Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

Many B2B companies, and professional services firms in particular, do not succeed at marketing for two major reasons: Failure to understand that the vendor selection process has fundamentally changed. At the upper limit, the responses ran as high as 70%. Failure to respond properly to the new vendor selection process.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership WOM B2B Marketing Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 1, 2015

Inconsistency Kills Most B2B Marketing Strategies. There are two major reasons why marketing is ineffective at B2B firms, regardless of size or industry: Marketing is viewed as triage. Individually or collectively, both of these circumstances drive the #1 reason why B2B marketing does not work : INCONSISTENCY.

B2B Marketing 100

B2B Marketing B2B Thought Leadership Planning B2B 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JUNE 19, 2015

More importantly, the experience provided some valuable insights about “making the short list” that continue to have direct application to our B2B marketing business. Making the short list” in B2B marketing means that your firm has been chosen by a prospective client as a candidate for an assignment.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership B2B Word of Mouth Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 11, 2016

There are two major reasons why marketing is failing at your small- or medium-sized B2B firm: You view marketing as business triage. Direct and easy access to your company’s clients, prospects, referral sources and opinion leaders is essential. Most importantly – with apologies to Glengarry Glen Ross – B2B firms must commit to: A ….A

B2B Marketing 100

B2B Marketing Planning B2B Thought Leadership B2B 100

Marketing Craftmanship

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

In new business development efforts, B2B firms of all types are often challenged by prospective clients with this question: “Do you have any experience working for companies in my industry?”. And although this may be true, that response typically fails to convince the prospect, and can even backfire.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Peer-to-peer Thought Leadership B2B 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 21, 2014

Client newsletters are the most widely used, often abused and hotly debated B2B marketing tactic for professional services firms of any size. The intrinsic purpose of tactics that communicate with clients, prospects and referral sources is to reinforce the perception that your firm is smart, trustworthy and prepared to help.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Marketing Mix Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JULY 1, 2014

For B2B marketers who are too busy to keep up-to-date on every marketing trend and buzzword, here are a few thoughts on all the current noise about the Attention Web : Attention as a marketing asset is not a new concept: Top-of-mind awareness has always served as a cornerstone of effective B2B marketing.

B2B Marketing 100

B2B Marketing B2B Thought Leadership B2B Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JANUARY 16, 2013

Is Your B2B Marketing a Tactical Hodge Podge? B2B firms invest significant dollars and hours maintaining a broad range of marketing tactics that may or may not demonstrate economic value. When this situation exists, a B2B firm is not marketing; it’s simply making Tactical Soup. Put every marketing tactic under the microscope.

Tactics 100

Tactics B2B Marketing CPA Cost per Acquisition 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 2, 2015

Regardless of industry, B2B conferences and seminars can be a significant waste of time, money and opportunity. For starters, you need access to a robust, accurate database of your clients, prospects and referral sources. But the conference sponsor is typically not at fault for the lack of return on this marketing investment.

Conference 100

Conference Tactics B2B Marketing Planning 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

B2B companies – professional service firms in particular – can benefit by creating a culture similar to the Marine Corps; training all employees with basic marketing & sales skills that can help the firm to grow and succeed. Semper Fi.

B2B Sales 100

B2B Sales Cross-Selling Work Management B2B Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 31, 2018

For most B2B companies, there’s no reliable way to predict when a prospective client will purchase their product or engage their services, regardless of what their “marketing automation” expert promises. Making a Prospective Client’s Short List. Or ideally, as the only firm under consideration.)

Work Management 100

Work Management Marketing Management Marketing Automation Services CRM 100

Marketing Craftmanship

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

MYTH #1: Your B2B Firm Needs a Client Newsletter. The intrinsic purpose of tactics that communicate with clients, prospects and referral sources is to reinforce the perception that your firm is smart, trustworthy and prepared to help them. REALITY #2: Your Clients, Prospects and Referral Sources Care about Themselves.

