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

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

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

OCTOBER 14, 2014

Extrinsic selling occurs, according to Wittreich, when a B2B seller relies on successful work that’s been performed for other customers, as a means to validate the seller’s capabilities and potential ability to perform for a prospective customer. Create Tools to Engage Prospects. No leap of faith required.

Case Study 100

Case Study Case Studies Studies B2B Thought Leadership 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

JULY 5, 2016

These suggestions might help you hack your way through the pedigree jungle: Understand the fear factor in selection of an outside advisor. 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.

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Service Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 21, 2014

Here are three highly subjective myths and realities to help your firm determine whether it’s a worthwhile tool, or how to improve your current 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.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Marketing Mix Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

If you’re a B2B marketer, one picture you might want to create is making the “short list;” which means being contacted consistently by prospective (or existing) clients as a candidate for assignments. 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

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

Cry-Baby: This marketer believes clients and prospects have a genuine interest in her company’s ideas, experience, success, etc. White papers and editorial content are poorly disguised sales pitches, and offer no helpful information or insights. It’s All about ME.”

Marketing Management 100

Marketing Management Paid Search Agency Marketing & Strategy Paper 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 29, 2013

Here are three highly subjective myths and realities to help your firm determine whether it’s a worthwhile tool, or how to improve your current 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.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Word of Mouth B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JUNE 19, 2015

I served as a busboy for two months before I earned a job as a waiter, which helped to pay my bills. Making the short list” in B2B marketing means that your firm has been chosen by a prospective client as a candidate for an assignment. Increase Your Odds of Making the Short List over the Long Haul.

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership B2B Word of Mouth Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 24, 2011

Extrinsic selling occurs, according to Wittreich, when a B2B seller relies on successful work that’s been performed for other customers, as a means to validate the seller’s capabilities and potential ability to perform for a prospective customer. Create Simple Tools to Engage Prospects.

Work Management 100

Work Management Validation B2B Sales Marketing Management 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. Content based on intellectual capital, showcasing insight, experience and opinion, and providing helpful ideas or guidance, will be read and remembered. Senior management must make CRM a priority.

Sales Cycle 100

Sales Cycle Marketing Management Lead Nurturing Sales Qualified Leads 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. that can be merchandised by the firm to keep the firm in play.

B2B Sales 100

B2B Sales Cross-Selling Work Management B2B Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

A Device that Helps People Remember You: The key marketing goal for most service-related businesses is top-of-mind awareness, which means getting people to remember you, and to reach out to you when they’re ready to buy whatever you’re selling. Your potential to help them. Your intellectual capital. Your credibility.

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Planning B2B Thought Leadership 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 8, 2016

There’s no short-term marketing panacea to offset what may be a rough road ahead for hedge funds, which is a storm that hedge funds have helped to create. That’s a fairly decent return for any hedge fund manager, in exchange for an investment in clear, forthright, consistent communication with current and prospective investors.

Allocation 100

Allocation Cross-Selling Marketing Management Validation 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

For starters, you need access to a robust, accurate database of your clients, prospects and referral sources. Possessing a list of conference attendees, either before or after the conference, is helpful, but of lesser importance.

Conference 100

Conference Lead Ranking Lead Scoring Guerilla Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

JUNE 5, 2016

A consistent online presence helps to drive top-of-mind awareness that keeps you high on their list. But limiting your marketing strategy to this finite group is short-sighted at best, and represents a lost opportunity to establish awareness and generate interest among an unlimited universe of prospective customers.

Validation 100

Validation Ideal Customer Profiles Thought Leadership Network Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 5, 2015

Prospective clients not only want to know what makes your firm unique; before they put you on their short list for consideration, they also want assurance that your company is a “safe choice.” ( Acid Test: Do credible media sources cover the company? Do clients identify themselves by name and company?).

B2B Thought Leadership 100

B2B Thought Leadership Enterprise Management Branding Brand Identity 100

Marketing Craftmanship

AUGUST 14, 2015

Here are three simple ways to help you achieve that distinction: 1. You’ll need to create an internal discipline that ensures meaningful and consistent contact (ideally on a quarterly basis) with existing and prospective investors, as well as those who influence them.

Word of Mouth 100

Word of Mouth Validation Opinions Marketing 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Engage clients and prospects. My sad story: It was love at first sight. A company Blog had everything I was looking for in social media. It would drive SEO. Establish thought leadership. Create two-way communication. Build long-term relationships. My competitors all had Blogs, and I needed one. It would complete my marketing.

Merchandising 100

Merchandising Thought Leadership Promotion Social Media 100

Marketing Craftmanship

FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Your website will generate investor interest by allowing visitors to draw their own conclusions about the firm and its potential to help them achieve their goals. It’s not a sales pitch or report card. Leverage your firm’s intellectual capital. Merchandise conference participation.

Transparency 100

Transparency Thought Leadership Planning Enterprise Management 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 19, 2012

In fact, we have recently added some additional suggestions regarding LinkedIn profiles, which you may find helpful. LinkedIn also is no longer just a digital marketplace for consultants, freelancers and agencies seeking new clients. This company description is located on Page 3 of our Employee Handbook. Your Friendly CMO.

Enterprise Management 100

Enterprise Management Work Management Marketing Management Ideal Customer Profiles 100

Marketing Craftmanship

MARCH 27, 2013

White paper sponsors sought to educate, inform, raise comfort levels and eventually initiate sales conversations with prospective customers. Unfortunately, what began as a legitimate and sometimes helpful marketing tactic has morphed into poorly disguised sales promotion, packaged in a plain vanilla wrapper.

Paper 100

Paper Paid Search Agency Advertorials Allocation 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 12, 2011

I often pose this question to prospective B2B clients when they ask me if I can generate exposure for their company in Forbes , Fortune , the Wall Street Journal , CNBC or some other influential media source. …what will you do with that exposure? They typically respond, “Isn’t just being there in Forbes (or wherever) the goal?”.

Merchandising 100

Merchandising Verticals Press Marketing Prospects 100

Marketing Craftmanship

APRIL 17, 2011

Rather than studying IRS rulings, is your accountant better served, in terms of business development and retention, by inviting clients and prospects out for a round of golf, dinner and drinks? Two months later, the CEO engaged me again, to help his marketing director make the plan actually work.

Transparency 100

Transparency Cost per Acquisition CPA Ad brokers 100