Changing the Game in Revenue Growth, Presented by SAP: Recent Episodes
Bonnie D. Graham
The digital economy has transformed the way B2B buyers discover, research and purchase products and services. They rely on digital resources for a majority of the buying journey, and they use their mobile devices to access and gather that information. They don’t want or need to deal with a salesperson until the actual purchase decision. Today’s B2B buyer differs from company to company and from generation to generation. With a multitude of digital and social channels, it’s imperative that your company present itself with the same message, tone, voice and look across all channels to deliver a consistent experience at every touchpoint in the buyer’s journey. Changing the Game of Revenue Growth brings you thought leaders with expertise across the buyer’s journey so you can proactively connect with buyers on their terms to help you grow revenue and build long-term loyalty. Changing the Game of Revenue Growth with Game Changers, presented by SAP, on The Business Channel.
The buzz: “Market like the year you are in!” (Gary Vaynerchuck). The new customer journey is changing, but testing and planning remain key cornerstones for gauging your marketing and sales programs’ health. Each demand generation program, social media campaign, experiential event is a chance for you and your team to test, learn and refine planning to adjust for revenue growth. The experts speak. Barry Moltz, Shafran Moltz Group LLC: Truth is not to be found outside. No teacher, no scripture can give it to you. It is inside you and if you wish to attain it, seek your own company. Be with yourself” (Osho). Stacie Sussman, SSR Digital Group: “The Yesees said yes to anything…The Noees said no to everything…the Thinkforyourselfees All came out all right (Shel Silverstein). Will Black, SAP: Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning” (Thomas A. Edison). Join us for Testing and Planning for Continued Revenue Growth.
The buzz: “Marketing to businesses is very different than marketing to individual consumers” (blog.hubspot.com). With the world a digital stage, today’s B2B buyer expects your company to engage them with intelligence and personalization on their own terms, wherever they are in the buying lifecycle, on their preferred platforms from Twitter to Facebook and LinkedIn. How? Evolve your marketing and advertising strategies to create unique, customizable, targeted digital and social media programs and campaigns to connect with and educate them. Ready for best practices? The experts speak. Donnetta Campbell, The Social Architects: “Oh, the Places You'll Go” (Dr. Seuss). Sarah Goodall, Tribal Impact: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible” (Walt Disney). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “I am no longer afraid of becoming lost, because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for the artist” (Billy Joel). Join us for B2B Revenue Growth: Strategic Social Engagement.
The buzz: “Business-to-business vendors seem unaware that corporate purchasing decisions are made by human beings….” (sloanreview.mit.edu). In our hyper-engaged digital and mobile business landscapes, customers’ experiences have become a key revenue driver. Your business needs to move from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to unique, customizable experiences to connect with your key customers and provide entertaining, engaging and educational experiences. How? Establish the right engagement platforms and programs for your entire customer base. The experts speak. Barry Moltz, Shafran Moltz Group: “Love everyone, trust a few and always paddle your own canoe” (Selangor Journal). Stacie Sussman, SSR Digital Group: “It’s good to be in something from the ground floor. I came too late for that and I know” (Tony Soprano). Allison Gapter, SAP: “There is no one alive who is youer than you” (Dr. Seuss). Join us for B2B Revenue Growth: Embracing The Customer Experience.
The buzz: “There is a big difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer” Shep Hyken. Your B2B business success can no longer rely on advertising alone. Why? Customers are the “new voice” for your business and their influence is crucial to your continued growth. To ensure your new brand loyalists help you grow and drive your business, you need a marketing strategy that shifts how you engage them across all digital platforms and in-person to drive trust, incite action, and mitigate issues. The experts speak. Rob Levin, RSL Media: “When I'm drivin' in my car, and the man come on the radio He's tellin' me more and more about some useless information Supposed to fire my imagination” The Rolling Stones. Sarah Robinson, Fierce Loyalty: “With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come” Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice. Andrew Steane, SAP: “It's times like these you learn to live again” Foo Fighters. Join us for B2B Loyalists: The Journey to Lifelong Brand Loyalty.
The buzz: “There is a big difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer” Shep Hyken. Your B2B business success can no longer rely on advertising alone. Why? Customers are the “new voice” for your business and their influence is crucial to your continued growth. To ensure your new brand loyalists help you grow and drive your business, you need a marketing strategy that shifts how you engage them across all digital platforms and in-person to drive trust, incite action, and mitigate issues. The experts speak. Rob Levin, RSL Media: “When I'm drivin' in my car, and the man come on the radio He's tellin' me more and more about some useless information Supposed to fire my imagination” The Rolling Stones. Sarah Robinson, Fierce Loyalty: “With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come” Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice. Andrew Steane, SAP: “It's times like these you learn to live again” Foo Fighters. Join us for B2B Loyalists: The Journey to Lifelong Brand Loyalty.
The buzz: “Increasing a company’s growth trajectory is rarely about discovering some brand-new strategy or tactic…it’s really about making better use of the resources you already have” (Mike Carroll, nutshell.com). Everyone in your company has a role in revenue growth! The “new” B2B customer journey demands all internal groups, all employees and appropriate external partners work together seamlessly on a multi-touch point, cross-channel seamless strategy that reaches and engages all target audiences. Great, but how do you get there? The experts speak. Rob Levin, RSL Media: “On a good day, it's not every day, we can part the sea” (The Black Crowes). Vanessa Baker, Tribal Impact: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too… Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it… ” (If by Rudyard Kipling). Andrew Steane, SAP: “Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical” (Yogi Berra). Join us for B2B Revenue Growth: One-team Approach.
The buzz: “By 2020, every human is expected to generate 1.7 megabytes (of data) every second” (Andrew Zola). The new, modern customer requires a new approach to demand generation and revenue growth for B2B companies. Why? A one-sized approach to connecting with customers no longer works in today’s shifted B2B landscape. You need customer personas, industry trends and competitive insights in order to personalize how you connect and engage with customers to nurture connections on their buying cycle. How to get there? Find and use the right data. The experts speak. Ramon Ray, Smart Hustle Media: “I've failed over and over and over again…And that is why I succeed (Michael Jordan). Crystal Willett, itelligence: “I wanna live better days, Never look back and say, Could have been me” (The Struts). Shannon Platz, SAP: “Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival” (Stephen Covey). Join us for B2B Revenue Growth: You Need The Right Data!
The buzz: “A new species of B2B buyer has arisen that is more connected, more impatient, more elusive, more impulsive, and more informed than its pre-millennium ancestors” (Joel York). The arrival of the “new” B2B buyer with their “new’ B2B customer journey signals that your business requires a “new” B2B marketing plan. Yes, now! Does your marketing plan consider the persona of this multi-faceted buyer – who is also an individual consumer – and all the channels and ways they source and consume information along their non-linear B2B buying journey? The experts speak. GL Hendricks, Chirp PR: “The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately” (George GK Koufalis). Rob Levin, RSL Media: “Educate and inform instead of interrupt and sell” (David Meerman Scott). Lucy Thorpe, In Cloud Solutions: “Ladies with an attitude, Fellows that were in the mood, Don't just stand there, let's get to it, Strike a pose ….Vogue” (Madonna). Join us for The “New, Modern” B2B Marketing Plan.
The buzz: “A new species of B2B buyer has arisen that is more connected, more impatient, more elusive, more impulsive, and more informed than its pre-millennium ancestors” (Joel York). The arrival of the “new” B2B buyer with their “new’ B2B customer journey signals that your business requires a “new” B2B marketing plan. Yes, now! Does your marketing plan consider the persona of this multi-faceted buyer – who is also an individual consumer – and all the channels and ways they source and consume information along their non-linear B2B buying journey? The experts speak. GL Hendricks, Chirp PR: “The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately” (George GK Koufalis). Rob Levin, RSL Media: “Educate and inform instead of interrupt and sell” (David Meerman Scott). Lucy Thorpe, In Cloud Solutions: “Ladies with an attitude, Fellows that were in the mood, Don't just stand there, let's get to it, Strike a pose ….Vogue” (Madonna). Join us for The “New, Modern” B2B Marketing Plan.
The buzz: “By 2020, customer experience will overtake price as a key product differentiator. Enterprises need to ramp up now to stay ahead of customer experience innovation” (Walker Research). The “new” B2B buyer has created a new customer journey that isn’t linear or cookie-cutter and doesn’t end at point of purchase. It encompasses the complete customer lifecycle from awareness to purchase through loyalty and advocacy. Is your B2B company positioned, agile, and ready to personalize the journey for each customer? The experts speak. Kate Bradley Chernis, Lately: “I like money” (Sally Krawcheck). Rob Levin, RSL Media: “Daddy made whiskey and he made it well. Cost two dollars and it burned like hell” (Jerry Garcia, R. Hunter). Yosh Eisbart, NIMBL: “If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!” (R.Kipling). Join us for The “New, Modern” B2B Customer Journey.
The buzz: 41% of corporate buyers or purchase influencers comes from the under-40 crow …About 80%of procurement committees are ....people at mid-career (entrepreneur.com/article/310243). Today’s B2B buyer wears many hats and has many responsibilities. What is your B2B company doing to appeal to this “New, Modern” buyer with their multi-faceted persona? Here’s a hint: Your sales, marketing and operations teams need to align, to remain relevant and to resonate consistently with your target buyers at all touchpoints in this digital and mobile world. The experts speak. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Embrace what you don't know, especially in the beginning, because what you don't know can become your greatest asset” (Sarah Blakely). Roger Pierce, The Small Business Company: “Life is so brief and time is a thief when you’re undecided” (Rod Stewart). Brian Moran, Small Business Edge: “Fish where the fish are but use the right bait” (Kantar Millward Brown). Join us for The New, Modern B2B Buyer.
The buzz: “Large enterprises spend millions of dollars to create brand identities…is the greatest real-life Jedi-mind trick of all…. With a focused brand strategy focused on a few key areas even SMB marketers can help their companies gain ground” (tslmarketing.com). Creating a strong brand is the foundation of the SMB’s marketing strategy. While your logo can convey a message, identifying why you are a unique solution, who you are targeting and how your brand wants to be perceived are the real keys to building your brand. Where do you start? The experts speak. Erika Hovland, IOLITE360: “Are you laboring under the impression that I read these memoranda of yours? I can't even lift them” (Franklin D. Roosevelt). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “The reason we're successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course” (Freddy Mercury). Maggie Goralska, SAP: “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog” (Mark Twain). Join us for SMBs: Building Your Stand-Out Brand.
The buzz: “Personalisation – it is not about first/last name. It’s about relevant content” (Dan Jak). Email is predicted to be used by more than 3B people worldwide by 2020, according to a 2016 study by Radicati Group. But Marketing Profs found that in 2016, 42% of marketers did not send targeted email messages, a common error among SMBs and large corporations. Are you ready for email marketing best practices and how to build a campaign that converts to sales? The experts speak. John Walker, Chirp: “The best salesperson is the one the customer trusts and never has to question” (Mark Cuban). Marco Argaez, SAP: ”Distringit librorum multitude” (Seneca). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Take two ideas and put them together to make one new idea. After all, what is a Snuggie but a mutation of a blanket and a robe?” (Jim Kukral). Join us for Avoid The Spam Folder: Email Marketing That Works!
The buzz: “Large enterprises spend millions of dollars to create brand identities…is the greatest real-life Jedi-mind trick of all…. With a focused brand strategy focused on a few key areas even SMB marketers can help their companies gain ground” (tslmarketing.com). Creating a strong brand is the foundation of the SMB’s marketing strategy. While your logo can convey a message, identifying why you are a unique solution, who you are targeting and how your brand wants to be perceived are the real keys to building your brand. Where do you start? The experts speak. Erika Hovland, IOLITE360: “Are you laboring under the impression that I read these memoranda of yours? I can't even lift them” (Franklin D. Roosevelt). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “The reason we're successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course” (Freddy Mercury). Maggie Goralska, SAP: “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog” (Mark Twain). Join us for SMBs: Building Your Stand-Out Brand.
