Expert insights. Personalized for you.
A client asks: “I know the answer is probably “it depends” but curious if you think there’s a best practice for how many follow-up nurture emails to send TOFU content syndication leads before you stop due to non-engagement?”. MORE
Technology marketers love analyst reports. Sure, they’re expensive to license, but they’re instant fodder for all sorts of content marketing, they bring credibility and name recognition to a campaign, and – bonus – they say nice things about your product. However, in my experience, most tech companies don’t know how to market them. MORE
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. MORE
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. MORE
If you could layer third-party intent data into every lead gen program you run, would you do it? In other words, would you only ever want marketing leads from prospects pre-determined to be actively researching your category, solution, use case, etc.? My argument: no, you wouldn’t. . I was part of a client conversation recently about the merits of different demand generation channels (paid social, content syndication , email, search, etc.) MORE
Following on the heels of CAN-SPAM (US) and CASL (Canada), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the latest in a series of government regulations that promises to have a major impact on the way B2B marketers conduct business. Of these, GDPR is the most far-reaching in that it not only impacts email communication (the focus of CAN-SPAM and CASL) but also the way companies gather, store, protect, share, and utilize personal data. MORE
It wasn’t that long ago, when marketing automation first burst on the scene, that the height of lead nurture sophistication was the simple, automated sending of multiple, sequential emails. Today, advances in marketing technology make such “automation” seem laughably basic. MORE
Even in this digital age, trade shows are still a core part of many B2B marketers’ 2017 demand generation plans. Generating maximum return from that investment, however, requires careful planning, and close attention to both pre-show and post-show communications strategy. In a previous post, I discussed key strategies for following up with trade show leads. Here are 7 ideas for increasing booth traffic and lead volume at the show: 1. MORE
[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. MORE
Social media may be a hot topic in B2B marketing circles, but most of that buzz focuses on the role of social media advertising. Just listen to marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, perhaps the biggest champion for advertising on Facebook and other channels, who says that social media advertising is “grossly underpriced” and that companies have a window of opportunity to take advantage before big brands drive up the cost. All of which begs the question: what about organic? MORE
Email preview text is that line of copy that appears below the subject line in the recipient’s inbox. Preview text renders in different ways depending on the email client (the small screenshot below is from Outlook 2016 on the desktop) but, in many cases – particularly on mobile devices – the preview text can be as prominent as the subject line. Which makes it a vital and necessary component in any B2B marketer’s copy deck. MORE
Another new year approaches and, with it, another major data privacy regulation takes effect. This time, it’s the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which becomes law on January 1, 2020. Don’t be fooled into thinking that only California companies need pay attention. Even if you’ve already established more stringent data collection and privacy measures as a result of GDPR. MORE
The US business climate is being shaken by events at home and abroad, and (as I write this) no-one knows with certainty – on top of the risk and strain caused by a global pandemic – whether an economic downturn is imminent, or how severe it might be, and for how long. . Most B2B marketers we talk to are continuing to plan, develop and execute campaigns and other initatives, for the time being at least. MORE
Even as demand generation activity begins to pick up, most marketing budgets right now remain tight, and so B2B companies are looking for creative, low-cost ways to drive demand. One of the areas we recommend consistently to our clients is to do more with the corporate blog. MORE
Thanks to Spear Digital Media Director Tim DiSabatino for authoring this week’s post. Because costs per click in B2B search campaigns can often be extremely high when companies compete the for same keywords, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) for B2B advertisers offers its own very unique challenges. MORE
The current crisis reinforces why most B2B companies are best suited for a hybrid demand generation model that combines both ABM and more traditional, funnel-based tactics. ABM was born of a time when (in hindsight) we marketers had it good. A major driver for the advent of ABM was the frustration that sales teams in particular had with a funnel-based model in which they were bombarded with inquiries that, ultimately, didn’t convert. (I’ve MORE
In a world where demand generation , and marketing in general, is more data-driven than ever, one of the hottest topics in B2B circles is intent data. The lure of intent data is learning which companies are going to buy from you and when. But is that real? How should the average B2B marketer be looking to leverage intent data in their demand generation mix? MORE
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. may not be doing enough to educate the prospect , “warm up” the lead, or drive additional engagement, or. MORE
Given the business case on which most Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategies are founded – namely, that ABM increases opportunities and revenue from high-value accounts – the temptation for marketers is to measure the success of those programs on similar, high-value criteria: namely, opportunities, revenue, and average deal size. MORE
