Get Your Head Out The 80's

Get Your Head Out The 80's

Gone are the days when just thinking that your product or service is brilliant and expecting people to flock. They won’t.

There are a huge number of B2B buyers in this world that go under an alternative name – ‘Humans’.

Remember those? Not job titles, not people you’ve had a meeting booked with but actual flesh and blood that react to approaches that actually mean something to them.

All the time we send out marketing messages, Tweets, LinkedIn posts and the like we’re kind of sat there rubbing our hands together thinking –

‘Who’s not gonna love this’.

Well the truth is that no one will take a blind bit of notice unless you connect to them at a human and engaging level.

Ladies and gentlemen it’s called a Relationship.

Relationships might seem like a fluffy thing to major on but actually if you’re developing new business from cold they are still the single most important part of what you need to build.

In the nicest possible way and with respect I don’t give a shit what you do, if you can’t break down your business into the fundamental parts then rebuild it into a relationship building machine you’re fucked.

That’s the exact reason most sales campaigns don’t work, why you can’t automate them and why you don’t get the reception you want when you eventually get them on the phone.

I called a lady today in a company and said I have something I felt she would find interesting. She said –

‘Ok but I’m super busy and I’m in a bad mood’

‘Forget it then I said and at that point she invited me to tell me why I was calling. She said it was interesting but her CEO would need convincing.

Good enough for me.

Take note – the point at which I said ‘forget about it’ was the point at which she got interested.

So, do yourselves a favour, stop expecting and start working. New business is bloody hard work and if you can’t put in the miles then don’t expect a reward.

@MarkYoungNewBiz

Anthony Foster

Senior Design Manager Allergan Aesthetics at AbbVie

7 年

Interesting views Mark and nice graphic... I think there were just as many marketing campaigns run in the 80s that didn't work for exactly the same reasons you mentioned, but at least with digital it's a lot easier to SEE them not working! I fully agree that whatever marketing medium you choose, and the key is choosing the most appropriate, should provoke a 'human' reaction. What that reaction influences someone to do next is your sale. I also agree with Tobin in that there's a culture of fear because campaigns can be set up so quickly now (and in a digital marketplace some have to be), that that fear translates into a low creativity, broad brush, quick hit approach. Fact of the matter is, people (and business people) speak to each other on social media as if they are in the same room. That behaviour needs to be harnessed not just for 'likes' but, for as you say, continuing relationships.

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Tobin Sinclair

Global Sales and Marketing Director at EcuTek Technologies Ltd

7 年

So tired of people too young to understand why pushing automation as the way forward does not compute with the very way they are trying to sell to me. Worried about consumers/people becoming hypnotised, galvanised and recruited by messages without substantiation or fact via social media. Concerned that this light weight, give to me now, in 5 secs or I'm not interested, preferably in video form rather than paragraphs as that scares me and I'll only read max the first 2 or 3 lines, generation will bread a shallow, sound bite, 30 sec video driven, Las Vegas like never never land in which they transact and do business. Meanwhile in the real world, believe it or not, people do still, funnily enough, buy from people...if they haven't first been traumatised by what was said about them on twitter or haven't seen that photo that they can't believe was posted on xx Facebook page and got 300 likes OMG!! And who the xx does he think he is commenting about that when...(sound of the keyboard warrior brandishing his weapons after a few fortifying drinks and setting about righting some wrongs and trolling some unsuspecting innocent). I worry for us all Mark and wish I was back enjoying the simple things and marketing in the 80s

Mark Young

New biz lifer I Sales Trainer I Content writer I Cold Caller I Proposition developer

7 年

I think we actually agree here that sales just doesn't work without the relationship build. In order to do that then we must get noticed. My logic for the title was related to a different business world, less communication speed and a greater chance of standing out. What do you guys think?

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Carol Ann Thomas

Marketing Director | Expert Events & Trade Show Strategy & Execution | Branding/Rebranding and PR Management | ABM, CRM and Sales Enablement | Demand Gen Campaigns and Content | 25+ years B2B

7 年

This is definitely a great read, but I am struggling to see any connection to the title. I am a 30 year veteran of Financial Services Software hardware and software and now SAAS sales. In the 80s and 90s, ALL the salespeople I worked with were exceptional relationship managers and worked they're a**es off exactly BECAUSE there were no "bluebirds" as we called incoming request to BUY without any effort by sales. I am happy to admit I have no clue what "Get Your head Out The 80s - let's put aside the cringe-worthy grammar for a sec) has to do w/the article. What am I missing?

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What a refreshingly honest piece! Good advice too.

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