INDUSTRY
S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W
Marketing mastery: the importance of remaining relevant
From the days of dial-up to managing comprehensive, tailored campaigns, NIGEL BUSBY and HELEN COLTON of InControl Marketing Group Ltd tell us all about why they are stepping out from behind the scenes to help dealers take back control of their digital marketing
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In 2002, Nigel Busby, director of InControl Marketing Group Ltd (ICM), was issued a challenge to complete an audit of 100+ Integra members. The aim was to analyse how dealers used available technology to market their businesses. Results showed that approximately 90% of resellers at the time either had no website or one that yielded poor performance results. Naturally, Nigel immediately spotted a need to fill the gap for channel-specific marketing, offering resellers a valuable extra string to their bow. “The opportunity was right in front of us. Resellers were doing whatever they could to market with the technology available, but it was quite limiting. There was no ecommerce or social media - everyone was on dialup. We started with a simple content management system that would allow resellers to run a website quicker and more efficiently. Our aim from the beginning was to put dealers back in control of their
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marketing – hence the company name – and that is what we are still doing now, but on a much wider and more comprehensive scale.”
DIGITAL MARKETING EVOLUTION ICM has been working with resellers for more than 20 years, and during that time, Nigel has witnessed the evolution of digital marketing. The introduction of broadband, social media and CRM platforms has changed the online business landscape. For many small businesses, keeping up with the changes has proven challenging, with resellers faced with limited resources and time constraints pulling focus away from marketing activities. “Suddenly, resellers were having to find ways to commercialise social media, look at search engine optimisation and compete with big box sellers who were able to throw investment into digital marketing that the smaller dealer just can’t match,” Nigel explained. “It was about managing the shift from online information storage areas to proactive marketing.” Reflecting on the challenges faced by the reseller