Ep. #70 Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director at AVK

Episode #70 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director at AVK.

Discover how to effectively combine branding and activation initiatives in the data center industry
Understand the importance of adopting a full buyer journey marketing approach in B2B technology
Learn how to leverage content marketing and thought leadership to build trust with technical buyers
Explore strategies for integrating sales and marketing teams to drive better go-to-market alignment
Gain insights on navigating career transitions and finding growth opportunities in the evolving data center space
Identify best practices for building a strong brand and visual identity that resonates with your target audience
Understand how to effectively leverage social media and owned media channels to distribute valuable content
Learn techniques for involving internal subject matter experts in the content creation process

Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Special Guest:
Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director
AVK

Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Director of Marketing at AVK, discusses the evolution of data center marketing, emphasizing the integration of branding and activation initiatives. He highlights AVK's recent rebranding, launch of a new website, and the AVK Academy. Giuseppe stresses the importance of a full-funnel marketing approach, leveraging both B2B and B2C strategies. He advises marketers to focus on long-term branding and strategic planning, rather than just short-term lead generation. Giuseppe also underscores the need for collaboration between sales and marketing teams and the importance of a cohesive, integrated marketing strategy.

Action Items

Establish a strong brand and visual identity for the company.
Launch a new blog and start publishing content regularly.
Leverage social media to distribute the company's content.
Make the company and brand more "human" and relatable to the audience.
Explore opportunities to bring in B2C marketing approaches and tactics to the B2B data center space.
Collaborate closely with the sales team to ensure alignment and integration between marketing and sales efforts.
Involve internal subject matter experts (e.g., engineers) in the content creation process to build thought leadership.

Outline

Data Center Marketing Strategy and Branding

Giuseppe Caltabiano discusses the advantage of the data center space in adopting a full journey marketing approach, combining branding and activation initiatives.
He highlights the company's efforts in opening a blog, writing content, and using social media to make the brand more human and closer to the audience.
Giuseppe introduces himself as the Senior Director of Marketing for AVK and sets the stage for the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Joshua Feinberg welcomes Giuseppe and expresses curiosity about his journey into his current role at AVK.

Giuseppe's Career Journey and Entry into Data Centers

Giuseppe recounts his career in B2B tech, starting with a British software company, Invensys, and moving to Schneider Electric through an acquisition.
He describes his transition to the data center space within Schneider Electric, starting with the IT and Cloud division.
Giuseppe mentions his role in launching the first content marketing initiative at Schneider Electric and his subsequent move to marketing tech.
He shares his recent return to the data center space with AVK, where he is busy with branding, content marketing, and launching the AVK Academy.

The Importance of Content and Education in Building Trust

Joshua and Giuseppe discuss the value of content and education in building trust with clients and channel partners.
Giuseppe reflects on his experience with Schneider Electric's content marketing initiatives and their long-term success.
Joshua shares his experience with APC and the importance of early-generation battery backup training events for channel partners.
They discuss the evolution of marketing in B2B tech and the need for a full-funnel approach, covering the entire buyer journey.

Challenges and Opportunities in Data Center Marketing

Giuseppe and Joshua discuss the challenges of getting company leadership to see the long-term value of marketing investments.
They highlight the importance of channel partners and the need for companies to provide value to them over the long term.
Giuseppe emphasizes the need for a balance between short-term and long-term marketing strategies in the data center space.
They explore the role of communities and ecosystems in influencing buyer decisions and the importance of continuous learning and networking.

Rebranding and Integrated Marketing Approaches

Giuseppe shares his experience with AVK's rebranding initiative, starting with reviewing company values, mission, and vision.
He explains the importance of aligning the brand with the company's strategy and the role of marketing in driving growth.
Giuseppe discusses the integration of marketing initiatives, including content marketing, social media, and client relationships.
He emphasizes the need for a cohesive marketing approach that covers the entire buyer journey and leverages the best practices from other industries.

The Role of Marketing in the Data Center Space

Giuseppe and Joshua discuss the evolving role of marketing in the data center space and the need for a strategic approach.
They highlight the importance of understanding the buyer’s journey and the role of marketing in driving demand and lead generation.
Giuseppe shares his experience with building internal content teams and the challenges of getting engineers to contribute to content creation.
They discuss the potential for marketing to play a more significant role in the data center space and the need for a collaborative approach between marketing and sales.

The Future of Marketing in the Data Center Space

Giuseppe envisions a bright future for marketing in the data center space, with a growing role in driving demand and lead generation.
He emphasizes the importance of a proper narrative and the need for marketing to own the buyer journey.
Giuseppe discusses the potential for marketing to influence external stakeholders, including elected officials and regulators.
He encourages marketers to join the data center space and take advantage of the growing opportunities in the industry.

Advice for Early Career Professionals in Data Centers

Giuseppe advises early career professionals to dive into the technical side of the industry while building relationships and staying curious.
He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and networking, including attending industry events and engaging with the community.
Giuseppe shares his own experience of reinventing himself multiple times and the importance of being open to new opportunities.
He encourages young professionals to embrace new skills and consider different roles within the data center space.

The Importance of Collaboration and Trust in Marketing

Giuseppe and Joshua discuss the importance of collaboration between marketing and sales teams to drive success.
They highlight the need for mutual trust and the role of sales in distributing content and engaging with prospects.
Giuseppe shares his experience with building internal content teams and the importance of featuring engineers as authors and contributors.
They discuss the potential for ride-alongs and other collaborative initiatives to improve the relationship between marketing and sales.

The Role of Marketing in Influencing External Stakeholders

Giuseppe and Joshua discuss the role of marketing in influencing external stakeholders, including elected officials and regulators.
They highlight the importance of education and trust-building in gaining support for data center projects.
Giuseppe emphasizes the need for a strategic approach to marketing that covers the entire buyer journey and leverages the best practices from other industries.
They discuss the potential for marketing to play a key role in driving growth and success in the data center space.

Guest Resources

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Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast | Guest Interview

Ep. #70 Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director at AVK | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast