How to build a marketing strategy that withstands the times of uncertainty

In recent years, the media has been speculating about ‘unprecedented times’ and ‘the new normal’. The reality is that we now operate in a fast-changing market environment, and the era of predictable unpredictability is truly here. With the constant changes in our economy, audience behaviours and social trends, marketing leaders are facing challenges in their planning. We put together our top 5 recommendations below:

1. Be agile in your marketing strategy

It may be a tough market, there may be unexpected news - we need to get used to making educated guesses, and we need to be bold and adaptable in our marketing. Don’t get discouraged if something goes wrong, you can still achieve your goals by becoming more agile and responsive in your marketing planning. Everything should be up for revision - it’s important to watch the trends closely and build efficient communication within your team to be as agile as possible when the time comes.

2. Know your consumer

With so many factors at play, it’s easy to shift focus away from your audience. But developing a customer-first mindset is still key to success.

Be confident in what your audience finds appealing, be authentically inclusive - it will go a long way. Keeping a close eye on the trends and designing data-driven experiences will capture the attention of your audience and allow for more flexibility in your strategies. Luckily, being vigilant is easier now with all the evolving tech and tools available, so make the most of it.

3. Prepare your team

You came up with a marketing strategy that will appeal to your key audiences, how do you ensure your team is ready to execute your vision? Your team needs to be equipped with the right skills for the job and they need to be able to adapt to the new expectations quickly. At EMR, we often see that the top marketing talent is adaptable, self-driven and proactive. But in addition to that, collaborative and transparent culture will help your team quickly fulfil new strategies.

4. Be responsive

With the right support and strategy in place, you should be in a good position to be responsive in your marketing efforts. Recognising the right opportunities and adapting to change is now more important than ever. A plan that made sense yesterday may not be quite right today. But as long as you are creating value for your customer and have the right team to react appropriately, you are in a good position to tackle unexpected challenges.

5. Manage stakeholder expectations

You have a great plan, but is your business ready for agility? It is common sense to be strategic in your marketing planning, however, what that means in practice differs from business to business. You can be strategic in terms of alignment to business goals, gaining competitive advantage or market share, winning your audience - the list goes on. It took something as drastic as the pandemic for some brands to embark upon digital transformation. Everyone can now agree on how important digital presence truly is. But is this shift enough to be truly adaptable?

Marketing leaders recognize that the increased pace makes expectations management crucial. Take time to communicate your strategy and use data to back up your reasoning, and engage the right parties to ensure your success.

We hope that our insights are helpful when it comes to creating a marketing strategy for your business. Our team is here to support you in building the right team to execute your strategy. You can also access our Salary & Market Trend Guide 2024/25 for additional hiring insights.

Discover more senior marketing advice, to help you present at the board level or interview with the C-suite.

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