Marketing Parrot

Andres Tarto on Elcogeni turundusjuht, kes on varem juhtinud turundust Fotoluksis, Levira TV valdkonnas, Eesti Interneti Sihtasutuses ja mitmel pool mujal. Ta ise ütleb, et tema teekond turundajana on viinud teda “B2C pealt B2B peale ja Eesti-kesksest maailmast rahvusvahelisse suunda.” Elcogen Eesti päritoluga vesinikutehnoloogia tootja. Ettevõte müüb oma tooteid üle maailma teistele ettevõtetele, kes integreerivad Elcogeni tehnoloogiat oma seadmetesse, ning on kaasanud investeeringuid kokku 140 miljoni euro ulatuses. Andres Tarto räägib Elcogeni kogemusest messidel turundamisel 4.-5. juunil toimuval Parrot Baltic B2B konverentsil: https://www.marketingparrot.com/parrot Mida sa Elcogenis täpsemalt teed?  Üheks tööks on tootekeskne sisuloome meie e-kanalites. Kui 2023ndal alustasin, oli meil LinkedInis 2200 jälgija, tänaseks oleme jõudnud 9700 jälgijani, ja seda orgaaniliselt. Me ei ole teinud follower-tüüpi kampaaniaid, sest need tooksid juurde pigem ebakvaliteetseid jälgijaid.  Teine asi on erialaajakirjad. Meie valdkonnas on paar-kolm väljaannet, kus püüame  vahel väljas olla nii sisuturunduse kui reklaamidega. Siis on terve rida muid jooksvad asju – visualiseerimised, presentatsioonid ja muud. Eesmärgiks muidugi kvaliteetsed lead-id , selle jaoks hoian lahti nii meie LinkedIni ja veebilehe väravad. Lisaks on meil LinkedIni kampaaniad teatud regioonides. Me ei pöördu inimese poole kui üksikisiku, vaid kui ettevõtte esindaja poole. Meie asi on teha talle võimalikult lihtsaks see, et ta saaks meie info oma majas edasi anda ja sisemiselt meie kasuks „müüa“. Google Adsi hoiame mõnes riigis aktiivsena, kuigi see ei ole nii hästi sihitav kui LinkedIn. LinkedInis saame valida konkreetsed tööstusvaldkonnad ja ametitasemed, keda tahame kõnetada. Google’is seda nii täpselt teha ei saa, aga hoiame seda kanalit siiski orgaanilise nähtavuse kõrval töös.  Ja siis muidugi messid.  Mille järgi sinu töö edukust kõige rohkem hinnatakse? Mille põhjal öeldakse, et tegid hästi või vastupidi? Kõige olulisem kvaliteetsete müügiliidide toomine majja. Teiseks vaatame kanalite numbreid - veebikülastusi, LinkedIni kasvu ja seda, et meie sõna rahvusvahelises meedias leviks. Kolmandaks loomulikult edukad messid ja see, et ka sealt tuleks liide. Muid KPI-sid on mul ka, aga töö eesmärk on ikkagi saada meile uusi liide. See on see, mis päriselt maksab. Aga kuidas tagada, et need liidid oleksid kvaliteetsed? Mitte lihtsalt huvilised või suvalised kontaktid, vaid päriselt asjakohased? Muidugi on ka palju müra, kuid kvaliteetse liidi tunneb ära sisu alusel. Mängu tulevad erialased akronüümid ja tehnoloogilised märksõnad, mille järgi saame üsna kiiresti aru, kas siin on sobivus või mitte. See tehnoloogiline filter on üsna tugev ja inimesed, kes meile kirjutavad, oskavad enamasti seda ka lühidalt ning täpselt sõnastada.  Nii et kui inimene peab vormi kirjutama lahtise tekstiga, mida ta päriselt tahab, siis see juba ise verifitseerib mingi kvaliteedi. Ainult lakooniline „interested“ on kahtlane. Aga kui ta kirjeldab päris vajadust, siis see on juba teine asi. Aga kuidas te üldse leiate need võimalikud ostjad või kliendid? Ettevõtteid on palju ja ka nende sees on palju võimalikke kontakte. Kuidas te nad üles leiate? Kaardistame potentsiaalseid ettevõtteid ja nad on meil mingil tasemel pipeline ’is olemas. Meil ei ole olnud sellist vajadust, et hakkaksime väga süsteemselt näiteks sadade kaupa kirju saatma täpselt õigetele inimestele lootuses, et sealt midagi laekub. Pigem hoiame kanalid lahti ja oleme messidel nähtavad. Messid on kindlasti väga olulised, sest reklaamime neid ka ette, ja paljud tulevadki meie boksi juba selle teadmisega. Samas, medali teisel küljel on see, et sinna tuleb palju ka neid, kes tahavad ennast sulle müüa. Elcogeni nurgaboks messil Aga kuidas kliendipoolne otsustusprotsess välja näeb? Kui lead on käes ja keegi on huvi üles näidanud, siis mis edasi saab? Võtame kiiresti ühendust, püüame mõista projekti ulatust, kaasame tehnilised spetsialistid. See on kohtumiste, vestluste, tiheda koostöö maailm. Valmisankeete või standardseid infopakette on keeruline kasutada, sest sageli