The buzz: “Treating employees as a part of your team of ambassadors is so powerful (theundercoverrecruiter.com). Your strongest asset in promoting your business is sitting at the desk next to you. Not the computer or even your coveted marketing calendar, but your employee who knows your services and products inside out. How to build a culture where your employees and co-workers believe in your brand and promote it on their personal platform to build business credibility and expand its reach? Encourage and empower them! The experts speak. Daniel Khoo, EY: “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and…they’ll do wonderful things with them” (Steve Jobs). John Walker, ChirpPR: “The best salesperson is the one the customer trusts and never has to question” (Mark Cuban). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated” (Confucius). Join us for Need Brand Advocates? Look Within.
The buzz: “Humans are incredibly visual and powerful, moving images help us find meaning” (Dan Patterson). “Producing video is too expensive for my SME.” “I’m not savvy with video technology and tools.” “It takes too much time.” Are these your excuses? Per Cisco, by 2019, video will represent 80%+ of all global Internet traffic and 85%+ for the U.S. Tune in for video marketing myth-busting, actionable tips and easy-to-use tools to help you fit video creation into your content marketing strategy. The experts speak. Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: “Create your own visual style…let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others” (Orson Welles). John Clifford, Gavdi: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion it has taken place (George Bernard Shaw). Ryan Sonnenberg, SAP: “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it” (von Goethe). Join us for Video Marketing: Tips for the Busy Small Business Owner.
The buzz: “Sales and marketing teams, in general, have always been known to have a beef with each other…Maybe that’s why 90% of the content created for sales by marketing is never used by sales.” (Bethany Fagan) Sales and marketing should work in harmony. Too often, not so much. With 62% of buyers searching online for product info vs 29% who talk to a salesperson, marketing now plays an integral role in the sales process. What should the modern sales process look like to get marketing and sales together? The experts speak. Erika Hovland, IOLITE360: “The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization” (JC Penney). Sam Smith, Stellar One Consulting: “If size mattered, the elephant would be king of the jungle” (Rickson Gracie). Casey Ryan, SAP: “Be like a duck – calm on the surface but always paddling like the dickens underneath” (Michael Caine). Join us for Playing Nice in the Sandbox: Aligning Sales and Marketing.
The buzz: “Whether you’re a marketing veteran, or are brand new to the game, keeping on top of the latest technologies and tools available is a tough ask” (Chris Sheen). Hello, SMBs! Are you worried that it’s expensive and learning-intensive to arm your marketers with the right tools to evaluate campaign performance, gather audience insights and boost marketing efficiency? Not true! A well-rounded marketing plan can include free, freemium, and paid tools. Learn how our panel of experts select their tools, and the favorites they cannot market without. The experts speak. Kirsten Boileau, SAP: “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today” (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.). Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: “If you get stuck, draw with a different pen. Change your tools; it may free your thinking” (Paul Arden). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “I will never give in to old age until I become old” (Tina Turner). Join us for Your Marketing Toolbox: Free, Fremium or Paid?
The buzz: “An influencer promoting and amplifying your message, your brand, to their audience means credibility…additional reach...an outsized modifier to the conversion process (Rand Fishkin). Hello, SMBs! If you think word-of-mouth influencer marketing is only for brands like Hello Fresh, Chewy and Stitch Fix, think again. First determine if this tactic is right for your marketing strategy. Then select the right influencer partner for your business. Last, create and execute a campaign that builds advocacy and expands your market reach. A lot to consider, but worth the effort. The experts speak. Alistair Wheate, Onalytica: “Don't waste your time or time will waste you.” (Muse) Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: “You have everything you need to build something far bigger than yourself” (Seth Godin). Amisha Gandhi, SAP: “It is surprising how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit” (Abraham Lincoln). Join us for Influencer Marketing: Not Just for Big Brands Anymore!
The buzz: “’Build it, and they will come’ only works in the movies. Social Media is a “built it”, nurture it, engage them, and them may come & stay” (Seth Godin). According to Mashable, in 2015 Google received over 100 billion searches every month. If consumers can’t find your business, products or services on the first page of a targeted Google keyword search, you “do not exist.” How to get found? Research and select the right keywords for your business and incorporate them throughout your website to help buyers discover you. We’ll share tips on how to use SEO to reach customers at the right time, in the right place, with the right message, i.e., micro-moments. The experts speak. Theresa Childs, Fabricate Studios: “There's no such thing as luck. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” (Seneca). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success” (Shiv Khera). Join us for Marketing SEO 101: Are You Lost or Are You Found?
