Few events spark global change like the pandemic did. For marketing, it meant accelerating how we leverage digital to create a customer journey, from the content we develop to how we distribute it. Regardless of the industry, digital touchpoints can be the most impactful interactions consumers have with a brand, making them a core piece of the go-to-market (GTM) strategy.  

Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting a panel discussion with three industry experts: Bret Sanford-Chung, Managing Director of U.S. Marketing Consulting at KPMG; Richard Delgado, Sr. Manager of Sales Automation at Royal Caribbean International; and Chris Robinson, Sr. Director of Customer Success at Marriott International. During our webinar, Fast Forward: The Future of Digital Marketing has Arrived, we discussed the state of digital marketing and what organizations must do to win (and keep) customers today. 

We came out of the conversation with five main takeaways: 

1. Consistent omnichannel customer experiences are vital. 
2. Accurate digital content is table stakes. 
3. It’s time to refocus on loyalty and the voice of the customer. 
4. Real-time engagements are an expectation. 
5. Maximize your tech stack to gain business value. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these points to uncover how to create a winning go-to-market strategy driven by digital marketing.  

#1: Consistent omnichannel customer experiences are vital 

The central theme that our panelists kept emphasizing was the importance of creating consistent, digital, omnichannel experiences. Silos within an organization are detrimental to this: when information isn’t shared between marketing, sales, customer success, and other teams that touch the digital customer experience, it can cause inconsistencies.  

These inconsistencies create friction along the customer journey that can lead to disengagement.  Conversely, consistency across all channels provides consumers with interactions that feel authentic. This isn’t just about branding. Channels must be designed to work in concert, guided by tech stacks, and orchestrated by cross-functional teams.  

Picture an Instagram ad for a hotel that offers discounted King Room rates for a specific set of dates. But then once you visit the website, the banner ad on the reservation page states the discount is for Queen Rooms instead. Which is to be believed? Consumers expect immediate gratification and will churn if they have confusing experiences. 

#2: Accurate digital content is table stakes 

“The expectations around the accuracy of digital content has risen so far in the last two years, it’s likely at an all-time high.” —Chris Robinson, Marriott International 

Chris Robinson, our panelist from Marriott International, mentioned that inconsistent digital content results in concrete disruptions for travel customers. To address this need, Marriott made a “What to expect” page. This page listed property information such as local mask guidelines, whether amenities were open, and new hours of operation. This content was customized for each property to ensure customers had local, up-to-date information. 

Robinson also mentioned that digital content has helped spark renewed interest in travel. A marketing campaign titled “Travel Makes Us” was released across digital platforms and garnered millions of views. The campaign was focused on inspiring travelers through eye-catching and in-the-moment digital content. 

While both examples are specific to the travel industry, brands across industries should take note. Proactively providing information to consumers on the channels they use most is critical. Going above what is expected in communicating with customers creates trust. Qualitative results like cultivating emotions translate into quantitative financial results.   

Additionally, many organizations have needed to pivot in real-time because of the pandemic. Publishing new digital content – from social media posts to ads to blogs – is a quick and efficient way to keep your audience apprised of the latest. For hotels, that meant focusing on local customers while travelers were held at bay due to stay-at-home orders. Marriott created digital content promoting its restaurants, spas, bars, and other hotel revenue streams that were not originally core to the business but became central to its success during shutdowns.  

#3: It’s time to refocus on loyalty and the voice of the customer 

“Marketing and CX, when done in a holistic way, is closest to the customer within the organization.” —Bret Sanford-Chung, KPMG 

Customer retention is just as important as its more glamorous customer acquisition cousin and can be optimized through actively cultivating customer loyalty. However, not all loyalty programs are created equal, and consumers are willing to switch brands if their needs are not being met.  

Recognizing this, Marriott combined three different loyalty programs across 30 brands to elevate its value to customers. It became instantly easier for Marriott loyalty members to earn free nights, upgrades, and other benefits.  

Loyalty programs can also be used to improve personalization across messaging and engagements. Loyalty program data can teach you what resonates en masse as well as each customer’s individualized preferences.  

Loyalty programs, customer data you already possess, and insights into their engagement puts digital marketing at the forefront of the customer experience.  

#4: Real-time engagements are an expectation 

“The need to be current is imperative…. Once you have it, then you expect it going forward.” —Richard Delgado, Royal Caribbean International 

Human nature is to constantly increase expectations for a given situation – we rarely lower our standards over time. The same can be said for the customer experience: consumers have become accustomed to real-time engagements and information. We can receive alerts when our hotel rooms are ready, where our packages are, and when our planes start boarding. Consumers can have in-the-moment updates across multiple industries.  

While this is emphasized even more today because of the pandemic, it won’t go away, according to Richard Delgado. And why would it? When brands can share critical updates in real-time there’s no reason to slow down the process. To compete, brands need to invest in technology that enables real-time engagements and insights, or risk losing out. 

#5: Maximize your tech stack to gain business value 

Many of the above takeaways are really a result of your tech stack’s capabilities. Tearing down data silos creates omnichannel experiences, delivering real-time updates, personalizing messaging, automating communication, and distributing valuable content – these are results of modern MarTech stacks.

However, the solution isn’t to add dozens of platforms to your tech stack to address each of these capabilities. You must maximize the value that your current tools have to offer; if they can’t meet your needs, then it’s time for an upgrade. Work with your current technology providers to see where you can find additional value from current investments, always asking about current and future integrations. And if it’s time to find a new solution that can scale to your organization’s needs now and in the future, you know where to find us! 

 

If you’d like to learn more about how digital marketing can help drive business growth, watch the full webinar featuring Acoustic, KPMG, Marriott International, and Royal Caribbean International here.