need ettevõtted, kes meie poole pöörduvad, teevad enda jaoks midagi uut. See ei ole konventsionaalne maailm, kus kõik on juba sada korda läbi tehtud. Sa kirjeldad väga tehnilist ja ratsionaalset maailma. Kui oluline on teie turunduses ja müügis loovus, eristuvus? Insenerid tahavad ikka välja tuua võimalikult palju nüansse ja sageli liiga tehnilises keeles. Turundaja roll on siin olla otsekui tõlkebüroo. Veelgi enam - väärtuspakkumisele suunatud lihtsustav tõlkebüroo. Pead aru saama, mis on päriselt see väärtus ja eelis, mida tasub pildile tuua. Ja üks sõnum korraga, sest kõike ei saa korraga ära öelda. Olen selgitava visuaalinduse pooldaja – näiteks meie puhul siis, et mis on kütuseelement, mis on stack , kuidas neist moodustub suurem tervik ja kus meie koht selles süsteemis on. Selline püüdlik-rahulik selgitav viis, aga minu meelest toimib.  Kui need asjad on näiteks messiseintel suurelt väljas, siis on ka meie inimestel palju lihtsam selle taustal rääkida tervikust. Kas ma usun mingisse väga äkilisse või šokeerivasse B2B-loomingusse? Ausalt öeldes pigem ei. Kardan, et see võib segadusse ajada. Teisel pool on ikkagi inimesed ettevõtetest, kes peavad meie asja oma majas edasi selgitama. Kui nemad saavad mingisuguse veidra tunde, et nad ei saa päris aru, kas see on nüüd nali või väga „äge“ lahendus või mis see täpselt on, siis kaob neil endal kandepind seda edasi müüa. Usaldus on siin number üks. Eriti kallite asjade puhul käib usaldus paratamatult koos mingi konservatiivsusega. B2C-s võib rohkem hullata. Mingil juhul võib see muutuda paroodiaks või lihtsalt mõjuda valesti. Nii et minu jaoks on märksõnad rahulik, selgitav, selge ja lihtne. Aga eristumine on ju ikkagi oluline. Kuidas muidu konkurentide hulgas tähelepanu saada? Olen nõus, aga eristuvus ei pea tähendama lollitamist või üle võlli minekut. See võib tähendada ka lihtsalt seda, et sul on mingisugune läbimõeldud aktsent, mis teeb su visuaalse keele elusamaks ja äratuntavamaks. Ja ausalt öeldes, kui mõelda kas või vanade stock -fotode peale – need naeratavad pildipanga inimesed, kes kunagi igal kodulehel üleval olid –, siis sellist klišeelikku igavust tahaks iga hinna eest vältida. See on minu jaoks täiesti eilne maailm. Andres Tarto tuntuim foto Annelinna paneelmajadest. Tihti kasutatakse seda sotsiaalmeedias autorile viitamata. Räägime messidest. Kuidas seal silma paista?  Olen nüüd kolmandat aastat korraldanud umbes viit messi aastas. Olen nende projektijuht, kujundan, tellin vajalikud lahendused ja nii edasi. Üldiselt on suurte messidega töö läinud meil üsna hästi käima, aga kultuurilised erinevused muidugi mängivad rolli. Messi korraldamine Jaapanis või USAs on mõnevõrra  keerulisem kui Euroopas. Seal on palju taustast tulenevaid nüansse ja ka praktiliselt on osa lahendusi keerulisemad kui näiteks Saksamaal. Messidel silma paistmise esimene lihtne nipp: hangi nurgaboks. See kõlab banaalselt, aga kui sul on kaks külge lahti, oledki kohe palju nähtavam. Kui oled kahe seinaga kinni, siis oled ennast füüsiliselt ja visuaalselt kitsaks teinud. Teine asi on visuaalne lahendus. oleme pannud oma selgitava disaini suurelt seinale, jätnud selle kõrvale õhku, pannud välja QR-koodid, et inimesed saaksid kohe veebist edasi minna. Need olen hiljem statistikaga sidunud, et näha, kui palju neid kasutatakse. Väike asi, aga praktiline. Lisaks muidugi ekraan, kus jooksevad videod – tootevideod või visuaalsed slaidid meie teemadega. Dünaamiline sisu hoiab pilku peal.  Tooted ise peavad olema hästi valgustatud. Olen praktikast aru saanud, et pigem tasub natuke rohkem valgust tellida, sest see teeb kogu boksi nähtavamaks ja tõstab asja ruumis paremini esile. Ja veel üks asi: liiga uhke boksi tegemine võib olla hoopis halb. Olen messidel näinud bokse, mis mõjuvad nii esinduslikult ja üle ehitatult, et inimene lihtsalt ei julge sinna sisse tulla. Tekib tunne, et äkki see ei ole mulle. Natuke nagu luksusbrändi poes, kuhu astudes tekib valehäbi – no et kas mul sobib siia üldse tulla?   Andres Tarto räägib Elcogeni kogemusest messidel turundamisel 4.-5. juunil toimuval Parrot Baltic B2B konverentsil: https://www.marketingparrot.com/parrot

