Know, Act, Close

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

So Much Content, So Little Time

In the world of content marketing, we are used to hearing the phrase, “Content is King”. Although I wouldn’t argue with that statement in theory, one of the problems now is that there is so much content out there, how do you find what you are looking for and what is most meaningful to you in a reasonable amount of time?

Tell me if you can relate: you have a twitter feed that you check multiple times a day, you use Google alerts, you check Facebook, LinkedIn, RSS feeds and the plethora of news sources all for content you think might help you do your job more efficiently. “Efficiently” being the key word. Is your process truly efficient, meaning a good use of your time and the company’s money? For marketers this means discovering relevant topics that you can share with leads and clients and developing the right campaigns to drive more business. For sales this means narrowing in on the right prospects to begin the sales cycle. It can seem overwhelming, even if you are like me, and have processes in place to consume all this content.

It is both, incredibly exciting to live in a time of mass content consumption, and also can be littered with a lot of BS (if you don’t mind be saying). But, either way, it is now part of our jobs in marketing and sales; we must stay tuned in to all the platforms that allow for this diaspora of information or we risk latency or worse, irrelevancy.

Ever hear the phrase, “Necessity is the mother of invention”? For me, I have learned to function with this influx of content and my limited time, by using event triggers to see what is happening in the companies that I care about. I use that information to provide the right messaging to the groups I am interested in targeting. This means fine-tuning all the content into the filters and triggers that I care about—eliminating the BS.

Trigger data about specific companies allows you to focus in on their events in order to narrow in on relevant event data, and in turn, decide what messaging you want to push out in your lead’s direction.

There is a difference between informative content that can help you get a pulse into the sense of the business sector you are interested in, and there is actionable content that lets you narrow in on companies that have pain points in tandem with your products and services. Event data actually helps with both: allowing you to see the temporal events and content that have occurred in the companies that you track, as well as giving you the context you require to decide what to action on next.

What’s the take away here?

Time is truly of the essence. First, we could all use a whole lot more of it, but hey, it probably isn’t going to happen. So… using event triggers gives you your 30 minutes back, so you can get back to marketing and selling.

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com

Thursday, May 10, 2012

You Walk into a Bar. What do you do Next? (This is Sales and Marketing Related)

I promise this isn’t a bar joke.

You walk into a bar, there are a group of people in a circle talking to each other; they all seem to know one another. You are by yourself and are looking to make some new friends. What do you do? Do you run up to the crowd of 20 and say, "HI! I’m X. I live in X and I drive X and I love to play X and I just did X." This would not only be extremely off-putting to the group you are announcing it to, but also not adhere to social norms of communication. Instead of assaulting the group of people, hoping that one might bite at your proclamations, why not wait for a point-of-entry? Or even better, listen to what the group is discussing and think of an engaging question that will trigger some of the folks to answer and engage with you?

There are two adages that most marketing and sales folks know: “Market to One” and “People Buy From People”. Why don’t we try to create meaningful digital conversations that make emotional appeals and build relationships where both parties benefit and actually want to listen to one another?

Ever get an email where you are invited to a webinar from a sales rep and have no idea why you were put on a list cluttering your mailbox? We all know that we are inundated with emails, so it is infuriating to get one more that just doesn’t relate to you and frankly, is wasting your time.

In the age of technology, we not only need, but also depend on automation software to organize, measure, create and stream our process for lead generation, segmentation and lead nurturing. But, with so much volume, there is potential for proclamations to the wrong person at the wrong time. Using automation infused with event triggers and data allows you to mimic real human interaction, by allowing you to LISTEN for triggers that you can relate to and also letting you bring something relevant to add to the conversation when the time is right. In other words, don’t be Bob.

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Anyone for Tennis? How Does Sales and Marketing Create Forehand Winners?

Grand slam season is kicking into full gear and the spring weather has arrived. It doesn’t matter what level you are at, there are few things more invigorating then getting outside to whack the tennis ball.

The sales and marketing cycles are like a really good rally on the tennis court. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth until the key moment you decide to change directions and go for the winner.

What makes you go for the winner? What are the triggers in the cycle that give you the confidence to change directions and drive it down the line, or take a swinging ground stroke in the air to come to net and finish off the point with a crushing volley? In marketing, lead scoring clearly defines what stage your lead is in the cycle. Did they attend a webinar, download a white paper, or request a demo? At this point, your CRM or marketing automation system of choice pushes this MQL to sales saying, “Needs Demo - STAT!” In sales, although the moment when they agree to sign on that dotted line is defined, the moment the you decide to go for the close is subjective. You need enough conditional data in order to provide context to individual information about your prospect. In other words, when do you crush the forehand down the line for the unforgettable winner? Not only is it important to read the body language of your prospect, but also to know the entire picture of the company and the triggers that have occurred to lead the prospect to you.

