Andrei Zinkevich’s Post

Fantastic breakdown from Andrei Zinkevich of the full-funnel B2B marketing approach! Each stage is crucial, and it's clear that aligning strategies across the entire funnel can significantly enhance B2B success. One additional point I'd emphasize is the importance of leveraging data analytics at each stage. By continuously analyzing and refining strategies based on data-driven insights, you can more effectively tailor your marketing efforts to meet the evolving needs of your target accounts. Excited about the book announcement! Count me in as a beta reader. Looking forward to diving deeper into these strategies and learning from your extensive experience.

B2B sales funnel! a clear pathway of promotion to conversion

Eight pillars of Full-Funnel B2B marketing: 1. GTM STRATEGY - Goals - Focus market segments & clusters - ICP & qualification - Customer research and buyer journey patterns - Core programs to influence buyer journey and drive revenue - KPIs & metrics - Messaging - Team alignment 2. AWARENESS Awareness = buyers from ICP accounts know why you're worth considering as a solution to a specific problem they have. Develop awareness with: - Detailed guides - Expert content on social about top buyer challenges - Guest posts and podcast interviews on target niche media - Sponsorship & collabs with communities, influencers & creators - Educational events, webinars, round tables - Relationships on social 3. DEMAND GENERATION Demand generation = making your target buyers believe your product is one of the best possible solutions for their needs. Demand is generated through: - Clear messaging on how you're different and worth buying - Detailed case studies and customer use cases divided by verticals or jobs-to-be-done - Practical overview of solutions to typical challenges and use-cases (natively featuring your product) 4. DEMAND CAPTURE Buyers that are ready to buy will reach out to you. Work on making that process frictionless. Keep nurturing with relevant product marketing, social proof and relevant CTAs with - Ads on high-intent channels and retargeting - Product-related content hubs - Product-related webinars - Product-related free email courses and nurtures - Progressive profiling and personalized offers - Buyer interviews 5. ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Here, we collect all the available information about the needs, goals, KPIs and challenges of the individual buyers, and map the value proposition and content to accounts and buyers. Based on these insights, we create and distribute personalized solutions, effectively creating 1:1 account-based marketing. 6. PIPELINE ACCELERATION Marketing works with sales to accelerate the buyer journey of the stale deals, and re-engage the target buyers. 7. CUSTOMER SUCCESS & ADVOCACY After winning a deal, the real relationship only starts. Make sure to accelerate time to value, onboard core users, and get a positive case study asap. Whenever you see they get results, invite them for a debriefing call. You can create a case study and get insights about key initiatives + validate upsell hypotheses. 8. EXPANSION AND RENEWALS Most B2B companies never do it and just passively wait until the client requests more licenses (or churn). But in a SaaS model, the vast majority of revenue growth comes from retention and expansion. That's why, after successful implementation, we can start working on expansion, and later renewals. --- Andrei and I've been talking about Full-Funnel B2B marketing for years. This summer we decided to accumulate our 2x19 years in B2B and write a book. If you'd like to be among the first readers and provide us feedback, let me know, and I'll add you to beta readers list.

