James Whitemore joins me with an update on the work and results he’s been driving at NetApp since our last conversation on Episode 234. By leveraging data and training his team on how to use their diverse viewpoints in analyzing it, James is reinvigorating a 35-year-old company with a little more swagger.

In this episode, James and I discuss how the ideas outlined in our last interview on B2B marketing and sales have come to fruition and the importance of being dynamic in today’s marketing landscape.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How to be intentional with transformative marketing
  • Why swagger and confidence matter in decision making
  • The importance of having synergy with your sales and IT departments

Key Highlights

  • [04:30] The relationship between sales and marketing
  • [05:45] Update from James’ last interview with us (ep. 234)
  • [07:40] Changing brand perceptions
  • [09:10] How brand growth is tied to market growth
  • [11:10] The importance of knowing how to use mar-tech
  • [11:50] Why synergy with your IT team is critical to marketing efforts
  • [12:45] Measuring impact and re-educating on which metrics matter
  • [15:40] The work needed to measure the revenue impact
  • [17:20] How to parse out and use the success metrics
  • [19:40] Shaping investment models with data
  • [21:15] How to drive transformation
  • [24:00] The importance of marketing in D&I and vice versa
  • [27:35] Why you need confidence in marketing
  • [28:50] Benefit of B2Bs thinking like B2Cs

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth opportunities. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies but is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine companies.