B2B Lead Generation Blog

Fear not! Think like a savvy investor with lead generation

This morning I was talking to a marketing leader about his 2008 strategy and he brought up some concerns he had about the economy and its potential impact on him and others. Can you blame him?

In years past, marketing has been favorite target for cuts by CFOs and CEOs as they look to conserve cash and reinforce their balance sheets for tough times.

I’m less concerned about budget cuts and more interested in opportunities for him and other B2B marketers who choose to bring focus to their marketing efforts. We have to remember that regardless of the economy, sales people are still expected to perform. I seldom find sales quotas are lowered to fit the news headlines.

If you want to flourish regardless of the economic conditions, you need to look for ways to help your sales team execute and improve performance.

I’m convinced that one of the best ways to do that is to focus on lead generation. Yesterday, I read a Kate Maddox's article in BtoB Magazine, "IDC: Tougher times for tech marketing," which supports that other B2B marketers are doing just that.

Much like a savvy investor who buys when the market is down, smart marketers can capitalize on this opportunity (and beat competitors), by bringing focus and attention to their lead generation efforts.

Maddox’s article highlights IDC's recent tech marketing barometer research. IDC showed that fewer tech marketers are increasing their budgets this year compared to last year. But I think the bigger story is how those dollars are being allocated. Maddox writes, “According to the [IDC] report. Lead generation is the top marketing priority for tech marketers this year…”

According to studies, the single biggest issue for contemporary business-to-business marketers is effective lead generation.  Conversely, it has been pointed out that 80% of marketing expenditures on lead generation and collateral are wasted because the leads are ignored by sales people.

For this reason, marketers should direct their budgets away from traditional awareness building campaigns that quickly eat up budget and instead expand and optimize lead generation programs that bring measurable results. Finding better tools and processes for managing the leads or inquires that they already have is also a good investment in a turbulent economy.

You will optimize lead generation immediately if you can honestly answer “yes” to all of the following questions:

• Do sales and marketing agree on what the word “lead” means? 
• Are you tracking the conversion rates of leads to sales opportunities?
• Can you/Do you close-the-loop on all leads that are being passed to sales?
• Does your sales team pass back early stage or "cold" leads back for lead nurturing?

You may also want to check out my complementary webinar archive based on the ebook "The One Piece Of Advice You Can't Generate Leads Without" by RainToday titled, “More Is Not Better If You Don't Know How To Nurture”

Where's the passion in B2B marketing?

I spoke yesterday at MarketingSherpa's Demand Generation Summit and I felt led to go off topic for a bit to address why I do, what I do. Personally, I've been pondering the idea of passion and what role it plays in our careers as marketers or leaders.

Read Mike Volpe's summary of my presentation at the the Small Business Hub Blog.

In my short aside, I ended up talking about things we marketers often don't talk about. Our heart. What drives us? What role does the heart play in our job as marketers?

How do we create relevance for ourselves, our colleagues, and those future customers we hope to reach and influence?

Can you market something without passion and still be successful? If so, why would you want to?

I've wondered how we can be passionate advocates to others outside our companies if we don't have close relationships and trust inside our companies?

To me, disharmony is the enemy of execution. I liked something Seth wrote a while back, "...just about every successful venture is based on an unoriginal idea, beautifully executed." I agree.

In this age of automation, depersonalization, scoring and measurement, I'm not seeing the "human touch" in B2B marketing. So how can we humanize the process and actually build relationships?

I'm sincere in my vision to profoundly change the way people think about marketing and lead generation for the complex sale.

I believe the complex sale presents a set of unique sales and marketing problems that benefit by a shift away from the traditional lead generation mind-set to a new way of thinking centered on the following tenets:

• More ROI is reaped from the patient tending of potential customers (relationships) over time. Customers for life.
• Lead generation is a conversation, not a series of disjointed campaigns. 
• Build relationships with the right people and companies regardless of their timing to buy.   
• Engage people early (preferably before) in their buying process as possible so you can create and influence their vision. 
• The first impression matters.  So does the second.  So does every single touch after that.  Consistency and relevancy is key.
• Sales and marketing must work together as one team.  Seeing each other as internal customers. 
• A multi-modal and multi-touch lead generation portfolio will always outperform marketing tactics that stand alone.
• Sales and marketing should have a unified understanding and consensus in their language on things like ideal customers and universal lead definition.
• If used properly, the phone is the single best way to reach decision makers and to begin a dialog when you have a complex sale.   
• Buy-in from sales and marketing as well as executive leadership is critical to the success of any lead generation program.
• Be willing and prepared to close the loop with every opportunity that is identified.
• The purpose of marketing is to help the sales team sell.
• Trusted advisers win more sales than slick brands.
• Companies don't buy - people do. Don't ever forget the human touch.

