There’s no denying the endless benefits that the recent rise in AI and automation has for everyday efficiency and time management in B2B marketing - especially in a world where consistent and perpetual content and nurturing of your audience is king.
As a B2B technology marketing agency, we’re (coincidentally) all too familiar with the intersection between marketing and technology, both in the clientele we serve, and in our own agency processes and procedures. We see AI and automation totally revolutionising marketing initiatives. But, we also know the true fundamentals of successful marketing initiatives and relationships that AI and Automation can merely only compliment.
To be the winner at the end of a buyer's journey, (such as suggested by Gartner), your processes need to be built on trust and credibility, offering unique solutions with a team that’s responsive to navigating challenges and dressing a buyer’s experiences with a personal touch.
Don’t get us wrong - any technology that can speed up repeatable processes, or save personal energy is a very valuable commodity. However, there are some components of the marketing cycle that AI and automation don’t fulfil yet. So here they are:
Flexibility and Adaptability >
The prevalence of AI and Automation in the nature of B2B marketing comes down to what these tools are fed and thereafter the integration of flows and sequence that human brains construct with the integration of these tools. When flexibility and adaptability is required to generate results, including quick pivot and re-release of new content, any technology in the marketing AI and automation category is still too immature to allow full range.
Emotional Intelligence >
Half of the success of any major marketing campaign, regardless of industry, is the application of care, emotions and heart. Now, not to say our robot friends are heartless - but a campaign that has been put together with care, heart and a vested interest in the greater benefit of the customer tends to perform far differently than anything artificially created. Where sympathy, empathy, and inspiration are most needed in a buying cycle – AI and automation stay dry under their umbrella of apathy.
The B2B buying cycle is grossly non-linear in that marketing and sales initiatives need grounds of absolute bona fide business relationships to develop through trust and camaraderie. Quite simply, AI & automation can’t read the room - and these tools will promote an overarching tone of nonchalance across marketing efforts and initiatives, leaving bitter tastes amongst your audience.
Layered Thinking >
One of the biggest limitations of AI and marketing automation is their inability to think creatively (without creative inputs and prompts) or engage in layered thinking. Sure these tools can effectively generate new ideas and recommendations based on data, but they lack the ability to truly innovate and think outside the box in ways not commonly revealed. That's why it's important to have humans driving your marketing efforts – people who can push the boundaries, challenge assumptions, and come up with truly innovative ideas that set you apart from the competition.
For us, the bottom line is that AI and Automation are no threat to what we can do. Instead, we understand the power of AI and marketing automation enough to plant the right seeds to help these tools thrive. That's why we take a human-centered approach to our marketing strategy. TechTent leverage the latest technology to drive efficiency and effectiveness, but we never forget the importance of human insight, creativity, and feeling.
By combining the best of both worlds, we're able to deliver exceptional results for our clients and position them as authentic and authoritative players in their industries where we can achieve a new level of marketing excellence that drives results and builds lasting relationships.
コメント