Episode Summary
Content production is important, but building relationships on the ground is far more crucial, according to Jeff Perkins, CMO and Head of Product at ParkMobile, an app that helps people find and pay for parking in over 400 cities across the U.S.
“Build a peer group that you can go to and bounce ideas off of and share insights and share learning,” he says in this episode of Tech Qualified. “That will be one of the most valuable things you can have in your career.”
Jeff is a 10-year veteran of the advertising industry who now leads the marketing team at the startup, reinforcing their reputation as an industry thought leader.
At ParkMobile, Jeff nurtures crucial relationships with business partners, suppliers and municipal employees in the parking service industry while also navigating the behaviors and needs of customers.
“It really is a fun opportunity where I’m able to work across B2B marketing and B2C marketing,” Jeff says.
Jeff has championed his company’s role as an industry thought leader, particularly through the production of meaningful content. At both his previous and current job, he has found that providing information through webinars, newsletters and trade show events helps bring in new clients and partners and reinforces relationships.
Guest Profile
- Name: Jeff Perkins
- What he does: Jeff is Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Product at ParkMobile, which has 18 million users across the U.S.
- Company: ParkMobile
- Noteworthy: After a decade of working in advertising in New York City, Jeff worked as CMO at digital transformation software company QASymphony (acquired by Tricentis) and saw the company raise is Series A through C rounds and grow to 20 million users.
Key Insights
- Thought leadership shouldn’t be a clever cover for simply selling your products, Jeff says. Instead, marketers should focus on meaningful information and value for clients. It will set you apart from the rest. The more insight and learning you offer to clients, the deeper your relationship will be in the long term.
- One way startups can get a foothold in the industry is to be a content provider — in particular with content that isn’t just touting personal solutions. Jeff believes content that looks at everyone’s solutions will be appreciated by the industry and improve your reputation as a thought leader. He adds that while optimizing content through keywords is important, making sure the content itself is high quality is crucial.
- Building and leveraging a peer network is a marketer’s best tool. Although reading industry blogs can provide great content, it’s important to build a peer group, reach out to practitioners and share insights when dealing with various challenges.
Episode Highlights
- Hiring industry insiders
- The 'land and expand' strategy
- Nurturing relationships always (through content and beyond)
- Understanding your limits
- Being present on the ground
- Sources of information
