ortance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tact

If you market a product or service, how do you want to be approached by another marketer? In a recent study, conducted by Three Deep Marketing, with assistance from Marketing Sherpa, more than 70 percent of the marketers told the researchers that they did not want to be approached by a telephone call or a face-to-face meeting. Of the respondents, 70.9 percent said “no” to phone calls, 63 percent didn’t want group presentations; and 57 percent didn’t want a face-to-face meeting.

Today, links to a web site and email presentations are favored by most marketers. Specifically, 87.4 percent liked web sites and also approved email solicitations (pitches). Even 74 percent liked a web-based demonstration from their computers. Each of these numbers is greater than those who preferred the “pre-Internet” way of communicating a sales pitch.

Why is any of this important to you? It’s important to know what other marketers are up against these days. First and foremost, they are anxious to be able to demonstrate a positive return on their investment in marketing dollars. There is tremendous pressure from the top to clearly show that marketing is paying its way. This is one of the most difficult and elusive measurements possible. What acceptable method can you use to prove that you are earning a proper “return” on your dollars? And what, pray tell, constitutes a “return?Next comes the need for generating some flow of leads. The tactic must produce an ongoing “flow” of leads to be considered successful. The next most anxious thing on their list should really be at the top of it. They have it a bit mixed up, but this is due to the pressure from the boss, many of whom are bean counters and really don’t understand the art and science of marketing. They care only about numbers, so the marketer feels the pressure to perform, and hence today’s marketer’s biggest worry is the one connected with longevity at this employer.

At the top of the list should be “how to differentiate oneself”. This is next on the list the researchers discovered. You need to know how to successfully differentiate yourself, hopefully in a preemptive manner. Next, you must incorporate that into your master marketing strategy and logical tactics required to accomplish that strategy. If you do so, your marketing dollars will sprout great returns and your leads will flow like good wine. (Refer to my recent article, Flying Blind: Without The 2 Secrets of the USP).

However, “differentiating their company from their competitors”; only comes in third in importance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tact

itations (pitches). Even 74 percent liked a web-based demonstration from their computers. Each of these numbers is greater than those who preferred the “pre-Internet” way of communicating a sales pitch.

Why is any of this important to you? It’s important to know what other marketers are up against these days. First and foremost, they are anxious to be able to demonstrate a positive return on their investment in marketing dollars. There is tremendous pressure from the top to clearly show that marketing is paying its way. This is one of the most difficult and elusive measurements possible. What acceptable method can you use to prove that you are earning a proper “return” on your dollars? And what, pray tell, constitutes a “return?Next comes the need for generating some flow of leads. The tactic must produce an ongoing “flow” of leads to be considered successful. The next most anxious thing on their list should really be at the top of it. They have it a bit mixed up, but this is due to the pressure from the boss, many of whom are bean counters and really don’t understand the art and science of marketing. They care only about numbers, so the marketer feels the pressure to perform, and hence today’s marketer’s biggest worry is the one connected with longevity at this employer.

At the top of the list should be “how to differentiate oneself”. This is next on the list the researchers discovered. You need to know how to successfully differentiate yourself, hopefully in a preemptive manner. Next, you must incorporate that into your master marketing strategy and logical tactics required to accomplish that strategy. If you do so, your marketing dollars will sprout great returns and your leads will flow like good wine. (Refer to my recent article, Flying Blind: Without The 2 Secrets of the USP).

However, “differentiating their company from their competitors”; only comes in third in importance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tact

that you are earning a proper “return” on your dollars? And what, pray tell, constitutes a “return?Next comes the need for generating some flow of leads. The tactic must produce an ongoing “flow” of leads to be considered successful. The next most anxious thing on their list should really be at the top of it. They have it a bit mixed up, but this is due to the pressure from the boss, many of whom are bean counters and really don’t understand the art and science of marketing. They care only about numbers, so the marketer feels the pressure to perform, and hence today’s marketer’s biggest worry is the one connected with longevity at this employer.

At the top of the list should be “how to differentiate oneself”. This is next on the list the researchers discovered. You need to know how to successfully differentiate yourself, hopefully in a preemptive manner. Next, you must incorporate that into your master marketing strategy and logical tactics required to accomplish that strategy. If you do so, your marketing dollars will sprout great returns and your leads will flow like good wine. (Refer to my recent article, Flying Blind: Without The 2 Secrets of the USP).

However, “differentiating their company from their competitors”; only comes in third in importance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tact

employer.

At the top of the list should be “how to differentiate oneself”. This is next on the list the researchers discovered. You need to know how to successfully differentiate yourself, hopefully in a preemptive manner. Next, you must incorporate that into your master marketing strategy and logical tactics required to accomplish that strategy. If you do so, your marketing dollars will sprout great returns and your leads will flow like good wine. (Refer to my recent article, Flying Blind: Without The 2 Secrets of the USP).

However, “differentiating their company from their competitors”; only comes in third in importance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tact

ortance to the marketers in this study. Fourth on the list is the need to deliver the marketing communications in a clear, consistent manner at all times. Last on their list of concerns is the need to qualify the lead status before handing leads off to the sales force.

Take a close look at these “concerns” held by this particular group of marketers surveyed. Four out of the five concerns are “tactics” or “measurement tools” while only one is strategic in nature; then it is placed in third order of importance to them. This is the reality of what you have to face out there these days. Strategy should always come first, tactics to accomplish the strategy, second.In order to get the positive attention of another marketer, and then close him/her on your products or services, you must know “how” they want to hear your message (and this implicitly includes the “when” they want to hear it too). Moreover, you need to clearly understand other marketers’ concerns; anxieties and needs in terms of what your product or service can do for them. If it can’t help them with one of these five problem areas, you are going to be hard put to get their attention, let alone close them on what you offer.

Re-think the benefits of your product/service and re-frame them in the context of these five key areas of need as perceived by other marketers. Then indicate that if the prospect is truly differentiated, it and they will attract more positive attention from potential buyers, generating higher sales, which in turn will increase the return on the marketing investment. This will always result in more consistent leads and hence more closed and profitable sales. This should get her attention. But don’t call him on the phone or ask for some face time. Send an interesting, well crafted email instead.

©Copyright, Roy W. MacNaughton, 2006