AMA Pittsburgh’s Coffee Connections is a monthly roundtable discussion designed to bring together marketers, business leaders, and creative minds from across the Pittsburgh region. This casual yet insightful gathering is where big ideas meet real-world strategies, giving attendees the opportunity to learn from experts, exchange perspectives, and build valuable professional relationships.
Each Coffee Connections session focuses on a timely and relevant marketing topic, featuring industry leaders, guest speakers, and thought-provoking discussions. Whether you’re a CMO shaping strategy, a startup founder looking to grow, or a marketing professional eager to stay ahead of industry trends, Coffee Connections is your chance to gain actionable insights and network with the region’s top marketers.
At our March 2025 session of AMA Coffee Connections Roundtable, we had the pleasure of learning from Ben Deutsch, VP of Digital Marketing at ABD Direct. ABD Direct secures resources and reaches audiences so its clients can fulfill their critical missions. ABD Direct VP of Digital Marketing Ben Deutsch has raised over $40M and managed multiple seven-figure ad campaigns on behalf of major nonprofits, political campaigns, and advocacy organizations.
Over coffee and conversation, Ben shared what’s worked across campaigns that have raised more than $40 million and run across every major channel. What followed was a practical, tactical, and candid look at how to build smarter strategies with the tools already in your digital toolbox.
This session emphasized practical, high-impact strategies that marketing teams can apply immediately to drive growth and customer impact.
“Start with the goal, know who you’re trying to reach, where to reach them, and what to say—that’s the whole campaign right there.”
— Ben Ben Deutsch, VP of Digital Marketing at ABD Direct
With $40M+ in campaign experience under his belt, Ben made it clear: success doesn’t come from being everywhere. It comes from aligning your strategy to your objective, being ruthlessly clear on your audience, and choosing the right tools for the job. Whether you’re driving awareness, conversions, or long-term retention, the smartest campaigns are the ones that stay focused, informed, and intentional.
The Funnel Isn’t Just a Buzzword—It’s Your Blueprint
Ben kicked things off by mapping the classic marketing funnel—but with a twist. He broke it into four key stages: Awareness, Cultivation, Conversion, and Retention. Then he asked the group: what does success actually look like at each stage?
For awareness, it’s all about exposure—did they see you? Cultivation is about interest—did they engage? Conversion means action—did they spend, subscribe, or donate? And retention? That’s where true loyalty shows up—are they giving again, referring others, upgrading their purchases?
As Ben put it: “These actions show commitment—investing, taking their wallet out, spending more than a few seconds on your website. These are real asks that demonstrate trust.”
Pick Your Tool for the Job
Not every channel does everything. Ben encouraged us to treat our channel mix like a toolbox—not a buffet. You don’t need to use every platform for every campaign. You need to use the right platform for the goal you’re targeting.
If your goal is awareness, think broad. Channels like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), YouTube, display ads, and CTV (connected TV) work well for getting your name out there. For conversions, it’s often best to double down on search (especially Google’s Performance Max), email, or retargeting past website visitors.
Ben emphasized that, while it’s tempting to start with broad awareness, marketers with limited budgets should often begin with high-intent or high-trust audiences.
“I generally don’t start with awareness,” Ben shared. “I would dedicate marketing toward reaching people that you’re pretty confident are going to be supportive. Get them on your list, get them to convert—and then use awareness and cultivation to expand your base.”
Research Drives Relevance
When it comes to digital strategy, the “who” matters as much as the “what.” One thing Ben kept coming back to: start with the audience.
“Ideally, they’re informed by research. So, things like: What are your people interested in? Where do they live? What do they look like?” he said. “These are the questions I ask when thinking about how to expand my supporter base. That’s what awareness is—expanding the people who can get to like you and trust you.”
He encouraged marketers to take advantage of lookalike audiences and custom targeting when they have strong first-party data. Meta and Google Ads both offer tools that make it easy to find people who behave like your existing donors or customers.
Creative Matters More Than You Think
Once you know who you’re targeting and where to find them, the next question is: what do you say?
Video was a recurring theme. “If you’re trying to make someone feel like they know you, video is one of the fastest ways to do it,” Ben said. But he also reminded us that attention spans are short. “Even if it’s from a close friend, it’s hard to get someone to watch a video longer than a minute.”
That means you need to lead with the most important information. In one campaign Ben showed, a political candidate said his name and his message within the first five seconds of a 30-second ad. Why? Because if someone skips after five seconds, at least they’ve heard the name and the ask.
Content Marketing Isn’t Just for the Top of the Funnel
Ben reminded attendees that content plays a role throughout the funnel—not just in early-stage awareness. Thoughtful, well-timed content can reinforce trust with people who already know your brand and move them toward conversion or repeat engagement.
Email, sponsored content, and native advertising all have roles to play here. “I think you can gamble a little more with people’s attention once they know who you are,” he said. “They’ll watch a minute-long video. They’ll read your article. You’ve earned the right to ask for more of their time.”
Don’t Overthink the Funnel—Optimize It
While there was plenty of sophistication in Ben’s campaign breakdowns, he also urged marketers not to overcomplicate things.
“Some people don’t need cultivation,” he said. “There’s an audience out there who just really want to get involved right away. Focus on them first. Don’t overthink it.”
That approach came up again when someone asked about how to prioritize spend across multiple goals. Ben’s advice: start where there’s already interest. Then layer in cultivation and awareness to broaden your base.
Retargeting, Remarketing, and Making the Most of Momentum
The conversation also touched on full-funnel measurement and integrated tracking. One campaign Ben shared involved reinforcing a direct mail fundraising campaign with digital ads to the same audience. The ads didn’t stand alone—they were designed to increase mail response rates.
Even when the direct impact didn’t exceed the ad spend, Ben noted the long-term value of re-engaging lapsed donors or acquiring new ones who might give again. “If we re-engage someone, and they give again, that’s long-term value. It’s not just about break-even ROI on day one.”
What To Do Next
If there was one core message from the session, it was this:
start with the goal, align your tools accordingly, and know your audience.
Whether you’re managing a seven-figure campaign or trying to stretch a few thousand dollars, the playbook is the same: find your people, focus your message, and use the right channels at the right stage of the journey.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of digital platforms? Take a cue from Ben’s final advice: “You don’t have to think of it as either/or. It’s yes/and. Different tactics reinforce each other. They’re not competing—they’re connected.”
