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Follow The Leader: A Guide to Mastering Thought Leadership on LinkedIn

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

In a time where attention spans are short and trust is hard-won, thought leadership has become a key differentiator for professionals who want to influence, inspire, and lead within their industry. Decision-makers and customers alike are increasingly drawn to people, not just brands – especially those who consistently demonstrate expertise, credibility, and vision. This is where thought leadership comes into its own.

LinkedIn, with its professional DNA and engaged user base, offers an unrivalled platform for building and broadcasting thought leadership. But doing it well requires more than posting occasional updates – it’s a deliberate strategy, rooted in authenticity and informed by data.

What Defines a Thought Leader?

Thought leaders are recognised authorities in their field – individuals whose perspectives shape conversations and inspire action. They’re not defined solely by job titles, but by how they think, communicate, and contribute.

They speak with purpose. They challenge conventional thinking. And they offer tangible value, be it insight, foresight, or guidance.

Why Thought Leadership Matters in Today’s Market

Trust drives B2B buying decisions. In an environment where traditional advertising is met with increasing scepticism, thought leadership allows professionals to earn that trust through substance.

A robust thought leadership presence can:

  • Position you as a go-to expert
  • Increase visibility in your niche
  • Drive meaningful engagement with your target audience
  • Influence key decision-makers and open doors to new business opportunities

It’s not just about being better – it’s about being heard, remembered, and respected.

Why LinkedIn is the Platform of Choice

LinkedIn isn’t just a digital CV repository – it’s a modern marketplace of ideas. With over 1 billion members globally, it provides direct access to business leaders, influencers, and communities.

Unlike other social platforms, LinkedIn’s algorithm actively rewards relevance and expertise. This means your content has a better chance of reaching the right audience – if it’s crafted strategically.

Building Your Foundation

Personal Brand Development

Your thought leadership journey begins with self-awareness. Define your personal values, tone of voice, and unique perspective. Authenticity is critical – people follow people they relate to.

From there, ensure your profile mirrors this identity. A compelling headline, professional photo, value-led summary, and keyword-optimised experience sections are essential.

Profile Optimisation

Think of your LinkedIn profile as your landing page. It should instantly communicate:

  • Who you help
  • How you help them
  • Why you’re credible

Add rich media, highlight certifications, and request recommendations that speak to your strengths.

Content Strategy

Thought leadership isn’t about self-promotion – it’s about contribution. Your content should inform, inspire, or challenge. Mix personal insight with practical value.

Start by identifying your audience’s pain points and map content pillars around them. Then layer in your own stories and successes.

Building Credibility

Endorsements & Recommendations

Social proof is powerful. Actively seek endorsements for key skills, and request recommendations that reinforce your expertise from trusted clients or peers.

Associate with Other Experts

Strategic associations matter. Collaborate with recognised voices in your space through guest posts, comments, or co-created content to amplify your reach and credibility.

Speaking Engagements & Webinars

LinkedIn Live events or hosted webinars are prime opportunities to showcase leadership. They allow for direct audience interaction and cement authority in real-time.

Highlight Your Skill Set

Use your profile’s skills section to spotlight niche capabilities. Support them with content that puts those skills into context – such as case studies or behind-the-scenes insights.

Types of Content That Cut Through

Articles vs. Posts

  • Articles allow for long-form, in-depth analysis – perfect for SEO and thought pieces.
  • Posts are ideal for short-form commentary, personal stories, and interactive content.

Use both strategically.

Case Studies

Nothing builds trust like proof. Share stories that demonstrate results, focusing on the problem, process, and measurable outcome.

Video Content

Video adds human depth. Keep it concise, focus on one idea, and ensure strong captions for silent viewers.

Interactive Content

Polls and questions invite dialogue. Use them to gather insight and stimulate conversation.

Consistency is Key (as cliché as that sounds!)

Build a rhythm – whether posting twice a week or daily. Consistency builds trust, familiarity, and momentum.

Guest Content & Collaborations

Co-create content with other thought leaders, and be sure to tag them and their company in your posts. It extends your reach and adds layered credibility.

Use Data & Trends

Provide analysis of relevant market trends or share data-backed insights. This establishes you as someone who not only observes – but interprets.

Smart Networking Strategies

Find and Connect with Influencers

Engage with their content before reaching out. Make connections meaningful by referencing shared interests or ideas.

Community Engagement

Be generous with your insight. Comment thoughtfully, add perspective, and share content that aligns with your positioning.

Cross-Promotion

Highlight other people’s content, not just your own. It builds goodwill and often leads to reciprocal visibility.

Targeted Outreach

Segment your outreach by industry, geography, or company size. Tailored messages convert better and start stronger relationships.

Maximising LinkedIn’s Features

LinkedIn Stories

Use Stories (or short-form video snippets) to share behind-the-scenes insights or quick wins. They add personality to your brand.

LinkedIn Analytics

Track performance – but look beyond vanity metrics. Focus on engagement quality, profile views, and connections made.

LinkedIn Groups

Participate in – or better yet, lead – niche communities. It’s a powerful way to build authority in specific verticals.

LinkedIn Newsletters

An underutilised tool that delivers directly to inboxes. Use it to publish consistent, long-form content on a regular schedule.

Advanced Approaches

LinkedIn Premium & Sales Navigator

Both offer deeper insights into who’s viewing your profile, advanced search capabilities, and better outreach tools – useful for targeted growth.

Multi-Channel Strategy

Integrate your thought leadership with your website, newsletters, podcasts, or X. Ensure content is adapted to each platform but consistent in message.

Collaboration Tools

Use LinkedIn’s document sharing or collaborative article features to co-author thought pieces with others or involve your audience in content creation.

To summarise…

Thought leadership on LinkedIn is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a strategic imperative for professionals who want to influence at scale. In an increasingly noisy digital world, those who lead with substance, consistency, and credibility will stand out – and be sought after.

By treating your presence not as a series of posts, but as a cohesive leadership narrative, you position yourself not only as an expert – but as a trusted voice that shapes decisions. The opportunity is clear: people buy into people. LinkedIn just happens to be where they’re listening.

Beyond the Bill: How Utilities Providers Can Retain Customers with Better Engagement

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

In an era where switching providers is easier than ever, utility companies risk losing customers not just to better prices, but to a lack of meaningful connection.

While most marketing efforts focus on customer acquisition, sustainable growth requires a proactive retention strategy. Utilities companies must shift their approach, leveraging personalised content, automated engagement, and customer advocacy to enhance loyalty and lifetime value. 

 

The Challenges of Retention in the Utilities Industry 

Unlike other industries, utilities companies often struggle with long-term customer relationships. The key issues include: 

  • High Customer Churn – Customers frequently switch providers for better pricing, making retention difficult. 
  • Acquisition-Focused Marketing – Many utilities invest heavily in acquiring new customers but neglect retention efforts. 
  • Transactional Relationships – Customer engagement is often limited to billing, leading to weak emotional connections. 
  • To build lasting relationships, utilities providers must rethink their engagement strategies. 

 

Personalised Experiences for Stronger, Lasting Relationships 

Customers today expect personalised experiences, even from utility providers. Generic communication leads to disengagement, but tailored content strengthens relationships, boosts satisfaction, and improves retention. Here’s how utility providers can make it work: 

  • Customers expect tailored experiences across all industries, including utilities. Personalised content can help providers root deeper connections. 
  • Segmented Email Campaigns – Sending targeted content based on customer usage patterns, preferences, and demographics keeps them engaged. 
  • Energy Usage Insights – Offering personalised reports and recommendations on reducing energy consumption adds value beyond service delivery. 
  • Customised Offers & Rewards – Providing exclusive discounts or loyalty rewards based on customer behaviour can increase retention. 
  • By leveraging customer data, utility companies can create marketing campaigns that feel relevant and meaningful. 

 

Keeping it Consistent with Automated Engagement 

Automation keeps utility providers connected through billing reminders, AI chatbots, and triggered campaigns. When customers feel valued, they stay loyal: timely, relevant interactions matter. 

  • Automation ensures that utility companies maintain ongoing engagement with customers without requiring constant manual effort. 
  • Proactive Billing & Payment Reminders – Automated notifications can help prevent late payments and reduce frustration. 
  • Chatbots & AI-Powered Support – Instant responses to customer inquiries improve satisfaction and prevent frustration-driven churn. 
  • Triggered Engagement Campaigns – Sending automated messages based on customer actions (e.g., contract renewals, high usage alerts) keeps customers informed and engaged. 
  • When customers feel valued and supported, they are less likely to seek alternatives. 

 

From Customers to Champions 

Happy customers drive loyalty. Referral programs, reviews, and community engagement turn them into brand champions: here’s how utilities can harness advocacy effectively. 

  • Word-of-mouth and peer recommendations are powerful drivers of loyalty. Utilities companies can encourage advocacy by turning satisfied customers into brand champions. 
  • Referral Programs – Offering incentives for customers who refer friends or family can increase retention while driving new customer acquisition. 
  • User-Generated Content & Reviews – Encouraging customers to share their positive experiences builds trust with potential and existing customers. 
  • Community Engagement & Education – Hosting webinars, workshops, or community initiatives can strengthen relationships beyond service transactions. 
  • Loyal customers who feel appreciated are more likely to stay and recommend the provider to others. 
  • Shifting from Transactions to Relationships 
  • To reduce churn, utilities companies must transition from transactional interactions to value-driven engagement. Rather than focusing solely on pricing, providers should: 
  • Educate Customers – Providing ongoing energy-saving tips and usage insights builds trust and perceived value. 
  • Be Proactive – Addressing issues before they arise (e.g., outage notifications, contract renewal reminders) improves the customer experience. 
  • Offer Continuous Value – Regular engagement through useful content, rewards, and support strengthens long-term relationships. 

Winning customer loyalty in the utilities sector takes more than low prices—it requires strategic engagement. By leveraging personalised marketing, automation, and advocacy, utility providers can turn one-time customers into long-term brand champions.

Looking to strengthen your retention strategy? Our marketing experts can help you implement retention strategies to create meaningful customer connections that drive loyalty and growth. Let’s talk about how we can support your business.

Opinion piece by Digital Marketing Lead, Nicola Roberts. 

Why You Shouldn’t Outsource Lead Generation (Unless You Do It Right)

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

In today’s competitive B2B landscape, the pressure to generate high-quality leads is immense. Companies are increasingly turning to outsourcing for lead generation, seeking to scale their efforts while keeping costs manageable. However, while outsourcing can be an incredibly effective strategy, it’s also one that can fail spectacularly if not done correctly.

