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Written by: Kevin Gardner
Whether you are just beginning a career in marketing or you are a seasoned veteran, you know how tough it can be to get your messaging in front of the right audience. Creating content that is compelling enough for your audience to choose to read is another battle entirely. If you feel like your marketing strategies could use some work, here are some technology tools to try.
1. Cloud Monitoring
If you are like most companies, your files are spread out everywhere. There are some on the in-house server, some on commercial cloud services, and maybe some even stored right on your desktop. However, having to log in to each storage account can be time-consuming and can cost you time that could be spent working on marketing strategy. Investing in cloud monitoring software such as prometheus monitoring is an easy way to keep all of your remote accounts organized. No need to waste time remembering different account credentials or where you stored that one document you need. Your tech team will also benefit because cloud monitoring software is easy to set up and manage.
2. A Robust CRM
When your sales team has a discussion with a customer — good or bad — are they recording all of the data? If not, now is the time to invest in robust CRM software. A CRM is a great way for salespeople to keep all of their customer data organized, and it's also beneficial for the marketing department too. You'll have access to important data such as why someone became a customer or why someone chose against your company. This data can help you develop your marketing messaging. Ensure your sales team understands the importance of well-developed customer and lead records so every department can use the data.
3. A Great Email Client
Everyone is swimming in a sea of emails, which makes it increasingly difficult to stand out among the barrage of digital communication. However, investing in a solid email client that can make your emails look appealing can help your messaging get noticed. Create eye-catching templates and use compelling subject lines and you just may see your email open stats increase. Most clients also include reporting so you can see how well your emails are performing and if you are getting any opens.
4. A Social Media Scheduler
Unless you have someone dedicated to social media management, it can be challenging to remember to stay active on your social channels. However, an inactive social media account can give the impression that you are not an "active" company or that you don't have any news to report or anything interesting to say. Invest in social scheduling software so you can queue messages up so your accounts are never inactive. Then, focus on other important tasks and rest assured knowing that your social following is seeing regular content from their favorite company.
5. Analytics Tools
No matter how wonderful your website is or how great your blog posts are, you won't have any idea how well your content is performing unless you use analytics tools. Choose a tool that crawls your website to check for dead links or 404s — these can be detrimental to your site's overall performance. Combine that with something that measures page visits, visit length (time on page), bounces, and referral path (where the visitors originated before they hit your site). This type of intel is essential in ensuring that the correct messaging is being seen by your target audience.
Being a marketer can be tough and sometimes frustrating. Use these tools for much more successful marketing content development and ongoing strategies.
Related: What Makes Email Marketing Time and Cost Efficient?