The Point

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Almost 5 years ago, our agency conducted a survey to determine whether B2B companies were getting maximum value from their investment in marketing automation. At our agency, many new marketing automation clients come to us facing a common scenario. Reduced sales cycle? Lead to sale conversion rates? Click To Tweet.

Marketing Automation Services 147

Marketing Automation Services Marketing Management Marketing Automation Automation 147

The Point

JULY 1, 2019

For the last decade or more, it’s been an accepted principle – almost a key tenet – of B2B demand generation that business buyers don’t want to talk to a sales rep until the last possible moment. Now that lead has to be nurtured, educated, scored, enriched, appended and qualified before we would dare hand it off to sales.

B2B Sales 124

B2B Sales Demand Generation Agencies Top of Funnel Lead Scoring 124

The Point

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

However, relying exclusively, or even primarily, on late-stage KPIs can be problematic, particularly because ABM is most typically employed by companies marketing complex, enterprise solutions with long sales cycles. That means late stage KPIs won’t register until potentially weeks or months into the campaign.

Account Based Marketing 290

Account Based Marketing ABM Lead Ranking Sales Qualified Leads 290

The Point

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

However, if it’s a prerequisite for anything you ever do in demand gen, you’re doing your company and sales team a disservice by limiting engagement to only those prospects already in the more advanced stages of the buying journey. OR … I could choose to focus exclusively on those marketers shown to be researching marketing agencies.

Intent Data 149

Intent Data Demand Generation Agencies Intent Paid Social Agency 149

The Point

NOVEMBER 29, 2017

After more than two decades in the agency business, I’ve seen dozens of clients and hundreds of campaigns succeed and fail. Have you created a message deck that defines these selling points, by audience sector, to guide your agency partners, reduce creative cycles, and ensure that every sales outreach and marketing message is in sync?

Demand Generation Agencies 182

Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Demand Generation 182

The Point

MAY 9, 2017

Steve Patti is a former B2B CMO, agency CEO, and CxO advisor with 30 years of international experience helping brands grow revenues. Earlier this year, he launched The B2B Content Agency to provide clients with buyer research, message strategy and insight-lead sales narratives. What could be more fundamental to sales results?

Account Based Marketing 206

Account Based Marketing ABM Marketing Automation Services Lead Scoring 206

The Point

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

JW Player contacted Spear Marketing Group , a leading B2B demand generation agency , for help. What I’ve appreciated in working with Spear is that they share that same ROI focus – which you don’t always see in search agencies. That alignment is a big reason why I think this campaign has been such a success.”.

SEM 222

SEM Cost Per Click Enterprise Management Paid Search Agency 222

The Point

JUNE 30, 2017

In the agency business, such as ours , this has led in turn to a notable uptick of interest in what are often called (by the client): “ABM Campaigns.” It is a strategic initiative that involves (or should involve) both sales and marketing at all levels of the organization.

Account Based Marketing 235

Account Based Marketing ABM Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation 235

The Point

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

provide the option to opt out of the sale of a consumer’s personal information. At our agency , we’re telling B2B clients to regard regulations like CCPA as the rule, not the exception. delete the personal information that a business has collected about a consumer. Review internal processes and documentation re: data breach procedures.

B2B Marketing 220

B2B Marketing Advertising Agencies Privacy Policies B2B 220

The Point

MARCH 3, 2015

It’s always been obvious that agencies were a sensible channel for marketing automation vendors to pursue, but I’m beginning to wonder whether agencies might turn out to be the primary channel for such systems, excepting only direct sales to large enterprises. Perhaps having agencies run them is the real solution instead.”.

Marketing Automation Services 100

Marketing Automation Services Enterprise Management Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies 100

The Point

MAY 30, 2014

Over at the IDC Technology Marketing Blog , analyst Sam Melnick posted an article recently with the intriguing title: “Are Ad Agencies Keeping Pace with the Marketing’s (sic) Massive Digital Uptake? Here’s where I think today’s B2B marketing agency can best compete: • Helping clients get the most out of marketing technology.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Ad Agencies 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

On a recent conference call with a prospective client, the Vice President of Sales chimed in with a question: “How many touches do you think it takes before someone becomes a lead?”. In fairness to my VP friend, he won’t be the last to ask the question (or its close cousin, “How many touches does it take to make a sale?”)

