OnBase: Smashing Sales and Marketing Misalignments Ep. 440 | B2B Beyond Basics
Episode Summary
In this episode of Sunny Side Up, Chris Moody interviews Meredith on B2B marketing. She discusses the need to understand buyers' functional and emotional needs and stresses the importance of authenticity and empathy in marketing. Meredith greatly advocates for realistic communication and tangible evidence to support product claims. Her key strategies include developing detailed customer personas, engaging with sales teams for direct feedback, and continuously testing marketing messages to ensure relevance. Meredith highlights the effectiveness of conversational marketing and the importance of comprehensive strategies that focus on customer retention and acquisition. This conversation offers valuable takeaways for anyone in the B2B space looking to enhance their marketing strategies and build stronger customer relationships.
About the Guest
Meredith has an extensive career in marketing and product management with leadership roles at high-growth and Fortune 500 companies in healthcare and financial services. Most recently, Meredith was Director of Enterprise and Collaborative Marketing at Walgreens, where she led B2B product and brand marketing for the company. A data-driven go-to-market strategist, Meredith is excited about identifying innovative solutions that address current and future customer needs.
Key Takeaways
- Understand and cater to the functional and emotional requirements of your B2B buyers.
- Make sure to communicate realistically about your products and services to build trust with your buyers.
- Demonstrate, don't just claim. Use tangible evidence like data, demonstrations, and customer testimonials to substantiate your claims.
- Foster genuine connections with customers by being authentic and empathetic in your marketing communications.
- Understand the full scope of customer personas. Consider both the role of the customer within their organisation and their stage in the buying process.
- Develop specific personas for important targets to tailor your approach effectively.
- Engage with sales and account management teams for direct customer feedback and insights.
- Focus on understanding what worries your customers, which can inform how to position your services to address their concerns.
- Continuously test your marketing messages with essential target buyers to ensure relevance and engagement.
- Foster genuine, conversational interactions with B2B buyers to create a more human and relatable marketing experience.
- Employ a comprehensive marketing strategy surrounding your customers with positive messages about your product.
- Focus on current and potential clients in your marketing efforts to build stronger relationships.
- Aim not just for customer retention but also for turning customers into advocates for your brand.
Quote
“The B2B buyer is supporting an entire organization, even if it is a small business, and they have emotional needs as well. As a B2B marketer, you need to think about partnering with your account and sales team to help support those emotional needs.” – Meredith Hein
Recommended Resource
Shout-outs
Adam Terenas – CEO & Founder of Health Launchpad
Chris Rahill – Chief Strategy Officer at Yamamoto
Dawn-Marie Kerper – Executive Consultant at Ogilvy
Connect with Meredith Hein | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website