I’ve helped build marketing plans at startups where the entire “team” was just me and a Google Doc. Other times, I worked side-by-side with CMOs and VPs of marketing to launch new products, shift positioning, or scale growth. No matter the stage, the goal was the same: make a plan that actually gets used, not one that collects dust.

Have you ever seen an online ad campaign that has absolutely nothing to do with you? I just saw one on Facebook — it was a brand I've never heard of promoting a product I’d never buy. I'm not the brand’s target audience, and that brand is missing out by not understanding who to market their product towards.

AI is a hot topic for marketers — and for good reason. According to our State of AI report, 95% of respondents say that AI marketing tools help them spend less time on manual tasks and more time connecting with customers.