O MANNY's

This is for the founders, entrepreneurs, freelancers, smb, marketers, consultants, etc. that are constantly facing the endless challenges and changes in the marketing world. For the entrepreneur who has to compete locally and also globally. For the sales manager and marketing manager who somehow has to produce financial results in the face of incredible odds.

And the trend is that target b2b customers are constantly being presented with more choices, lead generation will get tedious, qualifying leads will be faster with AI, not every marketing tactic and strategy is guaranteed to work, powerful platform companies like Facebook / Google are leveraging their dominance,

It really can be overwhelming operating a business and trying to grow and keep sales and marketing complexity at bay.I personally see the intensity, stress and desperation through the founders actions via our founders community. I see it in my mailbox. I see the urgency in the digital ads. I even saw it in a report by Adobe called, “Digital Distress: What Keeps Marketers Up at Night?”

So I decided to put together a quick guide to help b2b marketers and founders reduce the overwhelming nature of sales and marketing. My ultimate suggestion is for founders and their businesses to partner with sales & marketing service providers or hire more fast-learners because S&M is just going to get more aggressive, intense, complicated, sophisticated, and overwhelming.

Anyway I hope you enjoy this guide that will help you make money without stressing over sales and marketing.
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Identify & Face The Challenges

The truth is that top sales & marketing challenges are just going to get worst. Generating traffic will get harder, quality leads will be reachable but sales-cycle will be longer, tangible ROI will get trickier to correlate. Basically roll up your sleeves and face reality.

Unpredictable Time & Consumption Is The Norm

People are consuming content and experiences whenever they please and how they please. So your business must have a fluid like operation. Meaning it must be responsibly operating 24/7 like a convenient store.

Keep Calm & Grow Skills Faster

Everyone in a company must have training in analytical, creative, value-proposition understanding, detail-orientation,confidence, positive attitude, values, diversity, corporate social responsibility,business development, sales, strategies and tactics. Basically adopting traits of great companies.

Keep Calm & Get The Right Tools.

The tech platforms and solutions available to most businesses is enormous. So the objective is to constantly be immersing yourself in old school tools as well as newer tools is crucial.For example, Facebook messenger and Whatsapp are being used more than Cell Carriers like Verizon.

 

Make Digital & Analog A Part Of Your DNA

No matter how much companies like Amazon are pushing for cashier-less stores people will still crave the human touch. Digital might be the popular attractions but face-face still rules.

Learn To Leverage Data

Don’t be afraid of data however don’t fully live and die by data. This just means leverage data as much as possible but also consider other factors.[“Despite the emphasis on ongoing social engagement and staying innovative, many marketers do not have the resources at their fingertips to leverage the data and build a fast-paced, real-time marketing function,”]. There are always plenty of reasonable tools that will do an okay job. The ultimate value from data will be the ability to predict the future trends. Data will be used to influence and recommend. Data gathering should be non-criminal,non-creepy, done securely while protecting privacy rights.

Find Invaluable Doers

In an hyper-competitive world it’s a good idea to have effective and efficient people assigned to task than a mediocre person. For example,If it’s content marketing, make sure they know whichcontent will strongly resonate with the target. Find people who can show you what they’ve done and the outcome.

Process Makes & Breaks You

For you to make marketing and other functions less overwhelming, it is important to adopt the right systems and processes. The right systems help with talent development, project management, client services, etc

Find Good Partners & Build Relationship

Things are constantly evolving and dying, so going at everything by yourself is just going to hold back your progress. As founder you don’t want perfect partners but someone who adds value because you want your partner not to get complacent.

Stop Harassing Prospects & Customers

Some clients and customers don't want to hear from you or be sold to everyday.Sometimes you just have to adjust frequency of re-engagement per individual. For example, calling someone to upgrade their cell package when they hardly use their cell phone is wasteful.

You’re Overwhelmed Because You are Trying Too Hard.

Did you know when you become overwhelm you become less productive and more overwhelm. Everyday you must find ways to manage your time and responsibilities properly.And make sure to let others like a boss know your current priorities so they'll think twice before giving you more work..

The Variables Are Important or Not

There are numerous variables that play into a purchasing a glass of milk instead of of a glass of orange juice.A125ml glass or 1 litter bottle? The premium or the good enough brand? Eventually A.I. will be able to predict behaviors however for the moment don’t over obsess the variables.

Be Upfront & Respectful

Stop manipulating, hyping and deceiving people about what your service can do. When people find out that you played them they are going to fight back.Which means your future sales has been jeopardized.Treat them the way you'd like to be treated.

Be Reachable

Let people be able to reach and engage you. However always delegate and prioritize.Sometimes somethings need to be handled by others.

Setup Your Communication and Processes to Be Simple.

In the past it was okay to have silos. In today's fast pace world, silo communication will not work. You will need communication and managerial structure to assist not hinder.

Be a Pain Killer

Sure selling vitamins can be lucrative however no one can live without 
a pain killer. I guess this is a reminder that if you want to still be around 3yrs,10 years or 100 years from now being a pain killer like a electricity provider is better.

