Participants in this year’s 4th annual CMO Predictions from B2B tech and healthcare integrated agency PAN Communications urged marketers to consider how a year of upheaval has impacted the customer experience.
Leaning on previous years’ insights, leading marketers Larry Kim, CEO of MobileMonkey, Tamara McCleary, CEO of Thulium, Matt Heinz, President of Heinz Marketing and others returned to the award-winning campaign to share knowledge and perspectives about how to approach budget and strategy for 2021.
According to these experts, the fundamental way that we connect with our audiences must change, starting with a few key themes:
Empathy and compassion are no longer an option
Values and customer challenges must come above all else or risk falling tone deaf. This includes taking a stand for social justice issues through internal and external comms.
Focus on delivering experiences, not generating leads
The shift away from in-person events has forced marketers to consider new ways to drive revenue during this economic downturn. Many are turning to PR and content to play a more supportive role.
Customer connections are about more than data
Whether you’re gathering customer insights, combatting misinformation or looking to build credibility, combining emotional marketing with data-informed insights will create hyper-personalized experiences.
The 2021 CMO Predictions were designed to offer support for marketers during this difficult time. PAN felt that the disruption caused by COVID-19 was even more of a reason to harness the power of thought leadership to bring the community together. Check out all the CMO predictions in the infographic below.
