Since I have been running my marketing consulting business for technology companies, I’ve been struck by the number of senior individuals heading these companies who might not fully recognize the importance of measuring the effectiveness of their marketing. It often seems as long as the approach is centered around activities like Press Releases, Case Studies, and occasional exhibitions, then the assumption that these efforts alone will suffice. The notion that being busy equates to being productive often prevails and that everything will be fine.
The absence of accountability for results is a common trend. As long as a sporadic lead comes in, there’s a belief that the marketing strategy is succeeding. However, my background in sales has led me to a simple understanding: marketing’s core purpose is to generate leads. We’re not aiming to mimic a consumer goods giant such as Coca-Cola where brand recognition alone is the goal. We already do PR is something I am told often in the belief they have their digital marketing covered. In the context of B2B SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), what’s essential are qualified inbound leads, preferably from previously unengaged new companies. Marketing to existing networks falls short.
A client’s claim of great engagement on LinkedIn once highlighted this misconception. Closer examination revealed that engagement was primarily from the same familiar 10 to 20 individuals, rendering these efforts futile. While nurturing existing networks is valuable, it’s only a fragment of a complete digital marketing strategy. The prime focus should be on tapping into new, unfamiliar companies within the target market at the outset of their buying journey.
As someone with a sales-oriented background, my hunger for leads has been a driving force. Leads fuel sales, and sales drive revenue. Revenue, in turn, translates to survival, growth, and a positive career trajectory for all involved. My exploration of digital marketing evolved from my sales role, where cold calling often yielded mixed results. My launch into real hands-on digital marketing was transformational – it works ceaselessly across time zones, connecting with an audience one could only dream of.
Among the myriad digital marketing facets, there appears to be an overwhelming amount of information to absorb. Terms like Growth Hacking, Influencer Marketing, and Viral Marketing circulate widely, yet at their core, these all strive for a shared objective. My advice: don’t get too caught up in the semantics. Simplistically, our collective goal is to generate leads. And when prospects begin their buying journey, where do they turn first? The answer is clear: research often starts with search engines. Statistics suggest that businesses’ reliance on search engines ranges from 65 to 90%.
Drawing from my experience, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) stands out as a premier strategy. The essence is securing a high-ranking position on search engine results pages for relevant keywords associated with your products. Modern AI technology facilitates content creation, but that’s only half the equation. The other half entails building authoritative backlinks to pertinent landing pages on your website and disseminating this content not only through your social media and website but also to the broader online landscape.
This approach brings clarity to accountability and a measurable return on investment. You maybe tempted to generate much in the way of analytics to justify your existence, which means you are then dragging yourself down in your own bureaucracy. Keep it simple: What’s the surge in website traffic? How well are leads converting? What’s the caliber of these leads? Where do your keywords stand in the rankings? If you are getting a 1000% increase in website traffic but lead generation is hardly changing, then perhaps its an issue with the website or you attracting the wrong audience. Google analytics can help and its free.
Undoubtedly, other elements—pay-per-click, sponsored posts, multimedia online advertisements—play their roles in digital marketing. However, drawing from my own experience and despite all the hype, the leads generated through contact forms on your website (assuming it’s a quality website) are the ones that truly pay off. Don’t get side tracked into brand recognition discussions – as it happens a side effect of content creation will achieve that in any case. Marketing is here to drive leads for sales. Inbound leads signify engagement, interest, and potential for conversion.
