Paul Salinger, VP-Creative Concepting and Strategic Communications with B-to-B tech giant Oracle, opened the Event Marketing Summit on Monday with a get over it and get back to basics keynote address.  Speaking to a crowd of about 500 brand-side and (mostly) agency-side marketers, Salinger shared Oracle's fine-tuned approach for doing more with less. 

Over the last five years, Oracle has acquired 55 companies and watched revenue soar from $5 billion to $22 billion. In spite of its marketing budget remaining flat over that same period, Salinger and team have squeezed out incremental ROI gains year over year.  Today, each dollar of marketing investment at Oracle yields an $86 return, an impressive $30 increase from fiscal year 08. 

With an intense, data-driven focus, Oracle has optimized its marketing mix to drive sales into the business.  According to Salinger, this is what works for Oracle:

1. Focus on high-touch and local events.  Understanding that 74% of its revenue opportunities come from small events (1-99 customers in attendance), Oracle manages an annual portfolio of more than 6,500 events that touch close to 400,000 attendees.  Large, third party branding events (tradeshows) have been reduced by 65%, with Oracle Open World in October the notable exception.

2.  Driving transactions with synchronized marketing campaigns around product.  By leveraging Oracle Direct and a massive database, the team stays close to the sales pipeline and drives transactional leads into the business.  Marketing is product-focused.  Weekly marketing forecast calls allow them to review and adjust strategy when gaps are found.

3.  Key accounts and installed base marketing.  Always mindful of current customers and the opportunity they hold, Salinger and team develop programs around key accounts, improving customer satisfaction and share of wallet along the way.

At Oracle, back to basics is an operating philosophy, not a response to an economic downturn.  The results speak for themselves: 72% of all won opportunities at Oracle are touched by marketing. In these times, when marketers seem to be searching for long-term relevance in their own businesses, the approach at Oracle is a needed light in a dark tunnel.