Assess the change in perception of your brand or product as well as the overall intent to purchase using attitudinal research (aka brand studies). No one makes a million dollar decision based on one white paper, one email or one Google search. The buying process may take 12 to 18 months. 20 different people may be involved in the decision. Peers, consultants and analysts will provide their input. It is called a complex sale for a reason, but B2B marketers keep trying to fit it into a simplistic measurement framework: where did we get that lead? Beyond cold, these leads may frozen solid. MORE >>

Focusing on how marketing contributes will position your company to have more meaningful and productive relationships with customers. Develop a relationship. Don’t propose on the first date. Relationships take time. You talk about relationships as a marketer. You use the same words and clichés. However, you don’t really mean a relationship. You won’t talk a walk in the park with me because we enjoy spending time together and share what we did today just because we want each other to know. Rather than create opportunities, this creates disruption. MORE >>

Perceptions are created by experience with your products, service and people, through what other people say about you (even competitors) and through your own marketing. Do you care if potential prospects see your services as high value or a complete rip-off? Of course you do. This is about the perception each individual has about you. This is about your brand. No one buys from a company they distrust or pays a premium for a solution they see as a low cost provider. Here are three examples from magazines or proposals that are within arms reach on my desk. All they see are leads. MORE >>

How It Works You have seen retargeting ads, banners that promote whatever products you looked at or left in your shopping cart and follow you around the web. Expand Customer Communications From increasing renewal rates in customer lifecycle marketing to getting product updates in front of customers, CRM retargeting allows you to deliver a tailored message to your existing customers. What if banner ads could become as targeted and relevant as emails? One of the emerging trends in online advertising promises to make this possible. CRM retargeting is similar. MORE >>

Don’t Stretch The Truth Your product really does that? Today, case studies, award submissions and product information are ripe with claims that stretch the truth to the breaking point. Productivity you have lost is lost for good. B2B marketing can quickly become complicated. Scoring leads, establishing marketing automation, building thought leadership, creating demand… it isn’t easy. Far too often, the complexity masks the important foundational elements. Here are ten lessons from Mom that B2B marketers (and really all marketers) would be wise to remember. MORE >>