
- Marketing
Learn. Unlearn. Relearn.
These three words formed the pillar of success for the marketers who weathered the pandemic storm effectively.
Most B2B marketers had never existed in such times before. This is the first time in a long time that a viral outbreak of this magnitude will happen – and it shook everyone to the core.
There is no template to go by. There is no gameplan for things like this. There is no playbook to consult on these matters. Where most were shutting down and waiting for it all to go away first, others were trying to have a handle on the day-by-day situation.
The ones who did well all have a trait in common, though. They learned fast that they had to change with the market, not try to change the market. They pivoted!
Change is Constant
The wave of uncertainty that ushered in this decade showed that there is never a one-way approach to doing anything. Brands and marketers have only been seeing as far as they want to.
Demographics changed with many clients either shutting down in certain markets, moving their businesses away, or shutting down completely. Internal brand contacts got shuffled too, leaving many marketers with no insider that they could leverage on anymore. To cap it all off, the tone of message and communication approach took a new turn.
The marketer was facing the dilemma of either continuing with their processes or shutting down. Note, however, that the clients will not take the latter. After all, a majority of them claimed that they wanted the brands they trust to continue business like nothing changed – for a sense of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal situation.
The pressure that this put on marketer is immense. Instead of crumbling under that pressure, it birthed new processes and approaches for the top performers.
Test, Dump, Implement
It is hard to determine what works and what doesn’t in a novel situation like this one. That could be crippling on the mind and intents to try new things out.
Changing the mindset from that of failure to learning, backed with an agile environment, fixes the situation.
Marketers that want to compete in the new decade will embrace innovation, run various simulations and not be afraid to test new grounds.
There is not only a change in how we work and play but how the client views the products too. The potential leads and existing clients also have new problems spelled out for them on the back of the pandemic. Thus, they will be looking to how your product can morph into the solution that they so desperately need.
For once in the marketing landscape, marketers can now see that their communication and presentation is just as important as the product.
Keep testing and trying out new things. Get in and out of approaches that do not work as fast as possible. Dwell on and build around the prospects that have a hint of success. When it works, recreate the success and apply it to other parts of your marketing.
Whatever you do, don’t stay in one place. Do not wait for others to do the hard work for you. Surely, don’t think that all you have learned before the turn of the new decade is the holy grail that should not be tampered with.
Of course, the basics remain just that: the basics. If there is anything these last few months have taught us all, it is that nothing is forever etched in stone.
Our B2B marketing playbook for the 2020s highlights nine other key areas to focus on for explosive marketing success and improved returns. Grab your copy today to unlock greater potential for your business.

