Nicky Briggs

Just read an interesting article and white paper about how Ai content ranks lower than human-made content on search... so this is from my head not Ai... for the record. Anyway, enough of robots and algorithms, I had a lovely chat the other day with a friend of mine who is thinking of starting a business and we got onto the subject of value (my passion in business) it came about when I did my little talk on what business is, that basic exchange of value. Someone goes to work, earns some money and then makes a decision to exchange that money for something else. If you're lucky, they come to you, and exchange their hard-earned money into something you are selling, a service or a product. This value exchange happens when they have built up the courage and trust that you are the right person /company for the job, based on research, recommendations, brand, price, aesthetic, many many reasons. They're convinced, that, the exchange of their money for what you are selling is worth it. But... deep down they're still a bit scared, will it work (product), will the food be nice (restaurant), will I get what I paid for? Do I even want it!!! Over time, their value exchange with you will settle, and they will either be happy, unhappy or disappointed with their choice. Of course, as business people, we all want them to be happy, so they go off as advocates, telling their friends, and more importantly, coming back for more. Everyones happy. So what's the point of this little story? Well its that the value you deliver for that monetary exchange exists through the entire buyer journey, from research (past advocates) to how you present and convince (marketing) to the actual product or service they receive (experience). Is it as good as they are expecting? Can it be any better? Have we smashed it out of the park for them? The exchange of value is not just the transaction, it is the experience, the delivery, the being part of the brand/tribe/gang, the badge value, the telling your friends you made a great choice... it's the entire end to end relationship you have with your customers. So it's pretty important (I told my friend) you get it ALL right. He agreed. Which was nice.

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Update from CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM): Global Professional Marketing Framework (GPMF). Great news for marketers! The Chartered Institute of Marketing just announced an updated initiative promoting excellence in our field: Global Professional Marketing Framework (GPMF): This innovative framework sets a global standard for marketing knowledge & skills. It helps you: Upskill & stay relevant. See the key skills & capabilities expected from professionals. Demonstrate your expertise: CIM membership + GPMF knowledge = powerful career boost! It’s a framework I have always used in my own career to see where the gaps are and also shared with many aspiring marketers looking to progress. Explore the GPMF here https://lnkd.in/em3Q5SWv #MarketingExcellence #CIM #GPMF #ProfessionalMarketing #EthicsInMarketing

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Join Gartner's live webinar to explore the three critical design areas that will change the marketing function of tomorrow and what marketing leaders should do today to prepare. Gartner for Marketing & Communications | #GartnerMKTG #Marketing #CMO

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Driving change during major transformation programmes is tough. How you communicate can make the difference between success and failure. Our work with Informa shows how agility in your communications played a crucial role in driving alignment and delivering real business value during a complex multi-brand content migration. By taking an agile approach to change comms, Informa was able to adapt their messaging quickly, keeping teams engaged and aligned throughout the transformation process. If you're leading major change efforts, this case study offers practical insights into how clear, agile communications can make a real impact. Check it out here:https://lnkd.in/eMG6bm_z #changecomms #agilecommunications

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What Does Marketing Even Do? A question that's been asked on many calls and on-sites I've attended recently. Justifying the marketing budget is currently the biggest concern as we approach the second half of the year. ⚒ Ops practitioners have seen tech budgets shrink, and we’re now doing more with less. 👨‍💼 Marketing leaders are tasked with proving marketing spend is worth it and showing tangible downstream effects. The GNW Consulting RevOps Framework was created for the marketer, by marketers! It's designed to show how practitioners contribute to company goals and how marketing leaders can justify their budgets. Check out this quick video on the framework breakdown. Download your copy (link in comments) and show off the impact you have as a Marketer! #MarketingStrategy #RevOps #Leadership #Budgeting #MarketingROI #B2BMarketing #OpsExcellence

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Get ready to build, learn, and work with the power of AI on 25th September. It's our newest global digital event, #GeminiAtWork! (EMEA Version) Register today and prepare to explore transformative #generativeAI use cases, learn about the newest product announcements, and more.

