The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
Steve Cummins - Solent Strategies
As the Founder or CEO of a start-up or small business, you know you need to take marketing seriously. But do you know how to get started?
The Marketing Mix is your guide to positioning, content marketing, demand generation, and sales enablement for growing B2B companies. We dig into the details by interviewing marketing specialists; by talking to leaders who’ve faced the same issues as you, in their company; and by taking deep dives into specific marketing topics.
Whether you’re interested in reaching a wider audience, picking the right channels, or building a marketing team, The Marketing Mix is in your corner.
Your host is Steve Cummins, who has built and run marketing teams at a number of tech companies, from Fortune 500 to fast-growth start-ups, and been part of several acquisitions along the way. As Principal and Chief Marketer at Solent Strategies, Steve now helps tech companies who are ready to punch above their weight.
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Top 10 The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Engage, Deliver, Repeat: Where Marketing and Delivery Meet w/ Chris Heffernan, Founder and CEO of Dlivrd
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
03/07/24 • 33 min
In this episode, we talk with Chris Heffernan, the co-founder and CEO of Dlivrd. Think DoorDash, but for restaurant catering and same-day food delivery. Chris shares his insights on marketing as a founder, and how it has helped him scale his business.
He discusses Dlivrd's unique positioning in the delivery ecosystem, at the intersection of technology, logistics and customer experience. They’ve created a business culture around the importance of a positive driver experience and building strong relationships with their partners – Chris tips his hat towards the “Happy cows make better milk" slogan from California! And that’s the main thrust of their marketing too - focused on events that celebrate and engage the drivers, and then taking content from those events to share through media channels.
Chris is a big proponent of using video in marketing, and shares his tips on how to get started with shooting your own material. He may not take all his business advice from Instagram(!), but he sure knows how to get attention through his very personality-driven videos
Key Takeaways:
- Hosting driver events and creating engaging content from these events has proven to be an effective marketing tactic
- Realtors put their photos on business cards for a reason. How do you create that emotional connection?
- If you’re not comfortable with being on video, start with a voiceover and some b-roll
- Chris believes in making marketing fun and enjoyable, focusing on projects that highlight the company's core values. If it’s not fun, he’s not interested!
Resources:
Check out Dlivrd’s story here
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here
And watch the pizza challenge video here!
Positioning: The Why, the Who, and the How w/ Sharon Scott
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
02/21/24 • 35 min
Positioning is a fundamental part of marketing strategy. But it’s not always explicitly defined, particularly in small, fast-growing companies. In many cases, it’s based purely on the original intent of the founder, and reflects early-adopters. But as a business scales, it’s worth taking time to think through the Why/Who/How of your product or service, so you can develop the messaging and the Go-To-Market strategy that’s going to have an impact.
Sharon Scott knows how to craft a positioning statement. As a marketing strategist and founder of OtterScope, Sharon works with companies to define their place in the market. And in this episode of The Marketing Mix, she shares the frameworks and strategies she uses to get to the “why” of brands and products.
We also discuss how marketing acts as the bridge between internal stakeholders, and the alignment of Product and Marketing teams. And Sharon shares some thoughts on how AI might be used to assist in customer research and the positioning process.
Key Takeaways:
- Positioning considers the "why" of a product combined with the "who" of the target audience, along "how" the brand adds value
- Even for tech products, a user’s emotional response is an important part of the positioning
- Don’t underestimate the value of unplanned, casual conversations across teams to break out of the silos
- AI tools might not be ready to play a major role in positioning, but they can help with early customer research tasks
Connect with Sharon:
Find Sharon on LinkedIn
And check out OtterScope
A couple of good reads:
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind - by Al Ries and Jack Trout. One of the classic books on the subject
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore. I mention this during the conversation with Sharon
The Story So Far: [Season 1 Recap] What have we learned in the first season of The Marketing Mix?
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
12/06/23 • 29 min
Search Engine Optimization; Demand Generation; and Content Marketing.
Most of the conversations in this first season of the podcast have delved into one (or more) of these three key areas of marketing.
In this final episode of Season 1, Steve selects a sound bite or two from each of his interviews, to remind everyone how smart his guests are! And to zero in on the #1 takeaway from each episode. He recaps his discussions with marketing practitioners, business owners, and an author. And he looks forward to 2024...and Season 2 of the podcast.
