Leveraging A Digital Marketing

Strategy To Propel Growth

Matthew Selheimer
VP, Research Director

#ForrB2BSummit @forrester

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

How do you find your way?

“Tactics before strategy is the noise before defeat.”

— Sun Tzu
What you will learn

• How to craft a well-defined digital

marketing strategy
• How to support the outcomes of the
business
• How to prioritize digital marketing
decisions
 Digital transformation is defined as the technology that
enables the change

Align on a common Digital experience is an audience’s perception of

interactions facilitated by technology as they engage
understanding with the organization to achieve a goal or an outcome

Forrester defines digital as the Compelling digital marketing requires the delivery of
application of technology to enable targeted, consistent, and cohesive experiences across
business strategy. the entire range of digital channels

Digital channels are the methods through which an

idea is delivered to the intended audience

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Digital transformation is defined as the technology that
enables the change

Our focus is on Digital experience is an audience’s perception of

digital experience … interactions facilitated by technology as they engage

with the organization to achieve a goal or an outcome

… as it relates to a digital marketing Compelling digital marketing requires the delivery of

organization inclusive of channels. targeted, consistent, and cohesive experiences across
the entire range of digital channels

Digital channels are the methods through which an

idea is delivered to the intended audience

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Three digital challenges that plague global CMOs today
When crafting digital strategy, CMOs must consider their own environment and unique circumstances.

Lack of clarity/alignment Priority to respond Buyers crave digital

A top challenge marketing Accelerating response to Technology information

decision-makers cite for not business and market changes websites were the preferred
achieving marketing goals is a priority for 72% in the interaction type across all
next 12 months phases of the buyer’s journey

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Two digital challenges that plague CMOs in APAC today
When crafting a digital strategy, CMOs must consider their own environment and unique circumstances.

Data quality Buyers crave digital

A top challenge marketing Technology information

decision-makers cite for not websites were the preferred
achieving marketing goals interaction type across all
phases of the buyer’s journey

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Polling question
Which of the following priorities will be most important to your
organization’s marketing strategy over the next 12 months?

• Aligning processes
• Adopting digital approaches
• Crafting an integrated campaign strategy
• Building a best-in-class organizational structure
• Increasing customer data

#ForrB2BSummit @forrester

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Forrester Digital Marketing N
Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle
Define a process for strategic planning and
continuously improve digital marketing efforts. Plan Do
• Plan. Navigate to the destination.

• Do. Set the parameters of the digital marketing

strategy.

• Check. Desired outcomes are aligned.

W PDCA E

• Act. Formalize, communicate, and learn.

Check Act

S
© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.
How will we navigate?

of global marketing decision-makers included continuing to adopt

29% digital approaches that support exceptional audience experiences
as a top priority for their marketing strategy in the next 12 months1

of APAC marketing decision-makers included continuing to adopt

30% digital approaches that support exceptional audience experiences
as a top priority for their marketing strategy in the next 12 months2

1. Base: 1,175 B2B marketing decision-makers

2. Base: 431 APAC B2B marketing decision-makers
© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Source: Forrester’s Marketing Survey, 2023
 PDCA
Align digital to the overall marketing strategy
Marketing strategy is strengthened to adapt to market shifts with digital initiatives clearly defined.

The Forrester B2B Digital Marketing Canvas Template Digital marketing leader Strategy/planning year(s)

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

Business strategy 1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
Digital marketing core components
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest

Digital marketing alignment

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Plan foundation and prerequisites
Digital marketing strategy should be grounded in how and where revenue will be generated.

Digital marketing foundation

Business strategy

Business context

• Understand how digital marketing can

support the corporate business objectives
and marketing goals

Interlocks

Executive team Global marketing

Global sales
Global product

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Plan foundation and prerequisites
Digital marketing strategy should be grounded in how and where revenue will be generated.

Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Plan, select, define Locate, access, Prepare, set up, Confirm, track,
retrieve organize check
Business context

• Determine. Plan and select market

approaches and target audiences.
• Gather. Obtain data for planning and
measurement.
• Examine. Look at the current digital
marketing operating model and capabilities.
• Verify. Evaluate risks or dependencies to
ensure digital marketing success.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Do: Set the course for the digital marketing vision
Describe a future state and build the core components of digital strategic priorities.

