The Future of Digital Marketing Trends in 2024

In the digital realm where code and creativity intersect, Jasmine is a beacon of transformative prowess. A software engineer-turned-marketing maven, she represents the harmony of logic and artistry, embarking on a journey that most wouldn’t dare tread.

From translating algorithms into user stories to envisioning a world where SaaS grows under the shade of sustainability, Jasmine’s tale is a testament to relentless evolution.

Whether it’s her innovative thinking, aimed at promoting and expanding the adoption of AMP, or her unwavering enthusiasm in urging marketers to harness the potential of AI, Jasmine consistently demonstrates a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the realm of marketing technology.

Her story isn’t just about clicks, conversions, or cloud solutions. It’s about bridging worlds, fostering innovation, and inspiring an industry to adapt and thrive. And today, we dive deep into that story.

Join us as we venture into Jasmine’s world, unravelling the tapestry of her experiences and gaining insights into the SaaS cosmos through her eyes.

Hi, Jasmine, thank you for joining us in our Marketing Expert Series. Let’s kick off with a little context, can you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you get to where you are now?

Following almost two years as a software engineer, I yearned for a role that was more strategic yet creative.

Marketing, with its fusion of technology and storytelling, emerged as the logical next step for me. I was particularly drawn to growth and product marketing as it leverages my technical background with the art of crafting narratives.

This journey enables me to bridge the gap between technology and communication by fostering innovation and effectively conveying the value of products. In marketing, I’ve discovered a dynamic realm that consistently challenges me to acquire new knowledge and adapt.

Currently, you’re the Assistant Manager for Product Marketing at Netcore Cloud. Please tell us about the work you do.

In my current role, I oversee a critical array of responsibilities aimed at driving effective marketing campaigns. I focus on creating compelling email campaigns, crafting engaging social media posts, developing thought leadership content, and scripting impactful videos.

Throughout my 4 years of hands-on experience, I have honed my expertise in various domains, including email marketing, lead generation, webinars and events, podcasting, SEO optimisation, go-to-market strategies, content creation, and evangelism, among others.

My unwavering passion for communication is at the core of my work, and it serves as the driving force behind my marketing initiatives that captivate and convert effectively.

My overarching goal is to contribute to the martech community’s growth and success. I strive to provide valuable insights and offer glimpses of real-life marketing success stories. By doing so, I aim to empower martech professionals to excel in their endeavours, armed with the knowledge and inspiration they need to make a significant impact.

How has the SaaS industry changed in recent years? How has Netcore Cloud evolved?

The SaaS industry has undergone significant transformations in recent years, and Netcore Cloud has adapted to these changes by constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve. Here’s an overview:

1. Shift towards cloud-based solutions: The SaaS industry has seen a continued shift away from on-premises software to cloud-based solutions. Netcore Cloud has embraced this trend by offering cloud-native marketing and customer engagement solutions that provide scalability, flexibility, security, and accessibility from anywhere.
2. Personalisation and AI: Personalisation and artificial intelligence have become central to SaaS offerings. Netcore Cloud has incorporated AI-driven personalisation features into its products, allowing businesses to deliver highly tailored content to their customers dynamically.
3. Integration and ecosystems: SaaS platforms are increasingly focusing on integrations with other software to create seamless workflows. Netcore Cloud has expanded its integrations and partner ecosystem to provide a comprehensive, omnichannel marketing technology stack.

Can you tell us about some of the most effective product marketing strategies that you’ve implemented in recent years? Is there a strategy or campaign you’re most proud of?

Here are a few of the strategies that I have implemented in recent years:

• Webinars and events: Hosting webinars and virtual events engages our audience, showcases our product’s capabilities, and provides educational content.
• Thought leadership content: Establishing the brand as an authority in its field. When prospects see a brand consistently sharing valuable insights and expertise, it builds credibility.
• Content distribution: I also believe in spreading the reach of the content (in various formats) on different stages. I use Quora, Medium, related communities, LinkedIn groups etc. apart from sharing it with our sales and ABM teams.

The one campaign that stands out and that I’m particularly proud of my team for pulling off was the “No Redirects November” campaign for AMP emails. It was an impressive line-up of 22 videos which were promoted within the span of one month.

The primary goal of this campaign was to successfully educate about a new product feature (AMP in emails) and drive user adoption.

