Tag Archives: marketing

Why customer experience is the new differentiator in banking

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Banking IndustryThe Canadian financial services industry spent an astounding $8.7 billion dollars on information technology.  According to a Deloitte 2014  Industry Outlook, many banks are investing on IT to focus on revenue growth, customer experience, and security.  There is a strong desire by the banking industry to drive performance, mitigate risk and improve operational efficiency.

Customer experience is the new differentiator, requiring the seamless and unified delivery of online, branch, and mobile channels.  By leveraging technology, banks can better understand customer spending habits, preferences and product demand and  grow revenues.

McKinsey research, The three Cs of customer satisfaction: Consistency, consistency, consistency supports the belief that a consistent customer journey across multiple touchpoints is a key predictor for customer satisfaction and loyalty. Key findings include: companies can differentiate their brands by focusing on customer experience; building trust leads to long-term business success; and consistency-driven emotional connection is essential for customer loyalty. Continue reading →

Cloud Computing: More Cost-Effective Marketing Services Delivery

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cloud computing I usually only write about B2B Marketing, but when I came across some interesting insights on cloud computing trends (courtesy of Information Management Magazine) called 5 Cloud Trends for 2013 and Beyond – I knew this was an opportunity to combine my passion for marketing and technology. The cloud is revolutionizing business as we know it today.  Small companies now have the means to be on the same playing field as larger organizations.

As far as marketing, the cloud computing model represents a breakthrough with the introduction of a more simplified and cost-effective way for the delivery of marketing services. Indeed, many marketing automation specialists and digital marketers alike, are embracing the cloud today.

There is a lot to like about the cloud. The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud model is growing rapidly in user adoption and represented by popular subscription-based companies such as salesforce.com and Dropbox.  SaaS offers software and technical services that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive and difficult to manage for many organizations, particularly small businesses. The provider makes it easy for the consumer, looking after all software development, maintenance and upgrades.

Marketers gravitate towards these type of solutions because they are quicker and easier to implement without much need of the IT department`s resources than typical on-premise solutions.

The Information Management cloud trends slide presentation is found next in its entirety in an easy-to-read format (minus the advertising). I enjoyed reading about the advent of the “personal cloud,“ whereby the workspace is no longer location bound – the availability of online services accessible everywhere and on any type of device will be the new normal.  Content is considered to be more secure in the “personal cloud“ world, with data found within the protective, centralized confines of the data center.

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5 Steps for Building a Content Marketing Strategy

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According to a 2011 study by the Content Marketing Institute, 90% of B2B marketers are participating in content marketing and plan to allocate 26% of their total 2012 marketing budgets on this practice.

One of the best ways to build a brand and deepen customer relationships is via content marketing.  It’s fundamentally the creation, publication, and distribution of relevant, high-value content, tailored to the needs of targeted groups.  The Content Marketing Institute’s definition also includes the desire by vendors to attract, acquire, and engage with audiences.

Marketers are communicators of value and have been transformed into educators. Buyers are seeking information from vendors on how to solve business issues. Companies that embrace good content marketing practices are destined for more leads, conversions, and sales.

With the explosion of easy online sharing and distribution of information, marketers now have a way to scale and reach many more people.  Good content is an integral part of search and social media networking, and can take many forms, including articles, case studies, blogs, whitepapers, and videos.  Many people are responding well to visual content over plain text.  It won’t be long before we see more of the social network Pinterest in the B2B marketing world.

Let’s look at 5 content marketing strategy steps aligned with a buyer’s journey:

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