Adrian van Haaften’s Post

Stop Obsessing Over Lead Generation! B2B marketing continues to become increasingly complex. While lead generation is certainly an important aspect, it's crucial to remember that building a strong and trusted brand is equally, if not even more, important. Trust is necessary to generate leads, and even when you do, you'll need to close them. The attached MarTech article supports my marketing declarations that everything should be treated as an impression and helpful resource along the customer buyer journey. Here are key takeaways for marketing experts to consider when crafting their B2B marketing strategies. Here are the key takeaways from my marketing expert peers: B2B marketing is more art than science. It's not just about generating leads but also about building brand awareness and establishing yourself as a trusted advisor in your space. Focus on consistent messaging. Make sure your message is clear, consistent, and resonates with your target audience. Practice active listening to understand their pains and goals. Use their own words to build consensus and trust at each touchpoint. Show up for your audience. Be present where your target audience is and engage with them regularly. It's all about being in the right place, at the right time, in the right channel, with the right message. Don't rely solely on lead generation. While lead generation is important, it shouldn't be your only focus. Build a strong brand foundation to support your long-term marketing goals. Consider lead gen the output of your work from creating impressions that support the customer journey to earn their trust. By following these tips, you can create a more effective B2B marketing strategy that will help you achieve your business goals. Check out the article: https://lnkd.in/gnpzpNew Share your thoughts and insights in the comments below!

Here is how a B2B marketing strategy SHOULD look like (and how it actually looks in most B2B companies). 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬: 1. Paid ads promoting product/demo 2. Automated email & LinkedIn outreach 3. Gated e-books to generate "leads" 4. Product pitching webinars 5. Low-quality blog 6. Occasional posts on the company's social pages 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 (based on the State of Full-Funnel Marketing research): -Miserable "lead" to opportunity conversion and endless debates about the quality of the leads - Missed revenue targets - High cost of acquisition - Extended sales cycle Usually, the core problem of these companies is a lack of marketing fundamentals or a clear GTM strategy. 𝐆𝐓𝐌 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞: 0. 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬. Goals should be based on your current resources, opportunities, and historical growth, not based on wishes or unrealistic expectations. 1. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. Segmentation is the first step in developing ICP. Different segments have different use cases, buying processes, and revenue potential. You need to select the focus segment. 2. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 (𝐈𝐂𝐏). Here are 5 ICP pillars. - Firmographics - Buying committee - Account segmentation (Tiers) - Qualification and disqualification criteria - Customer research 3. 𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. During customer research, define what triggers the buying process, and what are the typical steps buyers take. But keep in mind that most customers are not actively buying. Try to figure out what channels they use for education, who they follow, and what content resonates with them and motivates them to learn more about specific solutions (demand triggers). Understand typical questions, concerns, and inhouse approval process. 4. Positioning and Value Prop. Both are part of your marketing message which communicates why your product is different and worth buying. 5. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. Define programs to influence the whole buying process: — Awareness and demand generation. — Demand capturing and activation — Retention — Expansion — Sales and buyer enablement 6. 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲. Last stage is often ignored, but without an efficient CS and advocacy, your company will deal with: - Lack of case studies and referrals - High churn Build a great relationship and minimize time to value with appropriate onboarding. Embed customer research in the process. Leverage the opportunity to create case studies and share insights with marketing and sales for further expansion.

It's true -- #b2bmarketing is a long-term effort, but it has come to have short-term accountability. And while lead generation should remain an important aspect of Marketing, with all the focus on generating leads, the effort to educate and convince the audience is increasingly being shifted to sales, which is a losing strategy. This is why #brandbuilding is so important. And, let's be clear...BRAND BUILDING IS LEAD GENERATION. Full stop.

Here is how a B2B marketing strategy SHOULD look like (and how it actually looks in most B2B companies). 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬: 1. Paid ads promoting product/demo 2. Automated email & LinkedIn outreach 3. Gated e-books to generate "leads" 4. Product pitching webinars 5. Low-quality blog 6. Occasional posts on the company's social pages 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 (based on the State of Full-Funnel Marketing research): -Miserable "lead" to opportunity conversion and endless debates about the quality of the leads - Missed revenue targets - High cost of acquisition - Extended sales cycle Usually, the core problem of these companies is a lack of marketing fundamentals or a clear GTM strategy. 𝐆𝐓𝐌 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁2𝐁 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞: 0. 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬. Goals should be based on your current resources, opportunities, and historical growth, not based on wishes or unrealistic expectations. 1. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. Segmentation is the first step in developing ICP. Different segments have different use cases, buying processes, and revenue potential. You need to select the focus segment. 2. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 (𝐈𝐂𝐏). Here are 5 ICP pillars. - Firmographics - Buying committee - Account segmentation (Tiers) - Qualification and disqualification criteria - Customer research 3. 𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. During customer research, define what triggers the buying process, and what are the typical steps buyers take. But keep in mind that most customers are not actively buying. Try to figure out what channels they use for education, who they follow, and what content resonates with them and motivates them to learn more about specific solutions (demand triggers). Understand typical questions, concerns, and inhouse approval process. 4. Positioning and Value Prop. Both are part of your marketing message which communicates why your product is different and worth buying. 5. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. Define programs to influence the whole buying process: — Awareness and demand generation. — Demand capturing and activation — Retention — Expansion — Sales and buyer enablement 6. 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲. Last stage is often ignored, but without an efficient CS and advocacy, your company will deal with: - Lack of case studies and referrals - High churn Build a great relationship and minimize time to value with appropriate onboarding. Embed customer research in the process. Leverage the opportunity to create case studies and share insights with marketing and sales for further expansion.

