In this episode we interview Kelley Hippler, Chief Revenue Officer, on what real sales and marketing alignment looks like when revenue is the shared scoreboard. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why buyer behavior makes alignment non optional when 80 percent of the journey happens before sales enters the chat
• How to set shared revenue goals so marketing stops optimizing for leads and starts optimizing for outcomes
• The simple meeting rhythm that keeps marketing close to the forecast and close to what deals need
• How Forrester’s CMO team used Salesforce to spot late stage pipeline and proactively help reps close
• Warning signs you are misaligned like content requests that become expensive shelf decorations
• How a plan on the page helps you say no to shiny ideas without killing creativity
• Where marketing can drive value after the deal through retention advocacy and expansion

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Learn how to sharpen positioning with real customer feedback.

In this episode we interview Bernie Goldenberg, Fractional PMM Leader, on how customer insight shapes positioning that actually lands.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Where to find the highest signal customer feedback across sales, support, and success
• How to turn scattered insight into a clear voice of customer narrative
• When and how to use AI to organize feedback without losing nuance
• How to validate messaging through conversations, not guesswork
• The single question that reveals what customers truly care about

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In this episode we interview Paul Hemingway, a marketing leader at Lighthouse Foods, about how smart brands choose media channels when budgets are tight and competitors are loud. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to pick channels based on who you want to reach 
• Why “share of voice” changes your media strategy 
• How to think about competitors before you spend a dollar 
• What to measure at the top vs bottom of the funnel 
• How to use pre post studies and A B test markets 
• When it makes sense to lean on agencies and third party mix modeling

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In this episode we interview Val Capone, Director of Marketing and Communications at civil engineering and planning firm, Matrix Design Group, in Phoenix, about what has and has not changed in marketing since 1987. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How print first workflows and hard deadlines created intentional marketers before metrics existed
• Ways to apply old school rigor to modern tools so campaigns do not rely on guesswork
• How to treat AI and ChatGPT as a sharp assistant instead of a crutch that flattens your voice
• Practical ideas to adapt your message for Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and boomers at the same time
• How to use data to push back on trend chasing and decide which channels you should actually keep
• Why loving the craft of marketing matters when expectations keep rising with every new tool

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Are you tired of "feature dumping" on prospects only to see their eyes glaze over? In this episode of Content Amplified, Ben Ard sits down with Kelsey Smith, Director of Digital Marketing at FranConnect, to discuss why your marketing should stop leading with the product—and start leading with the customer.

Kelsey shares his strategic pivot from traditional product-led pitches to authentic, customer-led storytelling. He explains why future customers trust the voices of their peers over sales decks and reveals the specific strategies he uses to capture video testimonials that actually move the needle on revenue.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The "Win-Win" Ask: How to get more customers to say "yes" to testimonials by framing the content as a promotional tool for their brand, not just yours.
• Production Tactics: When to use high-end professional videography versus when a candid iPhone video is actually more effective.
• The Interview Strategy: Why you should never ask "What’s your favorite feature?" and what to ask instead to uncover the real business impact.
• Measuring ROI: How Kelsey tracks the success of customer stories, from a 10x increase in web traffic to shortening sales cycles for the revenue team.

Connect with the Guest: Find Kelsey Smith on LinkedIn to continue the conversation or discuss strategy.

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In this episode we interview Matthew Scales, Seafood Marketing Director at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, about how he uses creative campaigns to get people to eat invasive blue catfish. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How a state agency turned a serious environmental problem into a memorable content story anchored in a blue catfish eating competition at the Maryland State Fair
• Why Matthew pushed the initial amateur contest idea further by partnering with Major League Eating, Maryland Lottery, Maryland Sports Commission, tourism groups, and local businesses to build a bigger moment
• Ways to engineer user generated content by inviting creators and competitive eaters who show up ready with phones, tripods, and engaged audiences
• How to think beyond traditional press releases and social posts and design events that naturally produce B roll, photos, blogs, and media hooks
• The mindset of saying “yes and” in brainstorms so you stack ideas instead of shrinking them
• Practical metrics you can use to judge a stunt style campaign: impressions, earned media, time on key web pages, and shifts in product movement
• How Matthew connects content performance back to real world outcomes like demand for blue catfish from processors and restaurants

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In this episode we interview Matt Dornfeld, Global AI Go-To-Market Lead at Commerce, about using workflow automation and large language models to personalize webinars from registration to recap. He and host Ben Ard walk through the exact systems he uses to turn a “standard” webinar into a tailored experience that actually drives action. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to build dynamic registration forms that change questions based on who is signing up
• Simple ways to enrich attendee data so you know who they are and what they care about before they join
• How to send pre-webinar content that feels handcrafted for each segment, not copied and pasted
• Tactics for using LLMs to route questions, draft replies, and power smart follow ups at scale
• Ideas for breaking your webinar into focused breakout rooms so B2B and B2C attendees each get relevant discussions
• How to treat every click, chat message, and breakout as a signal that guides sales outreach
• A lightweight tech stack Matt actually uses: forms, workflow automation tools, and an enterprise LLM setup
• Why “getting your data house in order” matters before you plug AI into your revenue engine