An old boss once commented: “75% of marketing is just being in the right place at the right time.”. You can quibble with the percentage, but, overall, she had a point. MORE
What, Why, How. There are three things your email recipient should see almost immediately, and those are: WHAT the offer is, WHY it’s of value, and HOW to get it. Don’t make the reader hunt or scroll to learn what exactly you want him or her to do, and why. Sell the Offer, Not the Product. The goal of any email is to generate engagement. You generate engagement by convincing the reader of the value of the information on offer, whether that information is a white paper, a Webinar, or a demo. MORE
B2B marketing has seen a dramatic change in the last decade, driven by radical advances in marketing technology and the emergence of new channels. Even if you acknowledge that change as fact, however, it’s easy to become cynical (as I have) when vendors and thought leaders are constantly proclaiming the “death” of the old ways. If we’re to believe the experts, the following is true: * Email is dead. Cold-calling is dead. Content marketing is dead. * The MQL is dead. And so on. MORE
Results from Deloitte’s 2017 CMO Survey are out, providing insights into key trends, plans, and opinions from more than 2,800 top marketers. You can download an executive summary of the survey results here. Here’s my take on some of the key findings from the report: Digital ad spending increased 14% since 2016, compared to virtually zero growth (0.6%) in traditional ad spending. No surprises here, as digital marketing continues to grow at a healthy pace. MORE
Demand Gen Report has published the results of this year’s “B2B Buyer’s Survey,” and the trends identified merit close attention for those marketers involved in B2B demand generation and content development. This year’s report (download a copy here – registration required) is striking in the degree and pace of change reported, since only last year, in how B2B buyers describe their research and purchase processes. MORE
In a remarkably short time, LinkedIn has grown to become a major player in B2B advertising (at about 20% of total industry spend, according to industry watchers ), quickly rivaling search advertising on Google. 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). – is its ability to target specific audience demographics: job title, industry, etc. MORE
When you work primarily with high-tech clients , you learn to cope with a great deal of short-term thinking. Tech companies have short-term horizons for a number of reasons: * Many are private and depend on short term results to prove viability and therefore ensure their ongoing funding. Many are competing in early stage markets and need to get in front of their competitors quickly before consolidation and attrition take their toll. MORE
The rate of change in B2B marketing and marketing technology continues to accelerate, and 2020 promises to be no different. I asked the best subject matter experts I know, my colleagues at Spear Marketing Group , what trends they think will highlight the next 12 months in B2B demand generation. Here’s what they had to say: “I fully expect to see continued buzz around AI, but I think the real heavy lifting next year is going to be around tech stack management. MORE
Not every Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy starts from the same place. For some, it might be defining Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), buying personas and associated messages. For others, it’s identifying a target account list. MORE
Earlier this month I presented a standing-room only session at the B2BMX Conference in Scottsdale on key principles of B2B email creative. Part of that presentation was a “B2B Email Pre-Flight Checklist” – a list of questions an email marketer should ask, prior to pressing “send,” to ensure that a campaign aligns with current best practices and therefore stands the best chance of success. That list is reproduced below along with additional commentary: Is there an offer? MORE
Recently, a client raised objections to our agency hosting their campaign landing pages on a marketing automation platform, since doing so would require that the pages reside on a subdomain (info.companyname.com) vs. on the client’s core domain (companyname.com). The client’s reasoning was that by residing on their main site, the landing pages would help support that website’s SEO domain authority and thus improve search rankings. MORE
The Point
OCTOBER 22, 2020
A client asks: “I know the answer is probably “it depends” but curious if you think there’s a best practice for how many follow-up nurture emails to send TOFU content syndication leads before you stop due to non-engagement?”.
The Point
SEPTEMBER 23, 2020
Given the business case on which most Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategies are founded – namely, that ABM increases opportunities and revenue from high-value accounts – the temptation for marketers is to measure the success of those programs on similar, high-value criteria: namely, opportunities, revenue, and average deal size.
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The Point
JULY 30, 2020
Even as demand generation activity begins to pick up, most marketing budgets right now remain tight, and so B2B companies are looking for creative, low-cost ways to drive demand. One of the areas we recommend consistently to our clients is to do more with the corporate blog.
The Point
OCTOBER 8, 2020
An old boss once commented: “75% of marketing is just being in the right place at the right time.”. You can quibble with the percentage, but, overall, she had a point.
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The Point
JUNE 23, 2020
B2B marketing has seen a dramatic change in the last decade, driven by radical advances in marketing technology and the emergence of new channels. Even if you acknowledge that change as fact, however, it’s easy to become cynical (as I have) when vendors and thought leaders are constantly proclaiming the “death” of the old ways. If we’re to believe the experts, the following is true: * Email is dead. Cold-calling is dead. Content marketing is dead. * The MQL is dead. And so on.