As someone who’s spent years helping companies achieve success through outsourced sales, marketing and SDRs, I’ve seen both the potential and the pitfalls of outsourcing lead generation.

Here’s why you shouldn’t outsource lead generation unless you’re prepared to do it right—and how to ensure your efforts lead to success.

The Allure and the Danger of Outsourcing Lead Generation

Outsourcing lead generation can seem like an easy fix to a complex problem. After all, the promise of gaining access to a team of experts who can take the burden off your internal team is compelling. However, in the wrong hands, outsourcing can become a nightmare. Poorly executed lead generation strategies waste valuable resources, damage your brand’s reputation, and ultimately leave your sales pipeline dry.

According to a report by Forrester, as much as 50% of B2B marketers believe that their lead generation programs are underperforming. The root cause? Misalignment between outsourced teams and the company’s internal goals. If the outsourced team doesn’t have a deep understanding of your industry, target market, and specific sales objectives, the leads they generate are likely to be irrelevant, unqualified, or worse—counterproductive to your brand image.

Why Outsourcing Fails: Common Mistakes

  1. Lack of Alignment with Business Goals

The most common reason outsourcing fails is a lack of alignment between the external SDR team and the internal business strategy. Often, companies outsource to generic lead generation firms without ensuring that the provider fully understands their goals, target audience, and unique value proposition.

As Gartner points out, alignment between sales and marketing is crucial for success, and this extends to any third-party vendors you work with. When there’s a disconnect, the leads generated won’t fit your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), leading to wasted resources and misdirected efforts.

  1. Over-Reliance on Automation and Volume

Some outsourcing providers focus on volume over quality, relying heavily on automation tools to churn out leads at scale. While automation has its place in modern sales, it can’t replace the nuance of personalised, thoughtful engagement. Harvard Business Review warns that excessive automation in lead generation can alienate prospects and reduce engagement, rather than fostering meaningful connections.

The key is striking the right balance—leveraging technology to streamline processes while ensuring that human intelligence and personalisation guide the strategy.

  1. Failure to Invest in Relationship-Building

Successful lead generation isn’t just about numbers—it’s about relationships. In many cases, outsourcing providers fail because they don’t take the time to build trust with prospects before pushing for the sale. According to Salesforce, over 79% of B2B buyers say that building trust is more important now than ever. If your outsourced team is prioritising speed over relationship-building, they’re likely missing out on the very leads that would convert with proper nurturing.

How to Outsource Lead Generation the Right Way

While the risks of outsourcing are real, the potential rewards are significant—if you approach it correctly. Here’s how to ensure that your outsourcing efforts succeed:

  1. Choose a Partner, Not a Vendor

The most successful outsourcing relationships are partnerships, not transactions. You need to work with a provider that takes the time to understand your business, your market, and your sales goals. They should operate as an extension of your team, with a shared commitment to achieving your objectives.

This means you shouldn’t just evaluate potential providers on their promises of lead volume or speed. Instead, assess their strategic understanding, their ability to align with your internal teams, and their approach to personalisation and relationship-building.

  1. Focus on Quality Over Quantity

At Air Marketing, we focus on delivering leads that are not just plentiful, but primed for conversion. This means taking a targeted approach, leveraging in-depth research and personalisation to engage prospects who are genuinely aligned with your product or service.

Research from HubSpot shows that companies prioritising lead quality see a 45% higher conversion rate compared to those focusing purely on lead quantity. When outsourcing, make sure your provider understands this distinction and is committed to delivering quality, not just numbers.

  1. Integrate with Your Internal Teams

Your internal sales and marketing teams shouldn’t feel disconnected from your outsourced SDR efforts—they should be fully integrated. Ensure that your outsourcing provider maintains open lines of communication, regularly reports on progress, and adapts based on feedback from your internal teams.

Effective integration allows for seamless handoffs between your outsourced SDRs and your internal account executives, ensuring that leads are nurtured properly through every stage of the funnel.

The Bottom Line

Outsourcing lead generation is not a silver bullet—it’s a strategy that can either drive tremendous value or lead to wasted time and resources if mishandled. The difference lies in how you approach it.

Done right, with the right partner, outsourcing can free up your internal teams to focus on high-impact activities while ensuring that your sales pipeline remains healthy and productive. But if you choose the wrong provider, or fail to align your strategies, it can easily lead to frustration, wasted investment, and missed opportunities.

At Air Marketing, we pride ourselves on getting it right. With the right clients we’ve demonstrated that when outsourcing is done strategically, it doesn’t just work—it accelerates growth. If you’re considering outsourcing your lead generation, let’s have a conversation about how to do it the right way for your business.

Opinion piece by Commercial Director, Neil Clarke.

B2B Telemarketing Team

Marketing & RevOps Are Killing Your Sales Performance: How to Reclaim the KPI Crown

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) abound in every department within an organisation, but could they actually be killing your sales performance? When marketing, sales, and Revenue Operations (RevOps) are not united under a shared north star KPI, these well-intentioned metrics can inadvertently undermine overall sales performance.

But how does this misalignment happen and how can you reclaim your sales KPI crown to drive better business outcomes across departments? Let’s discuss:

The KPI Disconnect

In today’s complex business environment, each department will typically focus on the metrics that reflect their specific roles. For example:

  • Marketing: Looks at the efficiency of inbound leads, campaign reach and engagement metrics
  • RevOps: Concentrates on optimising processes, systems integration, and ensuring operational efficiency
  • Sales: Focuses on closing deals, meeting quotas and revenue targets

While each of these KPIs are integral, they often create silos where each department focuses on ticking its own boxes without considering the broader impact on sales performance. Marketing might celebrate high lead generation numbers, and RevOps may optimise processes for efficiency, but if sales are not converting leads into revenue, the business suffers.

