We recently connected with Colleen Sabatino and have shared our conversation below.

Colleen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I think it can be tempting for businesses’ to attach success or failure to marketing-specific data — leads generated, clicks to the site, form fills, followers, etc. — and to feel the need to jump on trends to increase numbers. There’s no question that it’s important to set goals and use marketing data to inform decisions. But all too often business owners and even marketers chase data points without examining their real value to the business.

When I build a marketing strategy for a brand, or advise on a campaign, I use (and encourage my clients to use) what I call “brand-forward decision making.” This involves reflecting closely on how each decision or tactic connects back to the business’ core objectives and helps build the brand. In other words, branding decisions = business decisions (and vice-versa).

To do my job right as a marketer, I need a strong understanding of a business’ goals and vision. Without that, I might bring in leads that are not unlikely to take action, drive clicks that don’t show engagement, or spend money on tactics that don’t move the business in the intended direction.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

A writer by trade and a connector by nature, I love the work of helping brands tell their story. After over a decade as an in-house marketing and communications professional in the education industry, I started Sabatino Marketing LLC in 2022. My goal was two-fold: to gain more flexibility in my professional and personal life and to explore new industries and opportunities that would help me grow as a marketer.

Sabatino Marketing LLC provides marketing strategy development, copywriting, campaign building and project coordination for businesses and startups in healthcare, education, wellness, nonprofit and more.
The goal is to help you connect the dots to enhance your brand and achieve your business goals.

The thing I love most about working with businesses in a start-up or growth phase in particular is helping shape overall strategy and build a solid foundation for a marketing program. A former student journalist, extrovert and insatiable learner, I’m a natural interviewer. I ask a lot of questions and am big on communication. Clients appreciate my clear and consistent communication style and how I get to the heart of their mission and create an authentic, priority-focused strategy.

My writing background kicks in when it’s time to focus on messaging. Creating core messages that align with the business objectives and define the brand is always a fun exercise. From there, I work with clients to develop a content strategy to optimally share those messages with their target audience across a variety of channels. Here, the focus is on creating a practical and authentic plan. Not chasing trends.

I have a network of writers and designers that I often tap for projects, especially when it comes to campaigns. I love teaming up with other creatives to bring a vision to life, and I’m always looking for more collaborators.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

In my professional career, as well as my personal life, I’ve always prioritized building and maintaining relationships with others. 100% of my clients to date have come from referrals or direct relationships (past colleagues, acquaintances/associates, etc.).

Relationship-building is often thought of as a “soft” skill, but I’d argue it’s one of the more difficult and valuable skills you can master. It requires you to show up authentically and consistently, engage in active listening, honor transparency and express genuine care. It’s emotional/social labor that, in my opinion, when done well, has a direct positive impact on quality of work.

My clients and colleagues know that they can rely on me to produce consistent, high quality work. Because I’ve taken the time to build trust and show my genuine interest in their goals, they have confidence in my ability to produce results.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m passionate about empowering other women creatives, professionals and entrepreneurs. As a young woman starting out in the workforce, and perhaps even more so when I became a working mother, it was important for to have mentors in leadership roles that supported and understood me.

I continue to learn how I can contribute to marketing efforts that invite diverse perspectives and promote inclusivity. And as I evaluate potential clients, I look to uplift and support women entrepreneurs and leaders.

When starting Sabatino Marketing LLC, I set a goal of working with primarily women-owned, women-run or women-focused businesses. My clients have included businesses building unique and impactful products and services. From finance education programs for mothers transitioning back to work, to a one-of-a-kind postpartum fitness app, to a woman-owned and operated healthcare company revolutionizing physical therapy, these companies kept me inspired.

In servicing them, I was also able to collaborate and refer work to fellow women creatives this past year. As I continue to grow the business, I hope to be able to share more opportunities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sabatinomarketing.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-sabatino-90b65812/

Image Credits
Melissa Kelly Photography (headshot)