Marketers are often proficient at diagnosing and patching holes in a funnel. We spot places where potential customers drop out of the buying process and fix or add touch-points accordingly. But what about the potential buyers who we don't even know about? According to Ed Breault, CMO of Aprimo, there is an entire "dark funnel" of people who are looking to buy a product in your category, who never make it onto your radar. According to Ed, using predictive data to illuminate this dark funnel can lead to stunning results.

On this episode of Marketing Trends, Ed sits down with Ian to discuss how to illuminate the dark funnel and engage those potential customers with compelling content. He also discusses conversational marketing, ABM, and much more.

Links: Full Notes & Quotes: http://bit.ly/2lw1OFo Ed’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ed-breault-367b772/ Ed’s Twitter: twitter.com/edbreault Aprimo: aprimo.com

5 Key Takeaways:

- Be a listener. "People love to talk and if you're the listener, you've got the advantage because you're collecting the data." - Identifying your "dark funnel" is crucial. It allows you to target the people who are in the market for your product who might not have otherwise considered you. - You can illuminate your dark funnel by using intent data and third-party data. - The best content fits a "how, now, wow" framework. Content should usefully show how to do something, offer commentary on what's happening right now, or blow people's minds with amazing experiences. - ABM campaigns are difficult to scale, and you shouldn't try to scale them too much. They are supposed to be limited and targeted.

Bio:

Ed is a “full-stack” marketer driving both the art and science aspects of marketing. As Chief Marketing Officer, Ed leads Aprimo’s marketing strategy and operations including all paid/owned/earned media, brand experience, product marketing, content marketing, PR, demand generation, and the rebirth and growth of Aprimo.

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