Don’t be a Marketing Snob
If you ask marketers today who they want to target with their content, a large number of them are probably going to say they’re aiming for the executive suite, the key decision makers, the big kahunas.
Many marketers look almost exclusively for top titles when assembling email lists or other campaigns. They may also focus solely on top tier execs when creating their buyer personas.
This sounds like a smart strategy. Why waste time with people who aren’t authorized to make business decisions?
Because - it works better.
The Decision Influencers May Be People Like You
While the decision makers will have the final word, they are not typically the people who are doing research on products or services.
If a CEO is looking to hire a company to do something, he or she will likely delegate someone else in the organization to shop around, compare services and make a recommendation.
Top executives don’t usually have the time to weigh the features and benefits of new software, for example, or to find who offers the best service or pricing.
I myself have been tasked with researching companies and selecting services, and I am but a lowly marketing manager. I’m guessing that most of you reading this now are in the same boat.
We help our CEOs and CMOs make buying decisions all the time. You have power and influence.
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” – Stuart Smalley
Also, keep in mind that a C-suite executive may have someone screening their email, and if not, they probably get so much of it the chances of them actually seeing/opening/reading/acting on your marketing message is pretty slim.
That means, to be more effective, you may want to aim a little further down the ladder.
We’ve been surprised, in fact, to discover that a number of our leads come from unexpected sources within a company. An art director. An IT manager. Your cousin Marv.
Also if you want to try your hand at account based marketing, know that to be effective, you’ll want to touch a number of different people within the same organization, while catering each message to each person’s specific role.
Consider focusing on more mid-level managers or department heads and see if you don’t get better results. Targeting should not just include your dream leads, but anyone within an organization who can advocate on your behalf. Remember too that the folks that are lower on the corporate ladder today may be tomorrow's top execs. It never hurts to create those connections now.
Speaking of acquiring leads and getting amazing results – do you need help with that? We’ve got this. Let’s Talk.
Diane Callihan
With more than 20 years of experience writing for some of the country’s top brands, Diane helped to shape Roger West’s content strategy, lead generation, and PR efforts as Director of Marketing. She currently serves as President of Callihan Content Creation.