Bas is an operational manager with a large business-to-business company for whom he has worked for over 10 years. Over the course of his tenure there, he realized something had to change drastically – he and his department are directly responsible for profiting from their marketing activities.
So he asked himself: “How can B2B marketing help bring operational efficiency and effectiveness to the process of marketing and sales?”
The arrival of the digital world
“My team and I have been working the same way over the last 10 years,” Bas says. “At a certain point, the application of online communication, such as social media, newsletters and blogs, became increasingly important. We tried to incorporate that into our operations. Without any research, we started using social media, maintaining a blog and sending out newsletters regularly.”
What do we gain from marketing activities?
“Up until now, we had no idea if these online marketing activities made a difference. I began to look into how we could apply marketing more effectively.
“My superior started asking me more and more often: ‘Bas, can you demonstrate that the marketing activities we are applying actually result in something?’ And I couldn’t. I did more research, but the technology is so advanced and multifaceted that B2B companies have too much from which to choose.”
Bas realized there were many solutions to recruit new customers – i.e. lead generation – and get help with daily marketing activities.
From traditional marketing to revenue marketing
“I ran into a four-step plan (pictured below) and when I looked at it, I realized our B2B company is still at step one, ‘Traditional marketing,’ while I really wanted to be at step four, ‘Revenue marketing.’
The question, answered
Bas eventually came in contact with Revenue Creative.
“After a thorough analysis, [Revenue Creative] advised us as to how we, as an organization, could make our marketing measurable and accountable as well as improve the ROI of our sales and marketing activities. The question I asked myself a few months ago – ‘How can B2B marketing help bring operational efficiency and effectiveness in the process of marketing and sales?’ – has been answered.
“I know how we, as a company, can apply our marketing and sales process to manage B2B marketing effectively. Besides improving its effectiveness, I think it also got a lot more fun. I have insight in the results of our marketing activities, and it is an ongoing challenge to improve these results. It is a huge motivator for me and my team as well!”