InfoElectro Fall / Automne 2017

Fall 2017 InfoElectro 3 Fall 2017 Editor & Advertising Sales John Jefkins VP, Marketing & Communications jjefkins@electrofed.com Visit EFC Online www.electrofed.com InfoElectro is published in the Spring and Fall each year by Electro-Federation Canada (EFC), a national, not-for-profit industry association representing over 250 member companies in the electrical and electronics markets in Canada. InfoElectro is distributed free of charge to Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) members, key contacts, partner associations, and government contacts. All requests for subscriptions or changes to current subscriptions must be made to: InfoElectro , Electro-Federation Canada, 180 Attwell Drive, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M9W 6A9 info@electrofed.com Production The Communications Bridge Inc. jsmall@communicationsbridge.com The contents of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part provided credit is given to Electro-Federation Canada. 180 Attwell Drive, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M9W 6A9 T: 905-602-8877 F: 416-679-9234 info@electrofed.com www.electrofed.com I nfo E lectro Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 300 - 180 Attwell Dr, Toronto ON M9W 6A9 By: Carol McGlogan President & CEO, Electro-Federation Canada W hen I started in marketing in the lighting business over 30 years ago, it became quickly apparent that sales had the power and influence over customers in the business- to-business (B2B) environment, and therefore, the accountability for growth in business. Customers relied on salespeople for information, education and advice on the products they were buying. Marketing was essentially responsible for lead generation, product documentation and brand awareness. Today, we know that B2B customers, like consumers, are much more informed because of online access to product information; many have already made their product/brand decision before any initial sales contact. Is this an opportunity or a threat? Well, it depends on how your organization has evolved. The point of ‘hand off’ between marketing and sales has changed. Customers are much further down the purchase journey before sales interaction, so marketing must be more accountable for the journey itself. Has your company formally mapped the customer journey to understand the interactions/hand offs between marketing and sales? Who is responsible for each stage of interaction? How have budgets evolved to reflect this shift in the purchase journey? What skillsets in talent do we need for marketing vs. sales? Many companies recognize the change that the Internet is having on business. The question is whether companies have evolved their sales and marketing strategies, budgets and talent to capitalize on the change. A quick test would be to look at your investment structure in marketing and sales over the years; has there been any shift? How much investment are you making in digital marketing? Are your marketing and sales leaders actively talking about the customer journey and making the necessary adjustments? If you are doing these things, then the change in customer behaviour is an opportunity for you. If you are not adjusting practices and are wondering why potential customers seem to be more aware of competitive products, then you need to evaluate your strategies and tactics. For marketers, this means more accountability and status, which will attract the best into the world of B2B marketing. In the electrical industry, we are already seeing consumer marketers enter the B2B side of the industry, as opportunities to explore customer purchasing patterns becomes just as, if not more, interesting than in the B2C market. The electrical industry is also well aligned with market relevance, when you consider our uptake with the sustainability movement and the Internet of Things, which makes marketing in this industry even more exciting. The elevation of a marketer’s role in the industry, along with the heightened relevance of the industry itself, is ‘electrifying’ and will have a profound effect on how you map your customer interactions and the overall brand awareness journey you set customers on. Carol McGlogan President & CEO, EFC Marketing ‘Electrified’ President’s Message Corporate Sponsors Supporting Our Industry: