Smart B2B Financial Services Marketing: Debra Bar

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: Debra Bar.

  • Name: Debra Bar
  • In: NYC
  • Hired the Content Bureau at: RBC Capital Markets, Bank Leumi USA
  • For: Financial services marketing content
  • One word to describe the Content Bureau: Scrappy
  • Best marketing asset ever produced: Bank Leumi LinkedIn page
  • Why: When we first started actively posting on LinkedIn, we had 7000 followers. Within 15 months, we had 18,000—and today more than 22,000. LinkedIn has been a great place to grow our brand with B2B clients.
  • Biggest challenge facing B2B marketers today: Data! Getting it, interpreting it, and using it to grow the business.
  • B2B marketers of the future should be: Quant and tech experts. Marketing is no longer a soft function; there’s so much data, analytics, and technology behind it.
  • Marketing and sales: Marketing now works more closely with both sales and the c-suite given companies’ increasing focus on the customer experience. The ability to tie marketing to increased sales has also brought us closer together.
  • If some extra budget fell into my lap, I’d produce: A highly targeted paid advertising campaign on LinkedIn. Tools like Pardot and Marketo allow us to target so accurately. And I’d produce more dynamic web content, which also helps with recruiting.
  • Where I go to learn: Financial Communications Society for financial services marketing; CMO Club for great networking with other CMOs, and because it’s useful to see trends in other industries such as tech and CPG; LinkedIn Learning; and my industry network and colleagues.
  • Smart ask: Access to more/better data and the resources to leverage it!

Smart thoughts from smart financial services marketer Debra Bar! I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Debra for many years, and she continues to inspire me with her formidable juggling skills! She’s held perhaps the broadest marketing roles of any of our clients; and is constantly learning and growing—which could be the secret to her success. To discuss anything you enjoyed reading here, please call me, or check out our financial marketing services.

By Stacy Crinks