Podcast appearances and mentions of darrell alfonso

What's up everyone, today is our last episode of the year and if you paid attention to the intro, I'm excited to officially welcome Darrell Alfonso as the newest co-host of the podcast!Summary: The Humans of Martech enters an exciting new chapter with Darrell Alfonso joining as co-host, bringing fresh energy and insights to the show. As a long-time listener and new dad, Darrell offers relatable stories of juggling work, family, and community while sharing bold predictions like the shift to warehouse-native architectures in martech, which promise to streamline data operations for enterprises. With AI poised to handle executional tasks, Darrell emphasizes the evolving role of marketers as strategic thinkers guiding AI with emotional intelligence and ethical oversight. As the podcast heads into 2025, it remains committed to delivering actionable insights, thought-provoking predictions, and a fresh perspective for the martech community.Welcoming a New Co-Host and Celebrating Baby MilestonesDarrell's journey to becoming a co-host on the podcast came full circle, blending mentorship, passion, and personal milestones. He shared how one of his mentees suggested the idea, sparking an opportunity he immediately embraced. As an early listener of the show, Darrell highlighted his admiration for its unfiltered and geeky deep dives, calling it his favorite podcast—a sentiment that fueled his excitement for the road ahead.On a personal note, Darrell and his wife recently welcomed their baby boy, just eight weeks ago. Parenthood, he admitted, has been a whirlwind of sleepless nights and steep learning curves. As ambitious and organized as he and his wife are, they've quickly discovered that babies don't operate on predictable timelines. Moments of progress—like better sleep—often take a step back as developmental leaps shake up routines. While the lack of rest is taxing, Darrell's outlook reflects a blend of exhaustion and gratitude.Balancing professional life with a newborn is no small feat. Darrell recounted a whirlwind day of delivering a keynote, driving home, and immediately diving into baby duties. He joked about the unpredictability of these moments while acknowledging the personal growth they inspire. Virtual support groups like Maven have also helped him navigate the early stages of parenthood, offering both guidance and camaraderie with other new parents.For all the challenges that come with parenthood, I always like to emphasize gratitude. Reflecting on the struggles my family faced in our journey to parenthood (and how many other couples have it much harder), we need to emphasize the importance of cherishing even the tough parts. The joy and fulfillment of finally welcoming our child outweigh the sleepless nights and ever-changing routines. Key takeaway: Parenthood is a mix of exhaustion, growth, and gratitude. Embracing the ups and downs, leaning on community support, and focusing on the meaningful moments can help navigate this transformative stage of life.Marketing Tools Without DatabasesOkay… enough baby talk haha. Darrell predicts that in 5 years, most marketing tools will no longer rely on databases. At first glance, this concept might seem shocking—after all, marketing automation platforms, CRMs, and CDPs are fundamentally built on relational databases. But Darrell suggests this assumption is rooted in tradition, not necessity, and outlines a shift toward a warehouse-native or zero-copy data architecture that could redefine how tools operate.To illustrate this point, he draws a simple analogy. Consider apps like Yelp or Google Places. When you share a restaurant with a friend, the app doesn't create a duplicate of your contacts database; it accesses the data on-demand. Contrast this with the typical marketing stack, where almost every tool replicates contact data, creating endless updates, sync errors, and manual fixes. Darrell estimates that more than 80% of a team's data work revolves around ensuring consistency across these copied datasets—a cumbersome and inefficient process.The inefficiency extends beyond wasted effort. Darrell shares examples of bi-directional sync loops that occur when two systems endlessly update each other, introducing a frustrating complexity to even the simplest workflows. These scenarios highlight how deeply ingrained data copying is within current systems and how much time is spent combating its limitations.Shifting to a zero-copy model, Darrell argues, could eliminate these inefficiencies. A warehouse-native approach would enable tools to work directly from a centralized data warehouse, bypassing the need for constant synchronization. This not only streamlines operations but also reduces the risk of errors. It's a radical departure from the status quo but one he believes is inevitable as teams demand greater agility and accuracy in their tools.Key takeaway: The future of marketing tools lies in a warehouse-native approach, eliminating the inefficiencies of duplicated data. By moving beyond traditional databases, teams can reduce errors, streamline processes, and focus their energy on strategic initiatives rather than endless data synchronization.Preparing for a Warehouse Native FutureI think the shift toward a warehouse-native approach for marketing tools feels inevitable, but its timeline remains uncertain. While this approach won't entirely replace APIs, it will change how tools interact. Instead of passing data back and forth through integrations, tools will increasingly work directly from a centralized data warehouse, eliminating inefficiencies tied to duplication and synchronization.This prediction, often misunderstood as futuristic, is already shaping current tools. Vendors like MessageGears and Castle.io are leading the charge, offering solutions that bypass traditional database structures and avoid charging based on record counts. Despite their innovations, the challenge lies in industry adoption. Many teams are accustomed to older models, making this transition as much about change management as it is about technology.A critical insight from my past research and conversations with experts on the podcast highlights the importance of internal readiness. Tools can only perform as well as the data they rely on. High-quality, structured data is the foundation for warehouse-native success. Teams must focus on improving internal processes now, rather than waiting for the perfect tool to arrive. This means investing in data hygiene, organization, and strategy to prepare for the opportunities that a warehouse-native architecture will bring.However, the path forward isn't without challenges. Many companies are still immature in their data strategies, making widespread adoption a longer process than anticipated. Whether this shift takes five years or more, the direction is clear: vendors and teams must align their operations with the possibilities of a warehouse-first world.Key takeaway: Warehouse-native tools represent a significant step forward in reducing inefficiencies and modernizing operations. Teams can prepare for this shift by prioritizing high-quality, well-structured data. The strength of these tools lies in how they interact with clean, organized data, making internal readiness the best first step for embracing this future.Understanding When Warehouse Native Tools MatterDarrell explains that the value of warehouse-native tools becomes clear especially when dealing with large volumes of data. For small and mid-sized companies, the classic setup—a CRM, marketing automation platform, and a few connected tools—works perfectly fine. He notes that for organizations with 500 employees or fewer, traditional data architectures remain suff...

