Ashleigh Stanford 🧩’s Post

I’ve experienced the power of customized messaging as a consumer and a marketer. Dont sleep on these tools.

Change is inevitable. How you lead through it can make or break your team. Read my latest contribution to Forbes to discover some helpful strategies for leading through ever-present change.

What have you heard about the Costco $1.50 hot dog? Probably a lot. I've seen Costco hot dog 'merch' flooding my feeds lately, and it's largely driven by Costco Evangelists (users creating UGC). My post earlier this week talked about how brand equity can help or hurt any growth lever you're trying to move. I'm excited to share my recent contribution to Forbes : "13 Retail Trends Biz Dev Leaders May Want to Consider." My Insight: 📌 Trend #11: Demonstrate The Authenticity Of Your Brand's People "Unpolished content, whether user-generated or from members of the organization, is on the rise and tends to be more potent than the buttoned-up, glossy marketing of the past. People are craving real, and if you can give them insight into the real people behind a business or encourage delighted users to share their stories in their voice, you'll win." 🔗 Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dEfJSJBP AI-generated content is flooding our screens, but people crave genuine connections and real stories. Strong brands that showcase their authentic side and let real voices shine through build deeper connections and drive sustainable growth. Whether you're focused on revenue growth, margin expansion, or customer loyalty, integrating authenticity into your brand strategy is a game-changer. 💡 #ForbesContributor #BrandStrategy #Authenticity #AIContent #ValueCreation #RetailTrends #BizDev #HealthcareSaaS #PrivateEquity

Many PE-backed leaders agree their value creation strategy needs work. But no matter how good your strategy is, there are two undervalued factors that can help or hurt your efforts across all growth levers: Culture and Brand Strategy. Here comes Marketing asking for more budget 😬 (I kid, I kid - we'll talk about brand building later this week) Read on to understand exactly how much these two factors impact your results... #ValueCreation #BrandStrategy #CompanyCulture #HealthcareSaaS #PrivateEquity

Mango Salsa is Fruit Salad - you will not change my mind. And new tech tools are not a fix for strategy. Read my latest on how to be sure you're ready to evaluate tools. TL;DR -->According to MarTech guru Scott Brinker, the average Enterprise uses a MarTech stack of roughly 90 tools. (https://lnkd.in/gSd9DgWe) -->Despite this, a Gartner survey revealed that Marketers utilize just 42% of their Martech Stack Capabilities. https://lnkd.in/gW2ReMfh -->A recent report from Performance Marketing World estimates that martech accounted for 30% of marketing budget in 2023 https://lnkd.in/gnM_KxNg. Before you evaluate tools, make sure you've: Defined your strategic objectives Analyzed your Current Process Identified the Gaps If you're ready for a new tool prioritize needs, not features and consider integrations. Feel free to share your experience, or disdain for mango salsa in the comments (don't come after me, mango salsa lovers. I love mango and I love salsa - not together). ♻ Repost if you found this insightful #martech #revops #marketing #strategy

There is nothing scarier than a blank Word Document. A large strategic project can often feel insurmountable. If you're like many others, you cope with this by checking OTHER things off your to-do list. It gives you a sense of getting 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 done, but it's not what you should be working on. And here's the thing, the longer you wait to get started, the worst the fear of getting started is. The key to overcoming this cycle? Taking action, even in small doses. Our natural response to fear is avoidance. But here's the secret: action reduces fear. By chipping away at the project, we break the cycle and build momentum. Here are some small actions you can take to get started: 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞: You may assume you have enough knowledge to get started, but getting a deeper understanding of the problem you are trying to solve requires minimal prep and gets you in the right headspace 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞: Block time on your calendar every day for a few days, first thing in the morning to work on your investigation - even if it's 30 minutes. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤: Feeling overwhelmed? Start with the simplest, quickest task on your list. Completing something, no matter how small, creates a sense of accomplishment and boosts confidence. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞: Focus intensely for 25 minutes, then reward yourself with a short break. This structured approach combats overwhelm and keeps you productive. 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: If you dare, schedule a meeting with a stakeholder and provide a clear agenda. This can often force you into action. But make sure you have a clear agenda and go in prepared so you aren't wasting anyone's time. Don't let fear paralyze you. Start with something small, and before you know it, you'll be well on your way.

The price you pay for doing what everyone else does is getting what everyone else gets. If you don't subscribe to Farnam Street, I highly recommend. This one resonated with me today. Happy Monday!

What do Will Ferrell and your presenting skills have in common? Read my contribution to this Forbes article to find out!

Come work for a great company!! #hiring