Savvy B2B Marketing

Happy Memorial Day!  Hope everyone is boating, picnicking and relaxing while they read this.  My children are between school and camp, the weather has heated up and the ice cream truck has started making hourly musical drives down my street.  It must be summer.

Another sure sign of summer is the much hyped summer movie blockbusters.  Not being much of an action movie fan I don’t usually pay much attention. However, when Carrie and the girls decide to come out with the latest installment of the SATC franchise I have to admit I buy my tickets early, line up my like minded girlfriends and cross the days off on the calendar in anticipation.

But what does SATC have to do with B2B Marketing you might ask?  I believe that just as Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda shaped fashion and style for a whole generation of career women it also shaped our attitude and creative approach about our jobs.  So if your marketing department has any women working there between 25-45 chances are she has a bit of each of these women coursing through her veins on any given day.

Charlotte York

Who wouldn’t want a bit of Charlotte’s classic and graceful style in their marketing?  While conservative in her own approach she is an art dealer by profession and has very open mind to all styles of art including in one episode a human art installation.  In B2B marketing channeling Charlotte is a good approach to communications, graphics and strategy at the C-level decision makers.

Miranda Hobbs

The Type A hard charging tell-you-exactly-what-I-think style of Miranda is a ideal for B2B.  The Ivy League lawyer is direct, straightforward and with logical reasoning in her dealings with her friends, men and co-workers.  Channeling Miranda could be a useful skill for white paper writers and those marketing to primarily technical audiences.

Samantha Jones

This PR wiz is a natural model for the B2B marketer.  She throws some amazing parties over the course of the show that keep clients and guests clamoring for more.  Samantha is an expert at the art of always leaving them wanting more.  She works pure magic with Smith Jerrod’s career at the end of the series that shows she business prowess is equal to that other prowess that Samantha is so commonly known for.

Carrie Bradshaw

Most notable Carrie is known for her writing ability.  As both a columnist for the New York Star and Vogue she is a writer known for her unique flair and dynamic style.  Her Mac book is in the Smithsonian and very few writers can say that!  Where B2B marketers can draw their inspiration from Carrie is her ability to look at situations from all sides.  While she is notably self centered and indecisive personally we are always given the impression that her writing is full of well rounded perspective.  Almost every episode we are drawn to her computer screen for the “big question” of the episode which she will analyze in her column.  Marketers would be well served to create their own “big question” at the beginning of every article, white paper, case study, etc as the central theme to keep them on track.

I will now admit I was a bit disappointed by SATC 2 the movie.  I waited to finish this post until after I had seen it.  Made me want to go back and review my favorite series episodes instead.  It was simply not enough Sex or City for me.  Although next week when I slip into my pencil skirt and jacket and sit down across the table from the CEO of my client I will keep Charlotte in my tone and Miranda in my strategy.  

Anyone else have a SATC business moment they want to share?

About the Author: Heather has spent the past 15 years advocating for the customer perspective in her approach to software development and product marketing. Her penchant for collaboration is what drew her to the Savvy B2B team. Read more of Heather's posts here or contact her directly at heather@idea2paper.com.