CRM systems, social listening and emerging social media platforms were the three key areas of discussion at this month’s Technology for Success business group.
Guest hosted by Dan Pritchard, managing director of Astley Media and co-founder of Tech South West and T4S partner, the discussion focused on how South West SMEs can use technology to enhance their marketing communications in 2021.
The session opened with Dan sharing three ways PR and Marketing firm Astley Media are using tech to enhance marketing communications: maximising the use of CRM systems, social listening to better understand your customers and exploring emerging social media platforms.
Tristan Courtney of Stamp James Solicitors; Sky Randall of Sarah West Recruitment; Chris Heron of Time Well Spent, Andrew Horton, Managing Director at Exmoor Trim and Magda King, Technical Consultant at King Recruit joined Dan for the discussion.
Some of the attendees shared their ambitions to formalise and enhance their Customer Relationship Management systems, as they work to improve tracking around new leads and insight into customer behaviour.
There was also discussion around which marketing tactics are having the most impact currently, and the importance of measurement tools to evaluate marketing tactics and strategies and understand where to focus your energies.
Dan suggested that one way to better understand customers is to use ‘social listening’. It can shape marketing campaigns by ensuring you are focusing on current customer pain points and priorities. By monitoring mentions and conversations about your own business, it also allows you to understand customer sentiment towards your brand.
Setting up, using tools like Hootsuite, is simple, and allows you to understand the changing views, preferences, expectations and behaviours of your customers over time. Feeding that learning into your marketing is essential. Learning should lead to action, shaping your communications approach and messaging.
When it comes to social channels, common staples Twitter and LinkedIn were discussed, but the group also touched on TikTok, Clubhouse and Twitch. Being an early adopter on a channel with smaller numbers makes sense if you can build an audience for your niche ahead of competitors.
“I hope people got something useful out of it,” says Dan. “Data is the unifying strand across all these topics. It’s vital to gather, review and feed that insight into your marketing. If you really understand your customer and how they are feeling in 2021, you are more able to develop marketing strategies that are meaningful and which truly resonate with your target audience. And that’s what drives positive responses, interest and growth.”
The next Technology for Success Business Group, on Friday March 19 9.15-10am, will focus on ‘What it really means to prioritise tech?’, providing business leaders the chance to consider how practically to prioritise technology within your business to drive change and boost productivity.
Book your place here: http://bit.ly/37v2TlV