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	<title>Sales and Marketing Archives | Virtual Causeway</title>
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	<title>Sales and Marketing Archives | Virtual Causeway</title>
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		<title>Perfect Alignment: Create a Total Eclipse of Sales and Marketing Activities</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/perfect-alignment-total-eclipse-sales-and-marketing/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:24:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alignment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[KPI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lead Generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3101</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We are less than a week away from a total solar eclipse of the sun. On April 8, 2024, the moon will block out the sun for a few minutes – a "once in a lifetime” event, as a total solar eclipse like this happens on average 375-2,000 years in a given spot... AREN'T WE [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/perfect-alignment-total-eclipse-sales-and-marketing/">Perfect Alignment: Create a Total Eclipse of Sales and Marketing Activities</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="_ad_q1">We are less than a week away from a total solar eclipse of the sun.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">On April 8, 2024, the moon will block out the sun for a few minutes – a &#8220;once in a lifetime” event, as a total solar eclipse like this happens on average 375-2,000 years in a given spot&#8230; AREN&#8217;T WE LUCKY!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Some people are buying glasses to watch it, lots of kids have the day off school, and some places are declaring a state of emergency – whatever the case – it is a BIG event in our lives.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Will you watch it or will you simply <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>turn arou</em><em>nd</em></strong></span></a>… (see what I did there?)</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As the total solar eclipse approaches, it serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of alignment – just like the alignment between sales and marketing in your business. Let&#8217;s take a look at some ways you can maintain alignment in Sales and Marketing:</p>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Unified Messaging:</strong> Sales and marketing teams work together to ensure that messaging across all channels, from social media to email campaigns, is consistent and aligned with the brand&#8217;s goals and values. This ensures a cohesive experience for customers at every touchpoint.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Shared Goals and KPIs:</strong> Sales and marketing teams establish shared goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and success. For example, they may collaborate on lead generation targets, conversion rates, or customer retention metrics.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Reporting:</strong> Marketing tracks the performance of leads generated and passes qualified leads to the sales team. Sales provides feedback on the quality of leads and the effectiveness of marketing strategies, creating a closed-loop reporting system that drives continuous improvement.</li>
</ul>
<p>Just as this total solar eclipse will leave a lasting impression on those who witness it, the alignment of sales and marketing in business leaves a lasting impact on customers, driving engagement, loyalty, and revenue growth.</p>
<p>The next total solar eclipse will take place in 2205… until then, continue to align marketing and sales!!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/perfect-alignment-total-eclipse-sales-and-marketing/">Perfect Alignment: Create a Total Eclipse of Sales and Marketing Activities</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3101</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Value of Sharing (and Danger of Oversharing) on LinkedIn</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/value-of-sharing-danger-of-oversharing-linkedin/</link>
					<comments>https://virtualcauseway.com/value-of-sharing-danger-of-oversharing-linkedin/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:03:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[b2b sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Linkedin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tradeshow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3095</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! This may be the last time you hear from me. As you may know, the Smashing Pumpkins are looking for a new guitarist, and maybe it's finally time to throw my hat [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/value-of-sharing-danger-of-oversharing-linkedin/">The Value of Sharing (and Danger of Oversharing) on LinkedIn</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">This may be the last time you hear from me.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As you may know, the Smashing Pumpkins are <a href="https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/the-smashing-pumpkins-are-advertising-for-another-guitarist-interested-in-applying/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>looking</strong></span></a> for a new guitarist, and maybe it&#8217;s finally time to throw my hat in the ring. As of today, my Slack status has been officially changed to &#8216;Busy Practicing for my SP audition.&#8217; What do you think…don&#8217;t quit my day job?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">In the meantime, give this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u03M-KJlYII" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the Pumpkins a listen as I polish my guitar riffs for my audition! Oh – and let&#8217;s also see what the experts are saying this week…</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Oversharing on LinkedIn</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">We all use LinkedIn in our daily business lives. When I first started using LinkedIn, it was a good way to stay in contact with your professional network. Over the years it has expanded and turned into an integral part of many professional lives. However, some would say that it&#8217;s become very noisy and losing its focus. <a href="https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/why-linkedin-sucks-14a82478ea95" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Others</strong></span></a> say that it&#8217;s simply a forum for &#8220;self-actualizing virtue signaling.&#8221;</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">No matter your opinion on the platform, most would agree that oversharing on LinkedIn is getting worse. According to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2023/12/05/oversharing-on-linkedin-isnt-new-but-it-has-been-getting-worse/?sh=74ce8b1624e7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Forbes</strong></span></a>, this phenomenon isn&#8217;t new, and it could be that the lines have blurred – and many people consider those in their networks close personal friends and confidants!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Today, many professionals overshare almost like the public act of confession itself will remedy their situation. &#8220;Misery loves company&#8221; could be the simple answer for many, and they hope to use LinkedIn as a therapy session, or to receive emotional or concrete support that they may feel they don&#8217;t get in their personal lives. And some may overshare simply because they imagine they&#8217;re so important or interesting that others will be fascinated or concerned.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What do you think? Is this a case of (as this week&#8217;s song mentions) those who are <em>desperate and displeased with whoever they are</em>? Either way, I think it&#8217;s about balance. As in all things marketing, understanding your voice and your brand is important. How much you share – and how you share it – has an impact.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">(Over) Sharing Pumpkins</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">What do you think about the Smashing Pumpkins’ public <a href="https://fox8.com/news/smashing-pumpkins-hold-open-auditions-for-guitarist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>announcement</strong></span></a> of their guitarist search? The lucky person will replace Jeff Schroeder, who has been a touring guitarist with the band for 16 years. He left the gig back in October. Here&#8217;s the interesting (and inspiring) thing about Jeff – he got the gig while he was a student at UCLA. A friend messaged him with details of the job and said &#8220;You should apply, dude.&#8221; He did and he got it.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So what&#8217;s the deal with the announcement? Do you think they&#8217;re REALLY going to audition for the job? Are they searching for that <em>hidden diamond you cannot find</em>?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Or is this like that B2B tradeshow, where the winners of the raffle usually also happen to be the vendor&#8217;s biggest clients and prospects?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Maybe it&#8217;s a big PR stunt. Maybe I&#8217;ll never get my big break. Who knows? But they definitely got my attention!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/value-of-sharing-danger-of-oversharing-linkedin/">The Value of Sharing (and Danger of Oversharing) on LinkedIn</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3095</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Year, Same Old You&#8230; But With a New Spin!</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/new-year-same-you-new-spin/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:35:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Revenue Operations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RevOps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3090</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! Happy New Year! As we bid farewell to the challenges of the past year, we step into 2024 with renewed optimism, energy, and a commitment to achieving unparalleled success. I trust you [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/new-year-same-you-new-spin/">New Year, Same Old You&#8230; But With a New Spin!</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">Happy New Year!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As we bid farewell to the challenges of the past year, we step into 2024 with renewed optimism, energy, and a commitment to achieving unparalleled success. I trust you had a relaxing holiday season and are ready to embark on a year filled with growth, prosperity, and… the same old sales and marketing tactics??</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">With AI being the current buzz… it&#8217;s tough to imagine marketers relying on the tried and tested (and existing) strategies. But I&#8217;m hearing that from many in the industry… do they continue to focus on the <em>same old, same old?</em></p>
<p class="_ad_q1">It makes me think of this cool (and appropriately titled) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6C_nyZLQR8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by Aerosmith – give it a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Same Old Story</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">As I discuss 2024 plans with clients, the <a href="https://www.forrester.com/blogs/demand-waterfall-modular-system/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Forrester B2B Revenue Waterfall</strong></span></a> (formerly known as the SiriusDecisions Demand Waterfall) invariably comes up.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What is it about the waterfall that makes it so useful? Sure – it&#8217;s a common language between sales and marketing when you&#8217;re discussing demand generation and activity stages. But it&#8217;s not new. Even when it was introduced way back in the early 2000s, it wasn&#8217;t a new concept. <em>Same old story</em>… but with a new twist, right?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Sometimes it&#8217;s not about reinventing yourself or your processes. A new year doesn&#8217;t ALWAYS have to be a new you! Maybe it&#8217;s just a tried and tested campaign or process – and it&#8217;s all about focus for the upcoming year.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Concepts like ABM have been around forever in B2B – are they going away? What are you seeing at your organization? Maybe you&#8217;re changing things up by trying out new tech and tactics. Or is it more about putting a new spin on those <em>same old</em> channels and campaigns?</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Same Old Song (and Dance)</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">I&#8217;ve been seeing a ton of stats about the state of music sales and consumption in 2023. The BBC&#8217;s coverage of it highlighted a startling stat: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67862412" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>not a single new album</strong></span></a> released in 2023 made it to the list of the year&#8217;s top-selling albums, OR achieved platinum status!