What’s a talk trigger, and how can a company use one to strengthen its brand and drive business? Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin, co-authors and marketing experts, tackle this phenomenon in their aptly-titled book Talk Triggers, which demonstrates the importance of word-of-mouth marketing through a diverse collection of case studies…
SailPoint, a worldwide industry leader in identity and access management, had succeeded in winning over technical buyers with its superior products. But it struggled to connect with the C-suite and business executives who were becoming increasingly involved in security and IT purchase decisions— and who did not prioritize identity management as a critical IT…
They are the holy grail of B2B marketing: C-suite executives who open the doors, make the decisions and write the checks. And they are increasingly difficult to reach through conventional marketing channels. The key to getting inside is providing executives with something they need but can’t get elsewhere: relevant content.
The tsunami of information and opinion on customer experience (CX) can be a bit overwhelming. Here’s a short list of some of the articles we think offer valuable viewpoints and actionable insight.
The Future of the Customer Experience
This Harvard Business Review webinar looks at top CX trends and predictions, including changing customer expectations…
When we conducted external interviews as part of our work developing the Zelis Healthcare brand, one thing became clear: the healthcare payer and healthcare provider clients who worked with Zelis were obsessed. Not with the healthcare payments technology that got doctors and other providers paid more quickly. Not with the healthcare-claims integrity services that…
In today’s B2B marketing landscape, all B2B brands are content publishers and all B2B marketers are content marketers. We fulfill these roles at varying levels, but none of us can escape the importance of content – useful, relevant and accessible information – in the B2B buyers journey. Here are some of our recommendations for what to…
There is a common misconception about creativity that many of us fall victim to: you’re either born with it or you’re not.
It’s a good excuse when you are having trouble generating new ideas. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your vantage point), it’s just not true.
A slew of scientific research…
In the past few years, we’ve seen “authenticity” emerge as a theme in branding and design; this year, it has exponentially increased in importance and value. That’s understandable: in a world where “fake” news can dominate the political conversation and Instagram stars turn out to be imposters, consumers have become increasingly cynical.
A…
Dear Google, Apple, Adobe and Microsoft,
You may not know me, but I was created with great care and purpose. Every image, hue and letter. I am special. I have meaning.
I live in hearts and minds, in words and actions, in websites and ad campaigns and brochures. But mostly frequently, I live in Word…
It’s a topic on the mind of every B2B marketer these days: customer experience, that elusive moving target. Specifically, how to meet customer expectations when, as a brand, you are competing against every (predominantly digital) interaction your customers have ever had.
For many B2B marketers, keeping up with customers, not competitors, has become their…
A leading energy consulting firm had a proprietary methodology for significantly reducing energy costs (think seven-figure savings, each year). Though the company’s proprietary solution was extremely powerful, it was communicated in such a seemingly straightforward manner, that many prospective clients thought – mistakenly –they could build a comparable energy-savings program on their own…
They are the holy grail of B2B marketing: C-suite executives who open the doors, make the decisions and write the checks. And they are increasingly difficult to reach through conventional marketing channels. The key to getting inside is providing executives with something they need but can’t get elsewhere: relevant content.
In this audio…
In today’s digitally-driven B2B marketing environment, with easy access to information and all sorts of opinions, companies no longer control exactly where or when customers or prospects encounter their brand. And with over 74% of B2B buyers conducting the majority of their research online, it’s safe to say that all B2B brands…
In today’s digitally-driven, increasingly disruptive B2B landscape, creating sustainable advantage is more elusive than ever. In fact, the sheer pace of change has left many B2B marketers feeling like they are in a perpetual state of catch-up (there are entire conferences devoted to this pursuit). And it’s not just the up…
We’ve written before about the content conundrum currently facing many B2B brands. The proliferation of content as a marketing tool has led to one of its main challenges: in a marketplace where every brand is a publisher, how can your content stand out? Add into the mix our collective shrinking attention span and preference…
We’ve all seen the stats. By 2020, the U.S. workforce will flip from 50 percent baby boomers and 25 percent millennials to 25 percent baby boomers and 50 percent millennials. It’s hard (and foolhardy) to ignore the fact that millennials are shaping the B2B buying environment — and their influence will only increase…
The toughest audience for your new brand may not be your long-time clients or future prospects. It may be your own sales force. Sales professionals can be a cynical lot. In many companies, the prevailing attitude is: Just give me a generous travel and entertainment budget, a few spec sheets, and lead-gen support…
Have you ever put on a favorite sweater or jacket, looked in the mirror and thought, with a sinking feeling, It’s just not working for me anymore? The garment’s the same. It’s you that’s changed.
So it is with a brand. The brand that got your company to its current level…