To give you a context about the technology, AMP brings about 80% of the web and app-like features within emails. This enhances user engagement and interactivity. Since every user interaction happens inside the email, there are no redirects to websites or forms. Result, user drop-offs, also known as lead leakages, get eliminated.

Here’s how the campaign was executed and its salient outcomes:

• Content creation: The team created a series of industry-specific videos highlighting different use cases of AMP in emails. These videos showcased how brands could utilise AMP for multiple actions such as conducting surveys, and feedback, implementing gamification elements, addressing cart abandonment, providing live calculators, flight and hotel search/booking, product catalog and more – all happening right inside the email.
• Platform: LinkedIn was chosen as the platform for the campaign due to its professional network and suitability for B2B marketing.
• Customer engagement: Customer-facing teams within Netcore actively engaged with customers and prospects by tagging them in relevant LinkedIn posts. This personalised approach generated a huge interest and initiated several lead conversations.

Outcomes:

• Lead generation: The campaign successfully generated a significant number of leads. This indicated a strong interest among brands in exploring AMP in their email marketing efforts.
  Increased awareness: By showcasing real-world use cases through videos and engaging content, the campaign effectively increased awareness about the potential of AMP technology.
  Positive adoption: The positive response from brands indicated that they not only understood the benefits but were also willing to adopt AMP in emails as a valuable marketing tool.

In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges facing marketers in the SaaS industry today?

Some of the biggest challenges in my opinion are:

1. Market saturation: The SaaS market is becoming increasingly crowded, making it challenging for new entrants to gain visibility and market share. Established players must continuously differentiate themselves with innovations to stay competitive.
2. Customer retention: As competition grows, retaining existing customers becomes crucial. Marketers need to focus on customer success, product adoption, and long-term relationships to reduce churn.
3. Content saturation: The abundance of content makes it challenging to cut through the noise. Marketers must create thought leadership content with a fresh perspective that excites their target audience.
4. Partner ecosystems: Building and managing partner ecosystems to extend product reach and integrations can be a challenge. Marketers must choose and collaborate effectively with partners keeping the client/end-user benefits in mind.

Where do you see the SaaS sector heading in the next five to ten years? And Martech specifically?

The SaaS sector, including Martech (Marketing Technology), is poised for significant transformation and growth over the next five to ten years. Here are some key trends and directions we can anticipate:

• Sustainable SaaS: Sustainability concerns will influence SaaS product development, with a focus on reducing carbon footprints and energy consumption. SaaS providers will work toward sustainable practices and offer eco-friendly solutions.
• Content automation: Content creation and distribution will become more automated. AI-powered tools will assist in generating written, visual, and video content, and optimising content strategies at scale.

Marketing in the metaverse: As the metaverse develops, Martech will explore ways to engage with audiences in a unified manner, endeavouring to offer a brand-consistent experience across virtual platforms.

Where do you stand on the advancement of AI in the digital sphere?

The ongoing advancement of AI in the digital sphere has undeniably made a profound impact. One of the most notable effects is its ability to facilitate the creation of highly targeted and relevant content. Thanks to predictive analytics, brands can now predict which individuals are likely to make a purchase, often within a remarkably precise time frame, such as the next 15 days. This invaluable information allows marketers to allocate their resources and efforts more prominently toward potential customers.

Moreover, AI empowers marketers to reach their audience where they are most active and engaged, whether it’s on a particular social media platform or through a preferred communication channel. The use of AI-driven recommendation engines and data intelligence has been a game-changer. Marketers understand their audience better and craft more meaningful conversations that lead to conversions.

AI’s integration into the digital landscape is revolutionising how brands connect with their customers. It enables more precise targeting, enhanced communication, and, most importantly, the delivery of content and offers that truly resonate with the audience. This, in turn, is driving better results and fostering stronger relationships between brands and their customers.

What is it that motivates you, personally and professionally? Any words to live by?

What motivates me personally is a passion for my work, and professionally it would be career advancement.
As for the words to live by, I will quote Joe Chernov: “Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.”

Any advice you’d give to aspiring marketers looking to dive into the SaaS sector?

