How to make a b2b marketing plan?

Most under appreciated b2b marketing strategy

One of the most under appreciated marketing strategies is to show your obsession with the problem you solve.

A key principle often overlooked in SaaS marketing: becoming synonymous with the problem you solve rather than simply the solution you offer. Many brands get lost in showcasing features and product capabilities, believing that their innovation alone will capture attention. However, when you position your brand as deeply intertwined with the pain points your audience experiences, you build a more intuitive connection.

Why Obsessing Over the Problem Matters:

1. The Power of Relevance: Problems resonate universally and immediately. They’re not dependent on industry jargon or niche contexts. Whether you’re talking to a CMO in healthcare or a CIO in manufacturing, chances are they’ve experienced the same frustrations, even if the symptoms vary. This allows you to cut through the noise and capture attention quickly.
2. Emotional Connection: Pain is a powerful motivator. People feel problems more than they intellectually process solutions. Obsessing over the problem demonstrates empathy—it shows that you “get it” at a deeper level. And when buyers sense that you understand their struggle better than anyone else, trust naturally follows.
3. Longevity and Consistency in Messaging: Problems are often long-lasting. Solutions, especially in SaaS, can be short-lived as technology evolves. By focusing on the enduring nature of the problem, your brand message remains consistent and relevant even as your product evolves. This consistency is key in building long-term brand association.
4. Broad Appeal Without Losing Specificity: When you root your messaging in the core problem, you can speak to broader audiences without diluting your message. Instead of over-complicating your approach with numerous tailored messages for every segment, a problem-centric narrative keeps your brand anchored while allowing flexibility in industry-specific communication.

Shifting from Innovators to Mass Adoption:Obsessing over solutions often caters to the early adopters who are naturally drawn to innovative features. But crossing the chasm requires connecting with the majority who are not as driven by newness but by a pressing need to solve enduring problems. This majority is less concerned with imagining how your solution works and more focused on whether you truly understand their problem and can reliably address it.

The Pitfall of Hyper-Specificity:Brands that fragment their messaging to appeal to every niche can lose sight of the core issue they aim to solve. While segmentation is important, it’s the universal pain that ties these segments together. Obsessing over the problem keeps your message cohesive while still allowing room for targeted nuances.

The companies that break through are those that don’t just solve problems—they live and breathe them. This obsession isn’t just about thorough market research; it’s about embedding that understanding into the DNA of your brand’s communication. When you achieve this, your brand becomes the natural choice when that pain arises in your buyer’s mind.

Key Challenges and Recommendations for B2B Businesses in Branding, Communication, and Marketing

 1. Positioning and Messaging

Challenge: Many companies struggle with refining or building strong positioning and messaging.

Recommendation: 

- Crafting a Story and POV: Invest in a strong product marketer or a specialized team to develop a compelling narrative and point of view. 

- External Assistance: Consider hiring an outside firm with expertise in this area.

- Expected Outcome: Enhanced conversion and close rates due to clear, compelling positioning.

 2. Brand Identity

Challenge: Many companies are unsure where to start with branding.

Recommendation:

- Personification: Think of the company as a person. Define its beliefs, behavior, voice, and appearance.

- Alignment: Ensure these elements align with the company’s offerings and resonate with the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

- Brand Archetype: Develop a brand archetype that reflects the company’s identity and connects with customers.

 3. Coordinated Demand Generation

Challenge: Teams struggle to create coordinated demand generation programs and integrate marketing and sales efforts.

Recommendation:

- Integrated GTM Strategy: Develop a comprehensive go-to-market (GTM) strategy that aligns marketing and sales.

- Avoid Quick Fixes: Account-Based Marketing (ABM) alone is not sufficient; a holistic approach is necessary.

 4. Attribution and Measurement

Challenge: Attribution remains complex, with many companies struggling to measure what works.

Recommendation:

- Focus on Key Data Points: Track three main metrics:

  - First source and offer that initiated engagement

  - Last source leading to demo booking

  - Total engagements required to convert a lead to an opportunity

- Realistic Expectations: Accept that attribution will never be perfect, balancing art and science.

