Milena Traikovich has carved a niche as a leading expert in digital marketing strategy and automation within the B2B sector. With a strong foundation in analytics and performance optimization, she specializes in crafting campaigns that nurture high-quality leads. Today, she provides insights into the evolving landscape of B2B digital marketing and reflects on her experiences driving transformation in this domain.
Could you share some insights on how your previous experiences prepared you for your current role in marketing?
My background in FMCG marketing was an excellent primer for the challenges I face today. Many of the foundational principles, like creating integrated brand campaigns and understanding the core of a marketing activation plan, were things I learned early on. What’s intriguing is how the landscape has shifted from simpler methods like GRP-loaded TVCs to the multi-faceted, touchpoint-driven digital world we now navigate. Understanding these changes was crucial as they prepared me to tackle the complexities of modern B2B marketing.
How has the consumer journey evolved, particularly in terms of touchpoints over the years?
The consumer journey has grown significantly more nuanced. A decade ago, the journey was more straightforward, but now it’s marked by numerous offline and online touchpoints. Fifteen years ago, influencer marketing wasn’t even part of the conversation. The rise of digital platforms has expanded ways consumers can interact with brands, necessitating marketers to constantly identify and optimize these dynamic touchpoints.
What challenges do marketers face when trying to identify and leverage optimal touchpoints in today’s market?
Marketers today grapple with aligning the myriad of touchpoints to effectively reach their target audience. Part of the struggle is choosing which metrics to use for evaluating online touchpoints. While research offers some solutions, finding actionable and reliable metrics remains a challenge. It’s about transitioning from vanity metrics that look good on paper to measurements that have real business impact.
Can you describe any significant shifts in digital capabilities for B2B companies post-COVID-19?
COVID-19 served as a turning point, establishing digital competencies as essential rather than optional. In the B2B world, ensuring high customer engagement through digital channels became a priority. Organizations now see digital capabilities as crucial business drivers, rather than just trendy or convenient additions to their marketing arsenal.
What hurdles did you face in rapidly deploying digital marketing strategies in the APAC region?
We experienced an overflow of requests for new digital initiatives, like webinars and TikTok videos, which was overwhelming. This flood of ideas made it difficult to focus. It was clear that in order to manage this challenge effectively, we needed to pause, assess, and strategize—a bit counterintuitive, but necessary for sustainable progress.
Could you detail the rationale behind “slowing down to go fast” when transitioning to new digital strategies?
The principle of “slowing down to go fast” was crucial in combating initial chaos. By taking a step back, we could conduct a comprehensive digital audit and evaluate the current state of our digital assets. This understanding allowed us to create a focused plan for moving forward efficiently, identifying strong channels to anchor our digital ecosystem.
What elements are involved in a “digital audit,” and why was it important for your strategy?
A digital audit involves analyzing existing channels and assets to understand their current state and effectiveness. It includes assessing who maintains these channels, what’s working, and what’s not. This groundwork was fundamental because it helped identify which aspects required optimization, leading to a more streamlined and effective strategy.
How did you manage to address the decentralization of digital channels and ensure consistency?
Tackling decentralization required standardizing content production across various business divisions. Channels that were previously not maintained centrally lacked governance, so establishing consistent guidelines was vital. This included reinforcing brand compliance and improving content quality to facilitate cohesive digital communication.
What approach did you take in selecting digital assets for your marketing automation strategy?
After conducting the digital audit, we pinpointed our CRM platform and corporate website as strong candidate platforms to anchor our strategy. The focus was on improving database integrity and ensuring our website was an effective landing platform for campaigns. We prioritized channels that promised measurability, connectivity, and versatility in engaging our audience.
Why was email marketing, website optimization, and SEO prioritized in your initial strategy phase?
We prioritized these areas because they offered clear measurability and alignment potential—essential for calculating ROI and driving engagement. Email marketing could directly link to our website, thus closing the loop when capturing prospects and retargeting them effectively. This focus also allowed for foundational improvements in searchability and customer visibility.
How do you ensure the digital marketing strategies you employ deliver more than just vanity metrics?
The emphasis is on performance marketing—strategically linking digital investments to tangible business outcomes. This means moving beyond metrics like impressions or open rates to adopt business-driven metrics that actually impact revenue. It’s about ensuring that every touchpoint works collectively to create an amplified, meaningful effect.
How do you balance integrating digital strategies with physical experiences for a sensory product like chocolate?
Integrating digital strategies with physical experiences is about creating a “phy-gital” approach. For indulgent categories like chocolate, a hybrid strategy ensures the sensory elements aren’t lost. For example, while AR technology might replicate sight and smell, we ensure the tactile experience through sample drives and chef-led creations—providing a comprehensive brand interaction.
In what ways do you engage internal stakeholders to align them with your digital transformation goals?
Stakeholder engagement is vital from the outset. It involves ensuring everyone understands the journey and is committed to supporting the transformation. We focus on communication, training, and demonstrating how digital marketing solutions can assist in achieving business goals, thus encouraging broader buy-in and smoother implementation.
How important is it to engage and train sales teams during a digital transformation?
Sales teams are critical touchpoints, and their buy-in is essential. Training them to understand the value of digital strategies can help them leverage automation to secure more business. Collaboration between sales and marketing departments ensures the digital message is carried through to the customer seamlessly, enhancing overall effectiveness.
Have there been specific obstacles or challenges during your automation journey, and how have you approached them?
Challenges have included managing overwhelming expectations and the resistance to change. Our approach was to establish clear priorities through audits and maintain consistent communication with all stakeholders. We also invested in training to ease transitions, ensuring everyone was on board with the evolving processes.
What are your plans for expanding marketing channels, and how do you aim to leverage the data collected through them?
Moving forward, our focus is on diversifying and deepening our channel engagement. We plan to collect more comprehensive data across both first and third-party platforms. The insights gathered will aid in segmenting customer profiles for truly personalized experiences, enhancing targeting and engagement possibilities.
How do you tailor your strategies to adapt to different regional markets, particularly in diverse cultural and linguistic landscapes?
Tailoring strategies involves a careful mix of adapting content to local languages and understanding regional preferences. Ensuring relevancy is key. This means conducting market research in each territory and continuously refining our approaches based on feedback and performance data to cater to specific cultural nuances.
What advice would you offer to other marketing leaders facing similar transitions in their organizations?
Embrace flexibility but maintain focus. Start by understanding your current capabilities and take time to assess where improvements are needed before rushing into new initiatives. Engage stakeholders effectively, and don’t shy away from training and empowering teams. Balancing patience with action will guide you through any transition with resilience.