Here are my 3 pointers:

1. Get to know your SaaS product inside out. Understand its features, benefits, and how it solves customers’ pain points. The better you understand the product, the more effectively you can market it.
2. Attend industry events, conferences, and webinars to network with professionals in the SaaS sector. Building relationships can lead to valuable partnerships and insights.
3. Address attention recession by prioritising content quality, relevance, personalisation, and customer behaviour.

It’s been great to learn more about you and your work, Jasmine, thank you for sharing your experience and insights with us. How can people connect with you if they’d like to know more about you or Netcore Cloud?

It was great to share my thoughts and have the conversation. Thanks!

I am available on Linkedin or email.

Sharing knowledge with others and helping them advance is a great way to live your life. In many industries, knowledge is considered proprietary – kept separate from others to ‘protect’ it. 

Digital marketers often share their knowledge and expertise – this is one of the key reasons for this Marketing Expert Series, after all. 

In this issue, digital marketing trainer, Alena Chan, shares her story. Backed by years of B2B sales and marketing experience, Alena turned to training to help others grow their skills and overcome challenges.

Hi, Alena! Welcome to our Marketing Expert Series. Let’s start with your background, please tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get to where you are now? 

I started my career with 20+ years of experience in B2B sales,  serving in a leadership position for 10 of those years. 

My marketing experience gave me the ability to transition to becoming a passionate and dedicated digital marketing trainer.  

I am a firm believer in knowledge sharing to help my learners navigate this complex world of digital marketing, acquire new skills, and knowledge and empower them to achieve their goals. 

So you spent more than 20 years in B2B sales and marketing. You spent much of those years in leadership positions. How did you go from that to digital marketing training? Tell us more about how you came to be a trainer and what your training is all about.

I always challenge myself to explore new opportunities in different ways. Operating a boutique marketing agency business together with my mentor has helped me gain sufficient expertise to transition into digital marketing training.  

Training allows me to pursue my passions and do something that brings me greater happiness and fulfilment. My training typically covers a range of topics, such as Google Marketing (search engine optimization, search engine marketing and google analytics), social media marketing and content marketing. I also train people in skills in leadership, people management, presentation and effective selling skills. 

In addition, I have the opportunity to teach in these courses: Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing and SG United Skills Program (SGUS). Successfully designed the entire curriculum for the Applied Degree in Digital Business course. 

The goal of my digital marketing training is to help individuals and businesses build a strong online presence and drive more traffic, leads and sales by breaking down complex concepts into simple terms to help them succeed. 

The world has changed in the last few years, with the Pandemic and the shift in the economy, how have you been impacted by these changes?

The Pandemic has led to a global recession, with many industries facing significant challenges and economic disruption. Many businesses have shifted to online operations and e-commerce has seen a surge in demand. 

The marketing agency business has been impacted in some ways and many companies have had to cut back on their marketing budget, this has led to a reduction in the demand for marketing services.  

This meant that I had to take a good hard look and think about what I wanted in life and my career.  ‘Resiliency’ is the word to describe it.  

How did the developments over the last few years affect your strategies? 

The Pandemic was a challenging time for many people.  However, it also led to unexpected opportunities for me.  

I had to pivot my strategies to adapt to the changing paradigm, shifting my priorities from marketing agency business to training opportunities with a greater focus on exploring digital channels, personalization and building strong relationships with my stakeholders. 

Tell us about some of the most effective digital strategies that you’ve implemented in recent years. Is there a strategy or campaign you’re most proud of?

In recent years, I have revamped and transformed a financial website from a traditional look and feel to a lifestyle website with a clean and attractive design to target the younger generations.  

Optimizing the website content to rank higher in their search engine results by increasing traffic and visibility. Ensuring that the website is well-structured and easy to navigate, focusing a lot on user experience.  Creating high-quality and engaging content that resonates with our client’s target audience.  This has ultimately attracted more traffic to their site. 

How do you stay up to date with the latest digital marketing technologies and tools?

I stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in digital marketing to ensure that my training is relevant and effective, such as following industry blogs, and publications.  Joining online communities, and attending industry events and webinars. 

As a digital marketing trainer, I continuously take online courses and certifications on various platforms to learn about the latest digital marketing tools and technologies. Networking with fellow trainers and other professionals in the digital marketing industry to learn about their experiences and insights. 

In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges facing marketers and digital experts in your industry today?