Director of Marketing Strategy & Operations at Indeed, Darrell Alfonso, delves into contribution and attribution model best practices. Discover how understanding the nuances of these models can significantly impact your marketing strategies. Darrell shares insights on optimizing your approach to ensure accurate tracking and measurement of marketing efforts. Explore more about this crucial aspect of marketing with Darrell Alfonso from Indeed. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Director of Marketing Strategy & Operations at Indeed, Darrell Alfonso, delves into contribution and attribution model best practices. Discover how understanding the nuances of these models can significantly impact your marketing strategies. Darrell shares insights on optimizing your approach to ensure accurate tracking and measurement of marketing efforts. Explore more about this crucial aspect of marketing with Darrell Alfonso from Indeed. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Director of Marketing Strategy & Operations at Indeed, Darrell Alfonso, delves into the nuances of attribution versus contribution to value marketing growth. Unpacking the importance of understanding the impact of marketing efforts on business success, Darrell sheds light on how to navigate the complexities of measuring marketing effectiveness. Tune in to gain insights on optimizing marketing strategies for sustainable growth. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Director of Marketing Strategy & Operations at Indeed, Darrell Alfonso, delves into the nuances of attribution versus contribution to value marketing growth. Unpacking the importance of understanding the impact of marketing efforts on business success, Darrell sheds light on how to navigate the complexities of measuring marketing effectiveness. Tune in to gain insights on optimizing marketing strategies for sustainable growth. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Summary: We explored the dynamic intersection of StratOps and marketing operations, emphasizing the fusion of traditional marketing foundations with evolving tech trends for effective strategy formulation. Darrell emphasizes balancing technical skills with strategic acumen for career progression in marketing, and the need for diverse career paths beyond managerial roles. We also touched upon the transformative impact of no-code tools and the ever-changing martech landscape, highlighting the importance of a product management approach in martech stack management and the value of experienced professionals in tackling technical debt. We finish with insights on effective knowledge management, internal communication strategies, and the need for harmonizing front-end and back-end functions in martech operations to align with overarching company goals.What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed.com. About DarrellDarrell began his career at Trumpia wearing multiple hats and later joined Leaf Group to lead a team focused on demand generation and marketing automationHe then took on the role of Director of Global Marketing at Hitwise, a data enrichment startup and later served as Director of Communications at the American Marketing Association, focusing on educational contentHe then ventured into the enterprise world into the esteemed role of Global Marketing Operations Lead at Amazon Web Services, the widely adopted cloud data platformDarrell's also a Course Instructor at MarTech Alliance for a brand new 8 week course on all things Marketing OperationsHe's the author of the Martech Handbook, covering effective use and scaling of martech with case studies and expert insightsAnd most recently he's moved over to Indeed.com as their Director of Marketing Strategy and OperationsDarrell, thanks so much for your time today. I feel like this is a long time in the making, we probably should've had you on years ago, truly appreciate all the love you've given us.Reinventing Marketing Operations with Strategic PlanningDarrell was a keynote speaker at MOps-Apalooza a few months ago and walked the audience through his refreshed pillars of MOPs success. He dived into the transformative approach he has developed for marketing operations, focusing on strategic operations (StratOps). This concept represents a significant shift from the traditional technology-centric model to a more holistic, strategy-focused framework. Darrell's initiative, developed in collaboration with industry leaders like Mike Rizzo, aims to realign marketing operations with broader business objectives.Historically, marketing operations has been synonymous with budget planning and organizational design. However, in recent years, the focus has expanded to include technology management. Darrell emphasizes that these behind the scenes components, though seemingly abstract, play a crucial role in a marketing team's functionality. The new framework he proposes integrates traditional aspects of marketing operations with the evolving demands of martech, signaling a union of past practices and current trends.Darrell's new pillars of MOPs success:Technology management (platform ops, engineering)StratOps (budget, planning)Enablement and PMO (PM, process design, adoption)BI + Insights (reporting, analytics)Darrell's personal involvement in the development and oversight of StratOps within his team highlights the practical application of these concepts. The transition to strat ops involves answering complex questions that impact a marketing team's operations, such as deciding between centralized or decentralized structures, optimizing the use of technology stacks, and involving legal teams in campaign management. These critical questions, previously scattered across various departments, are now being centralized under the strat ops function, demanding a more cohesive and strategic approach.Key takeaway: Emphasizing StratOps within marketing operations leads to a more cohesive and comprehensive strategy. This approach effectively combines traditional marketing foundations, such as budgeting and planning, with the continuously evolving trends in technology. By integrating these elements, marketing teams can craft strategies that are both grounded in proven methods and agile enough to adapt to new tech advancements. This balance ensures that marketing initiatives are not only technologically advanced but also strategically sound, maximizing the impact and efficiency of marketing efforts in a dynamic business environment.Balancing Technical Skills and Strategy in Marketing OpsDarrell shares his insights on the balance between platform knowledge and strategic skills. This topic is particularly relevant in the martech field, where professionals often grapple with the decision of prioritizing technical skills or broader strategic understanding. Darrell's perspective, shaped by his experience and industry polls, offers valuable guidance for marketing professionals at different stages of their careers.In the early stages of a marketing career, Darrell advises focusing on in-demand technical skills. His reasoning is based on job security, a crucial factor in today's dynamic job market. Mastering technical aspects like platform knowledge can provide a solid foundation and open up various opportunities. Darrell reflects on his career journey, noting that such skills have been a significant factor in the professional growth of many, including himself.However, as one's career progresses and reaches a subject matter expert level, Darrell suggests a shift in focus. He recommends dedicating more time to developing strategic skills while maintaining technical expertise. This advice stems from his observation of the industry, where professionals often continue to emphasize technical skills, potentially limiting their career growth and impact. Switching the focus to strategy can lead to a surge in career progression and the ability to drive more significant results.Darrell's approach is not just theoretical but is backed by his surveys on LinkedIn. While the initial poll indicated that platform knowledge was most beneficial, the follow-up survey revealed that strategy is often viewed as the strongest skill set among marketing professionals. This discrepancy highlights a common aspiration among marketers to excel in strategy, even if their day-to-day work is more technical.Key takeaway: For marketing professionals, the path to career advancement involves a strategic shift in focus. Early in your career, prioritize developing in-demand technical skills for job security and growth. As you become a subject matter expert, transition your focus towards strategy, dedicating more effort to understanding and implementing broader business strategies. This balance between technical proficiency and strategic acumen is key to maximizing impact and progressing in the marketing operations field.Navigating Career Paths in Marketing OperationsDarrell explores the nuances of career development in marketing operations, focusing on the transferability of skills across different platforms and the unique journey of individual contributors. His insights provide a valuable perspective for professionals considering their career trajectory within the martech industry.Darrell points out that core technologies in various platforms, such as marketing automation tools and CRMs, share fundamental similarities, typically rooted in relational database concepts. This commonality makes it easier for professionals to transfer skills from one platform to another, despite differences in interface or workflow processes. This adaptability is crucial in an industry where technological landscapes are constantly shifting.However, Darrell emphasizes that career aspirations are highly personal and vary significantly from individual to individual. For some, career success might mean working remotely with flexible hours, while for others, it could involve leading large teams and driving substantial impacts. This diversity in career goals necessitates a more personalized approach to career planning and growth.Darrell also addresses the current trajectory of careers in marketing, particularly the emphasis on people management as a measure of success. He highlights a discrepancy in the industry, where individual contributors, unlike their counterparts in engineering or product management, often face limited growth paths if they prefer not to manage people. This one-dimensional view of career advancement, he argues, can lead to ineffective leadership and dissatisfaction among professionals who are better suited to individual contributor roles.Darrell advocates for a change in this perspective, proposing that the marketing industry should offer more diverse and respected pathways for individual contributors. This change would not only provide more fulfilling career options but also improve the overall quality of leadership within the industry.Key takeaway: Skill transferability across marketing platforms is relatively seamless due to underlying technological similarities, aiding career flexibility. However, the marketing industry needs to broaden its approach to career growth, especially for individual contributors who may not aspire to people management roles. Embracing diverse career paths that respect and reward individual expertise, separate from managerial responsibilities, can lead to more satisfied professionals and effective organizational leadership.The Role of No-Code Tools in Marketing OperationsDarrell shares his perspective on the evolving landscape of no-code tools in marketing, highlighting their strengths and limitations. His insights are particularly relevant for marketers grappling with the balance between using accessible tools and understanding the underlying technology.No-code tools have revolutionized the way marketers approach tasks like website building and email campaign management. These tools offer simplicity and efficiency, enabling users to create and deploy projects quickly. Darrell acknowledges the appeal of these tools, especially for those who may not have extensive coding knowledge. They democratize the creation process, making technology more accessible to a broader range of professionals.However, Darrell emphasizes that despite the advancements in no-code technologies, the need for fundamental coding knowledge hasn't diminished. Understanding HTML, CSS, and JavaScript remains crucial, especially when it comes to customization and troubleshooting. He notes that while no-code tools are prevalent in tech and SaaS industries, this isn't necessarily the case in the broader global business landscape. Many companies still rely on traditional technologies, with a significant portion not fully embracing cloud technologies or advanced no-code platforms.Darrell also points out that while no-code tools can accelerate initial results and simplify certain processes, they often fall short when scaling up or needing significant customization. In such cases, engineering and development expertise becomes necessary to address complex challenges, maintain systems, and personalize experiences. The current capabilities of no-code and low-code platforms may not yet match the demands of larger scale, brand-specific, or highly personalized marketing operations.Key takeaway: No-code tools offer significant benefits in marketing operations, providing ease of use and speed in project deployment. However, a deep understanding of underlying technologies remains essential, especially for customization and scaling up projects. As the industry evolves, balancing the convenience of no-code solutions with technical expertise will be crucial for marketers to effectively manage and optimize their operations.The Future of the Martech StackDarrell shares his vision for the future of martech tools, delving into how the industry's ecosystem might evolve. His insights provide a glimpse into the dynamic nature of marketing technology and its potential trajectory in the coming years.Darrell anticipates that while the number of tools in a marketer's arsenal might remain constant, the composition and capabilities of these tools will likely change. He posits that the martech industry is cyclical, with larger companies often acquiring smaller, innovative point solutions to expand their market share. This acquisition strategy is driven by the desire to capture a larger share of the enterprise wallet, a sector where most of the financial opportunities lie.However, Darrell notes that maintaining a broad range of capabilities for a diverse customer base can be resource-intensive and may stifle innovation. Innovation, he suggests, typically originates from smaller startups that have fewer constraints and are more willing to take risks. These startups introduce new ideas and technologies, which are then absorbed into larger companies' portfolios, perpetuating the cycle of consolidation and innovation.Looking ahead, Darrell highlights data warehouse native technologies as a key area to watch. He has observed how these technologies enable marketers to get closer to data and create better customer experiences. While hesitant to predict that the entire future martech stack will be data warehouse native, he acknowledges the impressive capabilities these technologies bring and is enthusiastic about their potential to shape the future of marketing.Key takeaway: The martech landscape is expected to remain dynamic, with a consistent number of tools but evolving capabilities and composition. The cyclical nature of innovation and consolidation will drive these changes, with smaller startups pioneering new technologies that larger companies eventually integrate. Data warehouse native technologies are emerging as a significant trend, offering marketers enhanced capabilities and closer data interaction, indicating a promising direction for the future of martech tools.Revolutionizing Martech Management with Product ThinkingDarrell delves into the concept of managing martech stacks with a product management mindset, a transformative approach gaining traction among marketing operations teams. His explanation provides a roadmap for how marketing teams can adopt strategic product management principles to enhance their operations and decision-making processes.The idea of treating martech management like product management isn't entirely new, but it's gaining popularity due to its effectiveness. Darrell observed that many marketing ops teams independently adopted this approach, suggesting a natural evolution in the field. He theorizes that the close collaboration with product teams has led marketing professionals to adopt similar methodologies and frameworks.Strategic roadmapping, while it may sound complex, is essentially about creating a plan of action over a specific time frame. Darrell explains that adopting product management frameworks in marketing operations, particularly in decision-making and prioritization, can significantly improve efficiency and outcomes. He notes that humans are generally not great at prioritization, especially when multiple factors are involved. This challenge is where frameworks like weighted scoring and the RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort) model become invaluable.Darrell has adapted the RICE framework for marketing purposes, replacing 'Reach' with 'Marketers' and 'Impact' with 'Revenue.' This adaptation allows marketing teams to prioritize tasks more effectively, considering the impact on fellow marketers and revenue generation. He emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking in roadmapping, using the creation of reports as an example. By adopting a product-type mindset, marketing teams can move from creating ad-hoc, limited-use reports to developing universally accessible dashboards that provide greater value over time.Key takeaway: Adopting a product management approach to martech stack management can revolutionize how marketing teams operate. By implementing strategic roadmapping and prioritization frameworks like the adapted RICE model, marketing operations can become more efficient, focused, and impactful. This shift in mindset encourages long-term planning and decision-making, leading to more effective and comprehensive marketing solutions.Tackling Martech Technical Debt and Maintaining ContinuityDarrell addresses a critical concern in the martech industry: managing technical debt and ensuring continuity despite the inevitable turnover of skilled professionals. His insights shed light on the challenges and strategies for maintaining effective martech operations over time.The migration from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4, as Darrell notes, exemplifies the ongoing challenges in managing martech tools. A common issue in this realm is the abandonment of systems like Google Tag Manager when the responsible expert leaves the organization. This scenario often leads to significant technical debt, a burden that many companies struggle to manage.Darrell emphasizes the immense value of an experienced martech professional. The departure of such an individual can set a company back significantly, sometimes by months or even years. This impact highlights the importance of recognizing and retaining skilled martech staff. Darrell observes that successful companies often understand this and make efforts to maintain continuity in their martech teams.Technical debt, according to Darrell, usually arises from inexperience and short-term thinking. It represents the accumulated cost of past decisions that were not scalable or sufficiently integrated with other tools. Addressing this debt is challenging but not insurmountable. Darrell suggests that bringing in a highly skilled martech professional can be a solution. An expert with the right skills and experience can effectively prioritize tasks, match people to the right roles, and gradually alleviate the burden of technical debt.Key takeaway: Effective management of martech technical debt and continuity requires recognizing the value of experienced professionals in this field. Their departure can significantly impact an organization, underscoring the need for strategic hiring and retention practices. Tackling technical debt involves long-term thinking and prioritization skills, making seasoned martech professionals indispensable for navigating and optimizing a company's martech strategy.Enhancing Team Expertise and Prioritizing Documentation in MartechDarrell discusses the importance of knowledge sharing and documentation in martech, especially in dynamic environments like startups where turnover can be high. His insights emphasize the value of not just possessing knowledge but also disseminating it within a team.The loss of a key team member can be a significant setback for a company, especially if that individual held critical knowledge not shared or documented. This situation is as much a management issue as it is about the individual. Effective managers should encourage and prioritize documentation and knowledge transfer. This approach not only mitigates risks associated with turnover but also enhances the overall capability of the team.Documentation in startups is often deprioritized due to the fast-paced nature of these environments. However, its importance cannot be overstated, particularly in startups where frequent changes in staff are common. Creating robust processes and thorough documentation allows for smoother transitions when new team members join and helps address technical debt more efficiently.Darrell stresses the role of senior team members in developing the skills of their junior counterparts. This development is not just about technical skills but also strategic thinking. By elevating the expertise of the entire team, senior members can focus on higher-level challenges, such as innovation. Innovation, as per Darrell, should not solely rely on external vendors or martech tools. Instead, it should come from internal ideation and learning from various sources, including other industries and adopting frameworks from fields like product management.Key takeaway: Effective knowledge management and documentation are crucial in martech, particularly in fast-paced startup environments. Senior team members and managers should prioritize the development and documentation of processes, enabling the entire team to grow technically and strategically. This approach not only safeguards against the loss of key personnel but also frees up space for innovation and creative problem-solving, ensuring the team's resilience and adaptability.Mastering Internal Communication in Marketing OperationsDarrell shares his insights on the crucial role of internal communication in marketing operations, particularly as companies grow in size. His approach highlights the importance of ensuring that the impact and results of the marketing team's efforts are shared broadly and frequently within the organization.In smaller companies, the impact of marketing operations is often immediately apparent due to the close proximity of team members. However, as companies expand, this visibility diminishes. Darrell learned, especially during his time at AWS, that a significant portion of his role involved internal communication and alignment. In large enterprises, he notes, as much as 50% of time can be dedicated to this task. He emphasizes that effective communication is not just a necessity but also a skill to be honed, especially in large organizations.Practical ways to enhance internal communication include quarterly business reviews, bi-weekly newsletters, and maintaining an internal wiki. These tools serve multiple purposes: they keep team members aligned on projects and roadmaps, offer onboarding material and tutorials, and provide recorded versions of key meetings for reference. This comprehensive approach ensures that even new employees or those unfamiliar with the marketing ops team can quickly get up to speed without extensive one-on-one briefings.Darrell likens good internal communication to being an active player on a sports team. Just like a player calling for the ball signifies readiness to contribute to the game, effective communication within a company signals a team's preparedness and willingness to collaborate for shared success. This approach not only improves the efficiency of the team but also fosters a culture of openness and collaboration.Key takeaway: Effective internal communication is essential for marketing operations, especially in larger organizations. By implementing structured communication strategies like business reviews, newsletters, and internal wikis, marketing teams can ensure that their efforts and impacts are understood and appreciated across the company. This not only enhances team visibility but also fosters a collaborative environment where every team member is informed, engaged, and ready to contribute to the organization's success.Bridging Front-End and Back-End in Martech OperationsDarrell discusses the integration of front-end and back-end elements in martech, emphasizing the role of attribution tools as a bridge between these two functions. His insights offer guidance on aligning technological and team dynamics to enhance overall marketing operations.Attribution tools have become increasingly important in modern martech, serving as a crucial link between the analytical backend and the customer-facing front end. These tools allow for better demographic information and improved data integration into marketing automation platforms. The challenge, however, lies in effectively leveraging these tools to ensure seamless communication and value exchange between the different facets of a marketing team.Darrell advocates for a cascading OKR (Objectives and Key Results) goal-setting framework to guide the integration of technology within marketing teams. This approach ensures that the goals of the marketing operations team align with and support broader marketing and company objectives. If efforts within the marketing ops team aren't directly contributing to these overarching goals, it indicates a misalignment that needs addressing.Moreover, Darrell highlights the dual focus of marketing operations: serving both the marketers and the end customers. He rejects the notion of prioritizing one over the other, instead proposing a balanced approach where the needs and pain points of both marketers and customers are equally considered. This dual focus should be reflected in the roadmap and priorities of the marketing operations team, aiming to resolve challenges faced by both internal teams and external customers.Key takeaway: Successful martech operations require a harmonious integration of front-end and back-end functions, facilitated by tools like attribution software. Utilizing a cascading OKR framework ensures alignment with company-wide goals, while maintaining a dual focus on both marketers and customers enables the development of effective strategies and solutions. This balanced approach is key to maximizing the value and impact of martech initiatives, ensuring that both internal and external needs are adequately met.Finding Joy and Balance in a Multifaceted Marketing CareerDarrell shares his personal experience on maintaining happiness and balance in a diverse and demanding marketing career. His insights provide valuable lessons for professionals in any field, especially in the dynamic world of martech and marketing operations.Darrell attributes much of his career satisfaction to his genuine passion for the field. He recounts a memorable experience in Australia, where he had the opportunity to dine with Scott Brinker and Juan Mendoza, with the iconic Sydney Opera House as a backdrop. During this encounter, they discussed the very topic of balancing work with personal happiness. Darrell likened his professional activities to engaging in a hobby, comparing his enthusiasm for marketing operations to someone enjoying their favorite pastime. This perspective transforms work from a task into a source of enjoyment, akin to playing a video game or indulging in a hobby.This approach to work, seeing it as a hobby or a passion, allows Darrell to remain motivated and satisfied despite the various demands of his career. He recognizes that this mindset is not universal and acknowledges that others may not share the same level of enthusiasm or may not be in positions that allow such enjoyment. Darrell's experience with Scott and Juan reinforces the idea that finding joy in one's work can significantly contribute to overall career satisfaction and balance.Key takeaway: Passion and enjoyment in one's work are essential components for maintaining happiness and balance in a demanding career. Viewing professional activities as a hobby or a source of fun, as Darrell does, can transform the way one approaches work, leading to greater fulfillment and motivation. This mindset is particularly valuable in dynamic fields like marketing, where the blend of creativity, technology, and strategy offers endless opportunities for engagement and innovation. However, it's important to recognize that this approach may not be applicable to everyone, and acknowledging the need for change is crucial when work becomes draining or demotivating.Episode RecapDarrell starts us off with a focus on StratOps within marketing operations, underscoring the importance of merging traditional marketing foundations with evolving technology trends. This approach is pivotal for crafting strategies that are simultaneously grounded and agile, maximizing the impact and efficiency of marketing efforts in a dynamic business landscape. It's a blend that ensures technological advancement does not overshadow strategic depth.Career progression in marketing was another focal point. Early career professionals should hone in-demand technical skills for growth and security. As expertise deepens, the shift towards strategic understanding becomes essential. This balance between technical know-how and strategic acumen is vital for impactful career advancement. The discussion also highlighted the need for the industry to recognize diverse career paths, respecting individual expertise over managerial roles, which can lead to more effective leadership and satisfied professionals.A significant portion of the conversation revolved around the use of no-code tools and the evolving martech landscape. No-code tools simplify project deployment but demand a solid understanding of the underlying technologies for customization and scaling. As for the martech landscape, it's expected to remain dynamic, marked by a cycle of innovation and consolidation. Data warehouse native technologies are emerging as key players, indicating a promising direction for future martech tools.Adopting a product management approach to martech stack management is a game-changer. Strategies like the adapted RICE model can make marketing operations more efficient and focused. This shift encourages long-term planning and comprehensive solutions. Additionally, managing martech technical debt and ensuring continuity are crucial, highlighting the value of experienced professionals in strategic hiring and retention.The podcast emphasized the importance of effective knowledge management and internal communication in martech, especially in fast-paced environments. Prioritizing process development and documentation is key for technical and strategic growth. In larger organizations, structured communication strategies like business reviews and internal wikis are essential for team visibility and collaboration.The successful operation of martech hinges on the seamless integration of front-end and back-end functions. A cascading OKR framework aligns with company-wide goals, while focusing on both marketers and customers ensures the development of effective strategies. This balanced approach is essential for maximizing the value and impact of martech initiatives, catering to both internal and external needs.✌️ —Intro music by Wowa via UnminusCover art created with Midjourney