Full-Funnel B2B Marketing explained. 0. 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 = replicate your best deals. - Firmographics and technographics criteria - (Dis)qualification criteria that help you prioritize accounts with a need, and that you have a reasonable chance of winning and retaining over the long time - Buying committee structure - Account segmentation criteria - Buyer journey: where and how they learn, discover and buy a solution like yours 1. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 = consistent stream of high-quality expert content aligned with the buying journey, created for places where your buyers hang out and learn + clear messaging on how you're different and worth buying. 2. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 on high-intent channels + retargeting. Buyers that are ready to buy will reach out to you. Work on making that process frictionless. Keep nurturing with relevant product marketing, social proof and relevant CTAs. In parallel, prioritize engaged, high value accounts for your ABM program. 3. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for Account-Based Marketing, based on: - Revenue potential. In ABM, we want to focus on high revenue potential clients (Tier 1 & Tier 2) - Level of vendor awareness and engagement with your brand and demand generation campaigns - Product-need evidence - Relationships that we have with the buying committee 4. 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝟏:𝐅𝐞𝐰), where marketing and sales work together to nurture and develop relationships with multiple buyers, and qualify the need. 5. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝟏:𝟏). Here, we collect all the available information about the needs, goals, KPIs and challenges of the individual buyers, and map the value proposition and content to accounts and buyers. Based on these insights, we create and distribute personalized solutions, effectivelly creating 1:1 account-based marketing. 6. 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, where marketing works with sales to accelerate the buyer journey of the stale deals, and re-engage the target buyers. 7-10. 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐞𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹𝘀. If the deal is won, we'll move it to customer success, and after successful implementation, we can start working on expansion, and later renewals. 11. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 Even if you select the right accounts, and you run a perfect campaign, not all accounts are going to convert into a deal right away. But this doesn’t mean that you should stop marketing to them, as the opportunity might appear in the coming quarters. That’s why we move these accounts to nurturing & demand generation programs, so that you stay top of their mind until they're ready to buy. --- The era of a lead generation and siloed marketing and sales teams passed many years ago. To win today, you need #fullfunnel #b2bmarketing, including brand awareness, #demandgeneration and #ABM programs.

Full-Funnel B2B Marketing explained. 0. 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 = replicate your best deals. - Firmographics and technographics criteria - (Dis)qualification criteria that help you prioritize accounts with a need, and that you have a reasonable chance of winning and retaining over the long time  - Buying committee structure - Account segmentation criteria - Buyer journey: where and how they learn, discover and buy a solution like yours 1. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 = consistent stream of high-quality expert content aligned with the buying journey, created for places where your buyers hang out and learn + clear messaging on how you're different and worth buying. 2. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 on high-intent channels + retargeting. Buyers that are ready to buy will reach out to you. Work on making that process frictionless. Keep nurturing with relevant product marketing, social proof and relevant CTAs. In parallel, prioritize engaged, high value accounts for your ABM program. 3. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for Account-Based Marketing, based on: - Revenue potential. In ABM, we want to focus on high revenue potential clients (Tier 1 & Tier 2) - Level of vendor awareness and engagement with your brand and demand generation campaigns  - Product-need evidence  - Relationships that we have with the buying committee 4. 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝟏:𝐅𝐞𝐰), where marketing and sales work together to nurture and develop relationships with multiple buyers, and qualify the need. 5. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝟏:𝟏). Here, we collect all the available information about the needs, goals, KPIs and challenges of the individual buyers, and map the value proposition and content to accounts and buyers. Based on these insights, we create and distribute personalized solutions, effectivelly creating 1:1 account-based marketing. 6. 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, where marketing works with sales to accelerate the buyer journey of the stale deals, and re-engage the target buyers. 7-10. 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐞𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹𝘀. If the deal is won, we'll move it to customer success, and after successful implementation, we can start working on expansion, and later renewals. 11. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 Even if you select the right accounts, and you run a perfect campaign, not all accounts are going to convert into a deal right away. But this doesn’t mean that you should stop marketing to them, as the opportunity might appear in the coming quarters. That’s why we move these accounts to nurturing & demand generation programs, so that you stay top of their mind until they're ready to buy. --- The era of a lead generation and siloed marketing and sales teams passed many years ago. To win today, you need #fullfunnel #b2bmarketing, including brand awareness, #demandgeneration and #ABM programs. 

