BtoB Marketing in an Era of Constant Change

We work with BtoB clients to help them anticipate, plan for, and exploit changes in their markets. The goal is to help them get more customers just like their best customers. Simply more is not better - better quality is better. The key process for this is marketing insights - that is, understanding how your current best customers make their buying decisions (buyer’s journey) in the competitive environment. This knowledge will identify the key characteristics of sales prospects that are similar to your top customers - and help develop messaging and marketing programs to reach your next generation of customers.

We develop insights based on diagnostics that reference the key concepts currently used by the most successful sales training programs, coupled with your customers orientation and their perspective of the marketing environment. We add to this a understanding of how your customer decision making can be influenced by the messaging of your competitors. We also have an orientation toward the marketing characteristics of technology - a perspective that is often missing.

Another way to say this is that we look at the intersection (alignment) of your sales process and the buyers journey. Our orientation is toward your top customers (typically the top 20%.) These customers typically yield the most revenue, and hence the best return for enhanced marketing efforts.

We use both digital research (industry, technology, messaging) and focused research interviews (conducted by our principal) with your customer-facing staff and your customer decision makers. Our approach is both strategic (18-month look-ahead) and tactical (what is working now.) This approach, coupled with our decades of experience - quickly yields a suggestd marketing architecture. We also offer strategic implementation via planning and program advisories in both content and messaging creation (such as marketing programs and research, public relations and video.) Our approach is much like an architect - where we provide plans and specifications - but the actual production is typically handled by resources you already have in place.

In other words - answers - from your best customers - to the three most critical marketing questions:

• How and why do your best customers decide to buy from you?
• Why do they remain your customers?
• What would cause them to leave? (disruptive events)

The buyer’s journey is your direct connection to revenue. By understanding how and why your customers make their buying decisions you can influence those decisions. This becomes the blueprint of an effective marketing program (or cross-check of your current program).

In summary, our approach is a combination of both the strategic and tactical viewpoints - from both the customer's perspective and yours.

Two remarks we often hear (from both clients and their customers) that indicate the effectiveness of our approach are:

“No one ever asked me that question before.”

• A major national roofing supplies manufacturer wanted to know how to increase market share in high-growth Southwestern states. The major influencer in the purchase decision was not what was expected.
• A client wanted to develop an international construction estimating factor - only one problem - none existed. We were asked to do the international research but developed a better approach in interviewing the US-based major construction firms about international projects. Their process is proprietary, but we also found the closest process used internationally from another source - one that was unexpected.
• In investigating the impact of sustainablity specifications in facilities construction - we encountered some interesting messaging that made the case for long-term ROI in specifing LEED-type materials (generally more expensive.) Considering that US colleges face a $40 billion backlog in deferred maintenance - this kind of messaging would hit home.

For additional examples - be sure to check our Industry Experience page.

If you face marketing challenges to understand your customers buyer's journey and how to reach them, we would invite you to contact us for an exploratory discussion. We can share some ideas with you on how we have solved similar problems for our clients, and how marketing insights might help you.

Need to get your arms around your customers, prospects and market? Need facts and information, not guesswork?

Contact us for an introductory discussion. We look forward to hearing from you. Be sure to click on the Client Services tab below for additional information.

We invite you to peruse this website and our many articles. Feel free to contact us for additional commentary on a topic of your interest. We encourage media inquiries.

Jeffrey Geibel, Principal
APR, LEED AP, CFII, BSME, MBA

APR - Accredited in Public Relations

LEED-AP - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Accredited Professional
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.
LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership

CFII - Certificated Flight Instructor - Instrument


Tel: +1-617-484-8285 (-4 GMT)