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Reinventing The Old-School "Top-Of-Funnel”


At my first job, I spent hours and hours of cold calling to fix a meeting. It was grunting, hard work. Instead of meeting clients, pitching and closing deals I was busy with getting rejected on cold calls. Even if I got a CXO to meet, I wasn’t sure if they really need our HR analytics product. 


These days cold calling has become even harder. Plus not all prospective clients are equal.


This is why companies are adopting more advanced and sophisticated attraction marketing strategies to attract and convert highly targeted prospective clients.


I'm stoked to drop the 5th edition of The Vik’s Mix which goes deep into laser targeted B2B attraction marketing strategies.


From leveraging the power of data storytelling to crafting customer-centric sales journeys, this newsletter is gonna talk about some really cool strategies you can implement in your business.


  • Data Storytelling: The Future of B2B Sales

  • Nailing the Buyer's Journey (Without Being Salesy)

  • Bringing Humanity Back to B2B


Let’s get it rolling.


Data Storytelling: The Future of B2B Sales


What’s common among companies like Google, Amazon, Airbnb, Netflix, and Uber?


They are primarily built on data. Eventually, every company is now realizing how crucial the data is and looking for new, advanced ways to turn that data into insights.


Today it’s a data-drenched world. And plain ol' stats and spreadsheets just won’t gonna cut it. Nope, the real winners are those who can turn complex data into compelling narratives that resonate on a human level. 


I'm talking about the art of data storytelling, and it's quickly becoming the secret weapon of top B2B sales teams.


Take a company like InsightSquared (acquired by Mediafly), for example. This sales analytics platform has completely flipped the script on traditional sales reporting by transforming dense datasets into visually stunning, narrative-driven presentations.



 Source: insightSquared


Using cutting-edge data visualization tools and innovative storytelling techniques, they're able to bring sales metrics to life in a way that captivates audiences and drives meaningful action.


And they're not alone – brands like Domo and Sisense have both doubled down on data storytelling to empower their customers with insights that actually stick.


Because at the end of the day, raw numbers and charts are about as engaging as a tax return. But weave those same insights into a relatable narrative that taps into human psychology and emotion? 


Well, now you're speaking a language that truly resonates.


The key is understanding your audience's pain points, motivations, and goals, then crafting data-driven stories that directly address those needs. It's about turning complex information into bite-sized, actionable insights that inspire and drive change.


From using vivid anecdotes and real-world examples to leveraging narrative structures like "The Hero's Journey," the possibilities for bringing data to life are limitless. 


And the brands that nail this art of data storytelling? They're the ones who'll win the hearts, minds, and wallets of today's savvy B2B buyers.


Nailing the Buyer's Journey (Without Being Salesy)


Nobody likes being "sold" to anymore. Today's B2B buyers are savvier than ever before, and they can smell a pushy, self-serving sales pitch from a mile away. Am I right?


If you want to crush it in this crazy competitive landscape we're operating in, you've got to ditch those sleazy tactics of yesteryear and focus on nailing the entire buyer's journey from start to finish.

And I'm not just talking about some cookie-cutter, conventional funnel blueprint here, folks. Nuh-uh, that overly simplistic approach is D.O.A. in today's world.


I'm talking about crafting a finely tuned, customer-obsessed experience that guides prospects through every single twist, turn, and touchpoint of their unique purchasing process.


It's all about being lockstep with your buyers and serving up value at precisely the right moments.

Do you know who is great at this? Vidyard. With their best-in-class video marketing and analytics platform, they've basically gone and reinvented the old-school "top-of-funnel" process altogether.



Source: Vidyard


Their game-changing approach lets curious buyers self-educate through personalized, bite-sized video experiences rather than being bludgeoned over the head with generic sales content. Interesting, right?


From interactive video players that capture deep viewer intelligence to AI-powered analytics that can automatically qualify piping-hot leads, Vidyard has flipped the script on the traditional one-way advertising monologue.


With their tech, it's a true multi-dimensional dialogue between brand and buyer from the very first interaction. And you'd better believe their customers are eating it up like hot cakes.


But Vidyard isn't some random flash in the pan, my friends. They're just one shining example of innovators who are reimagining the B2B buyer's journey from the ground up.


Take a company like PathFactory, for instance. Their intelligent content hub is straight-up revolutionizing how B2B companies nurture prospects through the entire decision journey.


