8APRIL 2021IN MY OPINIONTECH + HUMANITY: HOW TO BUILD DIGITALLY DRIVEN, CUSTOMER-CENTRIC DEMAND GENERATION STRATEGIESThe supply chain is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace, with technology and digitalization at the forefront. That's why in 2019, my team asked the global logistics industry a simple question: what is the ideal balance between technology and human expertise? According to our subsequent research study, the results were clear: supply chains require a balance of 60 percent technology and 40 percent human expertise.When it comes to marketing, and more specifically demand generation, it is important to also think about what balance of technology and human expertise will deliver the optimal results for your business. However, I think a more critical question is: what percentage of our marketing programs should be digital and what percentage should be customer-centric?I believe an effective demand generation strategy must be both 100 percent digitally driven and 100 percent customer focused. This doesn't mean there isn't a time and place for traditional advertising, such as event sponsorships, TV ads, or direct mailers. Those offline channels will always have a place within marketing if they continue to be mediums consumed by our audiences. The key, though, is to drive your prospects to a measurable digital experience that you create specifically for them. To build a successful demand generation strategy ­ one that goes beyond lead generation and creates true demand for your company's products or services ­ you should focus on these five tech- and people-focused steps:1. Start by understanding your audience(s)Customer intelligence is your best friend. If you don't have recent, reliable data on your key audiences, this is a great place to start. In many cases, there are sources of customer data in-house that can be hugely valuable to your demand generation strategy. It simply requires asking the questions and uncovering what is available to you. If necessary, investing in new ways to capture meaningful customer data will enable you to better understand your audience and how you can best serve By Casey Bright, Vice President of Demand Generation, Coyote Logistics
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