Bill Furlong on The Shifting Landscape of B2B Marketing - Chief Influencer - Episode # 027
Bill Furlong is the CEO and Co-Founder of SquareStack and the Author of Appify Your Business, which helps small and mid-sized businesses find and employ cloud tech solutions to improve the way they work. Bill has been at the forefront of B2B marketing for decades. He was the Managing Director and Publisher of B2B Magazine and then went on to successfully launch multiple startups, including Bizo, which LinkedIn acquired. Bill and Host Anthony Shop discuss why the B2B marketing landscape has shifted closer to B2C, the importance of authenticity in modern marketing, and the impact of social selling.
Takeaways:
- While building a company’s brand is essential, it is often equally or more effective to develop the personal brands of the leaders within the company because people want to be connected to and learn from actual humans, not just brands.
- It’s crucial that leaders, especially those in the C-suite, have an active and authentic digital presence. Leaders should leverage their influence on social media platforms to forge personal connections, enhance their personal brand authenticity, and build digital relationships.
- The internet has revolutionized B2B marketing, leading to B2B adopting strategies that mirror B2C marketing. The merging of professional and personal lives, the need for more human connections in business, and the rise of technology drives this shift.
- Technology, especially AI, is now influencing marketing, creating virtual personas and automating drip campaigns. Be sure to avoid "over-automating," as this feels cold and impersonal. Interactions with your company should have a human touch.
- Content marketing plays a key role in companies establishing themselves as thought leaders in their industries. Curating great content relevant to your audience can be just as important as creating new content.
- While it can be challenging to measure the success of brand-building in the digital age, collecting and understanding first-party data are critical. Unifying customer data provides insights into the value of marketing and communication activities.
Quote of the Show:
- “Authenticity and a conversational approach to your digital self is so important” - Bill Furlong
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wkfurlong/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wkjfurlong
- SquareStack Website: https://squarestack.com/
- Appify Your Business: https://a.co/d/24QqycR
Shout Outs:
- Scott Galloway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profgalloway/
- Scott Brinker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/
- Thích Nhất Hạnh: https://plumvillage.org/#filter=.region-na
- Brian Morrissey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmorrissey/
Gale Wilkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galevc/
Creators and Guests
Host
Anthony Shop
Anthony Shop believes in the power of people-centered branding and marketing to create a bright future. He chairs the National Digital Roundtable, the premier convener of digital innovators, leaders and policy shapers. Anthony also is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Social Driver, a digital services firm that helps companies and non-profits establish winning strategies with social media, websites, creative, and advertising. An enthusiastic presenter and teacher, he has led executive-level training for Amazon, PepsiCo, NASA, The British Embassy and the Bipartisan Policy Center. He has been recognized as an “OUTstanding LGBT Role Model” by The Financial Times, “40 Under 40” by The Washington Business Journal, and Business Leader of the Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. A former newspaper reporter, Anthony was the first new media professional elected to the National Press Club’s Board of Governors. He currently serves on the boards of Leadership Greater Washington and LearnServe International. He earned his MBA from The George Washington University School of Business, where he teaches as an adjunct lecturer.
Guest
Bill Furlong
Bill Furlong is the CEO and Co-Founder of SquareStack and the Author of Appify Your Business, which helps small and mid-sized businesses find and employ cloud tech solutions to improve the way they work. Bill has been at the forefront of B2B marketing for decades. He was the Managing Director and Publisher of B2B Magazine and then went on to successfully launch multiple startups, including Bizo, which LinkedIn acquired.
Producer
Robert Krueger
Robert is an Executive Director for The Communications Board, an organization with the mission of providing high-quality professional development for every communicator in every location. He is also the Global Lead for Partnership Communications at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture and design firm. Prior to his current role, he performed executive and CEO communications for Gensler, and was the senior director of public relations and social media at the Urban Land Institute. He obtained an MA in Communications and an MA in History from George Mason University. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, Robert has taught communications at universities including George Mason University, West Virginia University, and the University of Florida. Robert currently serves as Immediate-Past President for the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) -- the nonprofit’s largest chapter.