Whilst in the midst of launching our new Marketing Director as a Service offering, we’ve been thinking hard about how the role of the Marketing Director has evolved over time and how it is set to alter again as we move into this new era of business post Covid-19.
Although it’s tempting to sweep the image of the traditional Marketing Director off the table, it’s important not to forget that many of the central principles of the job still remain at its heart. Regardless, of the emergence of new technologies and changing attitudes within the business landscape.
Marketing Directors will always be highly-skilled creative thinkers
We might expect Marketing Directors to be highly-skilled creative thinkers with an in-depth understanding of the values and intentions of the business they serve. We may also anticipate senior marketers’ to exhibit a talent for translating expert knowledge into an effective and robust marketing strategy. Not to mention the ever-present requirement for them to demonstrate an excellent, empathetic and inspiring leadership style. It’s a tough gig!
However, the explosion of communication technologies into the business environment over the past few decades has added another layer of complexity to the traditional role. No longer is the Marketing Director confined to lengthy meetings about billboards and mailshots, but now there’s the issue of balancing complex digital marketing strategies across multiple digital platforms.
Never before have we seen such far-reaching creative and strategic possibilities for business marketing and never before have we seen such exciting potential for business growth through digital advertising and promotion. So, now the role of Marketing Director has taken on a new level of intricacy, as marketing strategies have expanded tenfold to include balancing the books across the digital landscape.
Covid-19 has changed consumer behaviour, therefore marketing practises must change too
Today, in August 2020, businesses are navigating through increasingly stormy waters as the full impact of Covid-19 on the economy is still revealing itself. Not only are we all finding ourselves confronted with an entirely new day-to-day working life, but we are also having to rapidly alter marketing strategies to account for unprecedented changes to consumer behaviours and habits.
And so, the role of the Marketing Director is being called upon to shift again, to step back and acknowledge an unbalanced world and to rewrite the book on everything. From how a marketing department functions, to how best to serve client needs in uncertain times.
Marketing is being pushed to the top of the agenda of many businesses, as they compete to have their voices heard in loud and unforgiving marketplaces. However, this shift also comes at a time when budgets are being squeezed, and many businesses are being forced to make redundancies, reducing internal resources which is increasing the load on those left behind.
Outsourcing will be the future – for now
Into this world emerges a new model for businesses looking to ease the financial burden of maintaining expensive, full-time, Director level staff. One of the new models will be outsourcing. While it’s not a new concept, this way of working will see a resurgence as companies look for a flexible and affordable means of providing skilled and experienced support – without the hefty price-tag.
If businesses see success in outsourcing, then this way of working could be here to stay. So for now, the future of marketing is the outsourced Marketing Director who will bring flexibility, originality and adaptable strategies to the table.
What are your views on the changing business landscape? Will outsourcing become a focus for you?
Get in touch to access your free Marketing Director as a Service consultation, with no obligations.
