What qualities do intelligent marketers at top brands possess?

Rachel Aldighieri, MD of the Data & Marketing Association, discusses the qualities of an intelligent marketer and how leading organisations NatWest and WW are thriving as a result of them

Consumer habits have rapidly evolved over the past 18 months. Because competition for their attention is fierce, and there is a greater desire to interact digitally and remotely, customer trust and engagement have never been so important to business survival.

The data and marketing function has arguably the most impact on these variables, as it is central to an organisation’s ability to get in front of consumers, promoting both their services and values.

The demands on the data and marketing industry have grown; marketers must now be equipped with a range of key skills and values to succeed. This is why the Data & Marketing Association (DMA) champions intelligent marketing. Marketing that’s done responsibly, creatively, sustainably, inclusively and powered by data and technology – always with the customer at its heart.

But who are intelligent marketers? How do their skills and values help them to thrive?

Focus on people over process

Tony Miller, vice president of growth & performance marketing at WW (formerly Weight Watchers), embodies everything that intelligent marketing should be. He currently sits on the DMA Board and recently spoke with the DMA about how he has thrived as an intelligent marketer, and why his teams emulate these qualities.

For nearly 30 years, Tony has helped define and shape best practice across the data and marketing industry. His success in our industry is centred around making a human connection with customers.

He believes that the most effective marketers “play the role of the consumer in order to build creative and responsible campaigns that have a meaningful impact”. At WW, Tony believes they achieve this through transformational stories about health and wellness, that put people at the heart of the message.

Within his teams, he seeks diversity of thought most among his staff to ensure there are a range of strengths and qualities; there must always be “balanced skillsets behind every project”. Tony often emphasizes the importance of having a “blend of people with different attitudes, experience, and expertise”. This is how intelligent marketing works most effectively in his opinion. Not one person can possess every skill and quality, so organisations must ensure that team members complement one another.

To identify and recruit intelligent marketers, Tony looks at how they “communicate, empathise, and display their emotional intelligence”. The right candidate will see value in understanding their customer and find creative ways to make the brand experience better using data insights.

Tony believes intelligent marketers thrive with three main personality characteristics:

· Curiosity (about data and people) – Always ask what their insights are telling you.

· Levity – Don’t take yourself too seriously! Welcome constructive criticism.

· Progressiveness – You must be consistently willing to learn and evolve, adapting to your environment.

During his time in leadership roles at Disney (his previous employer) and WW, he has faced a number of marketing-related challenges. But to successfully navigate through them he ensured that they never forgot “people over process”, or that marketers “must evolve with the business or else the system fails”. Marketers who upskill regularly, in tune with the times, are better poised to succeed.

Another key to success is developing a ‘safe space’ and a culture where everyone can be honest and transparent, a philosophy that intelligent marketers extend to the customer. While successful business leaders always play to people’s strengths, they also create an environment where people can have open conversations about areas of improvement.

Both leadership and their team members must be prepared to make changes and never be precious about their work. That's why “customer feedback is essential – there is little bias”. Rather than just push the same products or services, “intelligent marketers listen to customers and provide exactly what they want” – organisations must then align their services and values accordingly to build trust and engage more effectively.

Marketers must upskill regularly

NatWest's chief marketing officer, Margaret Jobling, understands exactly what it takes to be an intelligent marketer. She's someone who is always looking to improve and is finding ways to make their marketing more engaging. She recently discussed this in greater detail with our team. Margaret believes the best marketers try to understand their customers’ needs through data insights, feedback and testing, tailoring their services accordingly: “Feedback is crucial but too many businesses are afraid to hear it”.

Learning is one of Margaret’s main passions in life and is at the epicentre of all her success. She believes personal development helps businesses to thrive because “there is limitless value to investing in people and culture”. A productive working environment, that rewards curiosity, a desire to learn, and offers opportunities for career progression, motivates staff. It encourages loyalty and passion among talent, benefitting the business and its customers.

That is why Margaret provides her teams with inspiration, guidance and a corporate learning platform to regularly upskill on, through the DMA’s Institute of Data & Marketing, to ensure they are able to evolve alongside the business during rapidly changing times.

Intelligent marketers create better outcomes

Intelligent marketers demand the very best from their team members and campaigns, always striving to be better, with an endless pursuit to deliver meaningful value to their customers.

But in order to thrive post-lockdown in a world that is rapidly evolving, marketers and senior management personnel must invest in professional development consistently. Marketing teams must upskill together to develop and harness a range of qualities associated with intelligent marketing, such as creativity, data analysis, accountability, and technological expertise.

With a growing number of demands and responsibilities placed upon marketers in the past 18 months, there can be no room for complacency from the boardroom. Intelligent marketing builds better outcomes for businesses and, most importantly, customers. Intelligent marketers are the driving force behind them.