The B2B Marketing Mindset

I talk a lot about how putting strategy before tactics for your B2B marketing program will make it work so much better. Today I want to talk about an even higher and more important level: mindset. Putting mindset before strategy makes your marketing work better.

Strategy before tactics, mindset before strategy

Just as having the right strategy makes choosing tactics and implementing tactics so much easier, having the right mindset makes your strategy so much more creative, stronger and all-encompassing.

I have found that there are three pillars, three building blocks to really good B2B mindset for good marketing.

(This will be a little more touchy feely than my typical posts, but I really believe that there's some some strong truths here that will help your business. So hang in there...)

Be authentic

The first pillar is to be authentic. I like to talk about "telling the truth". I don't just mean don't lie (Although that's a good thing, too!). What I mean is to know your truth. Know what your brand stands for and why you exist. Then be transparent in everything that you do in your marketing to tell that truth.

Transparency is most powerful when it's not just how you communicate to your prospects or your customers, but how you communicate with your employees.

If you're able to be truthful and transparent with everyone, it takes it takes the pressure off almost every action and effort. No need to waste effort trying to figure out what the right thing to say is, or what you said the last time.

Everything becomes more natural and more powerful to as you move forward.

Be intentional

The second building block is to be intentional. Market on purpose.

You want to be aware of what you are choosing to do. Only do what is directly in line with your marketing approach.

So many of us are victims of random acts of marketing; we do things because they feel good on a certain day.

Instead, have the discipline to understand who your ideal client is in a very sharp specific way, and intentionally take marketing steps that target your best-case customer. Doing that will allow you to be more consistent in everything you do. You can do less and do it better by doing fewer things well. You are able to deliver successful programs more often, waste less of your marketing investment and keep people focused on the most valuable activities.

You want everything you do in marketing to be for a reason that's aligned with

your business goals and your ideal customer.

Be generous

Finally, be generous.

This goes beyond "customer centricity". We've all heard that term and that it means to be focused on your customer first. This is about really owning that, living it. Being service-focused.

You want to live in a spirit of abundance in your business. By that I mean don't hold back; give things away to your clients. Figure out what of your expertise and your value you can give away to them as part of your marketing.

Instead of selling, you're giving; and that is so attractive to prospects - especially the ones that need what it is that you're offering.

By focusing on giving first and trusting that the revenue and profit will come, you will end up with clients that will be extremely loyal to you. They will stay with you longer, your customer lifetime will grow.

And they will share what you do with other people. Your very best salespeople are your happy customers.

Be on a mission

This mindset I'm talking about really comes down to your purpose.

This is you being on a mission.

The more you can be on a mission with your business and your marketing, the more you have an intangible advantage. When it comes to your competitors, no one can match that authentic, purposeful generosity. There's just no way to match it.

I encourage you to think above the level of strategy about why you are doing what you're doing. It will make your strategy more creative and your tactics more powerful.