Ashley Friedlein founded Guild in 2020, right before the pandemic. Its success came from the desire of marketers in B2B wanting to take account-based marketing to the next level through exclusive communities. Tune in as he unpacks how to build communities effectively and avoid the common pitfalls such as selling too early, having the wrong people as moderators, and more…
Few marketers can foster a real sense of community among their target audience today – and irrelevant content and cost of ad spend could be the reasons why. But for Ashley Friedlein, there is another way forward for marketers.
In 2020, Ashley founded Guild to help brands get away from the digital static and get through to their audience. An ad free, GDPR compliant, custom-branded platform with video, integrations, admin and analytics, it worked like a charm. Guild today hosts thousands of private B2B communities and groups.
On this episode, Ashley reveals the insider perspective of a man who has made his career by building communities. He starts with the basics: how to start a group, how to foster transparency and trust between members, and how to cultivate audience interest.
Besides the above, you’ll also hear important insights like:
[07:54]: Why community building feels difficult and what type of people do it well
[13:05]: The role of technology in the future of businesses and balancing tech with creativity
[22:04]: The new normal and what it means for marketers and marketing agencies
[22:16]: The return of community to the centre stage in the business world
[23:57]: How to use community marketing to gather first-party data and fuel pipeline growth
[25:51]: Cutting through the social media noise using closed-group communities
[27:59]: Completing your sales funnel with community-based marketing
[29:34]: How in-person meets can plug the gap between digital and human experiences and foster trust and transparency
[Community] marketing should be about understanding the market. The conversations you have in the community show give you insights into what people think and want and need. It gives you insights into what language they use. It’s like a free focus group or market research.
Ashley Friedlein,
CEO & Founder,
Guild
Ashley Friedlein
CEO & Founder, Guild
Ashley is the CEO & Founder of Guild, the platform for professional groups, networks and communities. Ashley is one of the most influential and connected figures in digital and marketing. He is also an author of two best-selling books on digital business. A columnist, commentator and blogger, he speaks worldwide on community building and digital marketing trends and best practice.
HOSTED BY
Craig McCartney
Managing Director,
Chief Nation
Welcome to The CEO.digital Show, a new peer-to-peer podcast series where we’ll be talking to influential thought leaders about how tech is continuing to change the way the world does business.
The CEO.digital Show is brought to you by host Craig McCartney. Each week, we’ll be interviewing major thought and industry leaders to learn how they are embracing new technologies and strategies to create new value and success for their companies. Find us on all major podcast streaming platforms.
