The REAL role of Marketing in B2B with Duarte Garrido [SOCIAL 3.0 S1. EP. 7]

In this episode, I sit down with Duarte Garrido (or ‘DG’ for short) an experienced marketing leader and advisor, to discuss the role of marketing in driving growth for B2B companies.
DG shares his thoughts on the intricate relationship between marketing and revenue generation, drawing from his diverse career spanning social media, content creation, and strategic advisory roles. This conversation is a must-listen for marketers seeking to elevate their impact within their organisations and align marketing efforts with business priorities.
5 Top Takeaways:
Marketing is not customer acquisition: DG emphasizes that marketing should not be solely focused on lead generation or direct revenue attribution. Instead, marketing should act as a strategic engine for growth, driving brand positioning, competitive analysis, and audience understanding.
Attribution is broken: DG challenges the notion of linear attribution models, arguing that they fail to capture the complex and non-linear nature of B2B buying journeys. He suggests that relying solely on performance marketing can lead to an addiction, capturing only a finite pool of high-intent prospects while neglecting long-term brand building.
Creative effectiveness trumps lead generation: DG advocates for testing creative content organically and measuring its effectiveness before investing in paid performance marketing. This approach allows marketers to understand what resonates with their audience and inform their overall brand strategy.
The importance of Brand growth metrics: To track brand growth, DG recommends monitoring brand performance (engagement on owned channels) and brand equity (perception, share of voice). Proxy metrics like likelihood of recommendation can provide insights into word-of-mouth and brand strength.
Marketers as market experts: DG believes that marketers should be the true experts on the market, leveraging data and AI to understand the category, competitors, and audience sentiment. This deep understanding should inform brand positioning, product development, and overall business strategy.
Throughout the episode, DG challenges traditional notions of marketing's role and encourages marketers to up-level their conversations, becoming strategic partners in driving overall business growth.
I absolutely loved listening to DG’s take, I look forward to hearing what you think!
Andy ❤️