Bonkers Budgets in Marketing | E74 with Jamie Pagan

In this episode of Blame It on Marketing, Emma, Ruta, and guest Jamie Pagan dive into the gritty realities of marketing budgets. From the awkward dance of asking for money to the headaches caused by mismatched sales and marketing priorities, they unpack the budgeting struggles marketers face daily. Jamie shares practical advice from his years in B2B marketing, offering insights on educating leadership, proving ROI, and making the most of lean budgets.This episode tackles why tight budgets make for tight-lipped marketers and how better communication and alignment with sales can turn things around. If you’ve ever had to justify your existence to the finance team, this one’s for you.Takeaways:Budgeting in marketing is often ignored until there's a problem.Misalignment between marketing and sales creates budget gaps.Sales cycles heavily influence budget timing and strategies.Proving ROI isn’t just nice; it’s non-negotiable.Educating leadership on marketing's value is critical to securing funds.Shoestring budgets lead to lackluster engagement and retention.Free tools and creativity are lifesavers when the budget is tight.Building trust with leadership pays off in future budget negotiations.Regularly tracking and sharing your impact builds a case for investment.Negative past experiences with marketing can skew leadership's perception. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode of Blame It On Marketing, hosts Emma and Ruta explore the challenges of marketing attribution with Tara Robertson. They share their own experiences with attribution, unpack the complexities of measurement, and highlight the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing teams. The conversation tackles the messy reality of attribution, emphasizing the need to better understand how marketing influences customer journeys. Their takeaway? Embrace the imperfections—attribution is rarely straightforward.Key Takeaways:- Attribution is often oversimplified and can mislead marketing decisions.- The pressure to measure everything can stifle creativity in marketing.- Sales and marketing teams should work collaboratively towards common goals.- Understanding the customer journey is crucial for effective attribution.- Self-reported attribution can provide valuable insights into customer behavior.- Attribution tools can be helpful but should not be seen as a silver bullet.- The ideal attribution setup varies by company and should focus on key touchpoints.- Marketing should influence all types of opportunities, not just inbound leads.- Leadership expectations around attribution can be challenging to navigate.- Embracing the messiness of attribution can lead to better marketing strategies. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

Blame It On Marketing Turns Two! 🥳 In this special anniversary episode, Ruta and Emma reflect on two years of podcasting, marketing gossip, and relentless honesty about the industry we love (and sometimes love to hate).From the chaos of LinkedIn to outrageous sales commission stories, they revisit their favourite episodes, hard-earned lessons, and hilarious highlights. Expect shout-outs to iconic guests like Timi and Talya, alongside a passionate plea for marketers to stop settling for 35K manager roles and to demand better buying experiences. Plus, Ruta reveals her unfiltered LinkedIn comment philosophy, while Emma dreams up LinkedIn-integrated podcasts for all our scrolling convenience.Takeaways:Buying Experience: It's still a mess—why aren't companies focusing on the buyer?Sales and Marketing Alignment: Compassion, not competition, is the key to collaboration.CRO Insights: A great CRO transforms businesses, not just quotas.Influencer Sales: Stop expecting your team to moonlight as TikTok stars unless you're paying for it.Career Advice: No job is worth sacrificing your mental health. Make that exit plan if needed.Bad Marketing: Sometimes, breaking the rules is where the magic happens. (Ask them about their tattoos!)Stick around for some spicy LinkedIn gossip and a heartfelt thank-you to the listeners who've made this two-year journey unforgettable. 🚀 Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

