Indianapolis, US, 14 June 2022 — Almost half (45%) of global marketers say that their main priority for the year is to invest time in getting to know their customers better. That’s according to research from customer engagement platform Emarsys.
Launched as part of Emarsys’ “unPredictions” research, the global study of 500 retail marketers also reveals that additional priorities include driving first-time buyers to repeat purchases (16%) and tackling sophisticated customer engagement strategies (14%). An additional 13% are prioritizing adding new channels into programs and campaigns.
Despite these ambitions, almost all (93%) of marketers say that time is a key barrier to making priorities a reality, wishing for more time in the day to ensure that they can focus their attentions on the right place. With over half (55%) responsible for CX, CRM, digital marketing, branding, customer acquisition and customer retention, many are stretched thinner than ever before. They’re required to deliver more sophisticated work, across a broader spectrum, in the same or less time, meaning it’s never been harder to be a marketer.
To free up more of their time and break through the barriers holding them back, marketers are turning to technology to buy back time and improve their personalization capabilities. Almost half (44%) of global marketers at retail brands will be investing in more web personalization technologies in the next 12 months and a further two-thirds (59%) plan to put money behind email marketing.
Commenting on the research, Meghann York, Global Head of Product Marketing at Emarsys says: “All too often marketers are burdened by a rapidly expanding list of responsibilities, reducing the time they can spend on priorities and denying them the opportunity to concentrate on the areas that will make a difference.
“With personalization and a better understanding of customers high on the list of priorities for many, technology is key to both giving time back to marketers and giving them the tools they need to give customers the best possible experience. This, in turn, will unlock a deeper understanding of the people who buy from and engage with their brands. Marketers need to be empowered to understand their customers as deeply as possible – and to have the time to put this at the forefront of everything they do. That demands the technological platform upon which they can elevate their work.”
To find out more about how marketers are getting to know their customers, you can watch a brand new webinar from Emarsys: Marketers vs Consumers: Building Meaningful Relationships Across Multiple Channels.
Featuring Meghann York, Global Head of Product Marketing at Emarsys, Vab Dwivedi, Vice President Digital Products at Saatva and Gregg Brockway, CEO of Charish, alongside real shoppers, the panel discusses consumer purchasing behavior, how omnichannel marketing drives results and the best ways to develop meaningful customer relationships.
