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PoPIA – How does it affect your business?

2 August 2021

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The Protection of Personal Information Act (often called the PoPI Act or PoPIA) is South Africa’s data protection law. The purpose of PoPIA is to protect people from harm by protecting their personal information.

PoPIA requires extra vigilance in all aspects of physical and information security. The basis of the PoPIA is to protect personal information and prevent information from being exposed to unauthorised persons. As a result, this implies an obligation to protect information relating to natural and juristic persons from any damage, including financial fraud, identity theft, misuse, and the abuse of personal information.

PoPIA is broader in scope than similar data privacy laws in the sense that it is applicable to both “juristic” and “natural persons,” meaning that data about companies and organisations is also protected.

How does PoPIA affect your business?

If you are a South African business owner and your business processes the personal information of South African consumers, you are required to comply with PoPIA. This means before you can process any of your customers’ personal information, you will need to ask for their consent.

Businesses now need to deal far more diligently with the information they collect. They can only collect what is necessary and are required to have a legitimate reason for collecting that information.

To be PoPIA compliant you’ll also need to ensure all the personal information you store is secure, and that your customers have the ability to access, correct or delete any of their data that you have already collected.

How can being PoPIA compliant help your business?

Being PoPIA compliant can be extremely beneficial to your business. Communicating to your customers exactly how you are PoPIA compliant can shed a positive light on your business and help you gain their trust. More and more consumers are becoming conscious of the privacy of their data, and they want to be assured that the companies they trust their data with will protect them against misuse and breaches.

Other than that, proven compliance with a state law automatically increases brand credibility. Knowing that a company adheres to local privacy laws organically improves a customer’s willingness to share their data without mistrust and increases the chances of customer retention and even referrals.

The 8 principles of PoPIA

Under the PoPIA, a responsible party processing personal information must comply with all eight principles of the act, and the measures necessary to give effect to those principles. Compliance must be achieved not only when the actual processing of information takes place, but also when determining the purpose and means of processing the personal information.

The principles are:

Accountability: This condition requires that all processing of data occurs in compliance with PoPIA. Practically, this requires that a data protection policy is established and that an internal information officer champions the aims of, and compliance with, the legislation.

Processing limitation: Personal data must be processed lawfully and in a reasonable manner that does not infringe on a data subject’s privacy. A responsible party must develop procedures and policies to ensure that personal information is processed in a “reasonable manner.”

Purpose specification: Among other things, this entails that personal information may only be collected for a lawful, specific and explicitly defined purpose related to the function or activity of the responsible party collecting the information.

Further processing limitation: Once personal information has been collected and lawful processing has occurred, a responsible party may only further process that data in limited circumstances.

Information quality: A responsible party must ensure that any personal information in its possession is complete, accurate, not misleading and updated when necessary. In maintaining information quality, the responsible party must consider the purpose for which the personal information is collected or further processed.

Openness: A responsible party must compile a manual that contains stipulated information as required by the South African Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000, including details on the information that it holds.

Security safeguards: A responsible party must secure the integrity and confidentiality of any personal information in its possession or under its control by taking appropriate and reasonable technical and organisational measures to prevent loss, damage, unauthorised destruction of, and unlawful access to the personal information in its possession.

Data subject participation:

The data subject has the right to request confirmation of whether a responsible party holds personal information about the data subject. The data subject also has the right to request a record or description of the personal information about the data subject being held by the responsible party, as well as information concerning the identity of all third parties who have had access to the data subject’s personal information.

The data subject may request that a responsible party:

Correct or delete personal information about the data subject that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date, incomplete, misleading, or unlawfully obtained; and delete or destroy personal information that the responsible party is no longer authorised to retain.

What are the consequences if my business fails to comply with the PoPIA?

If a responsible party causes the breach of a data subject’s personal information, negligently or otherwise – an aggrieved party may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator. The Information Regulator does not necessarily require a court order to issue a fine for non-compliance.

