Passle is attending B2B Intech today - I'll be liveblogging thoughts and reactions to various talks throughout the day.

'Marketing now is more of a science than ever'

Kieran Kilmartin of Pitney Bowes Software is giving a great talk right now on the new complexity of the buyer's journey. Failure in the cycle, Kilmartin says, comes from failing to engage the customer in the right way. 

His prediction that in 2017, the CMO will spend more on IT than the CIO, doesn't therefore seem too surprising: data is the key to understanding where exactly marketing fails or succeeds.

Social to Kilmartin is a source of data and contextual engagement, allowing him to get a better view of his customers. You can actually research your prospective clients before hitting them with the same one-size fits all sales pitch.

Where does the CMO find key influencers?

Kilmartin emphasizes the importance of both external and internal key influencers when it comes to business decisions. External influencers could include consultants on Twitter, industry blogs, LinkedIn groups, trade shows; internal influencers would be key people in the company including the CTO, the marketing teams, and  non-marketing peers in the organization.

What's the future?

Interactive personalized videos, where each viewer charts their own unique video experience is where we are at now, and where businesses should be investing. 70% of customers view brands more positively after watching interesting content on video (Axonn).

In summary:

• Your buyer is changing (find out how!)
• Accurate data & context are the key to successful engagement
• If you are not aligned you're wasting time and resources