If you are working on developing your 2010 marketing plan, you would not be alone if you included “Attempt to forget the year 2009″ as an objective.
Within the IT world, CMOs have had a hell of a year dealing with reduced budgets, lower head count, increased scrutiny of their marketing spend and of course a longer drawn out buying process among their targeted audiences. It simply has not been pretty and I am sure all of you are a bit exhausted. But from this year, there are opportunities in the midst and smart planning should help you drive your organization towards them.
Michael Gerard from IDG recently identified a few best practices among CMOs in tech companies as it relates to the developing your marketing plans for 2010.
- CMOs and senior marketers need to withstand potential organization changes by making sure that they maintain reporting control and/or budget control over the entire marketing organization: the full scope of corporate marketing, product marketing, and field marketing.
- Even as the recovery “emerges”…be prepared for further organizational changes in the marketing department. The most prevalent trend is change that will help in the unification of marketing and sales. There is opportunity in this change: marketer’s can introduce and lead significant Sales Enablement practices, for example. have in place for the up-turn to come? Are you prepared to answer this question when your boss asks you?
- Be prepared for an economic recovery. What marketing plans and initiatives do you have in place for the up-turn to come? Are you prepared to answer this question when the CEO or CFO asks you?
- For marketing staff positions that need to be filled or that may be the first candidates to fill when hiring freezes are lifted: there is some great marketing talent “on the street” right now and the best ones will not be there forever.
- Every new marketing initiative that you propose should be “bundled” within a cost-savings idea. Think about re-deploying and re-directing existing budgets, versus asking for new-new monies. The IDC CMO Advisory area has many case studies for budget re-directs and re-deploys. Clients should refer to IDC Best Practice Studies on Sales Enablement, Shared Services, and Campaign Management.
- Expand your operational proficiency for Digital Marketing. This would include a look at the sophistication of processes, infrastructure, and people. (e.g., refer to IDC’s recent telebriefing on key success factors for BtoB social media strategies)
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