Again, I think the complex sale requires the human touch as a central element. It starts with our individual heart and our passion (Do I believe in what I'm doing?). Then we orient ourselves to our companies collective heart and passion (Do I believe in my company and what my company does?). Finally, we carry heart and passion outside our companies (Do we believe in what we're doing?).

Off topic: Response to meme - 8 Random Things About Me

Ardath Albee, over at Marketing Interactions, tagged me for a meme "8 random things about me." Let me see... random…

Okay this is off the top of my head:

1. I’m the oldest of three
2. I disliked writing until I started blogging (nearly 5 years ago)
3. Seriously thought about being a musician / song writer
4. I love books and I'm a voracious reader
5. My "too read" pile of books is still 3 feet high!
6. I love road biking with my wife (want to bike across Europe)
7. I’m going to write another book... but when?
8. I’ve visited 49 out of 50 states (Alaska some day…)

Well that's about as random as I could get. Ardath, thanks for the tag.

To spread the joy, I'm going to tag the following 5 people:

Michael Stelzner - White paper marketing guru
David Meerman Scott - Thought leadership and viral marketing wiz
Harry Joiner - Marketing headhunter extraordinaire
John Jantsch - Duct Tape Marketing fame
Tom Pick - PR and viral marketing

Be sure to check out their blogs some time, I read all of them regularly.

Off-Topic: On Selling Ideas in 1776

Fellow blogger Tom Pick, over at the The WebMarketCentral Blog tagged me to write something off topic, interesting, seasonal and non-work related this week. I liked Tom's off topic post (great pictures) chronicling his kid's deluxe tree house that began "innocently as a tree deck." I love learning history so I'll see if I can meet at least a few of the above conditions in my off-topic post.

In the past, I've written about giving away ideas. But lately I've been wondering about selling ideas. So yesterday – somewhere between family, food and fireworks – I had a chance to think a bit about the Fourth of July and how it came to be. I believe history provides us a valuable lesson on how to sell an idea.

While historians may debate about the controversies and motives behind the signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they all agree that it represented two fundamental ideas; freedom and liberty.

But before the declaration letter was drafted and signed those two revolutionary ideas had to be sold. Here’s a story you may not know… I’ll give you a hint: before there was “voice of the customer” there was “voice of the people.” 

Before he was president, Thomas Jefferson was the chief writer of the Declaration of Independence letter. But despite being brilliant thinker and writer, historians say he was extremely afraid of public speaking. At times, he would even avoid speaking in public by faking illness!

Despite his fear, Jefferson was getting ready to sell a new and remarkable idea inspired by Thomas Paine’s work “Common Sense” that asserted America’s Independence from England. But little did he know that his fear of speaking would help him develop a powerful new approach to selling an idea.

I came across an interesting article by Greg Oriancant that explains how some historians believe Jefferson developed his “voice of the people” writing style. Jefferson's writing style evoked a sentiment that identified with the desires of a people who were unhappy with English rule. It is believed that this style enabled him to sell the idea of independence at the continental congress.

In his article, "How the Declaration of Independence Could Have Been Declared Out Loud", Oriancant notes the following about Jefferson's writing, "...he [Jefferson] put careful consideration into eliminating any indication of individual opinion in fear that the people would ultimately balk at going independent from England. Instead, he made powerful, persuasive arguments that would be irrefutable by the people--plus making the people part of the process.”

In the book, Declaring Independence: Jefferson And The Art Of Public Speaking author Jay Fliegelman writes, "Jefferson was saying there are certain universal truths about the public good and political rights that are re-articulated over the length of history, from the classical period onward. To him, the point is to recover these truths rather than to invent something new."

Fliegelman also asserts that Jefferson drew his inspiration on how to write persuasively from the writings of Homer (the thinker not The Simpson's guy), and even emerging ideas of music theory. Jefferson was a violin player and he read an influential music theory essay by Mozart's father. That eassy taught how to bring an group of musicians with different styles together (soon to be people and ideas) to make an audience believe in what you were playing.

As I look back on how these powerful ideas were sold, I realize how little has changed about the collaborative process of selling ideas. The variety tactics we use now different but the overall process of selling ideas is virtually the same.

Here's some "on-topic" resources for selling your ideas in the workplace:

How to Sell an Idea is a concise and well written guide on selling ideas.

Selling your ideas: A critical executive skill is another good resource on selling ideas.

B2B Lead Generation Blog is today's TypePad Featured Blog

Greetings and welcome new readers! I'm honored that the B2B Lead Generation Blog was chosen as today's Typepad featured blog. I've been using Typepad to power my blog since October of 2003 and I think it's a super blogging tool.

Their write up is quite glowing (aw-shucks) and it's fun to be recognized. And, I'm even getting a cool t-shirt to boot. Thanks TypePad!

TypePad Featured Blogs: B2B Lead Generation Blog

Now Announcing the "Start With A Lead" Podcast Show

I am pleased to announce that I'll be hosting a new podcast show called "Start with a Lead" debuting in April. 

