Investment in marketing automation is expected to grow at approximately 16% annually through 2011. Source: Gartner Research, Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Campaign Management, 1Q07.

As we discussed in our last issue, Marketing Resource Management (MRM) systems are software applications that help automate planning, execution and measurement of marketing initiatives to improve productivity and efficiency. One of the most important components of an MRM system is campaign management.

The way of the future
Increasingly, companies are shifting marketing dollars away from mass-market, single channel, one-way campaigns and into highly targeted, individualized and interactive messaging over multiple channels. Campaign management tools can provide the automation required to support and simplify the deployment of complex, customized campaigns across multiple customer segments and multiple communication channels. The systems also track and analyze responses and return rates across all segments and channels for more accurate measurement of ROI and customer engagement.

Most campaign management tools include applications that include the following functional components:
> Workflow management to coordinate the activities and resources of a promotional campaign, from planning and budgeting to execution and tracking results

> Segmentation to identify groups of customers or distinct audiences that will be targeted

> Personalization to customize individual message content

> Execution to manage the actual production and delivery of marketing messages to targeted segments or individuals through specific delivery channels

> Response measurement to track customer responses and evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign

> Response and campaign modeling to develop statistical models of individual responses, and to capture and store both inbound and outbound campaign activity for future segmentation and targeting

Some systems may also include features that allow a campaign to automatically self-adjust, providing new offers and messages to target audiences based on consumer responses and behaviors.

Personalized consumer engagement across channels
Campaign management tools are designed to automate personalized customer communications across all channels including print, e-mail, your sales force and your call center. "Campaign management tools used with the right call center can make your customer communications more effective and increase your ROI," says Jamie Huff, Senior Vice President, Pii Call Center. "The tracking components of these systems can be integrated with your call center to facilitate lead-capture, sales calls, follow-ups, data scrubbing and customer surveys. Call centers are an important aspect of inbound marketing because they provide real-time response to customers’ behaviors and increase loyalty among customers with questions or those who may defect. Combining these two powerful marketing tools has resulted in positive growth for our clients."

Look for more information on how using MRM strategic tools can bring focus and automation efficiency to your marketing program in our next issue.