Paul Dunay is an award-winning B2B marketing expert with more than 20 years’ success in generating demand and creating awareness for leading technology, consumer products, financial services and professional services organizations.
Paul is the global vice president of marketing for Maxymiser a leading web optimization firm, and author of four “Dummies” books: Facebook Marketing for Dummies (Wiley 2009), Social Media and the Contact Center for Dummies (Wiley Custom Publishing 2010), Facebook Advertising for Dummies (Wiley 2010) and Facebook Marketing for Dummies 2nd Edition (Wiley 2011).
His unique approach to marketing has led to recognition of Paul as a BtoB Magazine Top 25 B2B Marketer of the Year for 2010 and 2009 and winner of the DemandGen Award for Utilizing Marketing Automation to Fuel Corporate Growth in 2008. He is also a finalist for the last six years in a row in the Marketing Excellence Awards competition of the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), and is a 2010 and 2005 gold award winner in Driving Demand.
Buzz Marketing for Technology, Paul’s blog, has been recognized as a Top 20 Marketing Blog for 2009 and 2008, a Top Blog to Watch for 2009 and 2008, and an Advertising Age Power 150 blog in the “Daily Ranking of Marketing Blogs.”
Paul has shared his marketing thought leadership as a featured speaker for the American Marketing Association, BtoB Magazine, CMO Club, MarketingProfs, Marketing Sherpa, Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), and ITSMA. He has appeared on Fox News, and his articles have been featured in BusinessWeek, The New York Times, BtoB Magazine, MarketingProfs and MarketingSherpa.
Paul holds an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Computer Science from Ithaca College.
Too true Paul, but its nothing new. I’ve been banging on about differentiation for years. My Full Effect Marketing drives business growth around a clearly defined brand with a relevant promise that, we see to it, the organisation consistently delivers.
I work a lot with proffessional services firms, especially in the marketing services sector and day one of any engagement is Brand Discovery day.
However, as we enter the era of the new consumer/customer, its not even enough to be different, that difference has to be relevent too.
Thanks for commenting Phil
Love your point on its not enough to be different – the difference has to be relevant too! (NICELY SAID)
Paul,
you are absolutely correct that it takes the effort, creativity, authenticity, and consistency you mention to become a thought leader. Also, I think it has become a fairly widely accepted statement that building a position of thought leadership leads to increased sales.
It’s interesting though that there has been very little work (at least that I’ve seen) on exactly how thought leadership translates to sales. Is it the emotional cue of “people buy from people they like (emotionally) and justify rationally”? Or, is it the more rational concept that thought leadership allows you to set buying criteria in the prospect’s mind?
It would be interesting to see which of these is more relevant as it guides decisision such as whether content or tone is more critical in establishing thought leadership.
Thanks for a thought provoking piece.
@ Steven
I think it is the later – in my experience with my many thought leaders here – I have seen (and heard testimony from them) to the effect of “my pieces on XYZ totally changed the dynamic of the sales conversation”
They were no longer “selling” they were advising – which in the end is where they wanted to start anyway!