B2B Marketing Blog
Recently by Andrew Dalglish

Give the Emperor some underwear Ed

August 4, 2010 12:37 PM | By Andrew Dalglish
  Ed Weatherall recently likened Twitter to the Emperor’s New Clothes (http://www.b2bm.biz/blog/2010/04/twitter-the-emperors-new-cloth.html).  It’s surrounded by hype but when we look closely it often has limited relevance in B2B.  This bold position could explain why Ed was Happy Slapped to publicise last year’s B2B Marketing Awards. Despite the risk of suffering the same fate I’d like to join the campaign for common sense.  Ed, I’m available for any future petitioning, rallies or door knocking that you have in mind.  In the meantime I used an invitation to speak at the HORIZONT B2B Advertising conference in Frankfurt recently as an opportunity to...
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Market research: A survey or crystal ball?

March 4, 2010 1:46 PM | By Andrew Dalglish
My friends say I’m odd. It’s unusual, they say, to become animated when talking about business. It was with a resigned sigh that they accepted my invitation for an ‘end of recession’ drink. There was also grumbling at the last minute nature of the invite. A sensible precaution I thought. The October celebration was hastily repositioned as a commiseration drink when figures failed to back up economists’ estimates of an early exit from recession. I suspect you are also starting to think I’m a little odd so I’ll cut to the chase. At this celebration I was asked: Can a...
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Market research: Set sail, but take a map

February 12, 2010 10:12 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
International expansion is attractive as it compensates for the limited number of buyers in any one country. This is now the case more than ever. Caution is key though; the rewards may be great but so are the risks.At home, you’re aware of what matters most to buyers. Many international expansion strategies fail because there is an assumption that the same received wisdom holds true abroad. Before entering a new market thorough research is essential. The good news is that only a relatively small budget, an internet connection and some curiosity is needed. Economic, trade and population statistics can be...
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How can you tell if a survey is reliable?

February 12, 2010 10:09 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
We recently asked readers to pose their research questions on the B2B Marketing LinkedIn group. One question came back more than once. “In a B2B context how can I ensure a survey is reliable?” Reliability boils down to whether the right questions have been asked to enough of the right people. Survey questions need to be unambiguous, unbiased and asked in an objective format. Beware the following: • The ‘double barrelled’ question including two mutually exclusive items, e.g. ‘How satisfied are you with quality and speed of response?’• The leading question containing implicit assumptions, e.g. ‘How much do you expect...
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The pros and cons of DIY research

February 12, 2010 10:06 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
This month sees two milestones; a new year and the first anniversary of this column so what better time for a bit of re-invention. This column should be relevant to the issues you face and those you’re curious about. It should also ideally be a discussion, so here’s the idea. Each month I’ll create a thread on the B2B Marketing LinkedIn group where you can post a specific research dilemma, general question or any interesting observations. One or some of these comments will then form the focus for the column and hopefully subsequent discussion on the B2B Marketing Blog. To...
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Market research: The ‘three I’s’ of NPD: Insight, innovation and imagination

February 12, 2010 10:01 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
“If I’d asked people what they wanted they’d have said faster horses” declared father of the motor car, Henry Ford. Fast forward a century to another great innovator, co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. “A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them”. If we take these comments at face value they suggest that customer opinion can’t be the source of paradigm shifting NPD.  But I think their comments have been taken too superficially. What they’re really saying is “customers can guide innovation but only if you ask them the right questions”. Ask them...
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Time to think different

July 8, 2009 10:32 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
The last 12 months have been defined by change. The foundations of our economic system are slowly being rebuilt, political power is shifting and accountability has become the keyword in all walks of life. The field of B2B marketing is no exception to this zeitgeist. Our change is based on the recognition that in economically difficult times the business goal becomes short-term survival – simply holding on until the sun shines again. For many this means a change of focus from strategic to shorter-term, tactical activity.So how does this relate to market research? Well, research is often seen as a...
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Which B2B brands do you trust?

May 20, 2009 12:14 PM | By Andrew Dalglish
I recently stumbled across the Reader’s Digest survey of Britain’s most trusted brands. One finding jumped out at me: the most trustworthy margarine is Flora. ‘I’ve never trusted a margarine,’ I thought. ‘I trust my doctor, my friends, my local policeman; not a margarine’. But the idea got me thinking. I do trust brands that I’m familiar with, that are of a consistently high quality and live up to promises. This trust represents a useful shorthand for the best choice in a world of increasing complexity. So I decided that I do indeed trust a margarine. I also trust a...
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Knowledge is power

April 15, 2009 8:49 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
Here’s a positive voice amongst the gloom: ‘Recession is about change and with change comes opportunity.’ Marketing is no exception to this.  What is the change? As marketers seek more immediate ROI there has been a clear shift of focus from brand building to sales-based activities such as lead generation.  And the opportunity? To adopt a new approach that makes you stand out more than ever. On this point, I was recently discussing the role of research in lead generation with Lindsay Willott of The Marketing Practice. The roles can be seen in full on her blog (blog.themarketingpractice.com). But here...
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Customer service doesn't (always) matter

March 19, 2009 10:59 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
I recently visited a major carpet retailer and had perhaps the worst customer experience of my life. I was in a rush…they were just going to finish their coffee. I had found the perfect carpet…they strongly disagreed. I needed the carpet fitted, as soon as possible they might be able to do something in six weeks.  'Vote with your feet', I thought. And I did. I walked down the street to a conveniently placed competitor whose customer service was the polar opposite. 'Outstanding', I thought. Then I walked straight back up the street, swallowed my pride and struck a deal with my tormenter. You see, they had the...
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