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❓ What do you mean by 'market oriented'? ❓ Another meaningless marketing buzz word? 🦉 Professor John Narver’s paper, ‘Creating a Market Orientation’ may not be the most exciting read yet it's foundational and provides insight as to where so many businesses fail at the very start of their marketing journey.   Why?   ❌ They jump straight to tactics.   Narver explains that..... “Marketing orientation is a business culture committed to creating superior value for buyers through three combined behaviours – customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination. Recent research has shown what intuition suggests – that businesses that are more market oriented enjoy higher profitability as well as superior sales growth, customer retention and new product success.”   Let’s unpack that…. 🔹 Understand your current and potential customers' needs & wants and how the business can meet those needs. 🔹 Know the competing solutions and where the business can outperform. 🔹 Have the entire organisation working together to create value for the customer. ⏩ Here’s some actions any business of any size can take to start to become ‘market oriented’. ✅ Allocate a small proportion of your marketing budget for research ✅ Conduct ethnography, focus or affinity groups for qualitative insight ✅ Run a regular brand tracking survey to measure awareness, consideration, preference and usage ✅ Shop the competition, monitor their plans, respect them ✅ Once a month spend time in the market, on the front counter, with a rep visiting accounts, listen in at the contact centre, talk to customers, read the complaints ✅ Have a customer advisory group – a small group of trusted customers you ask for opinions on products, ideas, communication etc. ✅ Train leaders to have their teams oriented on the broader mission (customer) with a internal customer orientation so everyone is supporting each other on the delivery of an enhanced experience or solution It sounds simple but it’s not easy, there are so many barriers. What could they be for you? How can you bust through? It takes servant leadership, energy and the commitment of the senior leadership. If you're invested for the future, become market oriented. #marketing #brandstrategy #leadership

If you believe what you read... SaaS is dead. Marketing is dead. Demand Gen is dead. Outbound Sales is dead. Sales Led Growth is dead. Customer Success is dead. EVERYTHING IS DEAD. But is it? We're going through an era of MASSIVE CHANGE. Everything you Knew and the Way you did things During our recent Tech Bubble-- Yes, it's ALL CHANGING. You know it's Changing because... 1️⃣ New Sales are harder. 2️⃣ Revenue Expansion is harder. 3️⃣ Customer Retention is harder. 4️⃣ Investor returns are getting reset. Our new Reality is... 1️⃣ There are fewer VCs. 2️⃣ There are fewer tech companies to sell to. 3️⃣ Companies need to be Profitable AND Grow. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. Nice to Have Products won't cut it. Incorporate AI or die. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴, this 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 means: We need to step up as Post Sales Revenue Leaders. We need to step up as Thought Leaders. We need to step up as Business Leaders. If you're not sure where to start, I dig into these topics in my 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦: 7 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 You can find it on my website. (I'll share the link in the comments, but LI will probably hide it.) My opinion: No - EVERYTHING IS NOT DEAD. Yes - We are going through an ERA of MASSIVE CHANGE. What's your opinion? I'd love to hear it! JanYoungCX #innovation #leadershipdevelopment

Growth is every company's obsession. But are you overlooking a hidden weapon? Research by McKinsey reveals a startling truth: Companies prioritizing marketing as a growth driver outperform the competition. Here's why marketing deserves a seat at the strategy table: ✔ Double the Revenue: Businesses that view branding and advertising as a top growth lever see 67% revenue growth compared to just 33% for those who don't (applies to both B2C & B2B). ✔ Growth Champions Invest More: High-growth companies dedicate 3x more resources to marketing. So, how do you leverage marketing as a growth engine? 1. Align Your Vision: A shocking truth: Half of CEOs and CMOs disagree on marketing's primary role.  Establish a shared vision and metrics connecting marketing strategies to overall growth. 2. Appoint a Customer Champion: Growth thrives on collaboration. But you need a "growth unifier" who champions the customer's voice - the team's quarterback. This role ensures the customer perspective is heard in every strategic discussion. The Bottom Line: Growth leaders generate 80% more shareholder value. Marketing can be your accelerator, but only if you unlock its full potential. Don't leave money on the table! #MarketingGrowth #CustomerFocus #LeadershipAlignment #GrowthStrategy

