Funnel Reboot

Episode 195

We all want our organization’s decisions to be driven by the numbers. Who wouldn’t want to have at their fingertips analytics that accurately show which course of action will be best.

But doing this takes analysts, and that doesn’t mean hiring them, it means managing them to function well. It means creating processes for them, Outfitting them with technology. Giving them budgets.It's hard pulling this off in a small or mid-sized organization, and even leaders of large organizations must exercise care when creating this.

But there’s no set-in-stone law that says a data team must be in-house. Another model, managed services works well for IT and it can be used to give companies access to analysts so they can still be data-driven.

We’re going to explore the outsourced analytics model with today’s guest.

Throughout his career, he has worked at the intersection of data, business, and strategy consulting. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Following graduation, he joined Cargill as a Data Engineer from June 2011 to November 2013. He went on to serve as the Analytics Lead at Slalom from December 2013 to February 2016, where he claims to have been Minneapolis' first Analytics Hire.

In 2017, he co-founded DataDrive, a managed service provider specializing in analytics, alongside fellow data enthusiasts.

Let’s talk with Luke Komiskey.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:14 - Welcome Luke

00:17:38 - PSA

00:18:16 - Calculating value of having good data

00:49:29 - The MSP model

00:49:59 - Where to contact Luke

Links to everything mentioned in the show are on the Funnel Reboot site's page for this episode.

Episode 194

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Being honest, doing something differently is often neither better or worse, it’s just different.

- Playing Music with an acoustic vs electric guitar

- Writing with a pen on paper vs a computer. And continuing on that theme, it could be a Mac or a PC

- Programming can be done in various languages

- Films can be made with a variety of filming equipment, anything from an iPhone up to an IMAX ALEXA 65mm

This also applies to what we use as our analytics tool. And though Google Analytics gets a lot of attention, including in this podcast, to be fair, it is not the only game in town. The industry has a second tool, Adobe Analytics and I wanted to talk with an expert, and to my mind, today’s guest is the person to talk to about it.

She has 15+ years of experience helping enterprise organizations solve their analytics problems holistically, no matter where they are in their digital measurement evolution or what tool set they use.

Few can go as deep on pixel implementation, tag management, and data layers as she.

As a consultant at boutique agency 33 Sticks, she helps clients streamline the implementation process and get more value out of their tools, decreasing costs and headaches for developers, project managers, and analysts alike. On the side, she’s used her background as a developer to create free industry tools like the Adobe Analytics Beacon Parser and the mobile app PocketSDR.

She loves helping and collaborating with others in the industry, and most days can be found in #measure slack or twitter doing just that.

Let’s go to the Atlanta-area to talk with Jenn Kunz

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:21 - Welcome Jenn

00:03:37 - How Adobe's used by larger orgs

00:20:55 - PSA

00:21:32 - Navigating the Interface

00:41:48 - How to contact Jenn

Links to everything mentioned in the show are on the Funnel Reboot site's page for this episode.

Episode 193

Those of us in the digital economy think a lot about growing our business, but we don’t think as much about the tech that enables customers to interact with our business. When our sites don’t run smoothly or aren’t available, our customers suffer and it stops working as our sales and marketing engine. Terms for these episodes: the site crashed or it croaked, give us a perception that sites are either alive and well or completely dead, when its health really resembles our own human health. Meaning, a website can give off warning signs that can be diagnosed and treated before anything really bad happens. It doesn’t take invasive tools to catch these; monitoring services that run without any special site access can detect issues. These tools that take a site’s pulse are also good to gauge the site’s fitness - its ability to handle business growth.

Our guest has always called Ottawa Canada his home. He has also always had an entrepreneurial spirit, supporting the local startup scene since the 2000s, which is where I first met him.

After earning his computer science degree, he began his career working at local web tech firms. A stint at a design agency stoked his enthusiasm for websites, and in 2010 he joined the parent company of Internet Service Provider and web host Rebel.com, and domain registrar Internic.ca.

He took on the role of CEO for both companies, where he saw first-hand how the internet fueled communication and value-creation. In 2013 he took on additional responsibility as a Director of the not-for-profit Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), where for the last decade more or less he has staunchly pushed for the internet to be used as a force for good in Canada.

Workwise, after stepping away from Rebel and Internic, he returned to his technical and startup roots. Based on his observation that while websites were getting easier for non-experts to build, they could make mistakes hurting their user’s experience of their site with equal ease. That led him to launch ONIK, a product that monitors website fitness.

Let’s go talk with Rob Villeneuve

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:06 - Welcome Rob

00:09:19 - Monitoring site health

00:29:09 - PSA

00:29:59 - How much access is needed to monitor a site

00:41:01 - Holding different patrs of site to different standards

00:42:12 - How alerts help

00:45:21 - Knowing when enough is being measured

00:49:50 - How large sites do monitoring

00:53:09 - About ONIK.IO, how to contact Rob

Links to everything mentioned in the show are on the Funnel Reboot site's page for this episode.

