‘MarTech’s journey doesn’t stop with implementation; updating data models is crucial’

At the e4m MarTech India Conference 2024, Chiranjeet Shah, Global Head of MarTech & Automation at Tata Communications, delivered an insightful presentation on how advanced MarTech stacks will be reshaping B2B marketing.

His talk revolved around maximising efficiency and driving business growth with fewer resources, providing a roadmap for organizations navigating digital transformation.

One of the biggest challenges in B2B marketing, according to Shah, has been the disconnect between sales and marketing teams. “Before a person talks to a salesperson, 70% of their journey is already completed digitally,” he explained, emphasising how sales teams often remain unaware of potential leads generated by marketing. This gap, he noted, creates friction and inefficiencies.

To resolve this, Tata Communications implemented Marketo Sales Insight, integrating marketing activities directly into Salesforce. This solution “bridges the gap between sales and marketing” by displaying customer engagement metrics like page visits, email interactions, and event attendance on the CRM contact page. “Sales can see exactly what marketing is doing and act accordingly,” Shah said.

Shah also highlighted how intent-driven marketing enables smarter targeting. Using tools like 6sense and Factor.AI, the company performs reverse IP lookups to identify organizations visiting its website. This data is combined with past purchase histories and third-party signals to create predictive models that guide sales efforts.

“We divide all accounts into three categories: hot, warm, and cold,” he explained. “Hot accounts have high engagement with our digital properties, warm accounts engage occasionally, and cold accounts show no interest.” This segmentation allows the company to adjust its marketing strategies accordingly.

Once accounts are segmented, Tata Communications initiates customized nurture campaigns. “We create product-specific lead nurtures containing nine to twelve personalized emails targeting hot accounts,” Shah shared. If direct contacts aren’t available, the company runs LinkedIn campaigns to generate leads, who are then nurtured through tailored email sequences.

Shah stressed the importance of relevance and personalization in marketing. “We target individuals based on their interest areas and past engagements, offering a personalized content experience powered by our AI-driven recommendation engine.” This strategy ensures prospects receive the right content at the right time, increasing engagement rates.

The impact of this MarTech-driven strategy has been significant. “Last year, we generated a funnel worth $21 million through digital efforts,” Shah revealed. “This year, we’ve already hit $41 million by applying these strategies.” Tata Communications also doubled its return on marketing investment by enhancing campaign precision, enabling sales teams to focus on qualified leads.

“Our DMR team gets all the lead information, ensuring no opportunity is missed,” he added. The integration of automation tools like Adobe Marketo Engage and third-party intent platforms has enabled the company to create a seamless lead management process from discovery to conversion.

Shah concluded with a call for continuous MarTech evolution. “The journey doesn’t stop with implementation. Regularly updating data models and refining campaigns is crucial to staying competitive,” he stressed. With its integrated MarTech stack and data-driven strategy, Tata Communications exemplifies how businesses can unlock marketing potential through automation and personalization.