Going Through a Digital Transformation – Are You Prepared?

Here’s some interesting data on the state of digital transformation:

• Between 2020 and 2024 global investment in digital transformation will almost double. (Statista)
• 87% of companies think digital will disrupt their industry, but only 44% are prepared for it. (Deloitte)
• Executives say digital transformation’s top benefit is improved operational efficiency (40%). (PTC)
• By 2025, 3 in 4 business leaders will leverage digital platforms to adapt to new markets and industries. (IDC)

Yes, digital transformation is impacting all businesses and marketers must be prepared.

The State of MarTech report, by the research firm Ascend2, uncovered some interesting data on digital transformation for marketing professionals.

1. Customer data management is going all digital. Only 21% still use spreadsheets. In place of spreadsheets are digital platforms, like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms and/or Customer Data Platforms (CDPs).
2. Top digital tools used by marketing include email, social media engagement, landing pages, and video. 
3. Top digital tools used by sales include email, social media, calendar/scheduling, and CRM. 
4. The most successful sales teams are 108% more likely to be using automation tools than their less successful counterparts. 
5. The most successful marketers are 118% more likely to have a fully integrated marketing technology stack. 

How to Prepare for the Digital Transformation Era 

The digital transformation is coming, and nothing will slow it down. Here are a few ways to prepare:

• Switch from manual processes to automated processes. From how you capture and store customer data, to email campaigns to nurture leads – use automation to optimize the process.
• Learn more about what you need to get started. Here’s a jumping off point:

• CRM – take care of your data.
  Marketing/email automation – automate your outreach.
• Social engagement – build your engagement.
• NOTE: get a detailed list of tools used by marketing and sales in The State of MarTech report.
• Find new prospects when you use digital technology to get the best ROI on digital channels like Google Ads, Facebook, etc. Use automation to build audiences and target them with ads. Best tip: integrate your technology so you can view ad interactions on the life of the lead. 
• Nurture leads with automated drip campaigns. The most successful marketers are 182% more likely to be using automated drip campaigns to nurture all their leads. 

Don’t be left behind when it comes to digitally transforming your marketing and sales programs. Not only does automation save you time, it also increases revenue by making sure that no lead is overlooked. Real-time action is used to increase conversion rates, and personalization is used to increase engagement rates. 

Learn more about digital transformation and how to plan for the next steps. 

More Information About the Research

For this report, Ascend2 surveyed 187 marketing professionals in the U.S., using multiple third-party survey panels, and the survey was fielded in July 2021. The research was commissioned by SharpSpring to provide marketing professionals with data-driven guidance on how to take back control of their marketing tools and data to pave the way to better results. Download the report, clip the charts for client presentations, and adapt it to support your marketing efforts.

Learn more, download the 18-page research report, The State of MarTech. Coverage and analysis of this research are also available by MarketingProfs, MediaPost, and Convince & Convert.