Standpoint - Five Marketing Strategies To Prioritise In 2019

A 2018 Forrester Consulting study found that for 80 per cent of business decision makers surveyed improving their company’s customer experience was among their top priorities in the year ahead. So was increasing customer loyalty (81 per cent). In the new age of customer experience, a combination of data and creativity will set leaders apart. Industry experts also pointed to a greater focus in 2019 on personalisation, more immersive mobile experiences, and a companywide approach to strategic accounts

- Ming Fai Chak

1. Data-driven creativity will set exceptional customer experiences apart

The most innovative companies are pulling data from across multiple sources to create a unified view of the customer in real time. It’s this mix of creativity and intelligence that is essential.

Forward-looking organizations are already thinking about how to integrate their data with creativity. One way this is being done with great results is by bringing data and analytics specialists into the creative process early on. This way, they actively participate in the process of creating campaigns and in-store experiences helping the creative team better understand the changing behaviors of consumers both online and off.

In fact, McKinsey research found that companies that already integrate data and creativity in their day-to-day practices actually drive two times the growth of companies that have those capabilities but manage them separately.

2. Doubling down on experiential commerce

Experiential commerce is on the rise and requires a shift of mindset across the organization. It involves shifting strategy to focus on the ongoing relationship with the customer rather than closing a single transaction. Doing this will require creating more engaging content in 2019 with an emphasis on nurturing customers.