The show will have content specifically for marketers and those who care about B2B lead generation, sales leads, and marketing strategies focused on the complex sale.

In the show, you’ll hear from thought leading experts on a variety of marketing and lead generation topics. You'll get the latest tips and strategies; and learn what really works and what doesn't to generate high quality leads in the complex sale.

Why a new show? Over the past few years, I’ve experimented with podcasting, (you can see my old podcast here) but now like Emeril, I’m ready to 'kick it up a notch’ and apply what I’ve learned from experience and listener feedback. 

Also, I’m  going to “open the phone lines” to listeners who’d like to ask questions in advance of the show so we can be more interactive and get your specific questions answered.  I’m looking forward to learning with you as I interview leading experts (and ask your questions) to get the latest contemporary thinking on lead generation. Stay tuned!

On giving away ideas

I had coffee with a potential partner and our conversation ebbed to a discussion about marketing philosophy and lead generation.  He said something like, "I think companies [like yours] give away many of their trade secrets on their website. They provide too much information.  If I wanted to compete with you... all I would need to do is read your website or blog. The purpose of a website is to solicit interest... you've got to get people to respond... to generate leads."

My response...

People use the web for research; they are looking for fresh ideas, insight and actionable information.  Intellectual property is difficult to protect and is quickly commoditized by the market. Why not leverage some of your IP to your advantage? Leverage it and demonstrate your thought leadership. 

It’s difficult to defend technology that can easily become commoditized and your processes can be copied or improved upon as well. You can't even keep all of your people indefinitely. There are more protections for tangible products but not many for service based business, which most companies are evolving to anyway.

I have a friend who is a NASCAR fan and what he loves is that it's more about the driver than the car. All the cars are the same.  It’s the driver and the crew that make the difference. It's kind of like that with business now. 

Most companies have the same basic car. It's really about how well you drive it. The driver and crew in this metaphor can be seen as thought leadership; the ideas and talents that set the team apart from others. It’s what people remember and identify with. Features and benefit are cool, but sooner than later everyone’s car has the same features anyway.

This is particularity important for companies engaged in a complex sale, where up to 70% of a customer’s perception of your brand comes from their interactions with your sales people. I believe that the people and companies who succeed today are those who learn faster and teach others what they know more effectively. 

My skeptical coffee companion had a schotoma (blind spot) because his viewpoint came from a product driven, B2C, branding perspective.

I didn't have any formal training in marketing before I got started. At first that seemed like a disadvantage, but now I realize that having a clean slate gave me the advantage of being untainted. I strive to not have preconceived notion of how it SHOULD BE.  Instead, I listen to the voice of my customers and what I hear is that they want a relationship with a trusted advisor, not someone who guards their thoughts and ideas.

So what happens to people/companies that keep the ideas to themselves?

Jure Cuhalev over at the g. blog also has some great thoughts on giving away ideas. Jure writes, "...I have a theory of what happens to them. They start losing their ability to produce new ideas, since their current idea preoccupies them. They think about it all the time to the point that they can not think of anything fresh." 

Jure also quotes David Kelley, one of the most visible product designers in the world, especially in the world of high technology. Kelly is founder of IDEO, America's largest independent product design and development firm.

I think Kelly's viewpoint goes well beyond design. Read the following quote and replace "designers" with your role (ie. CEOs, Marketers and so on)... I think it will ring true.

According to Kelly, "Successful designers just send out their vision to the world; and then, when somebody else builds on it, that’s okay. They’re not protective of their ideas because they’re so used to having ideas. A creative designer has an idea a minute. Publicizing an idea is a way to improve on the idea—someone else can build on it, expand it. If you’re fluent with ideas, as most design people are, you don’t have to be fearful. You don’t protect your one good idea because your afraid you’ll never have another good one."

Again, it's not the car. It's the crew and driver.

Speaking at MarketingSherpa's B-to-B Demand Generation Summit 2006

I'm speaking at MarketingSherpa's Demand Generation Summit being held in Boston and SF this fall.  I've worked out a special promotion with MarketingSherpa -- you’ll get a complimentary autographed copy of my book and a $300 discount on the Summit if you register by August 31st.

This should be just in time to inspire you during your fall budget and planning season. Meet experts; mingle with your peers; and discover new data, strategies, and tactics (includes search, podcasting, email & microsites). 

Please note, you must click on this link to register so you can get the discount and free book (that's the only way our good friends at MarketingSherpa can identify you as qualifying for the complimentary, autographed book offer).

New complimentary e-book - Start with a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation results

My latest project is ready! I just published a complimentary new e-book titled Start with a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation. Please download it and pass it on.