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">A positive angle on this could be that the recorded music market has grown explosively, so consumption is more fragmented than ever. Another might be that we&#8217;re moving into a &#8220;post-superstar&#8221; age, where new artists simply never reach the long-term stability and success of Madonna or Prince.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">2023 being the first year in the UK that not a single new album graced the Top 10 is something we all need to think about. For catalogue owners, especially major labels with extensive back catalogues, all consumption translates to revenue, making this a positive business scenario… but this short-term win is arguably at the cost of a longer-term (and greater) loss.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">The bigger concern is what this means for music and culture in general, and what it means for things like live music and festivals which may, in years to come, find themselves struggling to secure noteworthy headliners.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Is this failure to outsell catalogues because of A&amp;R (artists &amp; repertoire), investment in marketing, strategic error… or simply circumstances beyond everyone&#8217;s control? Are we seeing this same fragmentation in our B2B world?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1"><em>Ain&#8217;t gonna change it, can&#8217;t rearrange it</em>… so if we in B2B are staring down these challenges too, then we need to pivot to meet them head-on. Think back to those changes for the new year – whether it&#8217;s new tech and tactics, or a new spin on the tried and true, how will you take on these changes?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Let me know what you think… and as always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/new-year-same-you-new-spin/">New Year, Same Old You&#8230; But With a New Spin!</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3090</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The B2B Art of &#8220;Fake it Till You Make it&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/the-b2b-art-of-fake-it-till-you-make-it/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:50:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3082</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! Ugh. I hate it when I make a mistkae. I realize it's unavoidable. Sometimes you just need to shake it off and move on – especially when it comes to client deliverables. [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/the-b2b-art-of-fake-it-till-you-make-it/">The B2B Art of &#8220;Fake it Till You Make it&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">Ugh. I hate it when I make a mistkae.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">I realize it&#8217;s unavoidable. Sometimes you just need to shake it off and move on – especially when it comes to client deliverables. I want to ensure a high level of quality, but the typo, the miscommunication – it&#8217;s all I can see. In reality, we&#8217;re our own worst critics, right?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What&#8217;s your <em>favorite mistake</em>?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmIlUKo4dQc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by 2023 Rock Hall inductee Sheryl Crow a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Your Second (B2B) Mistake</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">We&#8217;ve all made them. Our colleagues have made them. It happens from time to time. But the SECOND mistake, the avoidable one, is the one that really causes trouble.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">According to <a href="https://seths.blog/2023/11/the-second-mistake/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Seth Godin</strong></span></a>: &#8220;When the first mistake flusters us, breaks our rhythm or messes with our confidence, we&#8217;re far more likely to make the second one. It&#8217;s almost impossible to avoid making a mistake. But avoiding the second mistake (or, just as likely, the cover-up) is a learnable skill.&#8221;</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What&#8217;s YOUR favorite B2B mistake? Perhaps it&#8217;s the time you copied a client on that embarrassing internal memo (I&#8217;ve done this). Maybe it&#8217;s that social media communication posted in error. Did it make you feel like you would <em>go up in flames?</em> Let me know what it was – and how you avoided that second mistake!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Fake it Till You Make it</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Playing music is hard&#8230; possibly harder than you realize. And performing music flawlessly can be a daunting task. During the years that I ran a School of Rock music school, we always told our students to &#8220;fake it till you make it.&#8221; If you make a mistake on stage, recover, and make it look good.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So what are some other <a href="https://thevault.musicarts.com/handle-making-mistakes-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>tactics</strong></span></a> to handle making mistakes during a performance?</p>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1">Find your place</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Communicate with your bandmates</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Don&#8217;t be super obvious (that&#8217;s the &#8220;fake it till you make it&#8221; bit)</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Learn from your mistakes</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Minimize nervousness</li>
</ul>
