It's a great time to be in B2B

So it must be summer. It’s raining, I'm stuck in the office all hours God sends and commuting in to Waterloo is about as pleasant as being in the middle of the battlefield from which it takes its name. What can I say? Life in B2B marketing can't get any better!

Seriously, I’m not sure that life in B2B marketing can get much better. Why? I hear you ask. Because there is so many exciting things happening. Well there certainly seem to be from where I am sat. Let me give you a taster for all the amazing, and some outright strange, things that are happening out there.

For a start, who’d have thought that a B2B company could be quite so cool and create such an emotional connection with a truck? Surely I am not the only one who wants one? Whatever you think, I’m with Joel who summed it up superbly. “I’m enjoying myself”. Great job Volvo.

So with Volvo showing us the power of sight, sound and emotion in B2B, it’s not a giant leap to start thinking about what role virtual reality can play in marketing. But where to start? Here to help take those steps is a list of 5 smart and effective ways VR marketing today

Now I have done it. If you ever mention the VR acronym you have to mention the AI one. It’s true, it’s bad luck not to. A bit like not greeting a magpie when you see one in the morning. Honestly, our dearly beloved marketing publications are chock-a-block with these acronyms. At least this article adds a little perspective. AI in B2B marketing: A reality check.

Which leads me nicely onto the more commonplace forms of marketing technology (martech). I recently facilitated a roundtable discussion, entitled the Unicorn CMO, with some of the leading lights of B2B marketing, and a very fine discussion it was to. However, the single statement that stood out to me was, and I quote:

“We can scrap 50% [of our marketing technology] and still be able to get what we want. The question is which 50% to get rid of?”

This reminded me very much of John Wanamaker’s famous quote. I wonder if he is spinning in his grave, or simply reaching for his MA, CRM, CMS, DMP, Marketing Cloud? Darn, I forgot to use the word ‘platform’ . . . There are, however, alternative views. Some say Martech is boring and it should stay that way. Others say Don’t commoditize your martech stack. I say, can’t you please just make it work together? That’s all I really want.

Right, I am off my soap box now. Back to inspiration, which comes from more than just great creative ideas and technology. It comes from people and this example really demonstrates that to me. The award winning ‘get sh*t done’ to global teamwork. If anyone is hiring at the moment @BrandJoe has kindly shared his organisational chart with us all. Thanks Joe!

Unfortunately, not everything in our world is all sweetness and light or creatively stimulating. But you know what they say, when a man is tired of GDPR, he is tired of life. I am sure that was the quote, right? So what’s the latest on the topic of our dreams? The DMA has just published this natty little infographic to help us navigate the whole thing entitled B2B marketing and GDPR. And if you want some stats to scare you, 48% of organisation will not meet the GDPR deadline. Have you hired your Data Protection Officer yet?

And finally, the highlight of any B2B’ers year has to be spending time spent with one and only @joel_b2beditor. Without wishing any self promotion at all, here is a quick write up of the chat I had with Joel last week where he showed his interrogative style of journalism. Topics covered included behavioural science in B2B, what the future of great B2B marketing looks like, the role of the DMA Business to Business Council and who is my favourite B2B marketer!

Finally, finally. I’d like to end the post on a high. Unfortunately, this is not the high I was looking for, but, it’s all I’ve got. 20 jokes only a B2B marketer will get. Sorry about that.

I told you it was a great time to be in a B2B marketer!