The buzz: “’Build it, and they will come’ only works in the movies. Social Media is a “built it”, nurture it, engage them, and them may come & stay” (Seth Godin). According to Mashable, in 2015 Google received over 100 billion searches every month. If consumers can’t find your business, products or services on the first page of a targeted Google keyword search, you “do not exist.” How to get found? Research and select the right keywords for your business and incorporate them throughout your website to help buyers discover you. We’ll share tips on how to use SEO to reach customers at the right time, in the right place, with the right message, i.e., micro-moments. The experts speak. Theresa Childs, Fabricate Studios: “There's no such thing as luck. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” (Seneca). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success” (Shiv Khera). Join us for Marketing SEO 101: Are You Lost or Are You Found?
The buzz: “It doesn’t matter in which direction you choose to move when under a mortar attack just so long as you move” (Jeff Boss). Does your company come to a standstill when it’s time to make a business decision because you’re overwhelmed by the amount of data available? You’re not alone. Applying data is crucial to informed strategic decisions. But over-analyzing can happen without best practices and key metrics to help put your company on the path to solid data-driven decision making. The experts speak. Dave Ochser, Overland Tandberg: “We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there” (Smokey and the Bandit). Nicole Laster, Brown Bag Marketing: “If you don't educate yourself, you'll never get out of the starting block because you'll spend all your money making foolish decisions” (Sherlock Holmes). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data” (Daymond John). Join us for Cure for Analysis Paralysis? Conquer Your Data!
The buzz: “Video is the perfect venue to showcase the “you” of your company” (Brad Jefferson, Mashable.com, 2015). Traditional boundaries to producing and accessing marketing media are vanishing as consumers prefer to interact with content via their mobile phones and tablets. What works best? Video! Inc. magazine projects video will comprise 80+% of all web traffic by 2019. Video marketing – once affordable only by big brands with big wallets – is no longer expensive or complicated. Ready to learn how? The experts speak. Matt Singer, Videolicious: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” (Maya Angelou). Jay Maurice, Lessons In Your Home: “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable” (Ludwig van Beethoven). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “No matter what you do, your job is to tell your story” (Gary ”V” Vaynerchuck). Join us for Small Business Marketing: Look Ma, I’m On Video!
The buzz: “Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department” (David Packard). Marketing is at the heart of your business success. In fact, most aspects of your business depend on it. But to introduce your product and service to today’s socially connected, ecommerce-savvy prospects – and turn them into loyal customers who keep coming back – you heed to combine and balance traditional and social marketing tactics. Ready to decide how, where and when to invest your funds and resources? The experts speak. Trish Nettleship, UCB: “Sound strategy starts with having the right goal” (Michael Porter). Lisa Durrett, Legacy Worldwide: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” (Sir Winston Churchill). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone” (Michael John Bobak). Join us for Balancing Act: Your Small Business Marketing Strategy.
The buzz: “Sometimes, the experts forget they were once beginners. You must be gentle with beginners; they have great potential to be experts” (Lailah G. Akita). Your growing company needs a steady flow of fresh content to attract and keep customers informed and connected. But great content requires a subject matter expert. Where to find one? The expert you need could be on your team and neither of you know it. How to identify, support and turn them into content rock stars? The experts speak. Matt Kamp, Influence & Co.: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” (Prof. L C. Megginson). Sela Missirian, Brown Bag Marketing: “If you can't feed a team with two pizzas, it's too large” (Jeff Bezos). Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life” (Amy Poehler). Join us for Empowering Your People: Develop Experts Within.
