Welcome to the fourth edition of the Marketing with Intent newsletter, by Resultful.
“Are we doing the right thing?” is one of the most common things I’m asked by partners. They’re spending money on PPC, investing time creating blogs or doubling down on company page post frequency.
And – you guessed it – they’re not seeing the return they’d like.
Now, sometimes they’ve never been open about what good looks like. They’ve given the green light and then, over time, as ROI has lacked, they’ve started to become disgruntled with what they’re seeing.
It’s nobody's fault. But we need to fix it. And that’s what this edition of the newsletter is all about: marketing tactics.
Let me know what you think – and, as always, if you need any help, or just want to chew through some ideas over a 15-minute chat (with no obligation), don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Director & Founder, Resultful
This is a dangerous question without consideration for a couple of things:
If you’re clear on these two things, then really, the tactics you should use should be pretty obvious. They may need some consideration in the greater scheme of things.
Example A: We’re trying to sell more laptops
In this example, there’s likely a good volume of people searching in Google or Bing for a specific laptop type. If you’re well-ranked organically or have PPC ads in place, there’s a good chance you’ll acquire a website click, which could turn into a sale.
Example B: We’re trying to sell digital transformation projects
In this example, the definition of a digital transformation project can be pretty broad. The customer might have an idea of what they want, but they’re looking for expertise for a reason: they don’t know what they don’t know, and they need a partner who can help them identify their requirements and then deliver against them.
The customer in this instance is probably taking many avenues to find a supplier – they’re possibly asking their networks for referrals, going to Google to search for providers and/or seeking out events and exhibitions in the hope of a good fit.
But what they’re looking for isn’t as clear-cut as a device. It’s unlikely they’ll land on the first website they see in Google and experience a lightbulb Eureka moment – “that’s what I need!”. Instead, it’s likely to be a lengthy process to find potential partners who fit the brief. Then, it’s more than likely going to be a process of elimination through engagement to find the perfect partner.
In addition to what you’re trying to achieve, thinking about the prospect is important. Are you engaging with an IT manager or a CEO? What sort of company size?
It’s important to think about both of these things together because two CEOs very rarely look the same. The CEO of a family business – 50 staff – may well be involved in the decision-making process, and they may (themselves) turn to Google to search for a solution or partner. However, the CEO of a FTSE 100 business definitely won’t be taking to LinkedIn, and they might not even be aware of the project that’s taking place.
Think about your ideal customer profile and where they’re likely to be. If engaging with C-Suite job titles within FTSE 100 businesses is important, expect to pay a premium. PPC (as a marketing tactic) is unlikely to ever be a consideration, whereas events and thought leadership in trade media might be.
For me, the simplest way to break down the conundrum is this:
Are you shifting boxes, or are you consultatively selling? What we mean by that is, can somebody decide to buy something without ever speaking to you? (For example, a new device or license type). If yes, you’re probably “shifting boxes”, at which point you can be much more tactical – think paid ads (PPC, LinkedIn ads, for example) or a basic email campaign.
If, on the other hand, you’re selling consultatively, the chances are that somebody needs to engage with you to a) understand what their exact need is and b) learn about how you can help them.
That means that you’re not likely to have an off-the-shelf spec waiting and ready to go. It might take multiple conversations to get to a fully-fledged proposal.
Think about the deal size and put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer. What are you selling? Would you buy a solution this way? How might you approach looking for a new solution to a challenge? Would you consider options, maybe visit a dozen or two prospective supplier websites and then speak to multiple people? If that’s the case, you’re narrowing down the supplier market by discounting those that seem less experienced or credible in what you’re trying to buy.
To be in the running here, you need to be laser-focused on building a strong brand, having referenceability and credibility in the way of case studies, user testimonials, vendor specialisations and designations, and so on. As such, your marketing approach might be heavily weighted to content – whitepapers, reports, eBooks, blogs, videos, webinars, etc.
On the other hand, if you’re selling something much more simple and scalable, you can probably rely on PPC (Google or Microsoft Ads) to drive qualified traffic – those who are looking to buy something specific.
Caveat: it’s more complex than this – I get it – but this is a simple way to give some direction. If you’ve got budget and resources available, it’s always worthwhile executing a varied set of tactics – and PPC has a role to play in driving big ticket opportunities, but as part of a broader mix. Its unlikely (but I accept – it’s not impossible) that somebody will only engage once with you (in this example, a PPC a)d and then become a decent sized opportunity.
As a rule of thumb, the greater the deal, the more touchpoints you’re likely to need to engage with them. PPC may be one, email marketing may be a couple and social media may be a couple more.
This time, we're looking at "customer intent" - the name given to signals that somebody is interested in buying (or at least worth a proactive conversation with). For example, they repeatedly visit a solution page on your website. There’s a guessed level of intent there. It’s a bit finger in the air sometimes, but it shows they’re more engaged than a completely cold prospect.
Partner of the Year entries open next week, celebrating the best Microsoft Partners globally. With dozens of categories (excluding the territory categories, too), there’s plenty of opportunity to get your business name in lights.
Earlier this year, I launched a Partner of the Year eBook, which looks at how to craft a compelling story. Click here to download a copy!
We’re Resultful, a Microsoft-focused marketing agency. We’re passionate about three core areas: