When my sons were in high school, I used to tell them that everything they did during their high school career counted. Not just their grades, but also their participation in sports and extracurricular activities would be seen and evaluated by future employers and especially college admissions people. Their performance in every class could mean the difference between being accepted into the university of choice or a college they had to settle for.
So how does this lesson apply to B2B marketing? Glad you asked! I mean that the simple things you take for granted or fail to execute properly can mean the difference between success and failure. Every customer and prospect has a choice of whether to do business with you or one of your competitors. Sometimes the choice is based on a major issue such as price or features, but often it is based on a feeling the prospect gets about the type of company you are. You can claim to be the company with the best product or service, but it may not matter if you make a poor first impression.
Following are some of the little (and not so little) ways you can ensure that you project a polished and competent image and thus increase your chance of making the sale.