Vision (BX+CX=DX)

Business context

• Describe a digital experience future state

connecting to core audiences and
incorporate a sustainable market advantage

Interlocks

Executive team Global marketing

Divisions (product and sales)
Regions (sales and marketing)

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Do: Set the course for the digital marketing vision
Describe a future state and build the core components of digital strategic priorities.

Digital marketing core components

Business context
5. Strategic 6. Success factors 7. Team 8. Investments
priorities Validate, prioritize, development Add, reduce,
• Strategic priorities. What are the major Align, orient, decide Assess, adjust, reinvest
navigate maintain
digital initiatives over the next three to
five years?
• Success factors. What must be in place to
measure success, including readiness?
• Team development. What digital
capabilities and competencies are needed?
• Investments. What are the top areas
requiring investment?

Additional interlock
IT and/or technology

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Check dependencies and digital marketing alignment
Ensure success by casting alternative routes around roadblocks and mapping workflows.

Digital marketing alignment

Business context

• How do we align and interlock between other

marketing teams? What workflows and
processes are required between leaders and
operational functions?

Interlocks

Operational teams Global marketing

IT and/or technology
Regions (sales and marketing)

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PDCA
Act as the accelerator of growth
Drive exceptional digital experiences and engage and optimize for customer and business outcomes.

Business context

• Socialize the vision, priorities, and strategic initiatives, articulating the benefits of enabling growth or
productivity or expanding capabilities
• Equip the team for alignment and execution
• Ensure readiness for implementation of workflows and processes
• Use the digital marketing PDCA cycle to adapt the strategy and incorporate business or market changes

Digital marketing desired outcomes (optional)

Optional: The digital marketing Overserved (reduce cost/complexity) Table stakes (must address)
desired outcomes section can
be used to balance decisions Focus
against new goals and priorities (maintain
Irrelevant (end/stop doing) status quo) Underserved (adds value)
as they arise

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Best-in-class digital marketing strategy
Below is an example of a company leveraging the Forrester B2B Digital Marketing Canvas Template.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

Business strategy 1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify

Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform metrics, intent Benchmark DX performance Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM monitoring, persona buying objectives, impact metrics, and Dependency: portfolio rebrand
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering progression in SFA areas of opportunity

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups and Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive technology
Expand DX technology insights personas SFA interlock on persona module
for sales LAM DX skills and knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock with sales and geos. DX
project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACME Corporation N. Jones, VP of digital engagement 2024

Digital marketing foundation Digital marketing prerequisites

1. Determine 2. Gather 3. Examine 4. Verify
Business strategy Plan, select, define Locate, access, retrieve Prepare, set up, organize Confirm, track, check
Increase engagement by New offering (M&A) Experience platform Benchmark DX Risks: recent M&A
25% and progression of key Geo expansion in LAM metrics, intent performance objectives, Dependency: portfolio
personas by 30% Shift to solution offering monitoring, persona impact metrics, and rebrand
buying progression areas of opportunity
in SFA

Digital marketing core components

Vision (BX+CX=DX)
5. Strategic priorities 6. Success factors 7. Team development 8. Investments
Engage customers with Align, orient, navigate Validate, prioritize, decide Assess, adjust, maintain Add, reduce, reinvest
creative experiences that
delight them DX journey progression Targeted buying groups Predictive digital maturity Enhance predictive
Expand DX technology and personas SFA interlock on persona technology
insights for sales LAM DX skills and module
knowledge

Digital marketing alignment

Synchronize DX platform, intent, and SFA data for monthly insights and quarterly optimization strategies. Interlock with revenue ops. Interlock
with sales and geos. DX project lead for M&A integration of website.

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Plan
• Document how digital marketing supports the marketing and
business strategy
• Review your current digital marketing operating model and
capabilities
Do
• Describe the digital experience future state — connecting to
core audiences and a sustainable market advantage
Action items • Set priorities, success factors, team development, and
investment plans
Check
• Interlock and confirm workflows with cross-functional teams
Act
• Socialize the strategy, equip the team, and ensure readiness
• Monitor changes in business and market conditions that may
trigger a need to evolve the digital marketing strategy
© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Research
• Envision A Digital Marketing Strategy That Impacts Revenue
Resources
• The Forrester B2B Digital Marketing Canvas Template
• The Forrester Marketing Strategy Compass

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

So, did we make it to our destination?
Thank You.

Matthew Selheimer
VP, Research Director

#ForrB2BSummit @forrester

© Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved.