The Point

MARCH 24, 2021

For most B2B marketers I know, the goal of advertising in whatever form is to drive engagement, leads, and revenue. B2B creative works when it generates measurable results and drives business, period. It doesn’t work when it fails to accomplish those same objectives. Surprise: Most B2B Advertising Isn’t Good.

Advertising Agencies 312

Advertising Agencies Advertisements Advertising Paid Search Agency 312

The Point

JUNE 25, 2019

[Thanks to Anne Angele, Spear’s esteemed Director of Marketing Technology, for this month’s guest post.]. Marketing attribution is a hot topic these days in B2B circles. Yet, for all the interest, precious few B2B companies achieve the holy grail of knowing exactly how – and where – their marketing investment impacts revenue.

Marketing Attribution 242

Marketing Attribution Work Management Marketing Management Marketing Automation Services 242

The Point

AUGUST 27, 2019

LinkedIn’s big advantage over its key competitor – and the reason it’s now cannibalizing so many marketing budgets previously reserved exclusively for paid search (SEM). – Or opt for LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms, which generate a pre-populated contact form inside the app. Does targeting by “Skills” work better than “Job Title”?

Paid Content 241

Paid Content Advertising Agencies Linkedin Advertisements 241

The Point

JANUARY 17, 2019

Some years ago, our firm conducted a lead management audit for a technology client who was struggling to convert raw, inbound inquiries into sales qualified leads. During the audit, it became quickly apparent that one of the major issues was at the very front end of the lead qualification process. Click To Tweet.

Sales Qualified Leads 168

Sales Qualified Leads Tips Lead Nurturing Multi-Channel 168

The Point

OCTOBER 15, 2019

If your organization is generating plenty of leads but those initial inquiries aren’t converting to sales qualified leads, meetings, or pipeline, a myriad of things could be at fault: 1) sales follow-up may be sub-standard in either cadence, frequency, or message. 2) lead nurturing. 2) lead nurturing.

Sales Qualified Leads 138

Sales Qualified Leads Work Management Marketing Management Account Based Marketing 138

The Point

JANUARY 23, 2018

When you work primarily with high-tech clients , you learn to cope with a great deal of short-term thinking. Many are competing in early stage markets and need to get in front of their competitors quickly before consolidation and attrition take their toll. Look, I get it.

Sales Management 253

Sales Management Sales Qualified Leads Demand Generation Agencies Lead Scoring 253

The Point

JUNE 24, 2022

The sudden, wholesale transition to remote work and virtual teams has only accelerated trends that were evident pre-COVID, led by younger generations of digital consumers who brought their buying preferences to the office (even if that office is now their living room). Key Finding 1: Buyers have all but replaced vendor-provided content.

Top of Funnel 130

Top of Funnel Cold Calling B2B Demand Generation 130

The Point

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

A client asks: “What’s the best way to market to purchased lists like ZoomInfo ? We have a debate between our marketing and sales teams on whether the best approach is marketing emails, sales outreach, or something else. There’s no one approach to cold lists that works for every company and every audience. Click To Tweet.

Purchase 162

Purchase Paid Search Agency Paid Social Agency Outreach 162

The Point

APRIL 22, 2020

I posted recently on LinkedIn that, in the current climate, leads from content syndication and other CPL programs may be an ideal replacement for lost trade shows and other events, and indeed can be an effective way to stay engaged in the marketplace at a time when many buyers are laying low. Quality content = quality leads.

Lead Scoring 162

Lead Scoring Lead Ranking CPL Cost per Lead 162

The Point

OCTOBER 22, 2019

It’s an issue that B2B marketers are experiencing with increasing frequency: open rates and click-through rates that don’t quite match up, typically in the form of an abnormally high “click to open” (CTO) rate. The result is that marketers may see a “click” on an email that was never even opened. Bad for marketers. The culprit?

Marketing Automation Services 127

Marketing Automation Services CAN-SPAM Click Rate Trigger Marketing 127

The Point

JUNE 20, 2018

In marketing circles, there’s little argument these days that a well-planned, well-executed Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy can pay real dividends. Develop a multi-touch, multi-channel campaign to market to those account contacts with display ads, nurture emails, and a meeting-setter direct mail campaign. Click To Tweet.

Account Based Marketing 168

Account Based Marketing ABM Multi-Channel CPL 168

The Point

JUNE 5, 2018

Earlier this year, Forrester Research conducted a detailed survey of more than 150 B2B marketing decision-makers with the intent of benchmarking the maturity of B2B marketing best practices, focused on revenue marketing and marketing automation. for lead management to 3.35 Marketers are just beginning that pivot.

