PUSH vs. PULL Interactive B2B Marketing Brian Joosse Director, Interactive Initiatives ARENDS Chicago

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Rules Please check your email, surf the web, post to your blog, etc. If the hurricane hits, follow all safe evacuation procedures Please see if you can kill the frog If necessary, feel free to nap

Please check your email, surf the web, post to your blog, etc.

If the hurricane hits, follow all safe evacuation procedures

Please see if you can kill the frog

If necessary, feel free to nap

PUSH and PULL Definitions (for Interactive) slightly different from traditional marketing terminology in the Interactive space

slightly different from traditional marketing terminology in the Interactive space

Interactive Push Tactics that get attention Intrude upon the customer

Tactics that get attention

Intrude upon the customer

Interactive Push Examples Banner ads (rich media or otherwise) E-mail marketing Pop-ups Mobile text alerts

Banner ads (rich media or otherwise)

E-mail marketing

Pop-ups

Mobile text alerts

Interactive Pull Tactics that respond to a customer who is already interested; is that like a MAGNET?

Tactics that respond to a customer who is already interested; is that like a MAGNET?

Facts of Web Life Nobody is going to come to your site (or at least have a meaningful interaction with it) unless THEY WANT TO Corollary: you can’t force anybody to STAY on your site User has ALL the control

Nobody is going to come to your site (or at least have a meaningful interaction with it) unless THEY WANT TO

Corollary: you can’t force anybody to STAY on your site

User has ALL the control

Wrong Metaphor

Also Wrong Metaphor

a web site is more like…

A Web Site… Defines itself by its structure and use Has a particular type of user in mind Has a bullseye, but has other scoring too WANTS to be hit Success can be tracked

Defines itself by its structure and use

Has a particular type of user in mind

Has a bullseye, but has other scoring too

WANTS to be hit

Success can be tracked

VERY PASSIVE Difficult for many clients to accept the essential passivity of the web site Used to being the hunters, not the target

Difficult for many clients to accept the essential passivity of the web site

Used to being the hunters, not the target

PUSH Vocabulary Examples Target the audience Grab user’s attention Capture viewers doesn’t really work for the web

Target the audience

Grab user’s attention

Capture viewers

doesn’t really work for the web

Can’t Do This

This is more likely to work serve it to the right users and they will eat it

Interactive Pull Web sites, applications, functionality Online media Video clips: YouTube Podcasts: iTunes MP3’s: Napster Social networking: MySpace, Facebook Community: blogs, forums, BBS

Web sites, applications, functionality

Online media

Video clips: YouTube

Podcasts: iTunes

MP3’s: Napster

Social networking: MySpace, Facebook

Community: blogs, forums, BBS

MORE Interactive Pull CD-ROM DVD Dancing baby Online games

CD-ROM

DVD

Dancing baby

Online games

Classic B2B is PUSH-y All about the channels Outside sales force/reps Trade shows Ads in trade magazines Catalogs, brochures, direct mail

All about the channels

Outside sales force/reps

Trade shows

Ads in trade magazines

Catalogs, brochures, direct mail

Interactive B2B: PULL Evolving paradigm Web-based Responding to customers that are already interested whether they know it or not

Evolving paradigm

Web-based

Responding to customers that are already interested

whether they know it or not

A Different Way of Thinking Can’t hunt down potential customers Instead, be ready when those customers decide to come to your site Help them score a bullseye!

Can’t hunt down potential customers

Instead, be ready when those customers decide to come to your site

Help them score a bullseye!

PULL is Very User-Centric Define your customers Speak to them Address their pain points Solve their problems Answer their questions

Define your customers

Speak to them

Address their pain points

Solve their problems

Answer their questions

Usability Guru “ Clear content, simple navigation, and answers to customer questions have the biggest impact on business value. Advanced technology matters much less.” -- Jakob Nielsen, on business sites

“ Clear content, simple navigation, and answers to customer questions have the biggest impact on business value. Advanced technology matters much less.”

-- Jakob Nielsen, on business sites

PULL Benefits from facilitating technology that directs users to your site Search Engines Directories Portals Referral mechanisms

Benefits from facilitating technology that directs users to your site

Search Engines

Directories

Portals

Referral mechanisms

PULL Won’t generate high raw numbers Will produce qualified leads Will generate higher success rates

Won’t generate high raw numbers

Will produce qualified leads

Will generate higher success rates

On the Web, WE CAN MEASURE SUCCESS!

Typical Success Metrics Leads generated Site traffic Online sales Whatever helps achieve business goals

Leads generated

Site traffic

Online sales

Whatever helps achieve business goals

PULL Tactics Can Still Actively Help B2B Sales here’s an example

Let us Consider the Sales Cycle

…or Funnel

BUY Cycle

How Does Your Client’s Sales Force Sell? Engage differently with prospective customers depending on their stage in the buying cycle Brand new prospect is not given the same kind of information or attention as a decision-maker who is working up his final cut list

Engage differently with prospective customers depending on their stage in the buying cycle

Brand new prospect is not given the same kind of information or attention as a decision-maker who is working up his final cut list

Same Thing on Web Site Web can support this process with content specifically targeted at these customer groups and their stage-specific concerns For example, don’t talk specifications when they don’t understand their problem Best when customer target audience can be segmented as finely as possible For example, not only by industry but by role within the company, geography, sub-specialty, etc.

Web can support this process with content specifically targeted at these customer groups and their stage-specific concerns

For example, don’t talk specifications when they don’t understand their problem

Best when customer target audience can be segmented as finely as possible

For example, not only by industry but by role within the company, geography, sub-specialty, etc.

Customer Stages Along the B2B Buy Cycle Unaware Don’t know if they have a need Researching Know they have a need, conducting research into the need and solutions Determining Research is finished, determining solutions/providers Deciding Has a short list of providers, making final decision Awaiting Purchase made, awaiting installation/start Using Post-purchase, in active use

Unaware

Don’t know if they have a need

Researching

Know they have a need, conducting research into the need and solutions

Determining

Research is finished, determining solutions/providers

Deciding

Has a short list of providers, making final decision

Awaiting

Purchase made, awaiting installation/start

Using

Post-purchase, in active use

User-Centered Web Content Start Page geared toward a single defined user, i.e. Machine Shop Owner Secondary pages with content oriented toward that user in the different stages of the buying cycle, e.g. Researching or Deciding Content answers likely questions or addresses known problems that the user may be considering

Start Page geared toward a single defined user, i.e. Machine Shop Owner

Secondary pages with content oriented toward that user in the different stages of the buying cycle, e.g. Researching or Deciding

Content answers likely questions or addresses known problems that the user may be considering

User-Centered Web Content Start Page: Job Shop Owner UNAWARE Learn About The Problem RESEARCHING Learn About Solutions DETERMINING Why We Are the Right Solution DECIDING Value, Price, Peer Acceptance AWAITING/ USING Support Related items

Stage 1: Unaware Educate owners to the need for equipment purchase and how it affects them Increase productivity and revenue by retrofit Consequences of old and outdated machine control New technology can expand markets

Educate owners to the need for equipment purchase and how it affects them

Increase productivity and revenue by retrofit

Consequences of old and outdated machine control

New technology can expand markets

Stage 2: Researching Content focused on the client solution Comparison chart of leading providers Value-additions associated with Siemens PDFs of brochures, sell sheets, and white papers (easy to print out and share with influencers)

Content focused on the client solution

Comparison chart of leading providers

Value-additions associated with Siemens

PDFs of brochures, sell sheets, and white papers (easy to print out and share with influencers)

Stage 3: Determining Help owners make the decision to consider client Dealer locations or contact process Sales, coupons, incentives How to determine pricing

Help owners make the decision to consider client

Dealer locations or contact process

Sales, coupons, incentives

How to determine pricing

Stage 4: Deciding Why client is the right solution Testimonials, awards, etc. After-purchase care: training, customer support, maintenance, parts, etc. ROI calculations

Why client is the right solution

Testimonials, awards, etc.

After-purchase care: training, customer support, maintenance, parts, etc.

ROI calculations

Stage 5/6: Awaiting, Using After purchase (did they make the right decision?) Support (instructions, manuals, FAQ) Up-sell to advanced models, or accessories, or related products Feedback mechanism Extranet or user community

After purchase (did they make the right decision?)

Support (instructions, manuals, FAQ)

Up-sell to advanced models, or accessories, or related products

Feedback mechanism

Extranet or user community

IMPORTANT: Need Call to Action NEW PROSPECT: Capture contact info PROSPECT: Keep relationship going -- sign up for newsletter or other rich content ACTIVE LEAD: Request a call CLOSING: Request a quote

NEW PROSPECT:

Capture contact info

PROSPECT:

Keep relationship going -- sign up for newsletter or other rich content

ACTIVE LEAD:

Request a call

CLOSING:

Request a quote

Tracking Our Success – Possible Metrics Traffic to and from the different pages Success metric (i.e. completed call to action items) Search engine rankings and traffic for key phrases

Traffic to and from the different pages

Success metric (i.e. completed call to action items)

Search engine rankings and traffic for key phrases

How Do They Find Us? Search engine marketing Organic (or “free” listings) Pay-Per-Click campaign Structure Key Phrase plan around the user definition and differentiated stages of the buy cycle

Search engine marketing

Organic (or “free” listings)

Pay-Per-Click campaign

Structure Key Phrase plan around the user definition and differentiated stages of the buy cycle

How Do They Find Us? Banner ads Direct mail Email marketing …PUSH tactics can be worthwhile!

Banner ads

Direct mail

Email marketing

…PUSH tactics can be worthwhile!

In conclusion Think about your users Be ready when they come Follow the way of the willow

Think about your users

Be ready when they come

Follow the way of the willow

One Other Example of PULL Thanks!

Radio Advertising Prince Golden Egg Noodles From Stan Freberg