Leprechauns vs. B2B Marketers:
More Alike Than Meets The Eye?
By
Eric Vidal
At first glance, B2B marketers and leprechauns seem worlds apart. After all, leprechauns are known to inhabit the wooded and grassy hillsides of Ireland, while B2B marketers typically take to cubicles and office buildings throughout the world.But as we prepare to turn the corner into spring and roll out the corned beef and cabbage, it’s worth asking the question: Do we have more in common with leprechauns than we think? Let’s take a look:
Sport of choice: Leprechauns love games. B2B marketers are taking a page from their book to engage buyers. From websites to social media to online communities, marketers are using gamification to connect with and learn about target audiences. In fact, Gartner predicts 70 percent of the world’s largest companies will have used at least one gamified application by the end of 2014.
Biggest complaint: Leprechauns hate getting caught and will grant you three wishes if you should catch one. B2B marketers hate “one and done.” Repurposing and extending ROI is a key strategy when it comes to content and events. An article can become a whitepaper, an infographic and a blog post. Instead of an in-person product showcase, webcasts and virtual events extend reach beyond four walls and a single day. They magically connect with audiences around the world and keep the conversation going.
Reward: Everyone knows that leprechauns will steer you towards a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow—which is exactly what B2B marketers do, too. Targeted, content-driven strategies are the rainbow that guides many a business toward success.
Eric Vidal, Director of Product Marketing at InterCall, has more than 15 years experience in developing, implementing and optimizing strategies for numerous organizations and Global 2000 companies. As the director of product marketing for InterCall’s event services, Eric manages the strategy and initiatives for the virtual technologies that include virtual environments, streaming, event management services and operator assisted services.
