Bullhorns and Bullseyes – Details, episodes & analysis

Tom and Curtis return from a brief hiatus to discuss some related — but distinct — marketing terms, through the prism of the book “Forget the Funnel.” What are the differences between “lead-gen,” “lead capture” and “demand-gen” (among other activities).

When you take a customer-driven approach to marketing, it is important to align your tactics and messaging with the prospect’s position and pathway through the various phases of the traditional sales funnel.

Takeaways:

• Understanding the sales funnel is crucial for marketers.
• Customer feedback is essential for refining marketing strategies.
• Demand capture and demand generation serve different purposes.
• Messaging should align with the customer's journey.
• Patience is key in marketing; results take time.
• Real-world examples illustrate the effectiveness of these strategies.
• Aligning marketing efforts with customer needs is vital.
• Continuous learning and adaptation are necessary for success.

Forget the Funnel: ⁠https://forgetthefunnel.com

With the return of football season nearly upon us, Tom and Curtis are thrilled to welcome Scott Howland, Senior Manager of CRM and Marketing Research at the Detroit Lions, to the show! They discuss how the Lions brand made a shift from customer acquisition to customer retention and loyalty, as well as the importance of understanding a fan base and tailoring the fan experience. Scott shares insights on data-gathering initiatives, including surveys and focus groups, to understand fan profiles and preferences. They also touch on the impact of rebranding and the excitement surrounding the upcoming football season.

Takeaways:

• Shifting from customer acquisition to customer retention and loyalty is crucial for long-term success.
• Understanding the fan base and tailoring the fan experience is essential for building strong relationships.
• Data gathering initiatives, such as surveys and focus groups, provide valuable insights into fan profiles and preferences.
• Rebranding can generate excitement and attract new fans.
• Giving fans what they want is key to maintaining their loyalty and engagement.

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/showland3

https://bullhornsbullseyes.com/episode-37/

Kate Simon, the director of coaching at Glover U, joins the podcast to retell her remarkable story, from sales intern to sales mastery with Glover Agency. She, Curtis and Tom discuss the importance of building personal relationships in business, the role of Glover U in coaching and training real estate agents, and the alignment between sales and marketing. Kate shares her experience with cold calling and emphasizes the need for authenticity and empathy in sales. She also highlights the importance of understanding the consumer's end goal and tailoring the messaging accordingly. Tune in to learn more about Glover U.

Takeaways:

• Building personal relationships is important in business
• Glover U provides coaching and training for real estate agents
• Authenticity and empathy are crucial in sales
• Understanding the consumer's end goal is key in messaging
• Patience is necessary in sales and marketing activities
• Follow someone who has walked the path you want to go
• Align sales and marketing to achieve better results

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katetarganski/

Visit Glover U: https://www.gloveru.com/

Learn more and watch Kate’s story: https://www.gloveru.com/real-estate-coaches/kate-simon

Tom and Curtis welcome Dave Tear, owner of Sales Coaches’ Corner, to the podcast to discuss the changing landscape of sales and the importance of having a selling system. They highlight the need for salespeople to focus on opening opportunities rather than closing deals, as well as the value of building rapport and mirroring the prospect. The conversation also touches on the role of technology in sales, the power of effective subject lines in emails, and the importance of understanding the prospect's pain. In the end, the episode emphasizes the need for sales professionals to adapt to the evolving sales environment and provide value to their prospects. Tune in if you’re a sucker for sports puns!

Takeaways:

• Focus on opening opportunities rather than closing deals
• Build rapport and mirror the prospect to establish trust
• Adapt to the changing sales landscape and leverage technology
• Craft effective subject lines in emails to cut through the clutter
• Understand the prospect's pain and provide value

Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-tear-693a50266/

Visit Sales Coaches’ Corner: https://www.salescoachescorner.com

Tom and Curtis are pleased to welcome Brenda Meller, an expert LinkedIn coach, to the podcast to discuss strategies for using LinkedIn effectively. Brenda shares valuable intel on recent changes in the LinkedIn algorithm, the importance of engaging with other users' content, and the value of thought leadership ads. Brenda stresses the importance of employee advocacy and brand ambassadorship on LinkedIn, underscoring the need for companies to empower their employees to engage on the platform and sharing strategies to increase employee participation. The three also touch on the role of brand building in supporting ad spend and the importance of working with experts to maximize the effectiveness of LinkedIn marketing.

Takeaways:

• Engaging with other users' content is key to increasing organic reach on LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn's algorithm prioritizes genuine engagement over viral content.
• Optimizing profiles and posts for the target audience is crucial for success on LinkedIn.
• Brand building at the top of the funnel supports ad spend and enhances overall marketing efforts.
• Working with experts can help maximize the effectiveness of LinkedIn marketing. Employee advocacy and brand ambassadorship are crucial for companies to increase their reach and engagement on LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn is not just a job search platform but also a professional networking site for brand building and thought leadership.
• LinkedIn profiles should be tailored to connect with and help the ideal target audience.
• Acknowledging and rewarding employees for their engagement on LinkedIn can encourage further participation.
• Thought leaders within the company should be encouraged to share brand content on their personal profiles for increased authenticity and reach.
• LinkedIn offers various features and updates, such as premium membership for company pages and a videos tab for more engaging content.

Tom and Curtis are joined by Tricia Meyer, founder and managing attorney at Meyer Law, which provides insights on the different types of contracts and their significance in protecting both parties. Tricia begins by sharing her experience with the Clever Baby, a teething and medicine dispenser product, and the importance of contracts in retail partnerships. 