Some challenges that marketers and digital experts may face in today’s industry are keeping up with evolving and new technologies and tools are constantly emerging.  Knowing how to use them effectively can be a challenge for marketers. 

Managing data and analysing it can be overwhelming as marketers need to have the skills and tools to effectively collect, analyse and make informed decisions. 

In your experience, as a woman, are there any obstacles – glass ceilings and the like – for digital marketing trainers? 

Gender-based obstacles and glass ceilings do exist in various industries.  Despite in recent years, gender inequality in the workplace has been reduced, I do still face challenges as a woman digital marketing trainer. 

Some studies have shown that women are often evaluated less favourably than men in performance reviews, even when we have similar skills and experiences.  

Overall, while there are certain obstacles that women may face as digital marketing trainers, it is important to recognize that progress is being made towards gender equality in the workplace to address gender bias and support women in their careers.  

Any advice you’d give to aspiring marketers and digital entrepreneurs? 

Continuously learning, and keeping up with the latest trends and best practices is essential.  Finding your niche by specializing in a specific area of marketing or entrepreneurship.  This will help to build a focused brand and differential yourself from competitors. 

In today’s digital age, building a robust online presence is essential for success.  Your personal brand is your reputation and how people perceive you.  

I embrace failure as I see it as an inevitable part of entrepreneurship.  Learn from our mistakes and don’t be afraid to pivot when things aren’t working well. 

Entrepreneurship can be challenging, but it can be incredibly rewarding.  Have fun and enjoy the journey, and celebrate successes along the way. 

What keeps you motivated? Do you have a personal motto/saying or something else that drives you forward?

My motivation is to learn something new every day, it helps me to gain new perspectives and insights.  I often reflect on my progress and assess how far I can go. Learning is a lifelong process and it is important to continue challenging myself and seeking new opportunities to learn and grow. 

Overall, my passion for learning and dedication to knowledge sharing are valuable qualities that I can inspire and motivate my learners to pursue their learning journeys. 

Two-way learning enables me to learn with and from each other.  

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Alena. How can people connect with you if they’d like to know more about you or your training courses?

I welcome people to connect with me via Whatsapp or LinkedIn.

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You may know it better as the ‘fast food industry’, but it’s also known as the ‘quick-service industry’. In Southeast Asia there are plenty of different franchises and types of quick-service restaurants, some focusing on local cuisine and more global ones like McDonalds, Subway, and Burger King.

In this issue of the Marketing Expert Series, Head of Marketing at 4Fingers Crispy Chicken, Belinda Ho, talks about her 20+ years in this fascinating industry and how she came into digital marketing. Her experiences over the course of her career provide insight into the industry itself, as well as her own life’s story.

Hi, Belinda, thank you for joining us in our Marketing Expert Series. Let’s kick off with a little background, can you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you get to where you are now?

I have been in the quick-service restaurant industry for more than 20 years. Starting with McDonald’s for 17 years, then a quick 21 months in Texas Chicken and finally, nested in 4Fingers Crispy Chicken.

Local store marketing, events and family marketing were my foundation and forte back then. I previously headed the Happy Meal Program in Malaysia. I plead guilty for breaking many hearts due to the “sold out” situation in all of the HM Programs during that time. But in my defense, we did not expect such an overwhelming response…..  Ha! Ha! Ha!

It was my short stint with Shell, representing EdenRed that had me dabbled in digital marketing overseeing built on mobile apps CRM Programs. That was my awakening and brought me further and deeper into digital marketing (social media, digital marcomm, food aggregator and strategic partnership)

When I was at Texas Chicken in particular, the insights into digital marketing played a major role in encouraging me to learn more, leading me to my current position as Marketing Head at 4Fingers.

You’re the Head of Marketing at 4Fingers Crispy Chicken. Please tell us about 4Fingers and the work you do there.

Let me see, where do I start…?

I am responsible and accountable for everything related to Sales, Marketing, and even PR. This includes yearly budget projection & marketing calendar planning, sales performance, brand management & positioning, advertising, new product development, local store marketing, new store openings with image enhancement, digital marketing as well as Corporate MarComm and strategic partnerships. Since we are the brand keeper, we must keep tabs on any new designs from store images to uniforms.