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Validation Demand Generation Rules 100

The Point

APRIL 26, 2017

Our agency was a sponsor, so booth duty prevented me from taking in many of the educational sessions. Even for this branding cynic (motto: “branding is what your agency calls something when they can’t measure it”), it’s hard not to believe that the b-word may be on its way back. But here are my main observations from the week.

Marketo 154

Marketo Account Based Marketing Advertising Agencies Paid Search Agency 154

The Point

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Sungard AS runs a highly successful demand generation program, an integrated mix of both online and offline campaigns, to generate a consistent flow of leads to the company’s sales force. Spear is a Marketo agency partner.) “A Improve deliverability and overall email performance as measured by open and click rates.

Conversion Rate 100

Conversion Rate Marketing Qualified Leads Demand Generation Agencies Lead Ranking 100

The Point

DECEMBER 16, 2013

By way of context, I happen to work for a B2B marketing agency that helps clients generate, nurture, and convert sales leads. But effective to the point that they generate 71% of all sales leads? Want to guess how many of those leads arrive via our clients’ Websites? Virtually none. I doubt it. What do you think?

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies B2B Sales Sales Leads Microsite 100

The Point

MARCH 7, 2019

More often, we’re seeing email used as a key part of a more integrated approach, particularly in the context of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and sales enablement. HS) As a demand generation agency , we’ve designed and produced more direct mail in the last two years than in the previous five. Direct mail? Chat bots?). (HS)

Deliverability 150

Deliverability Account Based Marketing ABM Demand Generation Agencies 150

The Point

AUGUST 22, 2014

Earlier this month, I was interviewed by James Obermayer of the Sales Lead Management Association (SLMA) as we discussed how companies can decide when marketing automation is a fit for their organization, and how best to take the plunge. That interview is now available as a free podcast. You can access the full podcast here.

Marketing Automation Services 100

Marketing Automation Services Paid Search Agency Marketing Automation Advertising Agencies 100

The Point

JANUARY 9, 2015

I was reminded of this principle earlier today when a colleague forwarded an email received from a inside sales representative at a technology company looking to partner with our agency. B2B Marketing Cold Calling Copywriting Creative Demand Generation E-mail email marketing inside sales lead generation Offer Strategy Sales 2.0

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Copywriting Cold Calling Telemarketing 100

The Point

AUGUST 20, 2015

Marketers are judged (particularly by sales, and even more so in technology companies) on “what have you done for me lately.” Never mind that, over the long term and with the appropriate lead nurturing in place, other lead generation tactics (notably content marketing) are far more cost-effective. But therein lies the quandary.

Lead Generation 100

Lead Generation Demand Generation Agencies Lead Scoring Lead Ranking 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 10, 2014

Secondly, the paragraph is all first person: “We’ll explain the advantages Ethernet delivers …” so it sounds like a sales pitch, versus second person: “You’ll read about the advantages Ethernet delivers …” which would imply information of value and the benefits of responding. I like the way the call to action is presented (finally!) .”

Email Campaigns 100

Email Campaigns Demand Generation Agencies Campaigns Copywriting 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 24, 2015

Are you trying to generate downloads, registrations, page views, sales leads, qualified leads, sales? Don’t stop tracking at leads, because you’ll have no idea how many of those leads are qualified, or which are converting into sales. The foundation of a strong search campaign is knowing what you want to achieve.

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Cost Per Click SEM Adwords 100

The Point

JULY 8, 2014

Sungard AS asked its demand generation agency, Spear Marketing Group , to help introduce business prospects within the company’s marketing database to the new brand. One of the significant risks inherent in the split-off was that those prospects would react differently, or not at all, to the new brand.

Case Study 100

Case Study Case Studies Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

If you want nurturing to mean more than just simply “staying in touch,” and if shorter sales cycles, better qualified leads, and higher sales productivity could all make a tangible difference to your bottom line, then marketing automation is worth the plunge.”

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Demand Generation Agencies Marketing Automation Services Sales Qualified Leads 100

The Point

MARCH 15, 2016

Our agency works with a range of B2B companies in the technology sector , and, depending on such factors as 1) target audience, and 2) average deal size, ABM may or not be a great fit for any one of those clients. Thought leaders magically brand themselves ABM experts. More marketers start to talk about ABM. And … repeat. Maybe, maybe not.