The Pitfalls of Siloed KPIs

  1. Lack of Harmony: Different KPIs can create tension and misalignment. Marketing may drive a high volume of lead, but if these are not high-quality or sales-ready, the sales team will struggle to convert them, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
  2. Stagnation: Being focused on efficiency, the RevOps team may resist creative and disruptive strategies that could significantly boost sales. Without a revenue-focused KPI, there’s little incentive to take risks that whilst initially disruptive to established processes could ultimately lead to greater revenue.
  3. Misguided Success Metrics: When each department marks their own scorecard, it can create a false sense of success. Sales teams might struggle to achieve their targets despite marketing and RevOps hitting their goals. This disjointed success can misguide strategic decisions, hindering overall business performance.

Moving Towards Unified KPIs

To reclaim the KPI crown and ensure every department is contributing effectively to sales performance, we recommend the following:

  1. Establish a North Star KPI: Align all departments around a single, revenue-focused KPI. This could be overall revenue growth, customer acquisition cost relative to lifetime value, or another metric that encapsulates the business’s financial health.
  2. Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Encourage regular communication and collaboration between marketing, sales, and RevOps. Joint planning sessions and shared goals can help break down silos, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same objectives.
  3. Educate on Metrics: Take the time to ensure that everyone understands not only their own KPIs but also how they interrelate and impact the overall business. Sales teams should be aware of marketing’s lead generation efforts, and RevOps should understand how their processes affect sales efficiency.
  4. Incentivise Unified Goals: Structure incentives and rewards around the north star KPI. When bonuses, promotions and recognition are tied to unified goals, team are much more likely to work together towards shared success.

By uniting all of your teams under a common revenue-focused KPI, you’ll ensure that everyone’s efforts are harmonised towards driving business growth. If you’re ready to reclaim your KPI crown, we’re here to help.

Air Marketing: experts in sales and marketing

At Air Marketing, we understand the importance of a unified approach to KPIs. We work with businesses to align their marketing, sales, and RevOps efforts, driving cohesive strategies that lead to sustained revenue growth. Get in touch today to discover how we can help you achieve the sales performance your business deserves!

How To Reclaim The KPI Crown

From Rivalry to Revenue: How Competitor Research Fuels Business Growth

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

In the fast-paced world of B2B marketing, understanding your competition can make the difference between thriving and merely surviving. Competitor research is not about espionage; it’s about leveraging public and strategic information to make informed decisions that drive business growth. Here, we’ll explore how turning rivalry into a resource can fuel your company’s success.

The Importance of Competitor Research

Competitor research involves analysing your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and market positioning. This knowledge is crucial for several reasons:

  1. Identifying Market Gaps: Understanding what your competitors offer allows you to identify unmet needs in the market. By addressing these gaps, you can attract customers who feel underserved by existing options.
  2. Benchmarking Performance: Comparing your company’s performance against that of your competitors helps set realistic targets and KPIs. This benchmarking provides a clear picture of where you stand and where improvements are necessary.
  3. Strategic Planning: Knowing your competitors’ strategies enables you to anticipate their moves and plan accordingly. This foresight can be invaluable in staying one step ahead.
  4. Innovation and Differentiation: Observing your competitors can spark innovative ideas and highlight areas where you can differentiate your offerings. Unique value propositions are key to standing out in a crowded market.

Turning Insights into Action

Merely gathering information is not enough; the real value lies in applying these insights to your business strategy. Here’s how to turn competitor research into actionable steps:

  1. Product Development: Analyse competitors’ product features, pricing, and customer feedback. Use this data to refine your own products, ensuring they meet and exceed market expectations.
  2. Marketing Strategies: Study the marketing tactics that work for your competitors. Are they excelling in content marketing, social media, or SEO? Adopt and adapt these successful strategies to enhance your own marketing efforts.
  3. Customer Experience: Examine how competitors interact with their customers. From sales processes to customer service, there’s much to learn and implement to improve your own customer experience.
  4. Sales Tactics: Understand the sales techniques and channels your competitors use. This insight can help you optimise your sales strategies, improve lead generation, and close more deals.

Tools for Effective Competitor Research

Several tools can streamline the process of competitor research:

  • SEMrush: For analysing competitors’ SEO and PPC strategies.
  • BuzzSumo: To identify popular content and influencers in your industry.
  • Owler: For comprehensive competitor data, including funding, news, and employee information.
  • Social Media Platforms: To monitor competitors’ engagement and marketing campaigns.

Case Study: Competitor Research in Action

Consider the case of a mid-sized SaaS company struggling to differentiate itself in a saturated market. By conducting thorough competitor research, the company discovered a gap in customer support services. Competitors were not offering 24/7 support, which was a significant pain point for customers.

The company responded by launching a robust 24/7 customer support system. They also highlighted this new service in their marketing campaigns. The result? A 30% increase in customer acquisition and a 20% boost in customer retention within six months. This success story underscores the power of competitor research when effectively utilised.

Conclusion

Competitor research is a vital component of business growth. By systematically analysing and understanding your competitors, you can transform rivalry into a strategic advantage. This proactive approach not only helps in identifying market opportunities but also equips you to innovate and outperform your competition.