What’s the point of making this analogy? Because we all know that it isn’t always this easy. We need to work for those points. We need to carefully construct the point to set up that winning opportunity. We also need to react to the shots that are given to us. If they force us into the corner we need to know when to lob it up so we have time to recover and get back into the point; this isn’t the time to go for a low percentage drive. Try to think of every sales and marketing interaction like a game. Knowing when to react is equally as important as when to step up and set up the point. Think about the moves that it takes to get you in the right position, while also realizing that triggered events could change your course. In other words, be willing to adapt and be flexible in your cycle. The best matches are when you equally challenge each other to be better players pushing your skill sets to the next level. The next match you play – you will have learned how to perform at your best level.

At iLantern we say – Know, Act, Close. But we could also say – Game, Set, Match!

Go Gettem’ tiger!

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com

Monday, April 23, 2012

Doctors and Marketers - Not so Different?

When you go to the doctor you expect careful examination of your specific ailments, right? You have no interest in a template response that doesn’t evaluate your pain points or symptoms. You do not want to be treated like a textbook. So, why are there so many sales and marketers treating their leads and prospects like data and not like companies with individual needs?

If your doctor measured your weight, height and then factored your age to spit out a remedy for your problem, you’d probably be dissatisfied with that visit and quickly look for a new physician. Let’s call those measurements, firmographic data. On the other hand, if your physician sat you down and listened to some of your symptoms and engaged in a conversation that allowed he/she to understand why you are having the symptoms, they would much more likely be able to make an accurate assessment and provide you with helpful remedies. Let’s call these symptoms, triggers. Sales and Marketing is no different.

This is not to say that at the doctor’s office they shouldn’t measure your height, weight and age. It is a necessary starting point. In sales and marketing, firmographic data is important. We need it in order to begin the segmentation process, but you can’t stop there; there are other symptoms to consider. We like to call these symptoms event triggers. What events have occurred that could factor into your leads buying process? Did they just have an M&A? Did the VP step down? Did they just publish their earnings? These are important questions to help decide what your next move will be. Think of yourself as the doctor – how are you prepared to best help your prospects’ and leads’ pain points? Firmographic data will only get you so far; you need dynamic data to make an accurate assessment of your patient. You need to research and listen to their needs to find the best remedy that your leads and prospects deserve.

How do you find that data?

Finding dynamic event data is much simpler now that there are automated solutions to help you discover which companies need your services. Not taking advantage of these services is like a doctor only looking at weight, height and age and prescribing you medicine that you might not need when you might not need it.

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com

Thursday, April 12, 2012

5 Ways Triggers Help to Avoid Negative Brand Equity

I am not sure if triggers could have helped in the BP oil spill, but certainly for United and Dell, they could have listened a little more closely to their leads and clients, preventing the negative backlash that now, they just can’t shake.

Here are our tips:

1. Provide personal, pointed messaging. Take segmenting to a whole new level using event triggers. You just discovered that Facebook acquired Instagram; do you have something that Facebook needs? See your opportunity to provide the right message to the right people, so that they respond.

2. Time your message. When do you want to send your targeted message and to whom? In other words, read the writing on the wall. Is it the right time? Use technology to help you find the right person to send your message to and when. Did they just acquire a new company?

3. Remember: It's not about you; it's about them. Don't proselytize your product, but LISTEN and commend your leads' and clients' achievements. For example, Congratulations on your big sales win!

4. Show Authenticity. Be you, in your own voice, demonstrating a keen understanding of both, your product and your prospects’ pain points. Triggers let you show that you have done your research. Your leads and clients will listen more intently, if they know you know a little bit about them. Don’t send a template email that doesn’t highlight any of your leads achievements; they can always tell.

5. Create consistency. Especially in B2B, consistency in the backbone of building trusted, long-lasting relationships with leads and clients at enterprise companies. Event triggers keep you posted, and let you set up a system for when the best time is to reach out.

Take Away:

Whether it is learning to truly segment lead lists for marketing, or learning to send a personalized email highlighting prospect’s latest achievements for sales, the point is: it is time to pay more attention and be more thoughtful of your clients, leads and prospects. Why? Because this bolsters positive brand equity, letting you truly stand out from other competitors. How do you stand out in the crowd? You deliver a message that will get you heard. And how do you discover the message? You use triggers to keep you in the know.