Lead Ranking 194

Lead Ranking Forrester Lead Scoring Paid Search Agency 194

The Point

JULY 30, 2019

Much has been made of the argument that Account-Based Marketing (ABM) gained traction so quickly in B2B marketing primarily because traditional, funnel-based demand generation has stopped working. More broadly, it’s not that demand generation has stopped working. If only it were that easy.

Demand Generation Agencies 140

Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Account Based Marketing ABM 140

The Point

MARCH 23, 2023

One way to increase marketing ROI in a “do more with less” economy is to integrate Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) into demand gen strategy and planning. If adopted and executed consistently, it can also provide insights into audience behavior and preferences that can inform other marketing channels, campaigns, content, and strategies.

Demand 130

Demand Landing Pages Conversion Rate Paid Social Agency 130

The Point

JANUARY 7, 2020

Q4 is over, and with it, the inevitable rush to execute and scale marketing programs designed to somehow, magically, help a company makes its Q4 and year-end numbers. Here are 4 steps you can take starting NOW to eliminate headaches later in the year: Define how many leads you need to hit your numbers. takes time. But, yet, it happens.

Account Based Marketing 130

Account Based Marketing Top of Funnel Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency 130

The Point

MARCH 22, 2019

Lead scoring – as a fundamental part of a company’s lead management strategy – has officially fallen out of fashion. Two reasons I can think of: One is that lead scoring is routinely set up as part of an initial implementation of a marketing automation platform. So, is lead scoring a dying art?

Lead Ranking 113

Lead Ranking Lead Scoring Sales Qualified Leads Account Based Marketing 113

The Point

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

While there’s little debate about the value of a well-planned, well-executed Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy, where many B2B companies struggle – and where ABM initiatives tend to stall – is in that phase between planning and execution, where strategy and account planning meet tactics, plays and content.

Account Based Marketing 170

Account Based Marketing ABM Planning Lead Ranking 170

The Point

APRIL 19, 2017

No one question will help you create content that drives quality leads – leads that convert more readily to pipeline and revenue – more than this one. Content can work at every stage of the funnel – early, mid, late. Personally, I’ve seen some white papers continue to generate leads year after year with only minor updates.

Top of Funnel 214

Top of Funnel Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Paper 214

The Point

OCTOBER 8, 2020

An old boss once commented: “75% of marketing is just being in the right place at the right time.”. For more companies than not, marketing success is rarely about convincing a given individual, on a given day, to buy what it is you’re selling. Marketing Success & the Accident of Timing Click To Tweet.

Demand Generation Agencies 173

Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Marketing Agencies 1 173

The Point

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

For many B2B Marketers, advertising on LinkedIn is becoming a demand generation staple. At our agency , we’re seeing great results across a broad swath of clients from LinkedIn Sponsored Updates in particular, at a cost per lead similar to, or sometimes better than, traditional search marketing. Click To Tweet.

Paid Search Agency 187

Paid Search Agency Linkedin Demand Generation Agencies Ads 187

The Point

SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Over at the Modern Marketing Blog , Steve Earl offers his theory as to why enterprise marketers choose to switch to a different marketing platform. In the broader market, however, our agency’s experience tells a different story. He says (in summary): “It’s because their needs outgrow system capabilities.”.

Marketing Automation Services 179

Marketing Automation Services Enterprise Management Work Management Marketing Management 179

The Point

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

In 2015, JW Player piloted a small-scale, in-house SEM program on Google AdWords to gauge the potential efficacy of using search advertising to drive qualified leads for its enterprise video platform. JW Player contacted Spear Marketing Group , a leading B2B demand generation agency , for help.

SEM 222

SEM Cost Per Click Enterprise Management Paid Search Agency 222

The Point

JUNE 7, 2017

It’s an old trick, but it works because it makes the email stand out in my inbox. Howard, I was intrigued by your position on pre-qualified leads in a recent blog post. Anyhow – I’m reaching out because I’d like to explore partnering with Spear Marketing.

Best Practices 145

Best Practices Lead Ranking Sales Qualified Leads Account Based Marketing 145

The Point

NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Sometimes great people, a great product, or pure market demand can cover up all sorts of marketing sins, but more often the clients who succeed consistently at demand generation are those who have their act together. Know What’s Working. It seems almost quaint to suggest that B2B marketers should track success.

Demand Generation Agencies 182

Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Demand Generation 182

The Point

JANUARY 21, 2020

This question comes up all the time in client work, and not just with Marketo customers. As a matter of best practice, at our agency , we always recommend that clients host campaign landing pages on their marketing automation platform (MAP), but the advantages gained by going that route vary between systems, so the pros and cons differ also.

