Chris Koch

JANUARY 8, 2010

There is only one objective in social media and it is common across all companies—even across the infamous divide between B2B and B2C: Create learning networks. And learning is integral to buying—especially in B2B. I’m just saying that we shouldn’t assume, as we do by default, that ours are much different from anyone else’s.

Social Media 100

Social Media B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership Media 100

Chris Koch

OCTOBER 22, 2010

We should care more about lead management automation in B2B marketing. It’s too difficult to track that relationship and know when someone is ready to do more than just read your white papers unless you have a process for lead management and can automate it. No, there’s something bigger going on here. It just won’t scale.

Lead Management 100

Lead Management Marketing Management Automation Marketing Automation Services 100

Chris Koch

MARCH 25, 2011

I’m hearing B2B companies tell me that they are starting to make idea development part of the yearly goals of their subject matter experts. Some companies have companywide competitions for the best ideas or the best white paper. Make ideas part of individual expectations. The winning ideas are implemented. Make it competitive.

Social Media 100

Social Media Organization Peer-to-peer SME 100

Chris Koch

AUGUST 21, 2009

Recently, I was asked by a former ITSMA client to help put together a plan for a thought leadership program for a B2B technology company that sells both products and services. What types of thought leadership vehicles (councils, conferences, white papers, social media, etc.) Here are my thoughts on the big pieces.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership B2B Thought Leadership Network Marketing B2B Sales 100

Chris Koch

AUGUST 21, 2009

Recently, I was asked by a former ITSMA client to help put together a plan for a thought leadership program for a B2B technology company that sells both products and services. What types of thought leadership vehicles (councils, conferences, white papers, social media, etc.) Here are my thoughts on the big pieces.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership B2B Thought Leadership Network Marketing Paper 100

Chris Koch

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

I’ve been working with my colleagues at ITSMA on another survey on social media for B2B marketers that I hope you’ll take by going here. B2B marketing lays the path to a sales discussion and supports relationships with existing customers. As we put together the questions, we struggled with the issue of social media strategy.

Social Media 100

Social Media Marketing Strategy Marketing & Strategy B2B Thought Leadership 100

Chris Koch

FEBRUARY 5, 2010

Idea marketing is not purely about the nature of the content (Gartner’s definition sounds like it intends the output to be white paper to me). What types of vehicles (councils, conferences, white papers, social media, etc.) Tags: Thought Leadership Add new tag B2B marketing Gartner marketing Marketing Strategy.

Thought Leadership 100

Thought Leadership B2B Thought Leadership Gartner Planning 100

Chris Koch

JUNE 18, 2012

I’ll also name the writers that I have working with the SMEs as we are doing interviews and working towards the “final” products: white papers, videos, etc. If I don’t have an answer, I’ll go to them and get the answer and come back with it. What are your arguments (for and against)? Related articles.

Social Media 100

Social Media Media Communities Transparency 100

Chris Koch

JULY 16, 2010

Through our events, white papers, videos, whatever, we must prepare our audience to experience that waking dream. Tags: Thought Leadership B2B marketing Creativity Dream ITSMA ITSMA Marketing Excellence Awards. Dragging us back to marketing (sigh), this is what good thought leadership has to do. Can you please suggest some?

B2B Thought Leadership 100

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

Chris Koch

JANUARY 22, 2010

For example, the landing page could be for a LinkedIn group you manage rather than the traditional white paper, newsletter, or Webinar. Social media gives us ways to build relationships with customers that white papers or newsletters can’t. And sometimes social media becomes the end in itself. What do you think?

Social Media 100

Social Media ROI Lead Ranking RSS 100

Chris Koch

MARCH 12, 2010

We know that in B2B, customers and prospects respond best to ideas, news, research, and how-to—not sales pitches. Chunks and snippets of white papers sprinkled through social media like breadcrumbs in the forest let us deliver value and build trust by providing content at a higher level of frequency.

Social Media 100

Social Media Media Thought Leadership Work Management 100

Chris Koch

JANUARY 15, 2010

But a white paper isn’t just content; it is data. After consolidating their power for years through internet search, B2B buyers are beginning to emerge from behind their firewalls and show up in places where marketers can find them. But as we shift to a content focus, it is all online and its impact is invisible.

Social Media 100

Social Media Work Management Marketing Management Marketing Automation Services 100

Chris Koch

DECEMBER 28, 2010

For expensive, complex B2B products and services, social media can improve relationships with customers and increase awareness. All year, marketers have been telling me that they are having a harder and harder time getting noticed in traditional channels like white papers, email newsletters, and events. Social media has ROI.

Planning 100

Planning Work Management Paid Search Agency B2B Thought Leadership 100