James Obermayer, Executive Director and CEO of the Sales Lead Management Association and President of Sales Leakage Consulting is a regular guest blogger with ViewPoint.
Software programs that explain the most data, verified by the most evidence, are better than those that do not.i Really, how do you argue you with this? CRM properly applied, in conjunction with marketing automation software, explains the most data on marketing performance and gives more evidence than any other combination of software. Those with the most data will win. These are not opinions, but stone-cold, hard facts that are beyond repute.
“Those with the most marketing toys win.”
What this means is, those companies with the most marketing toys really do win! But the twist comes with the words properly applied. There are many companies using a failing CRM system; and just piling on a marketing automation software solution without direction and accountability is a recipe for failure.
“Tools without leadership are just tools in the hands of fools.”
Tools without leadership are just tools in the hands of fools. The manager who picks up the tool has to have the drive, the desire, the curiosity and the chutzpah to prove the return on marketing lead generation investment with the tools at hand.
We are so close to making it all happen. Some say that 18-20% of all B2B companies have marketing automation, and up to 80% have a CRM system. Those with both systems should be beating their competitors into the ground; that is, if they are generating enough sales inquiries and leads for their salespeople to make quota and sustain growth. With the data returned by using these systems, the user has no choice but to spend precious marketing dollars more wisely. They will spend money on things that work and let their competitors spend money on everything else.
“Spend money on things that work and let
competitors spend money on everything else.”
Is the “fools and tools” analogy what is happening here? Do the marketing managers buy tools, but fail to extract the information that can be gleaned from them? Do our marketing managers have the guts and the insight to buy the best tools, make sure they are used, suck the data out of the systems, and quietly generate more qualified leads and sell more than their competitors who don’t have these tools? It is probably more of the former than the latter.
Have I given away the secrets to successful marketing? Buy the tools and then use the data to improve? Is it really that simple? I think so.
Using the software that explains the most data, verified by the most evidence, will win. A little leadership also helps.
iSpitzer, Robert J. S.J., PhD., Ten Universal Principles, A Brief Philosophy of Life Issues, Ignatius Press,San Francisco,CA, 2011, page 9. This is a take-off on Spitzer’s quote on page 9, “The general principle is this: opinions that explain the most data and are verified by the most evidence are better than those that do not.”
Topics: Lead Generation, B2B Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Guest Blogs