Marketing & Sales Foresight

A Marketing Identity Check: Differentiated Capabilities Earn the “Right to Win”
by Thomas Ripsam, Yogesh Pandit, Caren Fleit, Jennifer Carroll
As consumer technology evolves, the proliferation of social and mobile buying channels allows companies to engage in more robust customer relationship management (CRM). With so many ways to reach and learn about customers, marketing units are called upon to contribute more than ever before to the overall growth of their companies—but many marketing budgets remain static. In response, marketers must think wisely about how to invest in differentiating capabilities for their companies. Instead of broadly allocating resources to the building of several capabilities, they should hone in on two or three capabilities that will give them an edge in the marketplace. If they develop these in ways that are aligned with their company's overall strategy and culture, while fostering the right talent and putting the right leadership in place, they will gain the right to win.download (623kb, PDF) >

The Coming Wave of “Social Apponomics”: How Social Media and Apps Are Transforming E-Commerce
by Matt Anderson, Gregor Harter, Henning Hagen, Stefan Plenge
With the growing popularity of community-driven sites, smart retailers are looking for ways to garner more revenue from online interactions. The way to do this is through "social apponomics," which combines the use of social media, community-based marketing, and tailored applications to manage customer relationships and turn product buzz into profits. A multimedia, multichannel consumer experience that is both personalized and community-focused allows consumers themselves to help generate content valuable data for marketers. By knowing how to use this data, social apponomics companies enjoy lower customer acquisition rates, higher sales conversion rates, and higher repeat purchase rates than other companies.download (5.2mb, PDF) >

From Campaigns to Capabilities: The Impact of Social Media on Marketing and Beyond
by Christopher Vollmer, Karen Premo
Social media is now the fastest and most influential medium for connecting consumers with brands. By leveraging engagement opportunities on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube—the "Big Three" social media platforms—marketers can now reach consumers on an unprecedented scale. However, to ensure success, leading companies are transforming their capabilities and making social media a bigger component of their marketing mix. The old model of planning and executing a message campaign on a static schedule only spotlights a brand, but brand management can now take a personal, real-time and content-based approach, focusing on organic interaction with and feedback from customers. Social media is the "operating system" for consumers' daily lives, and companies that invest in capabilities around online community management, content development, and real-time analytics will stand out.download (518kb, PDF) >