HIGH-TECH MARKETING AND SALES EXECUTIVE THINK TANK

This ITAC Marketing and Sales Executive Think Tank was held on February 18th, 2010 at Avaya Canada.

Mandate of ITAC Think Tank:

To discuss and establish thought leadership positions on critically important issues, which will be communicated to the technology marketing and sales community at large.

Attendees:

• Donna Teggart, Image Media
• Milvi Ester, Ingram Micro
• Douglas Long, TATA Consulting

Host: Ms. Aisha Umar, Director, Central Region, Avaya Canada

The discussion was moderated by Bob Becker, Principal, SMA.

Issues Covered:

1. Achieving optimum results through online and traditional marketing
2. Keeping costs in line and maximizing your marketing budget

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Synthesis of Group Discussion

Achieving optimum results through online and traditional marketing

• Emails
  • - Customized emails and highly relevant messages are an important communication vehicle.
  • - Unique messages by geography, company size and job function can increase website traffic
  • - Email blasts and newsletters need call-to-action and click-throughs
• Blogging
  • - Although some companies feel hesitant to use it (due to liability where personnel can disclose inappropriate information), many companies feel blogging is the only way to communicate
  • - Twitter is still questionable
• Podcasts
  • - Podcasts need to be targeted to the right audience (senior decision makers may not be connected). Podcast distribution has decreased due to length; need to consider time and make them concise
• Websites
  • - Websites need clear and up-to-date content with consistent images
  • - Include video clips
• Other
  • - Consider on-line advertisements instead of traditional tradeshows and printed advertisements
  • - Test the market using online methods; interested parties will respond
  • - Properly assess target market to determine best method; if market is not engaged with online tools then traditional methods may be appropriate
  • - Need to be part of an integrated campaign
    
    

Traditional Marketing: Can be effective on its own and/or in conjunction with online marketing methods

• Customized mailer can increase traffic to website. A small incentive helps in collecting additional respondent information and agreement for email delivery
• From a sales perspective, face-to-face events may be useful, i.e. Olympics
• Consider family events - Air Canada Centre family skate; rent a movie theatre, High School Musical; Incorporate a 15-minute corporate presentation at the start of the event
• Vertically targeted tradeshows • Consider tradeshows to increase awareness, not sales-focused
• For event boosting, use telephone and incorporate voicemail with script
• Telephone communication is decreasing. Communication by email is most effective
• Traditional marketing tools such as face-to-face meetings and hand-written notes are becoming more effective

Budgets are tight. We’re operating in an environment of tight and/or reduced budgets. how to market effectively while keeping costs inline:

• Newsletters decreasing due to high expense and unmeasurable ROI
• Look for online customization to drive segment; better ROI
• Focus on 1-2 objectives per campaign; easier to sell, track, and report to management
• Obtain sales quota acceptance and strive to achieve targets
• Sales team need to know their customers and target them accordingly
• Sales and marketing integration is critical

Best practices for differentiating your offering are:

• To be most effective, combine online and traditional marketing tools
• To stay connected, use personalized communication - hand-written notes and voice
• Consider evening events, including families
• Develop scripts with voicemail
• Limit podcasts/videos to 60 seconds
• Investigate mobile devices as a way to reach your targeted audience

 

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Next Steps:

The ITAC Think Tank will next meet on June 10, 2010.

 

 

 

 

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