Forum - October 2009

because everyone brings something different to the table. Learning to manage and encourage that interaction continues to yield invaluable information to the strategic planning process and, in my experience, has led to the successful development of some of the most remarkable products and services you’ll find anywhere.

The MARCOM Advantage

While some still view the output of their marketing and communications departments as largely tactical, recent developments like social networking have a real role to play in the strategy of any organization. At ASE, the MARCOM department keeps the organization abreast of the state of the industry at all levels. It’s what makes knowing your customer possible, because it provides the market intelligence necessary to not only identify new opportunities, but also to have a firm grasp on how existing products and programs are performing. It’s a business compass used to chart the best course.

In the case of new product or service development, input from MARCOM early in the process can test assumptions of viability and offer a good estimation of how well a proposed product will be received. When it’s functioning properly, your MARCOM department provides you with the pulse of the industry and helps you identify trends and important developments, both technological and market-related. No one doubts the value of staying ahead of the curve, and MARCOM identifies where that curve is and how it’s moving. At ASE, we’ve also found that early MARCOM participation in product development provides important insight into the market realities of the end user. Because it often reveals how those realities might impact functional-ity, it typically leads to more thoughtful user interface. Making MARCOM part of the product development process also provides deeper insight and helps identify key marketing advantages, features and benefits, and — most important — the target customer group. This early understanding pays dividends in the development of the most appropriate marketing plan, aimed precisely at the target market. Finally, ASE makes sure the process works both ways; MARCOM also benefits from the input of operations,

In the case of new product or service development, input from MARCOM early in the process can test assumptions of viability and offer a good estimation of how well a proposed product will be received.

IT, finance and customer service into its marketing and communications plans.

The Strategic Advantage

An effective, targeted communications process was a lot simpler in the days before the Internet. Until the early 1980s, nearly everything was done in print using traditional advertising channels and direct mail. But the MARCOM world of the 21st Century involves much more, from company Web sites to a corporate presence on Facebook and Twitter. While conventional channels still have a role to play in the process, an effective MARCOM department now incorporates many new tools to help get information when, where and how it’s wanted. It also manages and responds to customer and industry inquiries and analyzes that communication to help provide the pulse mentioned earlier, along with everything from creating a timely industry buzz to finding out what your customers really think. In short, the free flow of information in many different directions is crucial to maintaining a high-performance organization and ensuring continued growth in today’s economy.

Corporate image also is more important than ever. Again, I have found that getting my MARCOM team involved early in all strategic planning exercises pays dividends. I began this article with the words “presentation is everything” for a good reason. In the case of corporate management changes, reorganizations, new alliances and a host of other strategic efforts, how you present information to the marketplace can either enhance or erode your organization’s image in the eyes of stakeholders. Failing to engage your MARCOM professionals can have serious consequences, particularly if you are planning more than one time-sensi-tive announcement. For example, you’d probably want to think carefully these days about how you announce anything

involving executive bonuses. Careful planning of many factors involving MARCOM, including the timing and wording of an announcement, is an important part of any strategic planning.

It’s All About the Experience

Everything has to be user-friendly. In general, the better you are at managing information flow to both internal and external customers, the more positive the experience of actually doing business will be. Your MARCOM department really provides value here. As the marketing and communications specialists, those talents can enhance the customer experience and facilitate the flow of information within your organization. The easier it is to communicate, after all, the better your overall knowledge of the marketplace, the happier your customers and the more efficient your entire organization. You must therefore be open to delivering information when, where and how your customers want it — and that’s anything from snail mail to text messaging. At ASE, we take a multi-faceted approach, incorporating traditional channels with electronic enhancements through our Web site in particular and the Internet in general. While we still have room for improvement, this departmental team approach has most recently proven crucial to the new customer relationship management system we’re developing and to the two new products we launched in the third quarter.

While most of what I’ve written would seem to be common sense, it’s remarkable how often it’s forgotten. The message here is simple: If you’re not involving your MARCOM department early in any planning process, you probably don’t have all the information you need.