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In this episode we interview Rosemary Ajuka-LeCroy, about how marketers can use AI to cut through content overwhelm instead of adding to it. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to shift AI from content factory to research assistant so you actually understand your customers instead of guessing
• Why overwhelm is the default state for modern buyers and how to create content that feels like a relief, not more spam
• Practical ways to use AI for audience insights: behaviors, channels, timing, and formats that actually match how people buy
• How to build data-informed personas that go beyond vague labels and turn into living, breathing guides for your strategy
• A simple mental model for judging if your content is noise or value by watching how the right people respond
• Why small businesses (like your local bagel shop) should protect their human voice while letting AI do the heavy research
• Which AI tools Rosemary trusts for deeper, more nuanced strategic thinking and why she treats them like thought partners, not magic wands

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In this episode we interview Laliv Hadar, SVP of Marketing at Invision Communications, an experiential marketing agency, about how brands can use live experiences to build real human connection in B2B. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How experiential shifted from “nice to have” booths and dinners to a core channel in the B2B marketing mix
• Ways to use content before, during, and after events so your experience becomes an ongoing conversation, not a single moment
• How to think about human to human interaction as a strategic advantage in a world full of automation and AI
• Practical ideas to repurpose event content into targeted clips for different audience segments and channels
• A clear method to connect your business objectives to the right experiential format, from trade shows to intimate customer roundtables
• How to map event goals to KPIs across the full sales funnel so you can confidently talk ROI with leadership
• Why AI should act as an enabler for personalization, production, and operations while people still own the story and the relationships
• Simple starting points for “small but mighty” experiments such as quarterly customer advisory dinners that prove value without huge budgets

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In this episode we interview Crystalee Beck, founder of Comma Copywriters, a content marketing agency, and a long-time champion of words that connect. She shares how her team blends AI tools with human creativity while protecting what makes a brand’s voice worth reading.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Crystalee believes every piece of content still needs a human touch before it goes live.
• The phases of content production and where AI truly shines—research, ideation, and short-form support.
• Insights from real-world tests comparing long-form content written with and without AI, using multiple tools.
• How to define “publish ready” content and why editing and polishing are non-negotiable human steps.
• Ways to keep quality high as you scale, including peer review and clear standards for brand voice.
• How some brands that sell AI still insist on fully human-written content to protect credibility and search performance.
• Why small imperfections and natural voice often build more trust than perfectly polished, robotic prose.
• How marketers can talk about AI with leadership: setting expectations, protecting quality, and choosing where automation fits.

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In this episode we interview Sarah Renner, VP of Marketing Strategy and Analytics at MarketBridge, a go-to-market growth firm. She shares two decades of experience helping brands shift from shallow lead gen to trust-building content that actually wins deals.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why prospects no longer trust forms, blast emails, and banner ads—and what that distrust reveals about your funnel.
• The three traits of truly quality content: detailed, data-backed, and unmistakably authentic to your brand.
• How to create content your competitors can’t copy by leaning into unique perspectives and real expertise.
• Why over-gating content damages trust and how ungated authority pieces still generate high-intent leads.
• Where AI can support your workflow (and why Sarah believes it can’t produce real quality on its own).
• Why most “top-of-funnel” content underperforms and how to refocus efforts on mid and lower funnel material.
• Practical metrics to track content performance when you move beyond form fills: time on page, referrals, sharing, and event-driven engagement.
• How to turn internal experts into visible creators without overwhelming them or diluting your core message.

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In this episode we interview Paramita Bhattacharya, a full stack marketing leader with 25 years in technology, spanning Fortune 500 giants and high growth startups across brand, product marketing, demand generation, and go to market. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why AI has shifted content discovery from search rankings to credibility and citations across analysts, PR, and trusted channels. 
• How to use AI for first drafts while keeping humans in charge of storytelling, accuracy, and brand nuance. 
• Practical ways to expand your content mix with tutorials, product overviews, customer references, and proprietary data that LLMs cannot easily copy. 
• How to think about authority at the level of ideas and expertise, not just domain rating or page count. 
• Why distinct points of view from leaders across finance, product, and technology cut through generic AI generated noise. 
• How the rise of AI powered summaries changes what you publish, what you prioritize, and how you package insight.

