They Ask You Answer
In an era where customer expectations are rapidly evolving, businesses must stay ahead by prioritizing customer-centric strategies and fostering innovation. The recent Adzact panel discussion brought together industry leaders to delve into the critical themes of customer obsession, transparency, innovation, and marketing and sales integration. This report captures the insights shared by Aditi Nair, Christabell Briggs, Jadis Tillery, and Marcus Sheridan, offering a comprehensive view on how B2B companies can navigate challenges and seize opportunities to drive business success.
Host
Joaquin Dominguez and Tom Gatten were joined by marketing experts to discuss the topic.
Guests
Aditi Nair, Digital Strategy Manager at Adobe
Christabell Briggs, Senior Marketing Campaign Manager at TransUnion
Jadis Tillery, Fractional CMO and Marketing Advisor
Marcus Sheridan, book author and founder of The Question First Group and Impact.
Customer Obsession: Fueling B2B Success
The discussion kicked off with a deep dive into customer obsession, underscoring its vital role in business success. Marcus Sheridan emphasised, "Every great company needs to be obsessed with the way buyers think." This goes beyond mere understanding; it involves anticipating customer needs and behaviours, driving both innovation and loyalty.
Jadis Tillery emphasized her approach of being sector agnostic and how customer obsession allows her to move between different sectors effectively. She starts every engagement by deeply understanding what the company knows about their customers, focusing on their ideal client profiles and customer personas. Tillery highlighted the importance of understanding the entire buyer group in B2B marketing. She pointed out that beyond the primary target buyer, there are hidden buyers like VPs of procurement who also influence the decision-making process. This comprehensive understanding is crucial for effective B2B marketing strategies.
Aditi Nair shared her experience at Amazon, highlighting how their customer-centric metrics foster a relentless focus on customer outcomes. This is achieved by creating healthy tension between teams focused on customer satisfaction vs performance metrics, ultimately aligning with the best customer outcomes. In B2B, she noted, this level of customer obsession is often less intense but remains crucial for driving innovation and meeting evolving needs.
"Understanding customer pain points deeply allows me to transition seamlessly between B2B and B2C sectors. By being sector agnostic and focusing on what truly matters to customers, I can tailor strategies that resonate and drive meaningful engagement across different markets." Jadis Tillery
Christabell Briggs underscored the universality of customer obsession across B2B and B2C markets. She stated, "Marketing boils down to its fundamentals: What is it? Why do I care? Why would I trust you?" This approach, she argued, is essential for addressing fundamental customer questions and driving engagement.
Sheridan introduced the concept of the "Big Five" questions that every buyer seeks answers to:
Cost - Understanding the financial investment required.
Problems - Recognising potential issues and drawbacks.
Comparisons - Evaluating how the product stacks up against alternatives.
Reviews - Gauging feedback from other users.
Best in class - Identifying the top options available.
Sheridan pointed out that while platforms like Amazon address these comprehensively, many brands fall short, creating a trust gap. He argued that the same principles apply to B2B, where businesses must be equally transparent and thoroughly address these questions to build trust and drive decisions.
"At Amazon, the healthy tension between customer-centric and performance metrics pushed us to continuously innovate and improve. This relentless focus ensured we delivered the best possible outcomes for our customers, keeping their needs at the forefront of our decision-making." Aditi Nair
Transparency and Honesty: Building Unshakeable Trust
Transparency emerged as a cornerstone of trust-building. Marcus Sheridan’s "They Ask, You Answer" philosophy advocates for addressing customer questions openly. This approach not only demystifies offerings but also fosters deeper connections.
Christabell Briggs illustrated the impact of transparency with a case from TransUnion. By providing a B2B2C Credit Education solution, TransUnion enabled their clients to educate their consumers about credit monitoring. This open communication transformed customer perceptions and trust, allowing consumers to see beyond initial barriers and understand the true value of the services offered.
