What really matters in marketing (Part I)

How does successful marketing in the 21st century look like? Before the 21st century, companies had no other advertising options than conventional channels such as newspapers, radio and television. The arrival of the internet transformed the concept of marketing completely—it now combines traditional and digital channels to promote services and products. But what does really matter when it comes to successful marketing in the 21st century? Let me share what I believe plays an important role here in a three-part blog post series. Today I’m gonna focus on three very important topics:

Purpose, purpose, purpose

Everyone who knows me also knows I am convinced that purpose is indispensable when it comes to strategic brand development, and will gain even more importance in the future. Customers expect companies not only to sell products of high quality, but also to contribute to the wellbeing of our planet and society. Every company needs a purpose: to keep its employees, to win over customers, and to make a bigger impact in the world. Millions of customers enable you to have a big impact, and with that comes a big responsibility. Covid-19 also increased the importance of purpose-driven marketing. But be aware that purpose isn’t just a PR text, a tagline, or a mission statement.  

"Companies really have to live their purpose in their day-to-day business in order to do their part."

Customer-centricity 

With the world rapidly changing and evolving, it’s important to put the customer in the heart of the organisation. Leading a customer-centric company means offering an extraordinary customer experience in all areas, from awareness to purchasing to the post purchase-stage. This also means you have to anticipate the market’s future needs, provide excellent customer service and a memorable experience so that your customer will buy your product again. Every person in your company should think about how their actions and decisions will affect the customer experience. It’s also crucial to measure the success of customer-centricity. It’s measured with the so-called NPS, a value that shows you if a customer would recommend your product or service. The NPS is a great tool when you want to figure out how satisfied your customers are with your product and subsequently how you can improve the growth of your business. 

Always on due digitization 

Marketing changed through digitization. No big surprise here. But I think it’s really interesting how marketers themselves have to change too. Thanks to digital marketing channels, people are ready to receive brand messages in almost every situation of their lives. For example, while on holiday they may have more time to go to a store than after a 12-hour working day, whereas while on the subway people will be more likely to browse your online shop. Customers find themselves in different situations throughout the day and you, as a company, have to have the best answer for every situation. You always have to be on (their minds) instead of running a campaign here and there. You may notice fewer peaks, but the marketing background noise will be louder. You will be present all the time—and this is what counts, as only targeting via digitization allows you to talk to the right customers at the right time.

Stay tuned for part II of my series “what really matters in marketing.”