The information we had was by todays standards in the dark ages, and we had to work really hard for it. We pored over sales and basic market research reports by hand, working with others in the supply chain, and most importantly, talking to customers, real ones, over a coffee, lunch, or even on the golf course. In the process we learned about their problems and aspirations, and once in a while, came up with something good.
In the meantime, we got to know in some detail what they were seeking, and how we might best address that quest. Yes, it was an expensive and time consuming process, and yes, it was subject to being less of a commercial exercise than it was a tonic for the ego, but it was effective.
Now all we do is pore over the deluge of data generated by algorithms driven by marketing technology: Martech.
We delude ourselves that in doing so we are not missing anything, but the reality is that we are so deluged that we risk missing what should be the obvious, and more importantly, the less obvious connections visible to the experienced and informed human eye, invisible to an algorithm.
The central objective of marketing is to solve a customers problem, add value to their lives in some way, and have them come back for more.
I am unsure of how this end is achieved by constant automated updates, unsolicited sales offers, chasing them around the net with ads for stuff they do not want, and making them click away a detested pop up. So called marketing people, those who have emerged in the last 15 years, seem to think that actually engaging with a customer, talking to them, asking questions to which they might not like the answer, is akin to walking on stage to deliver a presentation to a crowd: to be avoided at all costs!
Marketing is at its core, all about human interaction.
Martech has its place, but is not a silver bullet, or replacement for the insight that comes from humanity.
Header cartoon courtesy Tom Gauld at www.tomgauld.com