 5. Marketing Perspective Shift

Challenge: Marketers are transitioning to promoting from the voice and POV of employees, partners, and customers, requiring significant education.

Recommendation:

- Voice of Stakeholders: Emphasize marketing from the perspectives of employees, partners, and customers rather than just the company's viewpoint.

- Education and Training: Invest in educating the marketing team on this approach to enhance authenticity and relatability.

 6. Financial Goals

Challenge: Companies aim to control their own destiny, focusing on free cash flow or positive EBITDA.

Recommendation:

- Financial Discipline: Emphasize strategies that drive financial independence and sustainability, applicable from Series A to public companies.

 7. AI Utilization

Challenge: The hype around AI creates noise for marketers and sellers, despite its potential.

Recommendation:

- Legitimate Use Cases: Focus on practical AI applications such as video editing, image generation, idea generation, and account prioritization.

- Future Outlook: Anticipate the evolution of AI agents and prepare to leverage them for significant benefits.

 8. Content Investment

Challenge: Companies desire high-quality content but often lack the resources.

Recommendation:

- Invest in Talent: Hire skilled content marketers who can act as producers and editors, not just creators.

- Utilize Expertise: Leverage ideas and perspectives from subject matter experts, customers, and partners.

 9. Transition to Account-Based Models

Challenge: Many companies are shifting from lead to account models or designing double funnel models, requiring tight collaboration.

Recommendation:

- GTM Principles: Establish guiding go-to-market principles to facilitate this transition.

- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ensure close cooperation between finance, sales, operations, and marketing to successfully implement the new model.

Addressing these challenges and following the outlined recommendations can significantly enhance a company’s branding, communication, and marketing efforts. A strategic approach, investment in talent, and leveraging both internal and external expertise are crucial for success.

The Pitfall of Efficiency-Driven Marketing in B2B SaaS

In the realm of B2B SaaS marketing, there is a notable tendency to prioritize dashboard efficiency over genuine marketing impact. This approach often stifles creativity and memorability, leading to campaigns that might look good on a spreadsheet but fail to build a strong brand. Here’s an exploration of this issue and why a shift in mindset is necessary:

The Misguided Focus on Metrics

• Example of Misallocation:
  • Companies are quick to spend $200 on generating an ebook lead—a mere contact card—while hesitating to spend the same amount on a high-impact gift that could leave a lasting impression.
• Creative and Research Spending:
  • Investment in creative initiatives and research is often deemed less efficient, even though these elements can significantly enhance the effectiveness of lead generation efforts.
• Buying Leads and Intent Data:
  • There is a tendency to buy leads who are unfamiliar with the brand and pay for intent data that often does not deliver true insights. This results in expensive, misguided efforts based on weak signals.

The Shortcomings of a Dashboard Metric Mindset

• Shortsightedness:
  • A focus on dashboard metrics leads to a narrow view of marketing, where success is measured by immediate, quantifiable outcomes rather than long-term brand building.
• Inefficiency in Effective Marketing:
  • Effective marketing inherently involves some degree of inefficiency, especially in the creative process. The messiness of ideation and the riskiness of out-of-the-box ideas are essential for creating memorable and impactful campaigns.
• Lack of Research and Preparation:
  • Skipping the research phase to save costs undermines the foundation of a strong marketing strategy. Without proper measurement and understanding, efforts are likely to remain conventional and uninspiring.

The Need for a Shift in Mindset

• Valuing Creativity:
  • Allowing room for creativity and unconventional ideas is crucial. These elements might not always be efficient but are vital for standing out in a crowded market.
• Long-Term Brand Building:
  • Focus should shift from short-term metrics to long-term brand equity. Building a great brand requires more than just efficient lead generation; it requires creating memorable experiences and lasting impressions.
• Balanced Investment:
  • A balanced approach to marketing investment—one that includes both immediate lead generation and long-term brand-building activities—is necessary. This includes spending on creative gifts, thorough research, and innovative campaigns.

The current efficiency-driven mindset in B2B SaaS marketing needs reevaluation. While metrics are important, they should not overshadow the need for creativity and long-term brand building. By embracing the messiness of the creative process and investing in impactful, memorable marketing initiatives, companies can move beyond the status quo and build truly great brands. This approach might not always look perfect on a dashboard, but it will lead to more meaningful and sustainable success.

