How to Go to Network (Not Market)

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠Mark Kilens⁠, CEO and co-founder of ⁠Tack⁠, a community and consultancy focused on helping companies go to market. Mark shares a fresh perspective on how go-to-market strategies must evolve by putting people, not companies, at the heart of everything. From building trust to leveraging networks over traditional channels, Mark offers plenty of insights that challenge the status quo and equip marketers to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Mark's top 3 insights:Focus on People-First GTM built around relationships, storytelling, and partnerships.Build an owned audience through value-led content and free tools, not just blog posts.Prioritize network leverage over channels: think people, places, and brands as your new marketing reach.Timestamps0:00:25 – What is People-First Go-To-Market (GTM)?0:03:02 – Common challenges: Positioning and Ideal Customer Profiles0:06:54 – The importance of ecosystems and partnerships0:09:47 – Distribution leverage and marketing in noisy environments0:12:31 – Channels vs. Networks: A mindset shift0:18:24 – The role of AI in GTM strategy and marketing careers0:23:56 – Why build a community? The power of owned audiences0:27:58 – Using free tools to deliver value and collect data0:34:00 – Real-world client scenarios and solutions Tack provides0:36:38 – The over-reliance on paid media and what to do instead0:41:23 – What product metrics reveal about GTM effectiveness0:42:27 – Mark’s GTM checklist: ICPs, messaging, networks0:45:45 – Career reflections and advice for marketers-----------------------The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!