Clips from previous episodes include interviews with Charley Karpiuk, Katie Kingsberry, Gia Laudi, Joan McGeough, Steffen Hedebrandt, Jesse Park, and Nikki Fabrizio. And they highlight discussions around how AI will impact SEO; how to run a better Google Ads campaign; asking your customers why they need your product; what a branding project looks like; why attribution matters; and how to maximize your investment in content marketing.
Some of the key areas the guests talk about:
- Generative AI should not be used as a content generation tool for SEO, as it can be easily detected by search engines and deprioritized.
- Relevancy is crucial in Google Ads campaigns, with an unbroken line of relevancy between search terms, ad copy, and landing pages leading to successful campaigns.
- Messaging should be based on customer insights and experiences, rather than assumptions made by founders or marketers.
- Branding encompasses every experience that an audience has with a company, including visual, auditory, and emotional aspects.
- Customer stories can be found by working closely with sales teams, leveraging online reviews, and conducting interviews to gather authentic and engaging content.
- Marketing attribution should focus on making smart decisions by identifying activities that are wasteful and those that yield positive results.
Marketing Attribution: Understanding where your customers come from, w/ Steffen Hedebrandt
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
09/06/23 • 32 min
You’re spending money on PPC ads, on improving SEO performance, and attending multiple events. How do you know which of these investments is paying off? That’s what Marketing Attribution is all about.
In this episode of The Marketing Mix, we’re talking to Steffen Hedebrandt, CMO and co-founder of Dreamdata, about the importance of marketing attribution for small and mid-sized B2B companies.
We discuss the challenges of tracking complex buyer journeys, and the different attribution models that can be used – from First Touch to Last Touch and everything in between.
Steffen highlights the importance of data hygiene, and making sure you have your processes set up to collect the right data at the right time. So that you can then make informed decisions about marketing investments.
And we talk about the limitations of Google Analytics for B2B attribution, where understanding account activity is as important as tracking individuals.
Key Takeaways:
- Marketing attribution is about understanding the path or journey your customers take, to then focus on the most successful marketing tactics and scale them effectively.
- First-Touch Attribution: For B2B, particularly with long sales cycles, the first touch model can be very useful. It highlights the initial marketing activity that brings potential customers into the funnel
- Data Collection: Start logging data as early as possible. Ensure your website is tracked appropriately, salespeople log their interactions in CRM systems, and other digital traces of customer interactions are captured effectively.
- Tracking Accounts. B2B attribution requires an understanding of Accounts as well as people, which Google Analytics can’t handle directly. A first party data solution is required.
Connect with Steffen on LinkedIn
Read Dreamdata's take on Revenue Marketing here
And check out Dreamdata's B2B revenue attribution platform
Timestamps
02:30 Defining attribution
05:50 Justifying the investment
09:50 Comparing attribution models
18:55 Importance of collecting data early on for analysis
21:35 Limitations of Google Analytics for attribution
27:20 Finding proxies for good outcomes and shorter feedback loops
MQLs and SQLs - Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
06/14/23 • 19 min
Why are we talking about MQLs and SQLs?
Funnel Marketing has dominated the last two episodes. First, it was the interview with Gia Laudi, author of "Forget the Funnel." Then I shared my thoughts on how the Funnel can be used effectively for start-ups and growth companies.
Marketing Qualified Leads are a layer on top of the Funnel that bridges the gap between Marketing and Sales teams. So if you've just set up a stand-alone marketing team, or your Sales and Marketing folks just don't talk to each other, MQLs and SQLs can be a great way to improve communication and reduce friction.
I explain how MQLs/SQLs work, and emphasize the importance of agreeing on definitions of each, between the teams; and I talk about the metrics to look at around the process.
I also highlight some of the time-sinks that exist around the funnel - namely, Lead Scoring and Attribution. They may make sense for Enterprise organizations with well established marketing teams. But for most companies, they just suck up precious resources.
I also mention a Generative AI session I participated in, run by Frederick Werhle and the San Francisco AMA. More info here.
Some additional reading:
Salesken.ai "Marketing Qualified Lead vs. Sales Qualified Lead vs. Sales Accepted Lead"
Salesdorado: "Why Your Lead Scoring System is Probably Useless"
Do you really need a website? Some thoughts on why you do, and how to make it happen.
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
10/18/23 • 15 min
A recent Linkedin post got some traction by suggesting that not all businesses need a website.
Which honestly, is a bit of a headscratcher. As my friend Tim Peter wrote in a counterpoint, that's like saying you don't need a phone number or an email address to run a business.
