January 19th, 2011 - Posted in Strategy by Tim Freestone
It’s our nature to seek instant gratification. Our society programs us this way: Instant Oatmeal, Hot Pockets, 5 Hour Energy Shots, Tivo. We want what we want now, and we don’t want to wait. We’re products of our environment and these “now” influences seemingly govern our lives. As a result, we act with instant gratification in mind in most that we do – personally and professionally.
So as IT marketers we’re inclined to gravitate towards processes and programs that promise instant results. And its not just our nature that drives us in this direction – forces such as funding, rapidly changing business priorities, and driving sales “numbers” are naturally designed to perpetuate this approach to IT marketing. But, for those of who have been in the marketing game long enough, we know that this approach results in unpredictability, consistent frustration, and wasted time and money. Read the rest of this entry »
December 31st, 2009 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
Look for more IT companies to invest in social media marketing in 2010. According to a new study by MarketingSherpa, which tracks the space, 55 percent of computer hardware and software companies will be increasing their social media marketing budgets. Only 5 percent are planning reductions.
What does this mean for channel partners?
1. You need to get social – fast: your IT manufacturing partners are clearly headed in this direction. For you to take advantage of some of their brand value, you’ll need to be engaged in social media and in sync with your suppliers.
2. MDF takes on a new meaning: think about new ways in which marketing dollars can be invested. If you’re making a case to a manufacturer, it helps if you’re aligned with its priorities.
3. It’s time to get a plan together: just setting up a Twitter account and a blog won’t get you far. Social media marketing is only effective when the pieces are part of a greater whole … which is designed to maximize impact.
[Via MarketingSherpa]
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December 28th, 2009 - Posted in Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
I hear the following from clients a lot:
- I want leads
- I need appointments
- I have to have an event
- My company has to be on LinkedIn (or Facebook or a blog or anything else)
Unfortunately, these are tactics in search of an objective. When these requests are delivered in full, those who requested it tend not to be happy with the effect it has on there bottom line. Why? They didn’t really want what the asked for. The need they don’t state – but which is most important – is almost universally, “I want sales growth.”
Start the demand generation and cultivation process with sales and marketing planning. First, determine your sales and marketing objectives at as granular a level as possible then, build and execute a plan that maximizes the value of your marketing investment for short-term opportunities and long-term growth. This may include events, social media and other tactics, but these activities aren’t the goals. Rather, success is measured by high-quality opportunities and top-line growth.
Ask for what you want is the first step to getting what you want. Demand “a marketing and business development plan that has immediate and long term sales strategy at its core and that can be 100 percent transparently tracked and managed so we can build our business in the direction we desire” from your marketing partner, department or from yourself. That’s a much better request than “I want a lead.”
August 1st, 2009 - Posted in Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
The declaration “We need to do an event” is one of the most damaging sentiments uttered in the IT industry – that is, when it is declared outside of a meeting that involves a goal of creating a comprehensive marketing plan. An ad hoc, reactive event planning approach to marketing has one of the highest costs per touch in the marketing arsenal (when you truly factor in all the human resources it requires to throw and event) and generally sets IT resellers up for a degraded ROI.
Read the rest of this entry »
June 15th, 2009 - Posted in Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
You should focus on marketing constantly. It communicates and reinforces to prospective and existing clients the value of the services you provide. Telemarketing is an important part of this, and it can be a great way to fill your lead pipeline. To maximize the value of your marketing investment, though, the “tele” variety of marketing should be part of a larger campaign.
Implication: telemarketing itself does not constitute a marketing campaign.
Directionless telemarketing – which occurs when there is no guiding strategy involved – is focused on the myopic goal of getting meetings scheduled. Of course, this is what you want … as long as the meetings are with likely buyers. However, there in lies the rub!
Read the rest of this entry »
Patience: A Marketing Virtue
