Michael Brenner — Why are Marketers so Miserable?

Michael Brenner is the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, founded on the belief that strong leaders who champion their teams are the key to unlocking massive growth. Michael is also a globally-recognized keynote speaker on leadership, culture, and marketing and author of the bestselling book, The Content Formula. Michael talks about why our marketing budgets are out of whack, why most marketers are absolutely miserable, and his latest book, Mean People Suck. Key Takeaways: [2:30] Why does Michael have 53 jobs under his belt? [4:40] Michael loves jumping into something new and getting to know a new boss and work culture. [4:50] Michael learned quickly that he needed to reach out to people when he was in a new organization. [7:30] Michael started working when he was 11 years old and he learned quickly that the early bird does get the worm. [10:45] Your network is really your key base when you start to venture off into your own and build a company. [13:55] Why are marketers miserable? [17:25] Are there a lot of mean people in marketing roles? [21:00] Michael shares a story on what he learned about sales and selling early on in his career. [24:00] Humans can recognize pain in others as young as two years old and, in turn, can learn empathy. [26:40] How does Michael define content marketing? [29:10] Executives need to stop driving their marketing team to do things that do not work, things that are just based on subjective opinion. [29:35] Content marketing is king, but distribution is queen. Michael explains more. [31:10] Fifty to seventy-five percent of traffic comes from organic search, 2% comes from social media, and 15% comes from paid. [39:15] How will AI impact the content marketing world? [42:15] How can brands create a stronger commitment with their audience this year? [47:10] You don't have to share stuff just about your expertise. Showcase your team's personality, hobbies, and love for cats! [49:25] Employee activation and engagement needs to become a bigger part of the marketing conversation. [52:10] Who would Michael like to eat lunch with, dead or alive? [55:55] How does Michael manage work/life balance? [59:40] What advice does Michael have for younger marketers just getting started in their career? Mentioned in This Episode: Marketinginsidergroup.com Michael on LinkedIn Mean People Suck: How empathy leads to bigger profits and a better life, by Michael Brenner