by tradesmeninsights | Aug 14, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Marketing Trends, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing
B-to-B marketers are always trying to identify more/better qualified leads. Does it surprise anyone that social media ranked very low in this category? The traditional methods of telemarketing, event marketing, webinars, trade shows, email marketing and yes, even direct mail pull better results according to a Survey in MarketingProfs from InsideSales.com
They surveyed 423 B-to-B Sales and Marketing professionals that cited that generating and improving leads was their biggest challenge.
I think sometimes we’re all so focused on the new tools available to us to generate leads that we forget about some of the old standbys.
I have found that we usually have more success using traditional marketing tools when it comes to actually generating good qualified leads.
What are you finding out that works best for you in a B-to-B environment?
by tradesmeninsights | Aug 13, 2013 | Marketing Tips
Today, Matt Sonnhalter is sharing about a recent seminar he co-presented.
I recently had the privilege of co-presenting a “Marketing 101 for Manufacturers” seminar for MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network) with a colleague of mine, Sage Lewis, president of SageRock. You can see the full presentation here, but I want to focus on one of the closing slides of this presentation, “10 Key Factors for Successful Marketing Programs.”
- Upfront Planning – it’s not ready, fire, aim! Make sure you have clearly defined your objectives, target, budget and message. Also make sure you set priorities, it is better to do one thing well than multiple items poorly.
- Marketing Champion – often times marketing is one of the most overlooked functions within an organization. It is important to make sure someone internally is dedicated to leading your marketing efforts and ensuring their success.
- Lead Process – I can’t tell you the stories I’ve heard from manufacturers who spend tens of thousands of dollars at a trade show to generate leads, only to find out the leads are never followed-up on. You have to have a clear plan in place to handle the leads generated by your marcom efforts, from where the leads are going to be stored, and how these leads are being qualified, to who’s following up on the leads and in what time frame.
- Patience – in this technologically driven world where we have access to everything 24/7, we seem to always expect results instantly. Sometimes marketing programs take time to run and reach their full potential, so you must be willing to make a commitment and have faith in your marketing programs. If you’ve done your initial upfront planning, you have nothing to worry about.
- Resources (internal/external) – none of us have all the resources or time to do everything we would like…not even mega-brands like Nike and Coca-Cola! It’s important to be realistic about what resources you have internally at your company, and if you do not have the bandwidth to successfully implement all of your marketing programs, then you need to prioritize the list and focus on the ones you can handle and/or leverage outside firms to help augment the workload.
- Strong Call-to-Action – all of the elements in your marketing program need to have some sort of call-to-action. It can be as simple as going to your website, but you should always give your customers a “next step” with your marketing efforts.
- Marketing & Sales on the “Same Page” – if there are ever two departments within an organization that need to work closely together, it’s Marketing and Sales. While they are two very distinct disciplines within a company, marketing is there to support sales and it is critical that both of these departments are working towards the same goal.
- Integrated Program – there is no single one marketing tactic that works all the time, so it is important when building your marketing program to have a mix of marcom tactics.
- Measure – in order to grow and optimize your marketing plan, you need to try and measure results wherever possible. Otherwise, how do you know if something is working?
- Experiment – you can’t be afraid to experiment. There is no “magic formula” or “silver bullet” in marketing; what works for one manufacturer is not going to work for the next.
These are some of the top factors for helping ensure a successful marketing program, but it is by no means an exhaustive list. What are some of the key factors for your successful marketing programs?
by tradesmeninsights | Aug 7, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing
As marketers, we have two challenges: one to create great content and two to deliver it. Recent studies have indicated that email still ranked among the top outreach channels to reach buyers no matter what stage they are in the buying cycle. Studies also show that emails should be integrated into other marketing tactics as well.
So knowing the emails are a viable way to deliver the message, we should probably spend some time on the other deliverable – relevant content!
