Don't bag the tech geek in your office - you will need him! Marketers be warned!

When I first started in marketing, I encouraged the advertising agency that I worked for to let me type scripts on the Mac computer that was in the office instead of a typewriter because I was tired of making typos and having to throw the entire script in the bin. It was my first brush with technology.

My mother had this 'brick' which she called a mobile (cell) phone that she drove around with in her car, but it rarely rung, because there were not too many others who had one at the time and it was considered expensive to call someone on their mobiles.

Today, that has all changed.

Technology drives every aspect of our lives and sometimes, I for one, would like to wind back the clock a little.

In marketing, when I first started, we use to hand write scripts, direct mail letters etc. There were still bromides that were being produced to send an advertisement to a local newspaper and an electronic typewriter was considered somewhat revolutionary.

Technology provides the platform for all marketing activities to occur. From writing a press release, to sending out communications pieces via sms or helping people find your business through the internet. Technology is pivotal to every companies success and without embracing newer technologies, companies fall behind and ultimately lose market share and profits.

The 'geeks' in the office are the heros. They provide ways in which marketers can reach targeted audiences with their knowhow of technology and how it works. CRM systems are so sophisticated now, that each and every message to a prospect can be tailored to everything from their favourite colour through to their spending behaviour and hobbies.

Webinars, slideshare, social media, mobile technology, cloud computing, software options, video, email and really any other technology that will help you increase efficiencies, productivity and profitability - is essential in any marketing strategy. Taking into account how marketing can become more cost effective for organisations with greater reach, improved content management and more one-to-one marketing approaches, is imperative to achieving results.

Technology also provides marketing scale for organisations. Through the internet, Marketing Eye is able to reach prospects from all over the world and in particular in the area of web development, we have worked with more than 20 different countries in developing websites which has increased our reach and ability to be more profitable through exports than we would if we had a client in our own town.

Next time you are having a marketing meeting, bring in your technology guys and ask them how they would improve your marketing outcomes through technology. I bet they have something worthwhile to say!

Mellissah Smith in Atlanta.