Digital Polymath

Senior executives instinctively understand that brand matters. Yet a striking number of vendors behave as if brand measurement is optional, tech brand strategy is a communications expense, and proof of the value is someone else's job. The result is a self-reinforcing trap that Gartner has now given a name to. The latest research from Gartner frames the problem with unusual precision. Eight out of ten vendors are caught in what Gartner calls a " brand doom loop ." They under-invest in brand measurement, lose confidence in what limited data they have, and consequently attract even less executive funding. Rinse. Repeat. The cycle is structural, not accidental, and it has direct consequences for revenue growth. Key Global Market Findings Gartner surveyed 426 senior marketing leaders, finding that 84 percent of companies are stuck in this brand doom loop, unable to demonstrate the brand's contribution to growth. The underlying mechanism is straightforward: without credible...

The rapid pace of advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies over the past decade has been astonishing. From beating humans at complex strategy games like Go to churning out remarkably human-like conversational text, AI abilities are approaching a stage where machine cognition looks increasingly comparable to our own. Generative AI Takes Center Stage Generative AI (GenAI) represents the leading edge of this advance, with models like DALL-E for image generation and GPT for natural language tasks exhibiting creativity, insight, and judgment conspicuously reminiscent of human practitioner competencies. GenAI offers transformational potential across industries, but few stand to benefit more profoundly than B2B sales teams aiming to improve productivity, gain insights, and boost revenue growth. As a B2B management consultant focused on business technology strategy, I’ve been closely tracking GenAI's capabilities as they relate to enhancing enterprise performance. A new in...

What is a Technology-Enabled B2B Buyer's Journey, and why does it matter? Gartner has identified the top technologies that Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales and Marketing leaders can adopt to boost buyer engagement. The technologies on this list prioritize buyers’ value of real time collaboration, provide them with the help required to influence consensus, and allow them to use digital tools for purchase guidance. "While our research indicates buyers have a preference for a rep-free purchase experience, they also report that their interactions with sellers are the most valuable parts of the buying process," said Dan Gottlieb, senior director analyst at Gartner . The Top-Rated Buyer Engagement Solutions The B2B buyer's willingness to work with sellers via technology presents a compelling opportunity to experiment with new ways to engage digitally. The top technologies that sales and marketing leaders can use to boost buyer engagement include: AI-Sales Email : Gartner pr...