b2b marketing strategy and planning: faq, tips and best practices
Post on 22-Oct-2014
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This video and presentation contains questions and conversation topics that often come up in the context of B2B marketing strategy and planning. If you are a start-up or diving into B2B marketing planning for the first time, perhaps these answers will help. About Lydia's Marketing: Affordable B2B marketing and communications consultation and support for startups, small and medium businesses, and marketing agencies across the globe. -Brand, marketing and messaging strategy -Marketing planning and implementation (inc. digital marketing and social media) -Content and communications -General advice and guidanceTRANSCRIPT
Visit Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng at www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
Contact informa/on: LYDIA VOGTNER lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com 415-‐672-‐1870
On basic (yet essen/al) B2B marke/ng best prac/ces and disciplines?
Following are some ques/ons and conversa/on topics that oZen come up; along with my typical response and/or opinion.
If you are a start-‐up or diving into B2B marke/ng planning for the first /me, perhaps these will help.
Want some *ps...
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
Q: What’s the first step in strategic marke*ng?
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
A: Collect and organize key strategic business insights.
Sales goals
Customer insights
Buyer persona(s)
Sales process
Success stories
Compe//on
Industry landscape
SWOT
Strategic Inputs
Q: Why go through this exercise?
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
A: Once you collect and organize strategic insights, and discuss them in aggregate (in the context of marke/ng and sales planning), it helps you...
1. Look from the outside in and center your decisions on the customer and their problems.
2. Draw different or new conclusions.
3. Get new ideas for agrac/ng buyers and influencers to your brand.
4. Validate ideas or plans you already have.
Q: Ok, so our strategic founda*on is laid...
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
A: Use it to...
1. Confirm your brand posi/on and message.
2. Develop a point-‐of-‐view on marke/ng’s role to drive sales, as well as an es/mated budget.
3. Assess the marke/ng mix and investments needed.
Now what?
Other important areas to think through
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
Buyer Personas Segmenta/on Lead
Nurturing
Q: Ok, we have a good idea of the role
A: Integrate tac/cs and resources; be smart about managing the workload.
1. Think through staffing needs and the resources you will need to implement well and in the /meframe needed.
2. Get everyone on board and engaged − “socialize” your plan throughout the organiza/on.
3. Make sure there is integra/on between marke/ng, sales and service ac/vi/es; break down silos so that everyone is working towards the same goal.
4. Confirm milestones and success measures.
5. Put someone in charge of analy/cs and repor/ng, as well as general project management; it helps to have a tough taskmaster that makes sure everything is genng done.
marke*ng will play and the areas we will invest in. Now what?
Other helpful *ps
©Lydia’s Marke/ng Consul/ng | www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com | Contact: lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com
1. Don’t think of your marke/ng and sales strategies as two different things. They should be one (par/cularly in B2B) if you want stellar results.
2. Make sure you invest well in execu/on of the areas you’ve decided to spend money on; for example...
the devil will be in the details
Inbound/Internet marke/ng
Data and analy/cs
Speaking engagements and PR
Sales events (e.g. webinars, execu/ve roundtables)
In order to get results...
Click here for the full narra/ve: Frequently Asked Ques*ons About B2B Marke*ng Planning
Let me know if I can help. Visit www.lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com Contact informa/on: LYDIA VOGTNER lydia@lydiamarke/ngconsul/ng.com 415-‐672-‐1870