Table of Contents
Introduction
Every marketer strives to improve the client experience. It’s what may make or break a business because a prospect or customer’s experience is crucial to generating not only conversions and money but also customer loyalty and advocacy. According to a study from “The Marketing Evolution: Leadership, Transformation, Skills, Challenges & the Future,” 71% of senior and 61% of mid-level marketers are in charge of digital transformation in their firms. However, according to “The 2021 State of Digital Transformation,” only 23% of CMOs co-own digital transformation, with IT more frequently taking the initiative. The greatest people to participate in transformation are marketing leaders and their teams, thus this shouldn’t be the case. This blog will examine the abilities and information. Marketing executives can step back. A marketing team’s job is to educate, persuade, and convert. That calls for certain abilities and a set of insights into how a company operates and how its customers think. and view the big picture when developing a digital transformation plan; they can envision where the firm is now and where it needs to be. This applies to all areas of the organization and its services, not simply marketing, as the entire customer lifetime must be considered during the digital transformation process, not just specific phases of that lifecycle.
1. Know the customer
Being aware of emerging trends and changes is a crucial component of a marketer’s job. Along with technology, client demands and habits are also considered in this. In terms of scenario planning and future-proofing, this is essential for any firm. The significance of the client experience cannot be understated. Customers are becoming pickier and looking for an omnichannel strategy where every point of contact with a business is seamless and consistent. As a result, if a consumer clicks on a social media post to learn more about a new product, make sure the next point of contact is relevant to that product (such as a bespoke landing page) and consistent with your brand; otherwise, you risk losing the client’s interest right away.
2. Understand your data
Leaders in marketing rely on data. This enables them to make wiser choices regarding the effectiveness of a paid advertisement or close rates from lead to a sale. Despite having a lot of data, finding insights that are useful for your organization requires skill. Your company needs data that motivates performance, leads, and sales, and marketing teams can help. Creating a digital transformation strategy requires knowledge of the larger ecosystem in addition to understanding your business data. Are you aware of what your rivals are doing? What significant developments are you expecting to see in your industry during the next 12 months?
3. Soft skills
In the modern workplace, technical expertise is crucial, especially in marketing. But that doesn’t give the whole story. The importance of soft skills often referred to as power skills, which include behaviors, personality traits, and work habits, cannot be overstated. Additionally, they contribute to the establishment of diverse, agile teams, which are essential to any process of digital transformation. According to “The Future of Work: 2022 Global Report,” employers ranked dependability, adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork/collaboration as the top soft skills in demand. Creativity, invention, curiosity, and persuasion are further soft skills.
What marketers need to own: an agile strategy?
In the digital transformation process, adaptability is essential. It enables businesses to adapt to both internal and external changes. By cultivating productive and engaged workers, this capacity to quickly pivot will assist in maintaining or improving customer engagement and foster harmony in a workforce. This is the reason why marketing executives and their teams need to use an agile approach. What does that signify, though?
Enterprise agility is about the structure, operation, and behavior of your business, not only the delivery of products or software. It involves forming strong bonds, choosing a course of action, and exercising operational flexibility (see this example below from Riverflex).
This should emphasize both being customer-centric and the skills you already have on staff. It’s about maximizing knowledge and skills through continuous learning and simple upskilling with integrated agile thinking. In the end, it’s a comprehensive and integrated perspective of your complete business environment, with everyone striving toward a single objective and ready to change as circumstances demand. For expert insights, download “Perpetual Evolution: The Interplay of Talent and Technology in the Future of marketing.
How do you make the transformation happen?
Taking the reins and embracing change might be challenging. In today’s quick-paced environment, however, there is no other option. The pandemic demonstrated how rapidly and unexpectedly the external world may change, and how you respond will determine your success. According to former Fortune 500 leadership consultant and current Non-Profit Director Jacob Espinoza, some of the most typical issues for leadership in implementing change include:
1. Insufficient follow-up
2. Paralysis of judgment
3. Ambiguous objectives
4. Making choices in an enclosed space
5. Making too many changes at once.
1/ Listen: This focuses on hearing out your staff and customers. Engage customers in surveys or focus groups, and show attention in their comments or phone calls. Create a feedback environment for your staff and arrange frequent meetings to gather information.
2/ Consider your business objectives and your KPIs while you evaluate. Next, determine where the biggest change could be made with the data you now have. Don’t wait for more information; let marketers use what they already know to guide your choices.
3/ Implementation: Inform and have your staff ready for the shift. Every team member should be aware of what is upcoming, when it will happen, and what is required of them to accomplish it. This can entail offering training if necessary and being accessible to talk about the “why” of moving.
4/ Execute – How you carry out the decision and follow up with your team is the subject of this step. At this point, identify early adopters and recognize them while coaching and developing any gaps.
5/ Reiterate: Be devoted to the adjustments you are making and involve your teams in the process. Repeat these instructions for any further modifications once you’ve made one. Although difficult, change is ultimately worthwhile.
Drive business success with your marketing team.
Having a marketing staff with cutting-edge expertise and abilities is essential for the success of the digital transformation. By providing adaptable and accredited online training from industry leaders, you can help your marketers realize their full potential. To empower your staff and advance your transformation journey, get in touch with DMI right away.