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?
For a recent #B2Bchat discussion (#B2Bchat is an open discussion hosted on Twitter each week), we looked at four different scenarios, loosely pulled from the experiences or situations of #B2Bchat regulars.
All of the discussion and setup happened on Twitter, so the scenarios and responses are light by necessesity, yet they show a range of very specific possible solutions.
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. Because of internal politics, introductions are not a possibility (hey, scenarios need a challenge).
How do you expand the relationship into other divisions?
Scenario: Expand Relationship Into New Divisions of an F50 Client. #B2Bchat Highlights
Highlights of Scenario 1 discussion from #B2Bchat on 5/24/2012. You sell promotional products. You work with one division of a F50. You cannot get an intro (it’s political, sorry, it just won’t happen). How do you grow the account into additional divisions?
Storified by Eric Wittlake · Wed, May 30 2012 01:24:49
Scenario 2: Small Business Storage and Backup Solution
You sell a storage and backup solution for small businesses. Your product has a number of elements that differentiate it, but your buyers are relatively unsophisticated about the category and it is not a priority for them to learn more about it.
How do you drive demand for your product?
Scenario: IT Storage and Backup for Small Businesses. #B2Bchat Highlights
Highlights of Scenario 2 discussion from #B2Bchat on 5/24/2012. You sell a small biz storage/backup solution. It is a differentiated product, however it is sold to a busy and unsophisticated (in your category) buyer. The market is crowded. How do you create DEMAND for your product?
Storified by Eric Wittlake · Wed, May 30 2012 01:27:12
Scenario 3: Creating a Completely New Category
You are a small startup that has created an entirely new type of offering. Your solution is delivering significant process improvements for large insurance companies. The entire category is unknown and addresses a pain point that has been accepted for so long that it is no longer acknowledged as an addressible pain.
How do you get high-level sales meetings?
Scenario: A Small Startup Creating a Completely New Category: #B2Bchat Highlights
Highlights of Scenario 3 discussion from #B2Bchat on 5/24/2012. You are a small startup that has created a new software category that improves processes in big insurance companies. Results are incredible for the few adopters, but entire category is unknown. How do you get high-level meetings?
Storified by Eric Wittlake · Wed, May 30 2012 01:29:14
Scenario 4: Expanding from IT to Business Offerings
You are a company historically known for IT hardware and are a respected supplier of increasingly commoditized products for the IT organization. You are expanding into managed services and addressing business pain points and need to begin selling directly to senior business executives (some solutions may even be threatening to your historical IT audience).
How do you drive sales of your new higher price point and more profitable services to a new business audience?
Scenario: IT Firm Moving to Managed Services. #B2Bchat Highlights
Highlights of Scenario 4 discussion from #B2Bchat on 5/24/2012. You are a IT hardware provider, adding managed services. You are well known at the IT Director level but need to sell to Executive level. How do you drive sales of new, more profitable managed service and consultative offerings?
Storified by Eric Wittlake · Wed, May 30 2012 01:13:19
Best practices and guidelines can be valuable perspective, but these examples are a useful reminder that the real difference maker is when you identfy the opportunities that are uniquely right for your business.
Your Turn
Do you also see the one size fits all discussion of specific solutions in blogs and on Twitter? If so, how valuable are these recommendations, and how could they be made more valuable to you?
Share your views in the comments below or with me on Twitter (@wittlake).
Interested in #B2Bchat? Join the discussion on Twitter every Thursday at 8:00 PM New York time using the #b2Bchat hashtag and follow @b2b_chat for an announcement of each week’s topic.
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