You can follow Ardath on Twitter at @Ardath421

AG: Content marketing is a hot topic and like many other hot topics today definitions vary and everyone wants to jump in and give their own spin.  As a leader in this space, please define once and for all – what is content marketing?

Albee:  This subject is definitely getting a lot of play lately. I’m not sure there’s a once and for all answer because the practice of content marketing continues to evolve. This being said, I think this definition sums it up nicely:

Content marketing is the practice of publishing contagious content designed to be found by and influence a behavior of your target market(s) to create a positive business result.

The most important thing to note is that your success with content marketing is predicated by how well you know your target market(s) and/or personas.

AG: You speak a lot about story telling in your writing and presentations.  How important is it in a B2B demand generation strategy to incorporate story telling?

Albee:  I think storytelling is hugely important. Storytelling involves people in the content by helping them suspend disbelief long enough to visualize whatever it is that your story presents. It is also the way people learn and share.  Where storytelling makes the difference is when the stories are designed with your buyer or persona as the hero of the story working to solve a business problem.

In a story, the hero has a goal and must overcome obstacles and defeat his antagonist to complete the journey and achieve the goal.

In business, your buyer has a problem that needs to be solved (goal), obstacles such as detractors, lack of budget, lack of knowledge about the best approach, and more that must be reconciled to complete his “story” or buying experience.

The components for a problem-to-solution journey in a B2B complex sale may look something like this:

• Your buyer has a goal to achieve (problem to solve).
• There are obstacles in the way of attaining the goal.
• The buyer must learn what he needs to know to achieve the goal.
• He must convince others to agree with how he proposes to do that.
• He must find and justify the resources he needs to complete the journey.
• He must get past the moment when it looks like he won’t make it.
• With your help, he completes the journey and successfully achieves the goal.

In a business story, the villain or antagonist of the story is the problem that needs to be solved. In most stories, there is a “mentor” character who helps to teach or guide the hero through the journey. That’s the role the vendor must play in the story. This is why there’s so much said about the value and helpfulness of the content we publish. It’s not about the product, but rather the solving of the problem. That’s the shift that storytelling can help companies make with their content marketing.

AG: I hear a lot of marketers speak about content marketing but alarmingly very few sales people.  How important are sales reps to a content marketing strategy?

Albee:  Sales reps are a very important component of content marketing. Because buyers are waiting longer to identify themselves, the part of the buying process that is evident to vendors is compressed. In fact, research by Sirius Decisions found that 70% of purchases are already at the RFP stage by the time vendors know about the opportunity.  This means that marketing must pick up the slack and nurture buyers farther across their buying experience—even if anonymously. If salespeople step into the relationship telling a different story than marketing has been telling, then momentum stalls and hesitation occurs.

The problem is that marketing is often not sharing the story they’re telling with salespeople. Or, salespeople haven’t bought into the story that marketing is telling. Either way, this needs to be fixed. In most of the projects I’m working on today, salespeople are involved from the start, helping marketing define personas and giving feedback as we develop content strategy and marketing programs. It makes a huge difference.

But the biggest reason that salespeople are so important to content marketing is that people buy from people. Content can do a lot to engage prospects and help them view a vendor as a credible and trusted resource that can help them solve their problem. But that relationship has to remain consistent once sales steps into the conversation. There needs to be a certain synergy to the lead management process from inquiry through purchase (and beyond). The truth is that buyers don’t care if they’re engaged with marketing or with sales – they care about what’s in it for them to be in that conversation at all. If salespeople step in and start telling a different story or deliver less value than prospects have come to expect, the deal can be derailed.

AG: In a recent blog post you wrote about the relationship between inbound marketing and content marketing.   How important is one to the other?

Albee:  I don’t think you can successfully do one without the other. You really need both. The distinction is more about semantics than anything else. For example, I use the term content marketing, but in every project I do the components of SEO, Social Media and Content are integral to its success – and that combination is usually now referred to as Inbound. Generating awareness and demand have been marketing goals forever. The processes may be shifting, but the end goals are the same.

AG: What are the top three things a company can do right now to jump start their content marketing strategy?

Albee: 1. Identify market segments, buyer personas, customer profiles – whatever you want to call them – and learn as much as you can about your buyers.