The Act sets out civil remedies available to an aggrieved party which include, payment for damages as compensation for losses suffered as a result of a breach, aggravated damages; interest; and costs on a scale as determined by the court.

Where criminal charges are brought against a responsible party and such party is convicted– the penalty can be extremely harsh. A maximum period of imprisonment of 10 years, or an undisclosed maximum fine. Additionally, the Information Regulator may institute administrative fines up to an amount of R10 million.

Apart from jail time and fines as repercussions, reputation is also very important to keep in mind, because no potential customer would want to be affiliated with an organisation that does not adhere to regulations, which is also at risk of experiencing data breach due to the lack of proper cybersecurity measures as per PoPIA requirements.

Ensure you understand the basic structure of, and the principles contained in the act with our PoPI Act online course.

This course has been designed to introduce the basic principles of PoPIA, and to outline the structure of the Act. The programme provides references to and explains the relevant Sections in the Act.

The course has been designed for managers and executives who need to understand the Act. It is also relevant for any personnel who work with the personal information of clients, employees and customers.

Ensure that you and your organisation fully understand what is expected of you to remain compliant to PoPIA by signing up for this programme today. Follow the link to learn more: https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/online-course/protection-of-personal-information-act-popia/

5G – Game-changer, or hype?

1 June 2021

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Categories: General, Marketing

It has become increasingly clear that digitising businesses is no longer a ‘nice to have’, but a necessity that if not already completed or underway at your organisation, now essentially needs to happen overnight. Adding to the urgency and need for companies across all sectors to prioritise digitisation, is the rise of Fifth-Generation cellular wireless networks – ‘5G’. Not simply a faster 4G, 5G has been hyped up to be one of the most transformative technologies in the history of telecommunications. 5G is 10 times faster, supports 10,000 times more network traffic and can handle 100 times more devices than 4G networks while enabling one-fiftieth the latency (the time it takes a message to go from one device to another) with zero perceived downtime. Holding the promise of such high data speeds, underpinned by such substantial improvements in latency, capacity and bandwidth – this fifth-generation network technology is truly more than simple hype. It’s the catalyst in an evolution in advanced products and services that includes everything from mobile, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality, the ‘internet of things’ (IoT) and so much more.

5G is a cloud-based network that connects people on mobile devices to the internet faster than previous networks. Unlike 4G which requires cables and infrastructure to run optimally in a suburban or commercial setting, 5G’s cellular towers amplify cloud-based signals eliminating much of the infrastructure and cabling requirements. And these are just what futurists and technologists call ‘first order effects’; those benefits that are directly attributed to 5G’s properties. Beyond these, 5G will help realise the potential of many other emerging technologies, and foreshadow new approaches, ideas and business models that no one has yet conceived of. Fully realised, 5G networks will pave the way to a host of new options for streaming content, live events, gaming, and other high-quality immersive and interactive experiences as well as usher in a sea change in both product and service innovation, experience and delivery.

It is no secret that 5G will open a door to new consumer services and experiences, as well as expand enterprise opportunities across a broad spectrum of verticals and use cases. Increased broadband speeds will facilitate and likely encourage even greater consumption of content. Streaming will become instantaneous and all downloading will happen in seconds rather than minutes. In addition, the massive amount of bandwidth available may see business models around mobile changing in response. For instance, the abundance and ubiquity of broadband could see a future where users are no longer charged for data use but are billed in other ways that encourage them to use their devices more, without worrying about cost. It thus follows, that a new ‘5G marketing mindset’ focussed on use cases, customer experience and immersion as well as product and service differentiation is increasingly becoming a critical priority for marketers. The right strategy starts with asking how 5G can impact fundamental marketing strategies and product mix across multiple industries. Marketers will need to consider abandoning their current tried and tested playbooks and open their imagination to the limitless possibilities of what could be achieved when harnessing the full potential of 5G technology. Marketing with 5G requires a complete rethink of your four P’s: product, place, price and promotion. It need not only be about promoting your product in isolation, now by leveraging 5G marketers

Rethinking What You’re Selling – Product / Service

Things that aren’t readily possible today, like true live dynamic and interactive virtual experiences and tutorials, will become a reality in the 5G world. 4G has served consumers well in some use cases, but 5G will enable vastly richer customer experiences. Want a VR cooking lesson, an in-home mixed reality interior design consultation or to experience a live event through the power of VR? Think about a MasterClass series, but with Malcolm Gladwell for instance, actually being beamed right into your lounge to give you that introduction to writing class essentially in person. 5G makes it possible.