By mapping granular visitor data to specific buying stages and intent signals, PathFactory empowers marketers to automatically serve up hyper-relevant content that guides leads organically through the funnel. No more disruptive sales spam or cringe-worthy cold outreach required.


At the end of the day, we've all got to wake up and realize that B2B purchases aren't one-and-done transactional events. Nope, they're intricate, winding journeys filled with research, evaluation, back-and-forth dialogue, and lots of careful consideration.


The brands that are going to win big are the ones that can ditch the outdated funnel mentality and start mapping these journeys with empathy, understanding, and a relentless focus on providing value at every step of the way.


If you can master the art of the buyer's journey and start operating as a partner and guide rather than just another vendor, that's when you'll earn that coveted spot as a real trusted partner. 


The opportunities are endless for the brands willing to reimagine their approach.


So I'll leave you with this: Instead of seeing your leads and prospects as targets to be blasted with one-sided marketing BS, start seeing them as human beings embarking on a personal journey to solve a problem or meet a need.


Your job? Become their trusted companion by truly understanding their reality and lighting the path forward with authenticity and value. Do that, and you'll be ahead of the pack.


Laser-Focused Lead Gen: Mastering Account-Based Marketing


Spraying and praying with mass marketing tactics is not cutting anymore. It’s a hyper-competitive landscape. You've got to be a freakin' sniper when it comes to identifying and pursuing your highest-value accounts.


I'm talking about the power of account-based marketing (ABM). This highly targeted, account-centric approach to B2B sales and marketing is quickly becoming the not-so-secret weapon of savvy teams looking to boost ROI and shorten sales cycles.


But make no mistake - ABM isn't just another buzzword or flavor-of-the-month tactic. It's a full-blown strategic revolution that flips traditional lead gen on its head. Rather than casting a wide net with generic campaigns, you're doubling down on hyper-personalized plays tailored to specific high-value accounts.



Source -


It's like having a crack team of snipers zeroing in on high-priority targets, rather than a militia spraying bullets hoping to hit something worthwhile. And the results? Well, let's just say the brands nailing ABM are seeing explosive ROI and slashing sales cycles by up to 50%.


So, how can you get in on this precision-based action? Here are 6 steps to becoming an ABM master:


  1. Define your total addressable market (TAM) - Get crystal clear on your ideal customer profiles and map out the specific accounts that fit the bill. We're talking revenue, employee counts, tech stacks, pain points - get every crucial info you can get.

  2. Score and prioritize target accounts - Not all accounts are created equal. Use predictive analytics, historical data, and good ol' intuition to identify the highest-value opportunities and focus your fire accordingly.

  3. Build a unified customer view - Ditch those organizational silos and connect all available customer data into a unified, comprehensive profile for each target account. We're talking contacts, activity history, tech stack, you name it.

  4. Align sales and marketing (for real this time) - Quit letting sales and marketing operate in their own separate universes. Develop highly coordinated, multi-channel plays that leverage both teams' strengths for personalized, cohesive outreach.

  5. Create personalized nurture tracks - Generic, one-size-fits-all content won't cut it. Map tailored nurture paths for each priority account, addressing their unique challenges with customized content and messaging.

  6. Measure the right metrics - Forget vanity metrics like website traffic. Get hyper-focused on the measurements that matter - new accounts acquired, account penetration, contract values, sales cycle times - you get the idea.


The fact of the matter is, if you’re still operating under the outdated mindset of mass marketing, it means snipers are fighting with bows and arrows. 


If you're ready to get surgical with lead targeting and start seeing dramatically better results, then it's time to embrace the new era of account-based marketing.


Are you ready to start hitting the bullseye?


Well, that’s up for the edition #5 of Vik’s Mix.


From diving deep into data storytelling to reimagining the buyer's journey and breaking account-based marketing, I hope these insights have fired you up to start questioning the status quo.

Before we say goodbye, hit that subscribe button to stay locked in for more insightful and actionable content coming your way. Share this edition with your fellow B2B warriors and let's keep fueling the conversation!


If we haven’t met, my name is Vikramsinh Ghatge.


I help B2B companies use the most effective marketing strategies to grow and expand without spending an arm and a leg.


I’ve spent over a decade setting up marketing systems—from content creation to building lead pipelines and driving demand generation. Now, I’m excited to integrate AI to enhance our collaboration, aiming to share richer insights and foster creative synergy.


Need help with your marketing or branding? Reach out to me for advice, partnerships, interviews or podcasts.


Meanwhile, subscribe to my newsletter for the most potent and latest marketing tips straight to your inbox.

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