2. Brainstorm a list of all the questions each segment or persona will need to get answered as they explore and determine how to solve a specific problem.

3. Develop content that answers those questions.

Remember to put yourself in their shoes. Get your products out of the way and create content about what they’re interested in learning more about. Talk to salespeople and customers as much as you can to validate your assumptions. Make sure each content asset has a call to action (“Have a sales rep call me” doesn’t count.)

What started out as a fun backyard activity when he was three, has become an obsession.  I’m a bit biased, but rarely have I seen this kind of discipline and single-mindedness in someone his age. Even at the age of 14, his laser focus, his desire and work ethic are all evidence of his love for the game.  It certainly will be fun working with him, watching him learn from his instructors and seeing him pursue his dream of playing in the big leagues.  On his journey he has come to understand a few key principles:

1. Having been instructed on the fundamentals, he now has to build on them.
2. Building on the fundamentals requires consistency and hard work.
3. Becoming a better ballplayer does not happen overnight.

These are not just “baseball only” principles, they are also somewhat universal. And they certainly apply to B2B marketers who are looking to improve the value of marketing activity in their organization.

There is a misconception in B2B marketing today that marketing is easy.  All you have to do is buy a technology product, flip the switch, and be on your way to riches and glory.  Many are preaching that you can install your system and be launching engaging nurture streams to your ideal prospects within 45-days.  This is mythical thinking. Unfortunately, many companies are falling for it, only later to discover that they’ve wasted time and money chasing an illusion. Getting back to baseball: if a trainer told me that within 45-days he could retool my son’s swing and have him hitting .400, we wouldn’t have attended one lesson. Why? Because the claim is unrealistic.  Shouldn’t we take the same approach toward the promises being blared in the B2B universe?

While it may not be what impatient executives want to hear, they need to understand that transforming marketing so that it’s customer centric, process-based and measured by revenue, is not a simple task.  As one client recently told me, “This is a complete 180^o turn from where we were. But long-term, this is where we need to be if we are to grow and survive.”  He’s absolutely right.

So if you’re interested in transforming your marketing organization the right way, remember these few key ideas:

1. It’s not simple, but it’s worth it.
2. It will take time.
3. Things may be different at first.  ~ When my son began working with his hitting coach (who completely re-built his swing) he said, “Right now it feels weird, but in a few months it will feel completely natural.”
4. It takes consistency and dedication.  There will be bumps in the road. The easy thing to do is go back to where you were… Don’t. Keep moving forward.
5. Be realistic.  Don’t expect overnight results.  Make a plan, including milestones. Celebrate and evangelize as you reach them.
6. Get help when you need it.  If you know where you want to go, but don’t know how to get there, find a resource (consultant, vendor, etc.) that can help you manage the transformation.

Quick and easy may work for recipes, but it doesn’t work in baseball or B2B marketing.  The sooner we dispel that notion, the faster we can begin the journey to improve.

Resolution #1:  Don’t be Self-Centered

I receive 3-5 calls or emails per week asking if I have 30-minutes to view a demo or learn how a product can make my business better.  In most of these cases, I’ve never spoken with the sales rep.  Usually, I don’t have a need for their product or service.  If this is still the marketing and sales approach for your organization, you should resolve to stop it in 2012.

The truth is, your buyers do not care about your product and service nearly as much as you want them to or think they should.  What they want to know is:

• Do you understand the day-to-day issues they are facing?
• Do you have information that can better educate them?
• Do you understand them, their needs and their current situation?

When you begin the conversation, “can I show you a demo,” you’re showing that it’s about you, not them.  In 2012, instead of accosting your buyers with product literature and “sales pitches”, commit to understanding them so you can develop a content plan that engages them.  Ensure your content is more about them and less about you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the difference it will make.

Resolution #2: Drive and Embrace Change

Perhaps no word or concept strikes more fear and angst into an organization than the word “change”.  The fact is, change is not easy and it’s rarely met with open arms.  I have had many CMOs and senior marketing/sales people tell me “we know it’s broken but changing it would be too hard.”  They’re right.  Change is hard.  But, in order to succeed and drive the revenue that is expected from marketing by the CEO, it must occur.