Delivery Where Consumers Want It – Place

Likewise, 5G may realise the possibility of ‘Minority Report’ like adverting. For those unfamiliar with the Tom Cruise Block buster, Minority Report is a movie set in the future where one of the features is personalised in situ advertising. In the film, ad’s are served to customers based on retinal scanning and recognition technology paired with big data to deliver personalised tailored ad content and discounting based on your individual preferences, purchasing habits and location at the time. Marketers will soon be able to deliver what customers want, where and when they want it, as network capacity will no longer be a restricting factor with 5G. Consumers will no longer have to go to a store or open their laptop to find out about, test or buy products. Using 5G, products can be marketed to customers anywhere, leveraging a plethora of newly imagined devices. Take going to the gym for example, advertising could be done directly via a connected health device like an Apple watch or Fitbit. Signup packages could be introduced utilising try before you buy virtual classes delivered ‘in-home’ leveraging AR or VR technology supporting one-on-one virtual personal training sessions.

Monetisation – Price

5G will enable marketers to offer their customers tiered immersive experiences perhaps spanning from baseline to intermediate and premium or even exclusive experiences for AR and VR. One-size-fits-all pricing models that do not differentiate value will increasingly become a thing of the past as the world of mass customisation finds a delivery channel that will support and encourage dynamic pricing models, much the same as those used in airfare pricing – everyone is on the same plane but almost every individual ticket has a unique price depending on where and when you bought it and the accompanying basket of privileges you are seeking pre, during and post flight. Using 5G, you can offer consumers a new proposition to pay for individualised experiences and subscription plans, especially when considered from the viewpoint of a retailer or event promoter where experience is an inseparable part of the purchasing or consumption act itself.

Meaningful Marketing – Promotion

5G is new, dynamic and increasingly in vogue offering marketers a catalyst to inject new energy and vitality into their brands, through inspired application and creative execution. But to ensure sustained engagement, marketers must elevate the utilisation of 5G and allied technologies to move beyond simple gimmicks and cheap tricks, shifting application further than fad to becoming a fully-fledged channel for rich immersive experiential delivery. Promotions must above all else resonate with your target audiences. Today’s hyper-connected world makes it imperative to deliver an ad experience that does not ‘feel’ like advertising

We live in a hyper-connected world and while 5G won’t change everything completely, or instantly, it will unquestioningly amplify many of our digital experiences. Marketers and businesses alike must align our strategies to this new reality, allowing ourselves to explore and apply more of the innovative technological opportunities in our campaigning – especially in the realm of AR, VR, AI, and smart devices. 5G opens a world of new opportunities for marketers and brands unafraid to scrap their old playbooks and buck the status quo to grow customer engagement and brand loyalty.

In concluding, here are just five simple ways 5G will likely revolutionise digital marketing:

Mobile ecommerce will accelerate.
Targeted customer personalisation and CX (customer experience) will get easier—and more accurate.
Segmented video advertising will proliferate.
Augmented and virtual reality (AR & VR) will enhance customer experiences.
Advertising will be more interactive.

At the IMM we’re always connected, always current and always exploring. Check out all our qualification and short course offerings, each one uniquely developed to keep your knowledge, skills and industry awareness at the leading edge of innovation, best practice and thought leadership.

