A specter stalks marketers at every turn potentially limiting career advancement, compensation and (even) viability. Perhaps you too have felt its presence.
Who (or should I write “what”) is this threat? It’s best expressed in a simple query: Can you define a measurable return on investment realized from your programs?
It’s a question few of us want to address head on.
So, we game the answer. During my days as a public relations practitioner, my firm rolled out share of voice analysis and ad equivalency assessments. The colorful design of these reports helped deflect probing about the true value delivered.
Social media was supposed to change everything and usher in a new age of accountability. Now, marketers could directly engage and cultivate relationships with customers, prospects and partners.
We posted, tweeted and shared. We built communities. We measured interaction.
And then there emerged a rallying cry for content marketing, with social as a channel of distribution. At last, marketers could measurably influence the sales process by shaping the perceptions of enlightened buyers.
Yet, it appears the ROI nirvana of content marketing has also crashed like a rickety ship into the rocks of doubt and despair.
83 percent of marketers surveyed cannot tie back business value to their content marketing efforts. Ouch…the findings of a new study conducted by Forrester, Business Marketing Association and Online Marketing Institute sting.
Where does this leave us? Is hope lost?
While I certainly don’t have all of the answers, my views on “Web2Sales” offer marketers insight into how Web, content, social, search and digital programs can effectively align with tactical sales activities. Check out this informative (and entertaining) video of my keynote and panel at the Digital East conference earlier this month.
And join me on September 30 at 3 PM ET when I host an online discussion with John Sisson of Rainmaker Associates about how marketers can inspire sales team action and accountability.
DIGITAL EAST from Strategic Communications Group on Vimeo.