This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick sits down with Catie Grasso, Head of Content Marketing at Dataiku, to dive into how AI is reshaping content marketing. Catie shares her insights on how her team integrates AI into their daily workflows, balances automation with creativity, and ensures high-quality content at scale.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

– The biggest misconceptions about using AI in content marketing.

– How AI can help scale content production without sacrificing quality.

– The four key ways Catie’s team is using AI in their workflow.

– How to repurpose and distribute content effectively with AI.

– Balancing human creativity with AI-generated content.

– Best practices for training content teams to work with AI.

– The biggest mistakes marketers make when using AI tools.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick is joined by Elise Thrale, Head of Content at Napier AI, to discuss how to maximize content marketing impact with limited resources. Elise shares her insights on prioritizing content efforts, learning from past experiments, and repurposing high-performing assets for long-term success.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

– How to prioritize content efforts when working with a lean team.

– Why some content experiments fail—and how to pivot quickly.

– The key to creating scrappy but effective research reports.

– How to get the most out of a single piece of content through repurposing.

– The role of AI in speeding up content production without sacrificing quality.

– Balancing short-term wins with long-term content marketing goals.

– Lessons from launching (and dropping) a podcast with limited resources.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH ELISE:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elise-thrale-439591145/

🌐 Website: napier.ai

This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick sits down with Aino Hakinen, VP of Marketing at Sievo, to dive into the challenges and opportunities of sales and marketing alignment. With a background in sales development, Aino brings a unique perspective on how marketing can drive revenue, build stronger relationships with sales teams, and create strategies that actually move the needle.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• The biggest misconception about sales and marketing alignment.

• How to shift marketing from a lead generator to a revenue driver.

• Why aligning on the ideal customer profile is critical—and how to do it.

• How to keep sales teams in the loop on marketing activities all year long.

• The key metrics that actually prove marketing’s impact on pipeline and revenue.

• How to prioritize the right industries and personas for long-term success.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH AINO:

🔔 LinkedIn: ​linkedin.com/in/ainohakkinen

🌐 Website: sievo.com

This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick is joined by John Habib, Director of Content Strategy at Diligent, to explore what it takes to build and scale a high-performing content team. With years of experience leading content teams, John shares his insights on identifying key roles, balancing internal and external resources, and adapting to evolving business needs.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• The three key pillars for building an effective content team from scratch.

• How to decide between hiring in-house and working with agencies.

• Tips for scaling your content team as your business grows.

• The role of mentorship in developing junior content professionals into subject matter experts.

• How to integrate AI tools into your content workflow effectively.

• Strategies for prioritizing content projects across multiple products and personas.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH JOHN:

🔔 LinkedIn: ​linkedin.com/in/johnphabib

🌐 Website: diligent.com

This week on the podcast, Niels sits down with Elizabeth Strickart, Director of Content Marketing at A-LIGN, to explore the challenges and opportunities of breaking down organizational silos in marketing. Elizabeth shares her journey of fostering collaboration across teams to create more impactful campaigns and drive better results.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• Why breaking down silos is critical for marketing success.

• How to build strong cross-departmental relationships in a remote work environment.

• Tips for working effectively with subject matter experts.

• How A-LIGN transformed their annual report into a company-wide initiative.

• The impact of ungating content on brand awareness and engagement.

• Practical strategies for demonstrating content ROI to executive teams.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH:

🔔 LinkedIn: ​linkedin.com/in/elizabethstrickert

🌐 Website: a-lign.com

This week on the podcast, Niels sits down with Matthew Grant, Director of Content Marketing at SAP LeanIX, to explore the challenges and opportunities of creating truly differentiated content in the age of AI. Matthew shares his wealth of experience in content strategy, customer storytelling, and leveraging subject matter expertise to stand out in competitive B2B markets.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• Why differentiation is critical in a world of AI-generated content.
• How to identify and showcase what makes your company truly unique.
• The role of educational content in building trust and authority in niche markets.
• The role of customer stories and subject matter experts in creating content that stands out.
• Practical tips for building strong relationships with internal experts to fuel your content
• strategy.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

Website http://leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH MATTHEW:

LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/matthewtgrant

Website http://leanix.net

This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick is joined by Thereasa Roy, Director of Content and Product Marketing at OffSec, to explore the unique benefits of aligning product marketing with content marketing for long-term success.

Thereasa shares her experiences overseeing both teams and how it has led to more cohesive messaging and impactful campaigns.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• Why combining product marketing and content marketing creates more impact.
• The benefits of a unified messaging framework and how to implement it.
• How to use customer insights to shape both content and product initiatives.
• Key strategies for running aligned product launches and content campaigns.
• Practical tips for avoiding common silos and fostering collaboration.
• The career path between product and content marketing and how these roles complement each other.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

🌐 Website: leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH THEREASA:

🔔 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thereasaroy

🌐 Website: offsec.com

This week on the podcast, Niels van Melick talks with Carleen Hughes, VP of Marketing at Kainos, about how to maximize ROI from events. With experience managing over 30 events annually, Carleen shares her insights on integrating events as a core element of a B2B marketing strategy, covering everything from planning to post-event follow-up.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• Why events are worth the investment despite their high cost.
• How to define and measure high-quality leads at events.
• The importance of aligning sales, SDR, and marketing teams for event success.
• Key challenges in event preparation and how to overcome them.
• Best practices for showcasing your brand and differentiating your booth from competitors.
• How to effectively follow up after an event to keep momentum going.

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips!

CONNECT WITH NIELS:

LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/nielsvanmelick

Website http://leadwave.io

CONNECT WITH CARLEEN:

LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/carleenhughes

Website http://kainos.com