Bronwyn Heys, CEO of the Australian Marketing Institute, provides valuable insights into the evolving state of the marketing profession, highlighting how it is changing, what marketers need to focus on now, plus the emerging competencies and skills required to thrive in this new environment.

HOW MARKETING IS CHANGING IN 2024

1. Digital Transformation
   • The shift towards digital channels has accelerated, with an increasing emphasis on online marketing, social media, and e-commerce.
2. Data-Driven Decision Making
   • Marketing strategies are increasingly guided by data analytics.
3. Personalisation – a focus on customer centricity
   • Consumers now expect personalised experiences. Brands must create tailored content and interactions based on consumer data. This approach not only enhances customer engagement and loyalty by making consumers feel valued and understood but most importantly builds enduring strong relationships with consumers.

EVOLVING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

1. Demand for Transparency
   • Consumers are increasingly informed and demand transparency from brands. They seek authentic brands that are open about their practices, values, and products.
2. Sustainability and Social Responsibility
   • There is a rising preference for brands that are committed to social responsibility and sustainability.
3. Convenience and Speed
   • In today’s fast-paced world, convenience and speed are crucial. Consumers expect quick responses, fast deliveries, and hassle-free experiences.

Let’s delve deeper into what marketers need to focus on and what they must deliver to succeed in the evolving landscape. Marketers must continuously upskill and ensure their competencies align with current trends and demands.

KEY FOCUS AREAS FOR MARKETERS

1. Customer-Centric Approach
   • Understanding Customer Needs: Marketers should invest time and resources in understanding their customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points.
   • Customer Journey Mapping: By mapping out the customer journey, marketers can identify key touchpoints and opportunities to enhance the overall customer experience.
2. Integrated Marketing Strategy
   • Consistency Across Channels: Maintaining a consistent brand message across all channels is crucial. This involves coordinating marketing efforts across digital, social, email, and traditional media to create a unified brand experience.
   • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Marketers must collaborate closely with departments such as sales, customer service, and product development to ensure alignment and coherence in the overall strategy.
3. Data-Driven Marketing
   • Analytics and Insights: Leveraging advanced analytics to track and measure campaign performance helps marketers make informed decisions. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be clear to evaluate success and optimise future efforts.

DELIVERABLES MARKETERS NEED TO ENSURE

1. Engaging and Relevant Content
   • Content that Resonates: Content must be engaging, relevant, shareable, and tailored to the audience’s interests. Storytelling is a valuable tool for conveying the brand story and connecting with audiences.
   • Micro-influencers and Nano-influencers: Micro Influencers (1,000 to 100,000 followers) and nano-influencers (less than 1,000 followers) are gaining traction due to their high engagement rates and strong communities. Brands are increasingly using these influencers for more authentic and targeted marketing campaigns.
   • Consistency in Posting: Regular and consistent posting across various platforms is key to maintaining audience engagement and brand visibility. Content should also be tailored to each specific platform.
   • SEO and Content Strategy: Optimising content for search engines (SEO) ensures visibility and drives organic traffic.
   • A/B Testing and Experimentation: Implementing A/B testing allows marketers to experiment with different approaches and identify what resonates best with their audience.
2. Personalisation and Customisation
   • Tailored Content: Creating highly customised content based on customer data and individual preferences enhances engagement.
   • Dynamic Content Delivery: Utilising AI and machine learning to deliver dynamic content that adapts to the individual user’s preferences and actions in real-time.
3. Seamless Customer Experience
   • Ease of Interaction: Ensure that every customer interaction, whether online or offline, is seamless and intuitive.
   • Omnichannel Support: Providing consistent and responsive support across all channels ensures that customers can receive help whenever and wherever they need it.
4. Transparent Communication
   • Honesty and Transparency: Consumers value transparency. Marketers should communicate openly about product features, pricing, and company values to build trust and credibility.
   • Crisis Management: Being prepared with a crisis management plan in place allows for swift and transparent handling of issues, in turn mitigating negative impacts on brand reputation.
5. ROI Focus
   • Data-Driven Decision Making: Use analytics to measure campaign performance. Regular reporting and analysis of marketing activities help determine results.
   • Attribution Modelling: Understanding the customer journey and touchpoints through market mix modelling.
   • ROI Optimisation: Allocating resources to high-performing marketing channels.
6. Adaptability and Agility
   • Staying Current: Keeping up with industry trends, technological advancements, and changing consumer behaviours allows marketers to adapt their strategies effectively.
   • Flexibility: Being agile and ready to pivot strategies in response to market changes ensures that marketing efforts remain effective and relevant.

THE RISE OF AI AND AUTOMATION

The rise of Generative AI has significantly transformed marketing by automating routine tasks and freeing up resources for more strategic endeavours. AI enhances content creation, personalises experiences, and streamlines marketing processes. Leveraging AI for data analytics, to gain deeper insights into consumer behaviour and preferences. Here are some essential ways to automate marketing activities, making them more effective and efficient:

• Campaign Management: Tools like HubSpot and Salesforce automate campaign planning, execution, and tracking.
• Lead Nurturing: Automation helps in managing leads through the sales funnel, providing timely and relevant content.
• Email Marketing: Automated systems personalise and segment audiences, schedule emails, and improve open and conversion rates.
• Social Media Management: Platforms can automate content scheduling, posting, and analytics.

The marketing profession is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer expectations. To stay competitive, marketers must remain agile, continuously upskill, and embrace new tools and strategies. In summary, marketers must adopt a customer-centric approach, leverage data-driven insights, and focus on delivering high-quality, personalised content. Ensuring a seamless and transparent customer experience, setting measurable goals, and maintaining adaptability are key to thriving in the ever-changing marketing landscape. By focusing on these areas, marketers can not only meet but exceed customer expectations, driving sustained growth and success for their brands.

To learn more about the skills and competencies needed to succeed in marketing, download a free AMI Marketers Competency Framework worksheet and join us as a member to access the full Framework and accelerate your marketing career.

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