I have written in the past how the marketing automation now marketing software market has changed and that I longed for the days of big news, public spats, and gossip. One of my most visited post was Ridiculous Ramblings about the Marketing Automation Market. (Twitter counter is broken so don’t be deceived by the number of tweets)
It got boring….but maybe the fun is back: Hubspot announced that Joe Chernov will be joining their team as the VP of Content. To start the fun, they did a really creative announcement ala a baseball free agent signing. (Love that)
Joe and I had a great time when he was with Eloqua. His tenure marked my favorite times in the marketing automation now marketing software space. He is such a passionate guy who just isn’t afraid to fight for what he thinks is right. He is so Boston. (compliment). I was going to say he is a fighter. (Marketo may agree) But to describe Joe as a fighter doesn’t paint the right picture. Yes, he had public spats but it wasn’t for show. It was because he believed he was right. It was fun and uncomfortable at the same time. I certainly didn’t agree with him on everything but I loved DM’ing back and forth with him. I missed him from the marketing space. But he is back and he joins Hubspot which means we will see and hear him again.
Welcome back dude. Or as Denzel Washington might say: “My man…”
I asked thought leaders what they think of the move, here is what they said:
First, from Hubspot CMO Mike Volpe:
“Joe did an amazing job of implementing the inbound marketing playbook at Eloqua, I think it was a key factor in the success of their IPO and then acquisition. I’m excited to have Joe on team HubSpot, the birthplace of the inbound marketing revolution.”
“Chernov is one of the best there is in terms of content development and strategy. This is a big win for HubSpot and the impact it will have on their Demand Generation strategy. A team that includes Volpe and Chernov is a powerful marketing engine and will only serve to continue to elevate Hubspot and force others in this space to step up their content game.” – Carlos Hidalgo, Annuitas
“When one of the best content marketers I know makes a move, you just know amazing things are going to happen. I can’t wait to see how Joe Chernov helps HubSpot become even better than they already are.” Ardath Albee, author of eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale
“There hasn’t been a better match since peanut butter and jelly. Joe is a master of marketing to marketers, the Einstein of the eBook, the Socrates of social.” Steve Gershik, Identified
“”This is a match made in heaven – not just for Hubspot and Joe, but for all the B2B marketers that have come to enjoy and benefit from their practical, no nonsense approach to content that actually moves the needle. Joe practically invented the infographic as a B2B lead gen tool, and all of his projects were remarkable in that they cut through the clutter to get to the heart of the issue at hand. Hubspot has similarly carved a unique content path with guides, ebooks and blog content that are insightful and actionable. You could easily swap four years of university marketing classes for a daily dose of their content and emerge with more marketing chops and $80K in your pocket. I can’t wait to see what they do together.” Jim Williams, Influitive
“HubSpot has been a company dedicated to using their own best practices in order to drive success for their organization. Because of this it makes perfect sense to hire one of the world’s best content marketers to help strengthen Hubspot’s own inbound marketing. I have no doubt the content created by this pairing is going to be great.” Maria Pergolino, Apptus
“I have been a HubSpot fan since Brian Halligan use to do the trade show product demos personally. The company has exploded in growth alongside the industry. Since Mike Volpe assumed the role of CMO he’s had the Herculean task to re-imagine a marketing organization that not only keep pace with that exceptional growth, but outpaces it. To that end he has continually made very savvy decisions. Hiring Joe Chernov, arguably the industry’s only true Content Marketing Ninja, is another master stroke. Competitors in that space would be wise to take note that they are about to have their lunch money stolen.” Steve Farnsworth, The @Steveology Blog
“Joe is a marketer’s marketer who should be marketing marketing software to marketers!” Scott Albro, TOPO
“Brilliant move for both Joe and Hubspot. I think Joe will add a nitro boost to an already fine-tuned content marketing engine. I loved what he was doing at Kinvey, but it’s nice to see him back marketing to marketers where I think he really shines.” Jason Miller, LinkedIn
“My take is that this match was bound to happen at some point. Joe is a fountain of creativity and Hubspot is an organization that puts the time and resources to make great ideas a reality. A Volpe and Chernov combo? What’s not to love?” Jesse Noyes, Kapost
I will add quotes as they come in…
Speaking of marketing and lead nurturing: We have a webinar coming up on Lead Nurturing: December 4 at 10AM pacific with Mary Firme from Reachforce and Justin Gray from LeadMD: 7 Steps to Put your Lead Nurturing on Steroids. Come join the fun!
Please note: “My man” and Denzel has been a theme in my life recently thanks to my buddy Ted Purcell, SVP of Sales at Clarizen, who is the master of delivering “my man”.
Craig Rosenberg is the Funnelholic and a co-founder of Topo. He loves sales, marketing, and things that drive revenue. Follow him on Google+ or Twitter