The buzz: “Video is the perfect venue to showcase the “you” of your company” (Brad Jefferson, Mashable.com, 2015). Traditional boundaries to producing and accessing marketing media are vanishing as consumers prefer to interact with content via their mobile phones and tablets. What works best? Video! Inc. magazine projects video will comprise 80+% of all web traffic by 2019. Video marketing – once affordable only by big brands with big wallets – is no longer expensive or complicated. Ready to learn how? The experts speak. Matt Singer, Videolicious: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” (Maya Angelou). Jay Maurice, Lessons In Your Home: “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable” (Ludwig van Beethoven). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “No matter what you do, your job is to tell your story” (Gary ”V” Vaynerchuck). Join us for Small Business Marketing: Look Ma, I’m On Video!
The buzz: “I like to start a mid-year business review with gratitude for everything we’ve been able to accomplish” (Serenity Gibbons). It’s July 2017! Have you started thinking about whether to adjust your business marketing processes to finish the year strong? No need to stress. Start with questions to determine what’s working, what’s not and changes to make. The experts speak. Trish Nettleship, UCB: “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better” (Elon Musk). Lisa Durrett, Broad insite: “All organizations are perfectly designed to get the results they are now getting. If we want different results, we must change the way we do things” (Tom Northup). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important” (Ellen DeGeneres). Join us for Managing Your Biz: Mid-Year Review.
The buzz: “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.” (Seth Godin) Coined by marketing legend Godin in the title of his groundbreaking 1999 book, “Permission Marketing” turns 18 this year. His concept: it is a privilege, not the right, to deliver anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who want to get them. It also recognizes consumers’ power to ignore marketing. Per a HubSpot survey, most of us want to manage or filter what we receive but we’re open to messages from companies we want to do business with. Ready to develop better relationships with and save money by focusing your marketing on a more receptive audience? The experts speak. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life is too short to think small” (Tim Ferriss). Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: People spend money when and where they feel good (Walt Disney). Join us for Permission Marketing Turns 18: Coming to the Party?
The buzz: “Strategic alliances are becoming more relevant to business owners of all sizes and all industries – what used to be limited to blue chip companies is now a commonplace consideration for many small business owners” (Maria Martyak). Building smart relationships has always made sense for big business: McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. GoPro and Red Bull: Stratos. Now alliance opportunities with big rewards are now everywhere for small companies, too. Look! The experts speak. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate” (Seth Godin). Lisa Durrett, Broad Insite: “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team” (Reid Hoffman). Trish Nettleship, UCB: “Fearlessness is like a muscle…the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me” (Arianna Huffington). Join us for Small Business, Big Rewards: Alliances with Marketing Partners.
The buzz: “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” (Jeff Bezos). Presenting yourself online in a favorable light is today’s digital dress code for business success. Why? In the glare of online visibility, your “social wardrobe” colors your ability to attract and earn the trust of colleagues, business partners and customers. How much thought do you put into looking your best – and do you even know what makes you shine? The experts speak. Lisa Durrett, Legacy Worldwide: “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken” (Oscar Wilde). Katie Spence, SAP: “All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You” (Tom Peters). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want” (Madonna). Join us for Dress for Success: Business Impact of Your Online Personal Brand.
The buzz: “Finding new ways, more clever ways to interrupt people doesn’t work” (Seth Godin). Your customers and some prospects are talking to you. And many are talking about you (hopefully glowing). It would be great if you can guide those conversations to your advantage., but how? Use your existing company content – customer reviews and user-generated comments – to create an engaging, approachable space where people can reach out to begin a conversation. From there, build positive, loyal, long-term relationships. The experts speak. Lisa Durrett, Legacy Worldwide: “Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. But… in the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million” (Paul Gillin). Sela Missirian, Brown Bag Marketing: “Focus on how to be social, not how to do social” (Jay Baer). Tara Mead, SAP: “If content is king, then conversation is queen” (Jon Munsell). Join us for Give Me Space: Conversations with Customers.
The buzz: “Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department” (David Packard). Marketing is at the heart of your business success. In fact, most aspects of your business depend on it. But to introduce your product and service to today’s socially connected, ecommerce-savvy prospects – and turn them into loyal customers who keep coming back – you heed to combine and balance traditional and social marketing tactics. Ready to decide how, where and when to invest your funds and resources? The experts speak. Trish Nettleship, UCB: “Sound strategy starts with having the right goal” (Michael Porter). Lisa Durrett, Legacy Worldwide: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” (Sir Winston Churchill). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone” (Michael John Bobak). Join us for Balancing Act: Your Small Business Marketing Strategy.
