Shopping for a digital asset management (DAM) or product information management (PIM) system is tough. There are a lot of vendors and a lot of solutions to sort through. However, with an organized and thoughtful request for proposal (RFP) process in place, you can set yourself on the right path to finding the best solution for your needs. 

So, where do you start? The first step is to understand the ins and outs of the RFP — what it is, how the process works, and what goes into writing an RFP that’s actually effective. Today we’ll cover all of this and more. 

The use of marketing collateral is not a new strategy. Yet, the concept itself is worth revisiting every now and again. Like most things, it’s not static. Business environments, new technologies, and consumer trends all play a role in how customers respond to marketing collateral and how businesses use it. So what better time than the present to rewrite definitions, reassess best practices, and re-evaluate if you’re really getting the most out of your efforts? 

Brand experience is the sum of all the sensations, thoughts, feelings, and reactions that individuals have in response to a brand. Brand experience is not specific to channel or media type. Rather, it’s the result — or the lasting impression that remains after someone encounters or engages with a brand in any environment.

Selling is hard. The roller coaster of wins and rejections alone is enough to make the most seasoned sales professional consider running for the door. But ups and downs aside, there’s a lot of “stuff” standing between a salesperson and their sale. Competition is fierce. There’s internal dynamics to navigate. And with zillions of channels and touchpoints, sales has to work extra hard to shape positive and consistent buyer experiences. Plus, they have to communicate really well. They must tell their brand’s story using content that’s compelling, convincing, and relevant to buyers at each and every stage in the customer’s journey. It’s no easy feat, especially if marketing and sales teams aren’t totally aligned.

Selling is a lot more complex than it used to be. Gone are the days when a little wit, a few product samples, and a firm handshake would close the deal. Sellers today need more. They need marketing materials and content to help them communicate and win the attention and trust of buyers. They need to “make the sale,” but do it in a way that upholds the integrity and image of the brand they represent. And they need to move fast. They need 24/7, on-demand access to the latest marketing brochures, demo videos, one pagers, sales decks, and more. 

These days, you can do some pretty impressive things with content. However, you’re not the only one using content to win the attention and mindshare of consumers. Thanks to the success that content marketing has seen over the years, there’s a lot (and we mean a lot) of competition out there.

To break through the noise, you need to add some horsepower to your content marketing efforts by incorporating visual content. But, to do this effectively, you need to understand what visual content marketing is and how to create a winning strategy. 

For over a decade, video has been the rising star of marketing. First gaining speed back in 2005 alongside the launch of YouTube, video has managed to climb the ranks to near-celebrity status with enterprises around the globe. With 87% of businesses now using video as a marketing tool — up from 63% in 2017 — it begs to question why video is so popular.

Are businesses just blindly following trends or are their investments in the creation, management, and distribution of video assets more deeply rooted? Let’s have a look. 

By now, it’s no surprise that video is a popular marketing tool for brands. The numbers are staggering. YouTube has over 1.9 billion users. A whopping 87% of businesses use video content. And, here’s a fun one — Cisco estimates that by 2021 it will take an individual over 5 million years to watch all the video that’s uploaded to the web in a single month.

So yes, video is popular. But, just because brands use it and people watch it, doesn’t make all video effective. Video for the sake of video won’t cut it, which is why the savviest of marketers have set their sights on what’s called “branded video.” 

Whether your brand is traveling down the hall to a colleague's office or across the globe, you need to safeguard it for the journey ahead. With freelancers, marketing agencies, internal teams, and many others using your brand in communications and content, it's easy for inconsistencies and misuse to arise. A brand identity kit can help by providing disparate groups and individuals with the tools and information they need to uphold your brand consistently. In fact, a brand identity kit is an absolute must-have for all businesses!

When it comes to digital asset management (DAM), there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Your business has different needs, workflows, priorities, budgets, and resources than your neighbor, so finding the best solution comes down to what is right for your organization.

Before getting too far in the evaluation process, take some time to understand what you need out of a DAM solution. Only then can you figure out which DAM delivery model will best help you achieve your goals.