In the dynamic realm of marketing, Anna Waldon stands out for her blend of creativity and strategy as a Marketing Manager at 512Financial. Her background in theater and computer science and her experience as an SDR gives her a unique perspective. Join us as we dive into Anna’s insights on the evolving marketing landscape, her contributions to 512Financial, and the transformative power of fractional marketing services.
Q: Can you provide an overview of your career journey and your industry experiences?
A: Starting as an SDR in the B2B realm, I owe much to my mentor Taito Nakagawa, who instilled in me professionalism, determination, and the value of being compassionate to those around me. My role expanded into creating outbound campaigns and partner enablement as we tried to reach the Asia-Pacific & Latin America regions. Engrossed in understanding the go-to-market (GTM) machine, I learned from everyone involved which led me to Veena.
My work in HubSpot and Salesforce overlapped with many of Veena’s marketing initiatives. Her work creating a strong, enthusiastic marketing team impressed me. It wasn’t long before I found myself on her team inspired by the idea of mutual support between Sales and Marketing. I focused on building out my skills in Sales Enablement, CRM management, and Marketing Operations. I sought anything that would strengthen the GTM team including project management, web development, webinars, and demand generation.
I’m grateful for the many mentors and friends who shaped my journey and led me to 512Financial where I can build my marketing experience through fractional work. Being fractional allows me to cultivate multiple GTM teams simultaneously while also being a present wife and mother.
Q: What trends or shifts have you noticed within the marketing industry recently? How do you think these trends are affecting the way businesses should approach their marketing strategies?
A: I think the biggest one that everyone is still figuring out is AI. Where is it helpful and where does it hurt? It’s exciting to be in the “gold rush” of AI but I think we need to be cautious as marketers to ensure our deliverables stay meaningful and appealing to the individual. Our job is to clarify and so often AI can bring in muck. There could be gold in the muck but is it worth sorting through?
Q: In what way do you differentiate your approach from other marketers?
A: I am extremely focused on the holistic development of the GTM team. I think I can be overly sympathetic to Sales. It can cause some healthy tension that provides Marketing with an added perspective.
Q: What is something unique that you bring to 512Financial? And therefore, to your clients?
A: I’m such an odd blend of creativity and structure. I love all of it. It has helped my team to have someone who can organize a project timeline as adeptly as I create social graphics. Recently I had the opportunity to design and build web pages for a client. That was such a unique experience to be able to work holistically on both sides. It was a heavy lift on my own but ultimately rewarding.
Q: Can you share a specific example of a successful marketing campaign or project you’ve worked on for a client?
A: I love it when a client proposes an idea they’re enthusiastic about and we’re able to execute it. There was an idea that a compliance client had to provide security alerts to their customers. They wanted to turn this into an external campaign on their website. I was able to redesign the alerts and create a prominent place on their website for visitors to reference. The internal team was delighted, and customers and prospects kept mentioning it. That to me is a successful campaign.
Q: How do you stay updated with the latest trends?
A: I’m a researcher. I learn by doing. When starting an unfamiliar project, I take the time to talk to others involved in similar work and even seek out training courses or webinars on the subject matter. This year I’ve been extremely focused on building my SEO skills. I have a compendium of notes and resources, but I know the most valuable experience is to apply what I’ve learned in my current projects and note what works best.
Q: In your opinion, what are some common misconceptions or mistakes in marketing that you see a lot of businesses make?
A: I think it’s a mistake when marketing distracts from the product or service or is overly pushy. Marketing is meant to clarify, connect, and inform. We’re so overwhelmed with content in the digital age that loud marketing is such a disservice to the product and potential customer.
Q: What do you believe is the biggest value of a fractional marketing team? Of 512Financial?
A: The absolute wealth of experience a fractional team brings. It’s incredible because they’ve worked with many clients and have this cohesive marketing view. Fractional marketers are noting where the trends are and what’s effective. They’re going to apply that to all their clients. At 512Financial especially we’re such a tight-knit group always learning from one another and striving to provide value at every moment to our clients.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice for marketers, what would it be?
A: Never stop learning. Try different marketing areas to find what you like. Ask questions and learn from those around you. If there’s a certain area that fascinates you, seek out opportunities to learn more about it and improve your ability.
It’s clear Anna’s approach to marketing is both thoughtful and dynamic. With a keen eye for innovation and a commitment to collaboration, Anna embodies the ethos of excellence that defines 512Financial.
For businesses looking to elevate their marketing strategies and drive meaningful results, Anna and the team at 512Financial offer a compelling solution. Don’t miss the opportunity to use their expertise and experience — reach out today to explore how fractional marketing services can propel your business to new heights.