M. Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez Tag Archives - Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow} Rise Above the Noise. Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:34:54 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 112917138 What we learned about marketing in 2024 https://businessesgrow.com/2024/12/16/what-we-learned-about-marketing/ https://businessesgrow.com/2024/12/16/what-we-learned-about-marketing/#respond Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:00:09 +0000 https://businessesgrow.com/?p=63015 2024 was insane and exhilarating. A group of global marketing experts help us understand what we learned about marketing in the era of AI and hyper-connected consumers.

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what we learned about marketing

The world is moving at the speed of Nvidia these days, and no career is being disrupted more than marketing.

I host a community called RISE that’s dedicated to the future of marketing. What’s coming next and how does this impact us? I thought it would be interesting to ask some people in the community about their biggest marketing lessons from 2024. Some of these are personal, some of them are enlightening, but all the lessons are worth your time today …

Sarah Stahl, ROI Driven Marketing Executive at Sarahstahl.com

Sarah Stahl

Sarah Stahl

This year reminded me that marketing holds the power to make or break businesses, often in ways we underestimate. I watched the startup I work with navigate every business phase—highs, lows, and everything in between. The lifeline that kept cash rolling in? Instagram.

When we surveyed guests, nine out of 10 said they discovered us on Instagram—not through third-party booking apps like Airbnb, which most vacation rentals rely on. By the end of the year, 87% of our bookings were direct, driven by consistent Instagram growth powered by strategic influencer partnerships.

No viral stunts. No massive budgets. Just clear, focused marketing that turned Instagram into a revenue machine. This simple yet powerful strategy helped a startup reach breakeven within its first year. I’ve always believed in the craft of marketing, but 2024 showed me its unparalleled ability to save a business—or sink it.

Mike Carr, Cofounder of NameStormers & Autism Labs

AI is forcing us to be more human. As LLMs and agents emerge that can mimic how we talk and even how we look, authentic and raw content that reveals our feelings and emotion behind what we say will never be more important.

Polished, scripted, and overly-rehearsed podcasts & even keynotes will give way to communications that are more real, vulnerable, and reflective of who we are as flawed human beings. The sign of a true professional will be a combination of invaluable insights presented with unquestionable passion.

Brian Piper, Director of Content Strategy and Assessment, University of Rochester

Integrating AI into your marketing workflow is not a technology project. It’s a change management project.

Many companies and brands must clean up their data and content significantly before AI integration into their marketing or content workflows is successful.

Roxana Hurducas, Brand Strategy Advisor

2024 taught me an uncomfortable truth: Hate is the most efficient fuel in marketing, and the most powerful buying argument.

Roxana Hurducas

Roxana Hurducas

This revelation came from the presidential elections in my nation of Romania, where a candidate turned an electoral campaign into a marketing campaign. There were no substantial policy proposals, no detailed plans to address the challenges the country is facing. Instead, his campaign was pure marketing, built entirely on one central message: hate. Hate the system, hate the establishment, hate the political class. And it worked.

In marketing terms, he identified the pain point (a broken system) and offered a solution (himself as the alternative). The messaging was emotional, not rational. And as we know, people don’t buy products, services, or even candidates. They buy feelings, and hate is a feeling that unites people more strongly than almost anything else.

The fact that we long to belong, as Mark Schaefer has pointed out, is painfully relevant here. Georgescu’s campaign didn’t just sell hate; it sold a sense of belonging. They weren’t just voting; they were joining a movement. The against-the-system movement. This is the same dynamic that powers communities – only here, it was used as a weapon for political gain.

But this lesson applies far beyond elections. Hate and Belonging are two of the most powerful forces in human behavior, and marketers know this.

So, do we accept that hate sells and lean into it? Or do we, as marketers, take responsibility for the narratives we create and the emotions we amplify?

For me, the answer lies in ethics. Yes, hate is efficient. Yes, it works. But at what cost? The lesson of 2024 is as much a warning as it is a revelation: the fuels we choose to power our messages can burn more than we intend. And sometimes, what they destroy is trust, unity, and hope.