My typical day starts with analyzing daily performance and nimble it strategically. Not forgetting preparing project proposals throughout the year and leading campaigns from the budget; planning to execution. And I usually end my day by visiting at least 1 store out of our 52 stores.

Lastly, I also support Franchise Team and Indonesia Team in setting up of new stores and on-going engagement in campaigns & new products.

What sort of impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on 4Fingers Crispy Chicken?

The impact comes as an opportunity to reach out to customer beyond the storefront, as customer seeks to digitally hunt and engage themselves for their next meal. The need for businesses to change digitally and evolve with new consumer behaviour is essential.

How have the developments of the COVID-19 Pandemic affected your strategies as Head of Marketing? What challenges and/or developments have you had to adapt to since 2020? How have you overcome them?

We switch 180 and fully focus on advertising digitally and collaborate heavily & effectively with our Food Aggregators Partners to bring attractive selections to the our consumers. Since delivery is dominating over foot traffic, all campaigns are emphasized towards products that can sustain portability. We changed the packaging to maintain our product quality to be same as enjoyed at the storefront.

Strategies became shorter to midterm. And we (the marketers) must be more adaptable to situational circumstances. Understanding that the lines between tactical and strategic during this period are totally blurred.

From helping to market the brand as a Covid safe brand, marketing the safety aspect of the business, taking on new consumer needs for staples and family meals and now helping the business adapt after it has opened.

In addition to that, the biggest challenges were the insufficient and inconsistent supplies that made the obstacles even more significant, especially our chicken supplies. Because of that, Marketing Team synergizes with the Supply Chain Team to ensure continuous supplies, especially chicken. Marketing will tweak the menu & window calendar campaign based on SCM projections. During this time, we have to be extremely agile and able to response quickly based on unpredictability circumstances.

What lasting impact do you believe the pandemic’s forced acceleration of digital transformation has had on your industry?

The positive impact would be the building of digital infrastructure as the adoption rate of digital engagements are now higher. This accelerated the consumer learning on it and that now has set a foundation for a lot of businesses.

Do you think that this impact has permanently changed how you and your team go about your work? Where do you see your strategies going in the next few years?

In fact, it doesn’t because marketing’s true role is still about “communication of a product to a target customer through a medium and seeks to convert them” and for the past decade it has still proven that change is a constant and marketers must adapt.

Changes in communication channel adoption and effectiveness, consumer behaviour and environment are part and parcel of day-to-day marketing. Ultimately is the understanding of consumer behaviour.

As a woman, there are often obstacles to overcome in any industry. How have your experiences and opportunities helped shape you professionally? Do you feel that your career has had an impact on how you now lead your teams?

Totally agreed. The working landscape is dynamic as we established, and the business world is no longer just a man’s game. In fact, based on my working experience I have met more women Marketers either as a client or within the agencies communities. However, I must admit that battling or trying to compete in this challenging environment is “no walk in the park”.

My experiences and opportunities now had an impact on how I lead my team as they have given me:

1. The ability to wear many hats
   Balancing careers, household management and taking up the mantel of parental guidance helped me to quickly adjust to new situations and focus on finding solutions to real-life work issues.
2. Enhancement of Teamwork
   I am an advocate of teamwork and team player. Making bold and wise decisions which will help make the team environment less authoritative and more cooperative, bringing a family-like feel to the team. Eventually, this boosts teamwork across the organisation and helps implement a new culture within the business.

Any advice you’d give to young and/or aspiring marketers?

Learn how to be proactive & helpful instead of being quiet and waiting for directions. Be PROACTIVE by asking a lot of questions. However, it is AN ART to ask questions without being annoying and counterproductive. You do by listing down all the questions, set a dateline for feedback and coming out with options & solutions.

This behaviour eventually produces the right working attitude and lastly, understanding & be adaptable to the ever-changing marketing industry.

It’s been great to learn more about you and your work, Belinda, thank you for sharing. How can people connect with you if they’d like to know more about you or 4Fingers Crispy Chicken’s work?

You can follow me on LinkedIn.

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Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, many companies have struggled to adapt to the changing circumstances. Digital transformation has often been a forced effort, born out of necessity rather than a driving desire. Some industries took the opportunity to take hold of their own futures and address the challenges head-on.

