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. Include goals, strategies, responsibilities, timelines, budgets and ways to measure results. Most importantly – with apologies to Glengarry Glen Ross – B2B firms must commit to: A ….A M arketing.

B2B Marketing 100

B2B Marketing Planning B2B Thought Leadership B2B 100

Marketing Craftmanship

DECEMBER 11, 2014

” What may have been a revolutionary B2B marketing concept in 1958 is now well understood by B2B marketers. But if Gilbert Morris were writing ad copy in 2014, his advertisement would likely reflect very different marketing obstacles for B2B companies. Sales and marketing must be integrated. We’ve got all that.

Advertising Agencies 100

Advertising Agencies Advertisements Advertising B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

This somewhat contrarian approach to thought leadership…delivered in an editorial format that we call Branded Interviews …is the most effective way for B2B companies of all types to build brand stature, and to connect the dots between marketing and sales. Hands down.

Thought Leadership 130

Thought Leadership B2B Thought Leadership Brand Identity Branding 130

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

JUNE 28, 2016

In the dark ages of B2B marketing communications, circa 1980, the goal was to get your snail-mailed communications past the office gatekeepers (a/k/a “executive assistants”), and onto the desks of your targeted decision-makers. But that’s not what’s happened.

B2B Marketing 100

B2B Marketing B2B Paper Work Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 2, 2015

Regardless of industry, B2B conferences and seminars can be a significant waste of time, money and opportunity. Because conferences are expensive, inefficient, haphazard and difficult to evaluate, you must establish an internal discipline and specific strategies to harness their marketing value.

Conference 100

Conference Tactics B2B Marketing Planning 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 16, 2013

Rapid, lemming-like adoption of social media tools by small and medium-sized B2B firms – fueled by an army of self-proclaimed social media experts – has resulted in wasted dollars, missed opportunities and heightened distrust of the marketing function in the C-suite. YouTube can be a very effective social media channel for B2B firms.

Social Media 100

Social Media Media Merchandising 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. This is a very tough concept for many B2B firms to understand and embrace: that the most powerful form of thought leadership does not involve pushing out your own ideas.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Marketing Mix Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership 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

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

FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Marketing Lesson: Cheap, clever and memorable can beat costly and sophisticated when it comes to driving top-of-mind awareness with targeted B2B audiences. what service provider will Highlander think of FIRST the next time we need to distribute a press release online?

Cost 100

Cost Guerilla Marketing B2B Marketing Paid Search Agency 100

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. In “How to Buy /Sell Professional Services,” author Warren J. No leap of faith required.

Case Study 100

Case Study Case Studies Studies B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 16, 2015

Attracting and developing new business” (72.1%) is understandably the most significant challenge for any business; However… “Strategy / Planning Issues” (26.8%) are either something professional services firms believe they have under control; are not greatly concerned about; or fail to associate with new business development.

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Service Planning Advertising Agencies 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JULY 1, 2013

Thought Leadership is one of the most widely used terms in B2B marketing. Broadly, if Thought Leadership is a marketing strategy that leverages intellectual capital to engage target audiences, then there are two critical components and issues: Content — What qualifies as legitimate and effective Thought Leadership?

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership Merchandising B2B Thought Leadership Wikipedia 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

The marketing profession’s track record suggest that more time should be devoted to strategy than to tactics. Those tools are only of value in content marketing if you know how and when to apply them.

Marketing AI 147

Marketing AI Paid Search Agency Copywriting Thought Leadership 147

Marketing Craftmanship

JUNE 11, 2015

But marketing strategy is not akin to packing for a trip. To wean our B2B clients off their shoe fetish, we apply a “Marketing Diagnostic” planning tool, consisting of 10 simple questions. Many companies view marketing simply as a checklist of items they believe to be essential: Website…check. White Paper…check. Trade Show…check.

Planning 100

Planning Trade Show Paper Marketing & Strategy 100

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

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. How to quantitatively measure the effectiveness of your short list strategy.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership CMO Marketing & Strategy 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

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. Or ideally, as the only firm under consideration.) If you’re not on the short list, you’re not in the game.

Work Management 100

Work Management Marketing Management Marketing Automation Services CRM 100

Marketing Craftmanship

OCTOBER 22, 2019

Regardless of whether your professional field is medicine, law, technology or finance, that same ranking applies to how you will be valued by clients, particularly in B2B businesses. For better or worse, your clients judge you (or your firm) primarily on a personal, visceral basis.

