Last updated on March 20th, 2016 at 06:15 pm
Few people know B2B the way Lisa Shepherd does. The president and founder of The Mezzanine Group has been working with complex and tech-based B2B companies for almost 20 years and has helped grow 200 organizations of all sizes and in all industries.
Between working with businesses and meeting leaders at industry associations, economic development groups and universities – Shepherd is a frequent speaker on B2B marketing and strategy – she noted that there was very little material on B2B marketing.
“B2B marketing is not something that is taught in any of the colleges or universities,” Shepherd told B2B News Network. “And that’s a problem for companies and agencies (that) focus on B2B – there just aren’t enough people who understand vitamin marketing strategy and execution.”
Armed with real-world experience, she set out to remedy that, and in 2012, her first book – Market Smart: How to Gain Customers and Increase Profits with B2B Marketing – was born.
Shepherd wrote the book for B2B companies who don’t have multi-million dollar marketing budgets but want to use marketing to grow sales.
“I wanted to provide marketers with the framework for developing a strategy,” Shepherd said. “Too many marketers are accused of operating tactically rather than strategically, so it is important that marketers think first about business strategy and align their marketing strategy with that business strategy, and then move to executing marketing campaigns and initiatives. Not the other way around.”
On the heels of her first success, Shepherd has since released The Radical Sales Shift, which outlines how successful B2B companies are using marketing to generate sales.
“The Radical Sales Shift is intended to help B2B leaders understand what has changed in the B2B buying environment in the last decade, and how they can shift their companies to match the new buying reality,” said Shepherd. She described her second effort as heavy on the practical experience of those sales and marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the shift.
“My hope in writing these books is to provide guidance and education for those who are interested in B2B marketing or are getting into it,” she said.