<p class="_ad_q1">How does this apply to B2B? I think we can all learn from the great musical performers we&#8217;ve seen. Are they always perfect performances? Heck, no! Sometimes the &#8216;mistakes&#8217; are the most exciting part of the performance!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So when you&#8217;ve <em>made up the bed</em> and it comes time to lie in it, at least you can make it a little more comfortable. Mistakes happen – you can&#8217;t avoid it. OWN the mistake… and make it your own! Apply some of these musical concepts to your own B2B environment and you can still come out on top!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3082</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cutting Through the Fog of Sales Objections</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/cutting-through-the-fog-of-sales-objections/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:49:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[b2b sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Purchasing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SaaS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3077</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! I've been feeling flustered lately. Yes – more than usual. But it seems like I'm not alone. I've seen many articles talking about this 'cognitive fog' that more and more of us [...]</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">I&#8217;ve been feeling flustered lately.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Yes – more than usual. But it seems like I&#8217;m not alone. I&#8217;ve seen many articles talking about this &#8216;cognitive fog&#8217; that more and more of us are experiencing recently.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">When I&#8217;m feeling like I need to cut through that foggy and sedated feeling, music helps! And nothing kicks me in the ass like a good punk rock tune!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4RQsPECTdM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the &#8216;Godfathers of Punk&#8217; a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">B2B Buyer Fog</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">There are more Americans who say they have serious cognitive problems – with remembering, concentrating or making decisions – than at any time in the last 15 years, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/13/upshot/long-covid-disability.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>data</strong></span></a> from the Census Bureau shows. And it&#8217;s not just &#8216;older&#8217; adults – a significant portion of the data relates to young adults.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">There are many potential reasons for this – long COVID, over-reliance on devices for everyday/simple tasks, increased stress, etc. But it got me thinking about how this relates to B2B. Since I started my career, researchers have been telling us, year after year, that sales cycles are becoming longer and more complex. Perhaps this aligns to that reduced ability to make decisions?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">I see this with my clients – especially this year, as we throw economic uncertainty into the mix. I&#8217;ve noticed a marked increase in &#8216;pushed&#8217; deals and a general lack of decisive action as it relates to spending and budgets.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">According to <a href="https://seths.blog/2023/11/the-art-of-estimation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Seth Godin</strong></span></a>, perhaps a more powerful estimate or Statement of Work is the way to get some movement and overcome any pricing objections.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 class="_ad_q1"><em>&#8220;If your estimate:</em></h3>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1">is clear and easy to understand by the sort of people you&#8217;d like to have as clients</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">if it demonstrates full understanding of the work to be done</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">if it highlights alternatives</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">if it includes examples of proven satisfaction when you&#8217;ve done this work for others</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">and if it&#8217;s delivered ahead of schedule</li>
</ul>
<p class="_ad_q1">…then you&#8217;ve restated the problem. You&#8217;ve brought the client along on the journey with you, and established that they&#8217;re not spending more for the same thing, they&#8217;re spending more for a better, safer, higher status, more reliable thing.&#8221;</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">This might not be scalable – but perhaps it&#8217;s time to look at the quality of your SOWs and quotes. When you provide a quote, you&#8217;re giving a teaser of the craft you do. So the high standard you have for your own work should be reflected! Otherwise, you could end up with <em>nothin&#8217; to do and nowhere to go</em> as your bids lose out to the cheaper alternatives.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Stage Fog</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">As we know, COVID shut down live music for almost two years. Tours stopped, roadies lost their gigs, fog machines were shut down, and support staff were laid off. But once restrictions were lifted, the industry came back to life, albeit with a degree of difficulty. However – many roadies and musicians had already left the industry to pursue other careers to make ends meet.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">The <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9944512/music-scene-post-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>good news</strong></span></a>? This past summer has shown a return to the &#8216;before&#8217; times for live music – huge shows, packed concerts and festivals, and record revenues.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">But…</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">The industry is dealing with rising costs (as we all are). Plus, Gen Z (the lifeblood of so many live scenes) are reportedly drinking less at shows, putting a BIG kink in an important revenue stream: smaller venues greatly depend largely on bar sales for survival, so there&#8217;s cause for worry.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">And merch cuts are increasing. To compensate for higher costs and lower alcohol sales, venues are demanding that they get a greater percentage of merchandise sales – impacting revenue for the artist.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">I think we all realize higher prices are here to stay – so what will the new reality be in the live music scene? According to Alan Cross, fans will have to make a choice between saving up their money to see a big act or using that same cash to see multiple smaller shows. Residencies are becoming popular with big artists – once you <em>get to the airport and put yourself on a plane</em> (and in a hotel room), it can cost a small fortune!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Impact on B2B? Inflation and interest rates are prompting everyone to look at their discretionary spending. Entertainment is usually one of the first things that gets cut. How will these concerns impact YOUR clients&#8217; spending?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3077</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Know When to Abandon Ship on Your Leads</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/know-when-to-abandon-ship-on-your-leads/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:03:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[b2b sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lead nurturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3070</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! Have you ever gone to a movie and realized halfway through that it wasn't going to get any better? You tell yourself to just get up and leave, but you don't. Come [...]</p>
