In the B2B space, that question of how to best use data is frequently presented in the context of working towards becoming a more customer-centric organization through better understanding of who customers are and what they need.  A marketer at a member company recently summed up his current situation as follows: “We’re awash in data, but short on information.”  A difficult challenge to be sure, but not a unique one.  A recent Unica survey found “measurement, analysis, and learning” was marketers’ top bottleneck and “turning data into action” as their top organizational issue.  MORE >>

The best social media marketers bring a deliberate, thoughtful, planned approach to social media. On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of moderating a great panel conversation on the use of social media in B2B sales and marketing.  The panelists included Anne Plese from Cisco, Tom Vaughn from Microsoft, and Ari Newman from Jive Software. Huge thanks to Anne, Tom and Ari for sharing their wisdom.  And so much of it!  As marketers, it is all too easy to try to use all of the new touchpoints to engage customers, because they are there.  To Facebook or not to Facebook? It’s not.  MORE >>

It’s a rational first response to a disruptive new communications technology: surely the demographic that uses the technology the most (in this case, young people) are the best possible people to help brands and companies adapt. Marketing’s a complicated business, and, as such, it’s easy to tell ourselves lies – whether we know it or not. We talk to marketers every day, and here are some of the biggest, most persuasive whoppers in the bunch. Got more? Let us know in comments! 1) Our customers want to be engaged, and we want to engage them. Got more lies? MORE >>

At best, a typical B2B supplier can expect to get 12% of a customer’s total share of attention across the purchase process. Your customers live in a noisy environment.  They are constantly bombarded with messages.  You’re trying to break through and it’s tough. That statistic comes from comprehensive research on B2B buying and content marketing that we here at CEB have just completed.  The findings suggest the environment is even tougher than most marketers fully realized.  Enter: content marketing.  This promise can drive leads and consideration.  Or does it? Let’s say at least monthly.  MORE >>

Our resources in the Marketer’s Playbook will help you identify the design and content principles common in all best-in-class sales collateral and access tools to evaluate the collateral you already have. It’s a perennial complaint we hear from B2B marketers: “We did all this work to put together a great sales tool/piece of collateral/campaign, but Sales refuses to use it! What’s going on?” Others get frustrated and quit. So what seems to be the problem? Collateral development. Cornerstones B2B Marketing Marketing Communications Sales Support MORE >>