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How to Navigate New Technology in the Marketing Field, While Maintaining Customer Experience & Satisfaction

2/16/2020

No matter what area of business you work in, adjusting to and learning new technologies always requires some additional effort. Technology can influence business for the better and make things become more efficient, but it also can be a hassle to learn and to achieve success. Technology has changed the world in so many ways, and it will continue to do so.

In marketing specifically, technology is frequently being advanced to create a better experience for the customer. Some new technology has a bigger and lasting impact on the industry, such as social media and eCommerce. It’s not always the new technology that is hard to learn, it’s understanding how to properly and effectively utilize the technology to increase sales and better the customer experience.

I contacted a UBWA alumna named Ashley Urbansky to speak on behalf of this post. Ashley graduated from OSU in 2012 with a specialization in marketing, and has had numerous experiences growing within different sectors of the field.

With Ashley’s help and advice, I have compiled some of the best strategies for adjusting to new technology in marketing while still keeping customers engaged.

1) Be passionate, ready to learn, and always strive to improve!

While technology is flowing in and out of marketing, it is very important to keep yourself engaged and ready to learn with your work. While it may not always be easy to teach and learn new technology at the same time, having a positive attitude can make a big impact to create a better experience for your customers or other teammates.

2) Subscribe to newsletters and complete training(s) online to stay ahead of the technology curve!

A great way to keep yourself up to date with new marketing techniques is to subscribe to newsletters pertaining to new technology. It can also be beneficial to complete training courses online. Websites like Facebook have resources that can help you learn these skills, and these can be added to your resume or LinkedIn skills. Any new technology or general skills learned on your part will look appealing to an employer.

3) Remember that consumer satisfaction is still the priority in business, even with new technology developing.

Even while new technology and skills are being discovered in marketing, it is still important to maintain customer relations. Ashley states, “Strive to provide the best experience so there’s only good things to say!” Customers are the key to success in a company, so it is vital to keep the relationship strong!

4) Utilize media to fit your goal and create a bond with the customers.

Ashley mentioned the term “programmatic advertising,” which refers to setting up campaigns for a direct audience. It helps eliminate excess media, and precisely contacts the customers. An example she made is if you’re selling a kids-only product, it wouldn’t be beneficial to advertise to people without children. Advertising to a specific audience can be incredibly efficient, but it’s important to understand your customers and what keeps them engaged. If you are marketing to college kids, for example, it might be a good choice to use apps to advertise the product because that is what the majority of college students utilize.

5) The sooner you try new technology, the sooner you can reach a new consumer segment and increase business success!

If you are the first brand to try a new technology, there are the positives of less competition with other brands and fewer costs. Ashley made a comment that said, “It’s my philosophy to take some risks and try things out, then learn & continue or learn & pivot (fast!)” The important thing to note is that trying new technology to improve business strategies will always be associated with some risks, but sometimes the risks can lead to great rewards!

Even though I focused on marketing, navigating new technology and utilizing it efficiently is vital to all aspects of business. There are several ways to implement new technology through advertising or communication within the business, and often there will be risks associated with it. Although it can be tricky to try new things while keeping focus on the customers, there is always opportunity to make a great impact on the company. Thank you to Ashley Urbansky for giving me insight into new technology in marketing, along with ways to keep consumer satisfaction strong.

If you have any specific questions, or would like to chat further about anything discussed, please feel free to email me at brandenburg.61@osu.edu.

Mallory Brandenburg

Editor: Erin Chambers

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Networking: The Power of Creating Meaningful Relationships

2/2/2020

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You’ve probably heard it before: "Who you know is more important than what you know."

Building secure connections with professionals and non-professionals alike has been emphasized since career oriented conversations began. But why is networking so important? How do you make these "connections" anyway? I was lucky enough to receive some insight from UBWA alumna Sarah Burger, a recent Fisher graduate and current Financial Analyst in the General Motors Finance TRACK program. She was able to help develop a best practice list on how to make these meaningful relationships less intimidating and even more impactful.

1) Don't let the nerves stop you— prepare!
           If the thought of even attending a networking event is intimidating, you are not alone. Building up the confidence to participate in an event that is outside of your comfort zone can be half the battle. There are a few preparation steps you can take to minimize the stress. Sarah explained, "Before every one-on-one that I did, I wrote a list of questions based on the role that they held and their previous roles that I found on LinkedIn. There are also a couple of questions that you can ask to anyone that you can always have in your back pocket (i.e., tell me about your career path, what advice do you have for someone starting their career, what's the best part about your current job and what's the most frustrating part)." Being able to pull from a few conversation points will help calm the nerves and guide the conversation in a meaningful way.

2) Communicate your purpose in a genuine way
           Often, the idea of making connections can feel overbearing or forced. But networking is a two-way street; it's about building a meaningful relationship, and the best way to begin is by being honest. Sarah says, "If you're trying to get an internship, make sure you tell the recruiter that you're interested in the internship and why you're interested. If you're in a full-time job and are looking to move to another area of the company, tell the person you're networking with that you're interested in their area and ask questions around the area." Being able to communicate your intentions will help the recruiter or professional understand the best way to direct you to the resources you need and guide the conversation.
Head into a networking event with a concise, memorable elevator pitch that showcases your background, experiences, and presents your professional goals. It does not have to be as forward as asking for what you want. Sarah recommends to, "Go to a recruiter's office hours or reach out to set up a time to talk about their career and most of the time that will turn into a discussion of how they can help you in your career."

3) Enthusiasm
           Smile! Being able to communicate your eagerness in a meaningful, warm way will make the conversation even more memorable. Sarah emphasizes the importance of interest. "Be nice, be personable, and be genuine. If you are enjoyable to talk to, it makes networking so much easier." Asking questions about professional experiences and empathetic listening will go a long way in showing a recruiter that you are truly interested in creating a relationship with them and their company.

4) Keep in touch & follow up!
           Networking is where the conversation begins, not ends. If you've had a great exchange, ask your conversation partner what the best way to stay in contact is and reach out a second time within the next 48 hours. Sarah provided a great example of how networking through your freshman to junior year of undergrad can help significantly in the professional job hunt if the relationships are maintained. "If you take an internship that you don't end up liking but have maintained those connections from junior year, it's a lot easier to find a full-time job your senior year."

5) Confidence is Key
           Being confident in what you are trying to communicate can be just as impactful as what you are saying. As the saying goes, "fake it 'til you make it." Head into the experience with some outlined goals. Determining the outcomes ahead of time in a positive light will boost your confidence and help you focus. Body language also says a lot; shoulders back, head high!

Approaching networking with these tips will hopefully help you shake the nerves of networking and make the connections that will boost your professional development beyond Ohio State! If you have any specific questions about networking or would just like to chat further about the topic of this blog post, feel free to reach out to me at perrin.83@osu.edu. If you want to learn further about me or our featured alumna in this post, click on the Blog Committee button and the Featured Alumnae button on the blog's webpage! I would like to also thank Sarah Burger for the incredible insight!

Emily Perrin

Editor: Ellie Jadrych

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