Learn more at: www.ilantern.com

Monday, April 2, 2012

Storytelling: Not Just for Marketers Anymore?

Can we measure up to some of the best storytellers of all time? There are some that can.

We all know that guy/girl at the party that attracts a crowd of eager-beaver listeners with merely the sound of their voice intonating that an anecdotal story is coming. What do we do: we, not only stop whatever it is we are doing to listen and laugh, but by the end of the story, we feel completely connected to our storyteller-at-large. We may even reach out later on Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter to follow up with that existing relationship. We feel like we know them and want to hear more.

Brands are told to create compelling stories too. Everyone wants to feel connected, even the most rigid and technical companies. Traditionally, it is marketing that is told to create the story: think Mad Men and the Kodak projector and Facebook with the introduction of timeline. We can agree that the beginning of the funnel is the place for the storytelling process, but it is equally important to communicate a convincing story through out the entire sales cycle.

A compelling story that conjures up an emotional response makes your prospects and leads connect and trust you—it could make all the difference in shortening your sales and marketing cycles.

There are a plentitude of resources available to educate marketers on good storytelling techniques, but not nearly enough resources available to educate salespeople on the importance of a good story, and often this skill is over-looked entirely because closing the deal—the result, becomes more important than the journey.

So, how do you tell a good story?

Remember the 5Ws of Journalism?

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and (HOW)

Your story starts here. The 5ws will help you deliver the right message in both, marketing and in sales. Furthermore, this is the chance for true collaboration with marketing and sales. Discovering the Ws is much less daunting when using triggers. As you build a relationship with prospects and leads remember that triggers can help you build trust. You have done your research and because of that research your story just became that much richer. Humanize your brand, your product and watch as your leads convert-- with just the intonation in your voice.

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Could Event Triggers be the Marketing Assist that Sales Needs in order to Score?

Being a Boston-based company and with the Stanley Cup approaching, we thought what better way to explain the importance of triggers to sales and marketing then with a hockey analogy. Don’t worry baseball and fishing fans, we will be sure to make those analogies as the spring and summer kick into full gear.

In any given hockey team, we have these key positions: Goalie, Defense, Right/Left Wing and Center.

Here is how we equate hockey positions to your org chart:

Goalie: VP of Marketing/Sales

Right/Left Defense: Marketing

Right/Left Wing : Marketing or Inside Sales depending on the size of your company

Center: Sales

Left/Right Defense gets in there to grind out the puck from the corner and push it out to an open Left/Right winger.

Left/Right Wing carries the puck out of the defense zone and into the neutral zone, ideally passing the puck off in the neutral or offensive zone to the center.

Center is available to receive the pass, particularly in the offensive zone. They are poised and ready for the pass. They shoot; they score!

This is, of course, the most ideal scenario that any coach would love to see their players execute flawlessly. We know that it gets a little more complicated in practice. Why? Because the neutral zone is where communication breaks down. It is in the neutral zone that it is mandatory to read the other player’s signs and make adjustments accordingly. Something we like to call triggers. What events occur to make us decide to puck handle versus make the pass to center? Should we nurture that puck a little longer in order to have the center move into a more prime position to receive the pass and increase their likelihood to score?

Luckily in business, we don’t need to make Nano-second decisions, but can react to event triggers daily to see what events occurred to make us want to pass the puck to the center versus carry it through the neutral zone a little bit longer. We may even need to make a pass back to defense. But, we must be in position to read the digital body language™ in order to see where the puck should go. This takes both, agility and flexibility and a willingness to see this dynamic data as key to making your next move as a salesperson or a marketing person.

In your next Marketing and Sales meeting try this explanation:

1. Know your positions – Don’t chase the puck. Get yourself into the right position to receive the pass.

2. Communicate in the neutral zone --You want to know when and who to pass to, but you need to read the signs; the center might not be open yet, in which case you should stick handle a little longer.

3. Remember that an assist is just as important as the goal --The center wouldn’t be able to score unless you pushed the puck to him at the right time.

4. Evaluate – Even after the winning goal is scored, analyze the steps along the way, see if there is any room for improvement or if what you did as a team is repeatable.

And because we wouldn’t be Boston fans without a little shout out – Go Bruins! See you at the Stanley Cup – Fingers X!

Visit us at: www.ilantern.com