Smarketrs

Meet Barry Duffy, who is one of our specialist leads on ABM and demand generation. In today's market, volume-based approaches just don't work, and selling to everyone means selling to no-one. Feel free to get in touch if you need a new approach to building your sales pipeline and growing your revenue in 2025.

Marketing isn't just about generating leads anymore—it's about aligning with sales to generate meaningful, insights-driven conversations that convert to customers. So it’s important to understand these key sales methodologies: 𝙎𝙋𝙄𝙉 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 Developed by Neil Rackham, SPIN focuses on four critical question types: ·     Situation: Understanding the customer's current context ·     Problem: Identifying specific challenges ·     Implication: Exploring the consequences of those problems ·     Need-Payoff: Helping customers articulate the value of a solution 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 This methodology shifts from product features to solving specific customer problems. It emphasises: ·     Diagnosing customer pain points ·     Customizing solutions to address unique challenges ·     Creating value propositions that directly link to customer needs 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚 Based on the book by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, this approach involves: ·     Teaching prospects something new about their business ·     Tailoring messages to specific stakeholders ·     Taking control of the sales conversation ·     Focusing on commercial insights over relationship-building 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 A customer-centric approach that prioritises: ·     Deep understanding of the client's business ·     Building long-term relationships ·     Providing strategic advice beyond immediate product sales ·     Acting more as a trusted advisor than a traditional salesperson 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝘿𝙄𝘾 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙈𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 A highly analytical approach particularly effective in complex B2B sales: ·     Metrics: Quantifiable business outcomes ·     Economic Buyer: Identifying key decision-makers ·     Decision Criteria: Understanding how decisions are made ·     Decision Process: Mapping the actual purchase workflow ·     Identify Pain: Uncovering critical business challenges ·     Champion: Finding internal advocates 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 🤔 While these methodologies originated in sales, they're invaluable for marketing professionals running ABM and demand generation campaigns. Here's why: 💡 Content Strategy Alignment: Understanding these methodologies helps create more targeted, insights-driven content, including sales enablement materials. 💡 Persona Development: Each methodology offers unique perspectives on customer pain points and decision-making processes 💡 Campaign Messaging: You can craft more effective problem-solving narratives that resonate 💡 Sales Strategy Alignment: Speaking the same language means you can better align your marketing campaigns with the overall sales objectives, including what makes a good lead. ------ 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙂𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡? 🚀 DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link in our profile to book a slot 📅

At Smarketrs we get to speak to a lot of SaaS startups and scale-ups who are looking to move to a sales-led GTM. It's surprising how many founders/ CEOs want to jump to straight into campaign planning mode without thinking about these core questions first.

How well do you understand your enterprise buying committee In the complex world of ABM and enterprise sales, success isn't just about having a great product or a single champion—it's about understanding the intricate web of decision-makers who ultimately determine whether your deal gets over the line. Every enterprise buying committee is a unique ecosystem of personalities, priorities, and pain points. Yet, how many of us truly take the time to map out who these individuals are beyond their job titles? Consider this: A buying committee typically includes 6-10 stakeholders, each bringing a different lens to the decision: -> The Executive Sponsor is focused on strategic alignment and big-picture business outcomes -> The Technical Decision Maker wants to understand architectural fit and potential integration challenges -> The Financial Buyer is calculating ROI, total cost of ownership, and budget implications -> The End Users are concerned with day-to-day usability and workflow improvements -> The Procurement Specialist is navigating vendor selection criteria and compliance requirements The image below shows the buying committee for an edtech product at a typical university, their areas of focus and their key drivers. Your job isn't just to sell a product—it's to craft a narrative that speaks directly to each committee member's unique objectives and concerns, and then find ways to reach and engage them. 🤔 Ask yourself: Have you invested enough time truly understanding who is behind the decision? Can you articulate not just what your solution does, but how it specifically addresses the nuanced needs of each stakeholder? The most successful ABM motions shift the focus from being seen as a transactional vendor to being seen as a strategic partner who can demonstrate a deep, empathetic understanding of the complex human dynamics driving the enterprise purchasing decisions. --------------- 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽? 🎯 If you are struggling to define your ICP and identify your stakeholder buying group, we can help. DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link in our profile 📅

