Marketing Automation

What is behavioural marketing and why do you need it?

Econsultancy deputy editor Christopher Ratcliff has built up a broad library of articles that act as a beginner’s guide to various digital marketing channels. However one method he neglected to cover is behavioural marketing, also known as behavioural targeting. In this post I’ll give a quick overview of how the technology works, as well as […]

What are marketers’ current attitudes towards technology?

As the shift towards digital continues, Marketers are quickly having to embrace new technology and learn to integrate these new tools and channels into their strategy.

How does technology impact the decisions marketers make during this process? What is their attitude towards technology? What is its level of importance, perceived benefits and barriers?

When marketing automation goes wrong

Consumers love it when a company’s mask slips. They jump on perceived proof that businesses are all in it to rip off the customer.

PR snafus such as Sainsbury’s recent inside-outside poster are a good example of this phenomenon. Social media goes crazy.

In recent times, the move to enhanced service, partly stimulated by the commercial internet, means the mask has further to slip (but it still can). Companies aim to be transparent and friendly with customers on an increasing number of marketing and comms channels, but mistakes still occur.

Marketing automation is one area where brands must be vigilant, lest the wrong message be sent or the right message at the wrong time.

So, here’s a roundup of some ways in which marketing automation can go wrong, in social, ecommerce, email and advertising.

The pros and cons of marketing automation

To some extent, the pros and cons of marketing automation are two sides of the same coin, similar to deciding whether to keep a boyfriend or girlfriend and writing ‘decisive’ in the ‘for’ column and ‘controlling’ in the ‘against’.

Digital marketing tech can be a competitive advantage, but only if done right

Digital marketing technology can bring a competitive advantage, but only if companies have the necessary skills and culture to make the most of the opportunity it presents.

Many organisations have found it difficult to accurately value and implement emerging marketing technologies, but a new report from Econsultancy and Epsilon shows that organisations that have excelled in these areas are reaping the benefits.

The report, entitled Leading a Digital Marketing Evolution, splits companies into three categories based on their responses to a question about how they are affected by pressures directly related to digital.

Predictive marketing: a new dimension?

At Econsultancy we do a number of events and research focused on B2B marketing. Indeed the upcoming Festival of Marketing has a whole stage dedicated to it.

A recurring theme is the relationship between sales and marketing.

In most B2B organisations, sales is still the dominant function. We often hear that sales and marketing should work more closely to together, focus on the whole customer journey, establish agreed processes, terminology and definitions (what exactly do we mean by a ‘sales qualified lead’?), hand off points and so on. 

Seven inspirational email marketing case studies from The Digitals

One of the best ways of improving your digital marketing skills is to try and learn from the best.

That’s why awards season is always a fruitful time at Econsultancy, as we receive loads of entries detailing inspirational case studies from a massive range of companies.

Applications for The Digitals 2014 are currently rolling in, and to give you inspiration for your own entry I’ve rounded up some of the best email marketing case studies we received in 2013.

And to find out more about how you can get involved, read my post on 10 tips for writing a stand out awards entry for The Digitals