Relevant content addresses the needs of a potential customer. It gives them options to solve a problem or gives them resources for them to investigate. Relevant content draws in potential customers.
According to an article in eMarketer, content creation was still the #1 challenge for them.
So our challenge is to give the reader WOW info every time, which is no small task. You should enlist the help of others within your company that have specific expertise to help develop relevant content.
Sales, engineering and customer service are certainly three places to start. They all are talking to either existing or potential customers and can readily identify issues that need to be addressed. By addressing them, you’re becoming that thought leader which should be one of your objectives.
The key to successful engagement comes in a variety of types of content.
A golden rule is, don’t put content out for the sake of having something out there. You should be looking for relevant stuff, not quantity.
by tradesmeninsights | Aug 6, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Marketing Trends
Today we have a guest post, courtesy of Kimberley Laws and Media Shower.
You’ve got hundreds of Facebook friends, an ever-expanding Google+ circle, and an eye-catching collection of Pinterest boards. Yes, you are a masterful user of social media, but how much do you really know about the tools that you devote so much time to using? The answer is likely “not nearly enough.” Here are a few social media studies that will tantalize, educate and make you say a-ha and help make you a fully informed social media user.
Image courtesy of:
Become a social media expert by reading up on the latest studies.
1) Who uses Pinterest?
Pinterest is the perfect way to create your own on-line recipe box, collect great ideas for your kitchen remodel, or hoard shots of the 1968 Mustang Fastback that you’ve always dreamt of having. But what else do you know about this relative newcomer to the Social Media world?
Econsultancy has recently published a series of helpful statistics that offer an in-depth glimpse into Pinterest, its users, and its value as a marketing tool.
According to Econsultancy, Pinterest is growing at a monumental rate “enjoying a traffic increase of 786% in the UK” and is now the third most popular Social Media tool. To help put its growth potential into perspective, Pinterest also boasts a record of keeping its new users much more efficiently than Twitter did during the same phase of its development.
The most popular pins fall under the categories of Food and Drink, DIY and Crafts, and Home Decor. This is great news for online retailers in these sectors as Pinterest accounted for 17.4% of all social media revenue at e-commerce sites in April of last year.
You can find more interesting Pinterest facts at http://econsultancy.com/ca/blog/62189-stats-who-uses-pinterest-and-why-is-it-important-for-marketers
2) Are your buying habits influenced by the reviews you read online?
As a social media user, you have likely come across some scathing comments directed as businesses who failed to keep their customers happy. Perhaps, you have even composed a few, yourself. If so, have you ever wondered if your cleverly crafted reviews “good or bad” has the power to influence the decision of another prospective shopper?
According to a recent survey conducted by Dimensional Research, the answer is a resounding “yes!”
Image courtesy of:
Both negative and positive reviews overwhelming affect consumer decisions, proving that a company’s online business reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Interestingly, the most common source of aggravation “according to a whopping 72% of respondents” is the need to repeat one’s complaint to several different company representatives.
Another remarkable fact gleamed from this study is that individuals with an income of over 150K are more likely to share both positive and negative experiences with others. In fact, 100% of respondents in this income bracket stated that they would share a negative customer experience.
If you’d like to find out what other types of infractions annoyed respondents, what factors affect brand trust, and more juicy information on online reputation, visit http://marketingland.com/survey-customers-more-frustrated-by-how-long-it-takes-to-resolve-a-customer-service-issue-than-the-resolution-38756.
3) When is the optimum “tweeting” time?
According to a report issued by bitly.com, the size of your tweet’s potential audience is hugely impacted by the time of day in which it is posted.
Image courtesy of:
Maximize your “tweets” with perfect timing.
It would appear that employee productivity drops significantly between one o’clock and three o’clock in the afternoon from Monday to Thursday as this is the prime time for tweeting. The absolute worst time is after eight o’clock pm.
Facebook’s ideal posting time is three o’clock in the afternoon on hump day, otherwise known as Wednesday.
