Episode Summary
In this episode of Sunny Side Up, Kelly Hopping interviews Jane Lee on her transition from B2C to B2B marketing. Jane discusses the significance of a strong brand as a sustainable competitive advantage, the necessity of aligning brand position with company vision, and the importance of building brand equity and customer connections. Jane emphasises adapting marketing strategies to support overall business goals, aligning them with sales objectives, and focusing on processes that lead to measurable outcomes. Jane also shares her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for rapidly adaptable marketing strategies in crises. Lastly, we discuss the shift from B2C to B2B marketing regarding data strategies, emphasising the value of direct customer data. 
About the Guest
Jane Gasparian Lee is the Managing Director of B2B Marketing at United Airlines. She leads the United for Business marketing strategy and B2B product development. Prior to joining United Airlines, Jane worked for 10+ years in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry at PepsiCo.  Most recently, she led the product innovation team at Quaker Foods, developing a robust innovation pipeline to drive category growth.  During her time at PepsiCo, she also launched a healthy snacks portfolio for the Chinese market.
Connect with Jane Lee
Key Takeaways
- A robust and well-defined brand is a key sustainable competitive advantage in any market.
- Clearly define your brand's position and ensure alignment with the company vision.
- Prioritise building brand equity and customer connection, which is crucial for long-term success.
- Shift focus from isolated marketing tasks to strategies that align with and support overall business goals.
- Align marketing strategies with sales objectives for cohesive and effective business operations.
- Prioritise strategies and tactics that lead to specific, measurable business outcomes.
- Steer clear of metrics that do not contribute to actual revenue or business success.
- B2C digital experiences shape customer expectations in B2B environments.
- Develop self-service digital options for B2B customers, allowing for efficient and independent transactions.
- Stay attuned to changing digital preferences and behaviours, especially post-pandemic shifts in online purchasing.
- Quickly adapt marketing strategies in response to sudden industry changes or crises.
- High data quality helps you use verified information for more accurate insights.
- Prioritise hiring skilled data scientists to effectively manipulate and draw insights from the data.
- Be transparent and proactive in identifying and addressing data collection and analysis gaps.
Quote
"The only sustainable competitive advantage is your brand." – Jane Lee
Recommended Resource
Podcast: The Daily Podcast
Book: Getting More by Stuart Diamond
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