B2B Hierarchy of Needs, Google Will Soon Start Blocking Many B2B Outreach Emails, and Your Secret to Better Customer Relationships

In this edition of Growth Matters:

• Infographic + Video the B2B Hierarchy of Needs
• Buy Grow Sell Podcast Interview on Building Companies to Sell
• Google is About to Start Blocking Emails. Will Your Company Be Affected?
• Secret to Better Customer Relationships

Master the B2B Hierarchy of Needs for Unprecedented Success Infographic + Video

Last month, I unveiled a marketing framework I've been cooking up - the B2B Hierarchy of Needs. The response was overwhelming, and honestly, it was a bit like throwing a message in a bottle into the vast ocean of the internet and watching as waves of engagement brought it back ashore.

I crafted this framework not just as a thought exercise, but as a practical tool for the high-growth companies I'm serving as fractional CMO for and those I'm privileged to coach - two CMOs and a CEO, to be exact. Your feedback has been the wind in my sails, so thank you. ??

I've put together a video that dives deeper into this framework, taking you on a journey from the bedrock of securing product-market fit to the summit of boosting EBITDA. The full size infographic is below. It's about charting a course through strategic milestones and unlocking the full potential of your marketing strategy and financial performance.

?? What You'll Discover:

• The critical importance of establishing a safe space for product teams to admit when product-market fit is still a work in progress.
• How to leverage customer insights, engagement, and conversion strategies to cultivate and optimize your marketing efforts.
• The undeniable power of trust in brand building and its direct impact on your revenue potential.
• Practical steps for enhancing EBITDA, including strategic alignment with financial goals and optimization of marketing spend.

But that's not all. Kurt also addresses the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, from the shift towards first-party data amidst the decline of cookies to the integration of demand gen, channel sales, and support for a seamless customer experience. He emphasizes the necessity of a consultative approach, transforming sales interactions into opportunities for building long-lasting trust.

See the original post from last week with this video for additional thoughts on this framework.

Buy Grow Sell Podcast Interview on Building Companies to Sell

A while back, I sat down with Simon Bedard on his Buy Grow Sell Podcast. If you're not familiar with Simon, he founded and is CEO at Exit Advisory Group out of Australia.

Simon and his team are experts in crafting market assets to calling buyers, negotiating, and advising you strategically. If you are in the later stages of preparing for a sale and need assistance, that's exactly what his team does.

In this episode, we talk about accelerating your business growth to get maximum valuation, what that looks like at each stage, and the leadership style that we see in true high-performing teams.

More than 16,000 have watched the conversation on YouTube alone...not counting Apple podcasts and Spotify podcasts.

Let me know if you enjoy these podcast guesting spots, and I'm happy to include more of them in the future.

Also, if you have a podcast and would like me to be a guest, please reach out.

Google is About to Start Blocking Emails. Will Your Company Be Affected?

In a bold move that's sending shockwaves through our industry, Google's latest bulk sender guidelines are not just an update; they're a revolution. ???

Why the seismic shift? Google aims to drastically cut down on unwanted emails, prioritizing user experience above all. But here's the kicker: the new spam complaint threshold is set at a mere 0.3%, and B2B Software: Averages 3.2%, with a range of 1.3% to 4.3%. That means ALL emails from many B2B companies will be blocked without a change.

Watch this video to find out if your company will be affected? Most B2B companies will see revenues slow or decline because of this.

??? Changes to Ensure Your Emails Land in the Inbox:

1. Boost Transactional Email Volume: Increase the volume of non-spammy, transactional emails. This not only balances your metrics but also enhances your brand's value in the eyes of your recipients.
2. Prioritize Warm Leads: Sharpen your focus on users showing high intent. Utilizing tools for website visitor identification can pinpoint those genuinely interested in your offerings.
3. Clear & Numerous Unsubscribe Options: Ensure unsubscribing is as easy as subscribing. A clear path to opt-out respects your audience's preferences and reduces spam complaints.
4. Utilize Intent-Based Email Lists: For cold emails, tailor your messaging based on the recipient's interests and behaviors. This approach ensures relevance and reduces the likelihood of being marked as spam.
5. Different Domains for Different Purposes: Consider using separate domains for marketing messages and sales automation. This strategy protects your main domain's reputation, ensuring critical communication remains unaffected.
6. Audit Your Email Practices: Review your email strategies regularly against the 0.3% benchmark. Implementing DMARC for all domains should become a standard practice, providing insights into your email performance and security.

?? Your Thoughts? Add them to this newsletter or to the 29 comments on the post from this past week here.

How are you adjusting to these new guidelines? Has your marketing team brought this change up yet?

Secret to Better Customer Relationships

So often, I step into a company and uncover that the expectations being set by and delivered by marketing, sales, onboarding, customer success, and product do not align.

Seldom have I found that any person or team is intentionally trying to misrepresent the company's offering and value, yet, this is exactly what is happening.

Years ago in one of my conference talks I said:

"The art of B2B marketing lies in understanding that every client interaction is a chapter in a longer story of connection, innovation, and shared growth.".

This is the key to having better customer relationship. But it requires intention and transparency to make sure all teams know what the others are sharing with customers across the buyers' journey and are adding to a single view of the customer.

A secret weapon for any CMO or aspiring marketing leader?

Your Customer Success team. They're the unsung heroes with invaluable insights into your clients' experiences. Forge a strong alliance with them.

Dive into every data point they have in their systems, share your marketing narratives, and welcome their unfiltered feedback.

This collaboration ensures your story aligns with the reality of your clients' lives, making every marketing message more authentic and impactful. This is important in B2C and REQUIRED for real B2B growth, especially in SaaS. ??

Read more in the original post here.

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