The future of marketing leadership: key skills and competencies
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Like many things, marketing is changing and with that so are the required skills. This change is brought about by changing consumer demands, technological advancements and other factors impacting businesses, such as economics and politics. For example, the rise of the internet and the development of the web in the 1990s has increased demand for digital marketing, which became more prominent in 2020 when the global pandemic required people to stay home.
To keep up with these changes, businesses need to ensure their marketing teams have the right skills, knowledge, and tools to create campaigns that will generate the ROI they hope for.
Now due to not having a crystal ball, we can’t be certain of what the future holds, but this blog will discuss the following:
- How marketing is changing
- The skills future marketers could require
- Ways to develop skills
The evolving marketing landscape
As mentioned, the changing of the marketing landscape is brought on by developments in technology, changing needs of consumers and global events. Some ways marketing is developing are:
AI and automation
AI and automation tools are helping to streamline processes, personalise customer experience and optimise campaigns. Whilst these tools are extremely helpful, marketers need to remember that AI and tools are just the co-pilot and it is up to them to use them correctly to ensure the quality of output is high and meets compliance requirements.
Data-driven marketing
Data will continue to be important to marketers and their campaigns, ensuring strategies and decisions are made based on the information available to them. This means marketers need to be able to process data securely, understand the patterns and communicate the information that the data shows. Being able to use data tools like GA4 will help marketers do this.
Personalisation and customer experience
As markets become more saturated and the buying journey becomes messy and more competitive, marketers need to offer a personalised and exceptional experience that grabs the customer’s attention and keeps them. This is where data and technology come in, helping marketers target and gain customers in unique ways tailored to their needs.
Metaverse
Marketers need to have an understanding of the Metaverse as it represents a significant shift in how consumers interact with each other and brands online, particularly younger audiences like Gen Z. Having knowledge and understanding of the Metaverse enables marketers to reach these audiences, and create campaigns and drive business growth.
Authenticity and purpose
Consumers want to know more about brands and what they stand for, as this helps to build trust. This mission and values should form part of a brand’s value proposition, and it is the marketer’s responsibility to understand and communicate these effectively to the market.
Design and creativity
Being able to stand out from the crowd is key for future marketers, and this requires creative campaigns and designs. Video and animation are key ways marketers can do this, but this requires specific skills that traditional marketers are unlikely to have.
Sustainable marketing
An EU study found that 73% of EU citizens care about sustainability, so, therefore, marketers need to care about it too, otherwise they’re missing out on a large market. However, sustainable marketing requires specific practices and commitments that marketers need to know about. As mentioned, authenticity and trust between brands and consumers are key, and if a brand is found to be lying about being sustainable it can be highly damaging to its reputation and business.
Key skills for future marketers
To meet the needs of customers and keep up with the changing landscape these are the skills marketers will need to gain or further develop.
Data analysis
The continuation of using analytics tools like Google Analytics or Meta Business Suite will be key for understanding the performance of marketing activities. Marketers need to be able to analyse data and extract meaningful insights to determine how to adjust and adapt marketing strategies. When GA4 replaced Universal Analytics in 2023, it was a big shift for users having to get used to a new platform and understand where and how to find information.
Technical proficiency
Technology does and will continue to evolve, so marketers must ensure they keep up with the changes so they don’t get left behind. There are also lots of different marketing automation platforms, CRM systems and tools out there, so being able to adapt to new technology will also be key. A basic understanding of coding is also becoming increasingly valuable, enabling marketers to take action without having to depend on others.
Content creation and storytelling
A marketer’s ability to create engaging content that tells a story across multiple formats (text, image, video and audio) will continue to grow in importance. This content needs to connect with potential customers on an emotional level to compel them to take action.
Customer experience focus
As markets become more competitive, brands need to stand out by focusing on creating a great customer experience. Creating a personal experience will also have more of a positive impact, so marketers need to be able to design and optimise customer experiences across multiple channels.
Strategic thinking
When it comes to change, it’s vital to be quick to adapt, and this is where strategic thinking comes in. Changes can come in all formats, business objectives, market conditions, product developments, etc. Then it is the marketer’s job to be able to think about how to pivot marketing strategies to align with these changes and apply any critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Collaboration and communication
One person can’t do it all, which is why working as a team and being able to communicate effectively within that team and with others is a required skill. Working with others can also help strengthen any skill gaps and give members opportunities to learn new skills.
Ethical considerations and data privacy
The importance of data privacy will continue to grow in importance with consumers wanting to know their data is secure and not being used incorrectly. To help with this marketers should have an understanding of data privacy regulations like GDPR and commit to ethical marketing practices, especially when data is involved.
How to develop your skills
So if those are the skills a future marketer needs, how can they develop them? Well here are a few suggestions:
- Courses and qualifications – there are loads of qualifications and courses available to help develop skills. Most tools and platforms even offer their own free courses to help you learn.
- Events, workshops and webinars – whether they’re in person or online, events are a great way to develop skills and meet new people who you can learn from.
- Networking – creating a strong network gives you support and ways to ask questions and learn from others around you.
- Mentoring – a mentor can be a great way to develop your skills. You can even use them as a soundboard for asking questions and gathering feedback.
- LinkedIn – the biggest B2B platform is a great way for individuals and businesses to stay up to date with trends and learnings.
- Reading – there are lots of free resources out that that can help you develop your skills. From whitepapers to the news, you can learn about trends and developments which can widen your knowledge. We even have an industry updates page which summarises the latest digital marketing developments across multiple channels.
- Testing – sometimes the best way to learn a new skill is through trial and error, therefore we recommend testing what you’ve learnt and trying to apply the new skills where possible. You could also then ask a colleague, mentor or friend to check your work and offer feedback to help develop your skills further.
Conclusion
It’s clear to see there are lots of marketing developments that marketers need to keep up to date with. By keeping up to date with these changes and consistently developing their skills they will be able to take advantage of the changes and generate the ROI they are after.
Whilst personal development is always important, one person doesn’t have the time to do it all. This is why marketing teams are made of multiple people and the best teams are made of those that include a mixture of skills. If you feel like your marketing is lacking certain skills, time or resources, then this is where an agency like Embryo can help. If you want support to improve your marketing then get in touch with our team.
