Marco is the CEO at Exclaimer, an email signature management platform.
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In recent years, the marketing landscape has undergone huge shifts. Restrictions on third-party cookies and concerns over user privacy have challenged traditional strategies. As a result, marketing departments have had to reimagine audience targeting and data collection methods.
Coupled with this, advances in technology like artificial intelligence (AI) have introduced major opportunities for predictive analytics, personalization and customer engagement. Yet worryingly, we found that only 9% of IT leaders see their primary role as supporting business growth.
As a senior SaaS executive with more than 20 years of experience in managing fast-growth companies, I’ve learned the importance of creating an environment where IT’s technical skills and marketing’s creative can merge and thrive. Together, they can produce solutions that respect privacy and harness the power of emerging technology—all while delivering compelling customer experiences. There’s huge potential to grow and succeed for businesses that are prepared to adapt and evolve.
Data isn’t typically organized for easy use.
Today’s marketing strategies are increasingly reliant on the extensive use of customer data. In the wake of the death of third-party cookies, businesses will need to gather first-party data. Datasets like digital footprints, app usage and customer surveys are set to power marketing engines. However, their value can only be realized when properly managed and used. Too many businesses are challenged with data that’s disorganized. Spread across disparate systems, opportunities are undoubtedly getting missed.
According to a Merkle study (via Marketing Charts), half of marketing and IT professionals think their organization’s data is not organized for easy use. This is the most common technical barrier to getting meaningful insights. It’s followed by limited storage (39%), slow analytics processes (38%) and data integration difficulties (38%).
For this reason, it’s critical to have a strong IT infrastructure to manage and leverage this data—and it’s why IT and marketing must align, working together toward your company’s growth goals. They need to be clear on how they’re going to leverage data and tech to get there.
Find a balance between humans and data.
While technology and data are tools to enhance personalization, the core of marketing is still human-centric. It’s about building relationships and meaningful conversations. Marketers and IT professionals must balance data with the human aspect of marketing. Ensuring technology complements rather than overwhelms creativity is the vision.
To deliver personalized marketing at scale, you need seamless team collaboration—where data scientists work alongside creative teams and tech leaders think like marketers.
Breaking down silos between IT and marketing is crucial for agility and cooperation. The most innovative companies are already forming interdisciplinary teams that bring together diverse expertise to humanize their marketing strategy at scale.
When I became CEO at Exclaimer, creating seamless team collaboration was a priority for me, and I took specific steps to ensure it happened. To start with, I implemented the OKR methodology, which gave the whole company challenging goals. Most importantly, it meant that every team could work toward shared goals.
However, breaking down the silos between IT and marketing was challenging. One significant obstacle was overcoming the cultural differences and mindset barriers between the two departments. Additionally, I wanted to address any technological barriers that hindered collaboration. This involved investing in integrated systems and tools that streamline communication and data sharing between IT and marketing platforms.
By creating an environment where individuals from different departments could share their perspectives and insights, we were able to break down barriers and create a shared understanding of our goals and challenges.
The key to thriving is the IT and marketing dynamic.
In the technology world, change is the only constant. The IT and marketing alliance will set new standards for business operational success. It will offer a blueprint for efficiency, innovation and customer engagement. These are key components that support contemporary business models.
For business leaders, recognizing this collaborative potential is a strategic necessity. It requires a collective vision to present a cohesive brand narrative. As businesses navigate the pace of technological change, the integration of IT and marketing is the key to thriving.
This strategic alliance is the foundation upon which modern enterprises build resilience. It allows them to stay relevant, connect with their audiences and remain at the forefront of their industries.
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