Barry Duffy’s Post

🎯 B2B Marketing Leaders: Are You Still Guessing Your Lead Targets For CY25? Here's the truth - - too many of us start with "we need X% more leads than last year" without any real math behind it. 𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘? Start planning from the bottom up: 1) Get the annual revenue target from sales 2) Use average deal size to calculate how many wins you need 3) Use pipeline stage conversion rates and work backwards through your funnel: • Opportunity to Closed Won Rate • SQL to Opportunity conversion rate • MQL to SQL conversion rate Here's an example: • $10M quota ÷ $100K avg deal size = 100 wins needed • Opportunities needed: At 25% win rate = 400 opportunities • SQLs needed: At 30% SQL-to-Opp = 1,333 SQLs • MQLs needed: At 25% MQL-to-SQL = 5,332 MQLs annually (444 monthly) Now you know exactly how many leads you need - and can explain WHY to your CEO or CRO. 𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨? 1️⃣ Build in a buffer (eg 20%) for seasonality and market changes. Your sales team will thank you. 2️⃣ Think about creating a separate plan for inbound (with typically lower deal values and where marketing are expected to generate 100% of the pipeline) and a separate plan for outbound (with typically higher deal values and where marketing might be expected to generate eg 30% of the pipeline). This is part 1 of Smarketrs series on bottom-up planning. Tomorrow: Why conversion rates are your secret weapon 👀 --------------------- 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧? 🎯 DM Neil Cassar or Barry Duffy or hit the 'book an appointment' link above in our profile to book a slot and we'll review your lead/ demand generation plans 📅

How B2B companies expect marketing to work vs how it works... A lot of B2B companies expect marketing to generate quick results. But to start seeing marketing driving revenue, you need to implement 3 things: 1. 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨-𝐓𝐨-𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬. Not all marketing programs will be focused on driving revenue. A lot of them will be dedicated to customer research, message validation, etc. However, these non-revenue activities help to revamp your GTM strategy and drive revenue in the future. Here are the GTM fundamentals you need to have in place. - Goals, challenges, and expectations. - Focus segments and icp - Customer research - Marketing and sales programs to influence buyer journey and achieve goals - Marketing message - Revenue report and blended attribution. - Sources and ownership of intent and engagement data and account intelligence. - Definitions and pipeline statuses. - what does "lead", mql, sql mean in your organization? - what is the usage of these metrics? - what are the tangible criteria to define them? - what are the pipeline stages you have and why? - Sync meetings. Marketing shouldn't work in silos. Install 4 types of meetings: - weekly joint programs review - abm sync or pipeline review - quarterly sales & marketing planning - gtm marketing and sales review and alignment 2. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲. If you have a long sales cycle, don't expect your marketing to produce immediate revenue. It takes time to create awareness, attract the attention of your target market, and generate demand for your product. Building a brand can't happen overnight. 3. 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬. It will take time until you see what works: - Channels - Content - Content formats - Programs Define and capture positive signals that prove your program works. Then, double down on it. #b2bmarketing #gtmstrategy

Pipeline marketing – to market to, or not to market to, your B2B pipeline. That is the question. The answer: it depends…. Pipeline marketing can provide some solid benefits for your business: 1.    It can accelerate deal closure. 2.    It can help set-up your deal for the win 3.    It can provide air cover for your Sales team..... ...notably during RFP processes in which direct buyer contact isn't permitted. But it also can have some unfortunate consequences: 1.    It can surprise your Sales team 2.    It can raise new buyer questions 3.    It can complicate your Sales team's sell-in processes if not done right. Pipeline marketing isn’t for every business. If you tick two or more of the following boxes, you need to think twice if you introduce Pipeline marketing into your Pipeline funnel efforts: a. Your Pipeline requires a lot of hand-holding from Sales and Product teams b. The final stretch is highly focused on Product demos and trials that include quite a bit of manual effort and direct personnel involvement c. The Buying process requires a host of personalized Sales touch points, including presentations, that simply can’t be scaled to other prospects d. The Buying process requires personalized workshops that cannot be automated or scaled ***But to be clear, not having a repeatable Product Demo or Trial is not the reason to not do Pipeline Marketing. Or repeatable Sales tools and resources for that matter. There are specific aspects of the Buyer journey that benefit with Marketing scaling. Because Marketing’s job is to scale revenue efforts afterall! And whether the fundamental tools are created by Product or Marketing teams – it doesn’t matter. So long as they can be leverage by one another. Marketing success is all based on leveraging “things” to scale biz efforts. Ensuring they become an essential part of the automated path to assist winning deals is the “name of the game.” It doesn’t work for every B2B sales motion or company. But when it’s scaled correctly, it can assist with winning more deals and scaling efforts with less resource. Making your company front and mind with your prospects. Because when it works… Well... It works!! #marketing #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #productmarketing #pipeline #sales