Interview with Andres Tarto , the Marketing Manager at hydrogen company Elcogen.  Previously, he has led marketing at Fotoluks, Levira’s TV division, the Estonian Internet Foundation, and several other organizations. He says his own journey as a marketer has taken him “from B2C to B2B, and from an Estonia-centered world toward an international direction.” Elcogen is an Estonian hydrogen technology manufacturer. The company sells its products around the world to other businesses that integrate Elcogen’s technology into their own equipment, and it has raised a total of €140 million in investment. Andres Tarto will speak about Elcogen’s experience marketing at trade fairs at the Parrot Baltic B2B conference taking place on June 4–5:   https://www.marketingparrot.com/parrot What are your tasks at Elcogen? One part of my job is product-focused content creation for our digital channels. When I started in 2023, we had 2,200 followers on LinkedIn; today we have reached 9,700, all organically. We have not run follower-type campaigns, because those would mostly bring in low-quality followers. Another area is trade publications. In our field, there are two or three publications where we try to maintain a presence from time to time with both sponsored content and advertising. Then there is a whole range of ongoing tasks—visuals, presentations, and other materials. The goal, of course, is quality leads. To support that, I keep the gates open on both LinkedIn and our website. In addition, we run LinkedIn campaigns in certain regions. We do not approach a person as a private individual, but as a representative of a company. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for them to pass our information on internally and “sell” us within their own organization. We also keep Google Ads active in some countries, even though it is not as precisely targetable as LinkedIn. On LinkedIn, we can choose the exact industries and job levels we want to reach. You cannot do that nearly as precisely on Google, but we still keep that channel running alongside organic visibility. And then, of course, trade fairs. How is your performance judged most of all? What makes people say you’ve done well—or not? The most important thing is bringing high-quality sales leads into the company. Second, we look at channel metrics—website traffic, LinkedIn growth, and whether our message is spreading in international media. Third, naturally, successful trade fairs and whether they also generate leads. I do have other KPIs as well, but the real purpose of the job is still to bring us new leads. That is what truly counts. But how do you make sure those leads are high quality? Not just people showing interest or random contacts, but genuinely relevant prospects? Of course, there is also a lot of noise, but you can recognize a quality lead from the content. Industry acronyms and technological keywords come into play, and from those we can usually understand fairly quickly whether there is a fit or not. That technological filter is quite strong, and the people who write to us generally know how to describe their needs briefly and accurately. So when someone has to fill in an open-text form explaining what they actually want, that already verifies a certain level of quality by itself. A short “interested” is suspicious. But if they describe a real need, that is a different matter. How do you find those potential buyers or customers in the first place? There are many companies, and within them many possible contacts. How do you identify them? We map potential companies, and they already exist in our pipeline at some level. We have not had the kind of need where we would start sending hundreds of highly targeted emails in a very systematic way, hoping that something comes back. Instead, we keep the channels open and make sure we are visible at trade fairs. Trade fairs are definitely very important, because we also promote our presence in advance, and many people come to our stand already knowing about us. At the same time, the other side of the coin is that many people also come there trying to sell themselves to you. Elcogen’s corner exhibition stand What does the customer’s decision-making process look like? Once you have a lead and someone has shown interest, what happens next? We get in touch quickly, try to understand the scope of the project, and involve technical specialists. This is a world of meetings, conversations, and close cooperation. It is difficult to use ready-made questionnaires or standard information packages, because often the