The buzz: “The cloud does level the playing field” (Howard Dresner). Analytics used to be too complex and expensive for most small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs). But times have changed, and the cloud has made these tools much more affordable to deploy and easy to use. With cloud analytics, SME decision makers now have the opportunity to use data and analyses – just like their larger competitors -- to improve and create processes for driving business growth. SMEs: Ready, set, go! The experts speak. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “It is very sad that nowadays there is so little useless information” (Oscar Wilde). Steve Knapp, Knapp Communications: “Life's a journey not a destination, And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings” (Aerosmith). Tara Mead, SAP: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards” (Soren Kierkegaard). Join us for Time for Cloud Analytics: Affordable and Easy for SMEs.
The buzz: “Managers do things right. Leaders do the right thing” -Drucker- Social media is ubiquitous in the personal and professional spaces, and your company and your employees are expected to take part. How to ensure your employees are appropriately amplifying your culture to the wider audience, sharing their talents and passions to establish authentic relationships with prospects and customers, and sharing a positive perception of your brand? A social media policy. The experts speak. Andrew J. Sherman, Seyfarth Shaw: “If I am not for myself, then who shall be for me? -Rabbi Hillel. Sarah Goodall, Tribal Impact: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to” -R Branson. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Connect the dots between individual roles and the goals of the organization. When people see that connection, they…feel the importance, dignity, and meaning in their job” -K. Blanchard- Join us for Social Media Done Right: Super Brand Impact.
The buzz: “A good conversation always involves a certain amount of complaining. I like to bond over mutual hatreds and petty grievances.” -Lisa Kleypas Reality check: Your customers are talking about you – and to you – on social media, in customer reviews and user-generated content. Are you worried? Don’t be. You can use that content to your advantage. How? Create an engaging, approachable space where customers and prospects can reach out to begin a conversation. And through those conversations, build positive relationships with them. That’s a good thing. The experts speak. Sela Missirian, Brown Bag Marketing: “Hello” -Adele. Bryan Kramer, PureMatter: “What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form” -David Ogilvy. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another” -Charles Dickens. Join us for Your Customers are Talking: Are You Joining the Conversation?
The buzz: ask me if I care. When deciding whether to take the time to read your content, trust you and become loyal to your brand, your prospects and customers demand more than a catchy headline. Why? They’re busy and distracted. They’re seeking relatable content to help them make buying decisions. And they want you to teach them something new and relevant to their business interests or needs. But great content needs great SEO. At the end of the day, if buyers find can’t you, your content simply doesn’t matter. The experts speak. Rieva Lesonsky, GrowBiz Media: 'You see things and you say 'Why'. But I dream things that never were and I say 'Why not?' -George Bernard Shaw. Jessica Garrett, VeriStor: 'The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing' -Tom Fishburne. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: 'Either write something worth reading or do somethingworth writing about' -Benjamin Franklin. Join us for King Content and the Rise of Relevance.
The buzz: It’s not about you! At the heart of your SME’s Social Selling success is your ability to engage customers and prospects in their preferred digital spaces. How? Create a trusted personal brand using your expertise. Add value with engaging, relevant content that benefits them. Nurture ongoing relationships on popular networks. The payoff? You’ll jump-start the sales cycle. Who doesn’t want that? The experts speak. Sela Missirian, Brown Bag Marketing: 'In the end, what’s most meaningful is creating positive, uplifting outcomes for human experiences and human relationships. Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel. It’s that simple, and it’s that hard' -Danny Meyer. Marco Argaez, SAP: 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results' -A. Einstein. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: 'The good ole days weren’t always good, and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems' -Billy Joel. Join us for SMEs: Putting Your Mark on the Digital Economy.