Unlock Your B2B Sales Potential: A Full-Funnel Marketing Masterclass Imagine a streamlined system that attracts ideal customers, qualifies hot leads, and fosters long-term partnerships. That's the power of full-funnel B2B marketing! Know Your Perfect Match: Build Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): replicate your best deals by defining firmographics, technographics, and buying committee structures. Set clear (dis)qualification criteria to prioritize winnable, high-value accounts. Content is King (and Queen): Become a Thought Leader: Craft a steady stream of high-quality content aligned with your buyer's journey. Reach them where they learn with solutions-focused messaging that showcases your unique value proposition. Capture High-Intent Leads: Frictionless Conversion: Prioritize high-intent channels with clear CTAs and retargeting campaigns. Nurture leads with compelling product marketing, social proof, and relevant offers. Focus on High-Value Accounts: Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Prioritize Tier 1 & Tier 2 accounts based on revenue potential, brand awareness, product-need evidence, and existing relationships. Building the Sales Pipeline: Future Pipeline Development (1:Few): Sales and Marketing collaborate to nurture relationships with multiple buyers, qualify needs, and move them down the funnel. Personalized Solutions: Account Development (1:1): Deep dive into customer needs, goals, and challenges. Map your value proposition and content to individual accounts and buyers. This creates powerful 1:1 ABM experiences. Accelerate Your Pipeline: Pipeline Acceleration: Collaborate with sales to reignite stalled deals and re-engage target buyers. Beyond the Close: Building Lasting Partnerships: Advocacy, Expansion, and Renewals: Move successful deals to customer success. Once implemented, explore expansion opportunities and secure renewals. The Nurturing Never Stops: Not every qualified lead converts immediately. Continue nurturing these accounts with targeted marketing programs to stay top-of-mind until they're ready to buy. Break Down Silos, Drive Growth: Gone are the days of isolated lead generation and marketing/sales teams. Full-funnel marketing fosters a collaborative approach that fuels B2B success! #B2B #Digital_Marketing #Business_2_Business

B2B marketing teams have long relied on lead scoring to prioritize outreach and drive sales. But what happens when those scores don’t paint the full picture of an account’s potential? 🤔 This can lead to poor prioritization and outreach at the wrong time. The solution? Account scoring. ✅ What is account scoring? Account scoring combines activity from all associated leads and layers in intent data, first-party signals, and additional account-level attributes like revenue, geography, and employee size. The result? A clearer picture of an account's overall purchase intent and place in the buying cycle. 💡 Why it matters: - Traditional lead scoring looks at individual actions. - Account scoring reflects the collective interest and engagement of the entire buying group. - With most B2B purchases involving 4+ decision-makers, this holistic view is critical for smarter outreach. 🔑 The benefits of account-based marketing (ABM) with account scoring: - Stronger sales and marketing alignment - Personalized messaging across the buying group - Better resource allocation toward in-market accounts According to recent research, B2B marketers using intent-based account scoring reported: - A 30% boost in revenue growth opportunities - Greater confidence in ABM strategies - More success tapping into new markets The future of B2B marketing isn’t about abandoning lead scores—it’s about evolving them into a more comprehensive, account-focused approach. #B2BMarketing #AccountScoring #ABM #IntentData

Comments were turned off on this post so this is my hack (FYI LinkedIn 😉) Here it goes… “One conversation”. This is the best answer, in my experience. Over the past 20 years I’ve watched marketing teams bumper car their way through buyer journeys amidst cries of “Where’s the RACI?!” and “Exactly what do you mean by ‘awareness’?” I’ve watched sales teams patchwork together presentations of product slides like they were knitting a quilt for the Texas State Fair instead of trying to secure a multi-million dollar deal. I’ve seen a lot of other examples but there’s probably a character count before this has to become a LinkedIn article… If both marketing and sales success is tied to revenue, as it should be, then both functions should be part of a single GTM motion or organization dedicated to optimizing peices of a single conversation from the BUYER’S perspective, not an org chart’s. Only then, when the audience’s experience is consistently at the forefront of the GTM, can there be true alignment. Companies don’t control an exclusive flow of information anymore, the journey isn’t linear and information is always at our fingertips with ChatGPT taking the wheel as the new judge and jury, the marketeer AND salesperson. Buyers must be able to easily weave their way in and out of the conversation, or narrative, on their own timeline and accord, with details accessible when they need them and the highlights clear when they don’t. But as long as B2B organizations operate these two functions distinctively, with sales plays competing with ABM campaigns and content being created according to products instead of pain points, organizations will continue to hemorrhage budget, frustrate the employees responsible for creating and finding content, and leave millions on the table in the process. Lastly, B2B companies spend so much time and effort on enablement, but the best enablement I’ve had as a marketing leader who also supports a sales org is from being a B2B buyer myself. If every seller and marketer had to go through the excruciating process of navigating another organization’s broken marketing and sales system to purchase a solution that was critical to their success it would become abundantly clear how differently things should operate. *Shout out to my fantastic team of commercial marketers and the sales partners and shared services marketers who are on this journey right now. Y’all are the present and future🤘🏼

