Strategic Marketing Moves for Tough Economic Times

Marketing teams are no strangers to challenges, but 2024 has brought its own unique set of obstacles. With the global economy grappling with inflation, trade tensions, and geopolitical instability, consumer spending is under significant pressure. 

Retail spending in the UK, though showing signs of recovery, remains slow and uncertain going into 2025. In these tough conditions, marketing teams are expected to drive business growth on increasingly tight budgets. 

So, how can marketers continue to deliver value while navigating these constraints?

Demonstrating ROI: Proving the Impact of Every Penny

One of the most significant tasks for marketing teams is proving ROI. With executives demanding more accountability and tighter control over budgets, marketers must be equipped with the right tools to track the effectiveness of their campaigns.

To do this, having a fully integrated MarTech stack is crucial. At Evolare Digital, we’ve seen many businesses suffer from fragmented technologies, which prevent a clear, end-to-end view of their marketing efforts. When your systems don’t talk to each other, you’re left without the full picture. This results in:

1. Missed Insights: Without joined-up data, it's impossible to capture the nuances of customer behaviour. The insights hidden in that data can lower your cost per acquisition (CPA) and unlock opportunities to attract more customers.
2. Lost Revenue Opportunities: Without full visibility of how customers are interacting with your campaigns and website, it's harder to create strategies that retain customers and keep them buying.

For example, when integrating marketing tools with your e-commerce platform you need to ensure they are compatible and offer the depth of integration you need to gain a 360° view of customer behaviour. When you can see the entire customer journey, from first interaction to conversion, you can fine-tune campaigns that work and scale them for greater success.

Optimising Your Multi-Channel Approach

With an integrated MarTech stack in place, marketers can effectively implement both strategic and tactical approaches.

Understanding how to balance your multi-channel strategy is key. Some platforms, such as social media, are best for brand awareness. They capture attention with engaging visuals and video content. In contrast, channels like Google Ads are more effective for satisfying immediate needs, with customers actively searching for products or services.

It’s important to remember that what works best will vary by business and industry. The key is to continuously refine your approach using data-driven insights to ensure each channel is optimised for its purpose.  

The golden rule: if you can’t demonstrate a channel’s conversion value within 1-3 months, (depending on how considered a purchase your product or service is), it should be shelved to free up space to test new channels or ad formats on best-performing channels.

Budget Restrictions and Skills Gaps

According to a 2024 Gartner report, more than half of marketers expect budget restrictions (58%), and skills gaps (54%) to challenge their strategic priorities. 

With tighter budgets a core concern, there’s no room for waste. Every pound spent must contribute towards driving revenue. This is where tried and tested tactical strategies can make a difference—strategies that generate immediate results, allowing for reinvestment in long-term strategic brand-building efforts.

In addition to budget concerns, skills gaps are another growing challenge for marketing teams. When your internal team lacks expertise in a certain area, partnering with the right agency or freelancer can help fill those gaps and provide the necessary training to upskill your staff.

Why Evolare is the Partner You Need

At Evolare Digital, we don’t just execute marketing strategies; we empower your internal team. Our unique ‘do it with you’ approach means we work hand-in-hand with your staff, sharing our knowledge and expertise to help your team grow. We’re not here to take over but to collaborate, bringing together our marketing expertise and your industry knowledge for maximum impact.

This collaborative approach allows us to seamlessly integrate with your team, aligning with your processes and platforms to deliver results. We focus on strengthening your internal team while delivering marketing strategies that drive real growth.

Our clients often come to us looking for more than just execution; they want an agency that educates, empowers, and helps their team evolve. That’s where we stand out. Whether it's filling short-term skills gaps or helping you maximise your marketing budget, Evolare Digital is here to be the expert extension of your team.

Ready to Make the Most of Your Marketing Budget?

If your team is facing budget restrictions, and skill gaps, or simply needs a fresh approach to demonstrate ROI and boost growth, Evolare Digital is here to help. Let’s talk about how we can work together to deliver results that not only meet but exceed your goals.