🚀 Demand Generation: A Strategic Roadmap to Business Growth Organisations don't transform overnight. The Demand Generation Maturity Model offers a powerful framework for systematically evolving your GTM capabilities across five distinct stages, wiyth some of the key flags to watch out for: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭: 𝗔𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗰/𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 -> Limited understanding of buyer personas -> Basic lead generation through generic campaigns -> No formal processes -> Limited marketing and sales alignment 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮: 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 -> Defined buyer personas -> Basic content mapping to buyer journey -> Initial marketing automation -> Defined sales stages and basic CRM usage -> Established BDR team with basic structure 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟯: 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 -> Defined ICP and target accounts -> Multi-channel campaigns -> Sophisticated lead scoring and qualification -> Sales and marketing alignment -> Clear performance metrics/ KPIs -> Specialised BDR roles (inbound vs outbound) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰: 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 -> ABM programme established for low-volume, high ACV accounts -> AI-driven personalisation -> Predictive analytics -> Integrated tech stack -> Cross-functional revenue team collaboration 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟱: 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 -> Real-time personalisation at scale -> Full revenue lifecycle optimisation -> Continuous strategic innovation 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: ✓ Technology Integration ✓ Process Development ✓ Team Alignment ✓ Data Management ✓ Skills Development 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Not every organisation needs to reach Stage 5. The optimal stage depends on your business model, scale, and strategic objectives. --------------- 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽? 🎯 Smarketrs are offering a free Demand Generation Maturity audit which includes recommendations for how you can reach the next stage. DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link in our profile 📅

You can't run an effective demand generation campaign without having a strand for building brand awareness and webinars are a great example. So whilst you might miss your registration target, your brand is out there and you'll have great content to use afterwards.

Want to help position your BDR and sales team as subject matter experts? Webinars are a great way for BDRs and sales to demonstrate their deep product knowledge, industry expertise, and customer-centric approach. This helps position them as subject matter experts which can lead to stronger and more trusted relationships. Here's how.... 🚀 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚: -> They often have deep product knowledge and industry insights that they can share through webinar presentations. -> Allowing them to lead or co-host webinars demonstrates their expertise to attendees. -> This helps establish them as trusted advisors and go-to resources for their area of focus. 🚀 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: -> Webinars give them the opportunity to interact directly with prospective customers. -> During the live Q&A, they can answer questions and provide personalised advice, further highlighting their knowledge. -> This personal touch helps build rapport and credibility with attendees. 🚀 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥: -> The content and insights shared by them during webinars can be repurposed and distributed across other marketing channels. -> This helps amplify their subject matter expertise and thought leadership beyond just the webinar audience. 🚀 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨: -> Webinars allow them to engage with both new and existing customers. -> By providing valuable information and being responsive to attendee needs, they can strengthen relationships and position themselves as trusted partners. 🚀 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮: -> Promoting the webinar through various channels increases the visibility of them hosting it. -> Attendees may also share the webinar recording with their networks, further expanding their reach and influence. What else would you add to this list? Tomorrow we'll be sharing tips on how webinars can build brand trust and credibility. --------------- 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽? 🎯 Whether you are creating your 2025 strategy, looking to launch your next campaign, or just need an extra pair of hands, we can help. DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link in our profile 📅

Planning to use webinars in your 2025 lead/ demand generation strategy? Webinars are a great way to educate, engage, and collect leads, and choosing the right content helps build trust and authority with potential customers. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 1️⃣ Thought leadership and expertise: Webinars allow you to showcase your expertise on a relevant topic. With the right content you can position your brand as a thought leader. 2️⃣ Targeted reach: Webinars allow you to target your ICP. You can promote it to your existing CRM database, as well as reach new potential leads. 3️⃣ Interactive engagement: Webinars offer an interactive experience where attendees can ask questions, participate in polls, and engage with the presenter in real-time. This builds relationships and trust. 4️⃣ Lead capture: Webinar registration forms allow you to collect contact information from interested prospects and gives you the opportunity to follow up with them and nurture them through your sales funnel. 5️⃣ Repurposing content: Recordings of your webinars can be repurposed, shared on social and used in campaigns, expanding the reach and lifespan of your webinar and maximising ROI. 6️⃣ Improved brand visibility: Promoting your webinar across various marketing channels helps increase your brand's visibility and awareness with your target audience. 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🚀 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚: - Choose topics that address specific pain points and where they are in the buying journey eg industry trends/educational content at awareness stage, solution comparisons/case studies at consideration stage etc - Balance valuable content with soft sells 🚀 𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚: - Include a clear, compelling headline that highlights the key benefit of attending, and bullet points of what attendees will learn - Add speaker credentials and photos - Keep the registration form simple (ask for minimal information) 🚀 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙚𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 3 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: - Email your existing list multiple times - Share on social media - Consider paid ads on LinkedIn - Share snippets of the content to increase perceived value 🚀 𝙏𝙖𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨: - Collaborate with industry influencers and partners - Ask speakers to share with their networks - Leverage employee and CEO networks What tips would you add? Tomorrow we'll be sharing tips on how webinars can help position your BDR and sales teams as subject matter experts --------------- 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽? 🎯 Whether you are creating your 2025 strategy, looking to launch your next campaign, or just need an extra pair of hands, we can help. DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link in our profile 📅

