The Wealthy Business - by EnergizeGrowth

Four Essentials For Modern B2B Marketers

The four "Cs" shaping electrifying, modern marketing include: conscious content, CMO reporting, courage, and culture.

I used to be magnetic; now I'm downright electrifying."

That aphorism from best-selling author Jeffrey Hayzlett encapsulates the overall mood at the Eloqua Experience 2012 conference in Orlando.

I recently attended the annual gathering of 1,400 Eloqua employees and enthusiasts. The Eloqua Experience 2012 conference resolved a hunch regarding the current source of marketing innovation. Based on the profile of the attendees and marketing award winners, the most electrifying participants represent traditionally innovative industries: high technology and cloud-based marketing companies. Furthermore, traditional marketers are still roaming the earth in droves, and continue to outnumber the modern B2B marketers. (Eloqua sponsored my media pass.)

Ten Signs Your CMO Runs A Cost Center

When I turned seven, my parents moved from a bucolic small town in Connecticut to Morris Plains, New Jersey, a sprawling suburban jungle. It was a major transition for me. I went from "local kickball hero" to "zero" within no time. For weeks, I was the last person selected for the coed kickball team. It was a crushing blow.

I have met many CMOs who feel the same way in the C-suite, especially when they have accepted a new position. Over the past month, I interviewed a dozen CMOs across North America to find out how they managed.

The First Step to Becoming a Modern Marketing Leader

I just returned from an action-packed week at Eloqua Experience 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

Eloqua's much-anticipated keynote speaker was Jeffrey Hayzlett, author of the new bestseller, Running the Gauntlet. Eloqua's theme of becoming a modern marketer permeated the high-energy sessions, and Jeff's was no exception.

• Why it's important to cause tension in your organization
• The value of keeping good company
• Where to find inspiration

Featured Guest Post: Grow Your Existing Customer Base in 2013

Here is a post from my friend Seth Kahan, author of the upcoming book, Getting Innovation Right. Seth has a wealth of ideas on innovation and leading change. Here are some key considerations as you plan to grow your existing customer base in 2013.

Expanding your customer base depends on five factors:

1. Current customer satisfaction
2. Desire for your offering
3. Your reputation as a provider
4. A value proposition you can deliver
5. Effective outreach

The Cure For Content-Creation Madness

I just recovered from a HootSuite infection. I thought that by posting new content each day, hordes of new B2B corporate decision makers would find me. I watched and waited for my Klout score to skyrocket.

Boy, was I disappointed. The majority of new followers included yoga instructors, network marketers, and sundry dilettantes. I had fallen prey to CCM--Content Creation Madness. Given the incessant social media frenzy, I suspect I'm not the first.

While the plethora of content distribution once excited me, I now realize that my content was landing in the data dumpster. I lacked a critical ingredient: a content marketing strategy. Thankfully, I am regaining my footing on the road to content creation recovery.

The Parallel Worlds Of Gondolas And iPads

When we arrived in Venice last week, I could not locate a single car. Only gondolas and transport boats peppered the waterfront. After hundreds of years, the transportation system has barely changed. The gondola, a marvelous, ancient rowing craft, is part of a complex web of commercial and passenger interdependence, and has withstood the test of time. Will today's game-changing mobile innovations be able to boast the same infamy?

5 Faux Pas That Will Kill Your Client Relationships

Overfilling their inboxes, operating in a vacuum, or pushing potential clients "off a diving board" all make the list. What else should?

When I was 9 years old, I had a crush on our swim coach. He was tall, blond, tan, and wore Foster Grant aviator glasses. I was secretly smitten. I entrusted him with my life as I braved the deep end of the pool and learned crucial safety techniques.

One morning, Coach Tall Blond Guy coaxed us to jump from the high diving board. I climbed the steps precariously as my knees shook. As I stood on the edge of the board for what seemed hours, I froze. That's when Coach TBG made a fatal mistake.

He pushed me off the board.

From that moment on, I could not trust him. It took me just a split second to lose trust in Tall Blond Guy.

Is Marketing ROI Driving You Crazy?

Last month, the Fornaise Marketing Group surveyed 1,200 CEOs from small and large businesses.The results were sobering for CMOs.

Their interviews revealed that 74 per cent of the executives surveyed believe that marketers misuse the real definition of "performance," "return on investment," and "results."

In spite of the reported success of Revenue Performance Management solutions and longer CMO tenures (at least according to Spencer Stuart's recent study, which says that CMO tenure now averages 42 months), C-suite satisfaction with the marketing organization is not growing at the same rate.

Marketing Planning in an Interdependent World

Thank you, Tiffany Shlain. Your award-winning film, Connected, was an unexpected summer treat. It heightened my awareness of the need for marketing leaders to recognize their growing interdependency on others.

As I have mentioned in recent Fast Company posts, CMOs no longer "own" every aspect of marketing. They cannot operate in an isolated fashion. They must establish stakeholder relationships that support, activate, and measure interactions and brand experiences. Every initiative must either create communities, generate good leads, drive revenues, edify the brand, or perpetuate positive customer experiences.

Now, let's talk about this film for a moment, and how it relates to how CMOs lead. Connected made its global debut in 2011. Throughout her documentary, Shlain weaves her own personal, life-changing moments with examples of political and social leaders whose policies--often fueled by short-term thinking--caused long term and often irreparable damage.

Fresh Marketing Planning Ideas for Q3

As you complete your marketing plans for the 2nd half of the year, consider these fresh ideas.

I was just featured on Cincom's Expert Access Radio. What a fun show! Hosts Jay McKeever and Liz Harter kept things lively. Listen to this 42 minute replay and learn:

• The only two options you have when your company's "honeymoon phase" has ended
• Why traditional B2B marketing planning fails
• The three indicators you are falling prey to Time Deficiency Syndrome (TDS)
• Examples of leading and trailing indicators for small businesses and growth companies
• Avoiding the pitfalls of abdication versus delegation

Click here for the link.

Which of these lessons resonate with you? I welcome your comments here.


copyright 2012, Lisa Nirell. All rights reserved.