What lies ahead for marketing operations? How can it become more strategic and impactful?Darrell Alfonso has spent the past ten years answering these questions through his work at companies like AWS and Indeed. He's also dedicated himself to moving the discipline of marketing ops forward as an author, teacher, speaker, and thought-leader. In this episode, he shares his vision of how marketing operations can encompass both strategy and technical expertise and describes how MOPS practitioners can level-up in their careers. Thanks to Our SponsorMany thanks to the sponsor of this episode - Knak. If you don't know them (you should), Knak is an amazing email and landing page builder that integrates directly with your marketing automation platform. You set the brand guidelines and then give your users a building experience that's slick, modern and beautiful. When they're done, everything goes to your MAP at the push of a button. What's more, it supports global teams, approval workflows, and it's got your integrations. Click the link below to get a special offer just for my listeners. Try Knak About Today's Guest Darrell Alfonso is a 2x Marketo Champion, course instructor, Author of "The Martech Handbook", and frequent speaker and thought-leader. He's held marketing and operations leadership positions at Indeed, Amazon Web Services, Hitwise, and the American Marketing Association. https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/Key Topics[00:00] - Introduction[00:58] - Darrell's definition of marketing operations: the art and science of executing great marketing. Key pillars: planning and strategy, technology management, process design, analytics, business alignment. [02:48] - Evolution of marketing ops from being tech-centric to business-centric. [04:59] - Challenges of that evolutionary process. Potential discomfort within ops of moving into a role where they have revenue accountability. MOPS people have an allegiance to craft, but should focus on what the business needs. [07:43] - Risk of feeling powerless or misunderstood. Need for operators to better communicate our value. [09:25] - Darrell's background in communications and how it's impacted his career. The importance of communication within operations and how it's helped him grow as a leader. Internal communication is not about being self-promotional. It's about playing together effectively as a team (analogy of a sports team). [14:43] - How Darrell's role combines both strategy and operations. Strategy is the set of choices we make in service of an objective. Tactics at one level of the business become the strategy for the next level. Discussion of how this applies within Darrell's current company. [26:08] - Description of Darrell's team and how it functions. How marketing technology sits within a separate Business Systems function. [29:46] - What Darrell's ideal org structure would look like. Pros and cons of separating tech into a Business Systems group. Need for technologists to have technical leadership. Similar issue applies with SDRs and whether they report into marketing or sales. [36:25] - Building a personal brand in marketing operations. Benefits and how to do it. Difference between personal branding and cultivating an audience. Resource LinksThe Marketing Operations Handbook: A Complete Guide to Marketing Operations - Darrell referenced this book, by revenue operator Michael McKinnon, several times during the episode. Learn MoreVisit the RevOps FM Substack for our weekly newsletter: Newsletter

