Whether you run a marketing and PR department or simply perform PR-related duties at work, you know how tough it can be to constantly create effective campaigns and marketing strategies. If you find yourself struggling with how to improve ROI, here are some helpful tools you should try.
1. Security tools
Cybersecurity should be a large part of any company’s PR strategy. No one wants to do business with a company that does not take security seriously, so ensure that you are doing all you can to keep your data and—more importantly—your customers’ data secure. If you store anything in the cloud, invest in cloud monitoring so that you don’t have any security gaps between cloud and on-prem data. You can also use your strong security practices as a PR booster when you share how seriously you take data security with your prospects and customers.
2. Social media scheduling tools
Most companies have social media presence on numerous sites, and it can be tricky to keep every social page updated, particularly if you have a small social media marketing team. Yet, you don’t want to let much time lapse between posts because it is important that prospects and current customers know you are an active, successful company. If you can’t find the time to post to social sites every day, invest in a tool that lets you schedule your posts for the future. Then, when you do have the time, you can schedule numerous posts so your pages never look inactive.
3. Robust CRM software
Win or lose, it is essential that the entire sales cycle of each customer is documented. Your sales team should enter customer contact data into a CRM as soon as their communication begins and should document the entire process. Even after a sale is closed, customer records should still be kept up to date with any post-sales communication, technical support tickets, and anything else relevant. This gives the PR and marketing team a look at who your customers are so they can develop marketing content for the correct customer persona. It also allows everyone to see those who didn’t buy and perhaps learn a bit about why the sale didn’t happen.
4. A solid email client
Your customers likely spend each morning wading through a barrage of emails, so it is essential that your email communication stands out. Gone are the days when a boring email sent from Outlook will garner the attention of your target audience. Investing in a good email client can help you to create exciting, compelling content that is attractive and entices your reader to open it. Some clients even allow you to create drip campaigns where you can schedule numerous emails to be sent every few days so your customer continues to be reminded of your company’s existence. Most email clients also provide statistics on each email campaign, which is a great way to see what you are doing well and what is falling short.
5. An infographics tool
You may have wonderful data to share, but no matter how great the news, if it looks boring, people will not be excited about it. Invest in a tool that lets you create visually appealing infographics so your great news and statistics also look great for your customers and even those within your company. Why spend time sharing positive data in a way that doesn’t excite everyone?
Conclusion
PR and marketing are some of the hardest departments to work for. Use some of these helpful tech tools to enhance productivity and help your profits and customer base climb.
