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What CEOs Should Look for in a B2B Manufacturing CMO: Part 2
In my previous post, we discussed the importance of hiring a CMO who understands the buying process. Someone who can identify the customer’s pain points and what they need to move forward at each stage of the buying process. Now, let’s consider the role of emotion in influencing the buyers’ decision and how that applies.
Appealing to Emotions
Although it’s easy to think otherwise, emotions play a role in both B2B and B2C marketing. And, yes, that even applies to industrial buyers! When industrial buyers won’t take a risk, that can be an emotional decision.
They don’t want to risk the consequences that come with a bad decision—being viewed poorly in their job, adding even more tasks to an already full workload, or even losing their job by going with the lesser-known alternative. After all, haven’t we all heard that “nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM?”
Fast-Track Research: Creating Credible Thought Leadership Content Without Breaking the Bank
Mon, Jun 23, 2025 — My previous articles explored how research-based thought leadership transforms prospect relationships and the framework for implementing it in your ABM strategy. As a fractional CMO working with mid-market B2B companies, I frequently hear: "Research sounds great, but we don't have the resources for it."
Navigating Economic Waves: Charting a Course for Business Growth in 2025 and Beyond
Wed, Jun 18, 2025 — In today's rapidly changing business landscape, success isn't about surviving—it's about strategically thriving. As a seasoned executive and growth strategist, I've learned that understanding economic trends isn't just an academic exercise; it's the difference between being a market leader and a market follower.
8 Strategic Moves to Grow Your Business with AI
Wed, Jun 18, 2025 — Top takeaways and action items from Mary Meeker’s 2025 AI Trends Report Generative AI is accelerating at a pace we've never seen before. ChatGPT, for example, reached 800 million users in just 17 months—far faster than the 11 years it took Google Search to hit similar annual query volumes. Tech giants are pouring hundreds of billions into AI infrastructure, making these tools cheaper, faster, and more accessible than ever before.
From Market Competitor to Trusted Advisor: Leveraging Research to Dominate Your ABM Strategy
Thu, Jun 12, 2025 — My previous article explored how research-based thought leadership transforms prospect relationships in ABM programs. Now, let's tackle the practical framework: How do you build and implement research-driven ABM to elevate yourself from being seen as just another market competitor to becoming an indispensable trusted advisor?
The Secret Weapon in ABM: How Research-Based Thought Leadership Transforms Prospect Relationships
Tue, Jun 3, 2025 — ABM programs that consistently outperform are those anchored in credible, research-based thought leadership. I've seen it repeatedly throughout my career as a marketing leader. In my experience, this approach leads to improved conversion from the first meeting to the next sales stages and shorter sales cycles. The secret isn't just better targeting – it's the authority established through proprietary insights.
Why CEOs Must Be Active on Social Media: Building Trust and Authenticity with Customers
Wed, May 14, 2025 — Executive Takeaways CEOs who are active on social media build significantly more trust with consumers, employees, and stakeholders 71% of consumers trust companies more when leadership communicates on social platforms LinkedIn is the most effective platform for CEO thought leadership and B2B engagement Authenticity matters more than polish—honest, imperfect posts resonate better than scripted content
Sales Velocity Model: A Tool for Growth Engine Mechanics
Wed, May 14, 2025 — Most companies deploy a sales “force”. Too often, their combined efforts are not meeting company growth expectations. Most CEOs would like a better growth engine, a larger sales pipeline, and more sales, but they struggle with exactly how to help their sales teams. Busy CEOs combined with people and process related complexities of Sales, often results in companies not being clear on the root cause of their growth engine problems.
The Revenue-Ready Marketing Playbook, Part 4: How a Shared Playbook Across Sales and Marketing Unlocks Value
Fri, May 2, 2025 — This is Part 4 of the Revenue-Ready Marketing Playbook, a 4-part series for mid-market CEOs who want marketing to move the needle. You’ve got a sharp Marketing team. An experienced Sales leader. Solid product-market fit. And yet, the customer experience feels disjointed. Campaigns generate leads that go quiet after handoff. Sales calls start from scratch, even when prospects have engaged with marketing content. Messaging shifts between touchpoints and the onboarding experience doesn’t match what was sold.
The Revenue-Ready Marketing Playbook, Part 3: How Marketing Can Deliver Predictable Outcomes
Fri, May 2, 2025 — This is Part 3 of the Revenue-Ready Marketing Playbook, a 4-part series for mid-market CEOs who want marketing to move the needle. In many boardrooms, the prevailing sentiment is "Marketing is a black box - effective in parts, but it's unclear which parts." That kind of uncertainty is surprisingly common. For many growth-stage businesses, marketing still feels like a gamble. You spend, you hope, you wonder if it worked.