Scenario 1: Growing an Account Without Intros You work with one division of a Fortune 50 company and are looking to grow the account into other divisions. B2B marketing discussions on Twitter and blogs have a tendency to focus on singular topics, such as Twitter, marketing automation , or lead generation , as if they are right for everyone and we just need to do them well. However, the people B2B marketers want to reach are ultimately trying to solve a challenge or embrace an opportunity based on their unique business. Shouldn’t B2B marketing solutions be just as unique? MORE >>

In short, they get the benefit of much of the work your other marketing efforts did. The conclusions are true because of the system marketers are working within. 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? Your Turn. MORE >>

Google tried to kill both birds with one stone and it just doesn’t work. Last week WSJ ran an article entitled “ There’s No Avoiding Google+ ” on the front page. In short, it highlighted the drive by Google to make Google+ pervasive across other Google services. In one of the most telling quotes in the story, Bradley Horowitz, a VP at Google, says “The entry points to Google+ are many, and the integrations are more every day.” ” However, despite reaching 105.1 Here is why: There is no Google+ identity. don’t mean a brand identity. MORE >>

This is why sales people with existing relationships are recruited and account managers work to develop personal relationships with clients. 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 >>

Ok, here are how the numbers work out for different banner approaches targeting enterprise B2B audiences. Retargeting works for two reasons other banner tactics cannot replicate: It is your exact audience and they are already aware of you and have engaged with you. Banners will not work if your objective is directly driving enterprise B2B leads. If your goal is to deliver leads that you can tie back directly to your marketing investment, do not make banners the core of your enterprise B2B marketing program. Period. Banners don’t drive leads. Remember that. Your Turn. MORE >>