The Top Marketing Challenges That New SMB Owners Face

SMB owners faced customer acquisition as their primary marketing challenge in their first year of business, according to a Constant Contact and Ascend2 survey.

Customer acquisition, lack of resources, differentiation, and tracking effectiveness were top challenges. Owners chose marketing channels based on where customers spent time.

Top motivations for starting a business were work-life balance and independence. The report surveyed 1,645 SMB owners across 5 countries in Nov/Dec 2024.

Storytelling: Secret Weapon of Entrepreneurs and Marketers

The power of storytelling is undeniable as it captivates, inspires, and motivates. Crafting a compelling narrative can be your secret weapon in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

To connect with your audience, understand their needs and values. Tailor your story to resonate with them by considering factors like age, interests, and hobbies. Use relevant language and references to show your understanding and showcase your product in the marketplace.

Create a journey for your customers through a beginning, middle, and end. Consider the impact and benefits of your product or service and use a narrative arc to keep them engaged. Storytelling can help you conquer your industry and live "happily ever after."

How Marketing Decision-Makers Evaluate Software Vendors

GetApp surveyed 1,116 marketers on what they value when selecting software vendors, their sources of info, and software spend plans for 2025.

Reputation and personal experience rank highest when selecting software vendors. Customer reviews, online search, and recommendations are top research sources.

79% of marketing decision-makers expect their firm to increase software investment by more than 5% in 2025. The report is based on survey data.

Adtech vs. Martech: The Standoff That's Costing Brands Their Future

The long-awaited convergence of adtech and martech has yet to come to fruition, causing brands to miss out on the potential for a seamless customer experience. Customers no longer differentiate between advertising and marketing, they only see the brand as a whole. This delay is not only a missed opportunity, but a strategic blunder.

Brands must act quickly to meet sky-high customer expectations for personalized and omnichannel experiences. The convergence of adtech and martech is necessary for a 360-degree view of the customer, consistency across touchpoints, and a combination of precision targeting and personalized messaging for increased profits. However, legacy systems, data silos, and organizational silos have made integration challenging.

The time for action is now, as brands who delay risk falling behind their competitors. The future of marketing relies on the integration of adtech and martech as partners, not rivals. Resources are available to help brands evaluate and streamline their marketing and advertising tech stacks.

AI Update, March 28, 2025: AI News and Views From the Past Week

Catch up on select AI news and developments from the past week or so (in no particular order):

DeepSeek releases upgraded V3 model, escalating competition with OpenAI. Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has launched an upgraded version of its V3 large language model, enhancing reasoning and coding abilities. Published on Hugging Face, the new model shows strong performance across technical benchmarks. This release follows earlier models, including V3 and R1, positioning DeepSeek as a serious contender to OpenAI and Anthropic. The company emphasizes lower operational costs, helping it compete globally. The release underscores China's growing momentum in foundational AI research and deployment. Importance for marketers: DeepSeek's advancements may broaden options for generative AI tools and reduce dependency on US models, especially for cost-conscious marketing programs.

Tencent unveils T1 reasoning model to advance AI capabilities in China. Tencent has launched the official version of its T1 reasoning model, aimed at improving speed and long-text comprehension. Powered by Tencent's Turbo S foundational model, T1 reportedly outperforms DeepSeek's R1 in reasoning benchmarks and maintains a low hallucination rate. The release follows a preview launch and comes amid intensified competition in China's AI sector. Tencent plans to further increase AI investment in 2025, continuing its aggressive 2024 spending. The model also powers applications like Tencent's AI assistant Yuanbao, with a focus on clarity, logic, and accuracy in generated content. Importance for marketers: Tencent's AI advancements may influence content quality, personalization, and natural language processing (NLP) tools in China's digital marketing ecosystem.

OpenAI integrates AI image generation directly into ChatGPT. OpenAI now allows users to generate images directly within ChatGPT using its 4o model, eliminating the need for DALL-E. Free and paid users can access the feature, with enterprise and education rollout expected soon. The new capability focuses on business-relevant visuals like infographics and diagrams, offering improved text rendering. Though editing limitations remain, OpenAI is working on updates. Images lack visible watermarks but include C2PA metadata. Safety policies mirror those in the 4o model. Importance for marketers: This integration streamlines visual content creation inside a familiar interface, making image generation more accessible for campaign design and presentations.