Top 10 Checklist for a B2B to Acquire WMD–Web Marketing Domination–and Successfully Execute its Marketing Plan!

1. Is your B2B an E=MC6 organization?

In a recent LinkedIn post, I elaborated on my theory of connectivity for B2B organizations. The first step towards achieving Web Marketing Domination (WMD) requires that “A social Enterprise must support Mobile, Customer-centric, Cyber-secure, Cloud-based, Communications, Collaboration & Content.” It is critical for a B2B to strive towards an AAAA connectivity rating – Always-on, Anytime, Anywhere, Any-device.

2. Does your B2B have a CRM-integrated marketing automation platform?

Once your B2B has the required network infrastructure (E=MC6, AAAA rated) in place, it needs to implement a marketing automation platform, which must also be integrated with its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

3. Does your B2B perform SEO on a periodic basis across all its web properties?

A B2B that has deployed the above-mentioned network infrastructure and marketing platform/applications is now set on the road to achieving WMD. But the B2B first needs to verify that the core of its marketing universe is in optimum condition. For which, it needs to run a series of organic searches on its web properties using keywords relating to at least its top 20 products/services/solutions set and verify whether its corresponding websites/weblogs get listed in the first Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for each keyword. If not, a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exercise is overdue.

4. Does your B2B have a Go-To-Market plan incorporating inbound and outbound marketing techniques that deploy relevant social media channels across fixed and mobile platforms?

The marketing paradigm has changed – we are actually moving towards fulfilling management guru, Peter Drucker’s six-decade old vision of “marketing-driven” organizations. In fact, I recently discussed how a B2B’s competitive advantage hinges on Its Go-To-Market plan, which is key to the success of its Revenue Performance Management (RPM) efforts.

5. Does your B2B’s marketing plan include an all-encompassing content marketing strategy?

In another recent LinkedIn post, “Hey B2Bs, If Content is King, Content Marketing is Your Ace!” I had outlined why “it should have become clear to B2Bs that content marketing needs to become an integral part of their overall marketing plan.”

6. Is your B2B’s marketing plan in sync with its embedded marketing communications plan?

A B2B’s Go-To-Market plan, with its all-encompassing content marketing strategy, must adhere to traditional marketing communications’ principles. In fact, in last week’s LinkedIn post my #2 guideline for successful B2B marketers said, “Ensure that their social media marketing plan conforms to basic marketing communications principles including message, medium, messenger, timing, target, frequency and metrics.”

7. Does your B2B’s marketing communications plan consistently target the right message to the right audience at the right time and designed for the right medium?

As part of a declaration of a B2B’s dependence on marketing, I hold this truth to be self-evident that all B2B departments must be in sync with a cardinal marketing communications principle, i.e., “always tailor the right message to the right audience at the right time and adapt it accordingly to the right medium.” The only way to ensure that this principle is consistently applied is through a top-down driven marketing culture starting in the CEO’s office.

8. Does your B2B incorporate business intelligence into its social media marketing efforts?

This is a big data analytics option that I had written about over two years ago in my blog, “When BI Harry Met SM Sally–Why Business Intelligence Needs Social Media?” I would encourage readers to check out “examples of how social media data can enhance the quality of typical business intelligence used by the enterprise.”

9. Are your B2B’s CXOs all in sync with respect to the overall marketing plan?

For the overall marketing plan to succeed, it should be reviewed by the CEO in the presence of all his CXOs on a quarterly basis and accordingly updated by the CMO. This type of commitment ensures that the B2B remains marketing-driven, the marketing plan remains up-to-date, and all CXOs remain in sync with those B2B goals that are being driven by marketing.

10. Is your CMO validating marketing ROI in the monthly RPM meeting with the other CXOs?

As a participating member of the RPM team, it is incumbent upon the CMO to produce relevant reports from the CRM-integrated marketing automation platform that validate marketing ROI and clearly establish Marketing’s contribution to sales revenue.

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A B2B that can continually check off these ten items, some of which periodically recur, from its to-do list, is well on its way to acquiring WMD – a Web Marketing Domination arsenal that is absolutely necessary for a B2B to successfully execute its marketing plan and accomplish business objectives!

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