companies approaching us are developing something new for themselves. This is not a conventional world where everything has already been done a hundred times. You are describing a very technical and rational world. How important are creativity and distinctiveness in your marketing and sales? Engineers naturally want to bring out as many nuances as possible, and often in language that is too technical. The marketer’s role here is almost like that of a translation bureau. More than that—a simplifying translation bureau focused on the value proposition. You need to understand what the real value and advantage are that deserve to be brought into focus. And one message at a time, because you cannot say everything at once. I am a supporter of explanatory visuals—for example, in our case, showing what a fuel cell is, what a stack is, how these form a larger whole, and where our role is within that system. That kind of careful, calm explanatory approach works, in my opinion. If these things are displayed large on the trade fair walls, then it is also much easier for our people to speak about the whole picture in front of them. Do I believe in very abrupt or shocking B2B creativity? Honestly, not really. I worry that it can create confusion. On the other side, after all, are people from companies who have to explain our offering internally. If they are left with a strange feeling that they are not entirely sure whether this is a joke, or some very “cool” solution, or what exactly it is, then they lose the confidence to sell it further inside their own company. Trust is number one here. Especially with expensive things, trust inevitably goes hand in hand with a certain conservatism. In B2C, you can be a bit more wild. In some cases, it can turn into parody or simply come across the wrong way. So for me, the key words are calm, explanatory, clear, and simple. But standing out is still important. Otherwise how do you get attention among competitors? I agree, but distinctiveness does not have to mean being silly or going over the top. It can also simply mean having some thoughtful accent that makes your visual language livelier and more recognizable. And honestly, if you think about the old stock photos—the smiling stock-image people who used to be on every website—that is exactly the kind of clichéd boredom I would want to avoid at all costs. To me, that is completely yesterday’s world. Andres Tarto is also a photographer. His best-known photo features Soviet-style apartment blocks in Tartu. Let’s talk about trade fairs. How do you stand out there? I have now been organizing about five trade fairs a year for the third year running. I am the project manager for them, I design them, order the required solutions, and so on. In general, we have gotten into a pretty good rhythm with major trade fairs, but cultural differences naturally play a role. Organizing a fair in Japan or the US is somewhat more complicated than in Europe. There are many background-related nuances, and in practical terms some solutions are more difficult than, for example, in Germany. The first simple trick for standing out at a trade fair: get a corner stand. It sounds banal, but if you have two open sides, you are immediately much more visible. If you are boxed in by two walls, you have physically and visually made yourself much narrower. The second thing is the visual solution. We have placed our explanatory design large on the wall, left some breathing room around it, and added QR codes so people can immediately continue on the website. I later connected those to analytics to see how much they are used. A small thing, but practical. In addition, of course, there is a screen showing videos—product videos or visual slides about our topics. Dynamic content keeps people’s eyes on the stand. The products themselves need to be well lit. From experience, I have learned that it is worth ordering a bit more lighting, because that makes the whole stand more visible and helps the product stand out better in the space. And one more thing: making your stand too fancy can actually be a bad idea. At trade fairs, I have seen stands that look so impressive and overbuilt that people simply do not dare to walk in. It creates the feeling that maybe this is not for me. A bit like walking into a luxury brand store and suddenly feeling self-conscious—like, am I even supposed to come in here? Andres Tarto will speak about Elcogen’s experience marketing at trade fairs at the Parrot Baltic B2B conference taking place on June 4–5:   https://www.marketingparrot.com/parrot