Newsletter 113

Newsletter Work Management B2B Thought Leadership Marketing Management 113

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

Blog posts or press releases extolling the features and benefits of your firm’s whiz-bang new product or service are more likely to be read by competitors than by prospects. Here’s why: Most firms still don’t understand that marketing content is NOT about sales. Most firms still create content that their target audiences don’t care about.

Marketing AI 147

Marketing AI Paid Search Agency Copywriting Thought Leadership 147

Marketing Craftmanship

OCTOBER 14, 2014

The most noteworthy article on B2B selling was published in a 1966 Harvard Business Review article (#66213). Extrinsic selling is a “trust me” approach, employed by a great number of B2B product and service providers. Create Tools to Engage Prospects. No leap of faith required.

Case Study 100

Case Study Case Studies Studies B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 7, 2017

The most enduring injustice in the world of B2B marketing is that, very often, a firm with strong brand perceptions will be selected over a more qualified, but lesser-known firm. The central, unspoken issue embedded within the selection process for any type of B2B firm is easy to understand.

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Companies B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

“You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards… For B2B marketers, this “rear view mirror” approach to connecting the dots in your tactical tool kit makes great sense. That’s a picture your CEO understands and appreciates, because it can lead directly to revenue.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership CMO Marketing & Strategy 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 12, 2020

Incentivizes prospects to respond to our solicitation because the content applies only to them. The essential ingredient in an effective pitch letter is the time you invest in researching a prospective client. Don’t be afraid to criticize the prospect. Identify a pain point, opportunity or both. Grab their attention.

Work Management 130

Work Management Marketing Management Content Marketing Blast Campaigns 130

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 29, 2013

MYTH #1: Your B2B Firm Needs a Client Newsletter. The intrinsic purpose of tactics that communicate with clients, prospects and referral sources is to reinforce the perception that your firm is smart, trustworthy and prepared to help. REALITY #2: Your Clients, Prospects and Referral Sources Care about Themselves.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

NOVEMBER 17, 2011

For most companies, there is no way to predict when a prospect will purchase their product or engage their services. Sales cycle management is particularly challenging for B2B firms, and for professional services firms in particular, where top-of-mind awareness (getting people to remember you) is a critical part of business development.

Sales Cycle 100

Sales Cycle Marketing Management Lead Nurturing Sales Qualified Leads 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JULY 1, 2013

Thought Leadership is one of the most widely used terms in B2B marketing. For example, rather than featuring a message from your CEO in each issue of the company’s quarterly newsletter, consider publishing guest commentaries (not promotional messages) from clients, prospects, referral sources and recognized opinion leaders in your discipline.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership Merchandising B2B Thought Leadership Wikipedia 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

There are practical reasons diet companies and national gym chains spend most of their advertising budgets within two seasonal windows: in advance of the new year, when people make their annual resolutions, and in springtime, when beachgoers face the prospect of wearing a bathing suit in public. ” Some are truthful and tell me no.

Enterprise Management 147

Enterprise Management Planning Work Management Marketing Management 147

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 5, 2015

As the limitations of a virtual marketplace continue to reduce most B2B firms to commodities, it’s become increasingly important to communicate not just what your company does, but to generate interest in what your enterprise stands for. So how does a B2B firm market its brand integrity through online and offline channels?

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Enterprise Management Brand Identity Branding 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 16, 2015

One of the first questions we ask a new or prospective client is this: “Do you have a written marketing plan?” It might be argued that strategic marketing tasks did not make the list of 2015 planned initiatives because professional services firms already have those disciplines covered. Or the marketing professionals who should know better?

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Service Planning Advertising Agencies 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 24, 2011

The most noteworthy article on the subject of B2B selling was published in a 1966 Harvard Business Review article (#66213). Extrinsic selling is a “trust me” approach, employed by a great number of B2B product and service providers. Create Simple Tools to Engage Prospects.