Tyler Stambaugh, Co-Founder of MAGNETIQ

Digital experiences are heavily undervalued as a way to differentiate and create a competitive advantage.

Iris van Ooyen, Life Navigation Mentor, Founder of Bright Eyes

Genuine enthusiasm sells— and that ripples through best in live interactions. This summer I crafted a new mastermind and I was so thrilled about the concept that when I spoke to a former client about it, he signed up on the spot. AND offered to share it with two peers (one registered as well). This would not have happened through an email exchange. I learned that your personal energy and enthusiasm are crucial and most effective live and one-on-one.

what we learned about marketing

Aaron Hassen, Chief Marketer at AH Marketing and host of Business with Humans YouTube series

B2C channels are also B2B channels.

Aaron Hassen

Aaron Hassen

Earlier this year, I was developing a campaign for a B2B client, pulling a prospect list from their CRM, when I noticed the data was woefully inadequate: company emails, company phone numbers and office locations. Not very useful. See, I had interviewed scores of their best customers, and when asked where they went to find solutions like theirs, the answer wasn’t corporate newsletters, cold calls or trade magazines, it was a trusted colleague, podcast and social media.

The sources of B2B influence have shifted. Forrester predicts that more than 50% of B2B buyers, particularly younger ones, will rely on social media and their value network to help make purchase decisions in 2025. And according to LinkedIn, social media was a top source of B2B marketing investment (75% of companies) in 2024. The fastest growing B2B channel? Streaming television! 55% of B2B marketers said they plan to increase investment there in the coming year.

It’s clear that in today’s work-from-home environments, B2B professionals are consuming information like B2C consumers: from their laptops, iPads, smart watches, smartphones, smart home devices and smart TVs. Reaching busy professionals in their everyday lives and getting them talking about our brand is difficult. This is why we must move past traditional B2B channels toward consumer channels that better connect us with our customers.

Emiliano Reisfeld, Marketing Manager

In 2024, marketing evolved toward more agile and compact funnels, where investment in conversion is key to empowering consumers who demand instant personalization.

An example: From Zero to Millions: TikTok Shop’s GMV Journey

Trona Freeman, Social Media and SEO Specialist for small businesses

trona freeman

Trona Freeman

More people are looking for alternatives to the Meta platforms for their small business marketing.

People are increasingly finding these platforms difficult for a host of reasons. 2024 has also been a very challenging year socio-culturally, and people want to have an escape online, and that place is moving toward Pinterest. Pinterest is people’s happy space, a place to go to escape the noise of the internet and the world at large.

Research shows that Gen Z is the fastest-growing audience on Pinterest, making up 42% of its global user base. And they’re searching and saving more than other generations.

Lush discovered this a few years ago when they moved from the Meta platforms and now use Pinterest as a key platform online as a positive way to promote and connect with their audience. Context matters, so make sure you are meeting your customers in a place that resonates with them. That could be Pinterest or smaller, more intimate spaces like Discord.

Joeri Billast, Host of the Web3 CMO Stories podcast

In 2024, I discovered that authenticity, consistency, and patience are the keys to building a personal brand that resonates globally.

In Belgium, I’m seen as a peer. At conferences in Toronto, Barcelona, and Lisbon, I received incredible feedback about my podcast. And in Cairo, I felt like a hero after my keynote (I killed it!). People lined up for selfies, connected with me on LinkedIn, and two days later, my AI workshop sold out, so much so that it was moved to a larger room in another hotel.

The surprising part? Context matters, but consistency and authenticity build relationships that transcend borders. People don’t connect with perfection—they connect with real stories and genuine engagement. The takeaway: Keep showing up, even when it feels like no one’s watching … because they are!

Zack Seipert, Marketing and Communications Specialist

This year, I (re)learned that relevance is the cornerstone of modern marketing success. Whether it’s crafting a social media post or developing a full campaign, the key is understanding what truly resonates with your audience in the moment. Even the most creative content will fall flat if it doesn’t align with your audience’s current needs, values, or environment. Staying tuned in to the pulse of culture and pivoting when necessary can make all the difference in creating content that truly connects and moves.