According to studies, the single biggest challenge for contemporary B2B marketers is effective lead generation. Conversely, it has been pointed out that 80 percent of marketing expenditures on lead generation are wasted because the leads are lost, ignored or discarded by sales people.

Marketers today are constantly reminded that the company needs more sales leads...now. Unfortunately, that immediacy is quite often at the direct expense of quality. Instead, marketers should adopt and tailor lead generation programs that will increase the odds of creating better sales leads and relationships that will ultimately result in long-term, happy and profitable customers.

In this e-book, you will learn how to develop high-volume, high-quality lead generation programs for your company. It was written for business leaders, managers and marketers who want to help their sales team sell with highly qualified business opportunities, because sales people should only be brought in when a lead has been qualified as “sales ready.” 

Download Start With a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation

BeTuitive Publishing Book Review

Each month, one of the folks over at BeTuitive Publishing writes a business book summary and review that is included in their newsletter and blog.  The most recent review is of none other than Lead Generation for the Complex Sale.  Todd Smart, BeTuitive’s president, and I have known each other for about fifteen years, but he assures me that the book was chosen for review on its own merits. ;) 

Here’s some of what they had to say:

"This book will be most helpful for a reader with a keen interest in business strategy.  The chapter topics are universally applicable to all industries, and the lead generation methods are suited to all types of business practices. The content flows logically, escalating from fundamentals to tactics and development."

Read the entire summary and review.

Time with Best Selling Author Bryan Eisenberg

My good friend, Bryan Eisenberg and I met up while he was on his book tour in Minnesota.  Like many visitors to Minnesota (Land of 10,000 Lakes), Bryan wanted to see the Mall of America. Being married with two daughters, I'm a highly qualified mall tour guide ; )

After walking around the mall a few times, we stopped by Barnes & Noble to sign the remaining copies of our books.  We both wished we had a camera to capture this event... I mean how often do two friends have their books come out on the same day and then get to autograph them together! 

Later, we met up with our friend, Dan Janal, of PR Leads fame for dinner.  Dan brought his camera along so now I can share the pictures with you.  All three of us had a great time exchanging ideas on marketing, life, business and books.  Thanks for treating us to dinner Dan! 

Well, Bryan's new book, Waiting for Your Cat to Bark, just hit the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today Best Sellers list all in the same week!  Congratulations to Bryan and co-authors Jeffrey Eisenberg and Lisa Davis! 

Podcast: Interview on the Cullinane & Green Report

I was interviewed by podcasting experts Joe Cullinane and Roger Green on the Cullinane & Green Report. I encourage you to check out their other interviews with Mike Bosworth, author of Solution Selling and co-author of CustomerCentric Selling and Jackie Huba co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists too.

During this podcast, I share my thoughts on how to use technology tools like podcasts, blogs and RSS for new business development and lead generation. 

Listen to podcast now (36:26 minutes)

Podcast: Duct Tape meets Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

I'm a guest on the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast today hosted by John Jantsch.  John's Duct Tape Marketing Blog was chosen as a Forbes favorite for small business and was twice named "Best Small Business Marketing Blog" by the readers of Marketing Sherpa. While you're visiting John's blog, be sure to subscribe to his newsletter. It's terrific. 

Listen to podcast now

How a Blog Turns Into a Book Deal: The Story of my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

With my book just being released, I’ve had a lot of people ask me how I got my book deal.  I’m delighted to tell them that it all started with my blog. A number of bloggers I know have become or are in the process of becoming published authors after starting a blog.

In this Podcast, which is part of a PRWeb podcast feed, I give the scoop on how it all came together for me.

Listen to How a Blog Turned into a Book Deal (MP3 7:43 min 7.12 MB)

Also, an interesting article "It's Not Too Late To Start Blogging (But It Will Be Soon),"was just published on RainToday.com by Larry Bodine. If you're still debating on starting a blog sure to read it.  His Professional Marketing Blog is good too. 

New Book: Lead Generation for the Complex Sale is officially released

The wait is over! My book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, was released this morning. You can read the press release or listen to my podcast about it. 

I liked what Bryan Eisenberg, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Call To Action and the new book Waiting for Your Cat to Bark? had to say: 

"The lead generation game has changed in the age of the Internet. If you don't have this new playbook your competitors will. Brian Carroll closes the loop on lead generation, taking you from defining a lead, thinking like your prospects, tactics to increase lead generation, passing leads from marketing to sales, measuring the results, and nurturing the leads for increased revenue. If you don't read and then apply lessons from Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, then let me know how things work out for you."

Read the book announcement press release

Listen to the book release podcast (7:43 min 7.12 MB)

Download a free chapter

For the real thing, order on Amazon. You can find the book at your local Borders or Barnes & Noble and other bookstores. For multiple copies, order on 800-CEO-Read (Call Meg at 800-236-7323 ext. 206 CST.)  For the buzz on the book, read reviews and news. More about the author.

