Crunching the numbers
Lead generation is a time- and resource-heavy endeavour, making automation and data-processing technologies the right tool for the job. Artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning in particular, is an incredible resource for lead generation. AI can:
AI isn’t the only technology that’s revolutionising lead generation. Both big data patterns and individual data metrics help marketers with customer attribution, as well as understanding customers, segments, leads and marketing strategies. Predictive analytics is also a huge growth area, allowing brands to use publicly available data as well as customer information to identify trends and patterns and provide a personalised experience.
A cohesive content strategy
Companies need to be careful about how they use all this glittery new tech, however. Digital advertising spend surpassed AU$7.6 billion in 2017, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Australia and eMarketer predicts that digital ad spending will make up more than half of paid media spend in Australia for the first time this year.
But unless your business has a unified content strategy across all departments, there’s no way to monitor effectiveness or provide a cohesive customer experience. To maximise the effectiveness and reach of your digital content, there needs to be a central strategy guiding all your output and ensuring your key messages remain consistent.
Boosting your marketing power
There are plenty of companies making technology work for them. Harvard Business Review found that Epson America has increased its lead response rate by 240 per cent using an AI sales assistant program. And nearly 60 per cent of marketers told Salesforce’s annual State of Marketing report that they believed AI would play a major role in future marketing campaigns.
Technology offers the potential to augment the existing capabilities of your marketing and sales staff. Instead of spending time on repetitive admin work or tedious cold-calls that might lead nowhere, technology can deliver hot leads directly to your sales team and provide them with the necessary data to help close the deal.