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Join me at The Great ABM Debate on 17 July for a session that will get to the heart of where ABMers stand in today’s GTM landscape 🎯 If you’re an ABM practitioner looking for fresh and provocative perspectives on the state of the landscape, look no further. I’ll be among the panel of debaters exploring the topics below: 💡 ABM’s soft success in aligning Sales and Marketing is undervalued in most organisations 💡 Improved Sales and Marketing cooperation through ABM makes no difference to GTM alignment 💡 If the next CMO must deliver GTM alignment, it needs to be an ABM marketer Let’s talk ABM. Join the debate here: https://lnkd.in/ehxF746J #TransmissionB2B #TheGreatABMDebate #MarketingEffectiveness

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I call “mehhh” on this research In all honesty though, Sharp doesn’t say you have to start out having reach. He clearly points out in his examples that to grow/start out, you have to be niche, but as you grow you can’t stay niche — hence he points out that Apple had to become a mass-market brand with reach to stay big and get bigger. I’m looking forward to reading the paper when it comes out, but I don’t see anything new here, besides backing up with tons of data what everyone knows, that channels are not made the same and what works for brand/product X may not work for brand/product Y. It was interesting to see that WoM effectiveness dropped from 50% to 35%. But information technology is teaching us that our friends may not really be as good product quality judges as we thought. There are better tools out there that know our preference and make better recommendations. Full disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Byron Sharp’s work. When I first got my hands on “How Brands Grow” 10 years ago, it changed how I thought about marketing. So, I’m willing to put my neck out there when I see people trying to take it down! 🤷‍♂️

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🎤 CEO Conference Speaking Horror Stories: What’s Yours? 💼 With marketing budgets shrinking, securing free visibility through speaking engagements is more crucial than ever. But it’s not always smooth sailing. Here are some of the worst nightmares I’ve faced when pitching or supporting my CEO's speaking gigs: 🔥 Disjointed Strategy: Our CEO says "yes" to a low-tier event, and we scramble to back out gracefully without burning bridges. 🤯 Lost Trust: We secure a prime spot, but the CEO hates the conference, making future pitches a harder sell. 😡 Visibility Wars: We neglected pitching speaking opportunities amongst competing priorities, only to face the CEO’s wrath when a competitor hogs the spotlight. 😓 Side-Stage Woes: Land a slot at a hot conference, but it’s a side-stage gig at a terrible time. 😬 Panel Pitfalls: The CEO ends up on a panel with a competitor, and we didn’t prep enough, resulting in a disastrous showing. ⏳ Wasted Time: Sent the CEO to a conference without maximizing his schedule, leading to frustration and missed opportunities. What’s your worst horror story? Share in the comments!👇 For a deep dive into creating a holistic speaking program (complete with tracking templates) and maximizing conference impact, check out my recent blogs at carilu dot com. Links in the comments. Let’s turn these horror stories into success stories! 💪 #Speaking #Conferences #Marketing #CMO #CEO #Founder

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The 2024 Tech Innovator in the UK is out there! Is it you? Would you like to be recongised on the global stage for your potential? How about global media exposure for your business? Some powerful networking connections with like-minded peers, industry influlencers and KPMG experts sound useful? Then what are you waiting for? What have you got to lose? What could you gain? Applications close on 15 May: http://spkl.io/60464NQUI -- #TIUK2024 #techinnovatoruk #techtitan #emerginggiants #scaleup #scaleups #innovation #entrepreneurship #innovators #entrepreneurs #pitch #pitchcompetition #techinnovator #daretodisrupt #globaltechinnovator #femalefounders #femaleentrepreneurs