We've all heard of 1970's Apollo 13 mission that was supposed to send a 3-man crew to the moon, but once NASA became aware of an on-board explosion, it became all about rescuing the crew.

Ron Howard's 1995 movie gives a glimpse of how mission control staff in Houston reacted to information about the explosion.

When an alarm on the command module flashed, signaling a power drop, Flight Director Gene Kranz (portrayed by Ed Harris) turned to the mission controller in charge of emergencies and said "is this an instrumentation problem, or are we looking at real power loss here?" That officer, named Sy Liebergot and played by the director’s brother Clive Howard said "It's, it's reading a quadruple failure - that can't happen! It's, it's got to be instrumentation."

But by following their procedures, NASA confirmed it wasn't an instrumentation problem, the ship had actually suffered a devastating explosion, and at that point they swung into rescue mode.

NASA aren't the only ones who, on seeing data put in front of them, are so quick to dismiss it.

Dashboards - and the work it takes to implement them - isn’t trivial. Yet many of them fail…meaning that once they’re built they never get looked at.

There are those who blame technical problems for this, but just like in Apollo 13, the main failures are due to people problems. The technology can be used to visualize exactly the operational data that people literally asked for…and present them with self-serve solutions, but they ignore the data, waving it away as some sort of instrumentation problem

Our guest is going to tell us the right way to pull off dashboard projects.

He’ll show how to engage the stakeholders to express what metrics they really need, ones that show how the organization is tracking towards reaching its vision.

Nicholas Kelly, currently the principal consultant and trainer at G&K Consulting, holds a Bachelor of Computer Science from University College Cork. Formerly a Deloitte Analytics Senior Manager, he specializes in designing and developing dashboards for major global companies, including banks and Formula 1 teams. Nick is a frequent speaker at international conferences, having trained thousands of professionals in data visualization and analytics adoption. As a management consultant, educator, and author, his focus is on teamwork, inventive methods, and bridging technical gaps to increase data literacy. He is also the creator of business board games and the author of the book "Delivering Data Analytics."

Let’s go to Seattle where I caught up with Nick Kelly.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:57 - Welcome Nick

00:08:18 - Why dashboard projects fail

00:34:46 - PSA

00:35:35 - Building the dashboard

00:57:12 - Where to get book; contact Nick

Links to everything mentioned in the show are on the Funnel Reboot site's page for Episode 190.

My sister-in-law Janice works at the forefront of Medical Sonography. You may know it by the name Ultrasound, where non-invasive sound waves are sent into the body, which bounce off tissue and get displayed on a monitor. It has the ability to evaluate anatomy in an increasingly wide range of structures such as abdominal organs, the heart, vasculature and muscles in patients of all ages as well as the most commonly known purpose of obstetrical ultrasound.

In the past 35 years, ultrasound has changed from a tool that was used solely by Radiology and has now expanded into being used by almost every medical disciple: cardiology, emergency medicine, anesthesia, nursing, physical therapy and more. Training these non-traditional users had a huge boom, and now ultrasound is being taught in the first year of medical school as it is known that no matter what type of medicine one chooses, ultrasound will play a part. Janice and others have shared their love and knowledge of ultrasound to help and aid the expansion of ultrasound into new realms in all areas of healthcare.

In a similar way, to be better marketers, developers, or website owners, there are aspects of web behaviour that we need surfaced: specific user conversions, page views, scrolls and many other interactions. These aren’t visible to Analytics tools out-of-the-box. Our equipment must be configured to highlight them, and that’s done with tags that fire and alert our analytics software of specific interactions, the same way that medical monitors show the echoes of specific sonar frequencies.

We’ve evolved from coding tags right on our sites to operating them with tag management systems, the most common one being Google Tag Manager. Without these tagging tools, our visibility into site performance would be limited the same way that doctors before ultrasound couldn’t see what was going on inside their patients.

Another similarity these tools share is that they both come with ethical and safety considerations, and laws covering user privacy and data protection. Gathering insights, whether by ultrasound or tag technology, must respect the digital autonomy and privacy of users.

We have a guest to take us through all facets of tag management and I hope that after hearing him, you won’t think of tagging as just some machine that should be relegated to technicians, but a tool you can use on the front-lines, as something you yourself should get hands-on with. So let's talk about tag management with Ricardo Cristofolini.

With a background in Tourism and Hospitality Management and International Trade, Ricardo Cristofolini's Analytics professional journey began when he arrived in Canada in 2015 to study at Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, where he earned an Ontario College Diploma in Computer Programming, Networked Environment, and Programming Languages from 2015 to 2017. There, he had the opportunity to put together previous professional knowledge with brand new one exploring multiple subjects, from Web and App Development to cloud computing, Database structure, and much more.

