"THE GROWTH BLOG" - A RESOURCE FOR B2B LEADERS, MARKETERS, SALES & SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

The Enduring Importance of Data in Improving Your Go-To-Market Performance

I've been helping senior B2B go-to-market executives for almost 15 years. In that time, there have been countless business cycles, technological evolutions, and strategic shifts. Yet, amidst this constant change, one principle has remained steadfastly relevant:

"If you can measure it, you can improve it."

This mantra has guided G2M's approach to configuring HubSpot and onboarding and training marketers, sales and service people on how to use HubSpot to grow their business. We focus on two key things: 

  • How you get data in.
  • How you get data out.

Here are the top 3 universal elements we focus on for each:

Getting Data In

The foundation of any robust data strategy lies in how you collect and store your information. Here are the key elements I've learned to prioritize:

1. Build A Central Repository: The Single Source of Truth

Your data must reside in a central repository that is continuously updated. This repository becomes your single source of truth. Over the years, I've seen how disparate data sources lead to confusion, inefficiency, and decision-making paralysis. A unified data storage system ensures consistency, accessibility, and reliability across the organization. At the very least, your marketing, sales and service data MUST sit in the same central repository. Frankly, to not do so is madness. I can guarantee you are leaving money on the table if you aren't doing this.

2. Structured Data Design With Flexibility

Investing time in developing a data design and structure that accommodates the diverse needs of your organization is crucial. This flexibility allows for the seamless integration of data across various functions such as sales, service, and marketing. A well-considered data architecture supports current requirements but also accomodates future demands. With clear design, rules can be applied to ensure their application. For example drop down fields in website forms, or mandatory information sales people must enter when creating a deal.

3. Clear Data Management Rules

Establishing a clear set of rules for who manages the data structure and how any changes are implemented and how data is regularly cleaned is essential for maintaining data integrity. This governance framework ensures that modifications to the data architecture are controlled and documented and it doesn't descend into a free for all. 

Getting Data Out

The value of data is fully realized when it's transformed into actionable insights. This transformation is facilitated by reporting tools that adhere to three principles:

1. User-Friendly Dashboards

Dashboards should provide snapshots of the current state of play, offering a quick and comprehensive overview of key metrics updated on the fly. These visual representations are invaluable for decision-makers and team members alike, providing immediate insights without the need to dive into raw data.

2. Understandable Graphics

The power of well-crafted graphics lies in their ability to simplify complex data sets, making them accessible and interpretable by users at all levels. Good graphics means enhanced comprehension, facilitating informed decision-making across the organization.

3. Customization Capabilities

Each business has unique needs, goals, targets and KPIs. Reporting tools must be customizable to meet different user requirements. This ensures that insights are relevant, targeted, and actionable. The goal is to foster a culture of continuous improvement. Use a tool that doesn't require a degree in data analytics and coding to use! Ensure your tools report builder is easy to learn.  

Beyond Tracking: Data as a Learning Tool

Too often, businesses fall into the trap of using reporting solely as a means to track and manage performance. Whilst accountability is clearly important and a key use case for reporting, this approach can instill a sense of fear and reporting being seen as a "big stick." However, the true power of data lies in its capacity to serve as a learning tool. By asking, "What is the data telling us?" and "How can we iterate and improve?" the focus shifts from performance monitoring to ongoing improvement.

Data, when leveraged effectively, shines a light on how we can do better. It encourages a culture of inquiry and experimentation. Leaders should aim to foster an environment where data is not feared but embraced as a catalyst for learning and improvement.

By prioritizing a central data repository, structured data design, clear governance, rules, and user-friendly reporting, data becomes a tool for learning, improved performance and innovation.

Let's continue to measure wisely and improve ceaselessly.

Topics: b2b marketing b2b sales business growth reporting customer service

The Emerging Social-Centric Internet: What It Means for B2B Leaders

The emergence of the social-centric internet has significant and wide-reaching implications for B2B companies looking to build their presence in the marketplace and develop trusted and authentic connections to prospects. B2B Marketers will need to refine their content strategy (Again? I know, I know...) and ask their senior leaders for their assistance.

"The goal is not to be seen, but to be remembered."

For well over a decade, the search-centric Internet dominated, guiding our inbound marketing and sales strategies. However, a profound transformation is unfolding: the rise of a social-centric Internet. This change is evident in our daily lives. How often do you check social media compared to searching on Google? When you search, you might end up on a company page and, perhaps, download an article. When you connect via LinkedIn, it's a human connection, one-to-one, which can be much more helpful if you are looking for assistance and just as powerful if you are providing solutions to problems your target audience faces. 

A New Playbook: Social First, Search Second

The previous B2B marketing playbook prioritized search engine optimisation, placing social media engagement as a secondary focus. Now, it's time to flip these priorities. The new approach puts social media engagement at the forefront. 

Why? Social channels were built to allow humans to interact with other humans in the digital realm. This allows us to build a community of like-minded individuals who share a common focus and are working on solving the same problems. It's a more natural, authentic way to connect than via Google search. But there is good news on this front too. Pete Caputa, CEO of Databox puts it like this:

"The crazy part, though, is that doing this right helps search strategy too. Content is so much more insightful, thorough, multi-perspective, data-backed when it's built by the community. And that's what Google wants."

So it's a win-win.

For B2B businesses, adapting to this shift can feel uncomfortable. Social media in the consumer world is "on the nose" for many people. A race to the bottom, where vacuous influencers reign supreme, algorithms seem to serve up increasingly toxic content from bad actors and any interesting or valuable content is swamped by advertising posts.

"Surely this is not the place for B2B brands who have spent years curating their brands as reliable, trusted business partners to play," I hear you say!

Indeed. And LinkedIn, the social channel for business, has suffered to some degree from becoming a noisy, spammy place. But it's THE social channel B2B businesses must master, and it is the key to building the right type of influence over your target buyers - one that builds trust and authentic relationships.

Here are some ideas that I hope help B2B organisations harness LinkedIn to grow their business.

Topics: social media Thought Leadership Marketing thought leadership Go-To-Market Strategy

Unlocking Seamless B2B Growth: How Your Tech Stack Can Transform Your Sales, Marketing and CX

In today's competitive landscape, successful companies differentiate themselves by prioritising exceptional customer experiences across every touchpoint with their organisation. These days, customers expect suppliers to be easy to research, engage with, buy from, and get service from when they become a customer.

Topics: b2b marketing HubSpot b2b sales crm customer experience Go-To-Market Strategy

Boosting Sales Productivity: The Power of Modern Sales Software

In today's business world, selling has become more challenging than ever. Buyers are harder to reach, sales performance is down, and buyers' budgets are stagnant. Sales leaders are struggling to meet their goals.

The root of the problem? A lack of productivity. In the past, the solution was to throw more sales reps at the issue and push for more and more activity. However, the best-performing sales teams have shifted their focus towards creating better customer connections through relevance, intelligence, and personalised experiences for prospects.

The Crisis of Disconnection:

The old approach of hiring more reps and increasing activity levels has been disrupted by what HubSpot calls the "crisis of disconnection." It's a situation where a tsunami of unfocused activity and headcount constraints driven by economic slowdown has left sales teams struggling to meet their numbers.

The better way forward is to concentrate on making reps more effective in their interactions and implementing best practices with regard to their productivity.

The Role of Modern Sales Software:

Topics: sales automation sales software sales productivity

Navigating the Go-To-Market Software Adoption Challenge: A Guide to Successful Implementation

Investing in new go-to-market software to support your sales and marketing teams is undoubtedly an exhilarating prospect. It comes with the promise of revolutionising your endeavours and propelling growth for the whole business. However, beneath the excitement, a nagging concern often lingers.

Will the team actually use the software in their daily work?

Will we be able to unlock the full potential of the software, or will we be plagued by low user adoption and patchy competence?

Frankly, it's a valid concern; too often this has been the past experience of sales and marketing managers. They have either already tried to drive the adoption of new marketing and sales software and copped the blame when it hasn't gone well, or been on "the shop floor" when a new mandatory system has been foisted on them by the senior executives and rather than helping with their work, has just added to the jobs to be done to keep the boss happy. 