On this week's episode, I talk through why you DO need a website, even if it's just a simple one. I discuss the types of websites and their function; and give some pointers on how to work with freelancers or an agency to build one for your business.
And if you want an example of a simple Wordpress site that didn't cost an arm and a leg, check out my new site for Solent Strategies.
Links:
Read Tim Peter's Linkedin Post about websites here
Subscribe to his "Thinks Out Loud" podcast here
Find the Wordpress MarketShare Data here
For more about building websites, listen to Episode 3 with Ian Loew
And for the Bourbon/Chocolate experience, visit the Stitzel-Weller Distillery
B2B Websites that Convert | A Conversation with Sam Dunning of Breaking B2B
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
07/24/24 • 35 min
If you’re running a B2B tech company, you want your website to generate leads, and convert interest. Yet so many websites are built for vanity, not revenue. And that’s Sam Dunning’s goal with Breaking B2B - to change the way that tech companies and SaaS providers think about their web design.
The website should be the hub to which you drive all of your marketing programs. And yet many of them are designed around good looks and fun messaging – rather than on educating prospects, and capturing their interest. So we discuss some common pitfalls of sites that fail to connect, and Sam shared three approaches he uses to craft clear headlines and positioning statements.
We also covered the importance of having more than just pricing on your pricing pages; and how to construct a low-friction “book a demo” process. Plus Sam talked a little about his personal branding strategy which borrows from popular social media trends.
Key Takeaways:
1. Design for the Audience: A website should focus on the pain points of the target audience. Not the preferences of internal stakeholders
2. Clarity Over Complexity: Use straightforward headlines that avoid cliches and jargon; and clearly state the value proposition and benefits.
3. Transparency Builds Trust: Open pricing and accessible demos streamline the sales process, and reduce time wasted on unqualified prospects
4. Expand your Pricing Page: Incorporate social proof, such as client testimonials, case studies, and FAQs, to address common objections
5. Engaging Demos: Wngaging product demos, either through videos or interactive tools, allows visitors to understand the product's value quickly and effectively.
Resources:
Connect with Sam on LinkedIn
Listen to – or watch - his Breaking B2B Podcast
For more on Sam’s tips to build a killer B2B tech website, check out Episode #390 “Craft a SaaS Website That Converts Like Crazy”
And for my England-based listeners, here’s Sam’s SEO-based spoof of “It’s Coming Home”
"Forget The Funnel": Considering Customer-Led Growth, a Conversation with Georgiana Laudi
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
05/18/23 • 39 min
If you’ve ever wondered if the traditional marketing funnel still makes sense, you’re on the same wavelength as Georgiana (Gia) Laudi, co-author of “Forget the Funnel.”
Gia would rather talk about Customer Led Growth, an alternate approach - applied particularly to SaaS marketing and recurring revenue models - focused on a deeper understanding of the experience of the “best customers.”
On this episode of The Marketing Mix, Gia highlights the shortcomings of some standard marketing strategies including MQL/SQLs and Pirate (AARRR) metrics; and explains how a Customer Led Growth process can provide much deeper insights.
We talk about the challenges of developing the right messaging in Founder-led start-ups, as the product evolves and the customer base expands. And how the “Voice of the Customer” process has changed with the use of platforms like G2 and Capterra, but still requires in depth customer interviews.
Gia walks through part of the Customer Led Growth process they have developed at Forget the Funnel, including how they select the customers, and the focus on “Jobs to be Done.” She also shares some of her favorite customer questions and insights.
If you’re intrigued by the conversation, you should check out Gia’s book “Forget the Funnel”.
Website Design for B2B Manufacturers; a conversation with Ian Loew, Founder of Lform Design
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
05/03/23 • 28 min
Should your marketing agency focus on B2B Manufacturers?
There are more than 250,000 manufacturing companies in the US, with the majority of them producing B2B products. And the buyer profiles, their motivations, and the decision processes they go through, are not the same as a B2C, or even a regular B2B customer.
Ian Loew, of Lform Design, talks about his decision to specialize his web design company on B2B Manufacturers, and explains some of the unique aspects of their website requirements: the need to integrate with an ERP system; the large volumes of data behind the scenes; and the fact that the target audience is often highly technical and prefers self-service tools like calculators and product selectors.
We talk about the pros and cons of Wordpress against a custom design. And Ian shares his thoughts on how prospective web designers can get started, whether it’s back end or front-end programming (hint: just start something).