Ad brokers 127

Ad brokers Opinions Marketing Management Loyalty 127

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 29, 2013

MYTH #1: Your B2B Firm Needs a Client Newsletter. This is a very tough concept for many B2B firms to understand and embrace: that the most powerful form of thought leadership does not involve pushing out your own ideas. Marketers want you to believe that your firm needs a newsletter.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

Here’s a very short list marketing essentials for B2B and professional services firms: 1. If you don’t monitor website traffic on a regular basis, then you are missing opportunities to follow-up on potential interest, and to make ongoing improvements to your website and marketing strategy.

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Planning B2B Thought Leadership 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. In “ How to Buy /Sell Professional Services ,” author Warren J.

Work Management 100

Work Management Validation B2B Sales Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 16, 2013

Oz Elena Kagan Forbes Media General Mills golden rule honesty integrity J&J Jeff Bezos Johnny Depp journalism journalistic integrity Judge Joe Brown Judge Judy Ken Powell Kim Kardashian Lance Armstrong leadership meritocracy Meryl Streep Michelle Obama Microsoft moral compass Oprah Winfrey PR strategy RDA Inc.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership PR Trust Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MAY 16, 2013

Oz Elena Kagan Forbes Media General Mills golden rule honesty integrity J&J Jeff Bezos Johnny Depp journalism journalistic integrity Judge Joe Brown Judge Judy Ken Powell Kim Kardashian Lance Armstrong leadership meritocracy Meryl Streep Michelle Obama Microsoft moral compass Oprah Winfrey PR strategy RDA Inc.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership PR Trust Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Regardless of whether your professional field is medicine, law, technology or finance, that same ranking applies to how you are valued by clients, particularly in B2B businesses. Accessibility. For better or worse, your clients judge you (or your firm) primarily on a personal, visceral basis.

Ad brokers 100

Ad brokers Business Loyalty Opinions 100

Marketing Craftmanship

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Thought Leadership is perhaps the most widely used and consistently abused strategy in professional services marketing. Our simple definition is that Thought Leadership is a content marketing strategy designed to leverage intellectual capital as a means to engage target audiences. You think Thought Leadership has a goal line.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership Enterprise Management Work Management Opinions 100

Marketing Craftmanship

OCTOBER 9, 2016

This seemingly simple goal – to understand what’s special about your company – is the most essential element of marketing strategy. Work backwards to build a marketing strategy. First decide what resources are available to invest, and then determine what strategies / tactics you can afford to apply properly and consistently.

Planning 100

Planning Marketing Plans Work Management Marketing Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Because conferences are expensive, inefficient, haphazard and often difficult to evaluate, you must establish an internal discipline and specific strategies to harness their marketing value. If you understand that conferences will always be a low percentage marketing strategy, then you have a clear choice.

Conference 100

Conference Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Guerilla Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

DECEMBER 22, 2015

Unfortunately, the typical blog development strategy consists of these 3 steps: The IT Department will add a new “blog” page to the website. You don’t have a well-defined content marketing strategy, or you’re unwilling to stick to it.

Allocation 100

Allocation Terms and Conditions Paid Search Agency Enterprise Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

DECEMBER 28, 2016

For some firms with strong competitive instincts, this often becomes a lengthy, arduous process involving strategy sessions, dedicated teams, and even outside consultants who specialize in award submissions. Entering any industry award competition, if your firm is serious about winning, takes time and resources. Yes, they do exist.)

Enterprise Management 100

Enterprise Management Work Management Marketing Management Aggregators 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

Cry-Babies don’t understand that long-term strategy and tactical consistency are the most critical aspects of marketing success. Larger competitors can have greater bureaucracy that slows marketing momentum, and too many chefs in the marketing kitchen that dilute strategies and tactics. I want it NOW!”

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Paid Search Agency Marketing & Strategy Paper 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 29, 2017

You have no blogging strategy. The potential for you to make your blog a marketing device lies in your ability to present provocative, unique or contrarian viewpoints. Strive to be a thought leader; not a news service. If you’re selecting blog post topics on a random or opportunistic basis, then you’re lost in Tactic Land.

Ideal Customer Profiles 100

Ideal Customer Profiles Opinions Linkedin ROI 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JUNE 5, 2016

Surprisingly, a significant number of professional services firms continue to resist building online brand visibility as a business development strategy. However…If you’re still not convinced, good luck with your Rolodex-based marketing strategy. New clients don’t find us by searching online.”.

Validation 100

Validation Ideal Customer Profiles Thought Leadership Network Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Here are a few questions to start you thinking about why your Blog relationship fell apart so quickly: Was your Blog part of an integrated marketing strategy…or just a temporary infatuation? Was there a strategy to promote your Blog and to merchandise its posts…or did you think that would just “happen”?

Merchandising 100

Merchandising Thought Leadership Promotion Social Media 100