The buzz: Up close and personal. Business is becoming more personal. How? Rather than searching your company’s home page basics, prospective customers may be more interested in your organization’s leadership and sales team’s presence on LinkedIn and other social platforms. What does this mean to you? In addition to creating and growing your company’s online brand and reputation, you’d be smart to ensure your employees have a solid personal brand to ensure a prospect’s first impression motivates them to buy from you. The experts speak. Rob Levin, RSL Media: “Selling is the transfer of trust” (Jack Daly). Tara Mead, SAP “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” (Dr. Seuss). Phil Lurie, SAP: “To remain in ignorance of the enemy’s condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver…is the height of inhumanity” (Sun Tzu). Join us for The Human Connection: Emphasizing the Social in Social Media.
The buzz- Measure twice, cut once. As a small business owner embracing the digital economy, you’re aware -or you are now!- that customers are increasingly researching and making purchase decisions online. And of course your digital strategy includes an attractive, easy to navigate website -or create it now!- with relevant, informative content to convince visitors to buy from you instead of the competition. If success is defined as reaching and connecting with the right consumers while meeting your business objectives, how do you measure it? The answer: website analytics. The experts speak. Dror Orbach, Illumiti: 'Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future' John F. Kennedy. David Ochser, Consultant: 'Look into the future because that is where you will spend the rest of your life' George Burns. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: 'What's measured improves' Peter Drucker. Join us for Website Analytics: Measuring Your Success.
The buzz: Hello? Is anybody home? If consumers can’t find your business, products or services on the first page of a targeted Google keyword search, you simply “do not exist. How to get found? A solid Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy can put you in front of potential customers throughout their buying journey. Is SEO easy? No. “Quick results in SEO usually come with long term headaches,” per Ron Dod. Can you do it once and then forget about it? No. “SEO is always changing, and it always will be,” says Wyn Partington. Is SEO worth the effort? It’s vital! The experts speak. Ronald Dod, Visiture, LLC: “Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals” (David Ogilvy). Wyn Partington, NexTraq: “He who seeks rest finds boredom. He who seeks work finds rest” (Dylan Thomas). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply” (Stephen R. Covey). Join us for The Seller’s Guide to SEO.
The buzz: Never let it rest…Reality check for small businesses: there will always be a better way of doing something. It could be a more streamlined process, faster communications, tighter cost control, or any innovation that propels you from good to great and beyond. You have priorities and sector-specific issues to balance, but innovation is key to sustainable success. How are today’s successful leaders continuously generating new ideas to stay ahead? The experts speak. Joe Fuller, Vehcon: “It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so” (Mark Twain). Jay Maurice, Lessons In Your Home: “The conductor of an orchestra doesn’t make a sound. He depends, for his power, on his ability to make other people powerful” (Benjamin Zander). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes” (Steve Jobs). Join us for Take Your Biz from Good to Great: Innovate!
The buzz: Fly me to the moon (Sinatra song). Cloud computing – once the purview of IT professionals in high tech fields – is now ingrained in our everyday lives via smartphone apps and online storage. Good news! Your SME can take advantage of all the cloud offers to become more productive and profitable. How? Let us count the ways. The experts speak. Brian Moran, Brian Moran and Associates: “A lot of the records you buy, there's nothing you can hold in your hand, it's all 1's and 0's, this digital cloud floating in the ether. but with analog albums, you can hold it in your hand” (Dave Grohl, The Foo Fighters). David Ochser, Consultant: “We're gonna do what they say can't be done. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there” (Jerry Reed, Eastbound And Down”). Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler” (Albert Einstein). Join us for Cloud Nine and Your SME Business: Ready, Set, Go!
The buzz: Get smart. The buyer’s journey has changed radically in the Digital Economy. From the customer’s own pre-purchase research to the ways they engage with your business, everything has shifted. How can your business stay on top? Know how many times the prospect was exposed to your company before buying. Learn how to increase the display of trusted referrals. Understand the deciding purchase factor. Have the right tools to measure your digital campaign ROIs. nowledge is power. Take notes. The experts speak. Lorraine Maurice, SAP: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door” (Milton Berle). Brian Moran, Brian Moran and Associates: “Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do (H. Jackson Brown Jr.). Steve Knapp, Knapp Communications: ““Life's a journey not a destination, And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings” (Amazing by Aerosmith). Join us for The Digital Path: Focus on Your Buyer’s Journey.