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Market Smart: How to Gain Customers and Increase Profits with B2B Marketing

And finally, pursue new revenues among new customers. This
can be done through, for example, trade shows.

What’s interesting is that most companies put this last category
first when they think about marketing. But this isn’t the place
to start, when maximizing ROI is your goal.

Admittedly, this framework isn’t entirely black and white. Many
tactics cross between quadrants. A trade show might touch all
four tactics. All the same, it’s a good guideline for evaluating
the right tactics for your B2B company.

Guideline 4: Focus Your Efforts and Evolve
The final consideration when choosing tactics is this: don’t try
to do too much at once. If you try to do too much, you’ll end up
doing a poor job of everything. You’re better off beginning with
a handful of tactics that are clearly aligned with your goals,
and focusing your effort on executing those tactics well. If
you’re just starting out in marketing, pick three to five tactics
over your first six months. More sophisticated companies, or
those who are leveraging outside support and expertise, can
work with five to twelve. If you do a good job implementing
your priority tactics, you’ll get results—and that will enable
you to evolve your marketing program with confidence—and
higher profits.

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd