Why Marketing-as-a-Service Makes Sense.
Marketing-as-a-Service (MaaS) is a technology-driven platform that allows marketers to gain access to large networks of qualified buyers on demand using self-service tools. Marketers can do anything from powerful sales prospecting to educating customers at no risk and no obligation in adaptable platforms where they can routinely change marketing and brand positioning messages.
As business-to-business marketing focuses more on using technology and less on creative, the argument for using MaaS platforms becomes more compelling. Self-service means low cost. Transactional payments mean efficient pay-per-use. Budgets are controllable. Return on Investment gets easier to measure. You can take steps toward relationship marketing in a more cost-effective manner than through traditional channels.
Traditional ways of driving marketing campaigns that include using print, tradeshow advertising, billboard exposure and others channels involve high labor costs, long process times and expensive creative work, and ROI is less readily apparent. The unqualified reach that often comes with using these tactics over vast audiences is expensive. You can isolate wasted reach with MaaS. You can test audiences and decide early in the marketing spend if you are getting good rates of return.
Marketing-as-a-Service revolves around the ability to lighten financial burdens on marketing budgets while zeroing in on target audiences.
But, the relationship with a MaaS supplier should be the same as it would be with any supplier of traditional marketing services. While MaaS is self service, choose providers that support strong customer service. Make sure you can always call someone at the company if your account is not functioning correctly or you need to change the way you derive value.
Make sure also that metrics reporting is simple and easy to understand. You should be able to see in one screen what your marketing dollars are producing. For example, if it’s lead generation, make sure each type of lead is defined. From beginning to end, you are accountable for your firm’s marketing dollars; make sure your Marketing-as-a-Service supplier is accountable as well.
Tags: Marketing