More Tactics Do Not Equal More Success
How many campaigns do you have planned for 2015? According to the most recent B2B surveys by ANNUITAS and Content Marketing Institute, if you are like most marketers you’re run somewhere between 12-15. The problem is, tactical campaigns are not highly effective. Campaigns are specific actions, generally focused on promoting one asset or event to a certain group with an expected outcome. This is not what buyers are looking for- they want a conversation, a dialogue and campaigns cannot deliver that.
What’s the difference between a campaign and a program? Is it just semantics? No, there truly is a great deal different between the two terms. Campaigns are one and done, they have a defined start and finish and very rarely is there any continuity between one campaign to the other. Programs on the other hand, are perpetual, they are designed to Engage, Nurture and then Convert buyers and enable a conversation for the duration of the buyer’s journey.
According to a recent article in Entrepreneur Why Smart Online Marketing is About Help, Not Hype the key to being a successful online marketer is being helpful. How can markers truly help and connect with buyers when we send email after email, webinar follow-up, invites to events, all on a pre-defined schedule to our buyer without a thought as to how and when or if they want to receive the information?
It’s widely known that B2B marketing and demand generation is not easy. Studies and reports showcase all too often that despite valiant efforts, marketers are not as effective as they need to be in driving demand and revenue for their organizations. There are many reasons as to why this may be. It may have to do with the way we are trying to reach our buyers in a linear, campaign-driven fashion (buyers don’t buy this way). It may be because we aren’t connecting with them in a helpful, meaningful way or via the right channels. It is certainly not because we aren’t trying enough tactics and running enough campaigns. Just throwing more at buyers will not necessarily equate success.
Author: Erika Goldwater CIPP/US @erikawg is VP, Marketing for ANNUITAS
