93: Tara Robertson: Cost-effective growth and creative attention in B2B

Humans of Martech

Summary: Skip the job title obsession and focus on work that matters to you. Learn from Tara's "The Sauce" model: pick the right channels and keep your promises for sustained engagement. Her social-first demand gen approach and simple yet creative hot sauce branding show how to resonate in today's martech scene. Use personal biases to create targeted campaigns and ignore buzzwords and rigid MQL definitions. Tara's strategy—act on active interest immediately—cuts through the noise and boosts efficiency. Whether it's career or marketing, it’s all about authentic, effective action.

About Tara:

• Tara got her start in a communications role at Polar Mobile and later transitioned to focusing on inbound marketing at ScribbleLive, a live-blogging platform based in Toronto
• Tara then made the move to martech joining the popular content experience platform Uberflip as Demand Gen Manager where she spent nearly 3 years and worked her way up to Director of Revenue Marketing
• She later transitioned to a Senior Manager of Demand Gen role at Top Hat, a higher ed learning platform
• For the last 2 years she’s been at Chili Piper, a meeting automation platform for demand gen teams where she started as Demand Gen Manager and has recently been promoted to Head of Demand Gen
• At Chili Piper she’s also the host of the acclaimed Demand Gen Chat podcast where she’s interviewed prominent guests from companies like LinkedIn, 6sense, Refinelabs and more!

The Overrated Chase for Job Titles and the Importance of Aligning Career Goals

When asked about the variation in job titles on her resume, Tara offers insight that runs counter to conventional career advice. Tara's journey from a director-level position at Uberflip to managerial roles at Top Hat and Chili Piper wasn't about regressing; it was about finding her fit. At Uberflip, Tara experienced rapid promotions, roughly every six months, which led her to believe in the importance of titles. However, she realized that the titles often didn't correlate with her day-to-day responsibilities. In her first role, although under the umbrella term of 'communications,' Tara juggled between answering phones, booking CEO's travels, and setting up the company's first Twitter account. Titles can be deceptive.

Tara also points out the dangers of chasing managerial roles for the sake of it. At Top Hat, her role morphed into what she describes as a "middle manager." While this was somewhat fulfilling in person, the transition to remote work revealed cracks in the facade. She found herself swamped in one-on-one meetings, feeling unproductive and unmotivated. Her realization led her to seek something that resonated more authentically with what she wanted to do.

So, what is Tara's advice to those hesitant to take a perceived step back in their careers due to job titles? She underscores the importance of prioritizing what you truly value in your career over a title. In all her roles, irrespective of what the title implied, she never had to take a pay cut. Her guiding lights have been the people she wants to work with and learn from, not the titles she could acquire.

Key Takeaway: The fixation on job titles can be a mirage, leading professionals down paths that may not align with their true career goals or personal happiness. It’s not the title, but the work and the people around you, that should guide your career decisions.

People Manager or Individual Contributor: Choosing Your Marketing Career Path

When asked about the viability of choosing to be an individual contributor over a people manager in marketing, Tara touches on a key decision point: personal motivation. If your prime motivator is financial gain, then pursuing a managerial role might offer the quickest route to that objective. However, if the allure of hands-on work, creativity, and constant learning excites you, Tara suggests thinking outside the conventional career ladder.

Tara's current role, technically a people manager position, involves wearing multiple hats because her marketing team consists of just eight people. This underscores the variability of job titles and roles; what might be a managerial role in one setting could be a blend of individual contributions in another. Thus, titles can't be the sole determinant when choosing a career path.

Tara emphasizes the need to introspect on what you truly enjoy doing day-to-day rather than obsessing over how your resume appears. She advises that those entering the field should experiment with both roles. Try out being an individual contributor and dabble in management, if possible, to get a real feel for where your interests and skills align.

Key Takeaway: The choice between becoming a people manager or an individual contributor should hinge on your personal goals, be it financial or the type of work that genuinely engages you. Titles and job descriptions can be fluid, and what's crucial is aligning your career with what motivates you each day.

Stepping Up to the Mic: How Tara Rejuvenated an Existing Podcast

When questioned about her experience taking over as the host of the 'Demand Gen Chat' podcast, Tara gives an insider look into her decision-making process. She inherited the podcast from Kaylee, her then-manager, who had resuscitated it after a years-long hiatus. Under Kaylee and Nolan, the head of video and creative, the show saw significant improvements in production quality and gained momentum.

Tara notes that when Kaylee left, the future of the podcast hung in the balance. Armed with firsthand data—Tara had been responsible for promoting the podcast and monitoring its performance—she saw a clear value in its continuation. Reception on platforms like LinkedIn was favorable, and the audience was growing. Given this, Tara felt it was crucial not only to keep the podcast alive but to continue its upward trajectory.

Another aspect of Tara's decision was the composition of the Digital Team at that time, which consisted of just her. Despite discussions about other potential hosts, like co-founders, Tara felt it wouldn't be authentic to have someone not involved in day-to-day marketing activities take over the show. After all, the podcast was part of the demand generation strategy and it made the most sense for her to step into the role.

Key Takeaway: Sometimes the best candidate for a job is already in the room, well-acquainted with the work's nuances and impact. Tara's decision to continue the podcast wasn't just a matter of filling a role; it was about recognizing the value the show brought and the audience it had built.

Elevating a Podcast Game with Thoughtful Tweaks and AI

When asked about how she managed to elevate the podcast, Tara offers insight into her cautious first steps and subsequent strides for improvement. Initially, Tara focused on not deviating too much from the existing format set by Kaylee, her predecessor. She recognized the value in the format that already had a solid fan following. Her primary concern was to keep the essence of what people loved about the podcast intact.

The real game-changer came ahead of what they now call their fourth season. Tara and her team, including producer Nolan, took the opportunity to reassess and refine the podcast's elements. Rather than making sweeping changes, they concentrated on nuanced improvements like scripted outros and thoughtful intros. Tara takes the time post-recording to distill the essence of the episode, offering listeners upfront context, thus adding a layer of polish to the show.

Another transformative factor was Nolan's use of AI tools, such as Opus, for post-production. Before the integration of AI, tasks like repurposing content for different platforms like TikTok were time-consuming and sometimes left undone d...