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]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">Have you ever gone to a movie and realized halfway through that it wasn&#8217;t going to get any better? You tell yourself to just get up and leave, but you don&#8217;t. Come on – this has happened to all of us…</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Why do we stay?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this appropriately named <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN1WwnEDWAM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the Clash a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Why You Stay When You Should Go</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Sunk cost fallacy – it can cripple your decision-making. It&#8217;s when one is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they&#8217;ve invested heavily in it, even when it&#8217;s clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">We&#8217;ve all seen examples of this in B2B – how many times have we seen a sales rep that won&#8217;t let a deal go no matter how many times the close date is pushed? What about those leads that you hang onto – continually marketing to them, adding them to drip campaigns, and engaging in multiple qualification conversations that just don&#8217;t go anywhere!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So why can&#8217;t we let go?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1"><a href="https://victorantonio.com/why-you-stay-when-you-should-leave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Victor Antonio</strong></span></a> says there are 3 possible reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Sunk Cost:</strong> The longer you stay the more you&#8217;re delaying moving on to something more productive or fulfilling. <em>If you go there could be trouble</em>… but <em>if you stay it will be double!</em> So be honest with yourself: how much more are you losing by sticking around?</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Need for Closure:</strong> Life is full of mysteries; <em>it&#8217;s always tease, tease, tease</em>. Learn to accept that you don&#8217;t have to know the outcome, you simply have to know that it&#8217;s not for you. Focus on what YOU can control: your ability to walk away!</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>FOMO:</strong> Ask yourself, &#8220;Even if things did change, is the outcome really worth holding on to? Is the juice worth the squeeze?&#8221; If it&#8217;s something you believe in strongly, then yes, hold on! Fight for it! But if you&#8217;ve decided <em>you&#8217;ll be here till the end of time</em> &#8216;just in case&#8217;… that&#8217;s never a good strategy.</li>
</ul>
<p class="_ad_q1">We need to rewire our thinking. Don&#8217;t let your biases hold you back! I&#8217;ve always believed that it&#8217;s just as important to <em>DIS</em>qualify a prospect as it is to qualify one. Otherwise, we run the risk of expensive outreach and marketing efforts that take us nowhere.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Other Lessons from The Clash</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Our &#8216;musical guest&#8217; this week – the Clash – were trendsetters in their time. There are many articles about the way the band was promoted and their rise in popularity… But what else can we learn from them?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">This <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/clash-taught-me-everything-i-know-b2b-copywriting-ray-philpott/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>article</strong></span></a> is fun, and talks about what the Clash can teach us about B2B copywriting. It&#8217;s all about AUTHENTICITY – which, especially in this age of AI-generated content, is something that can be lacking. The Clash were told by their manager, &#8220;Write about what&#8217;s affecting you, what&#8217;s important.&#8221;</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Maybe this is how you can stand out from your peers – and really produce content that resonates with your audience! What&#8217;s affecting them? What&#8217;s important to your leads and customers? Figure that out first, then <em>come on and let them know</em> that you&#8217;ve got what they need!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3070</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t be a Turkey! Avoid these B2B Missteps</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/dont-be-a-turkey-avoid-these-b2b-missteps/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Nov 2023 13:29:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! For many of us, this is a holiday week – the lead-up to Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks (hence the name), spend time with family (away from work!) and consume large [...]</p>
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]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">For many of us, this is a holiday week – the lead-up to Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks (hence the name), spend time with family (away from work!) and consume large amounts of TURKEY!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">This week&#8217;s post will be short and sweet – as I know many of you are scrambling to fit a week&#8217;s worth of work into a couple of days!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this VERY short <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj8TJUniGwk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the Rolling Stones (under 2 min!) a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Marketing Turkeys</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">We&#8217;re all aware of the Bud Light marketing fiasco from earlier this year – let&#8217;s take a quick look at some other marketing and ad <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12070041/The-worst-marketing-blunders-rival-Bud-Light.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>campaigns</strong></span></a> that have backfired spectacularly over the years!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What about B2B? What are classic marketing mistakes in our realm… and how can we avoid them? <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/07/29/5-classic-b2b-marketing-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/?sh=7fb4bf4939a2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Forbes</strong></span></a> is <em>gonna tell you how it&#8217;s gonna be</em> – their Top 5:</p>
