R2 Narrative

A few months ago, I interviewed several senior e-commerce executives from Enterprise organizations. Everything was going swimmingly. Until this one question: “Where do you find new technology for your business?” That was a doozy. They went off. What followed was a tsunami of frustration, anger, and frankly, exhaustion. One said, “Want to know where I DON’T find new tech?? From the endless parade of desperate reps flooding my inbox and vm. I don’t have time to do my damn job, let alone get back to the hundreds of emails and phone calls I get in a day. They all go right into spam, unread.” Another said, “'I don't answer my phone anymore. The sales spam is so thick, I miss important emails from my own team. It feels like professional harassment.” And now? Add in a chaotic election season. They’re not just dodging sales reps, they are also getting bombarded with 25+ daily texts and emails from political campaigns. Stop flooding the zone.? These buyers are tired. Of you.? They will find you when they’re ready.? Build something worth being found. Stop stalking, and start marketing. The truth? The #1 way buyers source new tech is from their industry peers.?

And, finally, the last of my Enterprise Tech Buyer Insights. Buyers are telling us EXACTLY what they want and need. Tech CEOs and Revenue Leaders, make your lives easy and GIVE IT TO THEM!?Take down your firewall, make the info easy to access via self-service.?Be ready to jump when they want to speak to an AE.?

Want to know how to sell your product to Enterprise buyers? Understand their needs, first. Here you go... I made it super easy for you.

After what seems like way too long working for others, I’ve put out my own shingle. I’ve been fine-tuning the details for the last few months and I’d like to finally share what I’m up to… But first, a story. When I was a sales leader at Electronic Arts (EA), we secured a meeting with the CMO at DirecTV. We knew they were fans of Madden NFL. We started the meeting by discussing their goals, which lead into our pitch to sponsor the new Madden mobile game. About 10 min in, he stopped us and said something like, “You had me at hello.” We nearly fell out of our chairs. In less than 30 minutes, we closed a mid-six figure partnership. It was a combo of luck, timing, and preparation. It was 2nd time in my career that a deal was closed on the spot. Not the norm for sure. Does this happen today? Hardly. Companies are paralyzed by the sheer number of choices, complex buying committees, and lengthy procurement processes. For tech companies, much of them sound the same. It’s challenging for buyers to get the specific information they need, and they don’t want to be pressured into buying something that’s not a good fit. R2 Narrative partners with B2B tech start-ups to uncover and amplify their differentiated value, and powerfully articulate a narrative to their most essential customers. ?The buyer’s journey has changed dramatically, and there is an awesome opportunity for tech companies to optimize how they engage with customers. My goal is to transform the b2b tech buying/selling experience to make it more effective—and frankly, more enjoyable for everyone involved. I am open for business!

Last week I posted a poll about putting your job before your health. Many of you said that it's a struggle to put yourself before your work... In 2013, I nearly died on a business trip. As I left my house for the airport, my leg hurt. I thought I pulled a calf muscle or something. Landed in LA for a conference and sales mtg. I was in pain, but I just powered through as I had to be “on” for work, and my CEO was presenting. I mentioned it to my colleagues and asked if anyone had ever had a blood clot. They laughed, saying, “If you had one, you’d know it.” At 2am, I woke up in agony. Called my husband 17 times, but his ringer was off. I paced around the room until morning, determined to get through the day. Left a msg for my doc. All I could think was that I didn’t want to be “that girl who bailed on a sales meeting to go to the ER.” I got ready for work and headed out the door. The pain was so intense, I could barely walk all the way down the hall to the elevator. So, I took the stairs, which were right across from my room. Climbing the stairs, I felt pressure move from my leg to my lungs. After collapsing in the stairwell, I gathered myself up and walked into the meeting. Everyone could see that I was unwell, but I brushed it off and continued on. My Dr finally called and told me to go to the ER. I walked out the door, and fell to my knees. Told someone to CALL 911. I saw my children’s faces flash before my eyes. Surreal. Minutes later, I was surrounded by LA fire fighters while I lay in the hallway. I told them, through gasps of air, that I had a blood clot in my lungs. They said that I was having a panic attack. I told them NO, and to take me to the ER. After a bunch of tests, I was swarmed by a group of docs. “Over 85% of your lungs are covered in a massive blood clot. You’re lucky to be alive.” I was immediately rushed to the ICU, where a another Dr saved my life. Dramatic? Yes.?Also pretty stupid. The Learnings:? 1) Trust Yourself: I knew something was wrong from the start, but I didn’t listen to myself. Stop seeking external validation when you know. 2) Conviction: When know your truth, be fearless. Your life or your job could be on the line.? 3) Health is Everything: Without it, nothing else matters. To care for others and do good work, you need to have your sh*t together. #healthequalswealth #trustyourself #healthbeforework

Curious if anyone else out there has made bad choices when it comes to work and health. I have a story coming...

CONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITY: A client I am working with is in need of a Digital Marketing Lead. Here are the requirements: -B2B software, and eCommerce start-up experience preferred. -Demand generation. -Lead generation. -Execution of email nurture campaigns. -LinkedIn social media strategy (both paid and organic).?? -Execution of content strategy across all channels.? -Possible for role to turn into long-term position. -Experience with B2B eCommerce industry events is nice to have. Please send me a DM on LinkedIn if you or someone you know is interested. #digitalmarketingexperts #digitalmarketingcontractors #digitalmarketing