Great results require discipline and hard work.  The quick fix is never a solution and rarely is it cheap (money wise).  And usually it’s costly (time wise).  The time spent waiting for the miracle pill, the silver bullet, means time not spent doing the heavy lifting that sound marketing and pipeline development require.

I have seen companies waste time and money on solutions that are sold as marketing miracles:

• Marketing automation solutions that score leads by tracking visitor activity on the website – six months later the companies have a list of leads but no one know the difference between a score of 20 and a score of 65.  Sales quickly lose interest because that ‘hot’ lead, scored at 87 turns out to a voracious white paper reader with no buying authority.
• Telemarketing firms that ‘guarantee’ a certain number of leads only to go dark six weeks into the program or redefine ‘lead’ in order to make their guarantee.
• SEO claims to get a company on the first page of Google with no supporting plan of developing valuable content for visitors once they get to the site.

And when all the dust settles, the cold hard truth is that the business has nothing to show for the investment.

The latest marketing miracle being pushed is Big Data.  The idea that by implementing a tool to sift through all the data that you have in your systems and then spit out a profile of what behavior patterns have led to sales so that you can target similar profiles is the hottest new shiny distraction…er…object.

Am I opposed to using data?  No.  But I offer some cautionary notes on becoming preoccupied with data.

• Looking at past behavior is not a failsafe method of forecasting future behavior.  Case in point:  Y2K.  The analysis on software buyer behavior in 1998 and 1999 would have been useless in forecasting 2000 and, especially 2001 buyer behavior.  More recently, the changes in technology have so rapidly and drastically changed the market terrain that the behaviors of three years ago simply don’t map to today (Blackberry and iPhone).
• Company ownership demographics are inching up to a drastic change in leadership.  The leaders of tomorrow and future business owners have grown up with radically different attitudes and experience with technology.
• More immediately, pausing your marketing efforts until you see what big data will ultimately show you, means losing valuable time in developing the relationships and executing in the short term.
• Customers are demanding individualization at every point in there relationship with your brand.

Use common sense.  For example, one thing that hasn’t changed in the last 20 years is the power of word of mouth and the importance of referrals.  How much effort are you exerting to create an environment that fuels positive word of mouth and keeps you top of mind with those likely to make a referral?

You can’t rush a buyer through the marketing hourglass of Know Like Trust Try Buy Repeat Refer.  They have to check those boxes.  They are navigating that course.  Beefing up your content to give you a stronger online presence ensures that those prospective buyers have the information from you to continue their navigation.

Stick to a systematic regimen of brick by brick building and the dividends will far outweigh the one shot gamble.

Margie Clayman’s blog celebrated its second birthday.  Margie has been featured in these weekly updated frequently, and I find it hard to believe that I’ve only been reading her for two years.  I hope she continues writing for many more years.

Google+ and the cool kids.  Why Google+ Needs to be Jay-Z  Great points by Mark Schaeffer – I’ve been hanging in with Google+ for a while and it just doesn’t have a “feel.”  My Facebook stream has a certain feel, my Twitter stream has a certain feel, even starchy LinkedIn has a feel.  My experience on Google+ has been very sterile and quiet so far.

Content Marketing:  6 Steps to sell it in by Michael Brenner.  Be sure to read the article and take a look at the slides (especially 2-4).  Content marketing is so so very very important for B2Bs.

Small talk is important.  Know Like and Trust applies to successful acquaintanceships as much as marketing. How to Come Up with Good Conversation Topics.

I hope to finish my series on Season 1 of The Wire this weekend.  If you are a fan, please stop by my other blog and let me know what you think of the series.

Bald Barbie and the myth that social media is frivolous.  Mattel blows it.

One of the things that struck me when I went to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – is that I have more technology in my purse than master spy George Smiley had in his career.  In a great blog post, Jim Mitchem talks about how technology has changed Marketing in This Ain’t Your Daddy’s Marketing Dept.

Why am I always pimping WordPress?  There’s no money in it for me – so technically it’s not pimping.  Anecdotally, with all content being fairly equal, my clients on WordPress do better than clients on other platforms.  Also, WordPress is so easy.  Big plus in my book.  And, you can walk outside your door, throw a rock and hit a WordPress developer or designer.  I can’t stand it when I see a company held hostage by a webmaster.  If that last sentence reminded you of a request you gave to your webmaster a couple of weeks ago that still hasn’t been delivered, think about WordPress.  13 Advantages of WordPress CMS.