The conversation highlights the need for clear and balanced contracts to mitigate risks and avoid conflicts. Tricia emphasizes the need for simple and clear sales commission plans and contract terms that can be easily understood and tracked. They also discuss the balance between protecting both parties and not making the contract overly complex. Tricia also announces the launch of her product, Clever Baby, on Target.com and Bye Bye Baby.

Takeaways:

• Contracts are essential in sales and marketing to protect both parties and mitigate risks.
• Different types of contracts, such as customer contracts, referral agreements, reseller agreements, and brand ambassador agreements, serve different purposes and require careful consideration.
• Intellectual property and confidentiality are key areas to address in contracts.
• Automating the contract process can make it more efficient and less burdensome.
• Having clear and balanced contracts in place can prevent conflicts and provide a solid foundation for business relationships. Sales commission plans should be simple and easy to track
• Contracts should be tailored to the specific needs of the business and its clients
• Regularly review and update contracts to ensure they align with the business
• Balance the need for protection with simplicity and clarity in contracts
• Consider the risk tolerance of both parties when negotiating contract terms

Tricia’s website: MeetMeyerLaw.com

Connect with Tricia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyertricia/

This week we’re publishing a “bonus episode,” an interview with Jigar Navadiya, co-founder of DataSlush. Jigar’s company is a pioneering research-based organization dedicated to helping companies unlock the hidden potential within their data.Tom wasn’t able to join the show the special-episode recording, so Jigar and Curtis recorded the episode onsite at our friends’ studio at Auxiom. Curtis and Jigar discuss their 10+ year working relationship, which began when Jigar solved a problem posted by Curtis on an online coding forum and blossomed into a friendship and working partnership as part of Collideascope’s “Teamlance” model.

Topics + Takeaways:

• Learn about DataSlush's expertise in applying data analytics, machine learning, and AI to solve clients’s marketing challenges, such as implementing Google Analytics and Tag Manager.
• Jigar attended the recent Google Next conference and learned about new AI agents being developed for tasks like customer service.
• Jigar shares about DataSlush's collaboration to develop an AI tutor to improve math literacy by providing hints rather than direct answers to problems.
• Exploring the challenges and opportunities of using AI in education effectively.
• The use of OKRs (objectives and key results) to set goals and track progress of marketing initiatives.

Jigar’s website: DataSlush.comConnect with Jigar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jigarnavadiya/

Curtis and Tom interview Nick Swan, the founder of SEOtesting.com, about the state of SEO in 2024 and the importance of tracking and analyzing website user data. They discuss the recent algorithm updates by Google, the impact of helpful content on search rankings, and the potential changes in the search engine results page (SERP). 

Nick explains how SEOtesting.com helps SEO professionals automate data collection, track changes, and measure the impact of their SEO efforts. Curtis and Tom discuss their experiences with SEO testing and the impact it has had on their clients' websites. They share examples of successful SEO tests, such as improving website speed and optimizing page titles and meta descriptions. They also discuss the importance of human involvement in content creation and the potential future of search engine results. 

Takeaways:

• Algorithm updates by Google can significantly impact search rankings, and it is important for SEO professionals to stay on top of these changes.
• The preference for helpful content in search rankings has been observed, and SEO professionals should focus on creating valuable and informative content.
• SEOtesting.com provides a comprehensive tool for tracking and analyzing SEO data, including accurate data from Google Search Console.
• The tool allows users to monitor trends, compare benchmarks, and run experiments to improve search rankings and demonstrate the impact of their SEO efforts. SEO testing can have a significant impact on website performance and organic traffic.
• Improving website speed and server response time can lead to increased impressions and traffic.
• Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions can improve search engine rankings and click-through rates.
• Human involvement in content creation is essential for creating engaging and relevant content.
• The future of search engine results may involve AI-generated answers and changes in search behavior.

Nick’s website: seotesting.com

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nickswan

Building off last week’s mention of “The PESO Model,” Tom and Curtis discuss the power and benefit of integrated communications with Nikki Little, Senior Vice President at Franco, who shares her insights on integrated communications and the PESO model. The conversation covers topics such as the evolution of the communications industry, the keys to keeping communications integrated, the role that specialists and generalists play now and will going forward.

Takeaways:

• Integrated communications involves the integration of paid, earned, shared, and owned media to build trust, authenticity, authority, and brand awareness.
• Strong internal communication and cross-departmental collaboration are key to keeping communications integrated.
• Specialists and generalists both play important roles in integrated communications, with specialists focusing on specific areas and generalists providing a well-rounded perspective.A strategy-first approach is crucial in integrating a non-integrated marketing toolkit.
• Collecting and analyzing data is essential for making informed decisions and measuring the success of integrated communications efforts.

Franco’s website and podcast, frankly: franco.com

Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilittle/

Curtis and Tom interview Cory Lindholm, a paid advertising expert, about the role of PPC advertising in B2B marketing. They discuss budgeting strategies, the importance of quality scores, and the value of data analysis in optimizing campaigns. Corey emphasizes the need for businesses to be willing to take risks and invest in PPC advertising, as it can generate high-quality leads and drive revenue. He also predicts that, as machine learning and predictive algorithms improve, advertisers will see better results and value from their PPC campaigns.

Takeaways:

• PPC advertising is valuable for both consumer product goods and B2B professional services providers.
• Budgeting for PPC campaigns should consider factors such as average cost per click, conversion rates, and maximum cost per acquisition.
• Quality scores play a crucial role in determining the cost and effectiveness of PPC campaigns.
• Data analysis and visualization are essential for optimizing PPC campaigns and making informed decisions.
• Attribution tools and improved analytics platforms will enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of PPC advertising in the future.

Cory's Website: adsbycory.com

Cory on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corylindholm/