Marketing automation is one of the buzz words so frequently used by B2B marketers. Not surprising when it can be reduce time and cost, nudge leads gently along the sales funnel and increase the number of conversions. I personally relish the chance to get sophisticated and smart with marketing automation and the software tools out there allow just that, without the heavy investment you traditionally had to put into new systems, creative and processes.

Earlier this week, I attended a demo and best practice session by Marketo. They’re the fastest growing company in this sector and there’s no surprise why. I was absolutely blown away by the functionality of their CRM and marketing automation system. (Continue reading…)

We often hear that the ‘customer is always right’ and that the ‘customer is king’, but do we actually live by that rule? Surely we naturally favour those customers that are more valuable, that we like more, that are easier to deal with or that we have a great relationship with? Isn’t it just human nature?

Well, actually, when it comes to customer retention, not all customers are equal, so the natural behaviour we take when we favour one group over the next makes perfect sense, particularly when marketing budgets and time are not on our side and we need to focus our efforts. So how can you determine whether you should focus on a particular customer group or not? (Continue reading…)

Effective business to business online marketing uses the same approaches as business to customer marketing. While the platforms may be the same, the target audience and how they will behave is vastly different. Therefore, in order for a B2B online campaign to be effective, you need to take this into consideration. Understanding the way a business customer purchases goods and services can help you to tailor your marketing and see better results. (Continue reading…)

We all know it’s easier and more cost effective to keep a customer than to find a new one, yet when it comes to customer retention, we’re often too busy running the business to build that relationship. Yet, it’s easy to do, after all, the customer, or client, that has already bought from you is prequalified, likes you and should be easy to win over when it comes to the next sale. More importantly, if you can get them to love you and what you do or offer, they can help you grow your business, for little cost.

Big brands such as Nike, Apple, Waitrose or Boden spend a lot of time and money on their existing customers. Whether it’s ensuring the customer experience and interactions with the brand are exactly as they should be to encouraging existing customers to come back, engage and purchase again. It’s a continuous cycle where the brands are encouraging their customers to get involved and become more entwined with their values, ethos and what they stand for. When the customer reaches a certain point, measured in a number of ways, they become an “advocate” and will happily promote the brand over and above the competitors. (Continue reading…)