Here’s a fun infographic on body language.

What’s John Jantsch’s description of Social Media?  “It’s not a stand-alone or even add-on activity, it’s a layer that allows you to do what you’re already doing more efficiently and effectively. Taken in that light and done with intention, there should never be a question about the payoff – it’s practically guaranteed.”

Book Review:  No BS Social Media  – While I haven’t ready the book (yet) Margie Clayman has – and I agree with her comments regarding Social Media and Traditional Marketing.  It’s not either/or it’s both/and.  Free tip:  Do both/and strategically.

I’m up to Episode 11 of Season 1 of The Wire over on the old blog.  I’m looking at each episode sharing highlights, comments, and video.  If you’re a fan of The Wire, I’d love to know what you think.

Upon re-reading I don’t have a firm opinion on do I accept or reject this theory.  I just have a bunch of questions and concerns.

Do we want to make purchase decisions based on politics or activism?  I would rather not.  But I realize that if I had information about company’s behavior or association that I found reprehensible – it would sway my buying decision.

But let’s say that a brand selects a movement with which to associate and it has the veneer of feeling good.  But the decision was made in order to profit rather than a conviction that the movement is right or beneficial. Does it bother you that the association may have more to do with profit than belief?  If the brand does demographics on its market and finds out that customers overwhelmingly have strong feelings about a movement – and then supports that movement not out of sincerity but calculation – what would your emotional connection to the brand be strengthened?

I know that much lip service is given to ‘authenticity’ – what I don’t know is if superficiality and opportunism is more palatable if it falls in line with (and somehow profits) our causes.

Moving to the next question: would you consider it fair to have a hiring decision made based on your alignment with a movement or cause versus your ability to do the job?  I realize that considering whether an individual would fit the culture of a company is going to influence a hiring decision, but I don’t like the idea of being asked questions about my stance on environment, reproductive issues, or politics – whatever movement or cause the company has designated to attach its brand to.

On the other hand, if I was looking for a job and a prospective employer was known for aligning with a cause or movement that was contrary to my beliefs, I’d probably avoid that company.

Which brings up another question, is alignment with a cause or movement healthy for a company when it comes to competing for talent?

And, what happens when a cause or movement suddenly has controversy?  The company is suddenly dealing with public relations issues that are once removed but nevertheless distracting and draining on its resources.

I don’t have any answers.  And Goodson is right: my first reaction would be stay away!  Do you feel differently?  Do you see something I’ve missed?  What are your questions?

Last week I sat in on a presentation hosted by Social CRM solution provider Avectra. Avectra works with associations providing software that helps with member management, collaboration and communication. They view their solutions as ‘weapons in the race for relevance’ referencing the book (amazon affiliate link) Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations.

An interesting suggestion was brought up. Let’s say that you are a professional association for B2B business owners. You probably view other professional associations as competitors – will a B2B business owner who is also a CPA join your association or opt to join an association for CPAs?

We all tend to think of the competition as looking a lot like us – having the same characteristics, having similar roots and experience. But what if the real competition, the kind of competition that could put us out of business, was from a different quarter altogether? In fact, we may not even be aware of them – not even know they exist. Or we may be aware of them, but we don’t just don’t see them as a competitor.

Mark Yohai brought up the example of LinkedIn being a competitor for associations. I bet most associations have never viewed LinkedIn as a competitor – in fact I was intrigued by his suggestion. He made a strong case that was further strengthened by statement made by LinkedIn. They look to be your go-to resource for you professional life. They aspire to be a virtual professional association.

Currently membership is free. There are a multitude of groups, created by members for niched, geographic, and professional segments.

As Yohai pointed out, associations were the original social networks, predating social media, even predating the Internet. But in order to remain relevant, they will have to begin comparing themselves to untraditional competitors like LinkedIn.

Who are the new competitors in the professional services world? One of my clients shared with me that the publisher they represent asked them to provide a summary of all the deals they had lost to competitors, a list of reasons why (price, product features, etc.) and the revenue impact.