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In this episode we interview Rachel Grace, journalist turned marketer and founder of Gallant Creative. She shares how brands can win by being more human, not more polished.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why low fidelity content often outperforms high production campaigns.
• How Gen Z’s craving for authenticity is reshaping brand storytelling.
• How to use simplicity and honesty as growth tools in marketing.
• Why people follow people—not corporations—and how leaders can use that to their advantage.
• How internal brand ambassador programs can unlock employee voices and trust.
• The surprising power of personal posts in driving engagement and leads.
• Why rethinking what “professional” means may be your biggest leadership move yet.

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In this episode we interview Amanda Lucidi.
She brings a journalist’s clarity to content systems that grow without burning teams out.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to anchor strategy to clear goals, not vibes.
• How to map approvals, owners, and handoffs so the work flows, not stalls.
• How to pick starting channels by audience reality, not wishful thinking.
• How to size the data you need before you scale output.
• How to translate analytics into creative briefs that makers actually use.
• When to keep it manual, when to add software, and why tools amplify a working process, not replace it.

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In this episode we interview Kim Kanary.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to reframe content from cost center to growth engine by tying it to pipeline influence, deal velocity, and win rate.
• A simple measurement start: pick two or three outcome metrics that your execs care about, then build up.
• When to use media mix modeling versus multi touch attribution, and why using both sharpens decisions.
• Why digitally native creative can outperform repurposed TV spots, including a real example with lift in revenue and response.
• How to arm sales with on brand templates and sequences mapped to the buyer journey, so deals close faster.
• How to communicate results across teams with clear dashboards, plain language, and honest lessons from what did not work.

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In this episode we interview Taylor Whetstone, a marketing operations leader at Augury. She shares a clear, operator’s view on building content that serves real people, not abstract segments.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to set goals that name the persona and shape the asset, the CTA, and the follow-up.
• Practical ways to segment by function and seniority so engineers and executives each get what they need.
• A simple framework to choose formats when sample sizes are small vs. broad.
• How marketing ops equips sales: enablement pages, sequences, and working sessions that create consistent outreach.
• A two-tier KPI model: meetings first, opportunities second—plus the ROI math behind channel activation.
• When to gate, when to leave open, and how to test instead of debate.
• How to capture content consumption in handoffs so reps see the journey, not just the form fill.

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In this episode we interview Ravi Pimplaskar, a marketing leader and storyteller with over 20 years of experience in ad tech. Ravi blends performance storytelling with campaign strategy, showing how emotion and structure can transform even the most technical B2B content into something people actually feel.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The six-word storytelling method that sharpens every campaign.
• Why every great marketer needs a moral — and a message.
• How to design for emotion, not just information.
• Turning bland B2B content into entertainment through empathy and relevance.
• How a “halftime show” webinar 5x’d engagement by changing the tone, not the topic.
• Why preparation creates freedom: rehearse, refine, then improvise when needed.
• How vulnerability and iteration drive creativity and confidence in your marketing.

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In this episode we interview Knyckolas Sutherland, a B2B content strategist and creative marketer who blends behavioral economics with storytelling to make even the most technical topics human.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How timing transforms impact: why 10 minutes can matter more than a week.
• The art of “terminally online” — staying current without burning out.
• How to define creative boundaries so you can move fast without breaking trust.
• A 50/50 strategy for balancing format innovation and industry news.
• How survey data can fuel a full content ecosystem — from reports to infographics to social posts.
• Why creativity thrives within boxes, and how constraints can sharpen your best ideas.
• Lessons from a viral moment: what 1M views taught Knyckolas about algorithms, audience, and authenticity.

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In this episode we interview Eric Hultgren, Director of Brand Strategy at Advance Local and lifelong storyteller. Eric shares his concept of weaponized curiosity—a mindset that transforms ordinary observations into powerful stories, sharper marketing, and deeper human connections.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What “weaponized curiosity” really means—and how to use it to see wonder where others see routine.
• How to replace cynicism with play and childlike exploration in your work.
• Why the best insights come from listening like an anthropologist—on Reddit, in malls, or at conferences.
• How to use AI as a creative partner, not a crutch, to sharpen your ideas.
• Why honest feedback is the most loving gift for creative growth.
• How to build a “truth circle” of peers who tell you when your ideas aren’t ready yet.
• The difference between extra work and the work—why practice and curiosity are inseparable.

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In this episode we interview Ricky Baizas, marketing leader, storyteller, and former actor turned creative strategist. He reveals how storytelling, discipline, and craft converge to create marketing that actually moves people.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why great storytellers start as super-consumers—reading, watching, and absorbing human patterns.
• How writing by hand on a 3×5 card can sharpen your storytelling instincts.
• The secret to brevity: economy of words as the key to emotional power.
• Why 90% of your creative time should go into finding the insight before producing anything.
• How to test story resonance with digital “velocity” and quick engagement metrics.
• Why resource constraints—time, budget, and platform—often spark the most creative stories.
• How daily writing builds your voice, rhythm, and clarity as a communicator.

