Do you have a leaky buyer's journey? Ask a Fractional CMO

Welcome to this month’s edition of the Ask a Fractional CMO newsletter - where NIM’s Fractional CMOs Jen Kelly & Nicole Croizier answer the most pressing marketing questions from B2B leaders. If you have a question for us, submit it HERE.? ?

This month’s questions address two areas of confusion in B2B marketing: Why are leads not always the right answer for more revenue, and where email marketing really fits and when and how it can work (and not work) for you.? So here are the questions we’re addressing this month:

• Question #1: We have a revenue problem. How does fixing our buyer’s journey help? ?
• Question #2: Does email marketing really work?

Question #1: We Have a Revenue Problem. How Does Fixing Our Buyer’s Journey Help??

In plain language, what this question is really asking is: Our revenue is slowing - why are more leads not the right answer? We love this question because it really points to the importance of lead conversion when it comes to diagnosing your revenue problem.

We find that when B2B CEOs notice they’re not bringing in enough revenue, they immediately turn to lead generation to fix the problem. But what we often find, is that the real issue is in converting those leads that you bring in.?

Many B2B companies have what we call “leaky” lead conversion systems, which means qualified leads that should be converting are leaking out of the system for whatever reason.

When we diagnose a client’s lead generation system to check for leaks, we often find that the issue is that the lead conversion system does not match the ideal client’s buyer’s journey.

This means that the steps the company puts in place are not the way an ideal client prefers to buy, so the the buyer will?drop out and go elsewhere.? Some of the most common issues we find are:

• Interrupting prospects with sales calls too early in their journey.?
• Not responding to clients' outreach in their preferred method of communication.
• Not giving prospects an easy way to do their own research, and forcing them to contact you to continue their process.

We dive more deeply into this question and how to solve the problem in our video answer - you can watch it RIGHT HERE.

Question #2: Does email marketing really work?

This question came to us from a B2B leader who wanted to promote a new workshop, and assumed that the way to do that was through email marketing.

But the company didn’t have email marketing set-up yet, and so they would be starting from scratch - and they wanted some assurances that email marketing really worked before moving forward.?

What we found interesting about this question is that it points to a common potential mistake many businesses make - and that is jumping right to a tactic to solve a marketing problem and not looking at the overall strategy first.?

What we recommend in this situation is taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. What the company is really looking for is a way to fill their seats for an upcoming workshop. Is that solution through email marketing? Maybe - or maybe not. Or perhaps email marketing becomes just one element of a larger strategy.?

The important question to ask here is: What is the marketing strategy I need in order to fill the seats in my upcoming workshop? In order to answer this question, you first need to know:

• Who are the ideal clients for my workshop? You need to know who your ideal clients are first before you can figure out where and how to reach them.?
• How long do I have to fill the workshop? This can determine whether you’ll have time to target a colder audience who doesn’t know you yet, or whether you need to really focus on a warmer audience who is more likely to sign up quickly.
• What is the overall marketing strategy for the company (if there is one)? What types of marketing are we already doing that works for us? How do we leverage this?
• What are all the potential marketing tactics I could use to fill this workshop, and which ones will give us the best return, the fastest?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll have a better idea of the high-level tactics you will choose to fill your workshop. Whatever tactics you choose, you will then need to develop a marketing campaign strategy consisting of multiple steps to move your ideal clients into the workshop.?

So imagine that email marketing does end up being an ideal marketing tactic to use to fill your workshop, but you don’t have email marketing set-up yet. This means you have to make a number of strategic decisions:

• What email system should you use?
• Who will you be emailing (clients, prospects, partners, others), do you already have a list, and who are you legally allowed to add to your list?
• What is your email campaign strategy? When will you send the emails, how many emails are needed and what will the messages be?

You can see how quickly a seemingly simple question, “Does email marketing really work?” can quickly become quite a bit more complex. Our simple answer is: Yes, email marketing absolutely works if you have the right strategies and systems in place - but no, it may not work if you don’t.?

We dive more deeply into this question in our video answer - you can watch it RIGHT HERE.

What's Your Question? Ask Us Now and Be Featured in the Ask a Fractional CMO Newsletter

Ask a Fractional CMO is the monthly newsletter where you get to ask your most pressing questions around B2B marketing.? NIM's Fractional CMOs Jen Kelly and Nicole Croizier will tackle two questions each month, answering them in their Ask A Fractional CMO video blog and newsletter.? You can ask your question now and review answers to past questions?RIGHT HERE.

Do You Know It’s Time to Invest In Marketing But Aren’t Sure Where to Start?

When you know it’s time to get more serious about marketing, the options out there can be confusing. That’s why we created The B2B CEO's Ultimate Guide to Building a Marketing Team in Today's Complex Marketing World. This comprehensive 30+ page guide walks you through all the questions you need to answer first in order to make the right decisions around your B2B marketing, including:

1. When to Invest in Marketing: How do you know when it’s time to get more serious about marketing? What are the top signs that your current strategies are no longer working?
2. How to make the decision to hire in-house or outsource??
3. What are the marketing model options available for B2B companies at your stage??
4. Is it better to hire in-house, outsource to marketing agencies, or hire a Fractional CMO + marketing team??

They are all solid options, but what are the benefits and challenges of each, and when should each be used? More importantly, which is the right option for where your business is at right now?

Download the guide right here and let us know what your questions are by replying to this email.

We’re Here to Help - Book a Complimentary Marketing Strategy Consultation Now:

Our Fractional CMOs have worked as senior leaders in B2B organizations before at all stages of growth. We understand the challenges you face as a CEO and are here to answer your questions and guide you in making your right marketing decisions to support your next stage of growth.?

Book a strategy call with Jen RIGHT HERE. This is a great opportunity to share your business goals, challenges and where your marketing is right now, and get our expert feedback on what we believe your ideal marketing next steps are. ?

Ready to Get Started? Here’s How to Work With Us:

1. Fractional CMO & Expert B2B Marketing Team:? When it’s time to ramp up your marketing, we give you the senior marketing leadership and instant marketing team you need, right now. For more than 14 years, our team of senior marketing leaders and expert marketing specialists have been helping B2B companies with the strategic direction and real-world execution needed for practical, long-term results. Learn more or book a consultation now.?
2. Strategy First: Strategy First is a 60-day proven B2B? marketing strategy process. At the end of 60 days, you will have a client-focused and actionable 12-month marketing strategy that is ready to implement - either by you or our Fractional CMO & Expert B2B Marketing Team. Learn more or book a consultation now.?
3. Book your consultation now: Not sure what type of marketing support you need? Then book a consultation and we’ll assess your needs and recommend a customized program or workshop. Customized Program

We look forward to working with you.?