Data and new tools redraw the map for the marketing department
Marketing and sales have undergone major changes over the past decade. Companies have shifted their focus from traditional marketing methods to digital methods such as social media marketing, email marketing and content marketing.
Another significant change is the use of data analytics, automation and artificial intelligence - which have enabled companies to create more personalized experiences for their customers. The development has been fastest in the B2C segment, but in recent years the methods have also begun to be used in B2B, which has long been more traditional (with personal sales contacts, trade fairs, etc.). Omnichannel in B2B, for example, is becoming more the rule than the exception.
With the technological development comes new opportunities, but also great challenges.
To remain competitive, companies must be able to quickly adapt to new technologies and trends. They must also be able to manage their data effectively and use it to make informed decisions. When all customer interaction takes place online, great efforts are required to create brand awareness and communicate the value of the product or service you sell. You must be able to communicate effectively with your customers across multiple channels, create content that meets the needs of target audiences and provide them with solutions to their problems.
Early adopters have reported that sales automation has, among other things, freed up resources for more customer communication, and resulted in higher customer satisfaction, efficiency improvements (10-15%) and increased sales (up to 10%).
McKinsey, 2020
What is required of you as CMO?
The challenge for many sales and marketing departments is to continuously collect, evaluate and act on new data from customers and from the market at large. This data is created and used primarily in:
- The e-commerce platform, the hub for web shop, payments and deliveries.
- The CRM system, where all master data for customer integrations is stored.
- The market automation tool, which enables an automatic sales and marketing process that is adapted to the customer's behavior throughout the buying journey.
As a CMO you need to:
- Create the conditions to be able to act quickly – minimize time to market!
- Be able to provide customers and partners with the information they need to do business - NOW! You need to be able to offer a superior "order to cash" process.
To be able to do this effectively, in addition to good organization, integrated systems and automated workflows are required.
How iCore can help you
With iCore as an integration partner, you can put the customer experience in focus. We give you the right conditions to automate business processes and create an agile IT environment. Our customers say they have become 20% more productive with iCore!
Do you want to know more?