MNT Lecture 1 - Understanding Marketing in a Digital Age

Case

You are the digital marketing manager for a high-end ergonomic office chair company. Your boss wants to increase traffic by writing positive "puff pieces" about how great the chairs are. You argue that to build trust, you must address the "Big 5" topics buyers actually look for.

Terminology explained

SaaS (Software as a Service) is a cloud-based model where providers host applications and deliver them to users over the internet on a subscription basis, eliminating the need for local installation or maintenance; users access it via web browser or app, paying typically monthly for features, with the provider handling infrastructure, updates, and security, like Gmail or Salesforce. 

How it works

• Cloud Delivery: Software runs on the provider's servers, not your computer.

• Internet Access: You log in and use it from anywhere, on any device.

• Subscription Model

  : Pay-as-you-go or monthly/annual fees, reducing upfront costs.

• Provider Managed: The vendor handles all updates, maintenance, and infrastructure. 

​Terminology Explained

Key benefits

• Lower Costs: No large upfront purchase; predictable subscription fees.

• Accessibility: Use from any device with internet.

• Automatic Updates: Always on the latest version without manual installs.

• Scalability: Easily add or remove users as needed. 

Examples

• Email services (Gmail, Outlook.com)

• CRM (Salesforce)

• Collaboration tools (Slack, Microsoft 365)

• Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify) are similar models. 

Case

A Software as a Service (SaaS) start-up is reviewing its marketing performance.

• Metric A: Their website traffic has increased by 50% (High Volume).

• Metric B: It costs them £100 to acquire a new customer (CAC).

• Metric C: The average customer spends £200 over the course of their relationship with the company (LTV).

​Attendance Code: 33167890