As we head into the holiday season, marketers have seen a drastic change in consumer buying habits and tendencies. The acceleration of the eCommerce industry has skyrocketed maybe more than any other time in history. According to Forbes, “U.S. e-commerce sales will hit a projected $709.78 billion in 2020, or about 14.5% of total U.S. retail sales, up from $601.65 billion, or about 11% of total retail sales, since 2019.” As a result, the leading eCommerce executive search firm has seen companies who have quickly adapted to the growing trend reap the benefits in the middle of the pandemic.
This has led to high demands for top digital marketers and eCommerce experts. Companies cannot simply create a website and plan to succeed with any type of marketing strategy. You need extensive experience to effectively grab the target market’s attention and remain relevant in their daily lifestyle.
Therefore, to become a successful marketer, you need to understand how the changes in consumer behavior will affect your marketing strategy as well as your current job description. Identifying the most valuable skill sets, you can leverage your abilities to further your marketing career. So what skill sets do you need? As the leading eCommerce executive search firm, MarketPro has narrowed down the most important marketing skills on a resume every marketer needs to know:
Top Marketing Skills On A Resume That Will Open More Doors To Better Opportunities:
Social Commerce
Social media is a powerful tool dating years back. With an estimate of 3.6 billion people using the network worldwide, the platform has been used to boost brand awareness and visibility within a company’s target market. However, over the past few months, a new trend has emerged. Social commerce has allowed companies to directly sell their products and services via social channels. Therefore, it eliminates the extra steps in the buying process which would have caused consumers to abandon their carts.
Instagram and Facebook are some of the most common social commerce platforms. Marketers who are well versed with these applications will be able to attract and reach the new generation of consumers more effectively. The surge in social commerce has left many companies looking for top talent to successfully guide their consumers’ buying journey from start to finish. With this being one of the most popular trends, now is the time to brush up on your knowledge.
Artificial Intelligence & eCommerce
AI has been developing new techniques to better understand consumer behavior for years. As more data is gathered the algorithms become increasingly accurate. So what kind of applications should you be aware of? According to Martech Outlook, there are 3 AI marketing applications to watch out for in 2020.
- Predictive analytics & forecasting – using actionable consumer insights marketers can determine future trends and pinpoint the most valuable leads in their target market.
- Audience Hyper Segmentation – collects and analyzes large data sets to more effectively learn about the audience with segment-based marketing.
- Persona Research – builds more accurate and robust personas to better understand extremely targeted audiences.
Apart from data analyzation capabilities, artificial intelligence in eCommerce industries is used to provide personalized shopping experiences and customer service through chatbots. According to Gartner, they predict around 80% of customer interactions will leverage AI technologies. With human interactions being limited, being acquainted with the major AI applications will ensure you are well up-to-date with the latest technologies. Therefore, eCommerce marketing executive search firm has identified the most common trends used in eCommerce:
- AI-Based Email Marketing – sends marketing emails for products and services based on consumer preferences.
- AI-Based Supply Chain Automation – management of the supply chain in eCommerce.
- Product Recommendation – impacts consumer choices based on previous searches.
Retargeting Marketing Segments
As businesses switch to online platforms, companies must filter through the competition to engage with their target market. The reality is you can not retain all of your target market’s attention. There will be obstacles companies must overcome to remain relevant. Therefore, retargeting is an effective strategy to interact with consumers who have shown interest in the past. It keeps your brand at the forefront of the consumer’s mind and encourages them to return to your website.
Retargeting needs to be done based on consumer behavior. Making content relevant to their preferences will help improve the chances of them completing the buying journey. The good news is that the past, current, and future customers are all virtually accessible. It increases the chance for companies to better communicate with the consumers they have lost. As eCommerce marketers, you must understand how to effectively retarget your audience if you want to stay competitive. Here are the most common examples to improve the chances of converting:
- Showing an ad for the exact item the consumer has looked at
- Providing an ad with discounts or promotions
- Showing an ad for similar products the consumer has bought
Conclusion
Now that the top eCommerce skill-sets found in today’s most successful marketers have been disclosed, it is time to determine which one applies to your current or future position. As an example, social media is a key skill-set. However, what platform is more important to your advancement? Specializing in certain areas for each category will not only make you an expert but provide you with the key essentials to ensure your marketing strategy is the most effective plan for your company.
It is also a great idea to keep your mind open to new opportunities. Companies that are reluctant to change with the trends in today’s society will cause your career to stand still. If you feel like you are ready for a change or a new challenge, consider contacting the leading eCommerce executive search firm to better understand your options.
Author: Melissa Van Rossum