We ask our team, “What is one emerging, new, interesting idea related to demand gen/customer acquisition?” Here’s what we got:
It's all about community. Companies walked away from community for a while, but with hyper-targeted marketing, etc., things aren't just about personalization—they're back to helping foster a sense of belonging. So, for B2B brands, we're talking more and more (and more) about things like joining in on Reddit, running AMAs, interactive webinars, etc.
We've also seen some insanely creative stuff around targeting specific ads to specific companies through voodoo magic as far as I can tell. It makes the marketers among us sit up and take notice—super cool stuff.
I saw a debate the other day about whether or not B2B SaaS marketing is anything special; spoiler alert—it isn't. A human is on the other end of your ad, and it's a human making the decision to purchase your product.
Sure, it's natural for an executive to take the lead on decision making. But when do you ever see an astronaut riding a bull? Sometimes it's best to let the CEO run the company, and the CMO to run market strategy.
Another unengaged SDR call: increase pipeline velocity through interactive demos.
Quantitative MQLs is so 2010: qualitative intent data is the new MQL trigger.
People-ize your demand gen process: buyers learn and buy like humans.
Can everyone tell when a company uses ChatGPT to write their social posts - or is it just me? No one uses THAT many emojis.
One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten over the last year was to "stop working so much IN accounts, and start working more ON accounts." It's easy to get lost in the details and little nuances when crafting marketing campaigns, while losing sight of the big picture. Taking a step back to see the forest for the trees allows you to craft marketing campaigns with genuine authenticity.
I just turned 30, and while everyone is focused on a new VR/AR landscape with the release of the Apple Vision Pro, I find myself drawn more to nostalgia - like spinning vintage vinyl and playing retro video games (aging millennial complex?) There's a human element to messaging and connecting with audiences that will/can never be lost.
Old age advertising is making a comeback with no-click searches and AI-generative search. In this landscape, the battle for consumer attention is waged before they even reach your website, underscoring the importance of crafting compelling, informative content that not only attracts but also ranks high on search, engages and converts potential customers throughout their search journey. Website design and experiences are going to be a huge determining factor for decision making -- virtual billboards and all that.
I've almost become resistant to any marketing tactic if it doesn't seem genuine. If it feels like someone giving it their all to convince me I must purchase their product, immediately I'm over it. Don't want it. Swiping left as fast as I can lol.BUT The more simplistic and human it feels the more I'm interested. I'm more likely to buy a book from someone who told me they came up with the idea for it while sipping coffee alongside their grandparents than if they gave me three reasons why it would change my life. I can change my life myself. Tell me why you are the way that you are.