🔄 "Marketing" might be disappearing from C-level titles, but it's merely evolving. - 🔍 The shift towards "Customer" and "Growth" - Reflecting a deeper integration of growth strategies and customer experience. - 📈 Beyond marketing - This is the culmination of CMOs migrating from creative-led to customer and data-led with a deep knowledge of technology to light the way. - 🚀 Agencies & Tech, take note - Adapting your services to this change is not optional; it's critical. Adjust to the evolution or miss the revolution. 📍 Organize accordingly—For all stakeholders, examine your organizational strategy, workflow, external support, and the role of AI in achieving your objectives in the Attention Economy. #CMOEvolution #CustomerCentric #GrowthMindset #strategy #leadership #management #innovation #thoughts #ideas #success https://buff.ly/4cir2Ml

𝐓𝐡𝐞 Brand 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐚: 𝐂𝐄𝐎𝐬, 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞! It’s a familiar scenario: sales are down, and the first blame often falls on the sales team. Yet, the core issue might be something more systemic than just team performance. Recently, this challenge has become even more evident among tech CEOs leading companies in the AI and Web 3 space. 🔍 Understanding the misalignment too often, tech leaders, absorbed in innovation, overlook how the market perceives their products. Cutting-edge tech isn't enough; the market must understand and value your innovation. 🤔 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ♦Do customers confuse you with non-competitors? ♦Is your sales process bogged down by demos and trials? ♦Are there murmurs of a 'messaging problem' within your team? If these sound familiar, it's likely not just your sales strategy at fault but your 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 💡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬  ♦Clarify Your Message: Ensure your product's unique value is clear and compelling. ♦Simplify the Customer Journey: Make it straightforward for customers to engage. ♦Align Your Team’s Messaging: Ensure every team member can clearly articulate the company vision. 🚀 Call to Action This isn't about shifting blame—it's about critically examining how you communicate your vision. Reframe and realign your strategy to ensure your solutions resonate not just in the boardroom but in the marketplace. =-=-=-= ✍️ What adjustments have you made to refine your brand’s positioning? Have these changes helped close the gap between your vision and market perception? ♻️ Reshare if you found this helpful. #TechLeadership #MarketPositioning #BrandStrategy #Innovation #saadsamadi #growthmarketing #digitalmarketing #lifebalance #brandmanagement #branddevelopment I'm Saad Samadi, a marketer with a 20-year track record, Father, husband, and a relentless seeker of work-life harmony. I’m here to share insights, dispense advice, and help you thrive in your professional and personal life.

"Chalta hai to chalne de" meaning "Let it be if it works." In other words, few companies choose to avoid taking bold steps or experimenting with new ideas because of fear of failures which might impact their current running business. As a result, they stick to their tried-and-true methods, even if these methods are no longer effective or relevant in the evolving market. This approach might ensure short-term stability, but it ultimately leads to stagnation. Over time, they fail to adapt to new trends, technologies, and customer needs, slowly losing their competitive edge and relevance. In contrast, an innovative companies embrace calculated risks, understanding that some level of failure is inevitable but necessary for long-term growth and success. They are willing to disrupt their own practices and continuously seek out new opportunities, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve rather than fading into obsolescence. I have completed a year at Loylty Rewardz. Thanks Amresh for relentlessly pushing the boundaries and empowering teams to think above and beyond. Your leadership has enabled us to expand our offerings with innovative platforms like Retail Loyalty, Channel Loyalty, Engaging Marketplace, Rewardz Hub, Loyalty with UPI, NGage (Marketing Automation) etc. Thanks Ranjit, Vivek, Vandana and Sid for all your support.

