PPPPreparing for Convergence: Four Ps (#210)
Impact Marketing, Storymaking & New Ways to Connect(s)
In a world where everyone is trying to be a storyteller, I look for the storymakers.
The ones who don't just share or spread ideas, but imagine and concoct them.
Every so often, the stars align and an opportunity comes along for me to be a storymaker. Life is too short to ignore these moments in life… ones that the health insurance companies refer to as a "QLE" (qualifying life event).
This next story begins now. And it happens to be one of those moments where all Four Ps converge around one broader topic….
SOMETHING PERSONAL: Ready to Connect(s)
In case you missed the news on LinkedIn last week (considering only 200 of my 6,000 connections liked the post, I'll blame the algo), I'll be returning to my agency roots and experience with Euro-American expansion in a new role with a great company.
I've been tapped to launch and build the U.S. presence/footprint for an emerging and incredibly well-regarded European agency network, SeenConnec+s. The core of their business is production, creative, and influencer marketing, but we're already evolving this for Connec+s here in America: Expanding here with a strategic foundation to develop and execute integrated ideas and experiences that connect. Which means creation + production, brand/content marketing, social and digital expertise, partnering with storymakers (and ultimately enhanced by AI integration + Web3 innovation).
With 50+ employees over there, and now a handful here, we've already got some big, established brand clients. And now it's time to scale. So... We'll be organizing, hiring, and hitting the road (real or virtual).
My only asks:
If you're a brand focused on results, hear me out. Plus, I can pretty much guarantee that your current agency or partner is overcharging and underperforming no matter how much you like them personally).
If you're a hungry marketing-minded marketer, I'm hiring for a new position to partner with me to help build awareness for Connects. Ideally 5-7 years of marketing agency experience: expertise in the ecosystem: events, publications, awards, platforms. Strong writing & comms skills, creative, relentless, organized, truly “whole brain.”
If you're an event organizer looking for a panelist or speaker to cause a stir with some new ideas instead of recycling the same bullshit case studies, I know a guy...
SOMETHING PROFESSIONAL: From Influencer Marketing to Impact Marketing
Influencers hate the word “Influencer.” The term “Creator” has also become a misnomer for what they really do. It's lost its meaning.
Digiday Senior Reporter Marty Swant wrote last week on Twitter:
Instagram says Instagram is the "top place where people follow creators," according to a survey conducted by Instagram. #IABNewFronts
But regardless of the platforms and channels, terms like this "create" misaligned expectations and unnecessary categories that are far too limiting, even dismissive.
While anyone and everyone can be a "Creator," very few create content, campaigns, communities, culture, and conversion/commerce. What it means in the marketing ecosystem (B2B + B2C) is different than what it means for social communities (C2C).
"Creators" are thinkers, planners, strategists.
They are artists, creative directors, and writers.
They are producers, project managers, and PR machines unto themselves.
They are the most "phygital" thing there is, bridging online and offline.
They are force multipliers, a one-stop full funnel engine.
They are grounded in cultural insights and strategies that convert audiences into communities.
They are curators. They are media networks. They are brands AND they are agencies.
They are multifaceted multihyphenates for a multichannel, multiplayer multiverse.
For brands and marketers, replacing “Influence” with “Impact" is our mission.
So welcome to the next generation of IMPACT MARKETING that favors:
Outcomes over outputs.
Achievement over activity.
Progress over process.
Results over everything else.
SOMETHING PRACTICAL: Getting Organized With More Ps
Starting in new positions is something I've had more experience with over the last few years... after 10 years at 360/Dentsu, the entrepreneurial merry-go-round now has me starting in my third new role in 5 years (not including the consulting and advisory positions).
Onboarding, ingesting, and downloading data and documents as quickly as possible can be overwhelming, but there's a secret to my success. A method to my madness.
As both a fan of frameworks and an advocate for alliteration, the Marketer's Management Model I've brought with me in every role I've had dating back to 2007 is based not on four P's, but 12 P's. I literally lay out my prioritized "to-do" list in columns and keep notes according to these categories:
Partners: Projects and Programs for clients. Pretty straightforward.
Prospect Pipeline: Also straightforward, though Pitching is never as easy as it should be.
Process: operations, finance, HR, legal, project management, and other workflows.
People: Building a culture, skills, relationships, connections... the most important P.
Promotion: This is an all-encompassing catch-all for building the brand and marketing, and really can be broken down into even more Ps: Positioning, Productization, Presence.
Personal: Managing the work/life balance, and everything that entails.
As a manager, a leader, an employee, and a marketer... this is the modern-day version of the Eisenhower Matrix.
SOMETHING POLITICAL: Stepping on the Third Rail
When joining a new company and meeting co-workers, employees, and even a boss, the one topic that has become increasingly tricky to navigate: politics in the workplace.
Now I know what you're thinking: "Matt, are you insane? Politics are the third rail of office conversations! We don't want to start any fights or alienate our colleagues. At least in the first month!" And to that, I say, "Sure, Jan."
Look, we're all adults here (or at least I hope we are). We can handle a little bit of disagreement without resorting to fisticuffs. And let's be real. If you're working in marketing in 2023 and you're not at least a little bit political, you're probably living under a rock. Or maybe in a commune. Either way, you've been missing out on some really good Twitter drama.
So, let's get down to business. How do you broach the subject of politics with new colleagues without coming off like a raging partisan lunatic? First and foremost, new managers or leaders coming in should be sensitive to more junior employees no matter what. But it's hard, especially in confined spaces. Even now, the prevailing wisdom would be to wait until you're at least a few days into the job. Nobody wants to hear about your hot takes on immigration policy during the first five minutes of a meeting, right? (Save that for Happy Hour!).
Once you've established a rapport with your new colleagues, it's perfectly fine to start asking them about their political leanings. But here's the thing: you don't have to be an interrogator. Start with some light banter. "So, did you watch the State of the Union last night? I fell asleep during the third mention of 'American exceptionalism'." If they seem open to discussion, you can dive a little deeper. "What did you think of the President's proposal to increase funding for renewable energy?" If they shut down the conversation, take the hint and move on. But remember it...
But what if you're not really afraid of alienating your new colleagues? (Hi, it's me. I'm not the problem, it's you.) Here's my advice: be yourself. If you're passionate about social issues, it's going to come out eventually. And if your colleagues can't handle a little bit of disagreement, maybe they're not people you want to spend time with anyway. As my grandma always used to say, "Better to be alone than in bad company." (She also used to say, "Never trust a man who wears sandals with socks," but that's another story.)
At the end of the day, politics are just one small part of who we are as people. We all have different beliefs, different backgrounds, different tastes in music (I mean, I already extolled how incredible of a songwriter Ke$ha is on my first day). The key is to be respectful of each other's differences and not let them get in the way of working towards a common goal. And if all else fails, wait until someone else brings it up, hope they align with you, and then jump in.
Just love it !!!
“ For brands and marketers, replacing “Influence” with “Impact" is our mission.
So welcome to the next generation of IMPACT MARKETING that favors:
Outcomes over outputs.
Achievement over activity.
Progress over process.
Results over everything else.”
Congratulations Matt !!!