<ol>
<li class="_ad_q1">Positioning is not a priority</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">You follow the crowd</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">You don&#8217;t give a say (early on) to those with sway</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">You make it all about you</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">There&#8217;s no cohesion between your marketing and sales teams</li>
</ol>
<p class="_ad_q1">If you read these weekly blog posts (which I hope you do!), then you know the last one in this list is a real sticking point for me! So I guess this year, I&#8217;m grateful to know that this lesson will <em>not fade away</em> as others are also preaching the importance of sales and marketing alignment.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Musical Turkeys</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">According to Rolling Stone (the mag, not the band), here are the 50 <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/worst-decisions-in-music-history-1234626744/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>worst decisions</strong></span></a> in music history! Fun list – give it a quick read if you can. Everything from Ticketmaster&#8217;s dynamic pricing rollout to Kanye&#8217;s Taylor Swift &#8216;interruption&#8217; and the Stones hiring the Hells Angels to run their security team.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Mistakes <em>bigger than a Cadillac</em>… and many of them show that sometimes hindsight really is 20/20. Do you have any examples of famous – or infamous – B2B marketing blunders?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3067</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>The Haunting of Meeting-Ghost House</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/the-haunting-of-meeting-ghost-house/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:08:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[b2b sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing Alignment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3052</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! What scares you? What challenges or obstacles from your professional life occupy your dreams (or haunt your nightmares)? Hopefully handing over the reins for this week's blog post won't keep Rick up [...]</p>
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]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">What scares you? What challenges or obstacles from your professional life occupy your dreams (or haunt your nightmares)?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Hopefully handing over the reins for this week&#8217;s blog post won&#8217;t keep Rick up at night…</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">I&#8217;m Marlene Keay, and I&#8217;ve worked with Rick at Virtual Causeway for 16 years, managing hundreds of lead generation campaigns that help our clients&#8217; sales and marketing teams achieve success!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this Freddy-inspired <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLPhZvcBpw" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>son</strong><strong>g</strong></span></a> by Dokken a listen as we share some tricks that help our team and clients sleep soundly and treat you to what the experts are saying this week.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Meeting No-Shows – The Stuff of Nightmares</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Those prospects that have committed to meet with you – they look like a great lead on paper – persona, ICP, need, and pain. You&#8217;ve done your homework and are all set. You&#8217;re a pro, so you join a few minutes early and then… wait… and wait. What happened? Where are they? What do you do now?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">With so many virtual meeting platforms used every day our computers just can&#8217;t seem to keep up. Use this as an opportunity to serve your potential customer and give them a call directly. We suggest waiting 5-7 minutes and then reaching out by phone.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Here are our top tips for scheduling meetings so that <em>maybe tonight they won&#8217;t be gone</em>:</p>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Schedule calls as soon as possible</strong>, preferably within 5 business days.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Follow up</strong> if the prospect hasn&#8217;t accepted your invite within 24 hours of sending.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Call</strong> the prospect rather than having them join a conference bridge.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Send a reminder</strong> a few hours before the scheduled meeting time.</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Use a strong, direct, prospect-centric title</strong> in your calendar invite – not &#8220;follow-up&#8221; or &#8220;check-in.&#8221;</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Sell the meeting, not the product!</strong> Focus on the value of investing their time in meeting with you, not more product features. For example, &#8220;My colleague Don will join this call and he is an expert in companies going through similar challenges as you.&#8221;</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Avoid scheduling calls during high no-show rate times</strong> like Monday AM and Friday PM. Track your own data as there may be differences based on the industry and the role (such as avoiding meetings with finance roles at month-end).</li>
<li class="_ad_q1"><strong>Develop a process</strong> for rescheduling &#8220;ghosted&#8221; meetings. In my experience, you&#8217;ll be able to reschedule 50-75% of the no-shows.</li>
</ul>