There is no doubt that the B2B buyer has changed dramatically. Without adapting (or changing) to the new buyer, growth will not occur.  So, in essence, change is not an option.  It’s essential.  The branding and communications focus of yester-year is no longer applicable in today’s B2B buying process.  Instead, the buyer of today expects an introduction, dialogue and eventual engagement. If marketing and sales teams are going to succeed in our new world of B2B marketing, change must happen.  So drive and embrace that change!

Resolution #3:  Be a Realist

I recently went through the process of building a house.  During construction, we lived in a rental about two miles away which gave us the opportunity to drive by and watch the work on our new home progress.  Early on (to this novice eye) it seemed that little to no progress was being made.  For weeks we would drive by and simply see a hole in the ground.  What was being done? Why was there no foundation being poured? Why wasn’t the framing complete?  The simple answer was that building a house takes time.  The builder was taking the time to lay the right piping, to ensure the sides and bottom where the foundation was to be poured was level, and to confirm that each stage of the build process was properly inspected for quality.

B2B marketers should adopt this same philosophy – the change mentioned above takes time. It won’t be completed in a matter of weeks.  While the temptation of marketers is to commit to quick timelines and to expect complete transformation in a short time, the reality is that it’s just not feasible.

Recently, a marketer told me of some of their plans for the New Year:

• Develop buyer personas for their top five buyers and chart the buying journey for each
• Develop and implement a demand generation strategy including content marketing and development
• Implement and launch a marketing automation system and integrate it with their CRM system
• Develop and implement a lead management process to ensure more value from their automation investment.  They were committed to doing this in a unified approach with sales.
• As part of their demand generation strategy, develop a nurture program for prospects and customers

After listing these items the marketer asked, “how do we develop the project plan for this that covers the next two years?”  In essence, she got it.  She understood that this was not a 45-day quick hit, that automation is not plug and play and that the change involved would take time.  No matter what any consultant or automation vendor will tell you, these are not short term initiatives.  As you look to transform your organization in 2012, be realistic with your time frame.  If you run across a vendor who tells you otherwise, ignore them.  They are probably just looking to make a quick sale.

Resolution #4:  Work at It

Living in Colorado, I must admit that I have been fully swept up in Tim Tebow mania.  I am a Denver Broncos bandwagoner and refuse to miss a game.  One of the things that I so admire about Tebow is that he consistently shows through both words and actions his commitment to improve.  His detractors discuss his poor mechanics, his low quarterback rating, how he needs to improve, etc.  When pressed on these comments, Tebow’s response is always the same, “I am going to keep working hard to be the best NFL quarterback I can be.”

Imagine how organizations could flourish if the same resolve was in every B2B marketing and sales professional.  Numerous studies have shown that there is a large skills disparity that exists in today’s B2B marketing and sales professional.  The good news is that there are several resources that will bring about the professional development needed to overcome the gap. There are conferences by SiriusDecisions, MarketingProfs, DemandCon and OMS.  You can read blogs like the FunnelHolic, Propelling Brands, Marketing Interactions, etc.  In addition, training and certification are available through organizations such as  The Marketing Automation Institute . So make 2012 an educational year where you learn the new skills that are needed to succeed.  Don’t let another year pass without developing professionally.

Resolution #5:  Have Fun!

I know I have said this before but I think it bears repeating: There has been no better time to be a B2B marketer. I meet more marketers who are deflated with their current roles. And while, for some, that may very well signal a need to change jobs, for most it’s just the result of not seeing what a great place they’re in.  The relevance that marketing has taken in organizations, and the need for marketing excellence to propel revenue has provided a huge opportunity never seen before.  Knowing that your work is making a difference is fun. So go for it and enjoy the ride!

2012 can be the year that marketers do what is necessary to up their game.  The opportunity is before you. Resolve to make it happen.

Unfortunately, this sentiment isn’t limited to this isolated lunch conversation, but one that highlights the lack of effectiveness in many CMO offices today.  This CMO effectiveness void is being felt in many organizations and could not come at a worse time for marketers, or even businesses in general.  The need for CMOs to step-up has never been greater than right now.

As we roll into 2012, here are five resolutions that CMOs should adopt to be more effective.

1.  Learn the Language of Your Peers           

I had a discussion not long ago with one CMO about the goals and objectives of his organization.  When I suggested that he begin focusing on contribution to revenue and pipeline his resistance was clear when he stated, “I’m not committing my group to revenue. That kind of visibility scares me to death.”

This is a perfect example of a CMO who has failed to be effective in his role, perpetuating the feeling that marketing is not truly valued within the organization.  Why?  Because the CEO, the CFO and the CRO are all focused on revenue… THE KEY METRIC.

CMOs must commit to speaking the language of their peers, the language of revenue. They must hold their teams accountable for revenue metrics.  If marketing is to be respected and more effective, this language and measurement is a must.

2.  Be Socially Engaged

If the prediction from Gartner is true, then in less than eight years 85% of the B2B buying process will be done with no human interaction.  There is no clearer indication that the buyer has changed and that the open access to online and social information is where buyers will spend the majority of their buying cycle.

As buyers are spending the majority of their time engaging socially, it is imperative that CMOs begin to engage within this medium as well.  The content delivered over social media will be the difference between a buyer choosing one vendor over another. Why?  Because this is where engagement happens.  This is where meaningful dialogue occurs. This where a vendor can exchange ideas and help shape the conversation. CMOs who shy away from using social media as a key channel in their demand generation strategy will soon come to find themselves far behind their competition who have embraced it.  To effectively engage, CMOs must go to where the buyer is… online.

3. Connect With Sales

“Sales does not respect us.”
“We have a love/hate relationship with sales – they love to hate us.”
“I cannot get sales to pay any attention to me.”

These are quotes I’ve heard at one time or another describing the relationship of marketing and sales.  In most of these cases it’s due to the fact that sales does not get the necessary support it needs from marketing to help them hit their number.  As one sales person once told me, “Maybe if I knew how the opens and clicks were helping us generate high quality leads, I would care. But nobody seems to know how marketing is helping us.”

In order for CMOs to be effective, they must connect with their sales counterpart and begin driving towards a common goal.  Without the connection to sales, marketing’s role will be severely diminished.

If you’re a CMO wondering how to start that dialogue, let me suggest the following statement to get you going:

“I know that in the past marketing has not lived up to the expectations, nor worked with sales in a collaborative fashion.  Heading into this year it is time to change all that. We want to work with you to help drive new business and attain quota.  When can we begin meeting about this and develop the right processes needed to ensure we meet these goals together?”

4. Know Your Customer

Often when I am presenting, I will ask the marketers in the room how many of them make a habit of connecting with their customers by phone or in person.  This is more than just accompanying sales on a sales call, but truly being with and understanding their customers.  The few number of hands that go up continues to astonish me.

Today’s buyer is looking for a vendor who understands them, one who can discuss their issues without always talking about product features and functions. They want a partner who is knowledgeable about their space.  As a marketer, this means creating conversations, both online and face-to-face, where you ask, listen, then respond based on what THEY need, not what YOU want. If you want to truly connect with your customer (and ultimately develop the content that is relevant to them), make sure you know them intimately. Anything less is simple small talk.

5. Be a Leader

In all the years I worked in the technology space, I only met one CMO who I felt was a true leader who made a difference.  Today, more often than not, I see too many CMOs who refuse to or are afraid to lead. But the role of marketing is too vital in the B2B space today for CMOs to relinquish this responsibility.  CMOs must step up and begin to lead their organizations.

One aspect that this leadership will certainly include will be leading change.  For marketing to be effective in the new world of Buyer 2.0, it will take a new way of thinking, engaging, measuring and acting.  This will require patience and steadiness (this change does not happen overnight). It requires defined processes (no technology purchase will bring this about). It requires equipping the right people with the right skills.  It requires removing those who are stuck in their old ways and replacing them with those who will embrace a new culture.  It requires a leader who will have the courage to make the decisions that will bring all of this about.

CMOs, the time is now.  Don’t be the one who will be sitting here a year from now, wishing you had been more effective.  Here’s to hoping that 2012 will be remembered as the “Year of the CMO”.

View Part Two of the Whiteboard Session Now.

View Part One of the Whiteboard Session Now.

Promises of exponential riches, rapid weight loss and real estate fortunes will continue to come and go throughout our lives.  And most of us are smart enough to smile and politely say, “No, thank you”.  Yet, it seems that the promise of “gold at the end of the rainbow” is picking up steam with many in the B2B marketing space. And many marketers in search of El Dorado are being drawn like lemmings to the sea.

Just this past month, we’ve seen offers such as “guarantee of significant business impact in less than 60-days”; or “a detailed understanding of where you’re deficient in your automation strategy in less than 10-days”; or even “100% increase in qualified leads to sales”.  Sounds great!  But if it’s this easy, then why isn’t everyone doing this?  Maybe because it’s not so easy.

If you truly want to revolutionize your B2B marketing organization, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1.  Quick Does not Equal Effective

We live in an instant gratification society. But that doesn’t work in B2B organizations.  Defining new processes, developing and implementing new strategies and aligning marketing and sales teams is not something that can be done overnight.  Yes, strides can be made quickly, and initial milestones can be reached in relatively short time.  But expecting to arrive at best-in-class status or having a comprehensive understanding of ALL your business issues in a matter of days is not realistic.  Yes, quick wins are great. But lasting, effective wins do not come quickly. They take time.  Anything else is just cutting corners.

2.  There is more to B2B Marketing Than Lead Nurturing 

Lead nurturing is getting quite a bit of attention from multiple vendors.  Many vendors and consultants are developing “quick hit” programs focused on helping organizations develop and launch lead nurturing campaigns.

Lead nurturing is certainly a vital component of a demand generation strategy, however, there is much that needs to be addressed to ensure that your nurturing will be effective.  If your goal is to produce an effective lead nurturing program that has tangible results (qualified leads that convert to sales) you must ensure the following components are in place:

• A data management process
• Lead qualification process (hard to know how to nurture them, if you don’t know how qualified they are)
• A defined lead routing process
• Content mapping
• Metrics

Most companies need significant work done in these areas.  All of these processes take time to review and develop. Not developing them will produce lack luster results.

3.  It’s Not The Technology, It’s You

Not getting what you want from your marketing automation platform?  It is surely the fault of the technology right?  Think again.

Yes it is true that many organizations are striving to get more value from their automation solution.  But determining value based on which features and functions are or are not being used is not the way to determine value.

In order to improve the value of your return on technology investments look internally at your operations, your demand generation strategy and your process.  Identify your gaps, make the fixes, and develop the strategy to fill the gaps.  Only then are you ready to consider how the technology will allow you to execute that strategy.  As much as automation can provide, it should be one of the last things you consider when looking to transform your organization.

The B2B landscape has changed dramatically over the last few years.  As a result organizations need to transform their approach.  A quick fix is not the answer.   Be realistic in your approach and remember patience is key. Consistency over time wins the day.

A recent report published by MarketingSherpa asked B2B marketers what was the top barrier for overcoming their marketing challenges.  17% cited difficulty in getting buy-in or support from the C-Suite.  Quite frankly I am surprised that the percentage is not higher.

Part of the reason that executives are so hesitant to buy into marketing is that they’ve not been provided a solid business case for making the necessary investments into marketing that will improve their business.  Yet marketing and sales need budget so they can adapt to the changing buyer, move them faster through the buying cycle, and ultimately drive revenue.  It’s imperative that marketing gains executive support.

We’ve blogged before on what marketers can do to remove the barriers and win over “mahogany row”.  In this post, we provide the final five things the C-Suite can do to enable their marketing and sales teams so they can improve their return on marketing and sales investments.

6.  Don’t Stay Married if It’s Not Working

Hear me out here. I am not advocating divorce.  However, what I am talking about is the dynamic where executives get so married to their plans, that they fail to change course if the plans are not working.

To change direction doesn’t always signal failure or indicate a poor strategy.  To the contrary, it can often signal maturity and understanding of the ultimate objectives.  If something’s not working, or if your marketing strategy is not going to plan, then make the necessary adjustments. Gather your team, collect their input (they usually have a more realistic and better view than you do) and adjust the course.

7.  Stop Talking About Alignment

If you conduct a Google search on the term “Sales & Marketing Alignment”, you generate 11,700,000 links to view.  This seems to be only a fraction of all that has been written on this topic.  Just today I saw three more articles that detailed the keys to marketing and sales alignment.

Executives would do well to stop trying to solve this “problem”.  Actually, it’s not a problem; it’s a symptom of a deeper problem.  Here’s what needs to happen to achieve alignment:

• Bring marketing and sales together to develop a lead management process that addresses how leads will be managed.
• Use common objectives and measurements between marketing and sales. (Revenue contribution goals are a good place to start.)
• Design sales quotas to match average buying cycles.  As an example, it’s unfair for a sales person to have to meet a 90-day quota when the sales cycle is 180 days.

Begin working on these three areas and you will see the alignment issue disappear.

8.  Ensure You Have the Right People

One of the greatest ironies about NBC’s The Office was that Michael Scott, played by Steve Carrel, was an awful sales manager but a very good sales rep.   Carrel’s role served to highlight what many organizations do: they take someone who has had success in one role and promote them to another role for which they are not suited.  This is a poor HR practice.  Have the courage to determine if you have the wrong people with the wrong skill set in your marketing and sales roles. If you do, it’s time for some fresh talent.  Capable job seekers abound in today’s economy. If you are going to stock up on new talent, now is the time to do it.

9.  Know Thy Customer

On a recent episode of CBS’s Undercover Boss, a cruise line CEO posed as an entertainment crew staff member on one of his ships.  He was assigned to oversee the ice skating rink that had been installed on board the ship.  After hours of back breaking work just to get the rink set up, no one came.   He asked, “Why do we have this if no one wants to skate?”  Perhaps if they had done a better job of getting to know their customer, they would have known the answer.

This episode illustrates the fact that most executives don’t truly understand their customers.  Why?  Because their customer interaction is often limited to the top 5% of their customer base.  Such a small percentage does not provide an accurate representation of the buyer.  Yet, if you take the time to get to know your customer inside and out, you’ll be able to create better product, deliver better service and improve customer retention.  It will help you avoid mistakes like installing an ice skating rink on a cruise ship.

10.  Lighten Up

Life is short. Work can be stressful and difficult.  Good leaders make work fun for their employees. They keep things light.  Yes, most of us are passionate about our companies, and the services we provide.  But for most of us, we’re not selling things that are life changing. We need to remember that.

In one company I worked for, we were pressing to meet a product launch date.  Tensions were high among marketing, sales and product management (all of whom sat in close proximity to each other).  Sensing the stress cloud, the president of our division walked down a row of cubicles and announced, “$50 to the one who can do a wall sit longer than I can.”  The stress bubble was burst as a line of people doing wall sits emerged.   We took 10 minutes to unwind, watched a product manager win $50, and had a few laughs.  Our president was smart. He knew that tension did not create productivity.  Stress relief did.

We may have covered some non-marketing areas in these two posts.  But if marketing and sales are going to improve and adjust in this new buyer driven B2B world, it is vital that the C-Suite lead and enable change.  Without it, you’ll end up with an environment that limits what can be done, and fails to reach objectives.

Part of the reason that executives are so hesitant to buy into marketing is that they’ve not been provided a solid business case for making the necessary marketing investments that will improve their business.  Yet budget is what is going to enable marketing and sales to adapt to the changing buyer, move them faster through the buying cycle, and ultimately drive revenue.  It’s imperative that marketing gains executive support.

We’ve blogged before on what marketers can do to remove the barriers and win over “mahogany row”.  In this post, the first part of a 2-part series, we’ll take a look at what the C-Suite can do to enable their marketing and sales teams so they can improve the return on marketing and sales investments.

1.  Understand that Change Must Occur   

Earlier in my career,  I was asked to begin developing a lead management process for my employer, a $1 billion software company.  This was a new role within the organization.  Two weeks into our new endeavor I got a call from my VP asking, “What on earth are you doing?”  His question was based on concerns that his sales counterparts had brought to him, namely that my team was asking questions about how sales managed leads, and that we had extracted data from the CRM system.  I responded by saying that if we were going to develop a new process we had to first learn what was broken. Then we could make changes to fix it. And there it was, that dreaded word – CHANGE!  Like many executives, my boss’s comeback was shortsighted. He informed me that while we needed process, we could not interfere with sales. Change was not in the cards.

Too many executives envision how things can be, but they fail to approve the changes that are necessary in order to enable their marketing and sales teams.  Steve Jobs was said to have no respect for the status quo.  Executives should take a lesson.

2.  Embrace the Change

Understanding the need for change and embracing it are two completely different concepts.  In my example above, my former boss understood change was needed.  But he never embraced it.  Why does this happen?  Because change requires effort, uncertainty, and instability.  But it’s also the catalyst for moving forward.  Embracing change means enablement, support and clearing the hurdles necessary for their teams to succeed. Many executives are uncertain about the changes going on in B2B Marketing today.  But if they will live with some uncertainty, and allow their teams to change, they will see enormous benefit.

3. Keep Things Simple!

Years ago, I sat in a sales management meeting with two regional VP’s and the President of our division.  Each VP was there to report his mid-quarter sales projections.  The first VP came loaded with all kinds of data.  Half-way through what should have been a 15-minute presentation (at this point we were way beyond 15 minutes), our President stopped him, and said, “Please get to the point. Keep it simple. Where are we with sales?”

The second VP got up and in one slide showed the number of deals and revenue in the pipeline, number of closed deals and revenue to date, revenue quarter over quarter and his projected forecast.  It was clear and simple (perhaps he learned a lesson from his colleague).  After less than 5-minutes of follow up questions, we had a clear understanding of what they had already accomplished and what was to come.

Too many organizations are bogged down in trying to do too much, trying to measure too many things, or trying to be all things to all people.  Complexity often leads to ineffectiveness. So, keep it simple.  As best you can reduce your strategic plan to one page.  Make sure you can articulate your corporate value statement in less than 15-seconds.  Measure what matters.  And extend this rule of simplicity to your marketing teams. Following the rule of simplicity will clear the clutter and help your organization focus on what counts.

4.  Allow a Little Room for Error

Ever watch a sports team play as if they were afraid to fail? (Insert 2011 Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves here). Yet inevitably, that’s what happens. They fail.  Conversely, championship teams play as if there’s nothing to fear. It keeps them loose, and allows them to focus on what they are doing, instead of what may happen if they make a mistake.

It’s not much different in business.  Executives who run their businesses with a fear of failure will ultimately fail.  Fear is not a motivator. It stifles creativity, innovation and limits success.  Instead, executives should allow their teams room to move and yes, even fail.  I am not suggesting allowing a renegade culture in your organization, but I am advocating room for a little risk.  Successful marketing is a series of tests, failures, lessons learned, then successes.  Make sure you create an environment that allows for failure.

5.  Listen and Respond

Herb Kelleher, Founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines tells a story where he paid a visit to one of the baggage handling areas and how he noticed that some of the workers  seemed short on morale.  He asked them what was wrong, and they told him that they had asked their supervisor for a rope, but their request was denied.  They wanted the rope to pull carts back and forth in a more efficient manner.  Without hesitation, Kelleher ensured a rope was delivered and had the supervisor reprimanded.

This anecdote makes me wonder how many executives are depleting their employees’ morale over items as simple as a rope.  If you truly want to lead, then ask, listen and (when possible) enable your team so they can solve the problem.

We’re halfway there and there’s already much to discuss.  We welcome your feedback and comments.  Look for the second half of the blog post in a couple of weeks.

This study highlights the disconnect that continues between B2B marketers and the rest of a company’s organizations.  As summed up in his book Balancing the Demand Equation, Adam Needles states, “B2B marketers more than ever are being asked by their senior management and by their sales team to fix it… as B2B marketers, we have never been at a greater disadvantage, nor have we been more incapable of seizing this opportunity.”

So the question is, “How do B2B marketers begin to remove these barriers and meet the demands of their senior management and sales counterparts?”