RevOps has been getting a lot of hype recently. The 2023 LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise Report, even called RevOps, is the fastest-growing career opportunity in the US. But what's with the traction for a seemingly unexplored and mysterious role? Is it just another fad? Or is the speed of the bandwagon warranted? We invited Ahmed Chowdhury, Sr. Director of Global Revenue Operations at Data.ai, Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed.com, and Deven Pearson, Director of Revenue Operations at McGaw, to debate the legitimacy of RevOps as a position.In this episode, you'll learn about the need for clear objectives and team alignment to optimize customer interactions and minimize friction.Key Discussion Points:Breaking Barriers: Is RevOps the key to dismantling the silos between sales and marketing teams?Tech Solutions: Can the challenges prompting the need for RevOps be addressed with a smarter tech stack?Skillset for Success: Assuming RevOps is here to stay, what skills are indispensable for someone to excel in this role?We'll also touch on the potential pitfalls of overemphasizing revenue and the crucial role of CMOs and CROs in reducing friction in customer and selling journeys. This is where RevOps can shine.To wrap things up, we'll delve into the essential skills required for successful Revenue Operations and the impact of a well-structured team on top-line revenue.Top ToolsHubSpotSalesforceMarketoPardotLeanDataClariInsightSquaredRingLeadZoomInfoDriftJoin us next time as we journey to the bleeding edge of the modern tech stack. You'll hear from real experts on how to nail your strategy, build a revenue machine, and take your sales to the next level.

