Aug
14
The Biggest Issues Marketers Face
August 14, 2009 | 2 Comments
I’ve put on my thinking cap and cast my mind over recent years in the marketing industry and what I considered the biggest problems marketers are facing. A number of issues come to mind which I discuss.
1. Data
From personal experience, this has been a huge issue in a number of ways. The first one is a quality issue especially if your data is customer based. Keeping your data accurate can be quite an expensive task. Secondly is having a central, integrated marketing database and lastly ensuring the data you are collecting is relevant and knowing what to do with the data.
2. Measuring Marketing Effectiveness
Marketers are in an age where they are accountable and need to show measurements and returns. There does not seem to be an established best practice for measurements (well some companies promote their products as having best practise metrics). The problem organisations face is deciding what metrics they should use as measurements. Most organisations adopt measurements that make sense within their financial models. Could we be using old style measurements and adapting them to new efforts?
3. Information Overload
It is important to keep a breast of what is happening in the world of marketing, your industry and your organisation. On top of this, you need to do your job. There are new mediums, methods and technologies emerging all the time and improved versions of existing ones. How do you keep up and make sure you are on top of your game? Your short-term marketing strategy is probably in dynamic state, as you need to be able to react to changes, which are happening at a rapid rate. Now I don’t mean that you irresponsibly embark on every new medium, method or technology but you may need to react to them as well as changing market conditions.
4. CRM
Maybe some would include this and data together. However, I have separated them as to me data is more than just for CRM. The problem is integrating all the touch points into a single view of the customer and streamlining them into successful automated out-bound campaigns using the mediums (that work for you) that is best suited to each individual customer. Another issue is understanding the softer issues of CRM and customer experience
5. Innovation
Innovation is being limited due to fear of hype and limited thinking. This may not be the case for all but certainly for some it is. Are we allowed to think out of the box in a rigid traditional organisation or do we always play it safe?
6. Budget Stretch
There are so many things to do and so little money to do it! Prioritising spend in the best way maximising effectiveness and return is a challenge.
7. Taken Seriously
How often is the marketing department not taken seriously compared to departments like IT and Finance? Marketers are sometimes not seen in the same light as experts in the ‘other’ departments. Could this be because many marketers lack the financial knowledge or technical knowledge relevant to the business? I do think there are many progressive organisations where this is not the case and marketers are seen as a driving force.
I am sure there are other pressing issues out there and would like to hear your views.
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Leeann, thank you for your interest. I teach in Prague, Czech Republic. I’ve taught at Prague College, University of New York, in Prague, University of Northern Virginia, in Prague, and, from this autumn, I will be teaching at Tiffin University, Prague, too.
I 100% agree with this. I cover these in my Advanced Marketing course at the universities where I teach.