Transitioning to the workforce, Ricardo served as a Web Developer at FilmFX from December 2017 to December 2019, gaining two years of experience. In March 2018, Ricardo expanded his skills at Pondstone Digital Marketing, specializing in WordPress, Content Management, and other relevant areas until February 2019. At this point, he had already fallen in love with Analytics and Data Tracking. His expertise continued to evolve as he took on the role of Senior Data Analytics Implementation at Bounteous Canada from July 2021 to October 2022 He currently holds the position of Napkyn Senior Implementation Specialist Data Solutions, a role he has been dedicated to since 2022.

In his spare time, when not reading about Analytics and developing his knowledge (and earning a badge from Linkedin as Top Web Analytics Voice), Ricardo supports others' new adventures in this field on multiple social media platforms answering questions and providing guidance.

Originating from Brazil, Ricardo Cristofolini's professional trajectory reflects a dynamic and progressively challenging path within the realms of web development, digital marketing, and data analytics implementation.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:04:55 - Ricardo on GTM and Google Tag

00:27:40 - PSA

00:28:30 - All about Server-side Tagging

00:49:06 - Where to contact Ricardo

Links to all People/Products/Concepts Mentioned in Show #189 is available at the Funnel Reboot site.

Episode 188

Dana DiTomaso embarked on her digital marketing journey over 20 years ago, initially working in tech support for a CRM before founding a web design company in 2002. In 2000, clients sought her expertise in increasing website traffic, propelling her into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). By 2012, Dana became an active participant in the SEO community, sharing insights on technical and local SEO topics.

Dana, having typed her first line of code in 1982, consistently demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit and started delivering talks and presentations since 1998. Recognizing the potential of digital-first marketing, she founded three businesses that educate entrepreneurs and organizations. As the founder and lead instructor of KP Playbook, Dana teaches the "Analytics for Agencies" course and manages a thriving learner community, emphasizing proven principles over quick tips. Notably, none of her clients have faced Google penalties to date.

Dana lives in an old growth forest near Victoria BC.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:01 - Welcome Dana

00:08:18 - The unvarnished view of data given by GA4

00:16:33 - Using custom reports and exploration tab

00:22:41 - Giving other users access to Reports

00:26:39 - PSA

00:27:25 - Reporting through Looker Studio

00:35:08 - Why knowing some UX helps

00:38:54 - Pulling other data sources together with GA data

00:44:01 - Looker studio tactics

00:53:18 - Where to contact Dana

Links to everything mentioned in the show are on the Funnel Reboot site's page for Episode 188.

In numerous companies, the approach to content strategy appears to be nonexistent, marked by haphazard content creation and dissemination. A notable absence of a cohesive plan to align content with overarching marketing objectives is evident, leading to a disjointed and less effective approach. In light of these challenges, it becomes imperative for companies to recognize the critical significance of implementing a robust content strategy. The upcoming discussion will delve into a methodology that not only addresses these shortcomings but also promises to elevate content creation to a level where flawlessness becomes a tangible outcome. As we navigate through the intricacies of this approach, you will discover how a well-crafted content strategy can serve as the linchpin for achieving marketing goals and fostering a more impactful and cohesive online presence.

Purna Virji is a globally recognized content strategist. She grew up in India, when her family came to the US they settled in Philadelphia. She did her masters at Cardiff University, but returned to Philadelphia where she was a journalist and then a producer at the local TV affiliate for PBS. That experience is where She picked up expertise in creating content. She ported this communications flair into designing Pay Per Click ad campaigns for ecommerce companies and then when Microsoft’s own ads platform needed a trainer, she transitioned to working there, training both internal Microsoft teams and external groups on Microsoft ads. She went on to speak at conferences like MozCon and SMX Advanced and was ranked as the #1 Most Influential Expert in the world by PPC Hero.

She is currently the Principal Consultant for Content Solutions at LinkedIn. In 2023 she came out with the book “High Impact Content Marketing” which we’ll talk about today.

Timestamps/Chapters:

0:00:00 - Intro

00:02:42 - Welcome Purna
00:10:32 - the AGES model
00:20:38 - PSA
00:21:46 - Practical tips for high Impact content
00:35:26 - Identifying what your audience's needs are
00:46:41 - Where to get book; contact Purna

For all the people, products and concepts mentioned, go to Episode 187's page on the Funnel Reboot site.

Increasingly, many Marketing teams have been forced to transform their own teams, or the Business as a whole has had to start transforming itself.

But no matter how technically sophisticated they are, no matter how many consultants they have or how many Project management meetings they hold, most companies struggle through these transformations. At best, when transformations succeed, they leave heart-ache and sore feelings

Most of them revert to the status quo they tried so hard to shake. Those leading the initiative end up demoralized, marginalized or downsized.