In today's dynamic marketing landscape, understanding the nuances between different lead generation strategies is vital for businesses looking to optimize their approach. A recent discussion highlights two key strategies: Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and Cost Per Lead (CPL). CPA is predominantly focused on driving immediate sales, making it an effective strategy for impulsive purchases, especially in the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) space. It's perfect for promotional offers where quick conversions are the goal. Conversely, CPL shines in the Business-to-Business (B2B) arena, where cultivating relationships and nurturing leads through tailored content supports longer sales cycles. As digital marketing evolves—especially with changes like the phase-out of third-party cookies—CPL is becoming increasingly important. It allows businesses to leverage first-party data, which 92% of marketers recognize as crucial for growth. This shift is particularly relevant in B2C settings, especially for subscription models and fostering long-term customer relationships. Overall, while CPA has been a traditional go-to, the emerging relevance of CPL suggests a more sustainable future for brands aiming for continuous growth and loyalty. By knowing when to implement each strategy, companies can significantly enhance their lead generation outcomes. I invite you to share your experiences with these strategies: which do you find more effective in your work?

Why Most B2B Marketing Fails Because KPIs are broken. They don’t connect to business outcomes. → Marketing tracks leads, traffic, and “influenced revenue.” → Sales tracks pipeline, revenue, and new customers. See the problem? For years, B2B marketing has followed the same outdated playbook: • E-books locked behind forms • Generic email nurtures • SDRs blasting cold emails • Google Ads without measurable ROI • Expensive trade show booths But the real issue? Marketing metrics don’t align with business goals. Here’s how you fix it: Prove business metrics better reflect success. Track both marketing and business-level metrics. Link accountability to ROI, new logos, and growth. Let attribution data guide, not lead your strategy. Invest in activities that generate pipeline and revenue. __ Marketing fails if Sales doesn’t hit its targets. But it happens all the time. Companies try to patch it with: • Weekly CMO-CRO coffee meetings • Rebranding sales meetings • Random pipeline discussions • New attribution systems that take months to set up But nothing changes. Success starts when Marketing KPIs align with business goals. If pipeline creation is your top priority, fix your KPIs. Once you do, everything changes. Is your marketing aligned with real business outcomes? PS: Thanks Corporate Bro for making sales and marketing fun and engaging!

**(Maximize Your B2B Marketing Impact in 2024)** (This is crucial for B2B marketers and business leaders) 1. **(Understand Your Buyer Personas)** ↳ Research and define detailed buyer personas ↳ Tailor your messaging to address their specific needs and pain points 2. **(Leverage Account-Based Marketing)** ↳ Focus on high-value accounts with personalized campaigns ↳ Align your sales and marketing teams to target key accounts 3. **(Invest in Content Marketing)** ↳ Create valuable content that addresses industry challenges ↳ Use whitepapers, case studies, and webinars to educate your audience 4. **(Utilize LinkedIn for Lead Generation)** ↳ Optimize your LinkedIn profile and company page ↳ Engage with potential clients through targeted ads and organic posts 5. **(Implement Marketing Automation)** ↳ Use automation tools to nurture leads and streamline workflows ↳ Track and analyze campaign performance for continuous improvement 6. **(Focus on Customer Retention)** ↳ Develop strong relationships with existing clients ↳ Provide exceptional service and support to encourage repeat business These strategies have driven significant growth and ROI for our B2B marketing efforts. Which strategy will you focus on first? Share your thoughts! P.S. If you found this helpful, please consider resharing ♻️ and follow me for more B2B marketing insights. #B2BMarketing #AccountBasedMarketing #ContentMarketing #LeadGeneration #MarketingAutomation #CustomerRetention #DigitalMarketing #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #LinkedInMarketing #MarketingTips #B2B #MarketingROI #BusinessDevelopment

B2B healthcare is a slog - and the sales cycles aren’t getting any shorter. I’m a millennial. We’re notorious for our impatience. ⌚ We need everything done yesterday. We want results IMMEDIATELY. So, having to wait months to see if an email campaign converts, or to see results of a new funnel strategy is painful. 🥱 Even MORE so for my clients. But, when you’re selling a payroll management SaaS for medical practices for $995p/m - that isn’t achievable with a simple opt-in funnel, and a basic e-mail flow. The budgets are tighter than ever, and buying decisions are more calculated. The positioning of offers have shifted to a more cautious approach. The nurture phase is a LOT longer than it was 2 years ago. I’m dedicating ENTIRE email flows to objection handling now. You can’t get away with a stop-start marketing strategy anymore. Email marketing isn’t an instant money-printing machine 🤑 (despite what some marketing agencies will tell you). So, it might be tempting to ‘cut the marketing budget’ and pause your funnels in this climate. But it’ll be an uphill struggle to restart the sales cycles for your leads again…