One of the digital marketers who drove through digital transformation early on, is Rena Tan, Regional Head of Marketing and Communications for Randstad Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China. The world of recruitment and human resources has been impacted by COVID-19, requiring adaptation to new working practices and flexibilities, as well as the strain companies have had to deal with in light of hiring freezes and dips in revenue. 

Join us for this remarkable issue of the Marketing Expert Series with Rena Tan as she takes us through her personal journey and professional digital transformation.  

Hi, Rena, thank you for taking part in the Marketing Expert Series! Let’s start with some background, can you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you get to where you are now? 

I like to think I’ve always had a creative side. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved to write, doodle and draw, create poetry, and was a voracious reader. In fact, my dream is to publish my own book one day. 

I was interning at MTV Asia back in my poly days, and was offered a full-time position on the very day I completed my final exams (yes – they liked me that much!). Pursuing my creative dreams, I went on to become a TV and radio producer at MTV, and later moved to the licensing and merchandising division where I helped launch various consumer products under the MTV and Nickelodeon brands. That stint truly honed my skills in marketing, branding, and communications. 

Subsequently, I was drawn to the bigger idea of marketing my home country. I took on a marketing role in the Singapore Tourism Board and was working on major projects such as the Singapore Fashion Festival, Singapore JewelFest and the MTV Asia Awards. My job took me on a study trip to Disneyland in California where my mission was to research theme parks and their accompanying amenities to build a business case for having big-brand theme parks in Singapore (and this was before Universal Studios came to town!)

Afterwards, I was offered a Head of Marketing role in a recruitment company. Now, including my current role at Randstad, I have been in the recruitment industry for 15 years.

Was there something that drew you to this line of work? Were there any specific experiences that attracted you to it?

The recruitment industry is where I felt I’ve finally found my groove as a marketer. The role allows me to express my creative flair while giving me exposure to all types of people, companies, and industries. 

When I first joined the industry 15 years ago, recruitment marketing was not as prominent. In fact, it was pretty traditional. Companies typically ran newspaper ads, participated in career fairs, and posted advertisements on job boards to attract job seekers.

Over the years, the industry has been constantly changing and disrupted – yet it remained resilient and agile. Since the recruitment industry is constantly evolving, it is extremely challenging and exciting to be working in marketing. You are always running on adrenaline, and forever looking 10 steps ahead to see how you can stay competitive and relevant. The industry, although traditional, has also gradually opened up to new and emerging technologies, especially over the last five years. 

Randstad in particular, was on a digital transformation journey when I joined the company, which gave me a blank canvas to pilot new marketing technologies and ideas. We are also very open to experimenting and although not all initiatives are successful, our leadership believes that failing is also about knowing what works and what doesn’t. This level of trust is really empowering for me, especially in Asia where failure is often frowned upon. The experience is exhilarating, to say the least, because having that autonomy to try new things has opened up so many new opportunities not just for the company, but also for myself and my team. I feel like I am learning something new every day.

Currently, you are the Regional Head of Marketing and Communications for Randstad Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China. Can you tell us more about what Randstad does and how you fit in?

Randstad is a global leader in the HR services industry, and our mission is to support people and organisations in realising their true potential. We help connect companies with the best permanent and contracting talent in accounting & finance, banking & financial services, corporate & secretarial support, engineering, human resources, legal, life science, technology, sales, marketing & communications, and supply chain & procurement. Our ultimate goal is to touch the work lives of 500 million people worldwide by 2030.

As the Head of Marketing for Randstad Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China, I’m responsible for the evaluation and implementation of Marketing and HR technology, with a particular focus on regional digital transformation projects for the business. I work with both internal and external stakeholders and partners to develop, trial and roll out initiatives involving marketing automation, demand generation, artificial intelligence, big data, predictive marketing analytics, social selling, design thinking, employer branding, talent communities and customer experience (CX).

I also oversee a dynamic team of 13 marketing and CX staff across Singapore, Malaysia and Greater China – and they look after strategic marketing, communications and branding campaigns, public relations and customer experience management.

I understand you cover Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China – that’s a broad area indeed, what sort of challenges do you face dealing with such a large region?

The key challenge, I think, is understanding the cultural nuances and socio-political landscapes in each country. As much as you would like to bring some level of consistency and scale for certain marketing initiatives across the region, it might not be possible as there are different rules and regulations governing each market. I personally have to download a number of different apps so that I can communicate more effectively with my team members in the local market.

