Business Marketing Face to Face (PDF)

The once predictable world of business (B2B) marketing is changing. It is now a complex and challenging environment populated by an increasing number of channels, fast developing technology and the expectation that everything and everyone is accountable. It is characterised by changing buyer behaviours and an emphasis on conversations and connectedness. Despite these complexities and challenges, at the root of business marketing remains the need to find, develop and maintain relationships. Accordingly, this book is anchored to two main principles, namely, generating demand and building fruitful marketing based relationships. To drive demand, establish relationships that of mutual value, and to weave a route through the various complexities, it is important to understand the nature and changing perspectives of B2B buyers. From this knowledge organisations are better placed to create more buyer-centric demand generation strategies. Business Marketing is underpinned and shaped by these ideas. Demand generation issues are recognised throughout the book and a chapter is dedicated to understanding relationship marketing principles. This is an applied text, in the sense that the theory and concepts of business marketing are interpreted in the light of business practice. This marketing management perspective is important structural feature of the book Each chapter opens with a 'slice of life.' These are commentaries written by Scot McKee, recalling his experiences of customers, events and issues over the last 20 years when running his own B2B marketing agency, Birddog. with each chapter containing a number of brief examples of business practice that demonstrate marketing theory in action. In addition each chapter contains a question, designed to encourage readers to consider the issues at hand. A range of organisations are used to illustrate practice, from the large multinational blue chip organisations to small and medium-sized companies with relatively scarce resources, and from the commercial and private companies to the not-for-profit and public sector organisations. Business Marketing is suitable for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students of marketing in universities or on professional diploma courses.