This past Wednesday, Sept. 18, the American Marketing Association – Birmingham Chapter hosted Douglas Burdett, host of the “The Marketing Book Podcast” and founder/principal of ARTILLERY, as the keynote speaker of the September Signature Series luncheon. “The Marketing Book Podcast” was named by LinkedIn as one of “10 Podcasts That Will Make You a Better Marketer” and by Forbes as one of “11 Smart Podcasts That Will Keep You in the Know.” Each episode features Burdett interviewing best-selling authors and industry leaders with new episodes each Friday to keep his audience up-to-date on the latest advances in marketing and sales.
In addition to hosting his podcast, Burdett founded ARTILLERY in 2001, a sales-based marketing agency for manufacturers in Norfolk, Va. Prior to opening his firm, Burdett worked in New York City on Madison Avenue with ad industry giants J. Walter Thompson and Grey Advertising. Before he began his marketing career, Douglas served as a U.S. Army artillery officer overseas for three years and then earned an MBA from Western Carolina University.
During his career, Burdett has read over 250 marketing and sales books to expand his knowledge as the industry innovated and grew. At the luncheon, he gave attendees three big ideas that are important for every budding and seasoned marketer.
“You are everything they want to hire and what they cannot afford to lose.”
Douglas Burdett
#1: Marketers Have A [Serious] Image Problem
Burdett stated 80% of CEOs don’t trust marketers. Why? Because marketers are perceived to not understand the financial realities of running a business. “They think you are the arts and crafts party planners — the ‘make it pretty committee’,” said Burdett. No one cares that marketers “manage the brand” or “spearhead the marketing efforts,” but CEOs want to know marketers can keep up in the revenue camp.
Burdett’s advice? “Good marketers know how to link what is already being done to what stakeholders want to see in the future.” Ask questions like what are the company’s financial goals, sales goals, most profitable customers and average lifetime value. Knowing these things elevates your status as a marketer.
#2: The Most Successful Marketers Have Deep Insights On Who Their Customers Are
“These are our customers, not victims…” said Burdett. He explained there are three types of companies: those who are focused on themselves, those who are focused on the competition, or those who are focused on their customers.
Burdett encouraged members to reflect on their current business and ask “who am I serving?” He also mentioned creating “buyer personas” for your customer base. Talk to your customers, discover their needs and seek to satisfy them. “Whoever gets closest to the customer wins,” stated Burdett. The power lies in who knows their customer base the best.
#3: The Most Powerful Marketing Tool Is The Customer Experience
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Burdett reminded members that everyone, even customers, has a voice in the digital age. He explained that 70% of customers say they will pay more for a better customer experience. It’s not just about having the next-best product. So, how do businesses get ahead?
“The sales process is the biggest way to differentiate yourself,” stated Burdett. Locate pain points in the customers’ lives and propose your product as the solution. Discover what questions they are seeking answers to and place your customers’ needs first.
Subscribe to “The Marketing Book Podcast” on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Connect with Douglass Burdett on LinkedIn or on his website. Make sure to connect with AMA Birmingham on our social media accounts and watch for next month’s Signature Series luncheon!