In the dynamic landscape of B2B marketing, staying informed about your competitors is not just beneficial; it’s essential. Embrace competitor research as a continuous practice, and watch as it transforms your business from merely keeping up to leading the charge.

Opinion piece by Marketing Executive, Chloe Diggle

Competitor Research

Maximising Sales Performance: Should You Go In-House or Outsourced for Training?

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

It’s not your imagination, sales development is definitely getting harder. Outbound prospecting is certainly getting harder. Doing the same thing, applying the usual techniques, won’t cut it anymore. More than ever, there’s a need to be coaching and training your SDRs regularly, particularly in the early part of their career.

But what’s the best way to train your sales team? Should you have an in-house trainer or send SDRs to external training courses? Here, we’ll look at the pros and cons of in-house and outsourced sales training and enablement.

Benefits of in-house sales training

Awareness of the business: A trainer who works within the business knows the internal values, processes and systems. You can work through real life situations and confidential case studies.

Ongoing support: In-house trainers are able to train and coach consistently, and provide ongoing support. They’re not simply providing a one-off session, never to be seen again.

Accountability: Working in-house, the trainer can hold participants to account and follow up on the training with them. 

Challenges of in-house sales training

Expensive commitment: There’s the ongoing cost of hiring trainers rather than the variable outgoing of paying for external training courses.

Repetition of content: In-house trainers tend to teach the same things again and again. Being ‘in the bubble,’ they’re less exposed to new, external content and ideas. As Albert Einstein wisely pointed out, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Colleagues as fellow students: Training alongside your team mates tends to mean that you’re bringing similar experiences to the table. You’re not learning about different environments, challenges and case studies.

Benefits of outsourced sales training

Experts in their field: External trainers tend to be subject matter specialists. They’re constantly learning and updating their knowledge to pass on to their students.  

Established programs: Outsourced training is generally a one stop shop. Participants follow a program over a set time (e.g. a one day or half day training session). It’s a well-established and prepared program with specific processes.

Diversity of participants: External training providers usually hold sessions for people from different companies. They’ll bring varying levels of knowledge and understanding, and differing experiences. You’ll learn from each other as well as the trainer. 

Challenges of outsourced sales training

Cost of training courses: Outsourced sales training can be a costly option. Some providers charge £5000+ per day, for example.

Lack of accountability: After your training course, you go back to work and carry on. All too often, you drift back to old habits instead of the new ideas that you learned about. Without anyone to hold you to account, it’s easy to stick with what you know.

Finite learning experience: Once your six hour or six week training program ends, that’s the end. There’s no follow up to check your understanding of the topic, to build on it or to see if you’re successfully implementing the new approach. 

Introducing a different approach – The SDR Academy

We believe The SDR Academy offers something truly different.

The SDR Academy’s unique offering involves both learning new things as well as topping up and refreshing existing knowledge. We hold SDRs accountable for what they’ve learnt with regular sessions every single week. It’s the best of both worlds – a continuous learning journey combined with external expertise and learning from other people with different experiences.

We believe that sales training doesn’t have a beginning and end. You don’t have one session on ‘objection handling’ and then handle every instance perfectly. You don’t attend a session on ‘writing cold emails’ and then compose winning emails every time. You never complete your learning around sales. It’s an evolution; a process of continuous improvement.

The SDR Academy is an ongoing subscription to virtual training sessions. Run in live, virtual rooms, the courses are created and facilitated by leading industry experts. It’s comprehensive, affordable and impactful.

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How To Effectively Convert MQLs From Gated Content

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

Acquiring Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) is just the beginning when it comes to Digital Marketing. Next comes the trickier part: effectively nurturing and converting those leads into loyal customers.

In this blog, we’re looking at how to effectively convert MQLs from gated content downloads, with a strategic approach that guides prospects seamlessly through their buying journey.

Here are 10 strategies to effectively nurture and convert MQLs into valuable customers:

  1. Segment and Personalise

Segmentation is key. Group MQLs based on demographics, behaviour, and where they are in their journey. Then, personalise your content to cater to the specific pain points and needs of each segment.

  1. Lead Nurturing Campaigns

Gradually introduce relevant content and take advantage of a multi-channel approach by engaging leads across various platforms like email campaigns, social media and webinars.

  1. Content Mapping

Align your offerings with the different stages of the buyer’s journey. Provide informative content at every step to guide leads closer to conversion.

  1. Engagement and Interaction

Use interactive content tools such as live webinars, polls, calculators and ROI tools to engage leads and gather valuable insights. Encourage prompt interaction and respond swiftly to inquiries.

  1. Qualification

Define clear criteria for when a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) becomes a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).

  1. Continuous Analysis and Optimisation

Keep a close eye on your metrics. Monitor KPIs such as conversion rates and engagement metrics. Continuously experiment through A/B testing to optimise your nurturing campaigns.

  1. Sales and Marketing Alignment

Ensure strong collaboration between your marketing and sales teams. Foster open communication and create a feedback loop to refine MQL criteria and nurturing strategies.

  1. Customer-Centric Approach

Focus on value. Showcase how your product or service resolves specific pain points rather than just its features. Offer educational resources that empower leads to make informed decisions.

  1. Lead Follow-Up

Timing is everything. Ensure swift follow-ups and sustained engagement with your leads. Automate reminders within your CRM to maintain the conversation flow.

