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Melanie Chapman is a demand generation marketing leader using a background in marketing automation, content marketing, email marketing, and account-based marketing to support SaaS growth.
She is the Director of Demand Generation at RevenueWell and former Senior Director of Demand Generation at Jellyvision.
M.C.: You can’t do everything at once, so focus on what’s not working. What marketing channel isn’t converting well? What segment of the market are you struggling to convert? What part of your sales pipeline leaks? Good account-based marketing takes resources, insights, and time, so be thoughtful with where and when you invest.
M.C.: Timing. People don’t want to hear about your offering when it’s convenient for you, the seller; they’re only interested when the moment is right for them. What signals that it’s the right time to talk to a prospect will differ from company to company, but one of the consistent indicators of good timing is change. People are more receptive to changing their purchasing habits when they’re going through a big life change, like becoming a parent or buying a house. Or, in a B2B context, when they’ve started a new job or their company is going through a merger. Something as simple as setting up Google Alerts for the companies on your target list can put you in front of the people who are willing to listen.
M.C.: In your messaging, focus more on demonstrating that you understand their customer and their needs vs. talking about what your product delivers.
M.C.: If you give something—and that means a real gift, not a free eBook—your customer is more likely to be willing to say yes when you ask for a meeting. Combine this tactic with empathy—a gift that shows you get it—and you have a winning marketing campaign.
M.C.: Your sales team is a customer of marketing, and to be most helpful, you need to learn about their pain points and challenges. Solving their problems—say, too many meetings where the prospect no shows—will ensure that you meet your goals as well.
M.C.: Being purposeful about taking the time to analyze that data. I’m guilty of opening reports for 5 seconds and then moving on with my day. It’s important to not just collect data but to take the time to meaningfully reflect on it and translate those insights into action.
M.C.: Too much tech. Just because there’s a tool for everything doesn’t mean you need a tool to get the job done. Before making a tech investment, see what you can do under your own steam. You can always evaluate tech again if you find you need it to scale.
M.C.: Opportunities, pipeline, and revenue. We have a super-smart marketing attribution model that allows me to see the impact campaigns are making in the context of broader revenue team activities.
There is no silver bullet. The best martech won’t make your campaign successful if you aren’t doing a good job at communicating why customers should care about what you’re selling. Always remember that even the coolest features are there to enable you, not as an ends to themselves.
M.C.: An increased focus on reaching everyone involved in making a buying decision. In the B2B space, we’re finding that more and more people are influencing a deal. Marketing needs to do a better job of getting in front of those people, from producing relevant content to leveraging tech to meet them where they are.