Ansis Egle , a seasoned marketing professional and if we may say so ourselves – the king of Expo , was Ansis shares his thoughts on the do’s and don’ts of Expo, creating buzz, highlighting your product and What’s the secret behind successfully promoting your brand at Expo? How would you explain the economic benefit of Expo to somebody who’s a bit doubtful about it? World Expo is considered as country branding and economic cooperation exercise.

non-melting ice cream, cheeses, berries, fruits, vegetables, snacks, smoothies, milkshakes, and others, while exporting You’ve had great success at various expos. What’s your secret? How do you find the right partners? The moment an expo has been planned, our export managers (currently four) start reaching out to potential

EXPO 2020 Dubai is an impressive cultural and business event that will take place from October 1, 2021 compete for global attention at Dubai Expo - how to stand out? That is why Estonia has played the positioning game right at Dubai Expo. Lithuania’s pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai is named Openarium . EXPO 2020 Dubai is open until March 31, 2022.

shortly after signing the Memorandum and meeting his partners for the first time in real life during EXPO

Walking into Dubai Expo one would expect to discover the wonders and diversity behind the many nations Dubai Expo is a huge playing ground for businessmen and marketers alike. In Hando’s words: “The most interesting exhibit at Lithuanian Expo pavilion is the World's smallest Burj When asked about their peculiar modesty at Dubai Expo, Giedre assured us that it wasn’t about the company And don’t forget - Expo is indeed a huge trade show.

Representative Officer of Enterprise Estonia organisation in Dubai during the recent meeting at Dubai Expo

B2B Marketing & Sales Expo on Euroopa suurim ja tähtsaim ärilt-ärile valdkonnale pühendatud expo ja konverents London Gatwick Päeval agentuuri(de) külastus ja mastermind grupi liikmetega 19. november B2B Marketing Expo külastus 20. november Hommikul Expo Õhtul AB otselend Tallinna Vaata B2B Marketing & Sales Expo kohta www.b2bmarketingexpo.co.uk/ Hind: 800 EUR/900 EUR + km sõltuvalt hotellitoa tüübist Hind sisaldab: Lennud koos käsipagasiga Expo

Marketing Parrot spent several days in London at the B2B Marketing Expo and visiting leading B2B agencies Marketing Has Become a Tech Job (and Nobody Signed Up for That) One of the biggest themes of the expo Rationality: B2B Needs Both A key discussion at the expo centered on balancing emotional brand-building the AI Era Neil Barrie of 21st Century Brands shared one of the most forward-thinking models at the expo The Creative Comeback That B2B Desperately Needs The B2B Marketing Expo made one thing unmistakably clear

Technology ATOM Mobility Lead Quality Prediction Model / ePPC SSE: The SSE 500 / White Label Best Event or Expo Security Summit OIXIO Inspiration Days series REF Minerals: Ahead of Time / White Label The Corn-Crafted Expo

White Label Best Use of Data, AI, or Marketing Technology SSE: The SSE 500 / White Label Best Event or Expo