To celebrate the Content Bureau’s 20th anniversary, we’re seeking wisdom from 20 rock star clients whose serious B2B marketing cred, brains, and heart have always inspired us. Next up: Michelle Perroton.
- Name: Michelle Perroton
- In: Seattle
- Hired the Content Bureau at: Intuit, Demandforce
- For: Partner marketing content
- One word to describe the Content Bureau: Fun
- Best marketing asset ever produced: Co-marketing toolkit
- Why: It contained the basics—which co-marketing opportunities we offer (with visual examples), what we ask of partners—in a simple one-page format. Partners said, “This is great—you clearly know what you’re doing with co-marketing.” And then they said yes, so this asset really helped us achieve our goals.
- Biggest challenge facing B2B marketers today: Ensuring our content stands out from the crazy volume of content bombarding our customers. It’s never been more important to have strong, clear brand and product messaging in a unique voice.
- B2B marketers of the future should be: Really comfy with marketing automation and data analytics. We can’t scale without automation.
- Marketing and sales: Ideally share data (such as Marketo + Salesforce) and incentives, encouraging them to work together so that by the time a prospect engages with sales, she’s informed—leading to a smarter, more qualified, bottom-of-the funnel conversation—and a faster close.
- If some extra budget fell into my lap, I’d produce: A highly personalized email series on a specific theme, targeting existing customers in various roles such as technical influencer, business buyer, etc. We make a big deal out of lead lifecycle (acquisition) marketing, but then once we close a customer, we just send them a monthly newsletter…? We should focus more on retention lifecycle marketing.
- Where I go to learn: Gallup’s Strength Finder to help me to identify opportunities to grow and succeed while leveraging my strengths, my local chapter of NEW (Network of Executive Women) for interesting speakers and networking, corporate learning/ professional development opportunities available at my current employer, payments industry blogs (PYMNTS.com, etc.), the How I Built This podcast, and Brené Brown—I’m loving the concept of vulnerability and courage and its application at work.
- Smart ask: More fresh, high-impact content. There’s never enough!
Michelle Perroton is one of the brightest; most productive, delightful, and exciting young marketers we have worked with in many years—and I promise I didn’t make up that last line!! If you enjoyed these smart thoughts from Michelle, and would like to discuss any of them, please call me, or check out our technology marketing services.