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The Point
AUGUST 27, 2019
In a remarkably short time, LinkedIn has grown to become a major player in B2B advertising (at about 20% of total industry spend, according to industry watchers ), quickly rivaling search advertising on Google. 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). – is its ability to target specific audience demographics: job title, industry, etc.
The Point
MARCH 18, 2020
The US business climate is being shaken by events at home and abroad, and (as I write this) no-one knows with certainty – on top of the risk and strain caused by a global pandemic – whether an economic downturn is imminent, or how severe it might be, and for how long. . Most B2B marketers we talk to are continuing to plan, develop and execute campaigns and other initatives, for the time being at least.
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.
The Point
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
Another new year approaches and, with it, another major data privacy regulation takes effect. This time, it’s the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which becomes law on January 1, 2020. Don’t be fooled into thinking that only California companies need pay attention. Even if you’ve already established more stringent data collection and privacy measures as a result of GDPR.
Speaker: Ruth Stevens, President of eMarketing Strategy
In a pandemic, it’s more important than ever to focus on retaining and expanding current customers. So, how can sales and marketing support the retention effort? Join Ruth Stevens as she dives into this fast-paced session and reviews the 7 key strategies for current customer marketing, to enable sales and expand customer value.
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The Point
FEBRUARY 28, 2020
Earlier this month I presented a standing-room only session at the B2BMX Conference in Scottsdale on key principles of B2B email creative. Part of that presentation was a “B2B Email Pre-Flight Checklist” – a list of questions an email marketer should ask, prior to pressing “send,” to ensure that a campaign aligns with current best practices and therefore stands the best chance of success. That list is reproduced below along with additional commentary: Is there an offer?
The Point
APRIL 16, 2019
Thanks to Spear Digital Media Director Tim DiSabatino for authoring this week’s post. Because costs per click in B2B search campaigns can often be extremely high when companies compete the for same keywords, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) for B2B advertisers offers its own very unique challenges.
The Point
MAY 19, 2020
It wasn’t that long ago, when marketing automation first burst on the scene, that the height of lead nurture sophistication was the simple, automated sending of multiple, sequential emails. Today, advances in marketing technology make such “automation” seem laughably basic.
The Point
DECEMBER 13, 2019
The rate of change in B2B marketing and marketing technology continues to accelerate, and 2020 promises to be no different. I asked the best subject matter experts I know, my colleagues at Spear Marketing Group , what trends they think will highlight the next 12 months in B2B demand generation. Here’s what they had to say: “I fully expect to see continued buzz around AI, but I think the real heavy lifting next year is going to be around tech stack management.
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Every sales forecasting model has a different strength and predictability method. It’s recommended to test out which one is best for your team. This way, you’ll be able to further enhance – and optimize – your newly-developed pipeline. Your future sales forecast? Sunny skies (and success) are just ahead!
The Point
MAY 28, 2020
The current crisis reinforces why most B2B companies are best suited for a hybrid demand generation model that combines both ABM and more traditional, funnel-based tactics. ABM was born of a time when (in hindsight) we marketers had it good. A major driver for the advent of ABM was the frustration that sales teams in particular had with a funnel-based model in which they were bombarded with inquiries that, ultimately, didn’t convert. (I’ve
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.
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. Tech companies have short-term horizons for a number of reasons: * Many are private and depend on short term results to prove viability and therefore ensure their ongoing funding. Many are competing in early stage markets and need to get in front of their competitors quickly before consolidation and attrition take their toll.
Speaker: Christopher Ryan, Founder and CEO of Fusion Marketing Partners
Sales & Marketing departments that work together guarantee higher acquisition, better nurturing, and more effective sales. Join Christopher Ryan for this insightful webinar, presenting the wide funnel lead nurturing model. Don't miss out on this opportunity to get your teams working together and your revenue performance optimized.
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.
The Point
NOVEMBER 27, 2018
Social media may be a hot topic in B2B marketing circles, but most of that buzz focuses on the role of social media advertising. Just listen to marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, perhaps the biggest champion for advertising on Facebook and other channels, who says that social media advertising is “grossly underpriced” and that companies have a window of opportunity to take advantage before big brands drive up the cost. All of which begs the question: what about organic?