  1. Retargeting and Remarketing

Utilise retargeting ads and personalised offers to re-engage MQLs who have shown interest but haven’t converted yet.

By applying these strategies with precision and dedication, you can effectively nurture and guide MQLs through their journey, transforming them into loyal customers. This approach will not only boost conversions but also foster long-term relationships with your audience, driving sustainable growth for your business.

Opinion piece by Digital Marketing Manager, Becca Duckering

All You Need to Know About Using Data in Outbound Sales

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

At the close of last year, our exclusive roundtable, hailed by viewers as ‘the event of the year’ and one of our most successful yet, brought together the leading minds from all major data providers in the industry to discuss everything you need to know about using data in outbound sales. Offering key insights across strategy, intent data, data accuracy and the best practices for utilising data – it’s an absolute must-watch for anybody involved in the sales process.

Hosted by Air’s Founder & CEO, Owen Richards, our expert panel featured:

Here, their insights are revealed:

Everything Starts with Your ICP

“Many clients don’t know what their TAM (Total Addressable Market) is” says Liz Fulham. One of the common pitfalls of outbound sales is the spray and pray approach.

Ringing everyone on a list with no process or targeting strategy in place is what Paul Gilhooly calls a sure “revenue and productivity killer.”

The best way to lift your revenue line is to know who to target, what their pain points are and “how your solution fits into your prospect’s organisation” as Saif Khan offers.

Have an Efficient Operating Model

The importance of having a clear and efficient operating model within sales cannot be overstated. After all, data and outbound go hand in hand.  A good operating model will tie into that strategy and allow you to maximise your data for success. Paul Gilhooly informed us that 5-10% of your TAM will be in-market at any given moment. Ensuring that you have a process of capturing those accounts will help you to prioritise the most important accounts that are in-market for your solution. As he is says “In this economy, missing out on opportunities is the worst, so if you don’t have a process for that you’re missing a trick.”

Saif echoes and elaborates on the importance of having the tools and a blueprint of how you’re going to reach your goals. “The two biggest things are alignment and resource allocation” he says. With everyone in the team being asked to do more with less these days, it’s important that sales and marketing teams communicate and that you are providing for the accounts that have the highest yield. It’s not enough to focus on the leads generated at the top of the funnel anymore, so leveraging data from all departments to inform how you approach sales is fundamental. 

Using Data Effectively

Many companies come to data providers with the goal of enhancing their revenue but think they need to “rip and replace” all the data they have collected so far. Saif says it’s actually all about assimilating what has worked up until now and leveraging the right solutions to understand where the volume and quality of leads can be improved. When you understand the bigger picture, you can build short- and long-term plans for your success.

AI

AI is changing the world. It has so many uses within outbound sales such as helping SDRs to create ICPs based on their best-selling customers. Paul Gilhooly also explains how within 6sense’s platform it can be used to do a statistical lookback at the last few years of your CRM data and identify key trends and opportunities.

AI can be instrumental in getting the timing of outreach right, as well as providing a workflow to help you to prioritise the best opportunities. Liz explains that “using AI we’re able to match the data in the CRM to bring it right up to date with what’s happening on the internet.” In fact, it’s so powerful that it can update a changed job role from LinkedIn within minutes. This is amazing for reducing duplication and data accuracy.

Intent Data

Intent data is all about understanding the dynamic of how people buy today. Paul offers up two key questions here:

  • Do we want to contact the people who we could sell to?
  • Or do we want to contact people who want to buy?

From there you can ascertain what sales opportunities there are and if they are really feasible.

With first- and third-party data to consider as well as anonymous data there is lots to consider and much research emerging too. Rather than looking at one subset of data, it’s important that you aggregate it to get a full picture of your ICP’s pain points, needs and buyer readiness.

Outbound Sales Best Practices

  • Opt for Account-Based selling over transactional selling
  • Take a multi-channel approach – don’t just sell through the phone
  • More doesn’t mean more, its quality that counts
  • Personalisation, relevance and timing have never been more important
  • Leverage what you already have alongside intelligence tools
  • Offer a bespoke, tailored approach at every stage of the sales cycle
  • Profile the right companies to call using the data
  • Work on accounts that align to who the AE is going to sell to
  • Know your sales hooks
  • Be intentional with how you use data
  • Always A/B test
  • Ask the right questions
  • Be patient

It’s pays to remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to sales and marketing intelligence. James Isilay summarised it well when he said “data providers are a bit like newspapers. We all have different ways of collecting data and different propriety signals that we overly on that. There’s always differences in our data and accuracies. We all make a different soup in how we bring the data together.”

The most important thing is that you engage influencers and decision makers within a company in the right conversations, demonstrating that you understand their challenges and have a specific solution to ease them.

Outbound sales should be a collaborative approach laser-focused around your prospects. Making effective use of data at every stage of the sales process is vital especially within the mid to end of the funnel where there is so much intelligence to be gleaned.

As James says “Don’t burn the opportunities that you do get. They’re so hard to come by right now – they’re like golden nuggets!”

Thank you to our excellent panel for their time and knowledge. We hope that you found this roundtable as engaging and insightful as we did!

Watch the live roundtable 

Paid vs Organic Marketing: Which is Best For Your Business?

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

When you’ve not got a lot of time, or your marketing budget is smaller than you might like, you may have to choose between the two. If this is the case, which one should you go for?

