FINAL WORD
Stepwise approach to leverage IoT for your marketing
Gartner contributor , Chris Pemberton explains how stepwise approach of IoT integration can gain marketing objectives .
Designate a champion As social media and mobile marketing gained traction , companies designated mobile and social marketing specialists as a way to start making these capabilities central to the organisation . The same holds true for IoT . Designate IoT specialists as a starting pathway to achieve a longerterm vision where IoT is central to the enterprise . Emphasise how the IoT can contribute to overall business growth to galvanise your team .
Explore a center of excellence model A formal center of excellence to govern , evangelise and implement IoT best practices augments the efforts of individual specialists . The COE structure prioritises a centralised approach to strategy , methodology and technology investment while allowing execution to be decentralised .
Luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover partnered with a manufacturer of small Bluetooth trackers to deploy an Internet of Things programme to enable car owners to integrate tracked objects such as keys , wallets and bags into Jaguar ’ s InControl app . The app syncs with the in-car entertainment system and notifies the driver to ensure they do not leave behind important items .
The partnership transforms the vehicle into a valuable life partner for its owner and makes integration into the automaker ’ s post-sales customer experience programme easy .
When Gartner polled marketing leaders in the 2016 Gartner Digital Marketing Channel survey , 72 % said the IoT will either create innovative marketing strategies or fundamentally alter how they engage their customers in three years or more . In time , the IoT will usher in hardware and IT upgrades in every industry , enabling more streamlined digital business at the intersection of people , things and enterprises .
“ The proliferation of IoT touchpoints and data will raise the noise-to-signal ratio for marketers ,” says Noah Elkin , Research Director , Gartner for Marketers . “ This highlights the need to effectively orchestrate multichannel efforts .”
What are the key orchestration elements that align various components to enable companies like Jaguar Land Rover to execute a successful IoT initiative ?
Partner with IT Multichannel marketers need to work closely with IT peers to institute clear customer data privacy and security protocols that cover vendor and partner selection through to implementation . According to a Gartner report , device discovery , provisioning and authentication , and data protection will account for 50 % of all IoT security spend through 2020 .
Align processes Ensure your marketing processes reflect user behavior associated with connected products . Look to integrate third-party connected objects like Jaguar Land Rover did with Bluetooth tracking . A consumer products company might work with Amazon to create a Dash button that leverages Amazon ’ s vast buying audience , then design a marketing programme around the reorder frequency and specific quantities unique to Dash users .
“ Engaging the IoT ,” Elkin says , “ provides multichannel marketers with an avenue to enrich customer experience through ubiquitous connectivity .” www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO
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