People who say they can make transformations successful are treated with skepticism. But when that someone has skills that are so multifaceted and has pulled off this feat in multiple industries, you ought to lean in & hear them out.

Susan Odle is someone whose life's journey and heritage spans three continents. Born to Guyanese parents moved first to London England, then to Toronto, Canada where she went to high school; it happened to be the same school where I went. Anyway, she moved to Ottawa to study music at University. The musician in her has been strong from then until now, evidenced by a solo project she released in 2017.

Our paths crossed again years later when I moved to Ottawa. In the interim Susan had been holding pivotal roles in high tech firms, leading channel & direct sales, professional services, and ops which helped several to successful exits. Susan was honored In 2020 as one of the top 50 women in SaaS by the Software Report. She’s also owned several businesses as well. Currently, Susan specializes in operationalizing change through her consultancy, 8020CS. She’s taken her understanding of navigating successful change and literally wrote the book on it. "Successful Change," was released in 2023.

Chapters & Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:47 - Welcome Susan

00:06:46 - The chaos that comes with transformation

00:11:50 - The 8020CS Blueprint

00:21:46 - Break change down into four dimensions

00:29:38 - PSA

00:30:32 - Moving through 'gates' toward successful change

00:48:59 - Overcoming resistance

00:53:45 - Susan’s coordinate and other resources

For all the people, products and concepts mentioned, go to Episode 186's page on the Funnel Reboot site.

One thing that professional services and solo subject matter experts struggle with is building an audience and influencing their purchases.

Creating a content marketing engine that achieves this can take agonizingly long - years even. But virtual events that are properly marketed seem able to shorten that timespan.

My guest, Michael Tucker, has refined a program that develops virtual events for clients, and over the past 3 years it has accelerated post-event prospect discussions and sales success.

Graduating from Campbellsville University in Kentucky, he now calls Florida home

Chapters/Timestamps:

0:00:00 Intro

0:01:14 Welcome Michael

0:03:44 Virtual events are good for leadgen

0:29:09 PSA

0:30:17 Running virtual event that embeds call-to-action

0:32:30 Seeding the CTA into event

0:54:50 Michael's coordinates

Links to all People/Products/Concepts mentioned in the show is available on Episode 185’s page on the Funnel Reboot website.

You could say that the marketing field is going through exciting times right now. But you shouldn’t say that everything’s rosy. Here are examples of issues we’re grappling with:

The use of SaaS by Marketing may have freed us from being chained to the IT department, but after 25 years of binge buying all these point solutions, we’re saddled with loads of Technical debt, and the order to repatriate customer data from all these servers.

CMOs are tasked so much with explaining technology out there, much of their time is used up by the C-Suite’s questions, leaving little time for them to manage marketing.

There’s the question of whether the agency-client relationship will survive with AI. Some say brands won’t need an agency as they will generate their own creative. Agencies like Publicis, who’ve poured huge sums into their media-platform CoreAI that monitors billions of consumer signals and can inform what ads should be made, when & where.

Because our field doesn't have standardized accreditation, our terminology isn’t uniform, and we make dialects for our company or industry. How’s that working for us? About as well as it did for those building the Tower of Babel.

My guest is Myles Younger, Head of Innovation and Insights at U of Digital. Since graduating from Northeasters 20 years ago, he’s been up and down the marketing industry block. He was a client-side marketer in the tech and financial services sectors, He founded and led an adtech company, Canned Banners, that was acquired. He worked as a VP at data consultancy MightyHive which became Media.Monks.

He is in a new role now at U of Digital, spearheading this education thought leadership to expand the company's educational offerings across different formats, learners, and markets

To me, he’s something of a modern-day David Ogilvy, who wrote his thoughts on his industry back in the day, in a book called “Confessions of an Ad Man”. Myles is just as outspoken on digital media and advertising topics, and the opinions he voices in trade publications and podcasts can come across as prophecies about this industry and sometimes pleas for how it could be better.

I caught up with him in Portland, OR, where he lives with his wife and three kids.

Timestamp/Chapters

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:25 Welcome Myles

0:04:55 Continuum of approaches to privacy

0:07:58 Our reliance on ad tech; its future

0:20:56 We can only go as fast as our people can

0:24:53 Tech debt we've brought on ourselves

0:31:50 PSA

0:32:37 Changes impacting platforms & ad agencies

0:42:44 Platforms exploiting advertisers in the name of Al

0:48:27 The good & bad of using their Cloud offerings

0:52:32 Best reaction is educating ourselves

1:00:00 How to reach out to Myles

Links to all People/Products/Concepts mentioned in the show appear within the Funnel Reboot site on Ep 184's shownotes page.