Sheridan also highlighted Domino’s "Yes, We Did" campaign, where admitting flaws and demonstrating a commitment to improvement led to a significant business turnaround. He noted that Salesforce could similarly regain market share by acknowledging their CRM's complexity and transparently communicating efforts to simplify it, much like how HubSpot has gained traction by being straightforward and user-friendly. Sheridan mentioned a Gartner statistic that 75% of all B2B buyers prefer a seller-free sales experience, highlighting the importance of transparency and reducing information asymmetry in building trust.
Aditi Nair added that the concept of information asymmetry is particularly critical in B2B contexts, where purchases often have higher stakes compared to B2C transactions. She pointed out that many digital transformations fail due to insufficient focus on the after-sales process, driven by a relentless pursuit of growth. As the market evolves, Aditi argued that companies will need to place greater emphasis on after-sales service to build and maintain trust. She cited the example of Salesforce’s declining market share as an indication of the consequences of neglecting post-purchase customer engagement. This perspective underscores the broader implications of transparency and honesty in sustaining long-term customer relationships.
"Every great company needs to be obsessed with the way buyers think; transparency and honesty are the foundations of building unshakeable trust."" - Marcus Sheridan
Innovation through Pain Points: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Being transparent is risky, but it’s through this openness that true innovation can flourish. Economic downturns and challenges often spur the greatest innovations. Marcus Sheridan observed that companies become more creative and bold during tough times, leveraging challenges as catalysts for breakthrough solutions. "Innovation often comes from pain points," he explained, highlighting the potential of adversity to drive growth.
Jadis Tillery highlighted the importance of understanding the entire customer journey and using feedback to drive innovation. She pointed out that by listening to customer complaints and pain points, businesses can uncover unmet needs and create solutions that directly address those issues. For example, a company facing high customer churn might develop a new onboarding process or customer support system to improve retention and satisfaction.
Additionally, the panel discussed the role of leadership in fostering a culture of innovation. Leaders must encourage their teams to view challenges as opportunities and provide the resources and support needed to explore new ideas. This includes creating an environment where failure is seen as a learning experience rather than a setback.
"Dyslexic thinking empowers us to see problems from unique perspectives, leading to creative solutions that conventional approaches might miss. This diversity in thought is crucial for fostering innovation and addressing customer pain points in new and effective ways." - Christabell Briggs
Christabell Briggs also introduced the concept of "dyslexic thinking," which involves viewing problems from unique angles and leveraging creative problem-solving skills. This approach can lead to innovative solutions by breaking away from conventional thinking patterns. She noted that her own dyslexic thinking skills, a common trait among neurodiverse individuals, have been instrumental in identifying and addressing customer pain points effectively. Briggs emphasized the importance of diversity in fostering innovation, as different perspectives can reveal new opportunities and drive creative solutions that traditional methods might overlook.
Jadis Tillery mentioned the unique level of fear and scrutiny in B2B decision-making, where buyers are concerned about reputational damage and job security. This fear can be mitigated through transparency and creating supportive communities where challenges and mistakes are openly discussed and learned from.
Aditi Nair added that companies with a strong focus on after-sales service are better positioned to innovate. By maintaining close relationships with customers and continually seeking feedback, these companies can identify pain points early and develop solutions that keep customers engaged and satisfied. She noted that businesses that neglect the after-sales process often miss out on valuable insights that could drive innovation.
The panel concluded that focusing on customer pain points can lead to the development of innovative solutions that drive business success. By embracing challenges and maintaining a customer-centric approach, companies can turn adversity into opportunity and achieve sustained growth.
Conclusion
The Adzact panel discussion highlighted the indispensable role of understanding and anticipating customer needs, embracing transparency, and leveraging challenges as opportunities for innovation. By fostering a culture that encourages diverse thinking and values after-sales service, businesses can build trust and loyalty, ultimately driving sustained growth. As the insights from Aditi Nair, Christabell Briggs, Jadis Tillery, and Marcus Sheridan demonstrate, the path to success in B2B marketing lies in a relentless focus on the customer and a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
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