The State of Marketing 2011

My take-away from IBM’s marketing study is that marketers (in their role as buyer and user) seem to be experiencing what happens in any hot, cluttered category: Noise creates confusion. What’s needed is a place to think, a place that makes sense of the madness. What’s needed is a thought leader who understands the industry problem, and can help guide the way forward. That thought leader role can just as easily be filled by a solution provider as by an industry analyst. I’ve spent time in hot, cluttered categories — open source, middleware, PLM, digital content, cloud computing. The patterns very definitely repeat. My post, Noise, talks directly to this issue.

BY STEVE OLENSKI

Results from the recently released IBM State of Marketing 2011 show that while many new marketing channels and mediums are opening up – social media and mobile media chief among them, there is also a sense of confusion and information overload among marketers who are asking for better analytics and the corresponding tools to turn findings into action to drive meaningful results.

STUMBLING BLOCKS
The three biggest obstacles facing marketers in terms of processes today are:

1. Measurement, Analysis & Learning

• In years’ past, IT support was the #1 obstacle; this year over half of the marketers surveyed have clearly identified their new #1 priority: Take collected data and turn it into action; real, measurable action

2. Lack of Integration

• Over half (53%) said they want more integration across all channels and to do that…
• 87% said they want a more integrated software suite

3. Better IT support of technology needs

• Despite its being overtaken as the #1 need among marketers, IT will always play a vital role in marketing as witnessed by the over half of respondents who cited technology as the key to productivity.

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