Account Based Marketing 100

Account Based Marketing ABM Advertising Agencies Paid Search Agency 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 16, 2011

I’ve written previously in this space about how corporate social media initiatives are so often in the hands of people, notably PR agencies, for whom lead generation is neither a priority nor a core competency. Put a PR agency in charge of social media, and I can pretty much guarantee you’ll generate PR, not leads.)

Social Media 100

Social Media Demand Generation Agencies Media Leads 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

In a phone call this week I was swapping war stories with a well-known sales and marketing consultant, who, like us, works with B2B companies to improve their return on marketing automation. Does all this mean that buying into marketing automation requires you to first hire an agency or consultant? No, not necessarily.

Marketing Automation Services 100

Marketing Automation Services Marketing Automation Automation Process 100

The Point

OCTOBER 8, 2009

I’m ready to conclude that many PR agencies don’t really get it when it comes to social media. Recently I was made privy to a social media plan authored by a client’s PR agency. If I were to have written the plan, the primary objectives would have read: * drive search-generated traffic and net new sales leads. *

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies PR Social Media Paid Search Agency 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

However, that doesn’t mean that your nurturing program should end just because the trial period expired and you didn’t get the sale. Depending on the response you get (particularly if the response is: “I just haven’t had the time”), you can trigger a follow-up call from inside sales.

Telemarketing 100

Telemarketing Marketing Automation Services Lead Nurturing Work Management 100

The Point

JANUARY 13, 2015

As a B2B agency , our firm creates and executes dozens of email campaigns every month, and that experience tells me that a large percentage of B2B marketers, even at companies that otherwise do a very sophisticated job at demand generation , fail to measure or compare email campaign performance using any metrics other than opens and clicks.

Lead Ranking 100

Lead Ranking Marketing Qualified Leads ROI Sales Qualified Leads 100

The Point

APRIL 21, 2010

convert that search traffic to measurable sales leads. Navicure turned to its demand generation agency, Spear Marketing Group , for help. In its first 30 days, the blog attracted dozens of new email subscribers and 60 sales leads. The results have been startling.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Sales Leads Paid Search Agency Work Management 100

The Point

JULY 23, 2012

In an ideal world, all B2B sales leads would be pre-qualified and ready to buy. Of course, in the real world – a world of sales quotas, quarterly revenue goals, and impatient investors – not all stake-holders, especially salespeople, are interested in the notion that the most effective lead generation strategy is a long-term proposition.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Sales Qualified Leads Leads Lead 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

The company must direct end user inquiries promptly and efficiently to the sales channel, while responding to prospective partners and end users with a message tailored to iDirect’s specific experience in that company’s market. Critically, the agency recommended archiving all newsletter content in a blog format, hosted in WordPress.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Lead Scoring Sales Qualified Leads Lead Ranking 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

Use Google Alerts, social media, and your PR agency to help spot potential topics. And perhaps most importantly, it extends the shelf life of newsletter content well beyond the inbox, by allowing it to live on in search results where it can continue to generate traffic, subscribers, and sales leads. Host the newsletter as a blog.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Tips Paid Search Agency Ad Frequency 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 11, 2014

How to ignite your company’s growth so marketing is filling your sales pipeline with more new buyers than needed to beat your future revenue goals…AND without increasing your cost per visit and cost per lead. Should a demand generation agency like Spear be nervous? [PA]

Paid Content 100

Paid Content Demand Generation Agencies Cost per Lead Lead Scoring 100

The Point

MARCH 18, 2014

But let’s say your sales team wants to go after 200 “target accounts” within the financial services industry. If those purchased lists, as is often the case, filter into the company’s demand generation engine, the result is the kind of indiscriminate, untargeted campaigns that are the topic of Phil’s rant.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Advertising Agencies Marketo Demand Generation 100

The Point

MAY 18, 2011

Michael is founder and CEO of the Silver Bullet Group , a firm that helps companies improve sales performance by increasing the effectiveness of messaging and deliverables such as marketing content, sales tools, collateral, and sales/channel training. Sales messaging, on the other hand, is persuasive.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Conversion Paid Search Agency Deliverability 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Sure, demos attract more qualified leads, because prospects who want to view the product are inevitably further along in the sales process. Clearly, what’s being interpreted as “quality” in this context is in fact “qualified”. But does that mean that demos are the most effective demand gen offer? Far from it.

Trade Show 100

Trade Show Demand Generation Agencies BtoB Lead Scoring 100