Be Shareable So You Can Keep Cost Down

Make it so easy for people to spread the word about your product or services or content. You will realize that taking care of business fundamentals will make it possible to keep your sales & marketing cost reasonably low.

Be Monitoring, Measuring, Optimizing

Modern marketing is not a blast and wait anymore. It's daily competition for attention, modification of tactics, and getting that conversion.. Sometimes the feedback is immediate and sometimes it just slowly builds up. So if you know what to do you can calmly make changes..

Sometimes Less Talking & More Listening.

If you are patient and curious, people will tell you why they hate a service or a companies message.You really don't need focus groups or researchers unless you need more in-depth insight. Plus, it is cheaper to listen.

Speedy Collaboration & Innovation

Make it easy for yourself and others to collaborate on an idea or content or promotions or podcast or feature, Everyone from different function should be few steps away from each other. You could also invest in a cloud based collaboration tool.

Be A Little Different

When everyone is sounding and looking like each other that's your cue to find a sustainable differentiation because you need to be heard and seen in this crowded jungle.Plus marketing your goods will be less overwhelming and more fun.

Be Knowledgeable About Target

You need to have a good profile of who buys and / or uses your services. Know what motivates them to buy. If you have to invite them for drinks with others, do it.

Be Experimental & Change It Up

Always make some time to try something. Try a new software, a new process, new book, try a new restaurant,create cross-functioning teams, create test-learn events, encourage personal development,

Be Mission & Values Driven

Know why you are doing what you are doing. Who's in charge of what?  what's the business model? Serve the customer not egos.Simply chasing transaction sales is not going do it anymore.

Be Knowledgeable of Your Functioning Benefit

Why do they buy and what do they use it for? People are always first try to find out if a product can do what they need it to do.

Be Knowledgeable of The Emotional Benefit

What does the service do for them or to them emotionally? Secondly people sometimes are consuming goods and services based on what it does to them emotionally.

Be Knowledgeable of Social Benefit

What social benefit can they gain from using your service? You will be surprise the percentage of people who seek social validation or social approval. After all most of us don’t want to be total outcast, right?

Create Teams That Focus On Think, Do, Feel.

For your team members that “thinks”, they are the ones analyzing, collecting, processing, designing the resources to learn about the internal and external environment.Your “do” team leverages the think team to execute effective content, events, pricing, processes, etc.Your “feel” team studies the interactions, emotions, engagement, social media, responses, reviews, etc.

(image: Designed by a different author. Used as an example.)

Adopt A Less Is More Philosophy

In a world of so much, sometimes the best move is less marketing from you. And more quality-effectiveness. Businesses and People are overwhelmed already so why frustrate people further? Focus on“How do your marketing activities save your customers time, money,sanity and effort?”

Strive For Great Experience

Your goal is to create an amazing brand experience for your customers so that whether they contact you via social media or in person with questions, their experience of your brand is consistent, compelling, and wonderful. When you do these things right you will eventually be less overwhelmed.

Surprise With A High Value Gift

Have you ever gotten an high value gift at a trade show? You likely formed some emotional bond with the event.So give your target something to talk about and you might get some free marketing. Many events offer open bars and food which makes meetups so much fun.

Be Budgeting

There generally three focus for marketing your business. One is brand development.Second, your relevancy and Third, promotional/lead generation cost. Allocate accordingly.

Get Out of Comfortable

Sometimes what we consider comfortable tactics might not be the best use of our time.Sometimes you need to push yourself to do something else. If content marketing isn't working try video, try events, try influencers..

Be Realistic About Your Content Frequency

Some people have the time and resources to publish daily and some people don't. So know what you can sustain without compromising quality and relevance.

Marketing Money At Targets

Any paid media you decide to use better be able  to provide targeting functionality.According to some marketers, they don’t have time or appropriate personnel to refine their marketing tactics. I say get some help so your marketing dollars can go further.

Some Tricks To Be Less Overwhelmed

Sometimes the fewer skills and tools we use can make you execute much faster and efficient. Basically if you can discover features, shortcuts, software, partners, that could save time and energy go for it.

Communicate Well & Clearly

Leaders who are skilled at keeping others informed are able to execute faster and more efficiently. So communicate your motives, intentions and plans clearly. Effective communication will help business operation run smoothly and less overwhelming.







TAKE AWAY 

Everyone from CEO, CMO, CTO, etc are going to continue to be overwhelmed until they feel totally confident handling the changes and disruptions.So the tips provided should be a start.

If you develop the right service solution, are in the right market, hire the right people, and work with great partners you are going to keep getting better results. And feelings of marketing overwhelming will dissipate. .

You and your team need to continue to make that investment. BJ MANNYST + FOUNDERS UNDER 40 GROUP are here to help your service business.

We can help you reduce your feeling of overwelmingness because we know marketing today involves a lot. We can help founders like yourself grow and connect to other founders. Or help your business get the competitive advantage to differentiate itself.

Get an inexpensive  Test Drive service today (http://mblog.bjmannyst.com/p/bonus.html)