How can you develop adaptability in marketing operations during uncertain times?

In unpredictable times, I've found that adaptability is key in marketing operations. I keep my finger on the pulse of market trends and I'm always ready to switch things up if needed. I don't put all my eggs in one basket, instead, I spread out my efforts across various channels. And, I never stop learning - I test new approaches, learn from them, and tweak my strategies accordingly. It's a wild ride, but it keeps things interesting!

Do something aiming towards being more prepared in the future while still delivering core services or products. Run with that topic you need to and stay true to your shared values and self. Don’t put that pressure and expectation of growth on just one person. Restore excitement and positive energy or the outlook for your team and customers. Fixing and fixing and issue after issue gets old. Fear based leadership can creep in with so much on the line.

One area I think we should emphasize more is the integration of customer feedback and market trends into our strategy. This approach will not only improve our adaptability but also ensure we're always a step ahead in meeting our customers' expectations. Let's leverage our strengths in analytics and digital tools to close any gaps in our marketing efforts and mitigate risks. In short, our goal should be a marketing strategy that's not only efficient and goal-oriented but also flexible and responsive to the dynamic market environment.

This is the first step in any project that is looking to improve marketing operations. If you've not done this then being adaptable is irrelevant as you won't know what you're adapting towards, or why.

And you need to include into this assessment both the strategic questions - ie what are we working on, what is needed (instead) and the people and capabilities aspects - ie the how.

In @Carol Dweck's book Mindset, she spoke about a Growth Mindset. She mentioned: "when people already know they're deficient, they have nothing to lose by trying. In the fixed mindset, everything is about the outcome. If you fail—or if you're not the best—it's all been wasted. The growth mindset allows people to value what they're doing regardless of the outcome." Always make fun of your mistakes first so that others you are working with or managing are more comfortable with their "mistakes" and releases the tension in the room. It boosts team morale, and makes the team become patient, rather than everything being a critical error. Mindset is different between men & women, so always serve your team the best humility to embrace this mindset.

Growth Mindset is a non-negotiable for me - it's the most critical ingredient for an organization to navigate uncertainties successfully. This capability lives & dies with the individuals who make up your team. When I open a role, regardless of function, I hire for Growth Mindset *first*, asking candidates to share examples where they have demonstrated curiosity, collaboration, flexibility, and resilience. I also work with existing team members to support the development of their Growth Mindset abilities. Folks who can't or won't develop Growth Mindset are not only bad fits for the team & culture long term, they can also create a ton of friction within the business when situations arise requiring innovation, adaptation, & evolution.

Según mi experiencia el primer paso es reconocer mi propia creencia y determinar la mentalidad en la que estamos inmersos de forma inconsciente y potenciar dicha creencia hacia un mundo de opciones y posibilidades. Cambiar es un tema impuesto o mejor dicho evolucionar el tema es que si vamos a subir por una escalera para saltar un muro, es apoyar la escalera en el muro correcto. Me refiero al rumbo primero y recorrido a desarrollar después.

Existen muchas metodologías, lo mas complejo es elegir la mas cercana o mas fácil de interpretar por tu audiencia/mercado/nicho para así no tener la necesidad de forzar el desarrollo de la misma.

Scrum works great when you list the weekly or even daily priorities and remove the excess to the next one to always stay on the path towards the goal. People in many instances tend to claim they will get more done than they actually can or do. Plus, you have to avoid leadership changing what people are working on to ensure all priorities and goals, customer objectives are met on time or to drive better communications.

Como lider de operaciones en una empresa de marketing es importante evaluar el impacto del modelo operativo en los resultados de la compa?ía. El modelo operativo comprende de los procesos, estructura, tecnología y cultura que habilitarán la estrategia y visión de la organización. En función de ello podemos elegir optar por un modelo operativo ágil que permita desde los niveles estrategico, táctico y operativo brindar resultados con adaptabilidad.

And here it is crucial to again start with the business needs and a solid gap assessment before jumping on potentially many fancy projects

In my experience from working with a range of companies on digital transformation projects, it’s crucial to ensure that any new software proves its return on investment at least twice its value, saves time, is easy to use and there’s buy in from the people using it. Without these elements digital transformation can be an expensive process.

Mi interpretación es que debemos tener un "porqué" para luego pensar en un "como", ya que el "que" por lo general lo reconocemos facilmente. La elección de caminos digitales es amplia y puede ir desde RRSS hasta una plataforma personalizada al momento del ingreso del prospecto para convertirlo en cliente frecuente. Lo importante es "frecuencia repetitiva de compra" donde empezamos a elegir el "como".

Uno de los aspectos importantes para lograr la transformación digital es generar adopción. La adopción requiere de la apertura de las personas y un buen proceso que permita la eficacia en la implementación. Por lo mismo, es importante la participación de la gerencia de operaciones en los temas de cultura porque permiten dise?ar o redise?ar los comportamientos que habilitan resultados.

Become the best record keeper of all of that which works and doesn't. It is one thing to always know what you'll be doing. But you have to make others aware of things that may not have worked in the past. Collectively, what this means is that processes can either be improved or abandoned based on the demands of the project at hand. Be sure to create an environment where all you have done is referenced. Alongside, noting down the key individuals who spearheaded the different activities, you may want to re-embrace partially or in full. It's always a good thing to know who to approach at a later date or in the moment for practical insights. As this is useful in monitoring both the present and what was done prior.

It's inevitable that operations, competitive intelligence, data and insights are all going to be subject to change now and in the near future, and being comfortable with the unknown is the the best way to attack this from a mental persepctive. Once aware of these changes gear yourself uo and learna ll you can about the newest technologies and trends that are disrupting these spaces (look at VC firms or PE firms and find companies that are being funded to see the next wave of innovation) and plan your strategy accordingly when bringing up trends in meetings with stakeholders. Companies like Snyk, lost millions off of their valuation for failure to understand a wave of AI innovation will compromise code for even the newest solutions.

A medida que recorremos el camino es necesario ajustar la nueva realidad. Si vamos a recorrer 400 kilómetros en un vehículo, controlamos los fluidos, neumáticos y muy especialmente combustible o carg de batería en caso que el vehículo sea eléctrico, pero a la mitad del recorrido confirmamos el estado del vehículo y de la ruta elegida o si es el mejor camino que elegimos al comenzar. Algunas veces es necesario algún ajuste. Lo mismo pasa con los negocios, la información de mercado o nuestro propio recorrido.

LinkedIn is the right place to do this sharing of our best practices, strategy guidelines and talk how working with you makes others *feel* as a whole!

Automate EVERYTHING. Having an automation strategy, especially with the use of X.ai, OpenAI, or Bard will be super helpful to weigh in when it comes to Marekting your brand, product or solution to the world. This doesn't just mean automating messaging through email/social media (a lot of people know how to detect automated emails that sound robotic) so be aware of this an add a human touch or a period of when not to automate too much. Understand the platforms that are tightening their bolts when it comes to stopping too much automation. A lot of user growth comes from understanding what platform to use and avoid to get your message out. Automate the speed in you get the team to reply to customers and response rates with critical feedback.

Understand your customers almost to the extent of living in their shoes. See how they are reacting and what you can do to help them.

In neuromarketing, adaptability involves understanding consumer behavior at a deeper level. Utilize neurofeedback testing for real-time insights, focusing on emotional engagement to create lasting connections. Leverage sensory elements in marketing to enhance memorability. Behavioral insights from neuroscience can guide adjustments to changing consumer needs. Incorporate storytelling techniques that trigger positive neurological responses, making your brand more memorable and adaptable. Personalize marketing using neuro-informed data, addressing individual preferences. This approach ensures a dynamic strategy aligned with the evolving landscape, fostering adaptability in uncertain times.