<p class="_ad_q1">What do you think? What strategies have you found work to make your meetings stick? If you have some ideas, <em>come my way</em> and let me know – I&#8217;d love to hear them!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">How to Scare a B2B Marketer</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">According to this <a href="https://www.marketingweek.com/the-circles-of-doom-quantifying-the-misalignment-of-b2b-marketing-and-sales/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>article</strong></span></a> from MarketingWeek, the number that strikes fear into the hearts of B2B CMOs is… <strong>16%</strong>.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">The LinkedIn Customer Insights Team recently analyzed the sales and marketing overlap of 7,046 companies, and found that the average overlap between marketing and sales reach is only 16%. That means in most companies each department is talking to a different buyer.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So how do you <em>break the spell?</em> When sales and marketing overlap, performance booms. The data shows that buyers are much more likely to respond to sellers if they&#8217;ve been exposed to marketing within the last 30 days. In fact, on average, they&#8217;re <strong>19% more likely to accept a LinkedIn connection request</strong> and <strong>15% more likely to open an InMail message</strong> from sales.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Don&#8217;t leave your sales and marketing teams <em>standing in the night alone</em>. The LinkedIn analysis found that <strong>high alignment can increase marketing-generated revenue by 208%, increase customer retention by 36%, and reduce sales and marketing expenses</strong>. Now those numbers will help you sleep well tonight!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Horror Movie Songs to Give You a Fright</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Do you have your Halloween playlist ready? Horror movies and heavy music just go together so well, don&#8217;t they? So get your speaker ready to play <a href="https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/10/30/13-horror-movie-songs-guaranteed-to-scare-your-neighbours-this-halloween/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>these</strong></span></a> horror movie songs guaranteed to scare you (and the neighbours) this Halloween!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">And don&#8217;t hesitate to call me (Marlene!) to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Marlene</p>
<p><strong>Marlene Keay, Senior Project Manager, Client Services | marlenek@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/marlenekeay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.linkedin.com/in/marlenekeay</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/the-haunting-of-meeting-ghost-house/">The Haunting of Meeting-Ghost House</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3052</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>What Prospects Want from You (not what you want to give them)</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/what-prospects-want-from-you/</link>
					<comments>https://virtualcauseway.com/what-prospects-want-from-you/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:01:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=3018</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! It's that time of year. We start thinking about YTD – are we on track for goals? What have we accomplished? Try to take a little break from all of that ringing [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/what-prospects-want-from-you/">What Prospects Want from You (not what you want to give them)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">It&#8217;s that time of year. We start thinking about YTD – are we on track for goals? What have we accomplished?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Try to take a little break from all of that <em>ringing in your brain</em> and give this (new!) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mEC54eTuGw" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the Rolling Stones a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week.</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">2023: The Year of Emotional Well-Being?</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">Seems like John Dick from <a href="https://civicscience.com/wws-archives/9-02-23-its-emotional-well-being-stupid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Civic Science</strong></span></a> might be right. Even <em>in a desperate state</em> of persistent inflation, rising interest rates, and economic headwinds, there&#8217;s a distinct desire (either conscious or unconscious) to feel better – at any cost. We&#8217;ve seen this reflected in explosive prestige beauty sales, record vacations taken this summer, and a continued &#8220;urge to splurge.&#8221;</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">According to the research, well-being almost singularly explains these unprecedented trade-off patterns from consumers. It&#8217;s not just a shift from goods to experiences – it&#8217;s that the two are becoming less distinguishable. Even with high inflation concerns, we tend to spend more on premium food ingredients and less on things like iodized salt or storage bags. Cooking quality meals makes people feel good; Ziplocs don&#8217;t!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Some other interesting findings from the research:</p>
<ul>
<li class="_ad_q1">Consumer confidence is worsening (but not enough to disrupt the well-being trend… yet!)</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Early-bird holiday shopping is beginning to lag 2022</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Extreme weather is taking people&#8217;s attention and impacting travel plans</li>
</ul>
<p class="_ad_q1">How does this impact B2B? The trend we&#8217;re seeing of goods and experiences becoming conflated isn&#8217;t exclusive to B2C. <em>The rain keeps beating on the window pane</em> and it won&#8217;t let up – the two will only keep getting more and more intertwined. So maybe it&#8217;s time to figure out how to sell your goods AS experiences!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Better Late Than Never?</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">The Rolling Stones have announced <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/sep/06/we-were-lazy-the-rolling-stones-unveil-new-original-album-hackney-diamonds-after-18-year-wait" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>details</strong></span></a> of their first album of new songs in nearly two decades, entitled <em>Hackney Diamonds</em>. In today&#8217;s streaming world of releasing songs vs. albums, waiting two decades for new music seems crazy, right? But it IS the Rolling Stones…</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What do you think? What did you think of their first song released (&#8220;Angry&#8221;)? I don&#8217;t think anyone is expecting them to create any more rock classics, but maybe they just want to <em>go out in a blaze</em>.