The key to releasing the power of your software investment and achieving rapid ROI is to select an experienced implementation partner who has "been there, done that" many, many times before. Here's a guide to help you make that choice:

Topics: HubSpot Onboarding

Empowering Australian Sales Managers: The 5 Keys To Unlocking Sales Team Success

In the ever-evolving world of sales, Sales Managers play a pivotal role in steering their sales teams towards success. This article focuses on the specific pain points of Sales Managers and how deploying the next generation of smart sales software offers essential features to help them gain control, create visibility, and build a repeatable sales process that leads to increased revenue.

At g2m, we are unapologetic advocates for HubSpot's Sales Hub software as we believe it's the best sales toolset for sales managers (and their teams) in the world, however this list should provide a handy general list of pain points and how to solve them.

Sales Managers: The Drivers of Sales Team Excellence

Sales Managers are the lynchpins of the sales process, responsible for coaching and guiding their sales reps to achieve their targets. However, they face distinct challenges that require precise solutions.

Let's explore the primary pain points of Sales Managers and how today's latest sales tools can be used to address them:

Topics: HubSpot b2b sales sales software

Navigating Uncertain Times: Simplify Your B2B Go-to-Market Strategy

Many businesses and households are cautious amid a challenging, uncertain economic landscape marked by rising costs driven by inflationary pressure and interest rate rises. As companies wrestle with these challenges, many are rethinking their go-to-market investments and tools and opting for a clearer, simpler, more effective - and ultimately cheaper approach.

The proliferation of Apps and software throughout every nook and cranny of the business has led to increasing chaos, inefficiency, and escalating expenses. Understandably, firms are taking a long, hard look at their investments.

For heads of sales and marketing, the key to success lies in creating blistering clarity in your go-to-market strategy. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of clear-eyed thinking and offer a blueprint for leaders to streamline their approach, reduce costs, and drive operational efficiency.

Topics: content marketing marketing automation sales automation Go-To-Market Strategy

5 Ways Thought Leadership Enables Your Sales Team

When it comes to winning business, thought leadership and demonstrating high-quality thinking reign supreme - and now it's official!

FT Longitude's (A content strategy firm owned by the Financial Times) Gareth Lofthouse authored a survey of over 2,600 senior executives, and at the top of their priority list was the "quality of a firm's ideas and their thought leadership." This places high-value content at the forefront of sales enablement, outshining conventional tactics like pricing and product strength.

The true game-changer, your competitive edge, lies in the ideas, insights and understanding that your organisation has. It puts you in pole position to win and keep business.

Here we summarise the 5 ways thought leadership can enable your sales team:

Topics: b2b sales thought leadership Go-To-Market Strategy

The AI Challenge: Standing Out in the Era of Copycat Content

The impact of AI technology on B2B sales and marketing is a lot less dramatic and dsystopian than in many areas,  where it may pose some genuinely scary threats to life as we know it. However, it is already bringing opportunities and challenges for many B2B marketers and salespeople.

One early challenge for B2B go-to-market teams is the proliferation of copycat content generated by AI algorithms. If you think your target audience are experiencing digital fatigue now -  you ain't seen nothing yet!  Soon your heartfelt blog, proven sales playbook, LinkedIn post, carefully crafted case studies and artfully created eBooks will be swamped by a Tsunami of competently written but utterly vanilla schlock.  Your ability to influence your buyers as they move through their buying journey maybe be forever weakened.

In this blog post, we will provide some suggestions that we hope will help businesses to stand out in the era of copycat content. By focusing on unique value propositions, personalised messaging, human connection, creativity and trust, you can differentiate your brand and make a lasting impact in the crowded digital space.

Topics: content marketing b2b marketing Thought Leadership Marketing

Navigating Complex B2B Decision-Making: Strategies for Higher Conversion Rates

In the world of businesses who sell to other businesses, the buyer's decision-making process has grown increasingly complex, leading to longer sales cycles and lower conversion rates.

But some organisations have solved this challenge. In this blog post, we will explore actionable tips for navigating this complex B2B decision-making process. In short, success means providing the right message and content, at the right time, to the right people in the buying centre. Master this and you will become dramatically more successful.