Are you interested in a career in Marketing Ops?  In this episode, Daniel sits down with Darrell Alfonso, a seasoned marketing operations professional, to discuss the ins and outs of the field. Darrell shares his insights on the different aspects of marketing ops, the common mistakes marketers make, and the importance of aligning goals and incentives within the organization.  This is a must-listen if you've ever thought about pursuing a career in marketing ops or are interested in learning the evolving role of marketing ops and how it can help drive success in your marketing efforts.   00:00:04 - Insights on Marketing Operations with Daryl 00:00:32 - From Sales to Marketing Operations 00:01:52 - The Art and Science of Marketing Operations 00:05:47 - Why Marketing Ops is the Next Big Career 00:07:33 - The Marketing Ops Maturity Model 00:14:58 - The Role of Marketing Ops in a Marketer's Responsibilities 00:21:20 - Improving Marketing Function with Marketing Ops 00:26:57 - Solving Friction in Marketing Campaigns 00:30:50 - Avoid Using Technology Just Because   Buy “The Martech Handbook” on Amazon   Follow Darrell:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/   Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing   Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter:  www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials   Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Our host Jeff Ignacio sits down with Darrell Alfonso, the Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed. They talk about what it means to be a good leader, including the importance of centralising resources and bringing teams together. They also discuss how best to consolidate reporting, touching on data warehousing and a single source of truth.

The Martech Handbook: Build a Technology Stack to Attract and Retain Customers by Darrell Alfonso About the Book: Increase customer attraction, acquisition, and retention by using technology to create seamless, effective, and joined-up marketing. It can be hard to know where to begin with the sheer number of platforms and solutions available to marketers today, as well as to use martech to its full potential.  The Martech Handbook provides a clear and step-by-step framework for understanding and selecting various forms of marketing technology to drive business value in all areas of marketing, from CX, automation, and lead management, to reporting and analysis as well as designing and orchestrating a tech stack that brings them all together. This book also explores getting buy-in, scaling martech within organizations depending on their needs, size and budget, measurement, monitoring, and governance.  Written by an award-winning martech leader, it features case studies and examples from companies including Spotify and Amazon alongside frameworks, question checklists, and interviews with leading industry practitioners.  This is an essential resource for augmenting your marketing and achieving key objectives through leveraging technology. About the Author: Darrell Alfonso is an award-winning marketer and Martech thought leader. He has consulted for leading companies such as GE, AT&T, and Abbot Laboratories, helping them achieve astounding business results through the strategic use of marketing technology.  Darrell launched the industry's first professional certification in marketing operations and has trained hundreds of marketing professionals worldwide.  Darrell was named one of the top 50 marketers in the US by Propolis and is an international keynote speaker who spoke in London, Dubai, and San Francisco in 2022.  Darrell spent nearly four years leading marketing operations at Amazon Web Services before starting his current role as Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed.com, the world's number one job site.  Darrell is a top LinkedIn content creator where he writes weekly Martech and marketing operations tips for his more than 40,000 followers.  And, interesting fact – he enjoys binging on Netflix shows with his wife Janet, and their Pomeranian dog, Stella. Click here for this episode's website page with the links mentioned during the interview... https://www.salesartillery.com/marketing-book-podcast/martech-handbook-darrell-alfonso

In this episode, we speak to Darrell Alfonso, the author of “The Martech Handbook” and deep expert in marketing operations. Darrell is an award-winning Martech marketer who creates content on all things Martech and Marketing Operations. Along with being a successful author and speaker, Darrell has been recognized as the Top Martech Marketer to Follow 2020, the Fearless Marketer of the Year 2018, and a Marketo Champion - twice.Learn more about Darrell AlfonsoLearn more about The Martech HandbookFollow Peter Mahoney on Twitter and LinkedInLearn more about PlannuhJoin The Next CMO CommunityRecommend a guest for The Next CMO podcastProduced by PodForte

Do you have a good marketing strategy? If not, we have just the episode for you! Today we have Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed. Darrell discusses with Casey Cheshire how to make your MarTech strategy tie with your marketing strategy. He also talks about how you don't need to buy a tool to make your company better. It's all about having a good marketing plan. Darrell gives us his tips on how to focus on your customers. Tune in to this great episode.     Busted Myths: You can fix bad marketing by buying a tool. Takeaways: Your MarTech strategy has to be tied to your marketing strategy. Your marketing strategy needs to be focused on what's best for the customer and what's best for the business. When wanting to understand your marketing strategy in your business, ask yourself these questions, what's the path of a great customer journey/experience and what tools do you need to get there? This will help better construct your MarTech strategy.  In most businesses, there's the idea that if they buy tools it makes their company successful. When in reality it's not, it's their business strategy and it's the way that they think about delivering value to their customers. To engage more people with marketing, you need to move, compel, and persuade them in order for them to be more interested. A way for this to work is by storytelling and knowing your audience.  As a marketer, it is important to think about how to be customer obsessed and how to really think about the customer. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and see how your marketing strategies look from their point of view.      Quote of the Show: “Marketing is really the art of changing people's minds.” (19:16) Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/  Website: https://www.indeed.com/ and https://www.lxahub.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemandDarrell  Ways to Tune In: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763 Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/37228621-2f9c-4905-a223-1844effb49dd Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6Kdsamn Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/m/Im7mytmu2wa2mekhoeixlja5hpe?t=The_Hard_Corps_Marketing_Show YouTube: https://youtu.be/mEbk-D5ffgU  Podbean: https://www.hardcorpsmarketing.com/e/optimizing-your-martech-strategy-darrell-alfonso-hard-corps-marketing-show-episode-318/?token=f12c5cd3c50d2eb7a88373242f2106b9

An exploration of all things martech with Darrell Alfonso from Amazon. Learn how his new book, “The Martech Handbook” is helping marketers find wisdom amidst the widgets, and discover ways to leverage the tech in your stack.  SHOWPAGE -> www.ninjacat.io/blog/key-insights-from-the-martech-handbook  © 2022, NinjaCat

Marketing operations play a specific role in organizations, and especially events. So what does it take to be a good partner to the team, whether you're a vendor or a part of the company? In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier is joined by Cvent guest-hosts Emily Dick and Carisa Bartelt. They speak with Darrell Alfonso, the Head of Global Marketing Operations for Amazon Web Services (AWS) and author of The Martech Handbook, on all things marketing operations, from its evolution to how event marketers should think about their tech stack. In 2020, Darrell was named one of the top MarTech marketers to follow by MarTech Alliance and is currently ranked as one of the top marketers in the US. Press play if you want to learn more about planning for 2023 and understand what we should prioritize regarding MarTech and event tech.

