sales strategy

State Of Buyer Personas 2016: Strong Correlation Between Effectiveness And Goals

In 2016, we will mark the fifteenth year since buyer personas were first introduced.  The journey, however, continues towards professionals and organizations gaining a true understanding of what buyer persona development entails. What is clear is buyer personas are now entering the mainstream of dialogue when it comes to overall customer understanding.  Incorporating Survey Data …

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Study Confirms Importance Of Qualitative Research To Success With Buyer Personas

A recent survey conducted by Cintell*, entitled 2016 Benchmark Study On Understanding B2B Buyers, indicates that high performing organizations utilized qualitative research for their buyer personas.  The study focused entirely on the use of buyer personas for understanding B2B buyers. Findings also found that 70% of companies who missed their revenue goals did not conduct …

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The Missing Link Between Business, Marketing, And Customer Strategy: Buyer Personas

One significant change in the past few years is the top of mind presence of the customer on the part of CEOs. The mandate of “getting closer to the customer” has never been stronger. Various surveys point to CEOs linking business growth to increasing customer engagement efforts, growing their customer base, and improving customer retention. …

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7 B2B Buying Behavior Trends To Watch In 2014

Like a runaway train, B2B buyers continue to evolve and reshape their buying behaviors.  Adapting to new channels as well as technologies to solve critical problems, reach goals, and accomplish more.   My conversations with B2B marketing and sales leaders indicating it will be tougher for B2B Marketing and Sales to keep pace in both customer …

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Buyers As Usual Is Over

CEO’s and their respective teams are feeling the pinch.  Customer acquisition is a top priority.  Lead generation is a priority.  Effectiveness is a priority.  Survey after survey in the last year or two points to the need to not only sustain but also grow.  Clarity on how is the apparent missing link. Short-Term Many organizations …

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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 – …

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4 Buyer-Focused Strategies B2B Businesses Must Get Right For 2014

The process of planning and budgeting has begun or is about to begin for many senior leaders returning to post-summer planning mode.   Usually, the fixation is on the budget.  An exercise some welcome.  While others loathe. While the quantitative budget process is of importance, so may be getting the organization right about their buyers.  By …

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The Buyer Revolution: 4 Steps To Evolve Or Be Toppled

The rapid changes in technologies and business models continue at breakneck speeds.  Shifting the landscape of buyer behavior along the way.  Fermenting the once dormant ability of buyers to redefine the seller-buyer relationship .  Creating a buyer revolution marching on unabated. B2B business, marketing, and sales leaders are faced with rethinking long-held strategies and redefining …

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Lead Optimization Study: The Right Prospect, The Right Message, At The Right Time

Generating leads is a big deal.   Acquiring new accounts and customers an even bigger deal.  Getting both of these right is a very good deal.  Getting them wrong – well – can be a very bad deal. Recently, I reviewed the interesting findings from the CSO Insights Lead Optimization Study.  The study’s primary focus was to …

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