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The floodgates of digital data have opened in the last several decades. We’ve seen a movement in marketing towards data-driven optimization and away from innovation, yet creativity and connection are at the heart of marketing. We want to spearhead a movement against robots, but we know we can’t do it without technology. Instead, we think that technology can be a driver of innovation. We can enable our marketers to attain their full potential by investing in it.
The digital world has offered amazing potential for marketers to engage their consumers in new and unique ways, but with each new medium that emerges, marketers face new challenges.
The function of the marketer has changed dramatically. Marketers are more than just a creative extension of a company’s sales staff. Instead, they’ve evolved into communications consultants, data wizards, social media gurus, code specialists, and graphic designers. Modern marketers have had to become corporate chameleons in order to keep up with the rapid speed of change. They adapt to every new challenge, and their skill set is extending well beyond what was previously considered normal.
And we may suddenly be pushing our marketing staff to their limits. MarCom professionals have not been immune to the North American productivity issue. In fact, studies show that marketers are one of the categories experiencing the highest stress, with 83.3% suffering burnout. We have a direct hand in diminishing their creativity as we jam more duties and obligations into the marketer’s position without taking any away (or giving solutions to make things more efficient). Not only that, but B2B marketing might appear to be lacking in imagination since marketers advertise to businesses rather than individuals — yet understanding how to connect with those individuals is crucial.
Old technologies and inefficient procedures are only part of the issue. When we ask our marketing teams to produce complex campaigns using antiquated technology, we limit their capacity to be innovative. We end up wasting time that might be spent creating other outstanding material. Not only that, but we’re also imposing unreasonable deadlines for creating new, hand-coded material. To create a great campaign, creatives need not have studied computer science. Because of a lack of programming and coding knowledge in marketing, there is a technical skills gap on the email side, and many teams are reverting to obsolete email templates to maintain the status quo.
To make problems worse, management teams are frequently hesitant to invest in new technology. When there is financial uncertainty, technology expenditures are frequently the first to be cut. The cost reductions from investing in technology may not be visible at first look. Yet, businesses continue to squander time and money on obsolete technology and outsourcing. Instead, leaders should invest in technology that improves operational efficiency.
The world is too fast to stop inventing. During the pandemic, possibly the most frightening period of our lives, several small enterprises saw explosive growth. According to a recent PwC poll, 83% of businesses are still focused on growth rather than the recession. We’re growing swiftly, and we need to discover methods to empower our marketing teams so that they can stay up with the rest of our business.
So, we’ve identified the issue, but what’s the solution? Clearly, there is an initial investment required, but if we want our marketing teams to succeed, we must be willing to invest in time-saving technologies. While it may appear contradictory, investing in technologies to streamline processes can assist to decrease expenses in the long run.
Newer, more accurate technology will enable marketers to rediscover their creative origins and achieve more with less. It’s a win-win situation if you can relocate time-wasting tasks away from your team during a skills shortage. Your marketing staff should be concentrating on developing strategic content rather than filling out forms and pressing buttons. When you invest in productive technology, you give marketers more time to interact as a team, resulting in alignment and enjoyment.
Marketing executives should look at new technology that might save money while increasing efficiency. Platforms for creating email and landing pages, programmes that facilitate cooperation and approvals, and technology that help nurture the client experience are just a few examples. These technologies will not only lessen the need for technical expertise, but they will also enable marketers to build better campaigns.
Because technology handles the heavy work, our marketing teams have more time to focus on what truly matters: innovation. Your teams will have more time to create innovative ads that stand out and pack a punch with reduced operations. They’ll have more time to try, develop, and re-test their efforts in order to maximize their effectiveness and offer greater outcomes.Companies will have more room to become more efficient and focus on strategic areas of marketing rather than simply surviving with outmoded practices. And, in the end, your company will save money in the process.
Every game-changing marketing campaign is built on creativity, but we must provide our marketers with the tools they need to tap into it. Marketers should not be replaced by technology. This should replace the chores that slow them down so that their skill can be put to use where it is most needed. Utilize technology and automation, and creativity will follow.