Brian Kardon CMO of Lattice, offers three suggestions to Enterprising CIOs who may not be entirely familiar with marketing trends. In his comments here, Kardon suggests that CIOs step back from what they see as consumers or 'outsiders' and learn more about the internal thoughts and workings of what goes into marketing efforts. I think his advice is sound and really gives CIOs a basis for not only understanding, but for making solid contributions to advance their company's efforts.
From Kardon:
Modern marketing is not the arts and crafts department
Today's marketer uses a variety of technologies to plan, execute and measure marketing's performance and it's contribution to the business. Marketing dashboards are like the cockpit of an airplane with real-time measurement and a set of controls that determine the direction of marketing. Don't judge marketing by what you see externally alone - the creative campaigns, videos, display ads, ebooks and animations. Behind each tactic is a set of specific performance metrics that fit into a plan.
We need to collaborate
The best performing organizations have incredible, consistent collaboration between the CIO and CMO. Systems need to integrate to ensure the user experience is simple and fast and things like web site performance and syncing between CRM and marketing automation require a team effort. A customer with a poor user experience is only a click away from a competitor, and improving that experience is a joint responsibility. It can be the difference between a prospect and customer and increases the chance for repeat business..
Spend time with customers
There is no substitute for time with actual customers - to hear their challenges and needs. While customer interactions may be beyond the scope of a CIO's job, calling on customers, listening hard, and working to bring those insights to their team can earn them credibility and trust.
What do you think about his advice? How can you incorporate these tips into your business?
Scott Koegler has practiced IT as a CIO for 15 years. He also has more than 20 years experience as a technology journalist covering topics ranging from software and services through business strategy. He has written white papers and directed and published video interviews.