Appendix: 01

https://www.singlegrain.com/digital-marketing/digital-marketing-trends-2021/

https://recommend.pro/personalisation-trends-2020-part-1/

https://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com/research/the-next-generation-supply-chain-market-75b-by-2030/

https://www.supplychaindigital.com/supply-chain-2/top-10-supply-chain-trends-2021

From cloud computing to cloud chains – the rise of SCAAS

26 May 2021

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Categories: General, Marketing

Ever since Salesforce arrived on the scene nearly 20 years ago, the holy grail of business start-ups has been to emulate the model it essentially created: software as a service (SaaS). There is good reason for this model being so coveted, not only by start-ups but also by captains of industry across sectors where there have been countless efforts to replicate it. The SaaS model allows for amazing margins at scale and predictable annuity revenue streams. For customers, it lowers upfront costs and often leads to better service and product improvements over time. The question being, can the benefits of SaaS be transferred to the world of supply chain management?

Before we explore the answer let’s take a closer look at SaaS. Software as a service, SaaS, is today often used interchangeably with “cloud computing”, a business model in which customers pay to use software hosted on remote computers. According to Wikipedia, Software as a Service is “a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted and controlled.” SaaS may also be referred to as ‘On-Demand Software’.

Today, the most prevalent form of SaaS is customer relationship management software (CRM). Other core business functions across which SaaS has been popularised include office and messaging software, payroll processing software, CAD software, accounting software, content management software, and antivirus software. SaaS differs from traditional software platforms in that your data as a SaaS customer is transferred over a network (like the internet) to the SaaS provider. The application itself is not housed on your computer, but rather it is hosted elsewhere ‘in the cloud’.

SaaS in effect has its origins rooted in the 1960’s. Back then, computers were large and expensive, few small or medium-sized businesses could afford to invest in them, giving rise to the software as a service industry. In the 1960s, the model we know today as “cloud computing” or “SaaS” was simply referred to as a “time sharing system”. A system that involved multiple so called “dumb” terminals (keyboards and monitors without CPUs) that were networked to a mainframe. All applications and data had to reside on the mainframe. In effect, it was an early form of “the internet”, a way of connecting computers together. However, at the time this innovative system made it possible for small and medium-sized businesses, educational organizations, and government entities to access computer systems in a cost-effective way. The transfer of risk and burden of costs, including development, maintenance and infrastructure to a third party is at the heart of the SaaS model, one which has stood the test of time and proved to be incredibly beneficial to suppliers and customers alike. As with any great business operating model other industries, functions and organisations have sought to replicate the concept and in the logistics and supply chain sector this has given rise to “SCaaS” or Supply Chain as a Service.

At its core, SCaaS is a flexible and agile supply chain model that enables organisations to manage their supply chains without the risk of upfront investment in facilities, infrastructure or technology. As you are no doubt aware, there are already many companies providing outsourced services for various aspects of your supply chain. You can outsource your manufacturing, distribution, procurement, accounts payable, transportation management, systems and more. Meaning that essentially all your supply chain services from storage to transport logistics, picking and packing, delivery and inventory management, could be outsourced to an expert partner who handles all these supply chain logistics as a service.

The model the world is working toward will see SCaaS operating much like a ride-hailing service such as Uber. Ultimately, companies will be able to manage their supply chains via an App, or specific programme, and ‘call up’ particular supply chain services as and when they are needed. This enables far greater operating agility allowing for incredible flexibility, supply chain transparency as well as allowing companies to only pay for the services they use – think of it as A la Carte supply chain service or on demand logistics. Speaking of on demand and A la Carte services, if you’re interested in learning more about the current trends, theory and practices powering modern supply chain management, check out our full time Supply Chain management course offerings at https://imm.ac.za/academic-qualifications/qualification-supply-chain-export-management-qualifications/ or our Supply Chain management short course offerings at https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/online_courses/supply-chain-export-management-short-courses/?gclid=undefined

From the service provider’s side, increasing demand for SCaaS means a more fluid approach. Costs can be saved by sharing loads and storage facilities between various customers, all contingent on need and capacity. At the end of the day, the operations will be determined by the expectations of the end-user. Businesses will demand that their SCaaS providers adapt to consumer demands, which is going to require a high degree of operating agility. Meaning SCaaS providers will have to work very closely with their customers to ensure that the end-user expectations are met or exceeded. In many ways, SCaaS will require logistics providers to become an integral part of their client’s operations, because close and harmonious working relationships will ultimately lead to the most efficient supply chains, and therefore the best customer service to the end-user.