Landing Pages 147

Landing Pages Industry CMS Marketing Automation Services Marketo 147

The Point

DECEMBER 11, 2018

I may not be a market analyst, but from what I see working with our agency’s B2B clients , it seems to me that, in the language of technology adoption lifecycles, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) stands at that pivotal junction – what Geoffrey Moore calls the “chasm” – between early adopters and early majority.

Account Based Marketing 157

Account Based Marketing ABM Ideal Customer Profiles Enterprise Management 157

The Point

MAY 9, 2017

Earlier this year, he launched The B2B Content Agency to provide clients with buyer research, message strategy and insight-lead sales narratives. I talked to Steve recently about the rise of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) , ABM content, and how and where branding and messaging play a role in ABM success. (HS)

Account Based Marketing 206

Account Based Marketing ABM Marketing Automation Services Lead Scoring 206

The Point

OCTOBER 25, 2016

We marketers may be many things, but few of us can be described as patient. And so when martech companies come along promising instant answers to all our marketing challenges, we’re all ears. Listen, marketing technology is great, and in the right circumstances can make a big difference. Ineffective Lead Response.

Buy 100

Buy Telemarketing Top of Funnel Demand Generation 100

The Point

MARCH 7, 2019

Recently I was interviewed by the folks at Demand Gen Report as part of an article on current trends in email marketing , an article that you can read online here. With permission, a more complete version of the interview follows: (DGR) What trends are you currently seeing in B2B email marketing today? (HS) What’s working?

Deliverability 150

Deliverability Account Based Marketing ABM Demand Generation Agencies 150

The Point

JANUARY 29, 2015

Recently I sat down with Amanda Nelson, Director of Marketing at RingLead , a leading provider of cloud-based data solutions that make it easy to analyze, remove, merge and prevent duplicates in Salesforce. We discussed what’s new, what’s working, and what’s on the horizon in B2B Demand Generation. 2015 is no exception.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Demand Generation 100

The Point

JANUARY 13, 2015

No matter what your marketing resolutions this year – more content, better creative, etc. – Since email continues to be a dominant channel for most B2B marketers, let me suggest that a good candidate for #1 on your “to do” list for 2015 is to improve the way you measure email campaigns. no improvement matters if you can’t measure it.

Lead Ranking 100

Lead Ranking Marketing Qualified Leads ROI Sales Qualified Leads 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 24, 2015

The lack of an appropriate and complete tracking system is one of the most common errors, or omissions, that B2B marketers make in setting up a paid search program. Are you trying to generate downloads, registrations, page views, sales leads, qualified leads, sales? It’s easy to see why. Your search campaign should measure: 1.

Paid Search Agency 100

Paid Search Agency Cost Per Click SEM Adwords 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Sungard AS runs a highly successful demand generation program, an integrated mix of both online and offline campaigns, to generate a consistent flow of leads to the company’s sales force. We were able to provide new ideas based on our pool of experience and what we knew was working for other companies in the tech space.”.

Conversion Rate 100

Conversion Rate Marketing Qualified Leads Demand Generation Agencies Lead Ranking 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 11, 2014

As co-founder and CEO of Captora , Paul is now channeling his expertise into a new generation of marketing technology that captures and converts new buyers across inbound marketing channels. I sat down with Paul recently to talk about his new company and where Captora fits into the ever-expanding landscape of marketing technology. [HS]

Paid Content 100

Paid Content Demand Generation Agencies Cost per Lead Lead Scoring 100

The Point

AUGUST 22, 2014

For those of us who work in and around the technology every day, it can seem like marketing automation is already pervasive. Analyst David Raab reports that for companies under $5 Million in revenue, marketing automation penetration is a miserly 5 percent. Which begs the question: is marketing automation right for every company?

Marketing Automation Services 100

Marketing Automation Services Paid Search Agency Marketing Automation Advertising Agencies 100

The Point

MAY 30, 2014

Over at the IDC Technology Marketing Blog , analyst Sam Melnick posted an article recently with the intriguing title: “Are Ad Agencies Keeping Pace with the Marketing’s (sic) Massive Digital Uptake? Specifically: • IDC reports that digital marketing spend by technology companies will surpass non-digital spend by the end of 2016.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Ad Agencies 100

The Point

APRIL 1, 2014

Recent studies tell us while the adoption of marketing automation technology continues to gain momentum, fewer than 20 percent of marketing executives say that they are fully integrating the technology into their current sales and marketing initiatives. Once initiated, the steps are as follows: 1.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Sales Qualified Leads Lead Scoring Lead Ranking 100