You need to navigate the local markets with a high level of sensitivity and be acutely aware of the lines you can or cannot cross. This is on top of the cultural and language differences you need to be mindful of when interacting with people from different markets – which I feel requires a strong sense of diplomacy, humility, EQ, and the ability to switch your state of mind quickly from one to another whenever you are interacting with people from the different markets. There is always something new to learn from local colleagues so you will continue to gain new knowledge, insights, and perspectives.

Are there any advantages to dealing with a region that large?

I love learning new things and having a large remit across multiple countries feeds my insatiable curiosity – where I am constantly exposed to new things, industries, organisations, cultures, people and ideas. I’ve learned to work with different types of people, gained stronger problem-solving skills through managing various difficult situations and conflicts, developed better cross-cultural communication skills as well as significantly enhanced my local market knowledge beyond Singapore’s shores. I get the opportunity to improve my Mandarin too when I interact with my stakeholders and teams in China. I would also say this experience has vastly expanded my horizon and perspectives, and made me a more consultative, strategic, and well-informed business partner and leader.

You have a bit of experience in the marketing sector in Asia; before Randstad you worked with Robert Walters.  Have you noticed any changing trends and marketing strategy changes in the region over the last decade or so?

I recently published a trends report on the new skill sets a future marketer would need in the next normal. Future marketers are responsible for championing data-led innovation within the organisation to drive business or better customer experience. They leverage technology and emerging trends in marketing to enhance the end-to-end customer journey. Marketers are not only increasingly looked upon as sales enablers, but also act as strategic business partners and drivers of change. 

We are also shifting to deploy more digital strategies not just as a response to the pandemic, but also to better engage the new generation of digitally-savvy consumers. This explains why there is also a stronger focus on areas such as social selling, social listening, marketing analytics, SEO, online reputation management, storytelling, hyper-personalisation, gamification, voice search and customer experience (just to name a few!). 

I am hopeful that as more companies go through their digital transformation journey, the marketing function will be regarded as a growth driver. The future marketer will be expected to harness the power of data, automation, customer insights, machine learning and artificial intelligence to better attract, retain and engage their organisation’s customers. 

Given the work you are involved in with Randstad, I imagine that COVID-19 has had a big impact. Have your marketing and communications strategies had to change because of the pandemic?

At the onset of COVID-19, I convinced my team that we had to pivot, and pivot early. Globalisation and technology have created a borderless world, and we could never be truly immune to whatever is happening in other parts of the world. If we had waited till the virus became a pandemic, we would not have been able to reap the success we did. We literally threw our 2020 marketing and content plans out the window and started fresh – creating a series of employer guides, market research on hiring appetite and employees’ expectations, employment outlooks, as well as a whole suite of business technology tools and COVID-19 related resources to help organisations navigate the complexities of operating in the midst of a pandemic. Subsequently, we continued to produce content to help organisations engage and manage the well-being of their staff and provide information they need to accelerate business recovery in the new normal.

We have definitely learned to be more agile in these unusual and uncertain times, and constantly try to anticipate what challenges lie ahead and how we can add more value to our recruiters, clients, and candidates.

As a result, we saw phenomenal growth in terms of web traffic and social media engagement levels, and continue to generate a high number of quality leads despite a really difficult year where we saw many businesses come to a halt.

How lasting do you think the impact of the pandemic will be to marketing – and indeed to Randstad – in the coming years?

I think the pandemic has made a permanent positive impact on marketing and hopefully, the way businesses now view the value of marketing. 

In this new world, organisations need to learn how to better engage their talent and customers in a virtual environment, and design new digital processes to attract, engage and retain them. Company leaders are increasingly looking to their marketing teams to help build and amplify their brands online; drive constant sales through new e-commerce models; explore new channels and partners; leverage data to predict customers’ propensity to buy or leave, as well as automate time-consuming and manual processes to drive greater efficiencies. 

We have definitely experienced this in Randstad, and this trend will only grow as more and more business leaders stepped up their organisation’s digital transformation efforts to stay relevant and as a business sustainability and growth strategy. At Randstad we are already experimenting with ML/AI and blockchain and building our own tech platforms and apps through our global Digital Factory so that we can be future-ready.

