Buyer Persona Story Mapping

Oct 2014

How GE Uses Human Connection To Empower B2B Corporate Storytelling

“Behind every person, behind every company, behind everything, is a story of how it got there – and the most relevant stories connect on a personal level.” Beth Comstock, CMO of GE. The above comment is a reminder of no matter how complicated or complex a business and its products may be, there is a human story to be told. Offering us the ability to connect on a personal and human level. GE probably represents one of the most diverse organizations in the world with a portfolio of businesses and products, which can be characterized as complicated, complex, high-tech engineering,…

Article by Tony Zambito

Feb 2014

How The C-Suite Can Discover Rich Buyer Insights Through Buyer Stories

CEO’s and their C-Suite teams are mired in quantitative data analysis. Trying to make sense out of dollars and cents. Uncertainty reigns on how to shape future company strategic direction. Frustration exists with research consisting of surveys and data analytics only providing a snapshot of customer and market realities. Recent customer profiling efforts only telling senior executives what they already know. Sound familiar? Given the amount of technological changes impacting buyer behaviors in the past decade, this is the likely state of affairs in many B2B corporate environments. Frustration Many executives today in marketing, sales, strategy, and operations are frustrated…

Article by Tony Zambito

Jan 2014

4 Steps To A Compelling B2B Brand Story

One of my favorite authors is David McCullough. His award winning books, some winning the Pulitzer Prize, have included 1776, John Adams, Truman, and The Greater Journey. He has become an American treasure and true master at historical storytelling. David McCullough is one of America’s most revered authors and historians. Captivating millions of readers across the globe. What has made David McCullough special is his meticulous research and narrative storytelling. Going at great lengths, taking years, to research historical events as well as to interview people who were there. Combing through and reading stacks of letters. As well as finding…

Article by Tony Zambito

Dec 2013

CMO 2014: 4 Steps To Rediscovering B2B Brand Equity

Having an instantly recognizable brand is the aim of many Chief Marketing Officers and marketing leaders. It is one of the most elusive trophies to grab in the world of B2B. Once achieved, there are tremendous advantages. Gaining such an advantage has become harder to achieve as companies struggle to be heard above the loud din of digital media. The art of building brand equity may have been lost in the digital shuffle taking place in the B2B space the past few years. It is an art companies can ill-afford to lose. With more options available to buyers today, loyalty…

Article by Tony Zambito

Sep 2013

5 Steps To Goal-Directed Content Marketing

Are the goals you think of, consciously and non-consciously, the same as they were five years ago? Ten years ago? The chances are, they have changed. For some, changes may be subtle while for others goals have changed substantially. Significant shifts in buyer behavior as a result of evolving digital technology are causing both buyers and sellers to revaluate their goals. Some goals are explicit and conscious. Others are personal in nature and live in the non-conscious. One thing we can count on is buyer goals are changing. Another thing we can count on is if information from sellers is…

Article by Tony Zambito

Sep 2013

Do Your Buyer Personas Look Like They Are From 1980?

It is downright scary. Pressure is building to come out of the recession and light a fire undergrowth. Marketers and sellers are responding impulsively. How? Slipping back into a time warp of the ‘80’s. A world filled with focus on product centers, product marketing, selling features and benefits, and the buyer was a target – which bought, not engaged. Times Have Changed We know market dynamics, buying behavior, and technology has changed. Marketers and sellers are in the throes of a buyer revolution. It is not going to end soon. The pace of change will accelerate. It is going in…

Article by Tony Zambito

Sep 2013

Can You Predict When Your Customers Will Buy?

During the past two to three years, there has been much focus on understanding the buying process, buying cycles, or as some call it – buyer’s journey – of buyers. Due to shifts in buyer behavior towards research and evaluation before sales interactions, we have seen the idea of mapping content to buying stages and buying journeys. I am not so sure this gets us where we need to go. Mass Confusion There have been many attempts to depict the buyer’s journey and buying process. We have circles, arches, straight vertical lines, wavy lines, and more. My hunch is buyers…

Article by Tony Zambito

Aug 2013

The Chief Marketing Officer’s Dilemma

Month after month, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are confronted with a question. It is a powerful question. If answered with accuracy and in-depth understanding, it can make a profound difference. So profound, it will change the fortunes of the organization. What Is The Question? The question, if answered correctly, will accelerate a company’s ability to transform and be relevant in the new digital age. Answered incorrectly, it can put the company behind competitors and start a decline. What is this question? Who is our customer today? This question may appear simple, yet it is the most challenging question faced by…

Article by Tony Zambito

Jul 2013

Follow the Road to Content Marketing Effectiveness with Buyer Persona Story Mapping

(This is part three of a three part series on the use of Buyer Persona Stories™, Buyer Persona Scenarios™, and Buyer Persona Story Mapping™ to drive effective content marketing strategy.) Getting to see the big picture about customers and buyers today is not easy. It can be like sitting in an old stadium trying to peak around a su_column to see the field. When you cannot see the whole field, you are missing the action. With buying behavior changing rapidly each quarter, not having the big picture on the actions of buyers can set back an organizations significantly. In part…

Article by Tony Zambito

Jul 2013

How To Boost Content Marketing Effectiveness with Buyer Persona Scenarios

(This is part two of a three part series on the use of Buyer Persona Stories™, Buyer Persona Scenarios™, and Buyer Persona Story Mapping™ to drive effective content marketing strategy.) Understanding what activities buyers perform as they attempt to solve complex problems has been a challenge in the digital age. The activities of buyers are no longer transparent and it is harder to figure out what activities directly relate to you and their purchase decision. Yet, in order to be on the same level with buyers, this is exactly what you need to know. In this three part series, we…

Article by Tony Zambito