Growth invention & data-driven marketing
How marketing creates revenue: positioning, predictive models, mix modeling, testing and amplification that pays for itself.
PMB · Paul Buckley
How marketing creates revenue in the age of AI.
PMB is the consultancy and publishing home of Paul Buckley (PMB are his initials). Today Paul works on what AI changes for growth and content teams, from AI search to agentic workflows, drawing on 35 years of data-driven marketing, customer analytics and award-winning content. This is where he shares what he has learned.
What Paul writes and speaks about
Four topics, one question: what actually drives growth?
AI search & AI transformation
AI optimization (AIO), generative engine optimization (GEO) and agentic workflows: how buyers find you now, and how marketing teams work now.
Content that sells
Content that does the work for buyers: messaging, editorial planning, writing and design that win on value instead of price.
Empathy-based marketing
Everything starts with the buyer. Start where they live, fear and hope, and your message stops being noise.
Track record
Results Paul has been part of
- 35 years
- in growth strategy, client leadership and data-driven marketing
- 2× · 60+
- D Custom revenue doubled, and more than 60 national awards for clients
- $30M+
- a year cut from Harrah's marketing spend through mix modeling with Polaris Research, with performance maintained
- $1.5B+
- annual revenue for Dell from the consumer program Paul led
Insights
Latest articles
Latest insight
AI search & AI transformationStop Asking AI for a Draft. Staff It Like a Content Team.
Prompt AI as a team of specialists, with three human gates, not for one draft
AI search & AI transformation
AI vs. The Human Element
AI search & AI transformation
The AI-Powered Future of Content Marketing
Content that sells
The Definitive Guide to Content Marketing (In Just Seven Steps)
Growth invention & data-driven marketing
Testing: Don't Skip This Step
Growth invention & data-driven marketing
Content Amplification
Empathy-based marketing
Writing & Design
Work with me
Work with Paul
Pick the need that fits. Each one goes to the team built for it, and Paul is involved in all three.
Growth for a service business
Berry Buckley
A digital growth and content strategy firm for ambitious service businesses getting ready for AI search, combining AI optimization (AIO), content and demand generation.
Disclosure: Paul is a co-founder of Berry Buckley Inc.
Visit Berry Buckley (berrybuckley.com)Institutional memory
Nvitis
Nvitis is an institutional memory and context layer for complex organizations. It keeps the record of what was decided, and why, after people and tools change.
Disclosure: Paul is Chief Marketing Officer of Nvitis.
Visit Nvitis (nvitis.com)Strategy & marketing advisory
PMB
Direct work with Paul on marketing strategy, positioning, messaging, data-driven growth plans and AI transformation for marketing teams.
Disclosure: PMB is Paul's own consultancy, which he has led since 2005.
Start a conversationFrequently asked questions
What is PMB?
PMB (PMB Direct) is the marketing strategy consultancy and thought-leadership home of Paul Buckley, based in Dallas, Texas. Paul founded it in 2005. Today the site is where he publishes and speaks on growth, AI, content that sells and empathy-based marketing.
What does PMB stand for?
PMB are Paul Buckley's initials. The firm's full name is PMB Direct.
Who is Paul Buckley?
Paul Buckley is a marketing strategist with 35 years of experience. He co-founded Berry Buckley, where he leads AI optimization (AIO) strategy, is Chief Marketing Officer of Nvitis, and ran D Custom, the custom content division of D Magazine, from 2014 to 2024. Earlier, at RAPP (Omnicom), he led the data-driven growth program behind Dell's consumer launch. Read his full bio.
How can I work with Paul?
It depends on what you need. Growth programs for service businesses run through Berry Buckley, institutional memory through Nvitis, and strategy and marketing advisory directly through PMB. Compare the three options.
Does Paul speak at events?
Yes. Paul has delivered more than 10 keynotes, at SMU, the University of Michigan and the University of Washington, on AI-driven marketing, empathy-based strategy, brand innovation and growth invention. See speaking topics.