Revenue-driven Marketing

Avoiding the Marketing Abyss

There have never been more ways to measure Marketing effectiveness.  They can be complex to learn and costly to purchase. So we outsource them or ignore them -- and risk falling into the void.

If we don't pick up the tools ourselves, we risk distancing ourselves from our target market and what they find engaging.  Perhaps it's okay that the measurements are messy and tools are disparate -- for now.   It's probably too soon to hard code metrics until we truly get our arms around them.   So I'm content to span the abyss -- at least until things settle down.

Clipping services are less relevant with more publications going online.  Perhaps that's what I'll drop first.....   

Seizing opportunities in the "off season"

In summer, it's hard to find a place to put your beach towel.   In late Fall, it's all up for grabs.  Crowded market spaces are no different from crowded beaches -- there's more scrutiny, less room for error, and every surfer is trying to catch a wave.   There's no lack of waves on an uncrowded beach.  And few spectators.  But you can time your entrance, make mistakes, and learn and adapt before anyone notices...

Off season is analagous to difficult economic times.  Now is the time to start businesses, double down and reinvest -- while most have their heads in the sand.

Infographics - the merger of marketing and creative?

I've always loved drawing on whiteboards and bringing complex concepts together as a simple graphic.   But it seems to be more important than ever in our information-saturated world.   Sometimes a picture can cut through the clutter faster than words can.   And no-one has time to read a thousand words -- especially on the screen of a smartphone...

Marketing Metrics - are we missing the fundamentals?

At a recent gathering of marketing execs, I informally polled the group on how they were measuring Online Marketing effectiveness.   It seems that metrics are not keeping pace with our new reality.

 
The majority are using web analytics tools, like Google Analytics and Omniture, to track page views and navigation paths.  About a quarter are working with a social media agency, or using a social media platform (like HubSpot) for tracking.  But hardly anyone is using CRM to track lead-to-sale metrics (like Google AdWords for Salesforce).  And some are using no tracking at all. 

It's true that many of us need to use a hodgepodge of tools to keep on top of our programs (I use Google Analytics, LeadLander and Salesforce, along wtih Google AdWords for Salesforce), and it's no fun to spend more time number crunching results than generating leads in the first place.  But if Marketing remains a nebulous science, we're not doing ourselves any favors by avoiding metrics altogether.

Lack of Lead Gen is a Symptom, Not a Disease

You're interviewing for a VP Marketing gig, and you're asked the question "Do You Do Lead Gen"?  And you begin to suspect that 1)this job is more low-level than it sounds and 2)yikes!this company does not value branding or marketing strategy. 
The suspicion may well be false.  Because in the overall scheme of marketing life, lack of lead gen is just a headache.  It's not a disease, it's a symptom of something much bigger.

 
The roundabout route that many Lead Gen discussions take is that there are little/no marketing programs in place, the sales team isn't armed and there's no way to measure the marketing to sales cycle.  Which can also mean: No clear, compelling value proposition, and no educational (vs. promotional) content. 

So there's no need to run when the lead gen question comes up.  It's part of a much bigger story and a much meatier assignment. 

And if Lead Gen is not part of your repertoire, you may miss the strategic conversation all together.