Marketing Under Pressure: Strategies for Thriving Amidst Complexity

For marketers, the past few years have been the most challenging. Like most marketers, I have seen the marketing realm, and digital marketing in particular, becoming more competitive over the years. User journey fragmentation, rapidly changing customer behavior, customers seeking newer and more personalized experiences, cookieless tracking and budget constraints are some of the challenges marketers face today. I have heard from marketers in my network about similar operational challenges. However, most are extrinsic in nature and related to delivering the best possible customer experience. I, myself, have been experiencing them, too.

As a result of the pressures of daily life, there is very little time for introspection and finding adequate words to describe what we face on a daily basis. A friend of mine shared an article authored by Harvard Business Review and Quad, a marketing experience solutions company. As such, this episode largely relies on what that insightful report discusses, and I'll share my two cents wherever they're relevant.

A few data points highlighting the current marketing challenges…

The well-researched and insightful survey report from HBR and Quad offers data points that are very relatable:

• According to two out of five marketers, their marketing processes aren't streamlined.

• Only 30% of respondents rated their organization's marketing as "very effective".

• More than half of teams say that managing so many channels overwhelms them.

• Almost seventy percent of respondents said their organization has "some" or "a lot" of complexity in its current marketing ecosystem.

• According to 66% of respondents, marketers are having difficulty delivering value in the market because it is becoming more complex.

No matter how experienced or new you are to marketing, you have been experiencing the challenges and uncertainties of the current marketing landscape. The marketing landscape is a dynamic beast. Technology is constantly evolving, customer expectations are changing, and competition is fierce. Despite their potential to fuel innovation and growth, these factors also pose a major challenge: complexity.

The survey results highlighted the key factors negatively impacting marketing operations which included macroeconomic trends, rising operational costs, shifting consumer behaviours, managing the explosion of martech tools and platforms, and expanding partner networks, including influencers and content marketing agencies.

Further, I often hear about the challenges of sifting through massive amounts of data to find actionable insights; reaching customers across multiple channels while maintaining a consistent brand message; and overcoming organizational silos.

… with added layers of complexity.

These challenges are amplified by factors that make the entire marketing ecosystem and operations even more complex. Key factors mentioned in the survey report include complex marketing channels, partnering with external specialized partners, using cloud-based CRMs and Generative AI, and building an endless network of partners, including content creators, agencies, referral partners, and affiliates.

As a result, the operations and business outcomes are negatively impacted. As a result of the complexity, optimization of campaign performance is difficult; the marketing team is stressed; and marketing initiatives are less effective. Due to fragmented messages across various channels and a lack of personalization, these factors increase the likelihood of customer disconnect.

There are strategies to address these challenges and complexities that put marketing under pressure…

The possibilities exist for marketers not only to face these challenges and complexity, but to also rise above them. The research report shares specific strategies that can be used by businesses and marketers to address these issues that put marketing under pressure. Streamlining processes is one of them. Creating a comprehensive picture of the marketing process, from conceptualizing an idea to launching it, can be very valuable. Do a gap analysis and fill in as many gaps as possible.

Another way to improve your marketing journey is by leveraging data analytics. Using AI-powered predictive models, you can identify the most effective marketing channels, anticipate shifts in consumer behavior, and segment new target audiences.

The report also points out a key aspect of marketing - boosting the talent pool. Today's labor market, however, makes it challenging to recruit the necessary talent to stay abreast of changing consumer demands, market trends, channel preferences, and emerging technologies. According to the survey results, 61% of respondents cited a shortage of marketing talent as a contributing factor. Taking a deeper look at the topic, 33% of respondents said that challenge of turnover or retention of talent had increased. A close second was 30% of respondents who reported difficulty in hiring new employees. Another 21% reported low workforce morale, and 17% cited reduced employee productivity.

A major contributor to marketing success remains the human element, despite all the buzz around AI and the tech revolutionizing the industry. Nearly half of respondents stated they were focused on strategically updating their in-house marketing capabilities and talent. A good way to increase productivity and retention is to upskill and reskill employees.

… so are the subjective aspects that are crucial to marketing success.

The challenges relating to process, technology, and infrastructure can be overcome by defining use cases, planning thoughtfully, and evaluating thoroughly. The human element continues to be of utmost importance even in the AI era. Machines still need humans to train them better. How does one manage subjective aspects of talent management, such as morale, skills, and learning? Although there are no specific data points regarding these aspects, the report includes compelling arguments and quotes from industry leaders.

A powerful argument was made regarding the importance of business leaders understanding all aspects of marketing, not just channels or touchpoints. It is especially important given that marketers are expected to build a lasting relationship with their customers.

In addition, the marketing team must demonstrate the contributions it makes to the organization as a whole. To make management understand that brand is not just a marketing strategy, but a core business strategy, they must effectively communicate it. However, it is a two-way street. C-suite executives also need to engage marketers as part of developing business strategy rather than simply viewing them as sales support.

The report shares an interesting observation about re-evaluating the tech toolkit from the perspective of customer-centricity. Marketers need to understand that they and their tools should not be used to manipulate customers. Instead, the entire marketing ecosystem exists to help customers achieve their goals. Also, it is important to determine whether the tech toolkit delivers the desired ROI and improves overall effectiveness.

Additionally, the survey results showed a growing reliance on external marketing partners who can provide talent, technology, and specialized capabilities. In this way, marketers are less likely to feel pressured to master every trend and technology in the market. Rather, they can become the hub of everything customer-related and serve as a curation and collaboration function. In this way, complexity can be reduced and customer journeys and experiences can be improved.

Marketing teams will have to prioritize which channels and content to use as channels and content types increase or change. It is only possible if they are closely integrated into business strategy. With insight into market data and revenue projections, marketers can be crucial partners in bringing products or services to market. C-suite access and approachability are important here.

This relates to one of the most underrated and overlooked aspects of business - trust. Customers' preferences are rapidly shifting, new competitors are entering the market, technology is advancing quickly, and new cultural phenomena are emerging. Unless business leaders allow marketers to experiment with new tools and tech without fear of retribution for mistakes, trust will be lost. To achieve this agility, organizations must be willing to learn from their marketing mistakes and see them as opportunities to better understand their customers.

Emerging technologies like AI and metaverse are already redefining marketing. It is more important than ever for marketers to be curious, agile, and willing to unlearn and learn. To achieve this, they must be viewed as partners in business success, not just enablers or supporters. Marketers can deliver value to businesses today and in the future by experimenting with new tools, partnering with specialized partners, and retaining talent. Together, these elements can help marketers enable strong, meaningful customer relationships through frictionless customer journeys, personalized content, and consistent messaging.

It is clear that simplifying the marketing ecosystem will enhance the experience of the marketers, including fostering trust within the organization. The heightened marketing experience is ultimately what can deliver exceptional customer experiences, since they are humans, too. The takeaway is straightforward, it's about improving human experience. Beginning with marketers, who will then enhance it for customers. Tech is and will continue to remain an effective tool.