Update:  The book made its debut in Amazon's top 100 (sales and marketing books) today.  Debbie Weil author of The Corporate Blogging Book calls my book launch an example of Book Launch 2.0. 

Lead Generation for the Complex Sale on wsRadio.com

I just did a 40-minute live interview on the Online Marketing show with RSS Ray broadcast by WS Radio.com, the world wide leader in internet talk radio.  A podcast version of the show is available via iTunes or the host website RSSRay.com.

During the interview, I share new ideas for generating B2B customers and talk about my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, that's being released next week.

Click here to listen to the recording. 

Book Cover and Advanced Praise for Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

We're quickly approaching the official release of my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale : Boost the Quality and Quantity of Leads to Increase Your ROI.  Also, my book got a new cover!  (click image to enlarge) 

I'm humbled by the incredible endorsements that I've received for the book so far. You can read the advanced endorsements here, more here, and via my new book website before they're posted on the major on-line bookseller websites. 

For those who pre-ordered the book, it will arrive with the new cover in June.  I just got my first shipment of author copies and they look great!  Thanks again! 

This Years Hot New Lead Generation Strategy is Thinking

I finally caught up on a long overdue "to read" pile on my desk.  Each year, it seems, a few hot new lead generation tactics get lots of media attention.  Based on the recent headlines, it's safe to say that online lead generation (search, podcasts, RSS, etc.) will remain hot topics in 2006.  I say, go ahead and freely explore new tactics for your marketing mix but above all, think.   

When it comes to the nuances of the complex sale, wisdom is rarely gleaned from the headlines.  I wince a bit at the implied "everyone’s doing it, so you should too" message portrayed.  Why?  Because it works.  By nature, many of us follow the crowd when that might be exactly what we shouldn't do. 

As simple as it seems, thinking effectively is vital to developing solid lead generation strategy.  Our mindsets ultimately influence our strategic choices.  Investing in lead generation means you are proactively initiating a relationship with a potential customer.

Think relationships.  Good lead generation identifies, initiates, and nurtures relationships with the right people, until they are sales-ready leads.  Lead generation is a conversation, a dialogue; it is not a series of campaigns. Again, companies don't buy; people do. This mindset can open up a whole new set of possibilities.

Think multimodal.  For strength and stability, a table requires all four legs.  To lose one is to become less sound, less secure.  So too with lead generation.  Do you rely on a minimum of tactics, maybe to save a dollar?  Or do you proceed with a strong and stable base?

Think about your value proposition.  Is your lead generation strategy tailored, relevant and meaningful to each person involved in the buying process?   It is important to note, too, that thinking in terms of multiple modalities for lead generation allows marketing and sales to retrofit revised messaging whenever knowledge about the prospect’s position in the buying process is updated. 

Think critically.  Think white space.  Not copying your competition.  What worked yesterday doesn’t necessarily today or tomorrow. Frequently, lead generation programs don’t allow for contingency plans.  Or adequate feedback mechanisms that would foretell the need or opportunity for alteration in the first place. If a tactic fails to deliver, be ready to modify it or replace it.

Again, I encourage you to resist the temptation to follow the crowd that's reacting to each hot new lead generation tactic. Rather, think critically about your unique situation and what make senses for your organization.  Focus on developing the optimal mindset first, then strategies, and finally tactics.  Think.

It's a New Year for Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

Greetings and happy New Year!  Wow, I haven't posted here in a month but I promise you will see a lot more activity soon.  In the meantime, I wanted to give you an update.

During the past month, I've put all of my energy into getting my first book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, to the finish line.  I got this milestone e-mail (for a first time author) from my editor at McGraw-Hill.  She wrote, "I just put your book in production!  Congrats.  It’s in great shape.  All the final edits you made really helped to polish it off even more.  Well definitely go out and celebrate tonight.  I know that you’ve worked really hard on this manuscript and it’s turned into a fantastic manuscript."

So after 14-months of writing, editing, writing, editing, and re-rewriting again, I'm "done!"  Seriously, this has been a labor of love and I hope this book profoundly changes the way people think about lead generation and makes a huge impact. 

Though there are scores of books on direct marketing, branding, advertising, marketing tactics, PR, varied sales approaches, cold calling, etc., I have yet to find a text that addresses the comprehensive approach to lead generation for the complex sale like mine. 

I'm awaiting an official release date but Amazon currently shows April 15th... yes that's Tax Day.  To those who have already pre-ordered the book, thanks!  You can pre-order it here. 

B2B Lead Generation Blog Adds FeedBlitz for Email Notification

I have an announcement for readers who use Bloglet to get email notification for the B2B Lead Generation Blog.  I switched to a new service called FeedBlitz to provide a more reliable way to keep you updated.  All Bloglet subscribers have been moved over to FeedBlitz. 

If you are unfamiliar with RSS Feeds, or would just prefer email notification of updates to my blog, all you have to do is type your email address in the subscribe form on the left. 

