Making Money On-line: Over Two Thirds of CMOs Name Mobile Marketing a Top Priority For 2017

Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Over Two Thirds of CMOs Name Mobile Marketing a Top Priority For 2017

Smartphones have been declared a device that people “can’t live without”. With over two billion smartphones in use globally, mobile marketing presents an effective and personal way for companies to engage with their customers.

Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) at both Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) companies need to embrace mobile marketing strategies to remain competitive in this mobile-first world.

The above is an excerpt from the Executive Summary of a new report from Constellation Research. In a survey of both B2C and B2B CMOs and marketing leaders, 81% said they consider mobile marketing one the their top 3 budgeted priorities for 2017.

And no, I will not state that 2017 is the year of mobile. Why? Because every year for the past 5 years has been dubbed the year of mobile. If anyone needs a reminder just how omnipresent and vital mobile is to any marketer on the planet, well... I'll leave it at that.

A Cross Channel Emotional Attachment

The emotional attachment users have to their mobile devices and the overall growth in mobility cannot be ignored by CMOs looking to succeed in the digital era. Brands that have not adopted a mobile marketing strategy are falling behind their competition and likely losing customers without knowing.

A common misconception is that mobile marketing is only applicable to B2C companies, but the customers of B2B companies are mobile users as well and mobile marketing is equally effective for this group.

Constellation estimates that nearly 60% of U.S. mobile device users ages 18 and older own more than one device, of which 28% own three devices or more. With an increasing amount of content consumed and commerce transacted on mobile devices, 48% of these multiple device owners indicate that they begin an activity on one device and complete it on another.

For example, a user shopping for a new coat researches styles on a tablet at home, then wants to show the coat options to a friend at lunch on a smartphone before completing the purchase on a laptop at work. Users expect this transition from one device to another to be seamless.

These multiple device scenarios compel CMOs to focus on a cross-channel marketing strategy to effectively reach their customers and provide a consistent brand experience.

Tear Down Those Silos

To do cross channel marketing the right way however, CMOs need to break down internal marketing silos that pass marketing inefficiencies onto the consumers. Marketing teams need work together collaboratively and efficiently to orchestrate channel programs with that deliver consistent and personalized experiences for the customer.

Moreover, CMOs must move from Campaign Coordination to Campaign Orchestration to deliver the consistent brand experiences customers expect. Rather than simply scale outdated marketing methods to increasingly more digital channels, or expect customers to follow pre-determined “customer journeys,” marketers need to orchestrate marketing programs that adapt to customer behaviors and contexts.

By orchestrating the customer experience in a way that empowers the customer--not the marketer--to determine what interactions come next, marketers can deliver consistent, personalized brand experiences at scale.

Optimizing the Browse-to-Buy Journey in the Mobile-First Era

Mobile marketing presents an effective and personal way for companies to engage with their customers. CMOs at both B2C and B2B companies need to embrace mobile marketing strategies to remain competitive in this mobile-first world.

Download Mobile Marketing Best Practices for CMOs to learn how optimize the browse-to-buy journey in the mobile-first era.