Insights abounded at the Direct Marketing News 2014 Marketing&Tech Partnership Summit earlier this week. Here, 20 opinions, observations, and recommendations from the Summit’s speakers that will get you thinking about how to approach marketing in 2014 and beyond.
“The interplay of mobile with other channels is where the opportunities lie for customer engagement. Mobile with TV is twice as effective as TV alone.” –Bonin Bough, VP of global media and consumer engagement, Mondel?z International
“Everyone is the technology business, and if you’re not acting that way, you’re not set up to succeed.” –Aaron Shapiro, CEO, HUGE Inc.
“Technology is the strongest foundation for customer experience.” –Banafsheh Ghassemi, VP, marketing, customer experience, and CRM, American Red Cross
“Today there’s no excuse not to be personalized with your marketing.” –Tamara Gruzbarg, senior director of analytics and research, Gilt Groupe
“Marketers are stewards of customer data. It’s a noble and responsible calling to handle customers’ data.” –Todd Cullen, chief data officer, OgilvyOne
“The emphasis should be 20% on technology, 30% on process, and 50% on people to succeed with any marketing-technology initiative.” –Barton Goldenberg, president and founder, ISM Inc.
“You have to get email right the first time. It’s often the first impression customers have of a company’s communications, so it sets customers’ expectations of future communications.” –Greg Grdodian, CEO, Reach Marketing
“If you don’t have original content on your site, our SEO will be limited.” –Adam Reinebach, EVP of marketing solutions at Source Media
“The four key use cases for customer data are attribution, insight, optimization, and targeting—and they all required a different approach.” Bruce Biegel, senior managing partner, Winterberry Group
“The biggest offense marketers make is not to treat customers and prospects differently.” –Katrina Conn, VP of marketing services, StrongView
“It’s scary and exciting to be a marketer today.” –Pete Scott, VP of emerging media, Turner Sports
“People ask how we were able to react so quickly with the Oreo tweet, ‘You can still dunk in the dark.’ The 100 days of the Oreo Daily Twist developed the muscle memory we needed to react in real time.” –Bonin Bough, VP of global media and consumer engagement, Mondel?z International
“Technology strategy is often the biggest inhibitor of organizational success. Marketers should approach their technology with a Web ethos that allows for iteration, [not a CapEx approach].” –Aaron Shapiro, CEO, HUGE Inc.
“It’s great to have data, but what does it mean? What story does it tell? It’s that insight that’s valuable.” –Tamara Gruzbarg, senior director of analytics and research, Gilt Groupe
“Marketers should think of themselves as anthropologists when using data to [better understand customers].” –Todd Cullen, chief data officer, OgilvyOne
“Every marketing email needs an IOU: generate Interest, provide an Offer, and have a sense of Urgency.” –Greg Grdodian, CEO, Reach Marketing
“Ninety-three percent of marketers [we polled] plan to increase their marketing budget in 2014; 52% plan to increase spending on email marketing; 34% expect to spend more on lifecycle programs; and 38% will spend more on automated or triggered campaigns.” –Katrina Conn, VP of marketing services, StrongView
“We’ve transformed from a company that took data for granted to one that’s focused on harnessing it.” –Jeff Mirman, VP of Marketing, Turner Sports
“Millennials expect a digital orientation. They’re 52% of the population…and expect instant access. If you’re oriented to provide that, you won’t succeed long term.” –Aaron Shapiro, CEO, HUGE Inc.
“Competing on analytics is table stakes in marketing today.” –Todd Cullen, chief data officer, OgilvyOne