Innovation is not just a buzzword—it's a game changer for sales strategy! 💡 I once worked with a sales team that relied heavily on outdated approaches, and it showed in their results. When we introduced innovative tools and techniques, the transformation was remarkable. Personalized outreach, data-driven insights, and adaptive strategies helped us exceed sales targets and foster stronger relationships with clients. Have you experienced a similar shift? 🤔 What innovations have you implemented that led to breakthroughs in your sales processes? In today's competitive landscape, leveraging innovation is essential to stay relevant and drive growth. Embrace change, seek out new technologies, and don't be afraid to experiment. Let’s hear your thoughts and experiences! Share your innovative sales strategies below! #sales #innovation #strategy #growth #leadership #businessdevelopment #technology #change #customersuccess #teamwork #motivation #data #entrepreneurship #salesenablement #collaboration #AI #marketing #salesstrategy #relationships #salesgrowth #adaptability #digitaltransformation #creativity #futureofwork #team #success

Innovation in Marketing and Sales: The Future Is Now! In a world where markets evolve overnight and customer behaviors shift in the blink of an eye, innovation in marketing and sales isn't just a fancy word but it's the game-changer we all need. The integration of technologies like GenAI, predictive analytics, and hyper-personalization is transforming how we connect with customers. Imagine campaigns so customized that they feel like one-on-one conversations or sales strategies powered by insights that predict customer needs before they even arise. But here's the catch: Innovation isn't limited to technology, it's a mindset. It thrives in a culture where employees feel empowered to: 1. Challenge the norm 2. Experiment without fear of failure 3. Collaborate across boundaries An innovation-driven culture isn't just a top-down mandate; it's a collaborative effort. Leaders must inspire, and employees must embrace change. When every team member contributes fresh ideas and adapts with agility, we don’t just follow trends, we set them. As we step into the future, let’s remember: It’s not the tools, but the people who wield them, that will define the next big leap in marketing and sales. Question for You: What’s one innovative practice you or your team has embraced that’s redefined success? Let’s spark a conversation! #InnovationCulture #MarketingTrends #SalesTransformation #FutureReady

When I see marketing job listings, I am amazed that in 95% of them, B2B marketers are expected to generate leads, with the main KPI being the number of leads 💩 Honestly, I wouldn't even apply for such positions. To me, it's a sure sign that the company is stuck in the past. I'm no longer willing to play the game of lead generation and gated e-books with zero added value. Getting off the lead generation track isn't easy. It requires A LOT OF BOLDNESS to declare that marketing actually generates pipeline and revenue. Yes. you heard me right. It also needs A LOT OF LEADERSHIP to work internally on the mindset and overhaul the analytics system, processes, and metrics to actually see that. It's a complex and time-consuming process, and it’s just easier not to. I really think that by not changing, companies are losing talent, damaging their brand and becoming mediocre. Talent that easily breaks the status quo and is ready to win the attention game is unwilling to fit into the old framework and simply won't go there. And with some time it will have a huge impact on business. If leaders are reluctant to change, I hope that someday this transformation will be driven by the people. Or am I too naive? 😁

How do Blue Ocean strategists find opportunities where others see only declining profits and slow growth? They challenge assumptions and see beyond the artificial boundaries we impose. Their perspective breaks free from the market-competing logic that dominates most executives' thinking. Here’s how to know if you’re thinking like a Blue Ocean strategist: ☑ Do you take industry conditions as given or reshape them? Most executives build strategies based on the industry’s current state. But Blue Ocean strategists understand that industry boundaries are not fixed—they’re created by firms. As Apple and Cirque du Soleil redefined their industries, you can reshape yours. ↳ Are you letting industry rules limit your creativity? ☑ **Do you try to beat the competition or make them irrelevant?** Focusing on outperforming competitors often leads to imitation rather than innovation. Blue Ocean strategists concentrate on making the competition irrelevant by creating something so compelling that buyers can’t ignore it. ↳ What would it take to win over buyers with no marketing? ☑ Do you create new demand or fight over existing customers? Focusing only on existing customers keeps you stuck in the red ocean. Blue Ocean strategists look beyond current customers to unlock new demand by understanding why noncustomers don’t engage with the industry. ↳ Are you missing the bigger opportunity with noncustomers? ☑ Do you pursue both differentiation and low cost or make trade-offs? Blue Ocean strategists break the value-cost trade-off by eliminating what doesn’t add value while creating what does. The goal is to offer a leap in value without increasing costs. ↳ Are you assuming differentiation requires spending more? Think like a Blue Ocean strategist—reshape your thinking to unlock new opportunities. Ps. If you like content like this, please follow me 🙏 Image credit: 1mproves