Podcast ValuClarity: Being People-First, from B2B to Company Culture - Julie Roehm
Being able to make judgements and execute operations based on numbers is vital to any organization, but many end up overlooking the human side of business. Purchases aren’t made just based on numbers — marketing experts know that each sale needs to appeal to the customer’s wants and needs. B2C and B2B companies are able to uncover hidden value and improve their own operations when they are people-first and understand the consumer’s perspective.
I recently went on ValuClarity, a podcast from Mark Boundy about taking whole-company efforts to find different ways of uncovering customer value. We spoke about the hidden C in B2B and ways of developing B2B2C avenues, driven by the customer’s perspective.
Our conversation’s first topic was what B2C businesses understand that a lot of B2B businesses don’t — you’re always selling to a customer, even when you’re selling to a business. Mark noted that 21% of B2B customers call and personally speak to a salesperson when considering a purchase, making it vital to understand who your customer is and what they need. My years of experience in B2B and B2C taught me that if a business connects with a customer by appealing to their needs and not just marketing the product, then that customer is more inclined to purchase and return to purchase more, bringing more value to your company.
For example, my first role out of business school at Ford Motor Company was to sell cars to dealerships. Before they could buy more cars, however, the dealerships needed to sell what they already had in the lots. So, we helped them improve their business and marketing, helping them get more of their stock onto the streets and be ready to purchase more from us.
It’s all about understanding the perspective of your client and end customer, and leveraging their needs in order to improve their experience. In my last role as the CMO/CXO at Party City, I led a B2B2C initiative to partner with venues at which people host events (such as Dave & Buster’s or SkyZone). We understood that customers booking parties at event spaces will also need to stop by a party supply store, so we leveraged our expertise by including a link to our products where customers book parties online. Because we understood the end user better than everybody and anticipating their needs, we created another channel of value while also improving the venue’s business. Hidden sources of value are naturally found when you develop your B2B relationships and understand your consumer.
We closed out the conversation by discussing my search for a new venture. 99% of job satisfaction typically comes from who you work with — I’m looking for a role with a human-first company culture, one that understands that our organization is a collaborative team and the competition is external, not internal. I’m also looking to improve a sub-optimized company. Like I said in the podcast, “I like broken toys” — I thrive when I’m working with companies that are looking to improve and are open to change, and I’m super excited to find that next step in my journey.
*****
Julie Roehm is an innovative customer-centric marketer known for strategizing profitable corporate turnarounds with fast revenue growth via capturing stories that resonate with clients. She was named “Marketer of Year” by BrandWeek, Brand Innovators ‘Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing’, the Tri-State Diversity Council’s “Most Powerful and Influential Woman”, an Automotive News “Marketing All-Star” and one of Working Mother’s “Top 25 Women”. She’s on the forefront of new marketing ideas, and being result-oriented, she uses her vast marketing experience in all facets of business strategy and marketing execution to help deliver the message of the brand.