Marketing: the first budget cut and the last to get the credit. In this episode, your favorite co-hosts Ruta and Emma sit down with Angeley Mullins, Chief Commercial Officer at Resourceify, as she shares her no-nonsense perspective on why cutting back on marketing during tough times is the business equivalent of eating soup with a fork: messy, ineffective, and you’ll still be hungry. They dive into the delicate dance between performance marketing and brand building, why sales and marketing are like peanut butter and jelly (yes, they belong together), and how ignoring your customer’s needs is a fast track to irrelevance.Takeaways:Investing in marketing leads to long-term growth. Don’t let economic pressures push you into shortsighted decisions.Performance marketing is just one slice of the pie. Don’t forget the power of brand.Sales and marketing should work hand in hand. The dream team works best together, not in silos.Understanding customer needs is crucial. Forgetting this? That’s a fast track to irrelevance.The pendulum is swinging back toward brand investment. And it’s about time.Mistakes are part of the process. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.ROI isn’t the whole story. Marketing is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet.A strong brand presence makes selling easier. Build it, and sales will follow.Early-stage companies need balance. It’s not just sales or just marketing—it’s both. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

This episode gets real. Emma, Ruta, and special guest Cohan expose the madness of sales and marketing culture, from absurd pipeline expectations to commission nightmares. We tackle the age-old question: why do outdated sales tactics still exist—and who’s really to blame?Cohan, a seasoned sales leader, doesn’t hold back as he spills the tea on toxic company cultures, leadership fails, and the collateral damage of BS metrics. Spoiler: it’s costing you revenue and sanity. Plus, we dive into the role of AI in sales (and how it’s failing at inclusivity) and call out the elephant in the room—why marketers always get the blame.TakeawaysHow pipeline manipulation starts at the top (and ends with AEs fired).Why cookie-cutter targets and outdated processes are sabotaging teams.The myth of the “Black Book” and why it’s time to retire this relic.Why 4-5x coverage quotas are more about fantasy than strategy.The truth about commission plans (spoiler: it’s a mess).How marketing can align with sales to actually fix the chaos.The untapped potential (and pitfalls) of AI in tech.This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a call for sanity. Whether you’re in marketing, sales, or leadership, this episode is your blueprint for building a culture that [email protected] Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode, Emma and Ruta tackle the world of automation and AI with guest Tim Cakir, breaking down why marketers keep ignoring the tech that could save their sanity. The chat dives into how automation isn’t just about efficiency—it's a creative lifesaver that can make the daily grind a little less grindy. Tim pushes for marketers to get an “AI-first” mindset, experiment more (even if they’re a lean team), and shows how to get buy-in from skeptical bosses. From using ChatGPT to kill off mundane tasks to automating Slack reminders, this episode serves as a wake-up call for every marketer still stuck in the manual rut.TakeawaysAutomation isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s essential for keeping up (and keeping sane) in marketing.Many marketers skip automation because MarTech is a crowded mess, but it’s time to prioritize.Start small by automating the repetitive tasks eating up your time.Test new tools regularly—even a small team can make a big leap in efficiency.Got a skeptical boss? Show them the time and money automation can save.Make automation visible: Slack alerts, reminders, and integrations can prove its value to the team.With an AI-first mindset, tools like ChatGPT can streamline processes and spark new ideas.Automation and AI aren’t just techy fads—they’re essential for staying competitive and future-proofing your team. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode, Emma, Ruta and Jennifer Macdonald dive into the all-too-common confusion between marketing strategy and business strategy—and why marketers shouldn’t be expected to magically fix business problems. They get into the mess that happens when there’s no clear business direction, how CEOs sometimes (okay, often) misunderstand marketing’s role, and why a solid business strategy is essential for marketing to actually do its job.The conversation highlights the struggle marketers face in getting proper investment, battling unrealistic expectations, and setting boundaries with the C-suite. They call out fake engagement on social media and why it’s time for marketers to be real about the ups and downs of the job. Honest communication, a clear plan, and a reasonable budget? Turns out, that’s the real “secret sauce” for effective marketing.Takeaways:Marketing ≠ Miracle Worker: Marketing strategy supports business strategy, but can’t fix what’s broken.Business Strategy First: Without a clear direction, marketing is left spinning its wheels.Educate the Execs: Misunderstandings about marketing’s role often lead to misplaced expectations.Set Boundaries: Clear communication between marketing and the C-suite can save everyone a lot of headaches.Demand What You Need: Marketing