[THE LATEST] How to have really difficult conversations over video, are you ready to do content marketing right, and how we planned and executed a 3,000-person virtual event in only 3 weeks

Here's THE LATEST digital sales and marketing news, so you can do your jobs better and make smarter decisions faster.

How to have really difficult conversations over video, are you ready to do content marketing right, and how we planned and executed a 3,000-person virtual event in only 3 weeks ...this is THE LATEST! 🔥 Hot off the presses When in-person isn't possible: How to have challenging, sticky, and difficult conversations (as an individual and as a brand) when video is your only option You might not be: How do you know if you, your team, or your company are ready to do content marketing the right way with They Ask, You Answer? Virtual event planning 101: IMPACT pulled off a 3,000-person, live virtual sales and marketing event in under 3 weeks; learn how we did it (so you can, too) 👋 Face-to-face sales conversations are a thing of the past — at least for the foreseeable future. Empower your sales team to start crushing their revenue goals right now in this new virtual world with IMPACT's video for sales training service. Your sales reps (and your bottom line) will thank you. "Hey, Liz! How's your week going?" I think I can best answer that question by sharing a photograph of an actual meal I had this week, as I strategized and content-planned my way through the dinnertime hour: That's right, folks. I deftly and expertly paired a 2015 French Bordeaux with an oh, so refined turkey bologna and muenster cheese sandwich on potato bread, served atop an artisanal, free range, grass-fed Bounty paper towel square. Honestly, I don't know if I've unlocked a heretofore undiscovered "adulthood" achievement or if I should feel ashamed.  Anyway, I've talked before about the positively wild behavior I've engaged in as a marketer, when I've previously needed to power through and bring out my creativity in the wee hours of the morning.  But I think we can all admit the current situation has all of us digital sales and marketing shut-ins indulging in all sorts of ridiculous food, drink, and work combinations. For instance, I don't even want to think about all of the poor, defenseless tomatoes that had to die to satisfy IMPACT Community and Events Director Stephanie Baiocchi's unquenchable thirst for obscene quantities of salsa, as she spent every waking hour planning Digital Sales and Marketing Day in under three weeks. Still, I don't care if you require salsa, high-brow French wine, Sunny D (alright!), steak, vats of buffalo chicken dip, or a banana and mayo sandwich like you're Elvis to get your work done.  You do you. We've all got enough to worry about, so don't let anyone stop you. Now, here is THE LATEST...  👉 "Just because I can't talk to someone in person now doesn't mean I can avoid having tough conversations. So, how can I have difficult conversations over video?" (7-minute read) This is an emotional time for us all. With social distancing in play and almost all of our activities happening behind screens, we're all craving human interaction. You may be thinking, "Oh good, another work-from-home pro-tips article" or "fear-mongering story" about how the world is running out of toilet paper. Don't worry, this article is not about any of that. Instead, this candid, must-read piece from IMPACT Head of Sponsorships Nick Bennett dives into the essential best practices every digital marketer, sales pro, and business leader must embrace right now to have effective, challenging conversations over video. 💬 You asked, we answered What is the most important thing we should be focusing on right now through this pandemic? How can I be more productive and positive while working from home? 👉 "OK, we're excited to do content marketing the right way with the groundbreaking principles of They Ask, You Answer, but how do we know if we're ready yet?" (8-minute read) Whether you've recently come to learn about They Ask, You Answer or you're ready to begin your journey with it, you may find yourself wondering how to get started off on the right foot. And, if that's where you're at, you're already asking the right questions. They Ask, You Answer is more than a content strategy, it's a business philosophy that requires a series of fundamental beliefs. If you want to know if your company is ready to embrace this time-tested, revolutionary content marketing approach, you need to read this comprehensive primer from IMPACT Director of Video Strategy and Inbound Training Zach Basner. 💬 You asked, we answered Hold the phone, what the heck is They Ask, You Answer? Can you prove that the They Ask, You Answer approach to content marketing actually works for companies? ⚠️ "With everything going on in the world, we can't afford a single misstep. We need to know how effective our digital sales and marketing strategies are right now — how do we do that?" You need our interactive IMPACT+ digital sales and marketing scorecard: If you want to unlock this invaluable scorecard for your company, all you need to do is create a FREE IMPACT+ account. Really, that's all you need to do to gain access to every strategic recommendation and resource that will help you make the right moves with your digital sales and marketing. 👉 "What do we need to know about pulling off an epic, memorable, revenue-generating virtual event for our potential buyers, customers, and partners?" (8-minute read) Last month, the IMPACT team had to make a tough decision. In light of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe — and its imminent threat to public safety — we chose to postpone Digital Sales & Marketing World (slated for this month) to November. However, we recognized that businesses now, more than ever, needed help, so we made the decision to instead host a completely virtual event during the time we had already reserved in April. In this behind-the-scenes interview with IMPACT Director of Community and Events Stephanie Baiocchi, learn how we pulled off a 3,000-person live virtual event, and every tip and best practice you need to know to do the same. 💬 You asked, we answered  What is Digital Sales & Marketing World? What did Marcus Sheridan learn from hosting a 3,000-person virtual event? 🎧 Latest shows and podcasts Blending product marketing and SEO to boost stagnant traffic (Inbound Success) NEW 🔥 How I wrote a blog in under 24 hours (Content Lab)  The Flywheel with Tammy Duggan-Herd (Hubcast)  How to do more video with fewer resources (Film School for Marketers)  🌶️ Hot topics in Elite IMPACT Elite is our exclusive Facebook group for the brightest minds in digital sales and marketing. Here's the discussion that's caught my eye: David Little wants to know who the best digital sales and marketing thought leaders he should be following. 📆 Marketing events you need to know June 11: I will be joining friend of IMPACT Franco Valentino as a cohost of a FREE live "website surgery" webinar hosted by SEMrush, and I hold nothing back when it comes to content critiques of websites! (Psst! If you missed the first one I did with SEMrush, you can watch the replay!)  June 23: Mark your calendars! Our next virtual event will be on June 23 and it'll be all about virtual selling. Registration will open soon but for now, mark your calendars! 😒 Weeklong nonsense With everything going on in the world, you now get nonsense in every single issue of THE LATEST...  Happy last day of April, folks. That's right, tomorrow... it's gonna be May. Later, nerds! 😘 Liz "Bologna Sandwich Sommelier" Moorehead Editorial Director @naptownpint Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe Sent with 💙 by IMPACT  470 James Street, Suite 10, New Haven, CT