The rapid rise of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns around the globe in early 2020 reduced the years of global digital transformation to a few weeks.

Technology’s increasing role in work, play and staying connected has created new digital habits that will forever change the world’s economy. It is time to start thinking big and to reset business operations in order to meet these new digital expectations.

To remain relevant and competitive in the changing landscape, marketers must adapt to it. McKinsey calls this the Next Normal. Our job is more challenging than ever because of the increased competition online, digital fatigue among our customers and their urgent need for real solutions.

7 Tips to Increase Your Marketing Effectiveness in 2021

Here are seven ways you can make your marketing more successful in 2021 if it’s time to take a step back and think big.

Always start with the end in your mind

It can feel like everything is constantly changing. You need a long-term strategy to tie everything together, but also have enough flexibility to adapt to current events.

It was not an easy task to get from one end of the lake to another when I started learning to sail many years ago. It was possible for the conditions to change quickly, so I had to just move with it. From above, it may have seemed like my circuitous route was two steps forward and one step back at times. However, by trimming my sails, and tacking right-left, I finally got to where I wanted.

The same applies to business. Your overall strategy will keep you on the right path to your destination, while your monthly and quarterly tactical planning will allow you to adapt to changes as they occur.

Get to know your customer better

Over the past twelve months, there have been significant shifts in customer behavior – including the adoption of remote work and schooling, video calling and online shopping for everything, from groceries essentials to garden supplies and even streaming our entertainment virtually.

What has your customer’s response been? Are there new challenges or pain points that this has raised?

Ask them. To get qualitative feedback on topics such as:

• What they do with your product or service right now
• What makes it work?
• In our current environment, what no longer works is irrelevant
• What other services can you provide?

Once you have this information, you can follow it up by sending out a survey to your larger email list and social audience. This will allow you to measure sentiment.

You should adapt your strategy to reflect what you have learned.

It’s all about the relationships

This is the right time to strengthen your relationships, regardless of whether you work in a B2B environment or B2C.

B2B marketers might use this to create a structured account-based marketing strategy for their key accounts, or simply pick up the phone and check in with the people who are buying from you. Do not ask for a sale.

Consider how you could add value to your contacts. This is what you could do:

• Share headlines and research that you find relevant to your customer’s sector

• Invite your contact for smaller, more intimate events such as discussions or panels. They can ask questions and participate in the event.

• Short one-on-one conversations allow you to connect with thought leaders within the company

• Make content that addresses their concerns, and flags up new opportunities.

You can start to get to know your customers if you work in a B2C setting.

While you don’t have to change your entire strategy, or make any changes to your branding, it is worth making an effort to build a closer relationship with your customers. You can hold focus groups, invite direct messages via social media or test a personal content strategy using 10 to 20% of your activity.

Ask your audience what they are feeling right now. Create content that addresses wider trends such as work-life balance and how to stay healthy and strong right now. Celebrate the content they create through your channels with a user generated content strategy.

Active listening is the second step in this process. You can help people by listening to what they have to say and allowing them to share their feelings.

It takes time to make users friendly

Google’s Core Web Vitals the latest update to the search engine’s algorithms that prioritizes a user’s experience with your website. This May update will assess the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of your website. This will impact your search engine ranking.

This is the best time to start user experience work if you haven’t done it before. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to transform your entire online experience.

Take it one step at a. You can map out your ideal customer journey, and then monitor how customers follow it. To see how visitors navigate your site, you can use a tool such as Hotjar or Crazy Egg. Then ask them questions through a pop up survey to get their feedback. You can then fix it one at a time.

Balance customer activity between existing and new customers

A recent Gartner survey found that 73% of CMOs are focusing on their existing customers in order to drive growth. While your existing customers are important, there are also opportunities to expand your reach in today’s market.

COVID has disrupted many of our routines as well as several supply chains. Customers are experimenting with new brands either out of necessity or choice, and it is likely that many of these new buyer behaviors will continue to be prevalent.

This is the perfect time to launch a wide-reaching campaign to present your brand to potential customers who might be searching for something else.

Be a leader with a purpose

There are many fundamental issues facing us all right now: a public health crisis, protests for social justice, political uncertainty, and climate change. People are searching for leaders in businesses.

ReGenerate and B Corps conducted a poll and found that 72% of UK citizens believe businesses should be held legally responsible for the environment and its people.

However, transparency and authenticity are essential. Before you make a public statement or begin doing “socially conscious marketing”, take a look at your company from the perspective of the public. Ask a few questions.

• How diverse is your board?

• How sustainable is your supply-chain?

• How transparent is your supply chain in order to check how people are treated?

• Are you a business that causes harm to the environment?

• What is the difference in pay between the highest- and lowest-paid employees?

Brands that don’t live up to their values are easily seen by the public. Before you speak up, make sure your home is in order.

Invest in yourself

It will be a year of uncertainty. There are huge changes in the way we shop, work, play, communicate with one another, and have fun.

Investing in your skills and knowledge is one of the best ways you can prepare. This will not only increase your confidence but also make you more adaptable and resilient.

Learning the Python programming language for data science is a great place. You can also develop your strategic thinking skills through LinkedIn Learning courses. Or simply read and listen more about the current trends around you.

Here are the 7 ways to increase the effectiveness of your marketing in the next year.