Sales

I know we're talking about B2B and not B2C, but the cover of the latest BtoB Magazine bothers me. I think the editors are still thinking in terms of "outbound"  rather than "inbound." Would a more appropriate headline be "Demand Generation Guide 2011" if in fact the issue contains content that helps B2B marketers find success? After all, aren't strategies that build interest and demand for a business's products far more sustainable - and viable for secondary advocacy strategies based on forged...

Too often, the marketing department thinks about ways to get the attention of customers while the sales department thinks about how to get a little more spend out of them (or how to find the next one).  They don't think (develop) as a cohesive unit.  They don't think in terms of a natural, trust-deepening progression from awareness to affinity. While executive-level management books blather on about collaboration and informed decisions, recursive loops and such, the reality remains siloed.  Multiple...

Gotta Speak the Language Last week, I was in Des Moines, IA attending a marketing conference sponsored by the Iowa Banker's Association titled "Blue Ribbon Banking: Marketing for Success."   At Ovation, we're considering our sales strategy for the bank vertical and this local conference provided good timing. My banking experience is limited to the typical consumer relationship, so I thought it particularly important to visit with bank marketers in hopes to better understand their pain points. ...

The plight of a salesperson is a tough one. There are physical barriers ranging from receptionists screening calls to Junk or Spam filters blocking emails, and direct mailings that are overlooked.  I don't purport to have deep insights on how to effectively penetrate the "no solicitations" bubble surrounding many purchase decision-makers, but I do believe that many messages and tactics are off target to say the best, and out of touch, to say the least. What Did You Just Say To Me? These are excerpts...