Interview with Suzi McNicholas - Johnson Controls

Marketing B2B Technology

Suzi McNicholas, Director of Marketing for Residential & Light Commercial HVAC at Johnson Controls, discusses her career in B2B technology marketing. She talks about how marketing in the industrial sector has changed, the challenges of getting stakeholders to understand what marketing really is, and what B2B companies can learn from consumer marketing.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls transforms the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As a global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, Johnson Controls’ mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.

Building on a history of nearly 140 years of innovation, Johnson Controls deliver the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through OpenBlue, a comprehensive digital offering.

About Suzi McNicholas

Suzi McNicholas is Director of Marketing for Residential & Light Commercial HVAC at Johnson Controls. She leads the marketing team to support new product introductions and integrated marketing campaigns.

She has a 25+ year career in progressive B2B marketing roles including digital marketing campaigns, lead generation, branding, public relations, new product introductions, content creation, events, communications, and budget management. Prior to joining Johnson Controls, McNicholas built an integrated marketing team at Honeywell in the Industrial Safety Products division.

McNicholas holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC and a Post-Graduate degree in English and American Literature from the University of Hull in England. She currently resides in Charlotte, NC.

Time Stamps

[00:47.5] – Suzi discusses her 25+ year career in marketing.

[05:32.7] – What are the differences to marketing to a channel partner versus an end user?

[08:55.3] – How do you manage short term and long term goals? Suzi discusses.

[13:28.2] – Suzi discusses how audiences reliance on sales is shifting.

[15:31:9] – Suzi talks about what she sees being the biggest changes in marketing over the next five years.

[18:50.8] – Suzi shares some advice to those looking to get into marketing.

[19:58.8] – Suzi’s contact details.

Quotes

“Don’t get emotionally attached to the outcome because your budget’s going to get cut… maybe your campaign isn’t going the way you’d want it to… that’s ok, you’re going to learn from what’s happening… you’re going to spend a whole lot of time frustrated and upset if you’re emotionally attached to these outcomes.” Suzi McNicholas, Director of Marketing for Residential & Light Commercial HVAC at Johnson Controls.

“People aren’t going to buy until they’re ready, and that 70% of the time that they’re spending before reaching out is research.” Suzi McNicholas, Director of Marketing for Residential & Light Commercial HVAC at Johnson Controls.

Follow Suzi:

Suzi McNicholas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzimcnicholas/

Johnson Controls website: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/

Johnson Controls on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/johnson-controls/

Follow Mike:

Mike Maynard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/

Napier website: https://www.napierb2b.com/

Napier LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/napier-partnership-limited/

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