Why Context and Quality in Lead Generation Matter More Than Cost and Volume
Watching some well-funded “big ideas” stumble, like crypto’s $2 trillion decline in 2022 or SoftBank’s $27 billion loss, got me thinking about how these cautionary tales reflect our own experiences with go-to-market (GTM) strategies. In retrospect, these debacles seem avoidable, right? Then you look at the continued rise of low-cost programmatic ads, despite their negative effects on brand reputation and high rates of fraud. Or consider how marketers, even in fixed markets, keep pushing for more “leads” at lower costs. There’s also the surge in cold calling, driven by poorly trained SDRs, and the looming flood of automated messages as tools like ChatGPT take off. It begs the question: Why do we keep chasing tactics that aren’t working? Why expend effort on things that are clearly going off track?
According to Nobel-winning behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman, the answer lies in how our brains are wired. Our minds are “lazy,” meaning we often follow trends or instructions, even when they’re counterproductive or uninformed. B2B marketing isn’t immune to this tendency, but the good news is: you can do better.
The Trap of Shiny New Tactics
Trained GTM professionals usually understand the connection between ROI and key concepts like segmentation, targeting, market context, and buyer relevance. Yet, it’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing the latest fad or tactic—ignoring the basics. Building an effective GTM engine isn’t rocket science, but it does take consistency, focus, and executive support. Unfortunately, in a world where speed and cost-cutting are priorities, it’s often simpler to go with the flow than to do the hard work of getting things right.
A Smarter, Not Faster, Approach to Marketing
As B2B marketing leaders, particularly with the rise of AI and machine learning automation, it’s crucial to resist the urge to sacrifice quality for speed and cost. There’s a lot happening in marketing today that can easily be improved, and it’s up to us to help our teams work smarter—not just faster or cheaper.
The Failures of Out-of-Context Marketing
Let’s face it: interruptions are annoying. When we’re focused on a task, our brains struggle to process multiple, unrelated inputs at once. Researchers Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons proved this with their famous “Invisible Gorilla” experiment, showing how out-of-context stimuli are simply ignored. So, why do we keep expecting things like irrelevant programmatic ads or cold calls at random times to yield results? The reality is, they won’t. At MarketingVogue, we’ve seen firsthand that when buyers are engaged in their journey, they’re open to receiving relevant content that adds value. To improve your marketing ROI, focus on aligning your efforts with buyer context.
How Context Drives Better Business Results
To see how focusing on context can boost your outcomes, I spoke with some of the experts at MarketingVogue who work closely with clients every day. Their insights can help you better target and engage buyers, ensuring your messaging and offers resonate when it matters most. Proper context not only boosts content engagement, it simplifies decision-making for your prospects, and it can even help you command better pricing. Here’s how some of our team members explain it:
- Kelley Damore, Chief Content Officer: “One of the best examples of how context can drive results is our evolving coverage of the AI space. We’ve covered AI 15% more this year already than in all of 2022—because it’s a hot topic for our audience, and we’re giving them what they want when they need it.”
- John McKnight, EVP, Research & Strategy: “At MarketingVogue, our analysts dive deep into both the industry and our clients’ needs. That’s how we fine-tune their messaging to ensure it aligns perfectly with what their buyers are looking for.”
- Adam Davis, Sr. Director, Advertising Solutions: “When clients understand how advertising on our network works—based on buyer intent and not just cheap CPM—they realize it’s a completely different conversation than what they’re used to with traditional ad networks.”
- Andy Briney, Chief Product Officer: “I’m always amazed by how knowing who to target and what to say can dramatically improve both marketing and sales results. It’s not just personalization—it’s knowing what works, and when it works.”
- David Edwards, Sr. Director, Product Management: “At MarketingVogue, we’re all about context. Our platform doesn’t just provide a generic webinar—it’s tailored to your specific audience’s needs, creating more relevant and impactful experiences.”
The Power of Context in Decision-Making
At MarketingVogue, we’ve built our entire business model around understanding buyer behavior and delivering relevant content at the right time. Over 30 million professionals trust our resources to guide their buying decisions. By studying their interests and actions, we deliver high-quality, context-rich data that helps our clients make better decisions and stay ahead of the competition.
In short, providing context—the right message at the right time to the right person—can be the difference between wasted effort and business success. So, if you want to see better outcomes from your marketing efforts, start by understanding and leveraging context. It’s the key to smarter decision-making, faster deal closures, and stronger ROI.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to an expert at MarketingVogue to see how context can accelerate your GTM efforts.
