2013’s Best Opportunities Will Come Through Digital Engagement

Gleanster Research has just issued “The New Rules of Digital Engagement,” a report chronicling lessons learned from 2012 and offering solid advice for 2013. Among the findings:

• Online marketing rocks. In 2012, 89% of Top Performers* ranked online marketing channels as a top source of competitive advantage.
• Marketing automation sets you up for success. Top Performers are 4x more likely to invest in marketing automation than everyone else.

How to seize every day in 2013:

• Engage. Relevant, timely, personalized engagement. One example would be a trigger email that launches in response to an inquiry or purchase. Only 23% of survey respondents report using trigger emails, so this is one strategy to take you to the head of the class sooner.
• Segment. Move away from batch blasting. Some organizations report click-through on batch blasts as low as 0.3 to 0.5 percent. Your prospects now expect your messaging to relate to their specific needs. Take heed.
• Start simply. Don’t over-engineer the implementation process when adopting a marketing automation tool. Limit configuration and customization so you can get moving and get momentum quickly.
• Know thy prospect. Centralize your data so that your CRM is the core system of record for customer data. With crucial data in one location, you can get a three-dimensional (who, what, when) profile of prospects, and then engage with them based on their scored sales-readiness, behavior and preferences.
• Get the numbers, and let data drive strategic decisions.

The new four Cs

Along with the traditional Four Ps of marketing (product, pricing, place [distribution], promotion), make room for the Four Cs:

• Content. You must have it, and know how to use it
• Context. Align your content to the customer’s journey
• Connection. Again – be relevant and personal
• Conversation. Particularly with social media, you should make the most of your chances to engage and interact

There’s much more in this timely free report, including the four key areas to focus on in your 2013 marketing plan – and clear guidance to help you get started. Download “The New Rules of Digital Engagement” now.

*Gleanster defines “Top Performers” in this report as the top-performing quartile of qualified survey respondents, based on three metrics:

• 12-month change in revenue
• 12-month change in lead-to-sales ratio
• Growth in new customer acquisition