by Fronetics | Jan 12, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy
Competitive benchmarking should be part of your data-driven marketing strategy.
In August 2016, Elaine Thompson claimed the mantle of world’s fastest woman, and Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time. Thompson and Phelps achieved these incredible feats by continuously pushing themselves to do better. To do this, they not only tracked and measured their personal performance, but they also tracked the performance of their peers and of their competitors. Together, this data gave Thompson and Phelps the knowledge and drive needed to improve their own performance.
When it comes to measuring marketing performance, most marketers look inward, focusing on key performance indictors (KPIs) such as website traffic, open rates, social engagement metrics, and conversion rates. While these inward facing KPIs are important, it is also important to look at what is happening outside your organization and to benchmark your marketing performance against peers and competitors. This will give you the knowledge and drive you need to improve your performance and chance of success. It can help you to identify threats and strategic opportunities.
WHO
When adding competitive benchmarking to your marketing strategy the first step is to determine who to benchmark against. I recommend not just benchmarking against direct competitors, but to also benchmark against industry leaders, and against a company or two that you think is excelling (this company does not need to be in your industry). By taking this more global view, you can gain ideas and intelligence from industry leaders and from the creative and strategic minds of top performers. A word of caution – be strategic and keep the number of companies to a reasonable number.
WHAT
While you should determine the KPIs to track and measure based on your business and marketing goals, here are some to consider:
- Traffic by channel
- Visits by source
- Bounce rate
- Keywords
- PPC activity and spending
- Social engagement
- Social reach
- Posting times
- Top performing content
- Meta description (company positioning)
As with your inward facing KPIs, action is key. Use the data you gather to inform your strategy.
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by Fronetics | Jan 9, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy, Supply Chain
Why brand awareness is important to growing your business
The singular goal of most companies that contact Fronetics is to generate more leads — today. This is not surprising in that leads are necessary to generate sales, and sales are necessary to revenue generation and to growth. What is surprising is the number of companies who do not recognize the critical role brand awareness plays in lead generation.
Brand awareness is the likelihood that your company’s brand, products, and services are recognized by consumers. Simply put, if consumers don’t know your company exists and/or don’t know what your company does or what your company offers, your company won’t be a part of their decision process.
Today, more than ever, being recognized and being a part of the decision process is crucial.
The new B2B buying process
The buying process for B2B buyers has become more complex and longer. The 2016 B2B Buyer’s Survey Report found that 80% of respondents reported their purchase cycle was longer than it was the previous year. The buying process has gotten longer because most buyers (73%) are using more sources to research and evaluate products and services, and they are spending more time in the research phase itself.
When conducting their research and evaluating purchases, B2B buyers report that they are looking for personalization, and for companies and vendors that demonstrate a deep understanding of the industry.
The place they are turning to conduct their research, and to evaluate purchases, is online: 89% of B2B buyers report using the internet to conduct research. Specifically, they are going online to: conduct web searches, look at vendor websites, read reviews, use social media, and participate in online forums.
The importance of investing in brand awareness
Your company can not generate leads if your company is not found when B2B buyers are conducting their research. And, being found is just the tip of the iceberg. Your company will not be included in the evaluation and decision process if it does not have a robust online presence that is inclusive of quality content that speaks to your target customer — that is, content that educates, informs, and identifies how your company can meet the needs of your target customers. It is about positioning your company as a knowledge leader, building trust, and establishing relationships. It is about brand awareness.
Building brand awareness takes time and dedication. Companies that are willing to invest their time and resources to brand awareness are rewarded – not just with leads, but with quality leads.
Too often, I see companies who are unwilling to invest either the time or money in brand awareness. One of the most frustrating things to see is a company that gives up too soon. These are companies who have realized significant gains — they have, for example, increased traffic to the website through organic, referral, direct, and social sources; decreased bounce rates; increased social reach; and increased social engagement. But, because their lead generation has not immediately sky rocketed, they decide to either reduce or eliminate their digital and content marketing activities. It is frustrating because these companies have built a strong foundation, and they are on the tipping point of success.
