Data-driven marketers today are wondering how they can gain insight from big data. The answer? The ability to change is the connection between big data and insight. Data-driven marketers today know that their roles are changing: 68% of marketers think that marketing has seen more changes in the last two years than it has in the past 50 years, according to a recent survey. The changes are due to a renewed focus on customer experience within their jobs, and the need to use big data to improve that experience.
Customer Experience is the buzzword over the last 2 years, combine this with the other buzzword of "big data" and you can understand why 68% of marketers think marketing has changed so drastically the last couple of years. I think what is causing all this change is how technology has shifted the paradigm of marketing.
For many years marketers were able to call on plays from the same playbook and be very successful. The technology was never really able to advance the playbook and very few companies were pushing the boundaries. Today, marketing technology companies are driving the sea change, creating platforms which make creating authentic customer experiences possible on a large scale.
Companies are having to tear up their playbook and turn their strategy on its head. This goes well beyond just the marketing playbook. Companies are having to start culture change throughout the organization as the customer experience goes well beyond just the marketing department. As customers interact with all parts of organizations, there is little care of operational silos within companies.
The biggest sea change is what Adobe refers to "marketing beyond marketing". No longer can marketing leaders be focused on the message and bring in customers, only to wipe their hands after the customer starts engaging with the brand. Marketers are learning they are the leaders of the customer experience renaissance. Marketing is having to drive the experience of the customer throughout entire organizations, which is not a skill-set a traditional marketer has. This change will be driving "big data" initiatives as marketers are learning to understand their customers in new and interesting ways.