When surrounded by rapid change, we tend to start doubting our ability to keep up with the pace of things. There are countless perspectives and alternative ways of operating. How do you know which route is the right one for you and your organization? What are the most essential arguments and nuggets of knowledge on which to base decisions in technology sector marketing and communications?
Netprofile interviewed 21 leaders in B2B technology communications and marketing, and every one of them recognized the challenge described above: What to do when the operating environment becomes more complex, channels are in transition, and technology is replacing humans? Amid rapid changes, foresight becomes all the more important.
Although the strategic horizon may seem blurry, systematic reflection and conscious choices can be used to bring clarity to any situation. After all, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. All you need is calm strategic thinking, agile decision-making, and the ability to swiftly adjust direction when necessary.
In our discussions, three key themes emerged, which experts felt could help clarify their strategic positioning. These are:
Manage expectations, discourage wishful thinking
Financial suffering does not nurture realism. On the contrary, communication and marketing professionals often face completely unrealistic expectations.
Managing stakeholder expectations is especially important. Marketing communications can achieve a lot, sometimes almost miracles, but it can only succeed if it’s fully aligned with business strategy. Also, flexible budgeting and clear reporting make work easier. There are fewer surprises when progress is communicated regularly and clearly, with results explained and justified using business metrics.
Ultimately, measuring the success of communications and marketing depends on the smart use of data. The approach must be data-driven, as it’s the data that provides the metrics for building trust, increasing brand awareness, and driving sales.
Adequate resources, sufficient expertise, and continuous self-development
Insightful decisions are needed for us to overcome the challenges presented by our limited resources and our need for specialized expertise. In the age of AI, where should our communication and marketing efforts be focused?
To minimize the risk presented by limited resources, it's wise to ensure that the organization isn’t overly dependent on a single employee or partner. The current fast-paced reality of communications and marketing demands multitalented people who aren’t tied to artificial silos. They need to have deep expertise in their specialty but they also need to be able to hop between and across silos when the situation requires it.
As the requirements for different tools and skills evolve, teams also have to develop. Continuous learning and additional training are essential and require support from top management. An open mindset, the ability to adapt to change, technological know-how, and data-driven thinking are keys to both individual and team success.
While the focus is particularly on selecting suitable AI tools and learning to use them, in the long run, we might be surprised by how little AI changes the fundamental principles of high-quality communication and customer engagement. Human creative thinking and the ability to guide AI will continue to distinguish the best in communication and marketing from the grey masses.
People are unique in their creativity – and thus key to differentiation
Differentiation raises a lot of concern among communications and marketing leaders in the technology sector. B2B technology is characterized by brand similarity. To succeed, a company needs to ensure that end customers are aware of the excellence that makes their products and services stand out.
The consensus is that those who invest in the quality of communication and marketing will win the race. By letting go of jargon and engaging in honest, authentic, and emotionally impactful communication, one can touch people on a personal level. This, in turn, will make you memorable and distinguish you from the crowd.
AI may help in improving basic-level content to the middle tier, but top-notch content requires a human, whose touch makes the ordinary extraordinary.
Wait, proceed, or stop?
Focusing on carefully selected areas and working determinedly towards clearly defined goals is the most reliable path to success. Right now, experts in technology marketing are focusing on thought leadership, PR and media relations, and content marketing.
Although professionals in the field have a clear vision of where to focus their efforts next, they also keep in mind that they need to change direction quickly if the results don't meet expectations. Fail fast – that’s the recommended guiding principle!
Balancing between waiting, moving forward, and admitting failure is a daily reality for every communications and marketing professional. There are continuous rumors about upcoming game-changing solutions, and new tools appear almost daily. Faced with such turmoil, the wisest course is not to rush headlong into every new trend. The key is to consider what genuinely serves the needs. Work should be done with tools that function effectively now, but one must remain ready to try out new things even at short notice.
The Insight Track 2024 report offers more thought-provoking ideas
For this report, Netprofile interviewed 21 communications and marketing leaders from Northern European B2B technology organizations. We explored their views on the direction of communication and marketing over the next three years, up until 2027. You can download the full report here: Insight Track 2024.