Short-term gains 📊 vs. 🏆 long-term growth in B2B marketing. Lead gen vs. brand building One-off promotions vs. always-on advertising Immediate ROI vs. dark funnel …And the list goes on 📋 There are so many ways to do B2B marketing, but if I had to cut it down to one, I’d say people often try to balance between the following two: 📈 Short-term results 🌱 Long-term growth Both are of course necessary, but since the short-term metrics are where you can draw a direct line from marketing to sales (e.g. hand over of leads) many companies tend to favour campaigns that drive those short-term KPIs instead of the strategic ones like: Reach, SoV, and Frequency. At worst this can lead into a situation where you are hyper focused on the short-term campaigns and are only optimising their performance causing the upstream (long-term) potential to dry up. So only focusing on the short-term KPIs is the same as trying to take a shortcut to glory where one doesn’t exist. A “hot lead” 🔥 requires a few more interactions than a single lead magnet download, as based on studies a B2B decision maker consumes around 13-16 content pieces through their buyer’s journey. So even though 80% of your sales potential is generated by the short-term campaigns (20% is hard to attribute) ...still, 80% of your long-term growth lives in “the future” and is influenced by brand building, continuous value delivery, repetition, ungated content, etc. This changes the dynamic of the 80/20 principle so that… 📊 Short-term campaigns drive: 80% of FAST revenue ⏳ Long-term campaigns drive: 80% of FUTURE revenue So are both needed? ✅ Absolutely! It’s even paramount that the long-term growth (the upstream) gets an equal amount of love ❤️ as the short-term activities, as you can only “make an impression” and influence someone’s thinking over the long term, and finally… realise the built demand into leads, pipeline, and revenue once your crop is ready for the harvest. TLDR: Revenue is the manifestation of multiple marketing actions (not just lead gen), and by nurturing your audience upstream (delivering value, branding, etc.), you’ll come to nurture that future potential of yours where 80% of harvestable revenue lives.

B2B Marketing is inefficient. We need to inject some steroids. B2B marketing has always been a decade behind B2C marketing and that's evident to see There's become this conventional thinking that B2B requires you to be super serious and follow a strict marketing plan. The marketing plan they make is super generic, same as all their competitors. You can't expect different results using the same techniques. It's time to switch things up. Let's break this down to its first principles. What generates the most sales for B2B companies? Case studies, and more specifically referalls. Think about the previous B2B platforms you work with, I'm certain most of them were introduced to you from someone who's opinion you trust. So how can we expand this to a large scale, how can we take our most prizes strategy and put it on steroids? B2B Influencer marketing. Before you click off, hear me out. People buy from people. As founders, as decision makers, there's always key thought leaders in the industry you trust and follow. If you're talking about general business, you follow people like Shaan Puri, Andrew Huberman, Sam Altman to take opinions on how to operate your day-to-day. And these guys words are GOSPEL for some. B2B needs to start using this strategy for themselves. What newsletters are your target market reading? What podcasts do they listen to? Who's twitter threads are they taking time to read. Find this. Get them to rep your brand. And boom. Bob's your uncle

If you haven't got a go-to-network strategy in your B2B marketing plan, you NEED to read this... The B2B sales and marketing landscape is evolving at lightning speed, and if you havent noticed yet - those that are getting ahead are taking a human led approach that focuses on ecosystems and partnerships! In one of my recent episodes of my Marketing in The Madness podcast, I interviewed two of my amazing clients who are leading the way with this and getting AMAZING lead generation results! David Nisbet from Stripe and Josie Klafkowska from VML shared with me that with only 5% of potential customers "in market" at any given time and the looming end of third-party cookies 🍪, the challenge to attract new business is real. But guess what? Partnerships are the answer! 🤝 David nailed it in this statement which I absolutely LOVE: “Inbound is hard, outbound is harder, that’s why you need NEARBOUND in your strategy” It's all about leveraging your network to build trust and turbo-charge sales 🚀 The concept of Nearbound is reshaping the B2B playbook for 2024. But how do you make it work for you? Here are some golden nuggets from the podcast that you can watch or READ in more detail in one of our latest articles on the Street Agency website: Stand Out in the Sea of Sameness 🌊 No more cold lists! It's about nurturing your network and building relationships. According to McKinsey, 82% of boards are investing more in partnerships. Why? Because collaboration and trust are the glue holding our fragmented marketplace together. Build a Better Network 🕸️ On average, 5.4 decision-makers are involved in tech purchases. Knowing who they are and influencing their networks is crucial. With third-party cookies on their way out, robust first-party data strategies are more important than ever. Events Boost Networks – and Leads: 🎉 Events are making a comeback! They provide a trusted environment to build relationships and gather insights. As I often say: “You’re building relationships with your potential prospects in the real world, in real-time” Keep Nurturing Networks 🌱 Once you've built your network, integrate it into your business ethos. Test, learn, and iterate. As we highlighted in the podcast, “Fail fast, iterate, and learn.” If you're looking to unlock the power of partnerships and ecosystems in your marketing strategy, this episode is a must-listen or READ! What strategies have you found most effective in building and nurturing your business partnerships? I would love to hear what's been working for you in the comments below 💬 #B2BMarketing #partnerships #ecosystems #marketingstrategy #podcast #businessgrowth #networkbuilding #nearbound https://lnkd.in/eiK-p9Jg

