WebbMason Launches Cross-channel Marketing Automation Platform

HUNT VALLEY, MD—September 30, 2013—WebbMason, an integrated marketing solutions and services company headquartered in suburban Baltimore, today introduced MarketingBench 2.0, a marketing automation solution for the creation, sourcing, deployment and measurement of integrated marketing programs. MarketingBench 2.0 fills a void in first-generation marketing automation products: the ability to centrally manage print collateral, promotional items and event promotion in addition to digital marketing. MarketingBench 2.0 is delivered as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application for easy deployment and rapid scalability.

MarketingBench 2.0 is ideal for complex marketing ecosystems such as franchise operations, retail chains, field marketing organizations and partner marketing programs where ensuring timely fulfillment and brand consistency can be challenging. Cross-channel marketing is also essential to certain regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services where printed materials are required or highly desirable.

"The central principle of cross-channel marketing is engaging the customer through the right channel at the right time," noted Doug Traxler, chief development officer and executive vice president, sales and marketing for WebbMason. "First generation marketing automation solutions focus on digital channels—mainly e-mail and social. MarketingBench 2.0 is truly multi-channel and cross-channel. MarketingBench 2.0 automates the integration of physical marketing programs and assets such as direct mail, brochures and point-of-purchase displays, and digital marketing into a unified campaign."

Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing, a global workwear company, is a long-time WebbMason customer and an early adopter of MarketingBench 2.0. "Our brands are available in more than 100 countries through company owned stores, specialty shops in retail partner locations, and ecommerce sites such as Amazon.com and Dickies.com," said Matthew McCartin, chief marketing officer, Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing. "MarketingBench 2.0 gives us the ability to rapidly customize, deploy, and manage cross-channel marketing campaigns for all distribution channels while maintaining a consistent brand image and controlling costs. WebbMason is a strategic partner and MarketingBench is a game-changer."

Cross-Channel Marketing Suite Critical to Customer Insight
Multi-channel integration is the critical fourth and final phase of Online Marketing Suite Adoption, according to Forrester Research, Inc. In CI Professionals: Plan For the Future of Cross-Channel Marketing (April 26, 2013), senior analyst James McCormick writes: "During this stage, organizations establish bidirectional data integrations between online and offline marketing systems, craft a single enterprise contact strategy, and develop multi-channel processes and measurements. For example, a retail bank evaluates campaigns based on both online and offline behaviors by integrating Website visitor activity with offline transactional and CRM data." The ultimate goals and success factors of multi-channel integration are marketing to the customer, not the channel, and consistency across all touch points.

MarketingBench 2.0 Features:

• Centralized Marketing Resources: MarketingBench 2.0 enables end-users to track and manage marketing asset inventory and provides access to WebbMason’s Preferred Supplier Network of global, best-in-class supply chain partners.
• Cross-Channel Reporting: All key metrics and project data are summarized in reports accessed by administrative users. MarketingBench 2.0 includes a variety of pre-configured reports, which can be customized to meet specific requirements.
• Channel Profiles: Provides a complete view of internal and external locations supported by marketing such as departments, branches, and sales and distributions partners. Profile data includes logistics, floor plans, marketing collateral consumption and inventory and campaign history. Profiles can be customized to industry and business models.
• Promotions: Administrative console that defines the types and quantities of marketing materials and programs for event-driven and seasonal promotions. A real-time progress bar indicates open orders and generates the output for fulfillment when the promotion has ended.
• Project Manager: Automates the acknowledgement, tracking and fulfillment of requests from internal and external constituents.

Complete Lifecycle Support and Marketing Services
MarketingBench 2.0 is an integrated software suite developed by WebbMason, and provides direct professional services (consulting, systems integration, data services), technical support, and user training through dedicated teams.

Clients can also access WebbMason Interactive for Web design and development, e-mail marketing, social media, and SEO/SEM services. Mail house, fulfillment, design and other off-line marketing services are provided through WebbMason.

About WebbMason
Founded in 1989, WebbMason is one of the fastest-growing integrated marketing solutions and services providers in the United States. It helps marketers and operations professionals manage brand consistency, streamline processes and save money through a combination of industry expertise, technology innovation, and superior customer service. Solutions include distributed marketing management (WM MarketingBench), on-demand document printing (WM DocBuilder), online workflow management (WM Connect) and WebbMason Interactive, which provides Website development, pURL design, search, e-mail marketing, social media and data analytics. WebbMason has 20 sales offices and eight warehousing, distribution and fulfillment locations throughout the United States.

Source: WebbMason.