requires real investment; advocating for budget based on strategic priorities is essential.Stop losing customers because of a bad user experience. Try Mouseflow for free and get a free extended trial at https://bit.ly/4dZp58a Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode, Emma, Ruta, and Talya Heller G. Founder at 'Down to a T' tackle the misunderstood, often-overlooked world of product marketing. They dive into the real role of product marketing, share what it means to sit smack in the middle of marketing, product, and sales, and highlight why it’s one of the most misunderstood roles in the game. Talya drops a marketing confession about the chaos of translating customer comms for international markets and gives her two cents on the nonstop online “advice” around product marketing. Spoiler: not all of it is worth your time.They also get into how product marketers can actually influence product decisions, pricing, and even the culture of the company. From navigating company culture to collaborating across teams, this episode’s packed with insights on how product marketing can make or break a company’s success—and why some marketers are ditching traditional roles to go freelance.Takeaways:It’s a Balancing Act: Product marketing sits at the intersection of marketing, product, and sales—often juggling all three.Customer Insights Are Key: Understanding the market and the customer is everything in product marketing.Don’t Believe the Hype: Online “advice” on product marketing? Be discerning; not all of it holds up.Influencing the Product: Depending on the company, product marketers can impact product direction and pricing.Team Up: Collaboration with customer marketing and other teams is crucial for product marketing success.Culture Counts: Company culture can make or break product marketing’s effectiveness—especially in toxic workplaces.Stop losing customers because of a bad user experience. Try Mouseflow for free and get a free extended trial at https://bit.ly/4dZp58a Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode, Emma, Ruta, and Greg Landon take on the rollercoaster that is global marketing. Think juggling time zones, dodging cultural landmines, and realizing pretty quickly that a one-size-fits-all strategy is a no-go. They chat about how to tailor your messaging for different markets, why just translating your English tagline won’t cut it, and the massive importance of local market research (hint: you can’t just wing it). Greg spills some behind-the-scenes stories, like how Starbucks tiptoed into Italy’s hardcore coffee culture and actually made it work. If you're ready to take your brand worldwide (without falling on your face), this episode’s for you.Takeaways:Lost in Translation? Directly translating your marketing materials is a recipe for disaster. Localization is key.Know Your Audience: Each market is unique—do the legwork and adapt your strategy to the local culture.HQ Doesn’t Know Everything: Letting one office call the shots for global markets? That’s asking for trouble.Virtual Boots on the Ground: You don’t need a full team in every country, but you need local insights.Global ≠ Copy-Paste: What works in the US might bomb in France—don’t assume success translates across borders.Stop losing customers because of a bad user experience. Try Mouseflow for free and get a free extended trial at https://bit.ly/4dZp58a Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode, Emma, Ruta, and Olga Karanikos tackle the wild ride that is building a career in marketing. Spoiler: there’s no neat, defined path here. They dive into why being a jack-of-all-trades (aka a Renaissance marketer) can be your secret weapon, how to show leadership without a fancy title, and why your stack of certifications might not matter as much as you think. Plus, they share tips on managing bad bosses, the shift from marketing as a cost center to revenue driver, and the cringe-worthy trend of marketers jumping on outdated bandwagons.Takeaways:Your Career, Your Rules: No defined paths here—marketers need to take control and carve out their own growth.The Renaissance Marketer: Being versatile across marketing functions is a major key to career success.Certifications Are Cool, But... Experience and practical skills? Way more valuable.Leadership Without the Title: You can lead by taking initiative and showing up where it counts.Bad Boss? No Problem: Find support, make a business case for your ideas, and don’t let bad managers hold you back.Revenue Talks: Tie your marketing efforts to revenue, and watch your career (and paycheck) grow.Trend Alert: Avoid hopping on outdated trends and focus on what’s actually driving results.Stop losing customers because of a bad user experience. Try Mouseflow for free and get a free extended trial at https://bit.ly/4dZp58a Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!