This episode is summed up with a simple question: What is marketing at your org trying to accomplish and what is necessary from a tech stack perspective to simplify and make that process as efficient and effective as possible? Marketing is not the promotion department, or at least it isn't in companies doing marketing correctly. Good marketing should be aligned with business metrics, so in essence, good marketing is good business. In this episode, Cassidy talks with Darrell Alfonso, Marketing Operations at Amazon and Author of “The Martech Handbook”.

Episode Description In this new episode of Demand Gen Chat, I spoke with Darrell Alfonso, Global Marketing Operations at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and author of The Martech Handbook. Darrell has been at AWS for over three years, and his team empowers thousands of marketers around the world to do their best work. We spoke about marketing ops don'ts and the most common mistake Darrell sees when B2B marketers run A/B tests. Darrell also shared how ops can set KPIs to work towards things they'll be proud of, versus spending all year putting out fires and fixing issues in other marketers' campaigns. Show Notes Follow Tara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraarobertsonFollow Darrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/ Check out Amanda Natividad's content: https://twitter.com/amandanat About Demand Gen ChatDemand Gen Chat is a Chili Piper podcast hosted by Tara Robertson. Join us as we sit down with B2B marketing leaders to hear about the latest tactics and campaigns that are driving pipeline and revenue. If you're looking for tactical ways to improve your marketing, this podcast is for you!

A conversation with Darrell Alfonso. Darrell is an award-winning marketer and Martech professional. He has consulted for several Fortune 500 companies including General Electric and Abbott Laboratories and currently leads marketing operations at Amazon Web Services where he helps empower thousands of marketers to build world-class customer experiences. He was named one of the top Martech Marketers to Follow in 2020, won the Fearless Marketer award in 2018, is a 2X Marketo Champion, and is a certified Salesforce Administrator. Darrell is a frequent speaker at Martech events, and regularly posts thought leadership content on LinkedIn and Twitter. Darrell is also the author of a newly announced book - The Martech Handbook: Build a Technology Stack to Attract and Retain Customers. We talk about the state of marketing operations, the role of revenue operations in the marketing discipline, and Darrell's experience leading large-scale marketing operations for some of the most important companies in the world. Go here for show notes, links, and resources. Subscribe to The Martech Weekly here. Follow Juan Mendoza on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can find Darrel on LinkedIn and Twitter Pre-order Darrell's new book here

What should always stay top of mind for marketing operations?   One is that businesses die without revenue and two is that happy customers make all the difference.  Hear our conversation with Darrell Alfonso , Global Marketing Operations at AWS: Why marketing operations should care deeply about revenue The urgent need for transferable skills for marops problem solving Translation, tech, and the customer's hierarchy of needs   More information about Darrell and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/   Company Website: https://aws.amazon.com/   Darrell's blog: https://www.darrellalfonso.com/   Keep connected with us by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out our website at Taylor.com .

Think you know marketing operations? Think again. In this week's episode, David Rowlands, head of content at B2B Marketing, sat down with Darrell Alfonso, global marketing operations at Amazon Web Services - the cloud computing division of Amazon. David and Darrell discuss all things marketing operations within Amazon Web Services, the skills you need for ‘good' MOPs and the importance of ‘digestible' data and integration. You can access an exclusive look at the Propolis Marketing Operations & Process Hive report: https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en-gb/free-downloadable-guides/riding-wave-martech-change-submerged-unmanageable-sea-technology-and-facing?&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=mops_report&utm_term=episode_56:_getting_marketing_operations_up_and_running_with_darrel_alfonso Find out more about Propolis and the mine of actionable content and expert advice available: https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en-gb/propolis-homepage?&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=propolis&utm_term=episode_56:_getting_marketing_operations_up_and_running_with_darrel_alfonso And Ignite USA - America's leading conference on all things brand: https://www.b2bigniteusa.com/?&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=propolis&utm_term=episode_56:_getting_marketing_operations_up_and_running_with_darrel_alfonso

Hello, and welcome to another episode of B2B Marketing & More. I have a return guest this time: Darrell Alfonso, a global marketing operations manager at Amazon Web Services, martech instructor and speaker. I interviewed Darrell back in 2020, about marketing automation and what makes it a must-have for modern marketers. Obviously, many things have changed in the past one and a half years. So I invited Darrell back, and we're going to have a little chat about marketing automation and some of his changes in both professional and personal life. In this episode: What are the emerging B2B marketing automation trends and technologies during the pandemic? What are data unification platforms? How can marketers use CDP (customer data platform)? CDP suggestions and what makes them different for B2B marketing automation. How to achieve the delicate balance of standardization and personalization? What is the role of data in hyper-personalization and how to use it? Two strategies to personalize for people with multiple job functions and roles? How to use artificial intelligence and algorithms to identify customers' intentions? Quotes from the episode: "One thing that's important to explain is that the goal is to take the data from different sources. So your CRM, customer database, marketing automation platform, and advertising tools may be used." "All the cool things that you want to do in marketing take a lot of work. And it takes a lot of things that aren't that glamorous. But the result is worth it." ————— If you want to chat, reach out to any social media channels or email me at hello@pamdidner.com. You can also join my Facebook community: Build Your Marketing Skills to Get Ahead. When you join, you get a free Starbucks on me. You can go to the Announcement tab and click on the barcode of the gift card.

Join us today for an edifying discussion as we talk to Darrell Alfonso from Amazon Web Services. Darrell shares his exciting career journey leading up to joining Amazon and how his first job at a mobile and email marketing software startup prepared and woke him up to the game of business. It was his eureka moment of realising that it is so much more fun than what they can ever teach you at college. Darrell is beyond passionate about educational marketing, and his career is a testimony to the success of being obsessed with customers.He went on to explore the marketing automation industry in California. It is so much more than mere email marketing. Darrell was fascinated by it and started with large-scale system implementations, driving business results and growing teams. He also started contributing to the community during this time, writing 'how to' articles and helping other people with marketing automation. Darrell is very modest about the fact that he was fortunate enough to win a few rewards in the industry, but you will agree with us after listening to our interview that he worked hard and earned each one. To name but a few of his career highlights and achievements, Darrell was:- Named one of the "Top Martech Marketers to Follow" 2020 by Martech Alliance- Keynote speaker for Martech Conference and Get Stacked B2B Marketing Conference 2021- Awarded Fearless Marketer 2018 - Marketo Champion 2018 and 2019 Many marketers look for a checklist of things to do for them to do their jobs. But, if everybody follows the same checklist, they all look and sound the same. We talk about why he believes marketers should throw away the checklists, pay attention to competitors, and obsess about their customers. As he puts it, 'don't do what everybody else is doing. Focus on your obsession with your customers and let that determine every single decision you make.'Our guest:Darrell Alfonso – Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web ServicesAmazon Web Services began exposing critical infrastructure services to businesses in web services after launching in 2006. The ultimate benefit of cloud computing, and AWS, is leveraging a new business model and turning capital infrastructure expenses into variable costs. Businesses no longer need to plan and procure servers and other IT resources weeks or months in advance. Memorable Marketing by MediaGroup interviews leading CMOs, business innovators, entrepreneurs, and experts on all things marketing, brands, campaigns, and awareness. Please join the conversation by leaving your comments, thoughts and questions, and we will happily chat with you. If you want to discuss your business marketing strategies in more detail, feel free to reach us at: info@mediagroupww.com.

