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I was at a Trader Joe’s the other day. There aren’t any near where I live, so when I travel and there’s a store nearby, I always stock up.

What brands would you travel many miles for? Is it about the product or experience, or is it simply the desire to own something that’s hard to obtain?

Give this song from fellow Canadian Dan Mangan a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week…

Marketing Lessons from Trader Joe’s

Some (like me) travel great distances to get inexpensive, good quality, and unique grocery items – then pack it up, send it home. In my informal polling and research, it seems like people familiar with the Trader Joe’s brand love it and do the same. Why? It can’t just be the low prices, friendly atmosphere and great products, can it? Word-of-mouth marketing also seems to be a key element to their success.

The grocery retail business is a tough game – and there are many options out there. So how do they stand out?

We all dream that our products will have mass appeal, which is why it can be difficult to narrow down exactly who your market is. Like most marketers, you may fear that if the market you pick isn’t big enough – or if your message doesn’t get out to enough of them – that your product will fail.

However, Trader Joe’s proves that focus is important. They’ve created an experience that their shoppers are drawn to, and it’s because they have a clear idea of who they help and what those customers care about.

Are your best customers bought and sold on you? Or do you still need to narrow your focus to the right market?

Marketing Lessons from Gibson Guitars

April is International Guitar Month. As a lifetime guitar player, I look for any excuse to talk about them!

When people think of iconic guitar brands, Gibson is top of mind. The brand was instrumental (no pun intended) in creating the sounds of rock and roll over the years. It’s also become a lifestyle brand.

Gibson has had some great marketing successes. But what about marketing blunders?

In 2019, Gibson had just emerged from bankruptcy and was in hyper-marketing mode to usher in a new era of growth and success. But then they posted this video that caused all sorts of confusion and contention in the market.

It was creepy, uncomfortable to watch, and aggressive. Instead of focusing on their customers, they isolated the guitar community and targeted smaller competitors in what was widely perceived as a bully move.

But it didn’t end there. A few days after backlash drove Gibson to pull the video, they followed it up with a lawsuit against one of those competitors, Dean/Luna. And the guitar community went on the attack, with memes and outrage flooding the internet.

Of course, the importance of trademark infringement and the anger resulting in counterfeit guitars are totally valid. But Gibson was going after builders with similar body shapes – not even the part of the guitar that’s patented and out of reach. It was that aggressive – and unnecessary – move that angered people.

For a brand that built such a strong and loyal following, you’d think they would be working on their community, creating excitement and invigorating their brand. Not threatening other businesses. Dumb play, right? What do you think?

I’m sure you don’t want your customers to find alternatives to your brand. So how are you building that sense of community with them so they don’t feel the need to go looking?

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post Marketing Lessons from Grocery and Guitars appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights!

Maybe it’s age or simply the accessibility of online information – but I feel like my memory isn’t nearly what it used to be. But why should it be? If I need to know something, I look it up online. If I need to remember something, I scroll through my pictures or social media. Heck, I don’t even need to type – I can just ask the virtual assistant that lives in my phone! I know I’m not the only one feeling this way – should we be concerned, or is this just evolution?

Give this song by Pearl Jam a listen with me as we see what the experts are saying this week.

Doing the Evolution: Dark Funnel

I first saw this article last year but thought it was worth discussing again. I’ve really started to hear my clients talk more and more about the ‘dark funnel’. So what is it, and how does it impact the B2B waterfall?

The key to aligning funnels with buyer journeys is to employ modern data science to illuminate what vendors like 6sense call the Dark Funnel.

Unless you’re the only provider of the solution you offer AND that category of solution is only discussed in your own digital properties (and what are the odds of that?), it’s likely that some or even most of your potential buyers will begin their buyer journeys elsewhere: on influencer sites, product review sites, competitors’ sites, social media, or one of many other places buyers can go in the digital realm. Taken together, all those places outside of your realm/control where buyers are searching for information make up the Dark Funnel.

But how do you track this? As a B2B organization, do you account for these activities in your analysis and funnel tracking? What about marketing attribution?

For many, it means that your sales cycles and funnel can be unpredictable. By tapping into the Dark Funnel, organizations can see and align their marketing and selling processes to the beginning of the buyer’s journey. By doing so, you’ll have a better chance of winning more deals, and you can bring consistency and predictability to the revenue generation process.

