is a no-brainer.

What startups in the technology industry are you watching keenly right now?

Kustomer

How do you inspire your people to work with technology?

When individuals realize the value that technology brings in terms of speed, efficiency and most of all- tracking and reporting — it’s usually pretty easy to get them on board, because who doesn’t love tracking the success of their hard work?!

One word that best describes how you work.

Efficiently.

What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?

I don’t know how any marketer lives without an automation tool (Pardot, Marketo) but when it comes to managing projects across multiple stakeholders and timelines: Trello is a lifesaver.

What are you currently reading?

“Blue Ocean Shift” (a follow-up book to “Blue Ocean Strategy,” which features the first company I worked for, HealthMedia). I consume books the old-fashioned way — hardcover! Otherwise, I tend to consume information through a lot of digital reading or short snippets via LinkedIn.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Progress, not perfection.

Something you do better than others — the secret of your success?

I make decisions confidently and quickly, but not hastily — you can’t be afraid to stick your neck out and try new things, as well as be ready to laugh and learn when it doesn’t go as planned.

Tag the one person (or more) in the industry whose answers to these questions you would love to read:

Jeff Soriano, VP Marketing at YouVisit

Thank you, Ashley! That was fun and hope to see you back on MarTech Series soon.