For more statistics that will help you reach a larger audience, visit http://www.rakacreative.com/blog/post/best-time-to-tweet-and-post-to-facebook-infographic.
4) What role do women play in the social media arena?
Image courtesy of:
Gender does play an important role in social media.
KRC Research and Weber Shandwick conducted a survey to uncover information on female social media users for marketing purposes and here are some of the discoveries that they made. 81% of North American female internet users have a Facebook account, making it their go-to social media tool. And the average online woman spends two hours a day on social media sites.
Shockingly or not, online women also admit to preferring spending time on social media sites to dating or spending quality time with their significant other. Yes, they prefer their laptops and cell phones over their men.
If you’d like to learn more interesting facts about the social media habits of North American women, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2013/10575/women-of-social-media-digital-influencer-study.
With social media tools playing an increasingly important role in the lives of us all, it is important to learn as much as we can about it. This smattering of social media studies offer a glimpse of what these important venues mean for your business, your social life and, in some cases, even your marriage. And, if nothing else, the facts contained within are sure to surprise, reaffirm, and entertain. Enjoy.
What study findings do you find the most astonishing? Why?
Kimberley Laws is a freelance writer and avid blogger. She is a huge fan of lists, useful and sometimes, useless factoids, and easy-to-read infographics. You can contact her at http://www.kimberleylaws.com/.
by tradesmeninsights | Jul 31, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Marketing Trends, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing
If you’re not utilizing this tool to reach the contractor and professional tradesman, you’re missing a great opportunity.
Some recent studies show that videos are on the rise in the B-to-B world. B-to-B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budget and Trends North America found that video had the largest increase of any market content in 2012.
Software Advice’s recent 2012 B-to-B demand generation survey found that video was the second most type of content used across channels.
I recently read a 3-part article in Content Marketing Institute by Mark Walker that outlined how to use video to drive awareness, leads and sales. He gives great tips on how to develop and execute a video strategy.
Here are some highlights:
- Define your purpose. What do you want to accomplish – educate, entertain, sell?
- Define your message. You’re better off doing targeted messages which will be shorter and on point. It’s better to do several short targeted videos than one catch-all one.
- Don’t overlook existing video. You might be surprised at what already exists on your products, training, etc.
- Leverage event’s show interviews, live demos, contractor interviews.
- Keep it short. 3-5 minutes is the ideal length to hold someone’s attention.
- Promote videos. Other than SEO, promote on your blog, website and social platforms, along with the appropriate tagging so folks can find you.
- Ask your Audience to share and make it easy for them to do.
Mark does an excellent job educating those who may not be familiar with all the ins and outs of videos.
If you like this post, you might like:
B-to-B Marketers: Are you Taking Advantage of Online Videos?
Busy Executives Prefer Videos Online
Make Videos Part of your Direct Marketing Plans to the Professional Tradesman
by tradesmeninsights | Jul 30, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Social Marketing
In today’s world where social media has become an integral part of our overall marketing plans, we can’t rely solely on the old standby of the Four P’s – Product, Price, Promotion and Place. We now have to learn how to manage and measure the brand influencers in social media marketing.
In an article in Convince and Convert by Danny Brown, he highlights ways to influence the customer with the Four M’s – Make, Manage, Monitor and Measure. He concludes that by incorporating the M’s and the P’s, we’ll be better serving the customer.
- The customer must be the center of our efforts. We need to find out what stage they are in the buying cycle and address the needs at that particular stage whether it’s information gathering or ready to buy.
- We need to manage the responses of the messages we send. Did they have a positive or negative impact?
- We need to monitor the relationship between the small core group. Who is the influence? What factors are coming into play?
- If we do all these we’ll be able to measure our influence on customers.
Danny Brown and Sam Fiorella have written a book, Influence Marketing, which I plan on reading. It certainly makes sense that by incorporating the old methods with the new it gives us better ways to communicate and measure.
