Preparing for post-lockdown opportunities

I’m incredibly proud to share with you that half of ADMA’s Advisory Committee members have been recognised as the best representatives of Australian marketing at the iconic CMO50.

In a year where travel was off the cards, Jo Boundy from Qantas has taken out the top spot. Mim Haysom GAICD from Suncorp Group came in at number two, followed by Alexander Meyer from THE ICONIC and Melissa Hopkins from Optus. Also appearing in the top 15 was Susan Coghill from Tourism Australia at number 14, with David Morgan named the inaugural Marketer’s Champion.

They represent a range of industries, including travel and tourism, retail, insurance and telecommunications. We are honoured to have them on our Advisory Committee, reflecting the breadth and depth of expertise that is driving ADMA – advising us on how to best support you with the latest insights and expertise.

And of course, this wasn’t the only thing we celebrated this month. October also brought the end of lockdowns for people in NSW. Our collective sigh could be heard across the country, I’m sure.

And while everyone is looking forward to getting back into some kind of normalcy, I’d like to acknowledge one thing: we’re all a little tired. Juggling working from home, lockdown fatigue, homeschooling and managing constant changes to what we can and can’t do – we have been through a lot recently.

At the same time, a lot of businesses lost significant revenue and are keen to make up for lost time, as quickly as possible. And so, we enter the next phase of the COVID challenge – carefully balancing the need to accelerate business with looking after the wellbeing of talent. But I think this also presents new opportunities.

Through my conversations with leaders, what I’m hearing is that there is an increased focused on retaining core talent. Leaders are thinking about how they can best support them to reset mentally and physically, and get them ready for the exciting months ahead. They’re also looking at what is needed from a development point of view, so marketers can not only do their jobs well and feel fulfilled, but also feel prepared to step up and explore new opportunities.

A recent Gartner report says 59% of HR leaders’ top priority is to build critical skills and competencies within teams. It’s not surprising. Customer behaviour and expectations have shifted significantly in the past two years, so now is a great time to ask ourselves – are we ready for that? How can we equip our team to unlock business potential?

This is where ADMA’s Behavioural Economics masterclass can be incredibly useful. It gives marketers an insight into what drives consumer behaviour, so they can create more effective messaging, products and services that connect emotionally. Brands that are prepared to jump on the recent shifts in consumer habits will reap the benefits.

ADMA’s Skills Assessment and Capability Framework can be a great tool in identifying skills and strengths, and finding any gaps – helping your team become more powerful and effective.

The prospect of more freedom (and less homeschooling) is very exciting. Now is a great time to take a deep breath and look for ways to support ourselves and each other, so we can recharge and get ready for the exciting opportunities ahead.