New and Improved Lead Nurturing Article

My new and improved article on "Lead Nurturing: Ripening The Right Bananas" was republished on RainToday.com. 

I've been pretty quiet with blogging lately as I'm busy doing final edits on my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale : Boost the Quality and Quantity of Leads to Increase Your ROI.  There's more information about the book at Amazon.com.

If your a business marketer that focuses on marketing services, I recommend RainToday.com.  It is a excellent source for insight, advice, and tools focused for service business marketers.

B2B Marketing and PR Internship

Wanted: an exceptional college student to work with me on special projects.  Here are just a few of the great projects I have planned:

Lead Generation Benchmark report project (helping marketers compare their B2B lead generation performance against peer companies), event marketing, media relations, press releases, various book promotions, administrative duties, and marketing database management. 

I realize that this blog reaches beyond Minnesota but this internship will be based in Arden Hills, MN. 

Schedule: Flexible M-F, daytime hours (minimum of 20 hours/week)
Location:  Arden Hills, MN

Requirements:

Current college student with two years of marketing education (Junior or Senior +) enrolled in Business with a marketing emphasis.  Journalism students will also be considered. 

• Demonstrated PR and marketing skills
• Creative skills desired
• Ability to work directly with me
• Strong administration and organizational skills
• Ability to work on projects and initiatives for lengths of time without supervision - self-reliance
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding PC skills, including MS Office Suite (Intermediate to Expert level)

Inquiries and Application:

Please forward a complete resume, some writing samples, highlighted PR or marketing skills or experience, any creative pieces or layouts you’ve done, your transcripts and any recommendation letters from a professor or mentor to:

Nikki Lorch
HR Manager
InTouch, Inc.
interns2005@intouch-inc.com
Fax – 651.255.7601
550 Oak Grove Parkway
Vadnais Heights, MN  55127

Word-of-mouth marketing gets BtoB people buzzing

I just heard that I was quoted in BtoB Magazine on word-of-mouth marketing (WOM).  Richard Karpinski wrote the piece which, from what I can tell, is one the the first articles on WOM for B2B marketers.   

I wrote a post a while back you might want to check out, "Word of Mouth Marketing relies on reputation not branding." 

The BtoB article concludes, "In the end, word-of-mouth is only effective if it complements strong, traditional marketing techniques..."  How do you feel about this conclusion?  Where do you think WOM fits into a traditional lead generation strategy?

BtoBOnline Link: Word-of-mouth marketing gets people buzzing.

MarketingSherpa's 10 Best Blogs for 2005: B2B Lead generation blog wins honorable mention again!

Two years in a row! The B2B Lead Generation Blog once again receives honorable mention.  A big thank you to everyone who voted!

Fellow Revenue Roundtable member, Mike McLaughlin's Blog, Guerrilla Consulting won in the "B-to-B marketing blogs" category.  Congratulations Mike and keep up the great work! 

Check out the other winners of MarketingSherpa's 2005 Readers' Choice Blog Awards. 

B2B Lead Generation Blog Nominated for MarketingSherpa's 2005 Readers' Choice Blog Awards

Thank you for nominating the B2B Lead Generation Blog for MarketingSherpa's 2005 Readers' Choice Award!  It is a honor just to be nominated.  Be sure to check out the other quality blogs that were nominated by MarketingSherpa's 185,000+ Readers, many of them are already on my blogroll.

If you're time crunched, you can vote for your favorite category.  I'm listed in the "B-to-B marketing blogs" section.  Fellow Revenue Roundtable member, Mike McLaughlin's Blog, Guerrilla Consulting was also nominated in the same category.  If I merit your vote, please let them know. 

Cast your votes

Guidelines per MarketingSherpa:

If your time is limited, just pick your favorite category and rate each blog in that area. Winning blogs will get publicity, hotlinks, coffee-mugs, and an icon. Please take the following 5 factors into consideration for your ratings...

#1. Personality:
Is there a clear personality? Do you feel like you know the writer(s)? Is there a feeling of intimacy that may be missing from mainstream media?

#2. Usefulness:
Is the information either darned useful or very enjoyable to read? Did it make you think, or laugh, or click? Are there handy links to other places?

#3. Writing style:
Is it a sales pitch badly disguised as a Blog? Is it a long-winded column instead of a quick Blog? Is it just news briefs without analysis or insight?

#4. Usability & design:
Is the typeface easy to read? Can you find links to archives? Is the writing concise and skimmable? Are graphics useful?

#5. Would you revisit?:
Is it useful or engaging enough for you to visit it again someday? Or will you forget it the minute after you vote?

And, yes there is a write-in vote if you'd like to add a qualified Blog that our readers overlooked.

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The Revenue Roundtable launched!

