Skip to main content
UploadLanguage (EN)Support
BusinessMobileSocial MediaMarketingTechnologyArt & PhotosCareerDesignEducationPresentations & Public SpeakingGovernment & NonprofitHealthcareInternetLawLeadership & ManagementAutomotiveEngineeringSoftwareRecruiting & HRRetailSalesServicesScienceSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipFoodEnvironmentEconomy & FinanceData & AnalyticsInvestor RelationsSportsSpiritualNews & PoliticsTravelSelf ImprovementReal EstateEntertainment & HumorHealth & MedicineDevices & HardwareLifestyle
Digital Wednesday, profile picture
Uploaded byDigital Wednesday
372 views

The unexpected obstacles that are killing your B2B marketing

The document provides tips for overcoming obstacles in B2B marketing. It suggests marketers 1) find confidence in their voice and content, 2) be insanely honest about weaknesses to build trust, 3) create a culture of experimentation through small, low-cost tests, 4) break conventions like not swearing to stand out, and 5) actively manage stakeholders by selling the vision, building credibility, advocating for customers, using data, and marketing successes. The overall message is that B2B marketing needs to be more human, confident, and willing to take risks through experimentation.

Business◦
Downloaded 26 times
The unexpected obstacles that are killing your B2B marketing Doug Kessler – @dougkessler Rutger Frissen – @velocitytweets
55 things to think about
1Find your mojo
Some was funny. Metro Trains Dumb Ways to Die Rainforest Alliance Follow the Frog
Some was super-helpful. Moz Whiteboard Fridays
Some was dramatic.
Some was quiet… Some was silly. GE Aviation Paths of Flight BlendTec Will It Blend?
Great content is always confident content.
Confident content signals: I know what I’m talking about. I’m good at telling stories.
The single most important (but least used) ingredient in marketing.
What we learn about the communicator makes a bigger impression and stays with us longer than what we learn about the topic.
What we learn about the communicator Time Impact What we learn about the topic
Content is a demo of you.
Not so confident: The High Velocity Low Speed Fan Company – HVLS, INC
Confident:
Why confidence: It attracts It signals expertise and experience Projects success and momentum Grabs attention
The old B2B voice is dead.
The old B2B voice. Stiff Serious Uniform Formal Dull
The new B2B voice. Straight & simple Confident Conversational Varied & flexible Real & human
A mojo recipe Aim high: make confidence a goal Write how you speak Surprise Say less
2Be insanely honest
Insane honesty signalled: 1. She cared about us having a great time. 2. We could trust everything she said about the positives. @DougKessler
Normal honesty is simply ethical and professional.
‘Insane’honesty is a choice.
Actively seek out your weaknesses
Actively seek out your weaknesses and share them openly.
Insane honesty is putting your worst foot forward.
Why insane honesty?
Why insane honesty: It surprises and charms
Why insane honesty: It signals confidence
Why insane honesty: It builds trust
Harvey Residential, Estate Agent Not a very nice one bedroom flat but like the budgie it’s cheap; open plan, has a well used kitchen, and if you can call it this – a small lounge. “ ”
Why insane honesty: It alienates less likely buyers
Kessels KramerHans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam
Kessels KramerHans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam
Why insane honesty: It attracts ideal prospects
Be insanely honest •Highlight your worst attributes •Earn the trust of your ideal prospects
3 Create a culture of experimentation
Time. 36 hours People. 5 people per team Budget. $100 per team Pitch. 3 minutes The Typeform challenge
How to promote experimentation in your marketing
Get stakeholder buy-in up front. • To the experimentation principle • To the likelihood of failure
Your VP of Sales Your idea When your idea gets killed
Design ‘fail fast’ experiments. • Small, low-cost steps • Front-loaded learning
Ring-fence your experiment budget • Think 70/20/10
• Course-correct early and often • Let go of PlanA Embrace pivots
Pfizer:Argiva
Let the dance begin.™
CB Insights, Nov 2018 burbn A coding prototype by Kevin Systrom Too cluttered. Pare it back to posting, liking and commenting. “ ”
CB Insights, Nov 2018
Odeo The podcast discovery platform CB Insights, Nov 2018
CB Insights, Nov 2018 Image: Waybackmachine
Milk your failures • For learning • For showing vulnerability • For content
An experimental mindset and program of experiments is the closest thing to a guaranteed route to greatness.
It starts by admitting you don’t know everything.
And proceeds through systematic learning.
That is how you get better at getting better.
4 Find conventions to break
How to swear in your fucking marketing
People are a bunch of sweary people. Swear words %ofspokenwords 0-3.4% The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words, Timothy Jay
1st person plural pronouns 1.0% People are a bunch of sweary people. Swear words %ofspokenwords 0-3.4% The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words, Timothy Jay
1.73 ‘fucks per minute’. – Final season, Deadwood
We swear liberally in TV shows, movies, plays, poetry, music, fiction, non-fiction, daily speech, bar mitzvahs, visual arts, emails, Post-it® notes, shopping lists and conferences.
We swear everywhere.
Everywhere but marketing.
Swearing is one way to break convention so your marketing doesn’t look, sound, smell and taste like marketing.
Kmart – Ship My Pants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCsqABAQLjs&t=2s
Smart Forfour – Swearing kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkmRuHGnBlk
Surprising Confident Authentic Resonant Funny Honest Refreshing Unconventional Fuck, yeah