Do you remember the scene in Back to the Future where Marty McFly travels back in time and visits his father (as a teenager), waking him up in the middle of the night? He’s dressed as a space traveler, and puts headphones on him and plays the Walkman – blaring Eddie Van Halen guitar solos. That’s how my mind was blown the first time I heard “Eruption” – give it a listen as you read on, and join me in remembering one of the best guitar masters ever.

Here is what the experts are saying, and some takeaways from the past week:

What’s Working in Virtual Events?
We’re all aware of the impact of COVID-19 on live events, but what is working now? The recent Demand Gen Report provides insight – according to their survey, 61% of respondents were positive about hearing speakers during a virtual event. I wish that number were higher but I’m thankful it’s not in the basement, given how so much has gone digital.
Other report findings:
  • 87% prefer sessions under 45 minutes
  • Of that 87%, 30% want sessions no more than 20 minutes
  • 61% want to network digitally around topic-oriented meetings
I recommend reading the report to help fine tune your virtual events.
Digital Interactions Only Growing
It’s tempting to think that the explosion of recent B2B digital interactions is solely in response to the pandemic, and that eventually things will return to “normal.” But Gartner’s Future of Sales research shows that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels. What is going on that is supporting this trend?
The research uncovers that 33% of all buyers desire a seller-free or digital sales experience – a preference that climbs to 44% for millennials. As the millennials mature and take on more buying responsibilities, the impact on sales channels will be significant.
Gartner recommends three actions towards a more digital-first approach:
  • Diversify digital selling tools & channels
  • Rethink sales enablement
  • Prioritize the seller experience & coaching
There’s a lot to think about here. But we have to prepare our organization to be successful now and positioned to win in the future, too.
Eddie Van Halen’s Impact on the Guitar-Playing World
As I mentioned a few weeks back, I can still remember the first time I heard Eddie Van Halen. I had NO IDEA what I was listening to! Hearing that big chord at the beginning of “Eruption” (skip back to the beginning of the song if you want to know what I’m talking about!)… I was floored!

Eddie wasn’t content to simply play guitar like everyone else – he had a vision for taking things somewhere new. Eddie took the best parts of guitar chords and scales while combining them with new technique and tone for incredible results… all while having a great and bluesy ‘human’ touch and feel to all of his riffs and solos. And he always focused on making the song better!

In the B2B space, we see the same – innovation leads to better results and new ways of doing things. We can look back and leverage past techniques and tactics, but the way we use them and how we innovate and continue to drive to new levels of excellence… that’s the trick.

His music still blows me away. Rest in peace, Eddie.

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or ask how I can help.

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat | President | Virtual Causeway | 519.866.1600 x622

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