Martech Interview with Sr. Director Product Marketing, TapClicks – Scott Guttenberger

 

“Data based decision making will lead to marketers being more efficient and more precise. “

1. Tell us about your role at Tap Clicks and how you got here?
I was brought in as the Sr. Director of Marketing for TapClicks. Babak and TapClicks were interested in pivoting towards larger enterprise opportunities with their Marketing Cloud platform comprising Orders & Workflow automations, Reporting & Analytics, SEO and Competitive Search. That infrastructure needed to be built from the ground up from a sales and marketing perspective. With the help of our amazing team I brought in technology, theories and methodologies as well as strategic hires that would help us gain ground on our growth and expansion goals.

Previously I worked with a competitor and had proven my strategy at a small scale, now it was time to test that strategy to a larger scale operation. I met with Babak and Colby and we discussed the goals they were hoping to achieve and before long we struck a working relationship to build strong teams that would help us achieve these goals.

Currently, I am the Sr. Director of Product Marketing, a role that was required to get our entire organization to the next stage. This role allows me to empower our sales team with content around our platform and features as well as help guide the direction of the platform for the future.

2. What is it that you still find lacking in the martech industry?
ML as a discipline of AI and its value in analytical decision making. First, it would appear that we are still suffering from “definition murkiness”. This leads us to a misunderstanding of expectations. IDS predicted that Business spending on AI, DL and ML will grow to nearly $98 billion by 2023!!! Marketers should strive to achieve a higher understanding of what it is, what it is not and how to apply it. ML will lead us to DL, deep learning. This is where the power behind analytics will really shine, allowing marketers to make smarter data based decisions. Once we have a better understanding of some of the differences we can start asking the right questions.

3. Given the changing dynamics in the Marketing Analytics industry where do you see TapClicks fitting in the ecosystem?
I see TapClicks consolidating the field a bit, presenting a new idea around the “Marketing Cloud ” and delivering powerful tools to help all marketers, digital agencies, media companies, and brands make intelligent data based decisions that will drive growth. Hopefully off the back of that innovation we can help spawn the next generation of marketing tools.

4. How do you differentiate TapClicks from other companies of the same genre?
I think we see the data sphere very differently than other companies. We also under the need for the connection between the sales department and the marketing department. This is evident in our Orders and Workflow pillars of the TapClicks Marketing Cloud. Sales feeds marketing, which in turn feeds the teams that manage the relationships which in turn feed the sales cycle again and back to the marketing department. As we build the TapClicks marketing cloud this cycle of order and workflow automation, analytics and reporting, data sharing, data services and data pipeline will be a central focus.

5. “Campaign Dashboard Management is more important than campaign operation management”. How far do you justify this statement?
I would disagree. While managing your data is very important, having a healthy and well organized campaign operation comes first.
Don’t put the cart before the horse. One relies on the other.

6. Which startups in the marketing analytics industry are you keenly following?
Alluxio, DataKitchen and DataRobot.

7. What do you think is the most crucial factor for the success of any particular marketing campaign?
Communication and attention to detail. I am always trying to get better at both. I’m not sure one can ever master either. But staying aware and taking proper steps to communicate and pay attention to the smallest details always pays off in the end.

8. Being a company focused on marketing analytics, how important do you think analysis is for any industrial sector?
It is of the highest importance.

Data based decision making will lead to marketers being more efficient and more precise. It’s all about maximising ROI.

TapClicks has this at the center of our TapAnalytics engine, providing a predictive analytics recommendation engine across multiple channels making your data based decision making better.

9. What is the best part of working at TapClicks? can you share with us some fun pictures of your work environment?
Helping to solve the problems of my fellow marketers. I have worked in multi-location franchise businesses, digital agencies and large brands. I lived the pains and tribulations that our platform addresses and solves. It brings me great pleasure working towards making my fellow marketers’ lives and jobs easier.

10. What book are you currently reading?
I am ready several right now. I am re-reading “The Art of War” by the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. “On The Nature of Things” by Lucretius, a book that explores Epicurean physics through poetic metaphors. And for business ‘food for thought’, “Storytelling With Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals” by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic.

11. One piece of advice you always follow irrespective of circumstances
“Aut inveniam viam aut faciam” – I will find a way or I will make a way.