Читать книгу The Rise of the Platform Marketer - Lee John - Страница 5

Even before David Williams's book, Connected CRM, hit the virtual display shelves of Amazon, we already had our sights set on a follow-up book. We knew that marketers would require a whole new set of competencies in order to execute on a Connected CRM (cCRM) strategy and take advantage of the opportunity of addressability at scale that is made possible by the digital audience platforms. So we rounded up our colleagues who are widely recognized as leading experts in the capricious fields of data, analytics, technology, and organizational consulting. In the ensuing months, we worked together to construct what we believe will be the preeminent guide for marketers who are ready to achieve customer centricity in the age of digital.

There is one reason we felt the sense of freedom, the confidence, and the latitude to follow through with our vision for this book: the leadership of David Williams. He has shaped Merkle into a platform upon which his team can learn, grow, err, and succeed through experiences that help not only our clients to flourish, but also our company and our own careers. He has nurtured a culture that breeds innovation, bringing together some of the smartest minds in the marketing world to tackle the tough challenges of a constantly shifting marketing landscape.

We owe a very special thanks to all of the subject matter experts and their teams who contributed to the chapters: Patrick Collins, Peter Kemp, Matthew Mobley, Matthew Naeger, Megan Pagliuca, Bennie Smith, Leah van Zelm, Peter Vandre, Anudit Vikram, Kevin Walsh, and Zimm Zimmermann. Without their expertise in the critical building blocks of the Platform Marketer competencies, we couldn't have written this book at the level of detail required to materially impact the reader ready to hone these skills.

We would also like to acknowledge the vital role played by Sherri Aycoth, who is the heart and soul of our communications, with her unique aptitude for capturing our team's ideas and vision and bringing them to life in words. Over the years, she has shown undying commitment, playing a key writing role in both Connected CRM and The Rise of the Platform Marketer, in addition to her lead marketing communications role for Merkle. We could not have completed this book without her steadfast dedication to company, team, and mission.

And for her fearless leadership of Merkle's marketing organization, we thank Jeaneen Andrews-Feldman, SVP and chief orchestrator of the many levers it took to keep this project on path. Her invaluable relationships with the executive committee, the content team, the marketing and PR teams, the publisher, the media, and our clients have made months of effort move smoothly forward to fruition.

Finally, our most important recognition goes out to our families for their ongoing support, not just during the writing of this book, but throughout our careers. There is no way we could succeed in this business without spending time outside our day jobs, partnering together and reflecting on the future of marketing. The time we spend on the road is time not spent with family, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their patience and encouragement – and for always being there to back us up on the home front. It's only through that support that we feel free to pursue new ideas and innovations that elevate the potential for marketing success.

– Craig & John