B2B Marketing Deadly Sin #2 - Thinking Tactics First, Not Strategy

by Rick Whitmyre,
president and a principal,
Tiziani Whitmyre, Inc.

In our continuing series, the "Five Deadly Sins of B2B Marketing," let's look at Deadly Sin #2, which is: "Thinking Tactics First, Not Strategy."

In today’s, slash-the-budget, reorganize-daily marketing world, most ads, brochures, web sites, and PR campaigns bear little connection to the company’s business plan. Why? Poor management communication, revolving leadership, dynamic markets, mid-year adjustments, you name it.

A colleague once lamented, “I've found that 90% of the time, the vice president of marketing and the vice president of sales aren't talking to each other, and some times it’s the same person.” Next time, pull out the strategic or annual business plan before developing a campaign. Make your tactical decisions within the strategic framework. Engage the management team early in the process to gain alignment on the approach and to facilitate approvals. Achieve consensus on the target audiences and key buying decision drivers.

A clearly articulated positioning platform with a unique value statement and key customer benefits builds a strong strategic foundation to implement your messages. Creating information architecture for your company helps you choose the most effective marketing tools. And understanding the channel strategy and selling cycle helps deliver the communications with maximum impact. Develop a consistent tone and image for your campaigns that optimize your positioning. Enjoin customers in an ongoing conversation and move them to your value proposition.

As our creative director Fred Martins says, “a strategic plan is a great document that helps risk-averse people make decisions to move forward” – a key enabler in today’s corporate organization.

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There are more Deadly Sins, of course. Stay tuned...

Or, if you can't wait, we've developed a free white paper to help marketing executives avoid these money-wasting, product-killing, and even career-ending mistakes.

Download a free copy of it, “The Five Deadly Sins of B2B Marketing,” from http://www.tizinc.com/DeadlySins. Or, call us at 781-793-9380.

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About Tiziani Whitmyre Inc.
Tiziani Whitmyre, Inc. a marketing services agency offering Internet marketing services, public relations, search engine marketing services, online marketing services, integrated marketing communications, brand strategy, corporate reputation, advertisting, graphic design, Website design, and other business marketing services. The firm's integrated solutions approach supports both the broader and finer points of brand positioning -- as well as the on-going generation of sales leads. The agency’s ROI analytical and marketing expertise ensures the maximum payback on a marketing communications budget. The firm is headquartered near Boston in Sharon, Massachusetts, and can be contacted at http://www.tizinc.com/ or 781-793-9380.

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Focusing on business-to-business public relations

Tiziani Whitmyre's expertise is in business-to-business public relations.

We work with companies from small business startups to global leaders. Unlike traditional firms, we are very flexible in our public relations services and combine the expertise of large agency professional talent within the flexibility of a boutique.

We help clients generate sales leads, launch new products, enter new markets, establish technical leadership, and achieve other business goals.

We craft and execute cost-effective, results-focused PR efforts that integrate traditional and Web 2.0 solutions as discrete projects, targeted campaigns, on-going public relations programs, or elements in an integrated marketing program.

Our industry experience is deep and includes analytical instruments, biotechnology, ecommerce, food and dairy, healthcare, high technology, laboratory sciences, life sciences, machinery, manufacturing, medical products, pharmaceuticals, professional services, and software.

We're located near Boston, but work with companies around the U.S.

Please browse our public relations case studies or our client's press release blog to sample our work.

If we can help with your public relations, give Don Goncalves a call at 781-793-9380 or visit us at the public relations section of our website.

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Technorati tags: B2B, business to business, public relations, PR