Work Management 100

Work Management Validation B2B Sales Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

B2B firms that have flourished for 20, 30 or 50 years are understandably proud of their longevity, particularly having endured the most recent decade’s harsh economic conditions. The depth and range of anniversary-related tactics that can be leveraged by B2B firms is limited only by creativity and budget.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Allocation Ideal Customer Profiles Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

DECEMBER 28, 2016

firm should not participate in award competitions: Reason #1: Your Awards Won’t Have Significant Influence on Prospective Clients. But prospective clients are always more interested in what you can do for them , not in what you’ve done for others. And for some prospects, that’s a leap too large to take. Living in the past.

Enterprise Management 100

Enterprise Management Work Management Marketing Management Aggregators 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 22, 2017

If (s)he’s built a successful business that relies on the efforts of its employees, the founder of an eponymous business eventually will need to address brand transition; particularly if it’s a B2B or professional services firm. Or better yet, eventually “Smith & Company: Who was Jack Smith, anyway?”.

Enterprise Management 100

Enterprise Management Work Management Marketing Management B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

Here’s a very short list marketing essentials for B2B and professional services firms: 1. Because you can never know when your target audiences (current and prospective clients, intermediaries, referral sources, etc.)

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Planning B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

This requires the prospective customer to make a leap of faith; to believe the service provider can match or exceed what’s been done for others. Conversely, intrinsic selling does not require a prospective client to base their selection on work done for others. It’s a “trust me” sales approach.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership Enterprise Management Work Management Opinions 100

Marketing Craftmanship

OCTOBER 9, 2016

The first question we ask prospective clients is, “Do you have a Marketing Plan?”. Most prospects sheepishly acknowledge that they don’t have a formal Marketing Plan. If you’re not having a continuous, two-way conversation with current, prospective and former customers, then you are flying by the seat of your pants, marketing-wise.

Planning 100

Planning Marketing Plans Work Management Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JULY 5, 2016

Reduce decision-making risk for prospective clients. If your firm doesn’t possess a strong traditional pedigree, there are several ways you can reduce decision-making risk for prospective clients. A prospective client’s own pedigree is a strong indicator of their selection preferences for outside providers.

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Service Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 18, 2017

Here’s a highly improbable solution: Require that prospective customers are pre-qualified to purchase your product. (Watch for industry consolidation as major players fight for their share of a shrinking market.). So how does Marketing Automation save itself from extinction? Customers who don’t measure up…can be referred to competitors.

Marketing Automation Services 100

Marketing Automation Services Sales Qualified Leads Marketing Automation High Quality Lead 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 16, 2013

I trust people who treat a waiter in a restaurant, or the person cutting their lawn, with the same level of courtesy and respect they would display with their boss, or a prospective client. ARE THEY FAIR? Trustworthy people always explain the rules of the game, don’t play favorites, and base recognition and rewards on a meritocracy.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership PR Trust Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 16, 2013

I trust people who treat a waiter in a restaurant, or the person cutting their lawn, with the same level of courtesy and respect they would display with their boss, or a prospective client. ARE THEY FAIR? Trustworthy people always explain the rules of the game, don’t play favorites, and base recognition and rewards on a meritocracy.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership PR Trust Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

Cry-Baby: This marketer believes clients and prospects have a genuine interest in her company’s ideas, experience, success, etc. Cry-Babies don’t appreciate that clients and prospects are most interested in how you can help with their particular problem or opportunity. The “It’s All About ME.” It’s All about ME.”

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Paid Search Agency Marketing & Strategy Paper 100

Marketing Craftmanship

DECEMBER 12, 2011

” “What prospects really want to hear about is themselves. ” “Never criticize what the prospect has done in the past. Let the prospect tell you what went wrong and whose fault it was… If asked if you could have done better, say you hope so.” Some salespeople never learn this.”

PR 100

PR Public Relations Tips Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 8, 2011

The standard marketing approach – particularly among B2B firms – is to create a brochureware-esque “Who We Are / What We Do / Why You Should Select Us” web presence, which forever serves as a handy repository for press releases, case studies, white papers and other expressions of thought leadership.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Content Case Study Case Studies 100