The Covid 19 pandemic turned Dynamics marketing plans and programs upside down last year. But the upheaval was felt differently by Dynamics users versus marketing professionals connected with ISVs and partner firms. Among the highlights of the fifth, annual survey of Dynamics users and marketers carried out by MSDynamicsWorld.com (MSDW) earlier this year:
- When it comes to researching third-party Dynamics solutions, 47% of users think very highly of YouTube and other forms of video. ISVs and partners, less so. Only 14% of marketers showed preference for them in attracting users.
- As for the virtual trade shows that came to dominate online marketing programs during spring and summer of 2020, marketing professionals got more jazzed than Dynamics users (especially when comparing vendors (48%) thought virtual formats were most attractive to their potential customers)…ironically, although users by large (71%) percent favored the reduced business travel and working from home that spurred virtual events in the first place only 21% elected virtual trade shows over in-person trade shows.
- As for LinkedIn, the situation is reversed with only 20% of users showing strong interest in this platform for researching online—versus close to 50% of marketers indicating this social media resource as much more valuable to users.
- Dynamics users, (57%) pass along white papers within their organizations about third-party Dynamics solutions- much more aggressively than marketers appreciate.
“The survey reaffirms a number of key trends uncovered in previous MSDW marketing surveys,” says Marilou Barsam, MSDW’s marketing consultant overseeing the annual survey. “As just one example, the preferred follow-up tool the majority of marketers employ to communicate with interested users continues to be email and providing additional content (67% combined) over other communication vehicles while users indicate even greater preference for these follow-up methods as well(over 70%).”
According to Barsam, the survey also provides insights into the importance of different kinds of education at varying points of the buying cycle. Product trials remain highly popular among users at all stages of the buying cycle. However, product literature has increased in importance for users at all stages; indeed, it is now equal in importance to product trials at the final stage of the buying cycle and more in demand at the early educational stage (67% users selected it in early stage). “ISV marketers should make note of this specific demand for content and beef up their product literature offerings that educate the users about their solutions”.
Barsam will lead a panel of Dynamics marketers to explore the survey’s implications for marketers and users alike in an April 21 webcast. For details:
https://msdynamicsworld.com/event/are-dynamics-isvs-and-users-same-page-when-it-comes-online-marketing
To obtain a copy of the survey, please contact info@msdynamicsworld.com.
