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Music Marketers Debate

Recently, I got into a spirited discussion with a group of buddies I’ve known for more than three decades about a topic of monumental importance:  most influential music albums of the 20th century.  Our choices may surprise you…

  1. Michael Jackson – Thriller
  2. Beastie Boys – License to Ill
  3. Fleetwood Mac – Rumors

Since our debate I’ve thought a lot about the music — why it resonates and what it means for marketers.  A couple of ideas for you to consider when planning your next campaign:

  1. Stray from the Pack: employing proven tactics for demand generation is the foundation of a smart program. Do you have budget allocated though for something unexpected?  Greatness is achieved by breaking from the comfortable.  Beastie Boys approached hip hop with a fresh eye and, as a result, sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
  2. Play for the Audience: I once had a client tell me the campaign in development didn’t speak to him. He failed to grasp that he was not a corporate buyer of datacenter and network infrastructure – his company’s customer.  Step into the mind of your customer when developing messaging and a creative execution.  Michael Jackson will forever be the King of Pop because he understood his fans and what they expected from the music.
  3. It’s OK to be a Rebel. Vanilla and bland fades to the background. Shake things up.  Express an opinion.  Challenge the market.  There will always be haters.  Yet, the customers you probably want are the ones who demand (and respect) innovation.  For Fleetwood Mac, turmoil among its members produced Rumors, the band’s most creative and commercially successful result.

 

Beastie Boys’ fresh approach to hip hop offers a lesson for marketers. (Photo source: Time.com)

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Marketers and the Conference Conundrum

“It is about time, or should I say, the lack of time,” the marketer explained during a phone call last week.  “I run demand generation, digital campaigns, the Web site and content.  How can I break away to attend a conference?  My CMO would laugh if I raised the possibility.”

This conundrum is common place for corporate, field and product marketers.  As responsibilities grow, time for professional development and skill enhancement wanes.  Yet, it is critical to stay sharp and current on the latest methodologies, tools and techniques in areas related to content, digital, analytics and social media.

Here are three easy-to-implement ideas:

  1. Attend the event…virtually. Most organizers publish keynotes, speaker presentations and panel discussions on their Web site. Block out 90 minutes on a Friday afternoon to engage with this content.  Watch what is most relevant to your job and then pick at least one presentation that is outside your purview.  You may be surprised by how the best practices potentially apply.
  2. Connect and interact socially with attendees. They are on Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms sharing content from the event. This presents the opportunity to deepen your knowledge, while expanding your professional network.
  3. Subscribe to industry sites that will push you news. In 2017, Strategic Communications Group’s (Strategic) Modern Marketing Today published exclusive recaps of industry events hosted by Salesforce, Marketo and SiriusDecisions. You can review the content here at this link.

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What Sales NEVER Tells Marketers

I just had the most unexpected phone conversation with a new business prospect.  My head is still spinning.  Here’s the story…

Each week I set aside time to dial marketers who I have yet to meet.  I quickly introduce Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) and, since I am calling unannounced, attempt to schedule an initial phone conversation at a later date.

Yesterday, the North American field marketing lead at a global technology products company picked up her line.  We chatted for a minute and agreed to compare calendars via Email.  Then, she hit me with a surprise.

“Hey, while I have you on the phone.  You are in sales.  Tell me, what does my sales team not share with me when it comes to their expectations of marketing?”

Imagine that!  Rather than simply rushing me off, this marketer viewed the conversation as an opportunity to gather insight and intelligence to help her be more successful.  I was happy to oblige.

  1. A comprehensive view of a prospect helps me initiate a dialogue. Provide me intelligence based on the prospect’s digital footprint and social engagement. How are they engaging with content?  Where do they interact?  By understanding areas of possible need, my rate of success in securing a first meeting will skyrocket.
  2. Sales cycles have gaps in time. Help me fill them. I don’t want to contact a prospect to just “follow up.”  Develop thought leadership oriented content I can use to maintain a dialogue when they are not ready to buy.
  3. Steer me away from unproductive activities. I want to attend events…organize Webinars…sponsor conferences. Help me understand if these tactics are misguided and will fail to reach the right audience.
  4. And perhaps most important…

That’s when I stopped.   The line remained quiet for a good 10 seconds.  You could practically feel the anticipation.

“Well?”, she finally asked.

I will tell you during our introductory call, I explained.  That’s because the goal of each step in the sales process is simply to reach the next step.

What is my final (and most important) expectation of marketing?  Look for an update to this blog post in the next few days.

 

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What is my last “sales guy” expectation of marketing?  Help me develop a voice on social media. 

Sales reps identify and qualify more leads when they are actively engaged in social networks, especially LinkedIn.  Unfortunately, many refrain from social engagement because they are unclear of how to do it in a disciplined and a professional way.  This is an area where marketers can help.

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Non-Knowing Sales Rep Exposed

She asked in the Email subject line if I were OK.  She didn’t care about my well-being though.  It didn’t take a genius to figure that out.

The Email was the third in a series of messages I received from a sales rep at a marketing firm pushing content development services.  She offered to save my consultancy “serious time” when it comes to writing high quality blog posts.

Of course, much of Strategic Communications Group’s (Strategic) work is in thought leadership content creation — for a client’s Web site or blog, or for one of our online buyer communities.  We are not a viable prospect for this vendor.  A quick review of our corporate Web would have proven that out.

In her Email pitch, the sender then made an unexpected shift in strategy from empathy to humor.

“I’m going to assume that you’re not dead or kidnapped,” she wrote.  Are you in prison?  If you are in jail, don’t worry – I’ll post bail for you.  Just let know the best way to connect so I know where to send the money.”

OK…I get it…an attempt to be funny.  To make jest of the fact I have yet to respond to one of these template pitches.  However, as someone who has performed stand-up comedy for nearly a decade (seriously!) I am well versed in the three tenets of humor:

  1. Be relevant to the audience’s interests
  2. Be timely
  3. Be responsive to reaction and feedback

To meet these standards, it helps to actually know something the person.  And this, my friend, is ultimately why most sales outreach with little, if any, diligence is so darn ineffective.  When we don’t know the prospect or customer, there is simply no way to credibly connect with them.

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Marketers Back Side Bitten

Cheers’ lovable character, Norm Peterson.

“It’s a dog eat dog world and I am wearing milk bone underwear.” 

The character Norm Peterson on the TV sitcom Cheers was known for his rumpled demeanor and timely quips.  His playful underwear jab probably resonates with today’s marketer who may feel like a bite has been taken out of their back side.

Why?

Expectations have changed.  Once primarily a creative endeavor, corporate, product and field marketers are now held accountable for measurable outcomes and top line revenue growth.  In fact, a recent study by Accenture found the top marketer is the first to be fired when a company fails to hit its projections.  Not sales.  Not product.  Marketing.

Data driven marketing…the buyer’s journey…connecting brand to engagement…ultimately, the nomenclature is irrelevant.  What is absolutely apparent is your customers, partners, colleagues and shareholders demand more from you.

Oh yeah, and this accountability arrives in an environment where budgets are constrained.  Like Peterson said on Cheers, you are sporting milk bone underwear.

In 2017, Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) has repositioned to help our clients thrive in this landscape.  Our new website reflects our approach, which includes:

Buyer Communities: Digital spaces we create for your brand to consistently deliver a thought leadership message and feed the sales funnel.

Digital Insights and Metrics:  We help you move from traffic numbers to buyer insights from your digital assets, and understand how your buyer communities stack up against other brands across multiple industries.

Marketing and Sales Training: Our market insight and sales training programs help you motivate sales teams to action, arming them with timely and meaningful customer intelligence.

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