I have just returned from an exhilirating week of visiting clients in the midwest. With three young children, a week straight of business travel and the word 'exhilirating' don't often accompany each other for me (or my beautiful wife), but this trip was special. In separate planning meetings with the Chief Marketing Officer's of 3 of our clients, I heard a few common themes that spanned industries and business models:
1) Each organization is now ready to put digital at the absolute core of the marketing efforts. For each of these clients, digital will be their primary marketing channel in 2011 with offline channels being used, selectively, to integrate and support online efforts. Instead of relegating digital to the last seat at the table, it will be considered first in 2011.
2) All of the companies will be expanding the traditional role of 'marketing' within their organizations to take on critical touchpoints throughout their end to end customer experience.
All the more encouraging, these companies are in industries - healthcare and insurance - that have been slow to evolve from traditional means of marketing. They are looking to do more with less, innovate and address the fast evolving behaviors of their customers. While the industries such as travel and retail have been at this for years, the shift seems to have finally transcended even the most conservative industries.
So what are the implications? Before the pressures and deadlines of your 2011 budgeting are upon you, take a proactive stance and start now to rethink your priorties. Engage in planning activities now to inform your thinking. Whether your vision involves increased emphasis on mobile, social, digital marketing, crm, web platforms or integrated marketing...Acsys can help you re-envision and re-integrate your marketing and customer experience efforts.
So where are you with 2011 planning? 'Same old, same old' or time for game change? My advice - get your 2011 on now - because if my recent trip is any indication...your competition likely is.
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