Are You Relying on Tech Tools to Do Your Marketing for You?
When you hear the phrase “marketing technology,” what tech tool first comes to mind?
- Social media platforms?
- Dynamic websites?
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
- Email campaigns using PURLs?
- Marketing automation software?
The fact is, ALL of these include some form of marketing technology. And they all have one thing in common, critical to your success — or failure:
If you don’t pair them with a well-thought-out marketing strategy — including customer-focused, engaging content — all you’ve really got is robotic technology.
Too often, business owners and operators chase after the latest-greatest technological tool and end up with ineffective results simply because they had no strategy or poor content and messaging to empower the tool to work its magic. What they need to remember is:
“Technology is an enabler — not the thing to get you to the next level of modern marketing.”
— Carlos Hidalgo
This is especially true when it comes to using automated marketing software from companies like Eloqa, Hubspot, Marketo, and Silverpop. Their software helps generate leads and nurture them through the buying process. (And remember: "Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost" [Forrester Research Report].) Each communication with a prospect is designed to (a) build value for the marketer and (b) establish credibility.
The content of your nurturing communications, then, is the key to establishing value — you can’t simply “wing it.” Every single email, eBook, direct mail piece, and ad has to be carefully orchestrated to move people from merely being SUSPECTS to being PROSPECTS — and, if you do it well — CUSTOMERS.
Today’s marketing tech tools are great, but they can’t drive revenue all by themselves. Quite simply, a compelling message really matters, so strategic planning is a MUST.
You’re better off spending hours locked in a conference room planning your campaigns with nothing more than a pencil and paper than you are jumping into the “marketing technology” waters only to discover you can’t swim.
PS: If you need help developing your own marketing strategy or messaging, give me a call (262-373-4000) or connect with me on LinkedIn. Our team of experts at Cultivate will not only throw you a life preserver, but we’ll provide swimming lessons so you can dive into the marketing technology waters with confidence.
