What are the best ways to start strong at your new job? “You need to remove yourself from the scenario for better insight,” said Ashley Small, founder and CEO of Medley, Inc., a PR and digital marketing agency, “and start by putting yourself in the seat of the consumer and judging that experience, including their fears and frustration.”

Ashley was one of the marketers advising on us on how to hit the ground running in a new role with a new brand: timely advice in these disruptive times when people in all walks of life are coping with career changes — both intended and unexpected.

Some highlights: take a close look not just at your new brand, but at the competition. What kind of experiences are they delivering to their customers? You’ll want to know about current budgets, but be curious about historical budgets too: what was cut, and why? Also, get close to the product team and open a channel of communication to feed back to them what you’re hearing in the field.

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From emails to digital experiences, online events to in-person tradeshows, your buyers expect you to meet them where they are with timely, relevant, and personalized content that respects their privacy. Join our expert panel to explore how an omni-channel approach enables marketers to break down silos, connect data, tech and processes, and create the transformational experiences B2B buyers are expecting.

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The new program, Snap Connect, offers learning modules for direct-response advertisers on Snapchat. There are three tracks to certification. The tracks focus on three key direct response advertising verticals for Snapchat: mobile games, apps and e-commerce sellers. Snap Connect is part of the Snap Focus education portal. 

Why we care. The modules are aimed at helping advertisers run more effective campaigns, and certifications can help agencies and consultants market their Snapchat media services. Users can choose regional paths (North America, for example) and earn certification after completing the modules and passing an exam. 

“About a year and a half, almost two years ago now, we pursued a journey in search of a technology that aligned with our customer-centricity objectives, and ultimately selected a CDP,” said Reem Seghairoun of multi-brand apparel company VF Corp, adding that it began with its use cases rather than with a specific technology in mind. “And the journey has been going on since.”

Specifically, VF was looking for a technology that supported sophisticated customer analytics and addressed consumer privacy concerns. It sought a solution that was easy to use that meshed with the company culture. VF considered building versus buying, while always keeping customer-centricity front and center.

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E-commerce platform Channable, headquartered in the Netherlands and a global vendor for brands, digital marketers and online retailers, has announced a North American expansion to support U.S.-based clients and partners. In a release, Channable stated that the increase in international e-commerce caused by the pandemic has led to the expansion. 

The expansion is an indicator of the increase of cross-border selling by U.S. companies, and is a proactive move ahead of the much-anticipated holiday season. Channable uses its retail platform to accelerate product-to-market funnels by optimizing product and service placements. 

Why we care. One important aspect of our transformation into a digital-centered economy is that it’s as easy to sell to someone on the other side of the world as someone on the same block; something which wasn’t true, or perhaps just wasn’t important, to many businesses pre-pandemic. 

Forward-thinking keynotes from Areej AbuAli and Mike King, 45+ tactic-rich SEO and SEM sessions, 1:1 community networking, and more. Book your SMX pass by November 14 for just $199!

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“Big brands are taking market share from the smaller brands in almost every category.” Warren Ackerman, Head of European Consumer Staples Research, Barclays.