Technology has rapidly transformed the marketing industry. Reuters reports that digital marketing spends in the US and UK alone is it 52 billion. That’s a 44% increase on the previous year. And the 2018 marketing trends report by McKinley found that while all other marketing functions are saturated there is still a big gap between the demand for digital marketing at 59% with active supply at 19%.

What does this mean for any entrepreneur, business owner or professionals in the field of marketing? Digital marketing is not only smart career move but I dare say it will be a required skill even if at a very basic level for every single business owner – yes, I just said it – and if you combine the right set of skills you can become one of the most in-demand business professionals in the world.

That said, let me give you a cheat sheet on how to stay ahead in the industry. Here are five skills that are really going to help you up your digital marketing game into 2020 and beyond!

1. Digital Psychology

Humans are complicated emotional creatures. In fact, according to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman 95% of our purchase decisions are made subconsciously. As a digital marketer, mastering the ability to compel and persuade the subconscious mind through online touchpoints is super powerful. You get this by having a firm grasp of digital psychology.

This relatively new field combines psychology and behavioural economics to better examine consumers’ online behaviours.

I see a huge focus in marketing on ‘WHAT’ of the customers while overlooking the ‘WHY’. As an Anthropology graduate with a massive understanding of human habits, behaviours, thought processes and cultures combined with 5+ years of experiences working directly with business owners, entrepreneurs and my hand on digital marketing, I can confidently say the bottom-up approach is the way to go. Yes, there’s always a WHY to the WHAT!

Even if you haven’t actively studied this discipline, you have probably been exposed to some of its principles. Here’s an example to see it in action, Amazon uses price anchoring against the recommended retail price to make their prices seem relatively cheap and appealing. Despite the fact that actually, most of the competition will sell lower than the RRP.

2. Customer Experience 

This has been referred to as the only channel a business truly owns. As markets become more and more saturated and consumer’s choice becomes more abundant, customer experience is one way that any business can utilize to stand out in the crowd. Put digital psychology in action to understand ‘the why’ of your customers and glue them by serving their deepest need(s). Here’s a practical case I encounter a lot, I am in the virtual service-based industry. I often encounter business owners who have been disappointed in the past individuals who overpromise and underdeliver. Those who think working virtually is a ‘make money quick scheme’. They charge the client’s hefty fees and deliver peanuts.

Whenever I meet clients who are very skeptical and not decided yet they’re crying out for help – right then, I always know there’s more to the story. 85% of the time, they’re usually scared of making the same mistake of bringing on-board a bad fit yet they’re faced with the reality of the inability to weed through. I make the process easier by leveraging free discovery calls to discuss expectations, scope, previous experiences, among others. The secret to successful working or hiring virtually is building trust so that’s exactly what I am to do with these calls and constant strategy calls to solidify the relationship.

 As an Oracle report found, 86% of consumers will pay more for a better customer experience and 89% of consumers began doing business with a competitor following a poor customer experience. Marketers in the digital age need to shift their focus from selling products to selling experiences, and ensuring that those experiences are great at every touchpoint.

So yes, you want to stay at the top of your digital marketing game? Sell the experience!

3. Front-End Code

I’m using Front-end coding as a representative of techy skills out there. I think if you can master some of these technical skills even at a basic level, you will be able to help your clients truly set up their business to thrive in the digital transformation era. READ MORE......