Doing the Evolution: Overusing Technology

I can’t attest to the seriousness of this study, but according to the authors, we will continue to evolve in a certain biological and physical way if we’re not careful. Given that North Americans are on their devices for at least seven hours a day, things could get weird!

Future evolutionary-induced traits may include:

• A hunched back and arched neck from looking down all the time
• A clawed hand from holding onto a phone constantly
• An elbow at a permanent 90° angle from holding our phones
• A thicker skull and smaller brain because of outsourcing knowledge and memories to the cloud
• A second eyelid (like camels!) to protect us from the blue light given off by our devices

What do you think? As you know, I’m already suffering from the smaller brain due to outsourcing knowledge to the cloud… maybe your prospects in the Dark Funnel are, too! So how do you take advantage to ensure their outsourced knowledge guides them to you?

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post Doing the B2B Evolution appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights!

This time of year can be tough for business. Many take vacations now to enjoy those hot, hazy days of summer. But September (and the end of quarter!) is right around the corner. How do your sales teams deal with all the people on vacation?

Give this song by The Raconteurs a listen with me as we see what the experts are saying this week…

The Latest Warnings from Tech

You’ve probably seen the latest news about Google and their warning of ‘blood on the streets’ if employees don’t improve performance. And, of course, warnings from Facebook recently. When you add in any recent layoff announcements in tech, things seem pretty grim.

But are they? Should we be surprised that Google is holding their sales teams accountable to hit their numbers? Shouldn’t we be expecting our employees to be performing no matter the economic climate?

If we believe the media and the marketing spin of many vendors, then we’ve got a little situation and are heading into some difficult times. So how can we take advantage of the economic climate and grow? Here are some quick resources for you:

• Marketing During an Economic Downturn
• 5 Ways to Gain Market Share During a Downturn
• Selling In a Recession

There are a lot of resources that can help you give your problems your consideration. Hopefully, these ones can act as a starting point and help you keep your head and team in the game.

Social Media Trends in American Teens

There’s a new survey by the Pew Research Centre into how American teens use social media. The music industry would be advised to look at these trends, too. And what lessons can we learn for B2B?

The survey (n=1,316 teenagers) confirmed what everyone suspected about their social media habits.

• 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, which is up from 73% in 2014-15.
• 92% say they use the internet “almost constantly.”by
• 95% of Americans 13-17 use YouTube. Three-quarters of them use the site daily, with 1 in 5 saying they use it “constantly.”
• 67% use TikTok with 58% signing on daily.
• 62% use Instagram (That’s up, but it used to be ahead of TikTok).
• 59% use Snapchat.
• Only 32% are on Facebook (down from 71% of teens in 2014-15).
• 23% use Twitter.
• 20% are on Twitch.

And Tumblr? It still exists, but only 5% of teens use it.

Could any teen give up social media? A full 54% say, “It would be hard.” The full report can be found here.

These are interesting trends to track for B2B – how will they impact YOUR buyers’ behavior? They may be teens now, but soon enough they’ll be holding all the information and making buying decisions – so monitoring these trends as they head for those positions should prove to be a boon in the end.

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello.

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post Thriving in a Sales Wasteland appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights!

It seems like I spend an inordinate amount of time doing yard work – how about you? I sure hope that at some point it slows down so we can enjoy the summer! I guess it’s just a matter of consistently chipping away at it until you get into maintenance mode – steady as she goes, right?

Give this cool song by The Raconteurs a listen with me as we see what the experts are saying this week…

Accessing B2B Influencers

In a world over-saturated with content, it’s become challenging for brands to break through the noise, control their narrative online, and gain the attention of potential customers – so how do you toot your own horn when most consumers say they find it hard to trust companies these days?

According to B2B Marketing Zone, it’s all about B2B influencers. They are just like ‘traditional’ influencers, but B2B influencers are industry experts.

Why should you consider influencer marketing for your B2B business?

• They help you tap into niche customers you wouldn’t otherwise reach.
• They can guide a customer’s purchase decisions without sounding salesy.
• They humanize your brand.

And most importantly, you don’t have to build trust from scratch!

Check out the full article to see exactly HOW to effectively partner with an influencer… and maybe then you’ll get along with even more customers!