What about for you, personally, when this pandemic is over, what’s next for you?

As a marketing leader, I feel we have an obligation to stay ahead of the curve. We need to constantly find ways to disrupt our own industry because others will do it for us if we don’t. 

Hence, I will be expecting my team and I to remain open-minded and agile in our marketing approach, embrace the fact that the market will remain unpredictable and be prepared for change as it will be a constant, whether we like it or not. I will be looking out for new ways in which marketing can evolve further – for example, explore non-traditional marketing channels, tools and partnerships; adopt a data-driven mindset; and continue to benchmark our work with the best in other industries and countries. 

I also hope my team continues to receive the recognition for the amazing work they are doing everyday, not just from me but also the business. They are the real masters in their craft and they deserve all the credit for the successes we see in Randstad across the region today.

Most importantly, I would need to strive to achieve a better balance between work, family, and personal life. My boss told me in a recent performance review that he has no negative feedback for me at all but if he has to pick one, it would be that I’d need to maintain a better work-life balance as I tend to be an incorrigible workaholic, and the pandemic has kind of amplified that trait. I recognise that is not a healthy example for myself, my family nor my team, and this is something I am working on. For instance, I have tried to not check my emails or work during the weekends, and take time out to do things I really enjoy like drawing and gaming together with my family.

Now, I just want to touch on something you mentioned during our correspondence ahead of this feature interview: you’re a working mother with two children, a gamer in a previous life, and I understand that you like to draw in your spare time to destress? Could you tell us a little about that? How did you start and where can we see your work?

As mentioned, I have always had a creative streak and loved drawing and doodling since I was young. However, I never had the chance to pursue my passion for art further because you know, real life gets in the way. I picked it back up again in recent years because my daughter, who like me, has developed a real passion for art. Hence I used drawing as a reason for us to bond and spend time together. Recently we even went for a manga drawing workshop together – and we loved it!

You can check out my humble works on Instagram @sheerdoodles.

I also used to be quite an avid gamer before I got married – and at one time I was really into the MMORPG game World of Warcraft. I was literally “going on dates” with my husband (then boyfriend) – questing and raiding in the virtual gaming world every weekend. I stopped playing when I became a mom (time is such a luxury I don’t have!) and got back into playing casually only recently due to the lockdown. 

Any advice you’d give to aspiring or upcoming marketers? 

For a start, I would perhaps encourage aspiring marketers to keep pace with the trends not just within the marketing function, but also the industry that you work in. Understand your skills gaps in the next normal and take initiative to find out how you can upskill to close that gap. It’s also important to take an outside-in approach and network with your peers to find out where they are at and how they got there. It could help you map your career path. 

However, when I am looking to hire, I tend to look out for talent with a good set of soft skills. I am a strong believer that technical skills can always be taught, but soft skills – or essential personality traits as some might call them – have to be developed. For many people, you either have it or you don’t.

Examples of soft skills that many CMOs like myself look for in marketers would include having a high level of emotional quotient, adaptability, drive, an open and positive mindset, as well as strong work ethics and commercial acumen. Marketers are also increasingly expected to be a collaborative team player, great communicator and champion for change.

Some key advice for aspiring or upcoming marketers:

• Continuous learning is key. Cultivate an insatiable appetite for knowledge and understanding in the disciplines or areas that are beyond your current role. Learn from the best outside of your function or industry to gain a new perspective on your work.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. You won’t know if an idea will be a success unless you move it to reality. Be prepared to fail and try again.
• Always strive to add value and position yourself as a business partner. If you act like an order taker, you will be treated as one. Integrate yourself into the heart of the business and identify challenges/issues you can solve as a marketer.

Thank you, Rena, for sharing your experiences with us. How can people connect with you if they’d like to know more about you?

LinkedIn would be the best place as everything you want to know about me is right on my profile page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheerlock/

If you’re wondering, sheerlock is my avatar’s name in World of Warcraft when I was playing a warlock. 🙂

The Marketing Expert Series features marketing and communications experts from across every industry. Every month, 2Stallions will showcase the stories and expertise of marketing experts from around the world, join us as we explore how marketers navigate the challenges of the regions and industries they work in. If you’d like to be featured in a next issue of the Marketing Expert Series. Please reach out to us via email.

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