The simple answer is to stop focusing on the barriers and begin focusing on the solution.  After reviewing the challenges cited in MarketingSherpa’s study, there seemed to be similarities between many of them.  In this post, we have grouped the challenges, and provided suggested remedies for each:

Barrier 1: Lack of Resources (Budget, Knowledge & Time)

• Lack of Resources & Funding (62%)
• Lack of Education (26%)
• Economic Climate (30%)
• Lack of Ability to Stop Executing & Think Strategically (39%)

Many marketing organizations operate under a “Because Marketing” strategy.  This means they do what they do “because” they have to, or “because” they’ve always done it that way, or “because” that’s what they are paid to do.  There are no goals, no real strategy, no objectives.  This would be similar to driving your car aimlessly with no planned destination simply “because” you own a car.  If you do not have an end goal or objective, then you are marketing aimlessly.  If you find yourself caught in this cycle of aimless marketing, then it’s time to stop.

Instead, take a step back, work to develop a strategy (with goals, objectives and a tactical plan) that speaks to how you will engage with your buyer to drive revenue contribution.  A good first step to develop this strategy is to collaborate with sales.  Together, create a strategy that includes the people, knowledge/training resources, budget, and any other resources needed to meet objectives.  Then once you “plan the work, work the plan.”

Barrier 2:  Lack of Customer Insight & Content

• Limited Availability to Develop Content (35%)
• Lack of Sufficient Insight on Target Audience (32%)
• Lack of Clear Value Proposition (25%)

The study indicates that marketers struggle because they don’t have sufficient marketing content.  Yet our experience is that most organizations have more content then they realize.  Websites, collateral, sales playbooks, etc. are all filled with subject matter that marketers can use.  So when it comes to content, the problem is not its availability.  The problem is that most organizations don’t know how to use content effectively.  Why?  Because they’ve done a poor job of getting to know their buyer.  Without knowing the buyer, they don’t know what kind of content the buyer wants, so they resort to sending promotional communications.  Trust me, that’s NOT what the buyer wants.

The obvious solution to this problem is to seek to know who you’re selling to, what they want to hear, and how they want it delivered. In other words, study your buyer.  This can be done by analyzing marketing, sales, finance and support data you have on the buyer/customer.  Look for trends and commonalities among different buyer segments.  In addition to more obvious demographic data, you should also look at buying triggers, behaviors, problems buyers are trying to solve, what roles they serve, etc.  Don’t limit your research to in-house data. Get information directly from your customers.  The best way to get to know someone is to ask them questions. It’s no different when trying to understand your buyer.

As the knowledge and understanding of your buyer continues to develop, you’ll also begin to have better insight into what content they need and want from you.  And remember, this is not a “one and done” process.  It’s a continual learning dynamic (as is any relationship building process) that will help you refine the value proposition and the content that will foster engagement and life time value.

Barrier 3:  Insufficient Process & Measurements

• Lack of Alignment Between Sales and Marketing (32%)
• Lack of Reliable Data to Drive Decisions (31%)
• Lack of Clarity on Goals and Objectives (31%)
• Difficulty in Gaining C-Suite Support for New Strategies (17%)

The four areas listed above are certainly barriers to marketers’ success. The reason most never get fixed is they are not the core problem.  They are just symptoms of a greater problem: lack of a fundamental process whereby marketing and sales work together to manage buyer engagement and contribute to revenue.

Marketing and sales should have the same ultimate objective: To contribute to pipeline and generate revenue.  Each has a unique role in meeting those objectives, but the goal should be the same.  If this shared goal is non-existent in your company, then as a marketer, you’re obliged to work with sales to determine who’s going to do what to drive revenue.  This is what we refer to as the Lead Management Framework^SM.  Your framework should include a clear, data driven description or map on how marketing and sales together will drive revenue, and ROI.  Without this component, don’t even bother seeking C-Suite approval.  Why?  Because they want to see what return they will get for the marketing budget they approved.  To get their buy-in you must show revenue impact.  If you develop the right process,  focus on a revenue based performance and begin managing marketing scientifically through the analysis of data, you will see the alignment issues dissolve, get executive buy-in, and ultimately, see revenue increase.

Barriers to success will always exist.  Successful marketers will overcome those barriers by focusing on the end goal: revenue.  The C-Suite expects it.  Sales wants it (even though they may not say it).  Our buyers need it.  So what are you waiting for… start breaking down the barriers.