Yet Brian McMahon, Managing Director of MapQuest, set the company's product of mass audience maps apart from competitors by changing its culture. MapQuest Shadow Making leverages its small size to get closer to users and to build a brand around human experience, life moments and everyday decisions. Instead of being limited to maps, information, directions and searches, MapQuest wants to be all about discovery, exploration, suggestion and insight. They even put a customer Shadow Making service phone number on their card. Watch this video to get an idea of how they connect with their customers. 6. The evolving sales model SMBs have been arguing for some time that they need people to help them, not sell them. It finally seems to be gaining traction with marketers, as acknowledged by BuzzBoard, G/O Digital, and Vendasta at LSA16. Especially given the rise of content marketing.
However, they expressed concerns about digital marketing, as noted above. They saw digital media as necessary for engagement, especially on social media, where they knew their customers were spending Shadow Making time. They also viewed digital marketing primarily as a growth strategy. But each of them stressed that print was a vital part of their marketing. Print helped them retain existing Shadow Making customers. 10. A bird in the hand is worth 5 to 10 in the bush Google's Kristin Coit shared churn data that supports the above SMB's focus on existing customers. It costs five to 10 times more to attract a new customer than to retain an old one.
Everyone Shadow Making expressed a sincere desire to see local businesses succeed, and as a result, the speakers were not just applauded, but applauded. Ultimately, these same business owners, in turn, sought out our sponsors and speakers in the exhibit hall, where the sales pitches were well received. 7. The No-Sell Sales Model Thumbtack does not use any sales force. That's zero sales rep. Still, it generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue for local service providers who use Shadow Making its site and recently received $125 million in its fourth round of funding over the past two years. At LSA16, Jonathan Swanson, co-founder Shadow Making and president of Thumbtack, shared the business model that made this possible. Consumers fill out forms that detail the type of project or work requested. These requests are forwarded to service providers that closely match the location and work demand. Thumbtack only charges a fee when the vendor responds to a lead with a quote and a message.