Comments on: Cracking the Whip: Reporting on Finance’s role in the decision-making process http://blog.themarketingpractice.com/marketing-mit/cracking-the-whip-report-on-finance%e2%80%99s-role-in-the-decision-making-process 10 years, 10,000 campaigns: B2B marketing strategies that really drive sales Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:24:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Paul Everett http://blog.themarketingpractice.com/marketing-mit/cracking-the-whip-report-on-finance%e2%80%99s-role-in-the-decision-making-process/comment-page-1#comment-4547 Paul Everett Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:08:16 +0000 http://blog.themarketingpractice.com/?p=1176#comment-4547 Very true David - I think it also depends not just on their decision-making cycle, but also aspects like market maturity and your presence in the market. For example, for a relative unknown in a new market, it might only be by approaching lots of different people in an organisation that you find out where your proposition is most appropriate. But that's no excuse not to be relevant, of course! Very true David – I think it also depends not just on their decision-making cycle, but also aspects like market maturity and your presence in the market. For example, for a relative unknown in a new market, it might only be by approaching lots of different people in an organisation that you find out where your proposition is most appropriate. But that’s no excuse not to be relevant, of course!

]]> By: David van Schaick http://blog.themarketingpractice.com/marketing-mit/cracking-the-whip-report-on-finance%e2%80%99s-role-in-the-decision-making-process/comment-page-1#comment-4516 David van Schaick Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:30:02 +0000 http://blog.themarketingpractice.com/?p=1176#comment-4516 The concept of relevance is something that comes across very strongly in the article. It is clear that marketers need to ask themselves 'are we targeting Finance because our proposition includes notional cost savings, or are we clear that our content is genuinely relevant to Finance's decision-making?' The best way to ensure you pass muster in the relevance stakes is to build a clear picture of the target's decision-making cycle. If marketers are able to understand at which points Finance will be involved and what information they will need to make a decision then they can create timely and relevant communications that stand a significantly better chance of being well-recieved. This is, of course, a fairly universal truth: rather than sending details of one proposition to all potential beneficiaries, better to understand who does what at which point and develop a communications programme that reflects the decision-making 'narrative' of the target organisation. Plan your communications, in other words, on a strictly 'need to know' basis. The concept of relevance is something that comes across very strongly in the article. It is clear that marketers need to ask themselves ‘are we targeting Finance because our proposition includes notional cost savings, or are we clear that our content is genuinely relevant to Finance’s decision-making?’

The best way to ensure you pass muster in the relevance stakes is to build a clear picture of the target’s decision-making cycle. If marketers are able to understand at which points Finance will be involved and what information they will need to make a decision then they can create timely and relevant communications that stand a significantly better chance of being well-recieved.

This is, of course, a fairly universal truth: rather than sending details of one proposition to all potential beneficiaries, better to understand who does what at which point and develop a communications programme that reflects the decision-making ‘narrative’ of the target organisation.

Plan your communications, in other words, on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis.

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