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In this episode we interview Kara Smith Brown, CEO of Lead Coverage, a go-to-market consultancy serving freight and supply chain leaders. She explains how to build a repeatable revenue engine by prioritizing the right buyers at the right moment. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why you should stop paying for “records” and commodity content—and invest in strategy and distribution instead.
• How to fuel your revenue engine: own the emails for your finite TAM and share timely, relevant “good news” with a clear point of view.
• The 5% moment: focus on buyers in-market now and let everything else serve that goal.
• Four kinds of intent data—and which matter: primary (your CRM), tertiary (e.g., Gartner via tools like 6sense), and single-stream industry sources; why secondary sources are fading.
• Database reality: 25–30% of contacts decay every 90 days—refresh relentlessly.
• Use AI for fast first drafts; spend money on the who, not the what.
• Turn content into coverage: use PR to place sharp points of view that can be traced to revenue.
• Align with sales: deliver in-market leads, not vanity metrics.

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In this episode we interview Zach Presswood, Director of Advertiser Success at AdMarketplace, the largest vendor in the native search space. Zach shares how his team balances the precision of AI with the irreplaceable nuance of human creativity—an honest look at how marketers can draw the line without losing authenticity.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to decide where AI belongs—and where it doesn’t—by using authenticity as your compass.
• The most valuable places to apply AI today: data processing, automation, and information management.
• Why human oversight still matters most in creative and personalized marketing.
• A powerful story of personalization gone wrong—and what it teaches us about empathy in AI.
• How to talk to executives who want “AI to do everything” using data-driven arguments, including a revealing MIT study showing where AI pilots fail.
• How to empower your team to use AI as an enhancer, not a replacement, to unlock creativity and efficiency at once.

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In this episode we interview Katrine Rasmussen, a B2B marketer at fashion-tech company Pixelz. She shares a practical playbook for reaching enterprise buyers on LinkedIn with precision and credibility.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to build ABM audiences on LinkedIn by combining target companies with exact job titles and locations—then keep them tight around the 300-person minimum for control and relevance.
• Why “thought leadership ads” outperform company-page ads on CPC and CPM, and how their native look boosts trust with enterprise stakeholders.
• A repeatable six-month cadence with sales: pick 10–20 priority accounts per rep, map stakeholders and pain points, and align content to each stage of the deal.
• How to seed a ready-to-post content library for reps (evergreen and timely), use light ghostwriting, and nudge consistent posting without burning the team.
• Ways to run ultra-narrow campaigns for a single strategic account when you know the pain point (e.g., ESG, pricing, or workflow).
• Smart calls to action: keep most posts educational and link-free for reach; reserve links for webinars and events—not “book a demo.”
• Practical measurement: track impressions and clicks with attribution tools so brand exposure still shows up in pipeline, not just last-click.

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In this episode we interview Molly Evola, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Customer.io. She shares a practical, system-first approach to turning everyday work into clear, consistent content. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to unify product, marketing, sales, and lifecycle voices into one brand story—and keep it human to human. 
• A simple hub-and-spoke plan: publish a guide, then repurpose it across email, blog, LinkedIn zero-click posts, and sales outreach. 
• The operating system: an editorial Notion plan, a content request form that starts with “why” and “where,” and a quarterly roadmap. 
• Editorial syncs with product to weave feature releases and larger themes into a single narrative. 
• SME capture that respects schedules: 10–15 minute interviews, quick voice notes, and light editing that preserves personality. 
• Fast workflows with transcripts from Zoom/Gong/Riverside and LLMs for outlines, pull-quotes, and structure. 
• Sales-led content that drives pipeline: customer stories, tactical how-tos, and assets AEs and BDRs can send today. 
• Internal promotion that actually gets seen: Slack callouts, an enablement newsletter, and Monday standups. 

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In this episode we interview David Beach, actor and host of Awesome News Daily. He shares how stagecraft, warmth, and simple habits fuel authentic engagement without paid ads.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to spark organic growth by “busking” online: show up, create curiosity, invite people in.
• Ways to turn Facebook into a campfire: post short, uplifting stories and reply with genuine warmth.
• A simple engagement ask that travels farther than “please subscribe”: encourage listeners to share one story that moved them.
• How to measure what matters: track steady listeners, celebrate small gains, and honor meaningful messages from fans.
• Voice that connects: smile as you speak, keep edits light, and let your humanity carry the mic.
• Fast-format strategy: why two–three minute episodes build habit and reduce friction.
• When you lack passion for the product: borrow real buyer passion and tell their stories.
• Practical discovery cues: Alexa daily brief, consistent posting, and occasional, well-timed community invites.

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