Here are some quick tips for anyone in #B2BMarketing who is looking to optimise their marketing funnel and maximise their marketing effectiveness... 👉 Ensure you have proper tracking and reporting in place with key KPIs around funnel stage conversion rates and have these broken down by channel. 👉 For paid channels ensure you are also tracking lifetime value (LTV) to customer acquisition costs (CAC) to understand which paid channels are giving you a positive ROI. An LTV:CAC that's over 3:1 is a good result. 👉 Keep testing web pages, especially ones designed for conversion, to see if you can improve page visit to form completion conversion rates. Even a 0.5% improvement can make a big impact on ROI. 👉 Create different content and in different formats for each stage of the funnel. Don’t treat people the same, and only move the conversation on when they are ready. Keep testing to see what works. 👉 Create separate campaign layers with a cold layer to raise awareness, a warm retargeting layer to educate and a nurture layer to keep front of mind until they are ready to buy. 👉 Invest in a platform to help track website visitors and identify high intent buying signals. High intent leads that meet the ICP and qualification criteria can be pushed into a sales outreach cadence and warm ones can be pushed into a retargeting layer. For PLG platforms with a free trial CTA you can explore how they are engaging during the trial. 👉 Regularly review leads with sales/ BDRs to learn more about what a good and bad lead looks like and identify opportunities for improving lead quality and conversion rates. What else would you add?

Here's 10 hard truths about B2B demand generation that we've learned the hard way at Smarketrs... 1.    You have to generate lots of leads to have a significant impact on revenue. If your conversion rate to opportunity is 10% and your conversion rate from opportunity to closed won is 20%, then you’ll need 50 leads to get 1 new customer. 2.    Leads costs money. Driving demand is not cheap as you need money for things like content, paid advertising, data providers and events. So pay attention to unit metrics like CPL and CAC. 3.    The leads your CEO wants ("enterprise directors ready to buy now") are usually not the ones you'll get through demand gen. Most leads need 6-18 months of nurturing before they're sales-ready. 4.    Most of your content will never be read or generate any meaningful leads, no matter how much time you spend crafting it. The 80/20 rule applies heavily here - a small percentage of content drives most results. 5.    Despite endless talk about "marketing and sales alignment," these teams will naturally conflict because they often operate on different timelines and metrics and report to different people. This misalignment often leads to finger-pointing about lead quality and follow-up speed. 6.    Your competitors are probably pursuing the same keywords, topics, and channels you are. So you need to find your true differentiation and be willing to explore unproven channels. 7.    The attribution models most companies use for demand gen are fundamentally flawed. The buyer's journey is complex and non-linear, making it nearly impossible to accurately credit specific touchpoints. 8.    Your martech stack does not generate leads. A good tech stack is table-stakes for demand gen. However, it’s not the "Fabulous Lead Machine" that creates leads out of nowhere. It’s power really begins AFTER you have generated the lead. 9.    You can't tell if someone is a buyer until they tell you. You can't qualify a lead without a person having a two-way conversation with that prospect and it can take up to 30 dials to get one conversation. A big misconception is that scoring solves this problem. 10.    Budget increases usually come with the expectation of proportional lead volume increases. But demand gen often faces diminishing returns - doubling spend rarely doubles results. What other hard truths have you learned about demand gen? ------------------- 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲? 🎯 DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link above in our profile to book a slot 📅