Episode 3 of the Influencer Marketing Lab podcast where I speak with Ashley Friedlein founder of Guild and Econsultancy 

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The podcast is sponsored by Tagger the data-driven influencer marketing platform and social listening tool.

Show notes

Welcome to episode 3 of the Influencer Marketing Lab - a weekly podcast tracking the growth spurts and growing pains of influencer marketing.

This week I'm in conversation with Ashley Friedlein CEO & Founder of Guild and Founder of Econsultancy

Guild is a messaging app for professionals and we'll hear why Ashley believes it's an antidote to WhatsApp, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Ashley Friedlein also founded Econsultancy back in 1999 as the digital marketing best practice outlet.  

Through our discussion we learn of the marked similarities between the digital landscape of the late nineties and of influencer marketing today. An industry scrambling to define itself. With no agreed best practice or emerging best practice and no forum for practitioners to learn from each other.

Econsultancy was founded as a safe place for practitioners to share what was working (and what wasn't) along with why in an open, honest and transparent way in a bid for participants to become better at their jobs.

In our interview we cover:

For a full breakdown of discussion points turn to the episode's chapter markers.

  • The power of word-of-mouth marketing in growing Econsultancy organically
  • The benefits of SEO in building the Econsultancy brand
  • The challenges of building a community of like-minded people prepared to share their mistakes as well as their successes
  • Parallels between the dot com crash of 2001 and today's uncertainty of a Covid-19 economy
  • Why, when building a community, the most interesting things to share are the things that haven't worked
  • Why exit strategies usually are after 7-10 years rather than the optimistic 3-5 years
  • The challenges of international expansion
  • The brand extensions which were too early for the marketplace
  • Whilst learnings and insight may be universal examples need to be relevant to the local offering
  • Parallels and lessons to be learned from digital in 2000 and influencer marketing in 2020
  • Entrepreneurism - the difference between having 'a great idea' and turning that idea into a reality
  • What Guild is and who it is designed for
  • Why the world needs yet another messaging app
  • The opportunities and threats which artificial intelligence brings with it 

Ashley Friedlein background

In 2013 Ashley authored the "Modern Marketing Manifesto" which set out his beliefs around how digital and classic marketing should combine.

In 2017 he followed this up with the “Modern Marketing Model (M3)” which redefines marketing for the digital age.

Ashley is author of two best-selling books on digital. A columnist, commentator and blogger, he speaks worldwide on digital and marketing trends and best practice.

Ashley is involved in a number of digital businesses and ventures as founder, investor or adviser, including:

1. CEO & Founder, Guild - messaging app for professionals
2. Founder, Econsultancy - digital marketing best practice
3. Mentor, Cambridge Judge Business School - masters/diploma in entrepreneurship
4. Speaker, Founders4Schools - inspiring school children into the world of work
5. Angel investor – Ably, Learn Amp, Seat Unique

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Scott Guthrie is a professional adviser within the influencer marketing industry. He is an event speaker, university guest lecturer, media commentator on influencer marketing and active blogger. He works with brands, agencies and platforms to achieve meaningful results from influencer marketing. That tells you something about him but it's not giving you a lot of detail, is it? So, read more here.

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