The Importance Of The Marketing Relationship Survey

Each year, we conduct the Marketing Relationship Survey with both Client-side and Agency-side marketers to uncover the latest insights on marketing challenges, innovative solutions, and industry preferences. This allows us to identify key marketing gaps and provide strategic solutions that simplify and enhance marketers' efforts. Learn more about last year’s Marketing Relationship Survey here. 

What challenges are Clients currently facing alongside their agency partners in 2024?

Below are current challenges and solutions Client-side marketers are facing so far in 2024. 

Challenge #1: Data Privacy and Regulation Compliance

Data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and newer local laws are increasing day by day, leading to marketers balancing the need to utilize data effectively and ensure compliance. Some takeaways to prepare your team include:

• Investing in Compliance Technology: Tools and software designed to help manage and ensure compliance could help navigate regulation complexities. Some tools include: Predict360, Qualtrax, PowerDMS, Skillcast, and Netwrix.

• Educating and Training Staff: People don’t know what they don’t know, and the rules are constantly shifting. By investing in training, your team will be up to date on the best practices for data privacy.

• Data Minimization: With so much data available, it can be overwhelming to your systems and the consumer. Be sure to only collect data that is necessary, and ease the consumer’s mind by being transparent about how the data is used. Transparency builds trust and consumer loyalty. 

Challenge #2: Personalization at Scale

Highly personalized experiences are now the expectations when it comes to the customer experience. Pulling this off, however, is time consuming and challenging. Some advice on how to optimize personalization:

• Leveraging AI and Machine Learning: AI can speed up processes to help your team be more intentional and efficient. By utilizing AI for data analysis, you’re able to put more time into personalized messaging. 

• Segmenting Customers Effectively: Create detailed customer segments to tailor marketing strategies more effectively. Knowing who you’re marketing to will inform the rest of your marketing strategy. Using ChatGPT to research each customer segment can help you pinpoint how to reach your audience and what to say that will resonate with them.

• Utilizing Dynamic Content: Utilize the data to understand consumer behaviors and preferences to inform a content strategy. Create nurture campaigns that are specific to the needs and personas of your audience.

Challenge #3: Integration of Emerging Technologies

The marketing industry is rapidly changing, and getting a hold on the landscape and implementing new marketing technologies like AI, AR/VR, and IoT can be overwhelming. Some tips to ease the whirlwind of options include:

• Pilot Programs: Testing tools with a few members or departments of the team to determine the impact or ROI before launching to the entire company is a great strategy to stay on the pulse of new technology, while also being cautious. 

• Focus on Customer Experience: Always align technology use with enhancing the customer experience. Using data, research, and understanding your audience will help. Sometimes companies get ahead of themselves and prioritize technological advancement before their audience is ready for it which can be off putting and ineffective. 

Challenge #4: Omni-Channel Consistency

It’s important to be where your consumer is, whether that is online or offline or on multiple social media platforms and channels. Tips on how to be more present with your consumer include:

• Unified Customer Data Platforms: Use CDPs to centralize customer data. 

• Cross-Channel Campaigns: Develop campaigns that are designed to resonate across channels.

• Regular Audits: Conduct regular audits of all channels to ensure consistency in messaging and evaluate if your audience is present on those channels. Sometimes marketers mistake being everywhere as good marketing, when it really is being intentional on the places that matter. 

Read more: Optimize Omni-Channel Marketing

Challenge #5: Attribution and ROI Measurement

Measuring marketing’s ROI and proving marketing’s values to the C-Suite is a constant obstacle. Regularly assessing and reporting on the efforts can help get everyone on the same page. This blog LINK details how you can further prove marketing’s effort to the C-suite, and below are some tips on attribution and tracking performance:

• Advanced Analytics Tools: Invest in advanced analytics tools that offer better attribution models and insights​ like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Whatagraph, and Supermetrics. Present these findings at monthly or quarterly staff meetings and have the data drive your marketing strategy. 

  • Read more: A Marketer’s Guide to Google Analytics 4

• Multi-Touch Attribution: No conversion happens right away. Sometimes it takes time. Use multi-touch attribution models to pinpoint where your consumers are resonating most in the marketing funnel. 

To continue to keep a pulse on the current marketing trends and how Client-side marketers are working with their marketing agency partners, we have just released the 2024 Marketing Relationship Survey. Most Client-side marketers utilize an expert Agency partner or have an inhouse team to navigate the challenges above. 

However you are currently navigating these challenges, we would love to hear your feedback so that we can continue to keep the marketing community informed and prepared. 

If you are currently struggling with any of the challenges above, Setup works to match Brands with qualified expert Agency partners who can ease the stress and seamlessly guide you through our ever changing industry. Learn more about how we help here.