How to Choose the Right Tech to Promote Your Business

As a marketing leader, you’re challenged daily to bring new ideas to the table. Ideas that excite consumers. Ideas that support your marketing objectives. Ideas that energize your business and get people talking.

According to Fabian Hieronimus of McKinsey & Company, “Satisfying customers is no longer enough; companies need to go a step further and excite them to generate word of mouth. That word of mouth can deliver real value: studies have shown that it’s the driving force behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions and that a 10 percent lift in word of mouth increases sales by up to 1.5 percent.”

Among the tactics you can take to generate buzz around your brand and get people talking is using innovative technology to promote your business.

But, there’s a caveat: don’t select tech based solely on its “coolness” factor. Whatever you choose has to make sense from a business standpoint.

So, how do you determine whether your coveted gee-whiz technology is the right tool to amp up your marketing efforts?

Put Technology to the Test

1. Does your chosen tech fit with your marketing objectives?

For instance, if your overriding goal is to create broad brand awareness, a national advertising campaign is likely more appropriate than an in-store VR experience.

2. Is your marketing need transactional (you want to sell something) or emotive (you want to make your audience feel something)?

Be sure you’re looking at tech specifically designed to fulfill that purpose, rather than trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Here’s what I mean. Say you own a small, regional restaurant chain. If your goal is transactional, developing a mobile touchscreen app for food pre-ordering, payment or delivery could certainly help you meet your objective. But, if your goal is emotive, you’d be hard pressed to use that same app to generate warm-and-fuzzies among your audience.

3. Does the tech deliver the right customer experience?

Before you fall in love with a specific tool, take a step back and ask yourself, “what am I trying to say?” If you’re looking to tell a macro-level brand story, for instance to position that restaurant chain as the best place for hot wings in the Northeast, spending your limited resources on that mobile touchscreen app doesn’t help you meet your objective. Sure, the app could be useful. And, your customers would most likely use and appreciate it. But, it does little to advance your brand storytelling. It just makes it more convenient to access your food.

4. Does it have a successful track record?

Is your tech of choice proven? Is someone else happily using it? If not, are you willing to be the beta tester? If the mere thought of that makes you break out in a cold sweat, look for a more established option.

From touchscreen experiences to augmented reality to social analytics, there is an abundance of compelling tech to market your business. (Yes, including ViewPoint.) But, just because a particular technology is cool and exciting doesn’t mean it’s right for your particular audience or marketing objectives.

Choose wisely.