According to a new research report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Marketo, 80% of marketing leaders worldwide say they need to restructure marketing and almost one-third believe the need for change is urgent. The study highlights the rise of marketing as a leadership function with today’s companies. As Jon Miller, co-founder of Marketo, observed, “Business success today depends less than ever on your message or brand, and more than ever on the relationships your business builds with each customer. Marketing is on the rise and playing a dominant role in business growth – and it demands an approach that moves away from a transactional focus and instead works to strengthen the relationship with the customer. Marketers will soon be the primary function managing the customer experience, and making these relationships engaging will not only be essential to growth, but also to business survival.”
The study summarized six changes that marketers believe will be the catalysts for transformation. Following are those changes with my commentary.
