Spotlight on Marketing : Matt Heinz’s Book on a Full Funnel

Matt Heinz has written a terrific book called “Full Funnel Marketing” (click here for a free download: http://results.heinzmarketing.com/FullFunnelMarketing.html)

The book describes the invaluable role that Marketing has in helping to fill the revenue Funnel with qualified opportunities, keeping buyers and sellers engaged and to close more business.

Matt and I had a chance to work together in 2014, and have stayed in close touch to share ideas at the intersection of Sales and Marketing effectiveness, a place where he is fully well versed.

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1. What was the impetus behind writing the book?

I fundamentally believe B2B marketers need to expand how they view their role in the organization, work much farther down the buying journey and sales process, and transform their role into a profit center for the business.  This includes changes in how they focus, how they measure their success, how they work with sales at a strategic AND operational level, and much more.

Full Funnel Marketing breaks down many of the best practices of how leading marketers are already embracing this challenge and responsibility.

2. What “trigger” events transpire that get your prospects to pick up the phone and call you?

The most valuable triggers are related to desired outcomes, likely “triggered” by an internal or external factor that makes change more urgent.  Sirius Decisions calls this the “challenge the status quo” stage of the buying journey, and it’s a critical opportunity to educate, reframe and build value with the buyer.

3. I’ve see you speak at conferences and you are very well prepared. Can you share any secrets for how you prepare?

Wow, thank you first of all.  What I do to prepare isn’t rocket science, but it works for me.  First is to focus intently on what the audience wants to hear.  Who will be there, what’s their mindset, why did they attend, and how can I give them some really valuable pieces of information that help them think differently, do their job better, etc.  Second key is to practice, be prepared, know the topic really well, and bring a lot of energy to the stage.

4. You live on a farm. How do you compare that to helping your customers to coordinate the efforts of Sales and marketing?

Chasing chickens is like chasing down leads?!  Harvesting the fall produce is about timing – get it while it’s ripe lest it go bad on the vine?!

I’m not sure there’s a perfect analogy there.  When it comes to managing our little hobby farm, my wife and I have similar but sometimes different objectives.  We ultimately want the same thing but have different visions of how to get there, what operationally we need to build or plant, what projects are bigger priorities than others.

For example, I really want to get pigs.  My wife doesn’t.  Both of us are committed to the ultimate goal of having a fun hobby farm that our kids enjoy and that teaches them responsibility, etc.  You can do that with pigs just as well as you can with produce I guess.  And so it is with sales & marketing, both ideally focused on the same objective but with different ideas of what to do every day to get there.

Are these the right leads?  Is that the right target market, or follow-up process, or trade show to attend?