The new year has just started and if you are a marketer or an entrepreneur interested in the skills that your marketing team must work to achieve good results in the coming year, you have come to the right place. 2020 will bring with it some changes in trends and skills development that are already present in marketing, but which will require a closer look at them, as they will directly impact the companies' end customers. In this article we present a list of the most essential competencies for the marketing professional in 2020 according to the novelties presented by the segment.
What scenario does 2020 set for the marketing professional?
The main highlight of 2020 is in the new generation of users and consumers (millennials), they are responsible for some trends that will change the marketing landscape in the next decade. The need to correspond to a new group of consumers, allied to the advancement and emergence of new technologies, makes the marketing professional face a series of changes that will challenge his abilities.
Thus, this new decade will demand that marketers adapt to this new scenario to keep up with so many innovations. But every change brings new opportunities and in 2020 there will be many, both for professional development and for companies that will take advantage of the benefits caused by these transformations.
What are the skills the marketer must have to succeed in 2020?
Marketing is very dynamic and volatile. Its constant modifications require that professionals be ready for new scenarios and have an active attitude towards them.
Learn below what are the most important skills and knowledge expected by marketing professionals in 2020, according to next year's trends.
1. Marketing automation
The use of technology to automate the actions and marketing processes, reduce the labor force, take advantage of the cost-benefit and increase the efficiency of the strategies, is already a reality in most companies.
But it is not enough just to know what are the tools and functionalities used. Marketing professionals must understand how they can use these resources in a personalized and scalable way, according to the objectives of each strategy.
2. Data analysis
Every year we discover new ways to generate a large volume of data within the marketing universe. Even many specialists call this current moment as the era of big data.
This is a time when the amount of data generated in a year and a half equals the amount of records produced by humanity throughout its entire existence.
Thus, data collection requires companies to find a balance between using it strategically and not getting lost in the middle of so much information.
The marketing professional is challenged to extract and combine the results from all available sources, such as data generated by automation tools, Google Analytics, market indicators, satisfaction surveys, among many others.
Finally, the professional must apply his analytical vision to generate relevant information and improve the performance of marketing strategies.
3. Focus on the consumer
Although not a new concept, targeting strategies according to consumer needs is often a constant challenge for marketers.
The millennial generation already represents a large part of today's consumers and, different from their predecessor generation, their behaviors and desires follow new directions.
Younger users search for brands that offer unique and tailor-made products and services. This requires that marketing professionals find more and more ways to address the needs for individualism and authenticity. The bet is on the production of personalized and ultra-segmented strategies.
4. Optimization for voice searches
The use of smart speakers grew rapidly in the past year, and the forecast is for it to grow further in 2020.
Despite the large number of people asking Alexa, Siri and Google Home questions, for example, marketing still does not reflect this reality and many companies are missing an excellent opportunity to distinguish themselves from their competitors.
If you are looking for ways to boost your marketing strategy in the coming year, especially among the younger audience, invest in optimization for voice searches.
5. Storytelling
Storytelling always worked in an extraordinary way in marketing, and for that reason, its notoriety increases every year. This technique uses emotional impulses to tell stories and delight the audience.
In digital marketing, it becomes even easier to take advantage of available resources to put storytelling into practice. The appeal to feelings can be transmitted through channels such as Instagram stories and mini ads, ads that tell your story visually to the public.
Some trends that the marketing professional can use in storytelling for 2020 are:
- immersive experience: the use of virtual and augmented reality to tell stories interactively; testimonials: make your customers tell a story with your brand's product or service; Philanthropy: inspire confidence in your audience with stories between your brand and social causes, such as diversity, sustainability and environmental issues.
6. Marketing of influencers
Influencer marketing is more alive than ever. Users are increasingly familiar with the content created by influencers from different channels and, for this reason, they are an excellent tool for promoting products or services.
The marketing professional must work on partnerships between companies and influencers, identifying which ones correspond to the lifestyle of their brand public to generate more humane and effective campaigns.
Some influencer marketing trends for 2020 are video and podcasting, formats that increasingly catch the attention of the audience.
7. Multidisciplinarity
Although there is a variety of sub areas within marketing, they are all connected and work in an integrated way to achieve the expected results. And although many professionals choose to specialize in only one field, this is already changing over time.
It does not mean that specializations are not necessary, they are still relevant to advance the industry, however, it is urgent that professionals master more than one skill to respond to current needs.
The idea is that marketers understand the general marketing landscape and be able to act on different tasks even if they have different training and experiences. This allows the professional to analyze problems from different points of view, finding solutions and data more efficiently.
conclusion
For you to have a successful 2020, it will take more than good products and services. Marketing professionals should keep an eye on new trends in the public, and use all available resources to offer them a positive and differentiated experience as a consumer.
Some of the skills mentioned here are already a topic of discussion in the market, for that reason, we recommend that you always stay updated on the news that appears and are in constant transformation.
Raise your gaze towards the new generation, develop your analytical skills and transform all data into personalized experiences.
Invest in getting to know the world of influencers even more and discover how you can benefit from your strategy through these associations.
Use the techniques that are already registered to enhance your marketing actions, such as storytelling and voice search.
And, of course, keep training yourself in the different areas of marketing to become an increasingly complete professional.
