Managed Marketing Content Services: A game changer for technology firms
As someone deeply involved in the technology sector, I’ve experienced first-hand the rapid pace at which we must operate. To survive in this industry, you need to be prepared to lead with continuous innovation. This means new products, new services and new solutions, often quarterly. What people were buying 12 or 24 months ago might not be what they are budgeting for today.
Always be where your customers are going
I learned this early in my sales career. My top client, a global mining company, had been buying a variety of products and services from me. At the end of the year, I sat down with the CIO and asked, “What’s on deck for next year – what are we doing together?”
He replied that most of his budget would be allocated to the wide area network, security and driving down operational costs. (Yes, it was several years ago – Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.)
When I returned to my offices and met with our general manager to understand how we might be prepared for our customers, I could see that we were clearly stuck in the past and were not going to be able to provide my client with anything that was top of mind for him. As a commission-based salesperson, the writing was on the wall for me. I subsequently moved to a new company that specialized in Cisco, Microsoft and managed services, which enabled me to continue to work with this client. My old company folded about 12 months after I left.
The moral of this story? Innovate or die.
So what does this mean for marketers?
Marketers have to do more with less, faster than ever before
Content is a consistent struggle for marketers. Budgets are smaller and resources more constrained. Tech marketers are challenged to create fresh, in-depth and well-researched content that is both educational and precisely targeted.
Generative AI is a relatively new tool that is helping to reduce the costs of creating content, but a human hand is always needed to introduce concepts, thought leadership, research, experience and use cases that are relevant. Chances are, if you are truly innovating with your products and services, Generative AI might help you organize your thoughts, but it won’t provide the “meat” that your content needs to connect with your audience.
Managed Marketing Content Services have become invaluable in this regard, providing a strategic advantage for technology companies. Here’s how:
Personalization is growing
When we work with clients to create high-value content, we look to create for a specific persona, solving for a specific challenge. This enables our clients to create personalized content with needing personalization data.
Effective content needs to align to your SEO strategy to drive organic or paid marketing efforts that support lead generation. The following tend to work well:
- How-to assets: Functional advice and step-by-step “how to” that teach your target persona something
- Research & insights: Consolidated learnings, benchmarks, predictions and practical use cases that help buyers and influencers make decisions
- Customer stories/industry specializations: Tell stories of customer transformation to showcase both your business and technical expertise within specific industries
Across all of these types of assets, you are creating content that is directly useful to your target persona. It also establishes you as an expert and a thought leader without directly telling people you are a thought leader. It’s the old fiction writers’ technique of “show, don’t tell” to engage a reader.
Managed Marketing Content Services
Over the years, our clients have helped us create our Managed Marketing Content Services offerings. These now range from social media programs to executive communications, blogs, newsletters, white papers/eBooks, and other content types to help them meet the need for both consistency and quality. Here are some of the reasons they tell us that Managed Marketing Content Services with us works for them.
#1 Cost efficiency
One of the standout benefits of Managed Marketing Content Services is cost efficiency. Outsourcing marketing tasks to a specialized provider can lead to significant cost reductions. In general, companies that incorporate managed services can achieve from 25% to 40% in savings[i] by centralizing and standardizing on a model that consistently delivers against performance expectations and SLAs. This efficiency allows businesses to reinvest those savings into other critical areas, such as product development and sales. Managed Marketing Content Services programs can be designed to meet your budget so that you have a predictable spend.
#2 Strategic expertise with tactical execution
Managed Marketing Content Services will offer access to expertise, knowledge and technology to help accelerate marketing performance through consistency and capabilities that are critical to drive awareness and relationships. This is especially true as tech companies want to align with hyperscalers and build influencer relationships. What we are finding is that companies on their own are inconsistent, or rely too heavily on GenAI tools which often deliver “fluff” that cause your target audience to disengage.
What Managed Marketing Content Services will bring is ongoing strategy that enables more meaningful (and measurable) tactical execution.
#3 Scalability and flexibility
The demands on technology companies can fluctuate due to product cycles and market conditions. Managed Marketing Content Services provide the scalability and flexibility needed to adapt marketing efforts accordingly. Whether it’s launching a new product or entering a new market, these services can scale to meet specific needs without the hassle of recruiting and training new staff.
#4 Improved efficiency and productivity
Outsourcing marketing operations allows tech companies to concentrate on their core competencies. Managed Marketing Content Services providers manage everything from campaign design and execution to performance evaluation and optimization, leading to improved operational efficiency and productivity. Companies utilizing these services have reported significant improvements in response rates and average revenue per customer.
#5 Data-driven decision-making
Managed Marketing Content Services emphasize the use of data and analytics to drive marketing strategies and execution. Providers utilize advanced tools to gather and analyze data, offering actionable insights that can enhance marketing efforts. This data-driven approach ensures that marketing campaigns are effective and continuously optimized for better performance.
#6 Risk management and business continuity
Managed Marketing Content Services providers help mitigate risks associated with marketing activities and ensure business continuity even during internal disruptions. This stability guarantees that marketing efforts remain consistent and effective, regardless of internal challenges.
#7 Influencer marketing
We are all familiar with consumer brand influencers for clothing, hair, make-up, travel, etc., but today our clients want to attract and build influencer teams within their sector. This means reaching and creating interest for key players across technical and business innovation to talk about you, so that you can reach a broader audience organically by building on the trusted voice of others.
Conclusion
Managed Marketing Content Services offer technology companies a crucial edge by reducing costs, providing access to expertise, enhancing personalization, and improving overall efficiency. By leveraging these services, tech firms can ensure their marketing efforts are impactful and aligned with their business goals, driving sustainable growth and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
Mercer-MacKay Digital Storytelling has been offering managed marketing services for all sizes of companies since our inception in 2007. If this sounds interesting, or you would like to explore the possibilities for you, reach out to info@mercermackay.com and ask to schedule a call with me.
[i] Source: Various including HubSpot and PwC