New research from Marketo shows that while marketers say they are “engaging” buyers, they are still lacking true engagement and executive support. In fact, 82% of marketers believe they have a deep understanding of who they’re trying to reach, but more than half of buyers (56%) disagree.
The report, titled The State of Engagement, also revealed that:
- Irrelevant content is the number one reason why consumers don’t engage more often;
- The top-two channels that buyers prefer to initiate engagement with are email and websites;
- 48% of marketers cite dissatisfaction with the tools available to them as their number one barrier to engaging prospects effectively; and
- 98% of marketers believe the consumer experience is critical and have a specific strategy to address it, but only 56% of respondents reported strategic alignment with a key stakeholder group: executive leadership.
“In the Engagement Economy, consumers expect more from brands, and it’s up to marketers to provide value and connection at every engagement point,” said Karen Steele, Group VP of Corporate Marketing at Marketo, in a statement. “The State of Engagement [report] proves that marketers must align their organizations around this common goal and focus on the right tools, data, and insights to ensure success.”
The study — commissioned by Marketo in partnership with third-party independent research firm Illuminas — surveyed more than 2,000 marketing decision makers and consumers, both B2B and B2C, from March to April 2017.