With the B2B buying process taking longer than ever, with buyers spending more time researching and evaluating their decisions, and with B2B buyers turning to the internet and critically evaluating companies on how they present themselves, investing the time and resources to brand awareness is critical.
As Geoffrey Chaucer said, “Patience is a conquering virtue.”
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by Fronetics | Dec 21, 2016 | Blog, Diversity, Leadership, Logistics, Manufacturing & Distribution, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Women hold just 15% of all executive officer positions within Fortune 500 companies, yet research consistently shows that when women are in positions of leadership, companies perform better. In the supply chain industry, just 5% of top-level supply chain positions within Fortune 500 companies are held by women.
As a woman working within the supply chain industry, I believe that it is important to discuss the lack of gender diversity and point to research highlighting why the industry needs to increase the number of women in all positions, including the C-suite. It is just as important to highlight the incredible women who already are working within the industry.
In 2015 I interviewed Cathy Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Arrow Electronics, and Mickey North Rizza, vice president of strategic services at BravoSolution. Morris was twice named one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology,” and North Rizza was named a “Top Female Supply Chain Executive.” Both Morris and North Rizza shared how they got started in the industry, and the steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
In 2016 I interviewed Kendrea Durr-Smith, director of global trade compliance at Arrow Electronics, Kelli Saunders, President of Morai Logistics, Hailey McKeefry, editor and chief at EBN, and Barbara Jorgensen, co-founder and managing editor, EPS News. I also invited Tania Seary, founder of Procurious, to share what is happening at her company, and Jennifer Cortez, director of marketing and communications at Transplace, to discuss the role of quality content within the industry.
Here are the most-read women in the supply chain posts of 2016.
It was a “fluke” that Kelli Saunders found the supply chain industry. More than 30 years later, Saunders is president of Morai Logistics Inc., an Authorized Agent of Mode Transportation. Read more.
When Arrow Electronics came across Kendrea Durr-Smith, senior leader of export control audits, training, and communications at Honeywell Aerospace, on LinkedIn, the company was impressed with what she had accomplished in her nine years there. Now Arrow’s Director of Global Trade Compliance for the last four years, Durr-Smith has led a group that is both unique and diverse, and has helped to shepherd in significant changes. Read more.
Data shows that gender equality has improved in recent decades, such as the 15% increase of women working full time in the workforce since 1979. But there is still much progress to be made. As a recent UN Working Group mission to the US to explore discrimination against women found: “In the US, women fall behind international standards as regards [to] their public and political representation, their economic and social rights, and their health and safety protections.” Read more.
Women within the supply chain industry are doing incredible things. Here are some of their stories. Read more.
While there remains a gender gap in the supply chain industry, progress has been made. McKeefry is a clear example of progress. Her internship at EBN in 1990 was a “minority internship,” and today, 26 years later, she holds a leadership position within the company. Read more.
Barbara Jorgensen has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist, working for leading electronics industry publications such as Electronic Business, Electronic Buyers’ News, and EDN. She is the co-founder and managing editor of EPS News. Read more.
This is a guest post written by Tania Seary, founder of Procurious, the world’s first online social network for supply chain and procurement professionals. Seary shares how she has built Procurious. Read more.
This is a guest post by Jennifer Cortez, Director, Marketing Communications, Transplace. Cortez discusses how Transplace, a North American non-asset-based provider offering manufacturers, retailers, chemical and consumer packaged goods companies the optimal blend of logistics technology and transportation management services, has used content marketing and she offers up 3 tips for creating valuable and compelling content. Read more.
by Fronetics | Dec 20, 2016 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
The 10 most popular talent posts of 2016.
The start of a new year generally brings with it a host of resolutions. For individuals finding and landing a new job, or advancing in their current job are common resolutions. For companies, identifying talent, hiring, and retaining great talent are typical goals for the new year.