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">But do fans even WANT new music? The Who have <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-daltrey-the-who-new-album-whats-the-point-1234695028/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>made it clear</strong></span></a> that they won&#8217;t release any new albums. According to singer Roger Daltrey, fans are most interested in their classics, so they&#8217;re focusing on touring instead, giving the fans what they want.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">It will be interesting to see the response to the Stones&#8217; new album. And who knows… maybe it&#8217;ll even change Daltrey&#8217;s mind!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/what-prospects-want-from-you/">What Prospects Want from You (not what you want to give them)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3018</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Squeeze the Most out of Summer (and Sales)</title>
		<link>https://virtualcauseway.com/squeeze-the-most-out-of-summer-and-sales/</link>
					<comments>https://virtualcauseway.com/squeeze-the-most-out-of-summer-and-sales/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Krol]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:15:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B2B Data]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[b2b sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Data]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lead Generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales and Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDBMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://virtualcauseway.com/?p=2994</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now? is an ongoing email. Join the mailing list to be the first to receive these weekly insights! If you're like me (or my employees) you are trying to squeeze as much out of summer as possible. And hopefully, you're enjoying the great outdoors this morning and not succumbing to [...]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com/squeeze-the-most-out-of-summer-and-sales/">Squeeze the Most out of Summer (and Sales)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://virtualcauseway.com">Virtual Causeway</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<h3><em>What Do B2B Marketers Do Now?</em> is an ongoing email. <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dL2IjAt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Join the mailing list</span></a> to be the first to receive these weekly insights!</h3>
</blockquote>
<p class="_ad_q1">If you&#8217;re like me (or my employees) you are trying to squeeze as much out of summer as possible. And hopefully, you&#8217;re enjoying the great outdoors this morning and not succumbing to the <em>summertime blues</em>… this week&#8217;s post will be short, and you&#8217;ll be back to your summer fun in no time!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Give this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlfzJmL-Zg0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>song</strong></span></a> by the Who a listen while we (briefly) see what the experts are saying this week…</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Avoiding the Summer Slump</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">I was so optimistic <a href="https://virtualcauseway.com/first-impressions-of-threads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>a couple weeks ago</strong></span></a>. My clients seemed like they were proactively marketing through the summer months, and I was seeing some great activity. This past week? Not so much.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">So – here are some ideas for you to get the juices flowing…</p>
<ol>
<li class="_ad_q1">Focus on appointments vs. total revenue</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Focus on referrals and upselling</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Clean that database!</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Refine your B2B content strategy</li>
<li class="_ad_q1">Focus on prospecting!!</li>
</ol>
<p class="_ad_q1">See more details <a href="https://sopro.io/resources/blog/summer-slumps-how-can-b2b-businesses-deal-with-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a> and <a href="https://www.toprankblog.com/2019/05/avoiding-b2b-marketing-summer-slump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Something our team has learned over the years – when you know a lot of people are <em>gonna take two weeks</em> off at these times, make a careful note of when your contact will be back and schedule a call in your CRM. And grab those contact names and emails mentioned in your prospects&#8217; out-of-office notifications – build that database!!</p>
<h2 class="_ad_q1">Summer Touring is Booming…</h2>
<p class="_ad_q1">…but smaller artists are singing the blues.</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Over the course of the year, touring has rebounded into a booming and healthy business for touring acts. But while equipment is easier to come by, crew and vehicle shortages – along with &#8220;astronomical&#8221; prices – remain an issue for theatre and club acts on the road. These stings are felt especially by small and mid-range acts, who have to find ways to reduce costs in order to tour… or are cancelling tours altogether!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">Check out this <a href="https://acousticbits.com/issues-troubling-musicians" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>article</strong></span></a>. When you factor in revenue challenges from streaming, touring costs, and the additional effort required to stay on top of social media and build those connections with your fans… being a musician <em>just to try to earn a dollar</em> is not as easy or lucrative as many think!</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">What have you found in B2B? Have live events rebounded like they are for big musicians? Or are they still struggling alongside those smaller acts to make a comeback?</p>
<p class="_ad_q1">As always, don&#8217;t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!</p>
<p>Looking forward,<br />
Rick</p>
<p><strong>Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat</a></strong></p>
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