At times, when people combine forces, it feels like the synergy created could make "1 + 1 = 3."  This is one of those moments.  I'm excited to announce that I've begun another blog project called the Revenue Roundtable.

I'm proud to be associated with these recognized experts in business, marketing, sales, business development, and business management - Michael McLaughlin, Susan Getgood, Jill Konrath, Jim Logan, and Kevin Stirtz.  Special thanks goes to Jim Logan for assembling the team and concept.   

The the B2B Lead Generation Blog will continue - I plan to post more frequently - now that I am ready to write again! 

What is the Revenue Roundtable about? 

The Revenue Roundtable team’s saying is “Be practical, or be quiet.” So, head off to academia if you want to read jargon-laden management theory. Stick with us if you want specific advice on marketing strategy, lead generation, managing a complex sale, and expanding your business with your existing customers. And that’s just the start.

We’re focused on a single objective: helping you grow a profitable business—while maintaining your sanity. Our panel of experts will help you clear the path to prosperity by sharing winning strategies for building a business, and by pointing out the inevitable traps you’ll encounter along the way.

What is the premise of the Roundtable?

Each week a roundtable team member will write on one topic so you will get an in-depth view of an issue along with a variety of perspectives. And, of course we want your comments, suggestions and participation so we can tailor the blog’s content to match what you ask for.  Check it out

Lead generation for the complex sale (book update)

I am back!  Last Monday, I finished my book and sent the manuscript to my publisher, McGraw-Hill, for review and editing.  I am thrilled to have the major writing work done!   

As I (anxiously) wait for my editor's feedback, I am a little unsure what to do with the extra time. Needless to say - being a father, husband, and CEO is a bit easier now!  Oh yeah, I'm blogging again too. 

The book is entitled, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale: Proven Strategies to Boost the Quality and Quantity of Leads Guaranteed to Increase Your ROI.  It currently has 18-Chapters and is 268 pages (pre-edit).  It should be in stores before year-end 2005. 

You can pre-order the book via Amazon.com or McGraw-Hill.

What is it about? 

The book is an action-oriented account of a strategic, multimodal approach to lead generation for the complex sale. Included are strategies, tips, and best practices that can be put into place immediately for improvement of your lead generation return on investment.

Why did I write the book?

According to studies, the single biggest issue for contemporary business-to-business marketers is effective lead generation.  Conversely, it has been pointed out that 80% of marketing expenditures on lead generation and collateral are wasted because the leads are ignored by sales people.

Keeping the sales pipeline full of qualified leads is critically important in today's challenging business climate, so much so, in fact, that consistent lead generation is imperative to the survival of many companies.  The sales challenge can be downright daunting when the sale assumes complex proportions.

Though there are scores of books on direct marketing, branding, advertising, marketing tactics, PR, varied sales approaches, cold calling, etc.; I have yet to find a text that addresses the holistic approach to lead generation for the complex sale.

Unlike other books that utilize mostly traditional direct marketing tactics, I will offer the proven approach that has produced documented returns of 2000% to 5000% ROI. It will help marketers deliver the high quality leads to their sales team that will make them heroes.

Ultimately, the motivation behind this book is:

1. The complex sale requires great synergy between marketing and sales.
2. Economic conditions are such that the buyer requires a more thorough business case to justify the purchase decision.
3. Marketers are driven by necessity to focus on immediate tactics, not long-term strategy.
4. Business-to-business marketers are under-appreciated and under-trained.

And the goal is to help marketing/sales leaders feel new confidence that they have a proven roadmap to successful lead generation and the tools to increase their odds of wining new customers and meeting their growth targets. 

Pre-order via Amazon.com or McGraw-Hill.

MarketingSherpa Seeks Best Marketing Blog

MarketingSherpa just opened up nominations for Best Blog Reader's Choice Awards.  Be sure to let them know about your favorite Marketing, Advertising, and PR blogs.  Anyone can nominate.

Last year, the B2B Lead Generation Blog (yours truly) received honorable mention for the "Best b-to-b marketing-topic Blog."

It's sure nice seeing positive input from readers like you.  If I merit your nomination again, let them know. 

Want to see who won last year?
Nominate your favorite blogs now

My Mention In Writers Digest

Bob Bly mentioned me in a recent Writers Digest article.  His brief mention created a noticeable spike in visitors.  Thank you Bob and welcome fellow writers! 

Link: Daily Doses: Land more writing clients by taking advantage of the latest (and easiest) marketing tool.

Glad to be back

I must say that having 5-days of uninterrupted time to focus writing was great.  I doubled in one week what I wrote in the previous four months. 

I just talked with my editor at McGraw-Hill and it sounds like my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, could be in stores mid-Q4.

Getting away was not an easy task, especially with a young family and growing company.  Thank you to my wonderful wife, business partners and clients for your support.