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This critical shift in the way B2B marketing should be perceived and executed. Too often, B2B companies fall into the trap of viewing marketing as a mere support function, an assistant to the sales team rather than a strategic driver of growth. However, this outdated mindset misses the mark in today's buyer-driven landscape.

In the current environment, marketing should not be relegated to a PowerPoint factory, churning out slides to assist those doing the "real work." Instead, it must be recognized as a key revenue driver, central to the success of the entire organization.

The balance of power has shifted dramatically from sellers to buyers. Today’s B2B buyers are more informed and autonomous than ever before. They seek out peer opinions, conduct their own research, and arrive at decisions long before your sales team is aware of their interest. This makes traditional sales-driven demand generation less effective.

Modern B2B buyers consume content in spaces that are often beyond the reach of traditional tracking—organic social media, podcasts, and word-of-mouth recommendations are just a few examples. This means that marketing is now at the forefront of creating demand, building awareness, and guiding prospects through their buyer's journey.

Given this shift, it’s time for B2B companies to empower their marketing teams to be measured by the revenue they generate, not just the collateral they produce. By recognizing that revenue growth is a team sport, with marketing playing a pivotal role, companies can position themselves to thrive in the competitive landscape. Those who fail to adapt to this reality may find themselves left behind.

In conclusion, the success of B2B companies in this new era depends on their ability to embrace marketing as a strategic partner in revenue generation, not just a supporting act for sales.

Rethinking Marketing in the B2B Landscape: Strategy Over Tactics

Driver of b2b marketing success

Many believe that masterful marketing is the key to a company’s success. However, insights from venture capitalists, seasoned founders, and my personal experience starting five companies suggest otherwise. The real game-changer? It's not marketing—it's the market itself.

The Insight from Industry Leaders

In over 70 interviews with successful SaaS founders, a common theme emerged: their success hinged not just on the products they offered but on their timing and market choice. These founders didn't merely sell; they tapped into large, established markets with pent-up demand or entered emerging markets at an opportune moment.

Market Dominance: A Closer Look

History shows that once a market matures, the leading players rarely change. Early dominance in a burgeoning market category often cements a company’s position for years to come. This phenomenon underscores a crucial lesson: the right market outstrips even the most sophisticated marketing strategies in importance.

Marketing's Role: Strategic, Not Just Tactical

While marketing is often seen as a series of tactical maneuvers aimed at generating leads, its true potential lies in its strategic capabilities. From market research and customer segmentation to competitive analysis and idea validation, marketing is pivotal in carving out a niche for the company.

Common Misconceptions in b2b Marketing

1. Reduced to Tactics: Marketing is frequently boiled down to attracting, educating, and converting customers. This narrow focus overlooks its strategic essence.
2. Undervalued Areas: Many critical aspects of marketing, like brand positioning and customer segmentation, are either glossed over or under-invested, diluting the overall impact.

Content Trends: A Tactical Trap

The prevalence of tactical content on platforms like LinkedIn reinforces the misconception that marketing is merely about executing a list of actions. This focus diverts attention from the need for a comprehensive, strategic approach.

Strategic Marketing: Elevating the Function

Here are several ways to elevate the role of marketing within an organization:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize interviews and surveys to make informed decisions rather than relying on assumptions.
• Strategic Competence: Recognize competitor analysis and market positioning as essential, not optional.
• Integrated Activities: Collaborate closely with product teams on pricing and value proposition.
• Purposeful Messaging: Invest in quality content creation that reflects your brand's core message rather than outsourcing it trivially.

Conclusion: A Call to Strategic Marketing

Marketing should not be seen as a siloed function but as a strategic partner in the organization’s journey. By shifting the focus from mere tactics to a strategy that embraces comprehensive market understanding and thoughtful execution, businesses can achieve meaningful growth and establish a sustainable competitive advantage.

This reevaluation of marketing’s role invites us to reconsider how we define and deploy marketing within our industries, ensuring it contributes substantively to our long-term business objectives.