In this episode, host Shahin Hoda chats with Darrell Alfonso, Global Marketing Operations at Amazon Web Services, about how marketers should approach their martech strategy to drive revenue and higher ROI on their investments. Darrell starts by advising marketers to begin with their objectives and work backwards to discover the martech they need to create a great customer experience. He also talks about why marketers should take the education provided by martech vendors with a pinch of salt and that listening to sales might not always be the right way to go. During the conversation, Darrell drops many golden nuggets about customer experience, managing data and ways to prioritise marketing projects. He concludes by advising marketers to practice writing content as much as possible to achieve clarity of thought and vision. Read the show notes: https://xgrowth.com.au/blogs/aws-martech/ ABM in APAC survey: https://www.xgrowth.com.au/survey Join the Slack channel: https://growthcolony.org/slack

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 2 of our conversation, we are going to discuss the truth about MarTech reporting. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 2 of our conversation, we are going to discuss the truth about MarTech reporting. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 1 of our conversation, we are going to talk about his three skills that are needed for a successful career in MarTech. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 1 of our conversation, we are going to talk about his three skills that are needed for a successful career in MarTech. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During this (sorta) Ops Cast After Dark, we talk about one year of Ops Cast and we talk about predictions for 2022. Our starting point was 6 predictions about Marketing Operations in 2022 written in an article by a friend of the show, Darrell Alfonso.As you will see, we don't all see things the same and predictions are almost always tough. Listen, and then let us know what you expect for 2022.Recorded live on January 7, 2022.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals

Amazon's very own leader of marketing ops, Darrell Alfonso, opens up about the role of marketing ops and why it has become a core component (and highly sought after) for any successful marketing team. He is changing the perception of this “mundane, tactical role” into one that actively boosts marketing's overall strategic value one LinkedIn post at a time. As a sought-after public speaker and thought leader in the space of marketing operations, Darrell is consistently challenging his 30,000+ LinkedIn following to think deeply and meaningfully about the role of marketing ops in an organization. In this episode, Darrell dives into how to: Build a healthy LinkedIn network Become a true thought leader of your craft Create compelling LinkedIn content that actually adds value to your network Darrell even shares how his non-conventional marketing background has given him the ability to bring together the goals and work of others to meet the goals of entire organizations through the role of marketing operations. It's an episode that anyone looking to understand the modern-day recipe for high-performing marketing teams won't want to miss! ***** BTW: if you're a marketing ops Guru like Darrell and looking for your next challenge, Oktopost is looking for a Senior Marketing Operations and Web Manager. Check out the open position here.

Shawnna Sumaoang: Hi, and welcome to the Sales Enablement PRO podcast, I'm Shawnna Sumaoang. Sales enablement is a constantly evolving space, and we’re here to help professionals stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices so that they can be more effective in their jobs. Today, I’m excited to have Nimrah Zaid from Algo, join us. Nimrah, I would love for you to introduce yourself, your role, and your organization to our audience. Nimrah Zaid: Hello, Shawnna. First of all, I would like to thank you for having me on. I’m Nimrah and I’m based out of Munich, Germany. Since August this year, I have been part of AlgoMarketing. It’s a marketing agency that offers a unique blend of services to its clients that range from providing the right talent, marketing technology and tools for optimization, and scaling of marketing activities. A1go partners with clients, such as Google, and that is where I am assigned as a Marketing Enablement Manager for Google Cloud. I basically work with the Google Cloud Strategy and Operations team on enabling the marketing teams, specifically in the EMEA and APAC regions with the planning and budgeting processes, providing best practice consultation to marketing teams on how to improve their ROI and building insights on how to further optimize the internal processes and tools that I use for marketing, planning, and budgeting. I also manage and collect data to measure the efficacy of resources, promote adoption and consistent use of tools, and to maintain thorough data hygiene. Prior to this, I have around five years of experience of working in companies, big and small, in roles such as digital marketing, market research, and marketing. SS: Well, thank you so much for joining us today. Now, you mentioned you recently transitioned from a marketing operations role into marketing enablement. How does your background in operations help inform your approach to your new role? NZ: That’s a good question. I have been asked this a lot lately. You see, having previously worked as a Marketing Operations Specialist, I have a good understanding of convoluted mesh networks of processes, data analytics, technology, and taxonomy. This set up the stage for my current role, where I have to transform these complexities into a format that is easy to comprehend by the upper management and teams likewise. To put it into perspective, the field marketing operations gives us a heterogeneous spectrum of marketing solutions. It focuses on end-to-end marketing optimization with functions, including, and not limited to planning, analyzing, automating, and enabling the core marketing to operate and scale. At a granular level, marketing enablement is helping drive marketing operations. They have a higher-level view of marketing needs and can orchestrate success. SS: That’s fantastic. I love how your past experience translates really well into that. Now, within some marketing teams, marketing enablement may be a newer role. In your opinion, how does marketing enablement help to scale the success of the marketing team? NZ: In theory, marketing enablement fills the sweet spot between marketing, technology, and analytics. It is an additional layer of efficiency to the whole marketing structure. Marketing enablement connects product and solution innovators with business leaders and stakeholders. It is a multi-fold role that not only allows marketing teams to more effectively use various tools by creating training and learning resources, but also to work cross-functionally with platform renders, automation, and other operation teams to improve the process. Also, to advocate for the internal customer experience by developing a strategy for the creation and adoption of training and content. In my opinion, marketing enablement is not a new idea. We have been tossing around the stone for years. In the past, it never caught on as a buzzword for marketers, but now the need for dedicated marketing enablement function is critical. SS: Absolutely. I think so as well with all of the things that are changing so quickly in the marketing landscape. Now, in a recent post on LinkedIn, you said that the best strategy for marketing success is to work in partnership with marketing operations. From your experience, how does partnering with marketing operations lead to better overall marketing results? In particular, how does that impact the capacity to innovate? NZ: Yes. I remember this post. You see, the role of marketing operations is to focus on the strategy, execution, and operations of the marketing process. It is more like a hub where processes and metrics and goals are brought into alignment. Professionally speaking, there have been many instances where this partnership between marketing ops and marketing have led to better results. I have seen how introducing smart solutions to the marketing process can get better conversion. Even simple things like setting up a chatbot on a website that simultaneously not only minimizes manual work for SDRs but can generate double the number of leads. To have a one-stop documentation resource and technologies and processes can go a long way of not only onboarding new colleagues, but for enablement of existing team members. All of this in a nutshell, can help marketing in an overarching way to not only achieve goals, but also be scalable. SS: Yeah, absolutely. I think scalability is critical in these days. Now, in that same post, you mentioned that marketing operations handles the nuts and bolts of marketing, including reporting out on analytics. In your opinion, how do marketing analytics help to increase the effectiveness of decision-making for marketing leaders? How do you leverage that from a marketing enablement standpoint? NZ: Data analytics and reporting are one of the pain points of a marketing operations professional. Short answer would be that data analytics is important. Why? To learn what has happened, to understand what is happening, to know what might happen, to maximize efforts, and to streamline budgets. Let me shed some more light on it. Marketing analytics is crucial as it provides a holistic view of the performance of the marketing activities of an organization. The analysis is important to illustrate not only the performance, but its associated influence on sales. Here, I would like to mention Darrell Alfonso, who is a marketing ops guru, and I totally resonate with him and his ideas and approaches. He once mentioned that we need to prioritize data analytics and marketing so the processes can be well segmented. The reporting becomes credible with added granularity, and that in turn will enable stakeholders to make smart investments in future demand generation. Good data insight is not only beneficial for marketers or business leaders, but also for sales and SDRs so they can have meaningful conversations with prospects. To summarize, accurate data gives you a clear funnel visibility, and to make your marketing dollars stretch further. SS: From your perspective, what are some of the key metrics that enablement teams need to track to help increase marketing success? NZ: First, we need to recognize that marketing enablement is an organizational capability. This means if one person or several people find they want to leave the marketing team, this capability can successfully persist. An organizational capability is derived from a strategy and consists of a bundle of people, processes and technology that drives a business result. Another key element to marketing enablement is the identification and use of technologies that enable marketing results. In short, it is adding value to the whole marketing process. We can easily quantify marketing enablement results by internally keeping track of all the documentation and standardization we have in place, by checking the quality of marketing and sales qualified leads to make sure there are no roadblocks in the funnel, to setting up optimized reports and dashboards for demonstrating marketing impact to key stakeholders, to visualizing the opportunities and areas for improvement. We have to start with a marketing strategy and how it supports, enables, and drives the company strategy. Whatever the company’s strategy is, marketing needs to create a parallel strategy. Once it is defined, it’s in place, it must be operationalized. Part of operationalizing this strategy includes marketing enablement. SS: I think that’s fantastic. In closing, I have one last question for you. If you don’t mind. While marketing operations deals heavily with data and planning, it also requires creative problem-solving. How have you applied creativity to your work in a data-driven role? NZ: That’s a wonderful question, Shawnna. You see, being data-driven is no longer an optional thing, it is a must now. We have seen in this post-pandemic year that agile companies can pivot quickly in turbulent times. This pivot is only possible with greater insights to data analytics and having a creative approach. Through analytics, you are reporting on the effectiveness of the process, and when combined with creativity, you can also anticipate possible roadblocks and come up with viable recommendations. It is creativity that has always helped me understand the technical acumen of the teams I’m going to address and curate my content accordingly. It requires a creative approach to translate the requirements from the marketing teams into technical requirements for creating the workflow, to ensure smooth working of tools. To make the teams aware of trends in a way that they understand the actionable points without getting lost in the complex data matrix. You cannot achieve these goals without being created. To put it concisely, data analytics and creativity go hand-in-hand. It’s the ability to interpret, manipulate, and extract meaning from data. Then use it to build predictive models for generating business insights and eventually to spread the wisdom across teams effectively. SS: I love that. Nimrah, thank you so much for joining us today, I learned a lot from you. NZ: Thank you, Shawnna. SS: To our audience, thanks for listening. For more insights, tips, and expertise from sales enablement leaders, visit salesenablement.pro. If there’s something you’d like to share or a topic you’d like to learn more about, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Sign up to all live workshops and podcasts here: https://lu.ma/fullfunnelI see that many B2B companies still follow obsolete marketing tactics like:1. Inquiry form that doesn't book a meeting with your sales rep2. 8-fields contact form to sign up for the webinar or download an ebook3. Endless sales qualification4. Fake urgency5. Subscribers and contacts that are presented as SQLAll of these create customer friction at every stage of the funnel and lead to missed opportunities.With Darrell we discussed: -The typical customer friction points the majority of B2B orgs have, and how to discover them- How to change the sales-centric mindset of executives?- How to build a master marketing ops dashboard that aligns marketing, sales and executives?- How to measure marketing improvements in B2B companies with long sales cycles?- The right metrics to measure marketing performanceRESOURCESDarrell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/Marketing Operations Course: https://www.martechalliance.com/training-courses/elearning-marketing-operations

