Digital Body Language

I had a chance to interview Steven Wood, co founder of Eloqua for The New Polymath 4 years ago. He had a comprehensive vision of how companies could mine the many online clues us consumers provide via web searches, social media, responses to email campaigns etc. He had written a book appropriately called Digital Body Language.

I thought he was years ahead of his time, because few of his customers were using Eloqua for doing more than email campaign management. Things have evolved quite  a bit since. Now part of Oracle’s other marketing technology arsenal it has a chance to be an integral part of the Wood vision.

Even more exciting is Salesforce’s even larger acquisition of  ExactTarget. But only if it can integrate that functionality with the rest of its marketing tech portfolio.

Frankly email marketing is by itself going through a fairly negative phase. Between the endless volumes of mail, the Nigerian scammers and the growing phishing scandals - to use Wood’s metaphor, our body language about email says “wary”

It will always play a key role in a marketer’s arsenal, but only if used smartly. That’s where Oracle, Salesforce and others have their opportunity – and their challenge.