SDL Acquires Alterian in an Effort to Match Content Management and Social Media Monitoring and Analytics.

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We can expect additional mergers like this one in the near future. Where companies like SDL bring a strong Web Content Management, e-commerce and customer engagement capabilities throughout multiple media, to complement the campaign management, marketing analytics and Social Media Management of companies like Alterian.

It’s a perfect fit!

Anyone who provides content management services even for their own business quickly realizes the need to measure and manage this content throughout multiple key channels in order to strategically amplify its reach and justify further efforts in that direction.

The reverse is also true, you core skills may be strong in measuring metrics, analytics and content positioning, but you lack in creating and managing content, and closing the loop on the customer engagement side.

You help clients develop their marketing and branding strategy for their customers in 6 ways. This is how we do it at VenmarkMedia:

First – define the audience you are trying to reach. Their pain points, concerns, questions and needs. Without this it doesn’t matter how good you are at anything else, because you’ll be talking to the wrong market.

Second – define your position in the market place. What are you better at than everyone else?  Convey that message clearly and as simple as possible.

Third – what’s the solution you offer? You know what they need, so provide them with an answer.

Fourth – develop a content marketing strategy that addresses their needs by offering insight and solutions via their web platform out to their Social Media Channels.

Fifth – promotion, if you don’t promote you won’t sell. Notice I said promote and not advertise. The Promotion you do is primarily via content marketing. Why? Cause this is the best way to deliver value constantly.

Sixth – [In our case and based on Venmark’s unique business model.] We teach our clients the concept of engagement ownership and digital marketing self-reliance, and in this way break the co-dependency cycle. The ultimate goal is to make sure they understand how to take ownership of their branding and marketing success and failure.

In addition to already offering an integrated marketing platform, Alterian will now be able to offer its customers further answers and solutions to their particular needs in the form of SDLs robust structured content solution.

What can small businesses and personal brands learn from this venture?

• Find out what your customers need, crave and desire.
• Take stock and figure out if you can deliver it. If yes, become the best at it.
• If not, Find who is and package a solution that makes you the go-to team in the industry.

You don’t have to merge, acquire or be bought out as SDL and Alterian did. The idea is to collaborate and know your audience, and that’s where everything begins.