At this point in the crisis generated by the pandemic, when we have been in the coronavirus crisis and measures against the disease for more than a year and a half, it would no longer occur to anyone to debate that the situation has changed things and affected what what companies do.
For companies, there was no choice but to adapt to the situation, change what they were doing and bet on strategies that responded to the needs of that moment. The needs have also evolved during these months and the actions to be carried out by the brands have also had to do so.
In this response and adjustment work, marketers have been a fundamental piece. In a crisis where consumers were scared and vulnerable, transparency and communication were crucial. For this reason, the marketing department – and the communication department – have been very present and have had to be very active.
This new workload has changed his strategy. In addition, marketing must always respond to what consumers need at that time, so adapting to the reality of the day seems unquestionable. When reality is changing so much, making adjustments is crucial. But how has marketing and marketers’ strategy changed?
In what areas have they had to adjust things? A Salesforce study has asked companies of all types – B2B, B2C, and hybrids – and around the world how their priorities and working methods have been affected. What is clear, looking at the statistical results, is that at one level or another everything they do has changed, be it a lot or to some degree. The percentages of marketers who respond that things have not changed in their different ways and actions in marketing do not exceed 15% and move, in each of these points, in a range of between 9 and 15%.
The areas that have changed the most
In the space in which things have changed the most, it has been in the digital engagement strategy. There, 48% say that the pandemic has completely changed how they do things. 42% indicate that they have done so to some degree. The same distribution of percentages is found in the strategy in the workplace, 48% of great change and 42% of to some degree.
47% of marketers say they have experienced a complete change in organizational challenges (44% to some degree), 45% in processes and workflows (44% to some degree) and another 45% in marketing priorities. the organization (45% to some degree).
Things have also changed in the data management strategy (for 45% a lot, for 43% to some degree), in the mix of marketing channels (44 and 45%) and in the content strategy (43 and 45 %). 47% believe that the relative importance of metrics and KPIs has changed somewhat, compared to 39% who believe that it has completely done so. This point is the one with the highest percentage of those who believe that nothing has changed, 15%.
How work will change
Before the crisis, marketers were not one of the sectors in which teleworking had a special implantation. The industry had, in fact, a problem of excessive meetings and endless hours that burned its professionals. However, the pandemic, as has happened with all work areas, has sent them home.
Among the elements that have changed the most, in the end, the marketers themselves put the work. How will things change after this crisis? Only in the United States and Canada a simple majority (57%) believe that the future lies in going back to the office. In general, you could say that what gains globally is the idea of a hybrid future of work in marketing. In Europe, 48% believe that they will return to the office, but 52% that the work format will be changed. 6% believe that remote work will continue and 46% that hybrid models will be used .