Paid B2B marketing - the old ways vs the new ways... The old way: - Track anything and everything - Overkill 🤮 - Put assets behind a form - huge friction TOF - Selling instead of educating prospects ("Marry" before "dating" them) - Focusing on CPA and top-line metrics - Traditional ads and content that cause ad fatigue - they have their place though - Retargeting by excluding converters Unlearn this... And learn the new ways: - Use your team, exec and founders as spokespeople in your ads (huuuge brand awareness) - Sponsor personal and company page posts - beats ad fatigue because they don't look like ads! - Retarget your engagers over 30, 90 and 180 day segments - Give your audience something tangible and actionable. eg. Content and ads around "how we" "how I" and "how you" - Implement self-reporting to track the buyer journey - Show them a new piece of content at each stage of their journey tackling their pains We've learned that this way increases conversion rates and prospects convert faster because they have already built a relationship with your team. They are already engaged and educated about your solutions. That's how we're able to increase SQLs for B2B SaaS. Book a call and I'll show you how we do this: https://lnkd.in/ekYWJhgZ

In B2B marketing, it's easy to forget that behind every business decision is a person with unique challenges, emotions, and needs. Whether it's a CEO, procurement manager, or engineer, understanding the human element is crucial. Across industries—be it manufacturing, healthcare, or professional services—connecting on an emotional level can significantly impact your strategy. 📜 Scroll through our top tips carousel for key insights on creating more impactful B2B marketing strategies: 💬 Set Clear Business Objectives: Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales, your marketing plan should align with your business goals. 💬 Deep Dive into Your Audience: Understand who specifies your products, their job roles, what they read, and where they go for information. Detailed insight allows you to craft messages that resonate deeply with your target audience. 💬 Leverage Market Insights: Know the trends, seasonal shifts, and events that matter to your audience. This knowledge will help you time your campaigns for maximum impact. 💬 Understand Your Competition: A clear picture of your competitors' strategies helps you identify gaps and opportunities. How do they position themselves? What’s working for them, and what’s not? Use this information to sharpen your approach. 💬 Craft a Tailored Marketing Plan: Whether it's through trade PR, Content, for example, Linked In or industry forums, Industry events or direct marketing, your messages should be tailored to meet your audience where they are. 💬 Communicate Value, Not Just Features: It’s not just about selling a product; it’s about building relationships by delivering value and solving problems. 💬 Timing is Crucial: Whether launching a product at a trade show or pushing content during peak engagement times, timing can make or break your campaign. 💬 Invest Wisely: Allocate your budget based on what will drive the best ROI for your goals. Whether it’s brand-building or direct lead generation, ensure your spending is strategic and measurable. 💬 Measure and Adapt: Use metrics to learn what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to refine your approach and improve results over time. 💬 DIY or Call in the Experts? Knowing your audience and buying patterns is key, as is understanding the channels and the messages that best suit them. Website and digital analytics will provide data, and help you understand interactions, but knowing when to bring in professional help can amplify your efforts and drive success. At Gough, we're committed to empowering our clients with the insights they need to connect with their audiences on a deeper level. By focusing on the people behind the businesses, you can create marketing strategies that resonate, engage, and ultimately drive results. Share this post with your network if you found these insights valuable — let’s start a conversation about the future of B2B marketing.