Change marketing

Focus on what really matters. Discard what doesn’t. And rewire the rest.
Months of relentless change as customers have reevaluated their values and purpose have impacted marketers the most directly of all business functions. At the same time, shrinking budgets and increased pressure from the business to take the lead on customer experience and drive growth have made marketing even more difficult. Not to mention that the digital era has created more channels, touchpoints and tools. And more work for marketers.

Nearly 70% of marketing executives say that the past year has completely exhausted their employees.

Yet we found a small group—just 17% of more than 1,000 marketing executives—whose marketing organizations are thriving. A full 86% of these select marketing executives say their employees have been energized by a new purpose of servicing customers’ rapidly changing motivations.

What marketing needs more of is less
Instead of holding on to what is, these Thrivers are decluttering marketing to manage complexity. This is paying off. Marketers are doing more rewarding work. Customer satisfaction and lifetime value have increased. And the business is enjoying a significant performance premium, particularly over competitors whose marketers are burned out.

1.4x
Thrivers are over 1.4x more likely to perform far better in revenue growth and profitability

1.8x
Thrivers are over 1.8x more likely to perform far better in customer satisfaction

2.5x
Thrivers are over 2.5x more likely to perform far better in customer awareness
Thrivers, Strivers and Survivors
We segmented marketers into three groups based on specific aspects of their customer relationships.

Thrivers (17%) are fired up
They feel empowered to meet customers’ changing priorities and are flourishing because of it. They connect with customers in authentic ways.

Strivers (66%) are persevering
They have some autonomy to meet customer needs but limited awareness of customer changes. They have the will, but not always the way.

Survivors (17%) are burned out
They aren't in tune with the pulse of customer change and assume it's temporary. It’s becoming harder to wait for things to go back to normal.
Thrivers cut through the clutter
Our global survey pinpoints exactly how Thrivers are leading the way in both their thinking and their actions. The distinctions are most evident when comparing Thrivers to Survivors, which is where we focus our analysis.

By emulating Thrivers, Survivors can begin to turn things around. And Strivers—who are the majority of marketers today—can focus on specific ways to improve their impact.
Five rules for decluttering marketing
01: REACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Thrivers faced the truth that the customers they once knew are no longer. They know their old beliefs about customer preferences—and by extension, how they connect with their customers—are not relevant anymore.

02: FIND YOUR COLLECTIVE DIFFERENCE
Thrivers know they cannot drive differentiation alone. So, they use data to create a common understanding and rally the organization around its collective difference.

03: MOVE AT THE PACE OF CHANGE
Over the last 12 months, what became evident to nearly all Thrivers (91%) is that customers’ behaviors are changing faster than ever. They understood that the only way to lead and stay relevant is to move quickly, which has made speed non-negotiable.

04: FIGURE OUT WHAT NO ONE WANTS TO DO
Thrivers have outwitted complexity. They understand that not all marketing tasks are created equal. It is not about stopping tedious and transactional tasks. Instead, it is about getting them done in other ways.

05: OWN WHAT YOU WANT TO STAND FOR
When it comes to new opportunities to stand out to their customers, Thrivers take them—and own them. They do not just express their brand purpose. They embody it.


THE GREAT MARKETING DECLUTTER INFOGRAPHIC
Less of the wrong things, more of the right things.
Thrivers have discovered that shifting and getting rid of things produces greater returns. More growth. More meaning. Even more joy. This is why instead of burning out, they are igniting a rallying cry that is changing marketing.

Together, we can rewire your organization for transformative growth.

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