Censorship Through the Ages

Have you had your latest amazing email copy chopped up and edited by your boss? Feeling a little discouraged? Well don’t be – as we look back in time we can see some examples of music censorship that (now) seem ridiculous. According to Alan Cross:

• In the 4th century, St. Augustine complained that the sensuous melodies of the music he heard in church caused him to “become a problem unto [him]self.”
• In the 12th century, John of Salisbury noted that the church music he heard in Paris – yes, the medieval Catholic hymns – could “more easily occasion titillation between the legs than a sense of devotion in the brain.”
• A few centuries later, the head of the Orthodox Church in Moscow ordered that all musical instruments be burned because they invited paganism.

So the next time your copy gets rejected, making you feel as though you tripped and fell, know that you are in good company!

And as always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello.

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post B2B Influencers: Your Third-Party Horn Tooter appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights!

What’s your favourite song? Is there one that you hear and you immediately get nostalgic? For me there are some that really hit me – thinking of a place, an event, a person… sometimes it just takes that first chord to take me back.

Wouldn’t it be great to evoke those same emotions with your B2B clients?

Give that song by Big Wreck a listen with me as we see what the experts are saying this week…

Using Emotions in B2B Marketing

The shift to digital and online has been necessary in B2B but has also made human contact a rarity. And yet, it’s become clear that this human contact is vital to the buyer’s journey and customer experience in today’s environment! According to Forbes, emotions could be the new B2B marketing tool. Here are some ways you can leverage them:

• Develop thought leadership content
• Use social listening
• Incorporate empathy
• Maximize value
• Focus on a customer-centric mindset
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research

Of course, the emotional play can be a bit of a tricky strategy. As marketers, we tend to want to keep our content light, to keep our prospects in a good mood. We don’t want to upset them… or do we?

Regardless of whether it’s an upbeat topic, Forbes says emotional appeal is still the most effective way to engage with your audience! When our emotions are sparked – that’s when we’re quick to respond. We tell a friend, share on social media, and scream at the top of our lungs (if only proverbially).

So if you’re looking to ensure engagement (let’s be honest, who isn’t?) and generate buzz around your brand, find a way to appeal to your audience’s emotions.

I really love that tune

Most people that know me understand my personal connection to Alzheimer’s research. A recent study from the University of Toronto shows that listening to personally meaningful music improves brain function in Alzheimer’s patients. As someone who lived with a family member suffering from this, I can personally attest to the importance of music in their life.

According to researchers:

Whether you’re a lifelong musician or have never even played an instrument, music is an access key to your memory, your pre-frontal cortex. It’s simple: keep listening to the music that you’ve loved all your life. Your all-time favourite songs, those pieces that are especially meaningful to you. Make that your brain gym.

Check out the Alzheimer Society Music Project – a way to reconnect people with the soundtrack of their lives by providing MP3 players loaded with personalized music to people living with dementia so they can crank that song.

Albums Turning 25 in 2022

Last week we discussed albums turning 50 this year. The following albums will turn 25 in 2022:

• Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
• Radiohead – OK Computer
• Blur – Blur
• Oasis – Be Here Now
• Green Day – Nimrod
• Our Lady Peace – Clumsy
• Big Wreck – In Loving Memory Of…

Any of these revelations make you feel old? If so, I’m sorry… or maybe I’m not, if it’s getting an emotional response! Thanks for the tip, Forbes!

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to engage or just say hello.

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post The B2B Buyer’s Emotional Journey appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights!

As we all rush to the finish line of 2021, it feels like we are in a last chance power drive, and we’re running till we drop. Let’s give this epic song by the Boss a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week…

Which channels will your prospects run to in 2022?

According to HubSpot, too often we forget that content marketing consists of two separate words – content and marketing. Creating content is usually the most fulfilling and enjoyable part of a marketer’s job but distributing that content is just as important. If no one sees your content, they won’t (can’t) engage!

This is why it’s important to understand marketing channels and which ones you should use to leverage your content marketing goals. In short, marketing channels are the different tools and platforms you use to communicate with your target audience. So while the decision to use specific channels should come from audience insights, it’s essential to understand the values of different channels.

Here are HubSpot’s Top B2B Marketing Channels for 2022:

• Social Media (LinkedIn)
• Website/Blog
• Email
• Content Marketing

While it may seem best to focus your efforts and investments on one single marketing channel, that strategy no longer gets the job done. In fact, HubSpot research shows that 92% of marketers leverage more than one channel and 81% leverage more than three.

So if you’re still on a single-channel strategy, perhaps 2022 is the time to make a change! And if you’re not sure where to start, let me know – together we can break this trap!

Getting to that Place…

…by selling your catalogue for $500 million!

