The coming year is going to be one that puts businesses to the test. The economic downturn will mean that budgets are under pressure, and teams will need to look at where savings can be made. At the same time, though, consumers and customers will have higher than ever expectations - with perhaps less money available, people want to make sure they are getting the best service or product possible, whilst, partly as a result of the pandemic having intensified the speed of our adoption of digital solutions, we have also come to expect a more instant and personalised service. Those companies that can’t keep up are going to fall by the wayside, and so businesses need to look at how they can expand the digital skillset of their teams to keep pace, ensuring they can take advantage of the technology available to them to best support consumers in 2023. Deciding which skills are needed can be complicated though. We don’t have unlimited time to dedicate to training and the expertise businesses need are constantly changing. So which are the top skills you should consider acquiring in 2023? Based on discussions with a range of businesses, Sarah Gilchriest at President of Circus Street, explores the skills we think will be most in demand in 2023:
Getting to grips with data
Data analytics is a hugely important tool in today’s business arena, helping companies to reach key decisions and craft business strategies. Organisations generate vast amounts of data that can be put to use for competitive advantage if a team is in place who are data literate and understand how to interpret and analyse that information. The reality is though that many businesses are still getting to grips with the analytical skills required to effectively turn information into profit. At the root of this is the critical evaluation of data. The willingness not to take convenient shortcuts to insights, but instead work with the rigor necessary to come to the correct conclusions. Success lies in considering the tasks that you want to perform, the data that you will need, how you will safeguard information, and how you will leverage it to build business cases and inform decisions. The more data expertise you can require the more future proof and attractive your skill set becomes. At the very least, you need to have a basic understanding of statistics to thoughtfully apply data insights to your daily work.
Evaluating technology
We are constantly being told about new and apparently game changing technological solutions being plugged. Over the past year, there has been hype about everything from NFTs to the metaverse. It is incredibly complicated for businesses to decide which trend is worth dedicating attention and resources to. There’s therefore a real need for digital experts who can separate the signal from the noise. To do this you need to be able to understand technology fundamentals, recognise valid use cases, and be able to consider alternative solutions. Practically speaking this means broadening your knowledge base across the entire marketing piste to have a solid grounding of existing and emerging martech solutions.
Understanding social channels
More and more users are becoming aware of products, making purchasing decisions, and consuming brand media via social media. At the same time the space is constantly evolving in terms of the relative popularity of platforms and how they are being used. These channels can not be fully understood simply by reading research or blogs - they need to be experienced. This means becoming an active user. Younger marketers who use high growth sites like TikTok, Reddit and Instagram have a clear advantage over their older colleagues who may have restricted their online presence to the likes of Twitter or Facebook. Being a well rounded digital expert means understanding every available social channel - even if you are not the target demographic.
Technology for leaders
Remote and flexible working is here to stay and this has brought about fundamental changes to the management experience. To be an effective team leader it is vital to adjust to this new reality of working. Understanding how to best use technology to manage tasks, monitor productivity and engage team members is critical. As is determining the best way to structure workflows, assess results and enable the equal development of remote and in office workers. In short, to be a modern manager you need to be able to lead both in the office and the digital space.
An environmental advocate
Although there have been other issues dominating the headlines over the past few years, the climate emergency remains a constant looming presence. Environmental concerns are still high on the corporate agenda, and will continue to rise. In all likelihood a combination of social and legislative pressure will eventually compel all businesses to act more sustainably. It is therefore important to keep up to speed, or ideally ahead of the game, when it comes to understanding factors such as sustainable sourcing, ethical supply chains, and carbon neutrality. These will be crucial skills for every marketer if they want to effectively protect their brand’s reputation as the reality of being a sustainable company continues to adapt.