In the latest episode of the B2C Lead Generation Podcast we catch up with Darrell Alfonso from Amazon to dive deep into what is involved in Marketing Operations and why it is so important. If you're involved in marketing in any sense you do not want to miss out on the chance to hear from one of the world leaders on what it takes to succeed at the very top!

In this episode we talk with Darrell Alfonso about parts of the role that many Marketing Operations professionals don't like to talk about...but we all know are there. Things like, how it is tough to have a good marketing ops function when the messaging, branding or product is sub-par. And, we had a literal fire alarm happen during the recording. How appropriate for a Marketing Operations discussion. Recorded live on August 26, 2021.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals

Their orders are based on the sales and marketing challenges of the day, and they put out fires as they arise. But today's guest, Darrell Alfonso, Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, believes that, by looking at the organization's business goals as a whole, ops can fill the role of strategic advisor rather than simply building processes and systems. In this episode, he shares what that looks like. We discuss: -How ops help drive alignment between sales and marketing -Building centers of excellence to improve go-to-market efficiency -The components of a mature ops team -How ops can reduce friction externally and internally Mentioned during the podcast: -Darrell's course: “The Essentials of Marketing Operations” can be found here: https://www.martechalliance.com/training-courses/elearning-marketing-operations Have an idea for a guest or show topic? Email me at dan@scaleMatters.com. Hear more go-to-market excellence by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Go-to-Market Excellence in your favorite podcast player.

Darrell Alfonso, Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS), joins our host, Camela Thompson, in this episode of the Revenue Marketing Report. Darrell shares three ways that marketing operations can establish a stronger, more strategic relationship with the executive team.

In this episode, we talk with Darrell Alfonso, Global Marketing Ops at AWS, about bridging technical and soft skills, the importance of communication in marketing ops, and managing up. Listen to learn how Darrell has refined his writing and communication skills to sell internal initiatives better and work more effectively with leadership.

On this week's episode, we are excited to have Darrell Alfonso joining us. We dive into Darrell's transition from small-scale companies to working for Amazon, the importance of prioritizing, and tons of valuable advice for the MOps community. Tune in!

In this episode, I sit down with Darrell Alfonso, an award winning Martech and marketing operations professional . We dive into how life at Amazon (https://aws.amazon.com/) has been treating him his first few years. We go deeper into how marketing pros can demonstrate their value. Darrell also gives some great advice on his career experience and how he has helped others find their marketing work niche themselves. Special Guest: Darrell Alfonso.

We have all heard the saying “There is no I in team.” It takes communication and collaboration to really make a project successful. Then why do we still struggle with cooperation in groups? A Marketing Automation Leader, Technologist, Speaker, Marketo Champion, Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, Darrell Alfonso, shares his experience in project management and success.   Takeaways: Miscommunication occurs often if there is not an open conversation on project objectives. Remember that not everyone thinks like you or has the same goals. “Find what works well for your customers and make it even better.” ~Darrel Alfonso When it comes to project management for mid-sized companies, be sure to keep your stakeholders updated and motivated with milestones to get something successful through the door. Don't discount the value of experience. People who have more experience have had more time to understand and pick up patterns.  Build with a Training Mindset. Train others and build your processes and programs with the idea that other people will use it! Career advice: Work hard but find the time to relax.   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonso/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemandDarrell Amazon Web Services: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/ Project Management for The Unofficial Project Manager: https://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Unofficial-Manager-FranklinCovey/dp/194163110X?ref_=Oct_s9_apbd_simh_hd_bw_bh9&pf_rd_r=NHB6P932RZVXCHKGY5WB&pf_rd_p=dca8a16a-96fe-51bc-8261-c1db66c588a3&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-10&pf_rd_t=BROWSE&pf_rd_i=2675   Busted Myths: Marketing success cannot happen in a vacuum. Great success needs the cooperation and collaboration of 10s, 100s of people to really make an impact on business.   Ways to Tune In: iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6Kdsamn Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show Google Play - https://play.google.com/music/m/Im7mytmu2wa2mekhoeixlja5hpe?t=The_Hard_Corps_Marketing_Show YouTube - Full video - https://youtu.be/uNAQMCGV2YI

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 2 of our conversation, we are going to discuss the truth about MarTech reporting. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're going to discuss what it takes to be successful in the MarTech industry. Joining us is Darrell Alfonso, the Global Marketing Operations Manager at Amazon Web Services, which provides a highly reliable, scalable, low cost infrastructure platform in the cloud that powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. In part 1 of our conversation, we are going to talk about his three skills that are needed for a successful career in MarTech. Show NotesConnect With:Darrell Alfonso: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.