The Definitive Blueprint for Achieving Success in Marketing Technology: A CMO’s Guide
As Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) navigate the complex landscape of marketing technology, they often face numerous challenges. It’s about leveraging technology to produce more efficient marketing practices, while implementing strategic decision-making and honing leadership in technical innovation. But, how exactly can CMOs ensure success in this aspect?
Putting Strategy Above Technology
The first step towards technology led marketing success involves prioritizing strategy over technology. To capitalize on the opportunities provided by the latest technologies, CMOs need to align these resources with their broader marketing strategy.
A survey by Gartner revealed that nearly two-thirds of CMOs are upping their spending on technology. However, just because the tools are available, it doesn’t necessarily ensure success without a precise approach. For example, enhancing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, while neglecting segmentation and targeting strategies, is like building an ultra-modern house on a shaky foundation; it’s likely to collapse.
Driving Change and Innovation
In the dynamic world of digital marketing, CMOs need to drive organizational change to foster a culture of innovation. This entails transforming traditional marketing operations into a digitally adept team capable of leveraging the power of marketing technology. A stellar case in point is Nike’s CMO, who fostered a culture capable of executing digital marketing strategies with pizzazz, from personalized emails to leveraging artificial intelligence in predictive modeling. This resulted in a 36% increase in online sales.
Collaborating with IT and Other Departments
The paths of marketing and IT have never been more entwined. From managing data to implementing automation systems, the success of a CMO increasingly relies on cross-departmental coordination. In many successful firms, CMOs and CIOs have collaborated to launch initiatives that turned the company’s fortunes around. Take, for example, Domino’s Pizza, which evolved into “an e-commerce company that sells pizza” thanks to successful collaboration between the marketing and IT departments.
Advocating for a Customer-Centric Approach
In the digital age, customer experience has become the cornerstone of success. CMOs should champion a customer-focused strategy, and marketing technology should enhance this goal. According to a study by Forrester, companies obsessed with customer experience have a 1.6x higher brand awareness, 1.5x higher employee satisfaction, and 1.9x higher average order value. That’s why it’s essential for a CMO to advocate for tools that improve customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.
Building Tech-Savvy Teams
Finally, the human element in the technology equation can’t be neglected. CMOs need to invest in their people just as much as their technology. This means hiring marketing technologists and providing ongoing training and development opportunities for existing team members. As they upskill, they’ll become more adept at incorporating technology into the marketing mix.
Clearing the maze of marketing technology demands strategic vision, a solid grasp of tech trends, and an ability to foster collaboration across departments. With these skills, a CMO can transform uncertainties into opportunities, while achieving success in marketing technology.
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