We’ve put together this short guide to help you make the right decision.

What are paid marketing and organic marketing?

Paid marketing (unsurprisingly!) is any type of digital marketing that you pay to implement. It includes advertising on search engines like Google and Bing, as well as paid social advertisements on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. It’s estimated that 45% of small businesses have a paid marketing strategy in place.

Organic marketing is any type of digital marketing you don’t pay to implement, although you might spend money creating it. It includes everything from blogs and case studies to email newsletters and social media posts. With organic marketing, you’re making and publishing content that doesn’t just encourage engagement but is optimised for relevant keywords, increasing the chances of ranking highly in search engines like Google.

Paid marketing and organic marketing are great for driving traffic to your website and building brand awareness. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Organic marketing: the pros

It’s low-cost

Many businesses use organic marketing for one reason: it’s low-cost and, in some cases, has no cost.

It’s free to set up social media accounts, and if you’ve already got a website, you don’t have to pay extra to start a blog. Not only this, but there are a lot of great tools, like Canva, MailChimp, and even Chat GPT, that businesses can take advantage of when it comes to organic marketing.

Still not convinced? Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and can generate three times as many leads!

It’s excellent for search engine rankings

If you want to target customers, build trust, and generate leads, it’s crucial to rank as high as possible in search engines.

After all, the number one result in Google ends up getting nearly 28% of all clicks!

SEO is a great way to give your website a boost in the rankings. By focusing on the keywords and phrases people are most likely to use, you can drive traffic, attract the right customers, and, most importantly, make a profit!

It’s long-term

Organic marketing drives permanent traffic to your website. This means you can see the benefits of your marketing efforts, even after your campaigns have ended.

One of the best ways to take advantage of long-term organic traffic is to create evergreen content. This is information that isn’t time-sensitive, meaning that prospective customers can discover it at any time.

Organic marketing: the cons

It takes time to work

Organic marketing is not a quick fix; it takes time to see the right results. As a rough estimate, it can take six to twelve months to see your optimised blog posts rank in the search engines.

Remember that the main aim of organic marketing is to build brand awareness and engage with your audience. This can take time to do, although, in our experience, the results are well worth the effort.

It can be hard to stand out from the crowd

Did you know that 7.5 million blog posts are published every single day? With so much content available online, prospective customers can be spoilt for choice!

With organic marketing, you must work extra hard to make your content stand out from your competitors and encourage your customers to engage with you.

All the content you create should be 10x content – content that is ten times better than the existing number one result in Google.

Paid marketing: the pros

It works immediately

While organic marketing takes time to work, the critical advantage of paid marketing is that it works straight away. Just set up your campaign details, enter your credit card information, and your ad will appear to thousands of people in minutes!

This makes paid marketing ideal if you need to promote something quickly. For example, let’s say you’re offering a time-sensitive product. You can use paid marketing to push your product to your target audience as soon as possible. Conversely, you might have to wait months for an organic marketing campaign to take effect.

It offers highly targeted advertising

We all know the importance of knowing your target audience. Where they live, what they do for a living… even their hobbies and interests!

One of the great things about paid marketing is the targeting options you have available. Social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn, as well as Google Ads, gather a large amount of user data. You can use this to your advantage to ensure your ads are shown to the right people and you get the right return on your advertising spend.

It offers valuable insight into your customers and competitors

Organic marketing can sometimes be hard to track. For example, if a customer checks out a blog post, an email newsletter, and a social media post before making a purchase, which piece of content do you attribute the sale to?

Conversely, paid marketing provides you with lots of valuable information you can use to power your future campaigns. You can see which ads are leading to conversions, which copy and images people prefer, and even how you’re performing compared to your competitors.

Paid marketing is also fantastic for A/B testing. Create two ads with one small difference between them and see which one performs the best.

Paid marketing: the cons

It can be expensive

The main issue with paid marketing is that it’s ‘pay to play.’ Your website might be on top of Google when you’re spending money, but as soon as you pause your campaign, you’re right back at square one.

Some industries can be incredibly competitive, and this can drive the price of advertising up. For example, if you’re in the insurance industry, you can expect to pay up to £44 per click!

The good news is that paid marketing doesn’t have to be pricey. By regularly checking your data, choosing the perfect ad types, and targeting the right customers, you can drive sales without burning through your budget.

A skilled digital marketing agency (like Air Marketing) can help structure your ad campaigns correctly.

It can be seen as untrustworthy

As people become more digitally savvy and aware of ‘misinformation’ on the internet, they’re becoming less trusting of adverts they see online. A 2021 survey by YouGov showed that only one in ten people trust social media ads. Similarly, paid ads on Google have an average click-through rate of only 1.9%.

This means that people are more likely to dismiss ads they see online, whether on Facebook, Instagram, or Google. As a result, more hard work is needed to instil confidence in prospective customers.

Alternatively… why not use both?

So far, we’ve talked about using organic marketing OR paid marketing to grow and develop your business. However, there is nothing to stop you from using both together!

