Ian Knight: The Importance of Foresight and Attentiveness in Marketing

We are where we are today because of the projections and predictions we made in the past. Taking the pandemic as a case study, organizations with foresight on the digital age set up schemes to digitize their operations had it more comfortable than those who were solely analog and traditional in operations.

If there is a lesson to pick from the pandemic experience, it should be the need to see beyond now and make calculated predictions on what is coming next.

Our Rediscover Marketing post today features Ian Knight. He shared critical aspects of marketing and growth, which leaders should investigate in this new year to develop content marketing strategies tailored to position their organization to benefit from new waves in marketing.

Meet Ian Knight

You probably have not heard of a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer before now. It might interest you to know you would be learning from one through our mind-blowing interview.

Ian has had quite a journey in the industry, having worked in aircraft and other companies before finally branching off to start Worx CBD. 

As a fractional marketing leader, Ian develops strategies to promote brands and increase conversion, employing every available tool and marketing platform. The marketing expert freelancer has worked and still works with various great brands.

Let us Learn from Ian's Experience Working with Organizations

Having consulted for various firms, you can be sure that our guest has quite a lot to share on marketing challenges and successes. If there were anything evident from the interview, it would be Ian's high regard for risk-takers.

People who are comfortable being uncomfortable will always break limits even in unimaginable situations like the pandemic. While it might be safe to be conservative, it will not always earn you success, especially when it gets tough, as we have had in recent times.

Ian shared working with a company that previously used to be a planning organization. They would typically plan huge wellness events and partner with organizations. The pandemic came, and it became impossible to host large events. Rather than give up, this company launched a new initiative called "Earn Your Booze", deviating slightly from event planning into a proper wellness program. The program helps alcoholics recover, especially those whose work revolves around alcohol, like the bartenders and bar owners, creating a balance in lifestyle through exercise and fitness.

The company now doing fine is a clear illustration of the need to move outside the comfort zone and try new things, especially when the situation demands it.

Ian On the New Year's Wave

It is a new year, and companies are beginning to create strategies and policies for the year. Ian has some tips for you as a growth and marketing leader. He stated essential facts you may want to be attentive to while developing your best marketing strategies.

• Client's Taste

It should not be surprising that several clients will change taste and consumption in this new year. This would typically happen with people creating new year resolutions, but you might want to prepare for more considering how the previous year was with the pandemic. You should pay close attention to the digital needs of your clients and develop strategies around that.

• Social Media

While it is fantastic that you leverage social media while it lasts, you may want to be foresighted about your plans with this platform. The campaign against social media wide use and its toxicity is getting popular by the day, and you do not want to be the marketing leader than invest hugely on a platform that might just be approaching its bleak years. This is another aspect where leaders need the foresight to decide how to go about marketing correctly.

• Data Review

While regular data review is fantastic and helps you review your numbers, you want to be aware and mindful of the dangers of micromanaging. Often, organizations need to listen to their customers, the reviews they give and be willing to make necessary changes that would yield results.

Ian noted that data review is not the problem, but organizations' reluctance to take the real steps to improve their marketing.

• Take Every Opportunity

You do not want to focus on one aspect of marketing and leave out others, and neither do you want to take one approach, neglecting other platforms. It is the combined effect of all efforts made that brings about desirable results.

In conclusion, you should note that doing all these can be overwhelming when you must do them all by yourself, which is why you do not have to do them all by yourself. Please do what you are best at and outsource the rest to experts who can do them better.

Those are the words of wisdom from Ian, and you can likely relate with most of the things discussed. Share some challenges which you think your organization may face in trying to implement Ian's approaches. We will be following our comment section closely, and we might proffer solutions to your challenges in our next episode of Rediscover Marketing.