6 Ways B2B Marketers Are Falling Short Today

Marketing Roller CoasterAs I came back from the B2B Marketing Innovation Summit, put on by Demandbase, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we aren’t doing enough. That I’m not doing enough.

Sure, marketing is changing faster today than it did yesterday. Blah blah blah. It doesn’t matter how fast marketing is changing! The real question is “how are you changing?”

Here are six areas that struck me. No, they aren’t new. But they are places many B2B marketers, including myself, should be doing so much more. [Read more…]

The Golden Rule for Marketing

Golden RuleMarketers are looking for a way to get attention, to get their message across and ultimately to get an advantage over their competitors.

Marketing has become a bad word to many. As a marketer you may even cringe in certain settings when you are asked what you do. Unfortunately, you know the feelings toward marketing is sometimes justified. Even some of the best brands fall for the worst marketing tactics at times. [Read more…]

Three Data Opportunities B2B Marketers Are Missing Today

Rolls of DataFor all of the discussion of data in marketing, and Big Data in 2014, most B2B marketers are showing they are inept when it comes to actually using data to improve the majority of their marketing.

Yes, B2B marketers are doing a few things well when it comes to using data:

  • B2B marketers are increasingly adopting marketing automation and using past behavior to deliver more relevant content.
  • Ads are (occasionally) targeted and relevant to discrete audiences, using retargeting or through data providers like Bizo.
  • B2B marketing performance is being carefully tracked and optimized based on reported results.

Sound ok? Before you give yourself a pat on the back, this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg! [Read more…]

Are You Ready for Change?

Black DiceYou observe. You learn. You study. You make your plan. And your backup plan. And you move forward.

There’s just one complication: everything else continues to change.

Those changes will impact you. Your competitors went through a similar planning process. The economy rolls on, changing (or stagnating). People around you set their own plans into motion.

You must be ready to let go of the plan you invested months of your time and energy into and change course. [Read more…]

3 Common Problems with B2B Marketing Personas

Funhouse MirrorDeveloping personas is one of the first steps recommended by many B2B marketers. Understanding your audience is critical, and personas are one of the most effective solutions, right?

I recently had the privilege (cough) of reviewing personas created for a client by a large, respected agency. It was a stark reminder of how common bad personas are today.

Unfortunately, many B2B marketers are working with personas that do more harm than good. [Read more…]

Three Key Requirements of Agile Marketing

Old SchoolhouseAre you ready to be an agile marketer? Are you ready to respond to a reality that is changing, in unexpected ways, around you?

I’ve had a recent (and continuing) personal lesson in agility. We just sold our house. It wasn’t on the market, and frankly, we didn’t think it would close.

In short, we were not ready. Now, we need a place to live. Fast. And our experience is reinforcing three key requirements to be agile in marketing, and in life. [Read more…]

6 Best Tactics for B2B Lead Generation

Fireworks and Ferris WheelYou need to generate leads, right? If you are a B2B marketer, particularly one focused on making a complex sale in a large enterprise, the answer is almost certainly a resounding yes.

The B2B lead generation landscape has changed tremendously in the last decade. Today, B2B lead generation relies heavily on digital marketing and this list reflects that switch.

To make this list, tactics must be cost effective, measurable and scalable. In addition, they need to offer sufficient targeting for the broader marketing efforts of many mid-sized or large enterprise marketers. [Read more…]