Lead generation Blog on book writing break

I'm heading to a cabin (in the Minnesota wilderness) to unplug and focus on writing my book manuscript.  I'll be back next week.  Don't forget to check out my archives and categories on the left sidebar. 

2 New RSS Feeds for the B2B Lead Generation Blog

I just added 2 new RSS feeds.  See my complete list of RSS Feeds

Full posts with comments
This is the most information-rich feed. The full front-page text of each post is included (extended entries are not included), along with any comments made to that post.  Stay to up-to-date with discussions.   

Comments only
Just the most recent comments to any post on this weblog. Handy for tracking discussions, especially after a post no longer appears in any of the three primary RSS feeds.

Thanks to Michael Hanscom for providing the typepad code.

Don't know what a RSS feed is yet?

RSS and Atom Syndication feeds are special files used for syndicating the content of a weblog. 

To read them you need a program called a "News Aggregator". These programs allow you to subscribe to a feed for a given weblog and read that weblog from within the aggregator, rather than having to go to the blog to check for updates.  I personally use bloglines.

Lead Generation New Years Resolutions

I read an article that most people don't make job-related New Year's resolutions.  An average worker will invest more, "company time," planning a vacation than they will in planning for their career success. 

New Year's Resolutions vs. New Year's Goals
Top 10 New Year's Resolutions
Top 10 Ways to Ensure New Years Resolution Success

So, let's list as many New Years resolutions related to marketing, sales and lead generation.  What is the one thing you commit to doing in the next year to grow revenue?

Examples....

• Develop a more vertical focused lead generation strategy
• Update our website
• Improve our brand awareness by 20%
• Develop a lead nurturing program
• Nurture our existing clients and focus on retention
• Be more multi-modal with our marketing tactics
• Talk to at least 2 customers/clients per week
• Use event marketing and be more PR savvy
• Helping my sales people sell more in less time
• Test at least 1 new lead generation tactic a quarter
• Improve internal teamwork between sales/marketing

Okay that should get you started.  Tell me, what's your top New Years resolution to grow your company's revenue? 

Merry Christmas

I'm down in Round Rock, Texas (a bit warmer than Minnesota) , celebrating Christmas with my wife's family.  I  look forward to getting some rest, visiting, and making more headway on my book manuscript. 

I thought I'd share The winners of the 2004 Blog Herald Christmas Blogging Awards.  Merry Christmas to all. 

Why IT Must Help Marketing and Sales Collaborate with Lead Generation

A report by Aberdeen Group, “Sales Effectiveness: Helping Sales Sell” concludes, “70% of companies have misdirected their spending on sales/marketing technology and need to align their investment towards the goal of helping sales sell.”

Is your CRM software a joke?
Despite the time and money being spent on sales and marketing technology like CRM, web analytics and eMail campaigns most companies have NOT reaped real ROMI. Plus, today’s business scene is rife with new competition, shrinking budgets and teams stretched to do more with less. Why? The complex sale requires great synergy between marketing and sales, which requires greater collaboration.

CRM / SFA applications promised to help “sales” and “close more business” however few companies can attribute any quantifiable results to their efforts. Over the past few years the term “failure” has become closely linked to CRM – so skepticism is rampant. Plus there is a communication gap between sales and marketing. Successful lead generation requires real-time communication between sales and marketing. This is where IT can help.

Sales Effectiveness = Collaboration
In the last 5 years sales has switched from lone eagle to a selling team. Collaboration is not about choosing the “right” technology. It begins with your culture, shared vision and the emotions of your team (read Primal Leadership.)

I believe the communication gap exists is not because of a lack of respect but because of lack of understanding. Each side is vague in their minds about what the other party does. So that’s the place to start.

You’re welcome to debate me on this but this is how I see it…
1) IT supplies the tools and CRM and close-loop reporting framework for marketing/sales
2) Marketing generates the right leads and helps sales sell though the sales process
3) Sales engage the right steps to close deals that result in revenue.

ROI What gets measured gets done
How is marketing team measured?
How is sales team measured?
How can we tie the measurements together?

I'm speaking on this topic at the Minnesota Technology Awareness Forum

Lead Generation Blog on vacation

Aloha! You'll see fewer posts for a while. Be sure to check out my archives. I'm taking some time off from blogging to relax, enjoy the summer and celebrate my 10th Wedding Anniversary in Hawaii.

My wife and I swimming with an Altlantic Bottlenosed Dolphin on the Big Island (click image to enlarge)

B2B Lead generation blog wins honorable mention

MarketingSherpa announced the winners of the MarketingSherpa Readers' Choice Best Blog Awards 2004.

The B2B Lead Generation Blog recieved honorable mention! A big thank you to everyone who voted.

Dana's Blog was voted the "Best b-to-b marketing-topic Blog." Congratulations Dana you do a great job!

Check out the other winners of the MarketingSherpa Readers' Choice Best Blog Awards 2004.