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➡️B2B buyers don’t follow a linear journey. 🔁Instead, they loop through and revisit various stages, as they gather information and build consensus within their organisations. (A bit like in this example, below.) As Gartner puts it; “All of this looping around and bouncing from one job to another means that buyers value suppliers that make it easier for them to navigate the purchase process.” The problem is, most B2B organisations are still trying to sell and market to buyers the old way. Instead of providing all the information buyers need to self-serve, they force buyers to talk to sales—who act as gatekeepers of valuable information. And this is why that’s a problem… When your business takes a company-centric sales approach there are a lot of pitfalls: 📈Premature funnel movement: Forcing buyers through the sales funnel before they are ready can lead to frustration and disengagement. Buyers need time to explore their problems and consider potential solutions without feeling pressured. 🔀Misalignment with buyer preferences: Modern buyers prefer to self-educate and conduct thorough research before engaging with sales teams. A company-centric approach often fails to provide the necessary information and touchpoints that buyers seek. 📉Brand damage: Pushing for a sale too early or being overly aggressive can harm your brand's reputation and burn through leads that might have bought from you in the future. Buyers value transparency and authenticity, and a hard-sell approach can erode trust. 💸Lost deals: Ultimately, if your approach doesn’t align with the buyer’s journey, you risk losing deals. Buyers will gravitate towards competitors who better understand and cater to their needs. So if these are the pitfalls, what’s the solution? Aligning your content strategy with the B2B buyer journey To align with the way that B2B buyers want to buy today, you need to deliver value through multiple touchpoints and give buyers the time they need to make informed decisions. #demandgeneration #b2b #marketing 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 🙋‍♀️ I’m Kerry, an experienced B2B marketer, content strategist & writer ➡️ Follow me for B2B marketing tips that generate results 📩DM me to discuss creating more demand through content marketing

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Is AI going to replace jobs? That's the wrong question to be asking, says Future-skilling expert Gina Jeneroux, MBA FLPI, in this clip from our Webinar talk yesterday. We were discussing the skills AND the ethical considerations needed to use AI effectively. Gina has developed an AI upskilling virtual course with collaborators and is very much an AI-optimist, but with some expert perspective. #AIskills #GenAI #FutureSkilling #FutureOfWork

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Research reveals that brands achieving genuine differentiation not only excel in lead and demand generation but also in establishing a compelling brand identity. Success, however, hinges on a nuanced strategy that involves rigorous customer research and competitive analysis. The stark difference in effectiveness between those who undertake this dual approach and those who don't is a call to action. Elevate your brand by ensuring your differentiation strategy is both customer-informed and competitively distinct. Explore how to harness the power of true differentiation and set your brand apart. Learn more: https://buff.ly/47XNfvS #marketing #creative #sales #leads #cmo

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Still need convincing that AI should be in your marketing strategy? ADWEEK just published an eye-opening article with this vital statistic: 75% of CMOs are witnessing AI's positive impact. From optimizing data segmentation to enhancing personalization, AI is revolutionizing our industry. Despite budget constraints, AI helps us achieve more with less. Combining AI with the expertise of virtual assistants ensures that the data-driven insights have a personal touch, making the approach even more effective and affordable. AI isn't just about efficiency; it's about elevating customer experience. Embrace AI and embrace the future of marketing. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/d4YZtaV8 #Marketing #AI #Innovation #CMO #FutureOfMarketing

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"Data is AI's oxygen." To succeed in this #AIEconomy, companies must be transparent about their data governance policies with their customers. Check out this one-minute clip in which Benjamin Bohman of Stratishield AI and I discuss the importance of data privacy and security, and why companies who lack strong data governance will ultimately become irrelevant. #AI #GenerativeAI #DataGovernance #DataSecurity Cloud Girls Women in Cloud Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Women in Revenue Alliance of Channel Women Channel Partners Channel Marketing Association Marketing AI Institute

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Many thanks to Marketing Week for covering the findings of our annual B2B Pulse report.    I’ve worked on this research over the last nine years and what’s super clear is our ‘rule of thirds’ is proving unbreakable. Wherever buyers are in their purchase journey, a third of the time they want to connect with suppliers in-person, another third of the time they may want remote communications, and for the remaining third of their interactions they could want fully digital self-service.    We’ve examined different industries, geographies, and company sizes, and every type of purchase occasion to stress test this. But the rule of thirds holds strong, meaning companies must offer omnichannel experiences to reach and delight the majority of their target customers.  Thank you Niamh Carroll for diving into the details of our report.  #B2BPulse #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #GrowthTech

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What Capabilities do you want from Partners? Prioritise what you want from partners Watch Video 5:10 https://rb.gy/dnclso #partneringstrategy #partnerselection

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