Using AI to Build Stronger Connections with Customers

by Maureen Burns, Sharona Sankar-King, Priscilla Dell’Orto, and Eduardo Roma for the Harvard Business Review The surge of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications is spurring exciting innovations and consumer experiments, but it also worries many people who are concerned about data privacy or only being able to communicate with a company through a bot. These concerns are especially acute in industries where customer interactions and data privacy are critical, such as banking or healthcare. Some level of anxiety typically accompanies breakthrough technologies, and it’s natural to worry about a technology that mimics human intelligence. As this new class of large…

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Four free ways your CRM can drive more value across the business

by Luke Metcalfe for velocity CRMs are a bit like Swiss Army Knives. Despite their versatility, most folks only ever realize a fraction of their potential (whether that’s slicing open Amazon packages or storing lead data). But here’s the thing: unlocking your CRM’s potential is essentially free. So step forward, MarkOps friend. Here are four free ways you can use your CRM to drive more value across the whole company.  #1: Refine your ICP by feeding your CRM better data  You can look at your CRM in two opposing ways: as dumb storage or as a queryable database. Most businesses default to…

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B2B Research Methods 101: How to Start Reading Customers’ Minds

By Gisella Tan for Contently Customers can surprise you. Are you planning on launching an awesome new product feature? Shoppers might hate the added complexity. Collaborating with an influencer on a March Madness giveaway? You could find yourself in the center of a culture war. To avoid these common pitfalls that plague brands, you’ll need to add B2B research methods to your marketing toolkit. By uncovering key insights about your customers, you’ll not only understand what makes them tick, but you’ll also discover new opportunities to deliver a better customer experience. There’s no doubt that companies who know their customers inside and…

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The State of B2B Sales in 2023

by Ayaz Nanji by MarketingProfs B2B sales leaders say they are experiencing longer sales cycles and more opportunities being lost to no decision this year, according to recent research from RAIN Group. The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2023 among 322 B2B sales leaders from around the world. Some 43% of respondents say the sales cycle timeline for deals has increased over the past 12 months, 41% say it has stayed the same, and 16% say it has decreased. Some 44% of B2B sales leaders say the share of potential deals lost to no decision has increased over the past…

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10 Ways Marketers Can Use AI to Improve Sales

by Linda Emma for MarketingProfs AI is here to stay, in spite of recent tech overtures to put on the brakes. Whether you choose to ignore it, embrace it, or teeter in between depends on where you intend to take your business. But if everyone else is onboard and you're not, don't expect to be thrown a life ring when your choice leaves you treading water. Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that can help you define and home in on your ideal client, build marketing campaigns, measure results, and plan for the future. Try these 10 ways to use AI to…

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Prescribing Success: Insights from Sarah Downs

BY PAUL FULLER for MemBrain Ever wondered how a background in nursing could shape a unique and effective sales approach? Join us as we get down to the nitty-gritty with Sarah Downs, Founder and Partner of Doqaru. Sarah shares how her background in nursing has shaped her approach to sales, likening the process to a patient's journey from evaluation to diagnosis. Importance of Strategy Execution and Action - 8:03  Paul and Sarah highlight the significance of executing plans rather than just strategizing, while the prevalent yet problematic reliance on consultants without taking tangible steps forward.  Sarah draws insightful parallels between strategy and trauma…

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4 Pillars of B2B Brand Trust: How to Build Customer Confidence

BY YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR COUNCIL for INC. In today's digital-first world, trust has become a precious commodity. Buyers are savvier and more suspicious. The good news? You can still earn their loyalty. Here are what I see as the four pillars of business-to-business brand trust and some practical tips on how you can create healthy business relationships with your customers.  Four Pillars of B2B Brand Trust Trust comes from showing competence, integrity, reliability and empathy in all interactions with B2B buyers.  1. Competence You need to demonstrate that you are a capable and knowledgeable partner. This means building a team of experts, staying up-to-date on industry…

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Why 99% of your website visitors bounce (and how to fix it)

by Ryan Narod for Mutiny I talk to marketers all the time, and here’s a situation I hear far too often. Marketers spend all their time and effort driving traffic to their site through channels like ads, search, and events, but when new visitors arrive, 99% of them skim the home page and bounce. In general, we see the #1 reason that companies aren't able to drive top-of-funnel engagement is that their website content represents the lowest common denominator. They're trying to talk to all of their audiences, but they end up resonating with nobody.  What we've observed is that companies…

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17 Apps to Improve the B2B Customer Experience

by Carlin Sack for HubSpot Marketing teams are doing more with less, and they have fuller plates than ever. Companies are implementing AI tools in every element of business operations, and scrambling to make sure internal teams are taking advantage of AI to grow faster, work efficiently, and stay ahead of the competition. And at the same time, budgets are lean, leading marketing teams to take a hard look at their tech spend and see where there are inefficiencies or redundancies. Recent HubSpot research found that the more point solutions, the higher cost of ownership. “We’re seeing the tension between short-term…

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How one-click buy buttons boost sales

by THOMAS MCKINLAY for Aryih Almost 70% of items people place into their online carts are abandoned and never bought (according to Baymard Institute, 2022).  The top reason is a long and complicated customer check-out.  So what happens when you simplify it to the max? Enter: One-click buying. Here are the effects, according to scientific research from Cornell and Amazon. Previous insight: Boost conversions with more white space (more insights here) One-click buy buttons boost sales without increasing returns Channels: Ecommerce | Customer experience | Website | Customer journey | UX | UIFor: B2C. Can be tested for B2BResearch date: February 2023 📈…

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