Comments on: Sell to people, not job titles http://www.proteusb2b.com/b2b-marketing-blog/index.php/sell-to-people-not-job-titles/ Strategies, Insights & Perspectives on Business-to-Business Marketing Fri, 9 Dec 2011 14:44:12 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Mike Marn http://www.proteusb2b.com/b2b-marketing-blog/index.php/sell-to-people-not-job-titles/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Mike Marn Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:45:20 +0000 http://www.francis-marketing.com/b2b-marketing-blog/index.php/sell-to-people-not-job-titles/#comment-2 I'm not advocating an invasion of their privacy. Personal information is difficult to get, and would likely make most prospects uncomfortable anyway. What I am saying is that marketers should not be afraid to build some humanity into their marketing communications simply because they are in the "business to business" arena. I'm talking about things like humor. References to current events. (Gas prices?) Storytelling. A personal experience. It's the same reason a convention speaker starts with a story, not the five top benefits of his company's products.It just helps to relax the audience/reader, and establish a little feeling of "we're all in this together" before launching into a sales pitch. The first paragraph of the original post is an example of what I mean. Does it "need" to be there? No. Does it help engage the reader? I hope and think so. And I didn't have to mention "the bottom line" or "increased efficiency" to do it. I’m not advocating an invasion of their privacy. Personal information is difficult to get, and would likely make most prospects uncomfortable anyway.

What I am saying is that marketers should not be afraid to build some humanity into their marketing communications simply because they are in the “business to business” arena.

I’m talking about things like humor. References to current events. (Gas prices?) Storytelling. A personal experience.

It’s the same reason a convention speaker starts with a story, not the five top benefits of his company’s products.It just helps to relax the audience/reader, and establish a little feeling of “we’re all in this together” before launching into a sales pitch.

The first paragraph of the original post is an example of what I mean. Does it “need” to be there? No. Does it help engage the reader? I hope and think so. And I didn’t have to mention “the bottom line” or “increased efficiency” to do it.

]]> By: b2b direct marketing http://www.proteusb2b.com/b2b-marketing-blog/index.php/sell-to-people-not-job-titles/comment-page-1/#comment-1 b2b direct marketing Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:01:37 +0000 http://www.francis-marketing.com/b2b-marketing-blog/index.php/sell-to-people-not-job-titles/#comment-1 I think this practice would be useful in so many fields. Sales is sales no matter what industry and noone wants to simply feel like the next name on the list. How would you recommend researching the personal lives of the individuals we contact? I think this practice would be useful in so many fields. Sales is sales no matter what industry and noone wants to simply feel like the next name on the list. How would you recommend researching the personal lives of the individuals we contact?

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