Marketing strategies in the new normal are essential for businesses to thrive. Organisations worldwide have had to reassess what they knew about marketing. From their customers’ preferred channels to the best ways of filtering through customer data, it’s time to rethink marketing in a digital-first, socially-distanced market.
With the help of data gleaned from the 7th State of Marketing report, we’re shining a spotlight on the most valuable marketing strategies in the UAE today. After surveying almost 7,000 global marketing leaders, the report highlights the strategic priorities, challenges, and technologies that marketers need to be aware of.
How will marketing strategies in the UAE change?
The report reveals that the top 3 challenges for UAE marketers are:
1. Engaging with customers in real time
2. Innovating
3. Collaboration
The marketing landscape has no doubt changed since before the pandemic. We discovered that:
48% of marketers in the UAE think workplace strategy has completely changed since the pandemic.
39% think organisational challenges have completely changed.
38% think marketing channel mix has completely changed.
So what strategies and tools can marketers use to overcome any challenges and transform their marketing?
Marketing strategies for engaging with customers in real time
Customers are expecting more from businesses in many areas, one of them being digital engagement. Higher expectations of digital engagement mean real-time engagement is key. Get it right, and marketers will see higher levels of engagement, higher customer satisfaction, and higher sales.
With customers expecting personalised and real-time engagement at every point of their journey with a business, marketers need to make the best use of the channels they have at their fingertips. They need to use those channels together to deliver the right message at the perfect time. In fact, 78% of marketers say they engage customers in real-time across one or more marketing channels, which is already a positive sign.
Something crucial here is cross-channel coordination. We can see from the report that marketers’ use of it has more than doubled since 2018, but why is it so important?
Using multiple channels to connect with your customers gives them the seamless experience they demand. Implementing a dynamic element, with messages that are personalised based on their actions, adds even more value to marketing activities.
Marketing strategies for innovating
Innovation was important even before the pandemic. It’s now essential as customer expectations evolve like never before. With 88% of customers expecting digital initiatives to be accelerated since COVID-19, and 69% saying companies should offer new ways of getting products and services, innovation should be one of marketers’ highest priorities.
But even the most high-performing marketers can struggle to innovate marketing strategies, technology, and tactics.. The report shows us that 31% of high performers and 33% of moderate performers are struggling. Almost half of underperformers (48%) say they’re struggling with marketing innovation.
There isn’t a ‘quick fix’ to innovating, but a focus on innovation is key here. Encourage ideas from everywhere and everyone. Look at how technology can help you adapt and innovate. Sometimes the answer to finding a new way of doing things is right in front of you, all that’s needed is the right mindset.
Marketing strategies for collaboration
The COVID-19 pandemic turned ways of working on their head for businesses in all industries all over the world. Remote working and distributed workforces became the norm. And for many of us, that’s the way things have stayed. With colleagues often separated from each other, effective collaboration is key.
Marketers need to work harder than ever on collaboration and communication to serve their customers. The results of the State of Marketing report are a stark reminder of the impact COVID has had. We found that 75% of marketers surveyed believe it’s harder to collaborate now than before the pandemic. And a whopping 83% of marketing organisations have new policies around remote work.
So what marketing strategies in the UAE will offer the best results in collaboration and communication?
It might seem obvious, but it begins with people. Businesses need a culture of collaboration and communication for real success. And not just within marketing teams. Marketers need effective, proactive communication with other departments, and being able to have a single view of customer data. Technology can really come into play here. There are specific collaborative technologies, such as Slack, that make collaboration easier than ever.
Navigating the new reality with an effective customer data platform
In terms of the marketing landscape in the UAE, we know that COVID-19 had an impact. The global health crisis has in many ways improved the service businesses can give to their customers. A combination of accelerated digital transformation, innovative technologies, and customer focus mean better service.
And that’s got to be a good thing, hasn’t it?
Marketers everywhere are armed with the knowledge of what’s needed to really engage with their customers. Real-time engagement, innovating, and collaboration are key metrics to focus on, and the solutions are out there.
Find out more about the 7th State of Marketing in today’s new and exciting world!