35% of businesses have integrated their paid and organic strategies to get the best effect from both. Here are just some of the reasons why combining the two is often the best approach:

  • Paid marketing lets you promote your brand and engage with customers quickly, while your organic marketing works behind the scenes to build a loyal audience over time
  • Paid marketing allows you to precisely target customers based on their demographic, behaviour, and interests, while organic marketing can be used to build relationships with customers
  • Paid marketing gives you the insight and data you need to optimise your organic marketing campaigns. For example, you can see which keywords customers are using to trigger your PPC campaigns and adopt these words and phrases for search engine optimisation purposes
  • Paid marketing can be affected by your organic marketing. For example, high-quality, relevant copy on your website can increase your ‘quality score’ in Google Ads, meaning you pay less when people click on your ads

Think of both marketing channels as two halves of the same whole. For example, let’s say you operate an eCommerce website and want to encourage more people to buy your products. You can use organic marketing to boost brand awareness and inform prospective customers of your store.

When these people visit your website, you can use a retargeting campaign on social media, as well as the Google Ads display network. These ads remind them of your brand, encouraging them to return to your site and make a purchase when they’re ready.

By combining organic and paid marketing, you can expand your reach and grow your audience faster than you would with either approach on its own.

Air Marketing: experts in organic and paid marketing

At Air Marketing, we specialise in both organic marketing and paid marketing, meaning you can have the best of both worlds!

Our digital marketing experts will create a strategy that focuses on the needs of your target audience and delivers the right messages at the right time. This means you get more leads and sales, all while getting a fantastic return on investment.

Contact us today to see how you can use organic and paid marketing in perfect harmony.

How to Be Brave and Sell More with Your Sales and Marketing

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

We’re living in an exciting age of advertising, so there’s no doubt that you’ve recently come across a piece of highly creative and snappy marketing and thought  ‘I wish my company could do something like that’. The good news is, that no matter what industry you operate in, you can! Thinking outside of the box and being brave with your sales and marketing has many benefits that can drive revenue growth.

Let’s delve into some of them:

Standing Out From the Crowd

CPB London’s 2022 International Women’s Day Campaign around breaking the gender bias was built around a nationwide study that said 39% of primary school aged children still believe that mothers should look after babies and do the housework, whilst fathers should go to work.

They produced a series of bold text-only posters that challenge instant biases with copy such as ‘Imagine a CEO. Is it a man?’ and ‘Imagine someone crying in the office. Is it a woman?’ They also launched a children’s colouring book alongside this that went further in challenging traditional gender roles.

Image credit: cpblondon.com

This campaign made them stand out from their competition and differentiate their brand as a disruptor within the industry. It also introduced them to a wider audience, including people who would not have been aware of their brand otherwise.

Increasing Brand Awareness

What feelings do you want to evoke when people think of your business? Boring, dated, ‘had its day’? Didn’t think so.

Your brand identity is the key to resonating with your target audience and driving more sales.

Take the latest British Airways campaign, for example. They’ve put a series of billboards up around the UK encouraging people to take their holiday seriously with a series of tongue in cheek out of office emails such as this one:

Image credit: famouscampaigns.com

They are implicitly driving sales by subverting expectations and relating to their audience’s desire to book holidays in order to switch off from their everyday working lives.

How relatable are your current marketing and sales materials? How could you appeal to your target audience more closely in your next campaign?

Building Trust with Your Potential Customers

By being bold and assertive with how you sell your products or services, you display a confidence in them that attracts interest and can lead to sales. Take this recent #RaiseYourArches advert from McDonalds. It doesn’t feature a single product or restaurant shot. It doesn’t even feature speech. It uses clever body language and their iconic golden-arch branding to show how people may communicate that they want a McDonalds.

Image credit: McDonald’s

McDonalds know that they don’t always have to use product imagery in order to sell burgers – they can instead focus on the feelings their food and the experience of eating it offers.

Consider how you could demonstrate confidence in your products or services within your marketing or sales collateral.

Increasing Sales Through Scarcity

KFC’s double down burger is one of its most popular menu items. But it’s not available all year round. The fast-food chain only makes it available for limited 5 week periods and when it’s on sale, it accounts for roughly 5% of its total revenue. The fact that it’s never clear when the burger might be returning to the menu, drives sales from satisfied customers who have previously enjoyed it. The product has a loyal customer base which means KFC can expect increased revenue over time, so long as they keep selling it.

Image credit: KFC UK & Ireland Instagram

How could you replicate this sense of urgency to motivate your ideal customers into action? Could you create exclusivity around a product or offer a lucrative limited time deal? The bolder, the better!

Leading Not Following

The release of the John Lewis Christmas advert is a highly anticipated event in the festive calendar. Viewers have come to expect a highly emotive and heart-warming tale that evokes the yule-tide spirit of giving. Hailing back two decades, this format has now set a trend with lots of other retailers now following suit with story-telling adverts in a similar format. This powerful story-telling format increases brand awareness and can be effective in driving sales, especially around the all-important festive period.

How could your business lead rather than follow with your sales and marketing processes? Could you offer added value that your customer base wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else? How could you inject freshness into your industry?

Being brave with sales and marketing isn’t something that’s exclusively reserved for the titans of their industry. In being bold and making your offering stand out from that of your competitors, you’ll force your audience to sit up and listen to what you have to say.

In thinking outside of the box with how you market and sell to your audience,, you will undoubtedly  achieve a wider reach, build trust, and ultimately generate more opportunities for revenue growth. So be brave with your ideas, make the sky your limit and then go a bit further. In today’s oversaturated digital world, who dares wins!

Is your business ready to be brave and sell more, but in need of some guidance on how to execute this strategy? We’re here to help. Get in touch today to find out how we could guide you through the process and help you to generate more revenue opportunities.