Recently, John Stone, president of CrossTech Partners and I conducted a webinar about marketing technology and strategy. You can view the archive for free here (after registering). During the creation of the presentation, I found myself realizing the gap between where traditional marketing has taken online digital marketing efforts, and where the potential to build stronger relationships for business could truly take one's business.

We identified six stages where customers demonstrate their intent, including: awareness, engagement, transaction, fulfillment, support, and retention. Within these stages, there are ways that new marketing and social media tools can be applied to build stronger relationships of value, and drive more potential business back to your company. By the end of our efforts, John and I had also identified a spectrum between traditional online marketing efforts on one side, content marketing in the middle, and relationship marketing on the right. John put together a maturity model matrix to help companies identify what this meant for them, as well.

As I work on building the New Marketing Summit event this October alongside David Meerman Scott and Paul Gillin, it appears that what we're uncovering in the application of new strategies for new technology will be a strong part of the discussion I plan to lead at the event. In the months leading up to the conference, look for more reports and information that will support these findings, and recommendations for how your business can grow your new marketing and social media efforts through the application of what we're discovering.

As technologists, we always want the best tools for the job. Those of you who are marketers also want the best way to reach the people you need to build relationships with. I feel we're learning about the intersection of both through our efforts, and I hope you consider participating with us, both in our free online events, and also in our face to face conferences like the New Marketing Summit, and a few related events to be announced later. I look forward to continuing a conversation with you on this.