Bruce Scheer, Co-Founder of ValuePros.io

My lesson was the power of a consistent online presence.

Being part of the RISE community transformed my perspective on digital engagement. Mark Schaefer’s Personal Branding Masterclass provided the foundation. The real magic happened when I finally conquered my imposter syndrome and committed to regular online participation.

Bruce Scheer

Bruce Scheer

My journey began with a simple decision: show up consistently. This meant producing weekly content and engaging daily, particularly on LinkedIn. I had Mark and others in the RISE community as role models to follow. The initial hesitation gave way to a natural rhythm of authentic interactions.

I next launched the “ValuePros Show” across YouTube and podcast platforms, which became a gateway to extraordinary conversations. Each guest brought unique insights, making 2024 a year of remarkable learning and growth. Finally, I set up a weekly newsletter that already has 1,500 subscribers and is growing.

This has been a year of deeper professional relationships, expanded business opportunities, and enhanced visibility for our tech-forward consulting firm.

Consistency truly reigns supreme in marketing. By maintaining a steady presence and authentic engagement, what started as a personal branding challenge evolved into a powerful business strategy.

Julie Van Ameyde, Founder of Simply Social Media

When a long-time client sold their business, my routine was turned upside-down. While I continued working with the new ownership, the transition highlighted the need for adaptability and resilience to navigate unexpected changes. Marketing success isn’t just about being prepared for technological change. It means you have to be resilient enough to be ready for anything. 

Rob LeLacheur, Owner of Road 55 in Edmonton, Canada

Traditionally, my team has produced Triple A, polished video content and we’re proud of that. But we learned in 20204 that there is a large space for low fidelity (Lo Fi) content, and in many cases, that content performs much better than Hi Fi.

Lo-Fi reduces the barrier to entry by creating a feeling that you’re not being sold to. The content is more real and people are willing to give it a chance. An example of Lo Fi that works well is an imperfect,
behind-the-scenes blooper reel.

Hi Fi is most appropriate for situations where the consumer is already engaged, like a website or presentation.

Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez, Co-Author of The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever

People crave being back at live, in-person events. I just attended a conference that was sold out, and that hasn’t happened since before COVID. There is an unmissable magic that happens when people gather together. When in doubt, make it in-person and make it awesome!

Martin O’Leary, Creator of “Uncharted” Newsletter

Taste is the new superpower.

Martin O'Leary

Martin O’Leary

Remember endless Slack messages and three-week waits for a simple video edit? Those days are dead. But this isn’t just another AI story. The real shock isn’t that AI can help make content – it’s that it’s forcing marketers to become master craftsmen.

Think about it: when everyone can create anything, the differentiator isn’t access to tools. It’s taste.

Pre-2024: Marketing meant being a professional coordinator. You managed designers, video editors, and endless Figma feedback loops. Your job was orchestration. Post-2024: Marketing means being a filmmaker, designer, and writer rolled into one. One person with Claude, Getimg.ai, Runway.ai, and CapCut isn’t just replacing a team – they’re rewriting the rules of what makes marketing great.

The winners aren’t the tech-savvy marketers. They’re the ones studying Kubrick’s camera angles, dissecting Nike’s brand guidelines, and obsessing over typography. Because when AI democratizes creation, deep craft to write better prompts becomes the moat. Just like the iPhone killed Blackberry by making computing personal, full-stack marketers are killing the assembly line approach to creativity.

Sharon Joseph, VP Marketing

“Advertisements suck, I don’t care, Please Make It Stop.”

That quote from my eight-year-old, mocking the streaming ads, hit a nerve. Growing up, I loved ads—their creativity, humor, and storytelling inspired me to pursue a career in advertising.

Over two decades, I’ve seen the industry evolve, from a passion-driven art form to a relentless stream of noise. Now, as a VP of Marketing, I market to the very people creating the ads that my child—and frankly, most of us—find unbearable.

It was the first week of 2024 when two campaigns stood out: Calvin Klein’s Jeremy Allen White spot and Brlo Brewery’s parody. They reminded me that authenticity and storytelling can still resonate. But most ads in the past year? Forgettable.

As marketers, we must rethink our approach. People crave connection, not interruption. If we can’t offer something meaningful, maybe we shouldn’t offer anything at all. Because in a world tuning out, it’s not about shouting louder—it’s about creating with purpose.

Mark Schaefer, blogger-in-chief

I learned so many lessons in 2024 but here are a few significant ones.

  • The world is changing at an overwhelming pace, and I cannot remain relevant on my own. Being part of a supportive community is the only way to survive this onslaught.
  • Every day is a new marketing day. What was true yesterday may not be true today. Be willing to let go to grow.
  • Competence is a commodity. Competence is ignorable. If you are merely competent, you’re vulnerable.
  • It’s easy to get caught up in the latest AI magic trick, but don’t lose sight of the fact that marketing is a people business. Work through the tech hype and stay focused on fundamentals.
  • 99% of the people in the world have no clue what’s about to happen to their lives through AI.
  • As the big tech companies race toward AI dominance, they are systematically and unabashedly breaking the law as part of their business strategy. 2024 was the year that “character” went out of fashion.
  • In all of history, this is the most fun and interesting time to be in marketing!

Many thanks to my brilliant and generous community for adding their wisdom to this post today.

Need a keynote speaker about the future of marketing? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on TwitterLinkedInYouTube, and Instagram

Illustration courtesy MidJourney

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How to create your TED talk https://businessesgrow.com/2022/12/05/create-your-ted-talk/ https://businessesgrow.com/2022/12/05/create-your-ted-talk/#respond Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:00:02 +0000 https://businessesgrow.com/?p=58027 Mark Schaefer explains how to create your TED talk.

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create your TED talk

My friend Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez dreams of giving a TED talk of her own some day. She asked me how I prepared to give my speech, and I told her I would write a post about it for her because indeed, I am a full-service blogger! Today, How to Create Your TED Talk!

I gave my TED talk in the summer of 2022, but the preparation really started years in advance.

Getting into TED

I’m a busy person, but things always slow down during the holiday season, and I use this time to reflect, learn, and consider changes I need to make to my business in the coming year.

One of my holiday traditions is to spend a day binging the best TED talks. I did this for years before I was ever invited to give a talk. I take notes on the styles of the best speakers in the world. How do they construct their speeches? How do they use surprise? Humor? Props? Video and other media? Why did they get selected for TED?

I didn’t do this every year to become a TED speaker; I did it to be a better speaker, period.

The invite

Many people dream of being a TED speaker. I was not one of them. I figured if it happened, it happened. It was never a goal or priority. I guess I’m just content with where I am right now.

But an invitation came out of the blue. I became friends with Shannah Haley, who attended each of my Uprising retreats. At this event, 30 people gather for two and a half days to discuss big ideas about marketing. We also become really great friends. Over the course of our time together she became familiar with my ideas and speaking style and invited me to the TEDx event she organizes in Texas.

Shannah is the consummate professional. She cares so much about this event, and so it was an incredible honor for her to ask me. But she also knew I was a professional, too, and she assigned me to be the closing speaker at her event because of the trust she had in me.

More likely, you will have to apply to be a speaker, so I was fortunate in this instance.

Create your TED talk

The purpose of TED is to spread bold new ideas. So that is a little nerve-wracking, right? How did I come up with an idea?

A good way to start thinking about this is to establish a spiky point of view.

1. A spiky point of view can be debated.

2. A spiky point of view isn’t controversial for the sake of it.

3. A spiky point of view teaches your audience something relevant they don’t already know.

4. A spiky point of view is rooted in evidence, but it doesn’t have to be a proven fact or universal truth.

5. A spiky point of view requires conviction.

You have to be brave enough to advocate for what you believe in. It’s not a passive regurgitation of information. There’s a stance of advocacy and a bias toward action. You’re trying to convince someone of this idea because you genuinely believe they’ll be better for it.

Examples of spiky points of view from my blog:

In other words, this is the kind of bold idea TED is looking for. Spiky and bold.

It’s even better if you can apply your idea to some current issues like climate change, inclusiveness, and social justice, for example.

A process you might follow to create your TED talk idea:

  1. Start by thinking about your passions and interests. Identify a topic that you feel strongly about, that you know a lot about, and that you feel passionate and excited to talk about.
  2. Narrow it down to the ones that you’re most interested in exploring.
  3. Research the topic to make sure it’s a good fit for a TED talk. Look at other TED talks to get an idea of the kinds of topics that are typically discussed.
  4. Choose a topic that’s timely and relevant. Consider the current events, trends, and conversations that people are having.
  5. Make sure the topic is specific enough to focus on and explore in depth. Avoid topics that are too broad or that don’t offer much to explore.
  6. Refine your topic by focusing on a specific angle or perspective. Consider how you can make the topic unique and interesting to your audience.
  7. Test your topic out on a few people. Ask for their feedback and see if they’re interested in hearing more about it.

My idea was to apply concepts from my book Cumulative Advantage (full of spiky ideas) to the dramatic changes in our lives forged by the pandemic. How can you stay relevant in this period of overwhelming change?

Writing the speech

The specific challenge of a TED talk is to share a bold idea in a creative, memorable, and effective manner … in less than 18 minutes!

In some ways, this is much more difficult than a 45-minute keynote speech. My normal speeches are entertaining and tailored to a specific audience. A TED talk creates a permanent legacy. It is the speaking equivalent of writing a book. So every word must be precise.

For the first time in my life, I wrote out a speech word-for-word, obsessing over every phrase.

My outline went like this:

  1. Establish the problem through data and stories
  2. Discuss why this problem is relevant to the audience
  3. Briefly discuss the problem of relevance from a historical perspective. Relevance is a modern problem.
  4. Reveal a solution.
  5. Explain how to apply this solution.
  6. End with a message of encouragement and hope.

Memorizing and practicing a TED talk

create your TED talk

I highly recommend using slides when you create your TED talk for two reasons. First, it can punctuate your speech with meaningful graphs, illustrations, and images. Second, these slides serve as prompts to keep your speech on track.

I decided NOT to use slides, something I’ve never done before. Why did I put myself through this stress? I thought it would be a fun challenge to be personal, raw, and so meaningful that I did not need any slides. This was going to be recorded and displayed on the most famous storytelling site in the world. I wanted to push myself to be my best.

Even though I knew my material very well, it was still exceedingly difficult to memorize an 18-minute narrative. I handled this by thinking of my talk as four sections. So really, I was memorizing four stories that I told in order!

I practiced and practiced because I was determined to get every word right. I even rehearsed one more time in the hallway of the lecture hall before I went onstage.

Giving your TED talk

I was the “clean-up” speaker, the last one on the program. This probably helped settle the nerves as I settled in to hear the other speakers. All of them were tremendous! Of course. This was TED.

No matter how much you practice by yourself, there is nothing that can prepare you for stepping into that spotlight and thunderous applause in your honor. That’s why the first 90 seconds are so important. If you can get through the first 90 seconds and the stunning reality of being alone and vulnerable, you’ll be OK.

Make sure you love the first 90 seconds of your talk and that you’re 100 percent confident in it! After that, it’s automatic!

Many TED events are full-day festivals of food and art, but the stars are really the speakers. I made new friends, and now have a permanent spot on the TED site … something to be proud of!

Fun fact, a few days before my talk I had a tooth break off. I had a temporary crown put on that did not fit precisely and it gave me a slight lisp when I spoke. You can detect it in the recording of the talk. I was struggling to speak in a manner that minimized the lisp!

The stress you do NOT see behind the scenes!

If you’d like to view my speech, you can see it here:

Mark Schaefer is the executive director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He is the author of some of the world’s bestselling digital marketing books and is an acclaimed keynote speaker, college educator, and business consultant.  The Marketing Companion podcast is among the top business podcasts in the world. Contact Mark to have him speak at your company event or conference soon.

Follow Mark on TwitterLinkedInYouTube, and Instagram.

 

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