Yup. That’s right. According to sources, Bruce Springsteen sold his catalogue to Sony for somewhere between $500 and $600 million. In May we talked about how the Red Hot Chili Peppers sold their catalogue for $140 million, and you can see a running list here – the Boss is just the latest to join these ranks but by far the highest of the disclosed price points!

According to Bob Lefsetz, the logic behind making this sale comes down to a simple calculation (and anyone who thinks Springsteen shouldn’t have sold runs on emotion).

And on the buyer’s side of things? Now it’s up to Sony to figure out how to monetize their new purchase and generate a significant return. And it seems every couple of years there’s a new opportunity. Like Lefsetz says, no one saw TikTok coming! And as social media companies are licensing music, Sony has a runway to start earning.

So what’s the takeaway for us in B2B? It just goes back to that multi-channel strategy. It’s important to be nimble and to be able to adapt. As marketers, we were born to run! So when those new marketing channels become available, give them a try – it may turn out to be a great investment!

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello.

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat

The post The Channels Prospects Run to appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

B2B Account-Based Marketing: Readiness Assessment Model

Are your ducks in a row? The results that some B2B companies are getting using Account-Based Marketing (ABM) might tempt you to shortcircuit due diligence. Please don’t do it! We have some relevant content from our webinar series: What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?

To get right to it, we have cut a segment from our recent webinar “Are You Ready for B2B Account-Based Marketing?”.

In this excerpt, discover how an organization can self-evaluate if they are ready to execute an ABM program.

Learn the checklist to assess your company’s state of readiness.

Webinar Experts:
Rick Endrulat is the President at Virtual Causeway.
Alisa Groocock is a VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester.

Interested in discussing or learning more? Contact Us.

The post What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? B2B Account-Based Marketing: Readiness Assessment Model appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

B2B Account-Based Marketing Success or Failure: The Determining Factors – Part 2

According to ITSMA, 87% of B2B marketers agree that Account-Based Marketing (ABM) delivers a higher ROI than other marketing activities. But is it right for you? We have some relevant content from our webinar series: What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?

To keep it brief, we have cut a segment from our recent webinar “Are You Ready for B2B Account-Based Marketing?”.

In this excerpt, learn the final 3 of 5 critical requirements that determine ABM success. Discover what it takes to target the right people at the right companies and maximize your ROI.

Apply the criteria that can make the difference between success and failure.

Webinar Experts:
Rick Endrulat is the President at Virtual Causeway.
Alisa Groocock is a VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester.

Interested in discussing or learning more? Contact Us.

The post What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? B2B Account-Based Marketing Success or Failure: The Determining Factors – Part 2 appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

B2B Account-Based Marketing Success or Failure: The Determining Factors – Part 1

Is it a waste of time for your company? Account-Based Marketing (ABM) continues to buzz in B2B marketing circles. But for every ABM program success, many fail. So how do you mitigate risk? We have some relevant content from our webinar series: What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?

Everyone is busy, so we have cut a segment from our recent webinar “Are You Ready for B2B Account-Based Marketing?”.

In this excerpt, learn 2 of the 5 critical requirements that determine ABM success. Understanding these requirements helps you to determine whether an ABM strategy is the right fit.

Discover if ABM can drive sales growth for your company.

Webinar Experts:
Rick Endrulat is the President at Virtual Causeway.
Alisa Groocock is a VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester.

Interested in discussing or learning more? Contact Us.

The post What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? B2B Account-Based Marketing Success or Failure: The Determining Factors – Part 1 appeared first on Virtual Causeway.

How to Uncover Gaps in Demand Technology, Resources and Metrics

Are your sales and marketing somehow misfiring? Given the complexity of systems and processes, it can be easy for something previously undetected to reduce effectiveness and miss opportunities. We have some relevant content from our webinar series: What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?

Everyone is busy, so we have cut a segment from our recent webinar “Choosing the Right B2B Demand Generation Strategy”.

In this excerpt, learn how to uncover gaps in technology, resources, and metrics that might reduce your success. Discover a method to identify specific investments needed in technology, content resources, tools, and metrics for increased ROI.

In challenging times, take every opportunity to grow your sales and revenue.

Webinar Experts:
Rick Endrulat is the President at Virtual Causeway.
Alisa Groocock is a VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester.

Interested in discussing or learning more? Contact Us.

The post What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? Uncover Gaps in Demand Technology Resources and Metrics appeared first on Virtual Causeway.