Marketing That Matters: 7 Steps to B2B Clarity Marketing is not an endless checklist of 'showing up consistently' and 'automated emails.' It’s about meaningful campaigns that drive revenue and close deals faster. Yet, most B2B execs don’t support marketing—not because they don’t understand it, but because they don’t see its impact. This is why clarity is critical. Inspired by a post from Andrei Zinkevich, here's a seven-step plan to ensure every campaign is clear, actionable, and aligned with business goals. 1️⃣ Revenue Analysis to Shape ICP: Analyse revenue from different markets and verticals. Identify your best customers and narrow down your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) based on insights from customer interviews and buying patterns. 2️⃣ Targeted Demand Programs: Design specific programs to drive awareness in your target market. Be clear on metrics to gauge success and establish a baseline to measure program impact. 3️⃣ Demand Generation Tactics: Develop targeted programs to generate genuine demand for your service or product. This includes creating valuable content and campaigns that address the specific needs of your ICP. 4️⃣ Account Warming with Sales Collaboration: Identify accounts showing early interest and create strategies to nurture them in collaboration with sales. This ensures a seamless transition when the account is ready for outreach. 5️⃣ Non-Pushy Nurturing for Early-Stage Accounts: Establish nurturing tactics that provide value without being overly promotional for accounts that aren't sales-ready. Educate and engage them to keep them interested over time. 6️⃣ Feedback and Iteration: Gather feedback from key stakeholders and listen carefully to concerns. Address potential objections and fine-tune your approach to ensure alignment across teams. 7️⃣ Detailed Campaign Playbooks: Build a comprehensive marketing plan for each campaign with clear goals, a revenue forecast, leading indicators to track progress, a timeline, and task assignments for the team. This provides a roadmap that ensures everyone is aligned and working towards measurable outcomes. 📢 What’s one thing you think most marketing plans are missing? Drop your thoughts in the comments #b2bmarketing

Advanced B2B Marketing Strategies https://lnkd.in/duWVi9y5 Discover cutting-edge strategies and tools to enhance your B2B marketing efforts in this free online course. Effective strategies are crucial for enhancing business growth in B2B marketing. From using digital platforms to cultivating robust networking channels, businesses must manage various aspects of their operations to boost market presence and optimize efficiency. This course will empower you to drive engagement and achieve business growth by covering advanced strategies such as account-based Marketing (ABM), lead nurturing, and content marketing. In This Free Course, You Will Learn How To ·       Distinguish between B2B and B2C marketing ·       Define account-based marketing ·       Outline actionable steps to getting started with account-based marketing ·       Describe the stages in the lead nurturing process ·       Discuss the benefits of utilising email marketing and automation tools ·       Explain the role of content marketing in B2B marketing

It's time to rethink B2B marketing... Lead generation tactics may feel precise, but they neglect the vast majority of your potential market. Focus on building long-term demand with 'performance branding'. 💡 Key takeaways from the article: 1) 95% of buyers aren't actively in the market. Lead gen can't create demand where none exists. 2) Build 'mental availability': Make your brand the first that comes to mind when needs arise. 3) Performance branding leverages the 'RMB' framework: Reach your whole category, Message around entry points, and Brand consistently. Ready to drive long-term growth? Read the full article here => https://lnkd.in/gkGXhrt9

Advanced B2B Marketing Strategies https://lnkd.in/duWVi9y5 Discover cutting-edge strategies and tools to enhance your B2B marketing efforts in this free online course. Effective strategies are crucial for enhancing business growth in B2B marketing. From using digital platforms to cultivating robust networking channels, businesses must manage various aspects of their operations to boost market presence and optimize efficiency. This course will empower you to drive engagement and achieve business growth by covering advanced strategies such as account-based Marketing (ABM), lead nurturing, and content marketing. In This Free Course, You Will Learn How To ·       Distinguish between B2B and B2C marketing ·       Define account-based marketing ·       Outline actionable steps to getting started with account-based marketing ·       Describe the stages in the lead nurturing process ·       Discuss the benefits of utilising email marketing and automation tools ·       Explain the role of content marketing in B2B marketing

In the world of B2B marketing, there are two main approaches to capture leads: Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and Demand Generation. But which one is right for you & how do you choose? https://lnkd.in/dipyzNJB ➡ Our blog post dives deep into the key differences between ABM and Demand Generation. We'll help you identify your ideal customer profile, understand your resources, and ultimately choose the B2B marketing strategy that brings home the most qualified leads! . . #B2BMarketing #ABM #DemandGeneration #LeadGen #MarketingStrategy #OnlyB2B

🚀 Rethinking B2B Marketing: The Power of Brand Building Over Lead Generation In a recent article, MarTech argues that B2B marketers should shift their focus from lead generation to brand building. This quote summarizes the thought: “Demand generation is ultimately about brand awareness more than it is demand. Right now, there is a narrative in marketing that we create demand, but it’s incorrect. Demand and needs, in general, have to exist with the buyer. [Marketing’s] job is to increase the awareness of our solution as the best option to satisfy that need.” Do you agree? The argument includes several key takeaways: 1:  Embrace Marketing Fundamentals: Prioritize brand building to align with the core principles of marketing. 2:  Understand the Demand Generation Curve: Awareness evolves into active demand, highlighting the importance of nurturing potential customers over time. 3:  Focus on Brand Awareness Early: Engage prospects before they're in-market to set the stage for long-term relationships and sales success. This shift in strategy can redefine our approach to B2B marketing, ensuring that we build a strong foundation for sustainable growth – which after all is the #1 priority of every B2B CMO and Head of Marketing. Check out the full article for more insights: Why B2B Marketing Needs Brand Building More Than Lead Gen (https://lnkd.in/dQM4U-zJ). #B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding #LeadGeneration #MarketingStrategy