"Bullseye Marketing" is the second edition of the award-winning book. The first edition was named One of the Best Marketing Plan Books of All Time by Book Authority. In this new edition, Louis Gudema focuses his Bullseye Marketing Framework exclusively for B2B companies.
At the strategic level, readers will learn the three-phase Bullseye Marketing Framework that prioritizes the fastest, most cost-effective ways for B2B companies to grow faster. Louis then goes into detail on what it takes to successfully implement close to two dozen marketing tactics, providing hundreds of tips, best practices, and examples for successfully executing B2B marketing campaigns. The book provides over 100 full-color images.
While many companies put too great of an emphasis on short-term lead generation, in this second edition, Louis presents research around the importance of long-term building of a company’s brand and mental availability to optimize long-term business growth. He also provides evidence on the importance of creativity in building mental availability, and many examples of creative B2B marketing that go beyond the more typical product-centric marketing seen from many companies.
The second edition also includes a new foreword by Douglas Burdett, the host of The Marketing Book Podcast (for which he’s read close to 500 marketing and sales books), eight interviews of nationally-known marketing and sales leaders (Ann Handley, Scott Brinker, Jeanne Hopkins, Evan Kirstel, Gini Dietrich, James Carbary, Zorian Rotenberg, and Jim Ewel), and new case studies.
Gudema favors actionable tips over lengthy exposition, though he delves into his three phases with enough detail to bolster any company looking to achieve forward movement. The first phase makes use of already available resources—including an in-depth analysis of how to leverage current customers, redesign suggestions for an on-target website, email marketing tips, and more—and Gudema’s wisdom is evident in his use of low cost, on-hand resources for company growth. He goes on to widen the net, emphasizing the importance of website data and search ads to fine-tune marketing campaigns, and rounds out the guide with down-to-earth advice that ranges from building a master team to effectively utilizing social media. The ripple effect of Gudema’s method creates an opportunity for a sizable target audience—and a bigger return on potential marketing investments.
Perhaps most useful in Gudema’s guide are the many practical tips: when building a strong team, he cautions to “hire slow, fire fast,” and the technical advice (search engine optimization, podcast guidance, and even conversion analytics) is spot on. Backmatter includes a sample 12-month action plan, with a caveat that not all of Gudema’s programs will be a perfect fit for every company—in his own words, “focus and execute.”
Takeaway: A refreshing marketing guide that emphasizes cost-effective, practical methods.
Comparable Titles: Seth Godin’s This is Marketing, Nicholas J. Webb’s What Customers Crave.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