We’ve assembled our top 10 talent posts of 2016. We hope these posts help you and/or your company overcome challenges, and your achieve goals.
A veteran recruiter explains where the supply chain talent shortage is headed and how companies can overcome the challenges. Read more.
This guest post by Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting, a boutique recruitment firm specializing in Supply Chain Management and Procurement, asks the question: If there is a Supply Chain talent deficit, why are so many people in the field having trouble finding work? Read more.
The global supply chain is continuously evolving, offering new opportunities as demands shift and new technologies are born. But how do you evolve with it? We offer 5 things you can do to advance your logistics or supply chain career. Read more.
LinkedIn offers immeasurable opportunity for recruiting premium talent. But how do you begin weeding through the network’s more-than-433-million candidates? Here are some techniques — both free and fee-based — on using LinkedIn to find professionals who match your company’s open positions. Read more.
Networking can do more than help you find your next job opportunity; it can make you smarter, happier, and more financially stable. Read more.
Building a stronger relationship between academia and the supply chain industry is one way to solve the growing talent gap. If your company is looking to hire, consider strengthening your rapport with schools that offer supply chain programs or specialties. Read more.
If your job has left you to feeling stuck in a rut, try these steps to improve your professional life. Read more.
Your business is growing, and it is time to hire. That means facing the challenge and overcoming the fact that there is a dearth of supply chain talent. Growth is very common right now, as job titles evolve and shift due to the rapid changes in supply chain management and new technological requirements. So more talent is in demand as many businesses try to remain competitive. Seek out candidates with these skills and experiences when hiring new supply chain talent. Read more.
This guest post by SCM Talent Group, a national supply chain recruiting and executive search firm, discusses a new webinar series centered around the talent aspects of the supply chain discipline. The purpose of this series is to provide low-cost, high-impact solutions and advice that employers, hiring managers, and HR partners can implement in efforts to improve their abilities in attracting, hiring, and retaining top supply chain talent. Read more.
Family businesses can be a source of pride and fulfillment. But, often, they are rife with unprecedented turmoil. Working for a family business presents unique challenges that require special tactics to keep things professional (and to keep the peace). Read more.
by Fronetics | Dec 19, 2016 | Blog, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain
Fronetics is a boutique marketing firm focused on the supply chain and logistics industries. Not only does our firm have deep roots within these industries, we are also focused on the future.
Here are our top 10 supply chain and logistics posts of 2016.
The buying process for B2B buyers has become more complex and longer. The 2015 B2B Buyer’s Survey Report found that 53% of respondents reported their purchase cycle was longer than it was the previous year. The buying process has gotten longer because the majority of buyers (82%) are using more sources to research and evaluate products and services, and they are spending more time in the research phase itself. A full 80% of respondents reported they spend more time on research alone — this is up from 58% in the previous survey. Read more.
Fronetics names the best of the best blogs in the logistics and supply chain industries. Read more.
Here are 5 more TED Talks from 2016 that companies in the supply chain and logistics industry will want to see. They cover a range of topics, from technology to business strategy. Read more.
Amazon’s ever-expanding foray into the logistics space could turn the industry on its head. Read more.
Culture is not rhetoric for Eimskip. This key player in worldwide reefer logistics has placed a high value on culture since it was founded in 1914. “When identifying where we operate,” says Isfeld, “we look to smaller communities where there are cultural similarities and where we can make connections and be involved.” Read more.
New research shows how supply chain and logistics companies currently are using the Internet of Things and how they plan to expand use in the future. Read more.
If you’re looking for the latest news and information about happenings in the industry, you should have these five supply chain websites on your radar. In no particular order. Read more.
As uncertainty pervades following Brexit, experts speculate about the impact a divorced U.K. and E.U. will have on the global supply chain. Read more.
The Supply Chain industry is changing, while it’s becoming harder for companies to hire at the same time. These supply chain demographics provide a picture of the industry today. Read more.
