B2B companies finally understand the importance of brand
Peter WeinbergThe moment is approaching when B2B brands realise they need to invest more in brand than performance. Just look at these examples for inspiration.
Peter Weinberg and Jon Lombardo
AI has the power to change B2B market research forever
Peter WeinbergMany are talking of the ways AI will rip up the rulebook on creativity, but for B2B the biggest disruption AI will cause is to diagnosis.
The 99:1 rule: How to invest in a recession
Peter WeinbergFor B2B firms, investing in brand marketing is the best bet in good times, and it’s an even better bet in bad times when the pool of current buyers shrinks from 5% to 1%.
B2B brands shouldn’t fear rejection, but being unknown
Peter WeinbergMarketers can’t control brand rejection but they can elevate awareness, so B2B brands should take charge of the levers they can pull to make their brand stand out.
This is the B2B century, and marketers will be the ones to lead it
Peter WeinbergThe history of marketing is synonymous with consumer brands, but now B2B is the key driver of economic growth and it will be marketers who build those businesses.
Forget personalisation, it’s impossible and it doesn’t work
Peter WeinbergTrue personalisation is unachievable due to poor data quality, but it’s ineffective anyway and should be replaced with creative that resonates with everyone.
The ‘Flippening’ will usher in a Golden Age of B2B marketing
Peter WeinbergBrand marketing creates more financial value than short-term performance marketing – the sooner B2B marketers flip their perspective and start allocating budgets accordingly, the better it will be for everyone in B2B.
The ‘product delusion’ is holding B2B back
Peter WeinbergThere’s plentiful research to show buyers don’t make purchases logically, yet B2B marketers still try to make sales largely based on product features.
Brand characters could be the most undervalued asset in B2B marketing
Peter WeinbergIt’s hard to tell a great story without a great character but most B2B brands seem reticent to entertain the idea. One exception is Salesforce, which introduced Astro who helped revitalise the brand and make it interesting again.
Use the ‘cash flow funnel’ to fight finance with finance
Peter WeinbergB2B brand marketers need to learn to play the game and win over the CFO if they want to grow their brand and budget, which is where the cash flow funnel comes in.
The 95:5 rule is the new 60:40 rule
Peter WeinbergB2B marketers shouldn’t be spending time and money convincing out-of-market buyers to consider a purchase but instead invest in making every buyer remember their brand next time they need its product.
How bad incentives ruin good marketing
Peter WeinbergTargeting narrow segments, regularly changing creative and constantly optimising campaigns are all antithetical to growth, yet they’re exactly what marketers are incentivised to do.
Are B2B and B2C marketing really any different?
Peter WeinbergMarketing to businesses is strategically no different from marketing to consumers, but using the same tactics for both won’t be effective.
‘Mental models’ are the key to measuring the things that matter
Peter WeinbergMany marketers use metrics of no relevance to brand or financial outcomes, but the following concepts can help guide you towards more effective measurement.
Three rules for more effective B2B marketing
Peter WeinbergB2B brands’ advertising is largely ineffective but needn’t be. To create more memorable ads, there are three simple rules.