My first reaction was – this doesn’t take into account what I suspect to be a much larger revenue impact, not being invited to compete in the first place, that is, not even making the short list – which was the subject of my article When You Don’t Know You’re Taking a Beating.

Another client shared with me that when he is working with prospects, their biggest fear in making a decision or investment is the realization that they don’t know what they don’t know. The fear that they are making a decision with incomplete data and missing something that isn’t on their radar that has the power to flatten them. It’s a well-founded fear.

Keep your eyes open and cultivate curiosity. Social Media is a great way to watch for trends. Ask questions. Notice what other businesses are doing. Pay attention to growing businesses – are they utilizing services, solutions and tools that are different, that aren’t on your radar?

What are some of the ways you look for new competitors?

I have often said that good marketing is memorable, valuable, and frequent.  It should have the ability to delight the recipients.  The Power to Delight by Jonathon Fields looks at this concept as well with the important reminder “Nobody likes being treated like a foregone conclusion.

Blogging

Blogging is such a powerful tool for B2B marketers and it’s sadly underused.  Have a plan and write down your goals. For as Why You Might Be Your Blog’s Worst Enemy mentions, “your head is a dangerous place for goals to sleep.”

Think like a prospect or a customer when you blog.  What is top of mind with them?  What are the problems they’re wrestling with?  What is confusing for them when they compare products and services?  5 Creative Tips To Increase Blog Traffic And Boost Your Business

I love lists like this – 30 Killer Blog Post Titles For Spring.  It IS hard to write frequently, but when you have a list like this, it often triggers an idea for a post.

Content versus SEO

Whenever I get into a discussion about which is better – content versus SEO – I get worried.  SEO is the invitation to the party, content is the refreshments being served.   Content is the key to developing relationships and return visits.  Get More Targeted Traffic From Google With These 5 Simple Tips.

Baseball is back!  I will be rediscovering my Cardinals as we enter into a season without Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols.  Was watching the Marlins game and every time the camera went to the Cardinals dug out and I saw Mike Matheny – it was like ‘oh…yeah…Tony’s gone.’  Here is a lovely homage to baseball called Crack.

Are you a fan of The Wire?  Over at my old blog I’m doing an episode by episode review and synopsis.

Get rich quick doesn’t work in your personal finances and it doesn’t work in marketing your business.

This week a colleague sent around the marketing material from a company that offering a flood of phone calls and emails for using their services.  The website is exquisitely written – top of the line copywriting.  Delineating exactly the kind of pain, pinch and frustration business owners experience when it comes to lead generation.

They offer very little in the way of specifics except a pitch for content marketing: make a plan, write the content, email content to your list, submit content to online article sites that will “generate massive attention and traffic for your business.”

First red flag – no mention of putting that content on your website.

It occurred to me that with a team of talented writers, this company’s blog must be pretty remarkable.  There were 5 articles in total.  The most recent had been posted in October 2011.

I then checked out the FAQs.  A bunch of smart-ass answers.  Q:  What if your services don’t work?  A:  Cancel and then watch your competitors flourish.  Q: Do you understand my industry?  Have you worked in this market?  A:  One partner had a lemonade stand, the other sold medical devices at one point in his career.  (See they’re so smart and they’ve got such a foolproof system – they don’t need to understand your market.)

It makes me angry and it makes me sad.

Angry that there’s yet another racket giving marketing a bad name.

Sad that there are business owners out there that want to believe that writing a check and leaving it to these geniuses will turn their business around.

Really sad that there are people who would buy from a company that is disrespectful and talks down to prospects.

Just as you are better off engaging in a savings regimen than buying lottery tickets, you are better off becoming an active participant in marketing your business and committing to the long haul.

When seeking a marketing partner – don’t limit your due diligence to packaged video testimonials – ask to speak with real people.

When seeking a marketing partner – check to see that your partner practices what they preach.  How do they market their business?

When seeking a marketing partner – ask how they get up to speed on your ideal prospect, your market niche.  If they don’t rely on you and look to get your expertise and experience as the bedrock of the marketing messages and content – there’s a problem.

Don’t fall for the Bernie Madoffs of B2B marketing.  There is no quick fix.  Anyone who tells you that there is a quick fix – is looking to collect your money for 30, 60, 90 days and then move on to the next victim.

Everything feels new.  That newness is energizing.

Take an inventory of your marketing and ask yourself – is there newness? Is there a freshness?  Is the recipient going to feel energized when receiving this?  Now be honest – the answer is probably no.

What change could you make to stand out from the crowd?  Thinking about your prospect, what would make your communication a breath of fresh air?  What would delight him or her?

Why not talk about them rather than your products and services?  A quick Google search (why not go all the way and set up a Google alert too?) might reap some great information on what your prospect is doing.  Or you might hear of his or her activity during the course of conversation, or through an association activity or at a commerce meeting.

Think about sending a communication that is completely personalized for them:

• I noticed that you…
• I was reading about you…
• I am always impressed with how you…
• Congratulations on your…
• I saw that you spoke on…
• Facebook sent me an alert that your birthday was coming up, so rather than clutter up your wall, I decided to go old school with a real birthday card…
• I was talking to a colleague about how you/your company is always so engaged in the community and…
• I met a customer of yours who raved about…

While you’re at it, why not deviate from email, and send something tangible, something packaged differently or in a brightly colored envelope, or on a colorful postcard?

Why not make it hand written?  Use a stamp.  Show that some TLC went into this note.

Not only will you stand out from the crowd, you’ll be memorable.  You’ll connect in a more emotion and longer lasting way.  You’ll give them a sense of acknowledge (if not pride) and give them a moment to reflect on the effects of what they’ve done.  Recognition is a small kindness that is so overlooked in the push to produce.

You’re efforts may take a little time to bloom.  But the results will be worth the wait.

Our messaging, as B2B marketers, needs to be every bit as versatile as Oldman’s roles.

Do you tend to write with a single voice?  What I run into most often is technical or clinical writing.  But in the real world, in the field, in the offices of our customers there’s a broad range of things going on:  frustration, chaos, stagnation, growth, loss, to name just a few.

As a professional services business owner, when in the field with customers and prospects, you’ve seen:  disaster, poor decisions, non-compliance and you’ve seen innovation, best practices, and great success.  When writing about different topics, give the topic the voice it deserves.

Also, think about titles that will appeal to the aspirations of your customers and prospects.  Some examples:

• 3 Ways To Avoid Productivity Disasters
• The Naked Truth About Successful Implementations
• Four Simple Steps To Avoid Entropy And Grow Your Business
• The 5 Weirdest Manual Processes We’ve Helped Companies Correct

Even though you may be talking about the same products and services, there is a multitude of ways to introduce and showcase your offerings.  Get creative and write about your products and services from different angles and perspectives.

Best news of the week: there will be a sequel to Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

In other news…

Does Free Content Cannibalize Your Paid Consulting?  You know how I’m always preaching on the importance of compelling content for B2Bs – this is a nice meaty article that lays it all out.

The Difference Between Popularity and Influence Online - We instinctively put a lot of weight on quantity versus quality. When engaging online, it’s more important to remember that influence is the trump card.

Can It Get Any Stranger? When we continue to do things that just aren’t working.

Seek Introductions, Not Referrals - Referrals are a precious gift. And I’ve always been a bit queasy about “strategies” that have you asking things like “If you are happy with our work, please validate that by giving me three referrals.” You’re putting people on the spot. They’re panicked. They’re not thinking clearly. If, instead of begging off, they do give you three names, it’s probably off the top of their head and not the qualified gems that referrals, in their purest form, are. I like the approach of introductions. Let’s get to know one another first – we’ll then be in a position to determine if there’s a match.

Fan of The Wire?

Over at the old blog, which I’ve repurposed to be non-marketing content, I’m going through Season 1 of The Wire episode by episode. If you’re a fan of The Wire, please take a look and let me know what you think. I’m currently on Episode 8 – Lessons, in which 16 year old Wallace, who sells drugs in the courtyard of the low rises housing project in West Baltimore, also lives with a half a dozen or so young kids who he gets off to school every morning. One of the kids Sara, asks Wallace to help her with a math story problem. After getting nowhere with the problem in the text book, Wallace poses the following story problem:

“You’re working the ground stash, 20 tall pinks. Two fiends come up and ask for two each and another one cops three. Then Bodie hands you 10 more. But a white guy rolls up in a car, waves you down and pays for eight. How many vials you got left?”