Event Report: CIO Forum & Executive IT Summit in King of Prussia, PA

We must change the relationship between IT and marketing. They must run side by side, and only then can a company become a great success. Who is responsible for marketing effectiveness? EVERYONE. And how do we accomplish this?  EDUCATION. Each facet of a business should understand the next, than a company can provide value as a whole.  Cross-pollinate your employees and make it a goal to find out what the guy down the hall does every day!

But remember, at the end of the day it is about what the client wants.

Dan Wakeman said it best while speaking at the Philly’s CIO Forum this week, "People tend to know what they want and need when they see it.”  A company’s job is to know what that client wants, how to adjust to those needs, and solve their problem as efficiently and effectively as possible.  One must think outside the box to get a client’s attention expectantly. This can only be done with a team that is humming in unison.

Here were some of our takeaways:

• Education internally is key. Each facet of the business should understand the next, so that we can provide value as a whole. This means closing the gap between IT and Marketing to make sure that IT's contributions are understood and valued.
• Marketing can get a bad rap. It is not hype, glitz or a quick fix. It is creating an awareness of value. And who is responsible for marketing? The CIO, the IT leaders -- everyone.
• There are 2 types of Marketing: Formal and Informal. Formal marketing is laying out and executing a plan to market to clients and potential clients. Informal marketing is everyone’s job: hallway conversations, elevator pitches, everyday discussions. But "the average adult attention span is 8 seconds," remarked Dan Roberts.

Tactics for IT folks talking to the Business:

• Speak in the language of business, rather then specific technology. Don't use internal, technical jargon -- use the language of your business partners.
• Set up Lunch and Learns to crossover employees
• Suggest ride-alongs with the sales team, so IT can understand where Sales is coming from
• Start with the help desk. They are your first line of defense. “They need to fix problems and make people feel better, because we cannot forget the customer service. It can make or break you.”

Fundamentally, the panelists expressed, IT needs to stop trying to align with the business: they are the business. But in order to get to a place where IT and Sales and Marketing hum in unison, it’s about education. And IT needs to take charge of its own image.

Panelists included Dan Wakeman, VP & CIO, ETS and Heidi Nyland, Director Global Services Operational Communication, Merck speaking at the Philly CIO Forum on April 20 - 21, 2011.