Shama Hyder’s Post

As a keynote speaker, I often remind audiences of a powerful truth: In today's tech-driven world, your human connection is the ultimate differentiator. #leadership #AI #culture #LinkedInVideos #keynote

As I keynote around the world, I often discuss AI, but not from a technical standpoint. Instead, I focus on a critical question keeping most leaders up at night: 👉🏼 How do we compete in an AI-driven world? What I want to talk about is YOU and how you'll compete and thrive in a world transformed by AI. Because here's the truth: the focus shouldn't be on which tasks AI will automate (let's be honest, it'll be a lot). The real question is: When AI handles the rote and repetitive, how will YOU leverage that to propel your strategic and creative thinking to new heights? Imagine a future where AI frees you from the mundane, empowering you to focus on unprecedented strategic thinking and unleash your creative potential. It's time to redefine what it means to be irreplaceable in the age of AI. #AI #Leadership #StrategicThinking #FutureofWork #Innovation #KeynoteSpeaker #LinkedinVideo

I am tired of hearing about sales and marketing alignment. It's an outdated narrative. Here's why: Consider this: Buyers are typically 57% to 80% of the way through their buying process (depending on which study you consult) before they even raise their hands to engage with sales. This statistic alone underscores a critical reality: The Silent Killer in Sales: Overestimating Salesperson Influence Many executive teams believe their sales heroes can close any deal, but here's the reality: Salespeople are closers, not magicians. 🪄 The concept of "alignment" implies separate entities that need to be brought together. In today's complex buying environment, this siloed approach is obsolete. Modern businesses require a seamlessly integrated revenue generation system where sales and marketing function as one cohesive unit. Strong marketing, clear value propositions, and a frictionless buying journey are crucial for success. Think of it like football - Sales is your star running back, but they need a solid offensive line (Marketing) to create opportunities long before the final play. Here's the shift we need: From siloed functions to a collaborative team environment: • Break down walls between Sales & Marketing • Work together on buyer personas, messaging, and content throughout the entire buying journey • Invest in both sides: Equip teams with necessary tools and shared metrics From "closing the deal" to "creating a winning customer experience": 👉🏽 Optimize the entire customer journey: Every touchpoint matters, especially early-stage interactions ️ 👉🏽 Focus on providing value from initial marketing outreach through to ongoing support The benefits of this integrated approach: 👉🏽 Shorter sales cycles: Well-nurtured leads convert faster 👉🏽Higher customer lifetime value: A seamless experience fosters loyalty 👉🏽 Boosted employee morale: When everyone's on the same team, magic happens Let's move beyond "alignment" and embrace true integration. Sales and Marketing are different positions on the same field, working in unison to drive revenue and achieve championship-level results in today's buyer-driven landscape. #sales #b2b #marketing #culture #customerexperience #leadership

This one fact should change EVERYTHING about how you look at marketing. I've been sharing it with audiences on stages across 24 countries now. We consume publicly but we share privately. This is the rise of dark social. #darksocial #marketing #keynotespeaker #futureofwork #linkedinvideo #bestadvice

Inevitably when I keynote at certain industry events or for certain markets, someone will sheepishly come up to me and say “Shama, our brand is ... boring.” Another version is something along these lines: “what we sell is rather mundane, so can we still be successful with marketing?” or “we have a lot of regulatory constraints, can we still break through the noise?” I’ll tell you what I tell them. ABSOLUTELY! “Boring" is just a marketing opportunity waiting to happen. Many industries, from insurance to cybersecurity, might not intrinsically scream excitement, but that doesn't mean they can't capture attention. Here are five innovative ways to make your "boring" brand shine:

↳Content moves at the speed of your feed. ↳AI makes a great cognitive partner - and bedtime story creator! ↳The sales funnel has been replaced by the Messy Middle. Today, I spoke on Momentum: How to 10x your brand where I shared some of the new rules of influence. Hosted by the lovely folks at PIMA (looking at you Ann Dieleman, MBA, PCC!) Three huge factors are converging to change how we market and sell forever: sweeping generational changes, AI, and the rise of dark social. For those in affinity marketing or any type of b2b2c companies, there is even a more urgent need to understand and to adapt. I see major changes up ahead, and I enjoy showing leaders where the puck is going - and how to get there before it does. I look forward to speaking at a conference near you.

4 goal-setting "secrets" I discovered this year: (based on recent PwC research and real-world examples) 1. Daily goal-setting boosts overall performance ↳ 10% faster ticket clearing in tech support teams My take? Small wins compound. When you tackle bite-sized goals daily, you're actually chipping away at larger objectives. 2. Public recognition supercharges mood ↳ 59% more likely to record positive mood when sharing successes Explanation? Psychology shows we're wired for social validation. On teams, celebrating each other's wins creates a positive feedback loop. 3. Specific language in goals drives results ↳ 12% more customer leads when using precise terms My guess? Vague goals lead to vague actions. When you clearly define what you're after, your brain knows exactly what to focus on. 4. Leader behavior sets the tone ↳ Employee goal-setting mirrors executive practices Personal observation: Teams adopt the habits they see modeled. When leaders actively set and share goals, it becomes part of the culture. Bonus: AI can personalize goal-setting guidance. My prediction: As AI becomes more sophisticated, it'll help tailor goals to individual strengths and preferences, boosting engagement. Found this valuable? Share with your network to help them succeed. ♻️ ( See what I did there? That’s #2 and#4  above in action!) P.S. Which of these goal-setting insights surprised you the most?

Nine years ago, I attended my first Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Some things have changed. Others, not so much. Here’s what I am seeing this year: 1. Brands aren’t staying in their own lanes. Brands and production companies are coming together to create the next iteration of branded content. We already saw Starbucks launching Starbucks Studios to produce original entertainment that amplifies its narrative and weaves it into culture. Rolex is backing the new Roger Federer documentary, "Federer: Twelve Final Days," and Mattel co-produced last year's movie blockbuster "Barbie. This is way more than strategic product placement, it's about subtly lacing a corporate narrative into high-quality entertainment — and underwriting the TV and film business in the process. Would love to see more b2b companies do this but then we all know b2b buyers don’t like to be entertained. (Right? RIGHT?!) 2. Influencers are the new celebs. Nine years ago, when I brought up influencer marketing in discussions with brands, they looked at me cross-eyed. At that time, one of the few influencers present was a young kid named Logan Paul. Fast forward to today, there are now more influencers and creators at Cannes than traditional celebrities. 3. Buzzwords everywhere. AI, purpose-driven marketing, generative AI. However, I firmly believe that none of these concepts matter unless you truly comprehend the shifting nature of your market and the evolving purchasing habits of your customers. None of these shiny-things will make your brand RELEVANT. 4. Ad-fraud remains stupefyingly high, with 23% of advertising budgets effectively wasted. Cannes primarily celebrates advertising. Advertising IS a type of marketing but marketing is not simply advertising Yet, brands continue to invest in advertising, often driven by misaligned incentives. We need to choose the meaningful over the merely measurable. 5. B2B is still SO behind B2C when it comes to marketing. There is a lot of navel gazing. I feel like a Taylor Swift song when it comes to attribution in marketing not being the holy grail and we need to be more creative. “Everybody agrees…everybody agrees…” But, it’s a lot of b2b marketers talking to each other and nodding. Then, they go back to their offices to function as on-demand collateral centers for sales. Most companies persist in focusing on generating "leads" to fuel their sales teams. Meanwhile, the sales teams often report that these leads aren't converting. Yet, buyer behavior is evolving! The rise of dark social means buyers want to talk to sales LAST and marketing has to hold much more sway. I will say, the opportunity for brands and marketers that “get it” is going to be immense. Just make sure you are in an environment where you can actually practice your craft.

The last 15 years have led to a big data delusion. And it’s been the saddest thing to see because we went from this one stupid quote that someone said, “Only half of my advertising dollars work, I just don’t know which half.” And all of the marketing world has decided that that is the problem they’re going to solve. Not whether that’s going to be more effective. No, it’s “Can I measure ALL of it?” The thing is the more meaningful something is, the harder it is to measure. So, on one side of the meaningful scale, you have a mother’s love. Measure that for me on a quantitative scale. Right? Good luck. And then you have straight-up spammy ad clicks. Super easy to measure. Very meaningless. It’s just spam. How do we get to that middle part where it is it is meaningful, and there’s some amount of measurement but we know that we are not going to get 100% measured and we’re not trying for that because then the more you go towards that scale, the more you lose meaning. ...Plus other fun answers from me in a very candid interview with MarTech -

Here’s what no one tells you. Even in the best of times, you are constantly falling out of product-market fit. And, even the biggest brands face the risk of becoming irrelevant. Look at Airbnb. They're a hospitality giant, but to stay ahead, they need to keep innovating and engaging new audiences. That's exactly what their Communications team did with the brilliant "Icons" launch. Icons: A Comms-Driven Revenue Machine 👉🏽 This new category lets users experience iconic locations and pop culture moments - think sleeping in the Ferrari Museum or a replica of Pixar's "Up" house. It's a stroke of genius, and here's why it matters: 👉🏽 Owning the Narrative: Airbnb's Comms team spearheaded the entire Icons strategy. They identified cultural trends, leveraged earned media through unique experiences, and targeted new demographics. This is a powerful example of how communicators can drive the conversation and influence brand perception. 👉🏽 Engagement is King: By tapping into existing fandoms (Bollywood, Gen Z TikTok stars), Icons creates authentic connections with specific audiences. Imagine if AirBnB had just run more ads to grow their bookings. 👉🏽 Beyond the Bottom Line: Yes, Icons has generated impressive media coverage and website traffic, but it's also about brand storytelling. It showcases Airbnb as a company that's design-driven and focused on creating unique experiences. This emotional connection is invaluable for building long-term brand loyalty. The B2B Takeaway The lessons from Airbnb's Icons campaign are clear: 👉🏽 Comms Can Drive Revenue: Strategic communication is no longer just about press releases. It's about crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and ultimately impact the bottom line. (Fire your current agency if they aren’t thinking this way.) 👉🏽 Think Beyond the Transaction: Just like B2C companies, B2B brands need to explore ways to connect with their audience via what matters most to them…this requires thinking beyond the traditional.