After two decades steering digital transformation and brand positioning for major companies, Maureen J. Lally knows what makes B2B marketing tick. Serving as VP of Marketing at Paychex, and board member for two organizations, she’s learned that understanding customers takes more than gut instinct – it takes smart data.
Here are Maureen’s three data strategies that can help businesses transform their B2B customer experience.
Building Your Data Foundation
The first step? Get your data house in order. “It’s important to leverage data sources both internally and external to the organization,” Maureen explains. She’s walked this talk herself, having built marketing information databases at two different companies. But collecting data isn’t enough. Smart companies combine their internal customer insights with external market data to see the whole picture. “Bringing outside data sources in to better understand the universe of prospective customers, but also having all the data insight of your existing customers,” Maureen says. This means tracking everything from how long they’ve been buying to their key touchpoints.
Segmenting for Maximum Impact
Money talks in B2B marketing, but Maureen’s second tip might surprise you: not every customer deserves equal attention. “Segmentation is the key to all successful B2B marketing strategies,” she states firmly. “Not all customers are created equal – some prospects and customers are more valuable to you than others.” This isn’t about playing favorites – it’s about being realistic with your resources. “There are not enough budgets in the world to be able to address every single potential prospect,” Maureen points out. The trick lies in using your data to spot which customers and prospects really matter to your bottom line. Then you can focus your marketing firepower where it counts.
Mapping Customer Journeys Effectively
Maureen’s third strategy looks at the bigger picture: understanding how customers move from first click to a loyal client. “Understanding the customer journey all the way from a prospect who interacts with your website, speaks to one of your sales representatives, or consumes information that you’ve been able to put together,” she explains. This journey takes many forms. Sometimes it starts with thought leadership pieces. Other times it’s digital marketing or social media content that catches their eye. But tracking these touchpoints isn’t just about collecting data – it’s about spotting opportunities to make connections.
The real magic happens when you map out these customer journeys in detail. Maureen emphasizes the importance of “understanding what that prospect or customer needs at every single stage of their journey.” This knowledge lets you deliver content that actually helps, not just sells. But content alone isn’t enough – it needs to hit the right notes. Maureen advocates for “professionally branded but also great engaging content so that you’ve got a great customer experience all the way through that journey.” This combination of professional polish and genuine value keeps customers moving forward.
These three strategies – smart data collection, targeted segmentation, and journey mapping – form the backbone of modern B2B marketing. But they only work when used together. Good data feeds better segmentation, which helps you map more accurate customer journeys. The result? Marketing that feels personal even at enterprise scale. By focusing on the right customers with the right message at the right time, companies can make their marketing budgets work harder while building stronger customer relationships.
To learn more about Maureen J. Lally and her approach, check out her LinkedIn profile.