They are your employees. They are your customers. Pretty soon, Millennials will be the supply chain. Read more.
by Jennifer Hart Yim | Dec 12, 2016 | Blog, Strategy, Talent
Posting open positions to job boards don’t work for job seekers, and they create more busy work for employers. So why do companies still use them?
This guest post comes to us from Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting, a boutique recruitment firm specializing in Supply Chain Management and Procurement.
Every year, recruitment technology evolves. Skype comes along and offers an approximation of in-depth, in-person job interviews. New Applicant Tracking systems make the job application process more humane or, depending on your luck, more arduous, albeit efficient for hiring managers. New social media sourcing techniques allow recruiters to tap into networks of people they couldn’t find before. New websites and hiring tools emerge, claiming to be “talent networks” and insisting — when advertising themselves to recruiters — that they “aren’t job boards.”
For good reason. Whether you’re a recruiter, or a candidate looking for your next opportunity, or a company looking to hire, job boards don’t get you the best results.
In our opinion, it’s time to ditch them once and for all.
Job boards don’t work for job seekers
If you speak with a frustrated job seeker, you’ll inevitably hear that they’ve applied to dozens of jobs and never heard anything back. This is a symptom of the culture of job boards more than hiring managers’ indifference to any single applicant. The fact is, if you apply using a job board, your resume is going into a black hole among hundreds of other resumes. If anyone reads your resume at all, it’s likely a junior HR person doing the initial culling who doesn’t necessarily understand the nature of the job. A junior HR person who has 400 other resumes to review. A junior HR person who might get distracted by a phone notification, or a daydream, or a co-worker telling them there are cookies in the break room, and not even pay attention to your carefully crafted resume because there are just so many more to get through. Tons of jobs end up on job boards because the company wants to show that they’re reviewing outside applicants, even if they know they’re hiring internally. Beyond that, tons of jobs never even make it to job boards in the first place.
It’s easy to criticize job boards for being an impersonal way to assess hires. The thing is, that would be okay if job boards worked. But for most job seekers, they don’t.
So why do companies use them?
Don’t be part of the problem
A big part of it is the convenience: Job boards let companies adopt a “set it and forget it” mentality. It lets them post a job description, sit back and wait for the candidates to roll in. Easier than sourcing candidates, looking for referrals, working with external partners, right? Except that you’ve created a a ton of busywork for your team, and now they have to scan through tons of irrelevant resumes. You have to respond to those applications (and let’s be honest, many companies don’t) or risk taking a hit to your company’s reputation. You can ignore the irrelevant applications and contribute to the black hole mentality, making finding a job seem even less personable than it already is. Then you’re part of the problem, and what HR department wants to be part of the problem?
No one does. The paradox is that the easier job boards become to use, the less relevant the applications become. Once you can apply for a job with a single click (like on LinkedIn’s job postings), you can easily apply to hundreds of jobs that you have no business applying for. The mismatched resumes proliferate, and so does the busywork.
Thinking of hiring in terms of opportunity cost
One of the most difficult things to assess in business is the opportunity cost of decisions. Perhaps the biggest opportunity cost of using job boards is that you completely ignore the passive candidate market — people who aren’t looking for jobs, but would be open to a move. Any HR department or hiring manager worth their salt will source passive candidates in addition to using job boards. But if you rely on job boards entirely, you’re passing up what are the best candidates around.
For these and other reasons, we decided to stop using job boards a few years ago and haven’t looked back. As recruiters in a high-demand industry, we needed to focus on our own network and passive talent, and we think companies and candidates should do the same thing.
While it’s certainly still possible to find a job using job boards, or to find a great candidate using job boards, it’s one of the more inefficient ways of connecting people with jobs — short of attaching a resume to a camel and hoping said camel makes it all the way across the Sahara Desert to an employer. So it’s time to ask — is it possible to do better?
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