Some of Ian's favorite resources for design inspiration:
Awwwards
Dribbble
Smashing Magazine
Colossal
Wired Magazine
To connect with Ian, or find out more about the work they do at Lform Design:
Ian's LinkedIn Profile
Lform's website
Highlights and Timestamps:
03:40 Integrating ERP systems with custom web designs for B2B Manufacturers
05:50 Exploring the benefits of WordPress vs custom website design
09:40 The website design process – Discovery, Design, Coding, Content, Launch
11:30 Design considerations for website development
14:30 Working effectively with Client requests and priorities
17:05 How to get started in web design and development
22:10 New Jersey Proud! Explaining the focus on B2B Manufacturing and NJ businesses
24:00 Ian’s go-to resources for design inspiration
25:40 Sipping a Manhattan...or a really good tequila on the rocks!
AI in Marketing: How to get started on your AI journey
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders
03/20/24 • 26 min
Are we ready to take advantage of AI in Marketing yet?
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is quoted as saying that AI could automate 95% of tasks currently performed by marketing agencies. I don’t agree with the number, but it’s a bold enough statement to pay attention to. And, for sure, AI is going to have a significant impact on how we “do” marketing over the next few years.
So in this episode, I talk through the options that marketers should consider as they start to look into AI; share some examples and use cases of how to incorporate AI into your daily workflows; and consider where we might be with AI tools a year from now.
Really, though, this episode is an encouragement to “Just Do It” (to use a turn of phrase!). If you’re not yet using AI, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start to play around with AI tools - whether that’s a standalone AI assistant like Chat GPT or Claude; or tapping into the AI features of the software you’re already using. And we’re giving you some pointers to get your journey started.
Plus, since the subject of Large Language Models and AI in Marketing is constantly changing, I share some of the resources I’m using to stay ahead of the curve!. See below:Timestamps:
04:35What to think about when you think about AI
07:05Which AI Assistant should you use?
12:10Three use cases to get you started
19:20How is this going to change the way we work?
Articles and Newsletters mentioned in this episode:
Sam Altman’s “95%” quote. Link
“Best Practices for Working with Large Language Models”
- The New Stack column, by Jon Udell. Link
“Claude 3: ChatGPT finally has a serious rival"
- Understanding AI Newsletter by Timothy Lee. Link
“Your guide to Google Gemini and Claude 3.0, compared to ChatGPT”
- AI for Good Newsletter by TarenSK. Link
"Which AI Should I Use?”
- One Useful Thing Newsletter by Ethank Molik. Link
“Microsoft promises Copilot will be a 'moneymaker' in the long term”
- The Register. Link
The Gartner Hype Cycle. Link
Fuggedaboutit Cocktails “Bot” By Michael A McConachie
- Link
The Mobster Mirage Cocktail Recipe:
[Verbatim, from the Fuggedaboutit Cocktails custom GPT]
- 1 oz Whisky: Pick a good one, something with character but not too overbearing.
- 1/2 oz Cointreau: For a hint of sweet citrus to brighten things up.
- 1/2 oz Dark Rum: Adds depth and a bit of mystery.
- 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice: To cut through the sweetness and add some zing.
- Dash of Simple Syrup: Only if you like it a bit sweeter, see?
- Garnish: Lime wheel or a twist, for that touch of class.
Chill Your Glass: Get a nice cocktail glass and fill it with ice or stick it in the freezer for a bit to get it nice and frosty.
Mix Ingredients: In a shaker, combine the whisky, Cointreau, dark rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup if you're using it. Fill that shaker with ice.
Shake It Up: Shake it like you mean it, but with respect
Strain: Strain it into your chilled glass. You want it smooth, with no ice chunks crashin' the party.
Garnish: Add that lime wheel or twist. It's like the suit jacket on a well-dress
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders have?
The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders currently has 29 episodes available.
What topics does The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders cover?
The podcast is about Marketing, Podcasts, Business, B2B Marketing and B2B.
What is the most popular episode on The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders?
The episode title 'Engage, Deliver, Repeat: Where Marketing and Delivery Meet w/ Chris Heffernan, Founder and CEO of Dlivrd' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders?
The average episode length on The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders is 30 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders released?
Episodes of The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders are typically released every 14 days, 2 hours.
When was the first episode of The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders?
The first episode of The Marketing Mix: Thought-starters for B2B Business Leaders was released on Apr 4, 2023.
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