The Point
NOVEMBER 12, 2019
If you could layer third-party intent data into every lead gen program you run, would you do it? In other words, would you only ever want marketing leads from prospects pre-determined to be actively researching your category, solution, use case, etc.? My argument: no, you wouldn’t. . I was part of a client conversation recently about the merits of different demand generation channels (paid social, content syndication , email, search, etc.)
The Point
FEBRUARY 27, 2018
Following on the heels of CAN-SPAM (US) and CASL (Canada), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the latest in a series of government regulations that promises to have a major impact on the way B2B marketers conduct business. Of these, GDPR is the most far-reaching in that it not only impacts email communication (the focus of CAN-SPAM and CASL) but also the way companies gather, store, protect, share, and utilize personal data.
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The Point
AUGUST 16, 2019
Email preview text is that line of copy that appears below the subject line in the recipient’s inbox. Preview text renders in different ways depending on the email client (the small screenshot below is from Outlook 2016 on the desktop) but, in many cases – particularly on mobile devices – the preview text can be as prominent as the subject line. Which makes it a vital and necessary component in any B2B marketer’s copy deck.
The Point
JUNE 18, 2019
What, Why, How. There are three things your email recipient should see almost immediately, and those are: WHAT the offer is, WHY it’s of value, and HOW to get it. Don’t make the reader hunt or scroll to learn what exactly you want him or her to do, and why. Sell the Offer, Not the Product. The goal of any email is to generate engagement. You generate engagement by convincing the reader of the value of the information on offer, whether that information is a white paper, a Webinar, or a demo.
The Point
MARCH 8, 2018
Technology marketers love analyst reports. Sure, they’re expensive to license, but they’re instant fodder for all sorts of content marketing, they bring credibility and name recognition to a campaign, and – bonus – they say nice things about your product. However, in my experience, most tech companies don’t know how to market them.
The Point
APRIL 26, 2018
In a world where demand generation , and marketing in general, is more data-driven than ever, one of the hottest topics in B2B circles is intent data. The lure of intent data is learning which companies are going to buy from you and when. But is that real? How should the average B2B marketer be looking to leverage intent data in their demand generation mix?
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Sales enablement is the strategic process of providing sales teams with the content, guidance, and mentorship needed to engage targeted buyers. It’s all about equipping sales professionals with the tools they need to put their best-selling foot forward. And if sales teams want to continuously sell better -- and faster -- their sales enablement process must have a game-winning strategy. It's time for you to start selling smarter - and hitting your sales number - with the best B2B database in the market. Get started today.
The Point
JANUARY 24, 2017
Even in this digital age, trade shows are still a core part of many B2B marketers’ 2017 demand generation plans. Generating maximum return from that investment, however, requires careful planning, and close attention to both pre-show and post-show communications strategy. In a previous post, I discussed key strategies for following up with trade show leads. Here are 7 ideas for increasing booth traffic and lead volume at the show: 1.
The Point
JULY 17, 2017
Demand Gen Report has published the results of this year’s “B2B Buyer’s Survey,” and the trends identified merit close attention for those marketers involved in B2B demand generation and content development. This year’s report (download a copy here – registration required) is striking in the degree and pace of change reported, since only last year, in how B2B buyers describe their research and purchase processes.
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. may not be doing enough to educate the prospect , “warm up” the lead, or drive additional engagement, or.
The Point
OCTOBER 18, 2018
Recently, a client raised objections to our agency hosting their campaign landing pages on a marketing automation platform, since doing so would require that the pages reside on a subdomain (info.companyname.com) vs. on the client’s core domain (companyname.com). The client’s reasoning was that by residing on their main site, the landing pages would help support that website’s SEO domain authority and thus improve search rankings.
Speaker: Brian Carroll, CEO and Founder of markempa
Marketing and sales feel pretty tricky right now. What worked before now feels out of touch, but have you made plans for how you'll continue to move forward? You've likely tried everything: expert recommendations, best practices, the latest tools, and automation. But your results are falling short. Here's the thing: All the automation tools, best practices, data analytics won't help get better results now until you master empathizing with your customers. In this webinar, you'll learn how to go beyond rational-logic based sales/marketing and adjust your sales enablement strategy to better understand how buyers feel so that you can connect and help them on their journey.
The Point
DECEMBER 12, 2017
Results from Deloitte’s 2017 CMO Survey are out, providing insights into key trends, plans, and opinions from more than 2,800 top marketers. You can download an executive summary of the survey results here. Here’s my take on some of the key findings from the report: Digital ad spending increased 14% since 2016, compared to virtually zero growth (0.6%) in traditional ad spending. No surprises here, as digital marketing continues to grow at a healthy pace.
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