Current fleet and supply chain companies will need to adapt quickly to keep pace with the burgeoning demand for SCaaS. Those of you who have been in the game for years should however already have implemented SCaaS models in various guises for many of your clients, either proactively or based on growing demand. If you haven’t ventured down this path, as with most things the best time to begin was yesterday, but today is better than tomorrow!

Supply Chain as a Service (SCaaS) culminates in better collaboration, improved quality control, and higher efficiency rates, shipping optimization, reductions in overhead costs, improved risk mitigation and superior cash flow. The advantage of moving to digital supply chain platforms would include: enhanced productivity, greater connectivity, lower cost, greater service, heightened flexibility and adaptability and better asset management.

In order to leverage all available technologies in the future companies will not have the expertise, resourcees, and funding to try to do this on their own. Only the largest companies may decide to retain these functions internally. Furthermore, failing to shift to a digital SCaaS model will result in a lack of competitiveness and financial viability.

Globally, companies are being forced, either due to financial, resources, timing or competitive reasons to outsource more of their Supply Chain activities – meaning the adoption of SCaaS is likely to increase exponentially over time. Consequently, there will likely be increasing opportunity for Supply Chain as a Service consulting firms and providers to become more integrated with their customer base in the provision of their offerings. If a client company needs to go to different outsourcing companies for every single aspect of their supply chain the management of numerous third-party organisations will become their biggest challenge. The age of integrated, full and A la Carte supply chain management is truly upon us – welcome to the age of the cloud chain.

Life’s always been about creating moments. But now it’s all about the ‘micro’ moments! It’s an impulse thing…

26 May 2021

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Categories: General, Marketing

Depending on your age, you may remember as a youngster being dragged around supermarkets with one or both of your parents for the monthly or weekly grocery shop. Precious moments you’d no doubt rather have spent with friends or quite frankly any other way imaginable. The highlight of these trips was typically the moment your captor (aka parent) headed towards the tills as this meant your torment was almost over. For your parent(s) however, they knew that for them ten minutes of their own unbearable and unfortunately unavoidable (thanks to marketer’s) personal hell was most likely about to begin. The dreaded wait in the often long and winding queue which conveniently and frustratingly for parents meandered for what felt like miles – not accidently I might add – past every known form of confectionery (sweets, chocolates, candy), beverage or fad toy imaginable! Child heaven. The impulse isle, where every child on the planet perfected their powers of persuasion, through tantrums, bribery, false promises of being good and any other form of manipulation they could muster. Precious moments indeed.

Marketers and retail marketers in particular, tended to exploit the impulsive shopping urge which is inextricably tied to the basic want for instant gratification. An early definition for “impulse purchases” came out of the DuPont Consumer Buying Habits Study which ran from 1948 to 1965 and defined impulse buying quite simply as: “unplanned purchase made by a consumer”. The definition was later updated, to explicitly refer to the intense urge that a consumer feels when they want to buy an item right then and there, often causing cognitive dissonance for the consumer. Marketers recognised early on that kids were great targets for impulse buying and although often not the direct purchasers themselves, they were a direct catalyst to securing a share of parents’ wallets via impulse triggered purchasing.

There’s a specific psychology behind impulse buying, it disrupts the normal decision-making models in consumers’ brains. The typical and usually logical sequence of a consumer’s actions is replaced with an irrational moment of self-gratification as impulse items generally appeal to the emotional side of consumers. Some items bought on impulse are not considered functional or necessary in the consumers’ lives. Like chocolates at the check-out counter. Although most parents trying to pacify a ranting toddler may argue the sweets are all to necessary to retain their sanity.

For generations, marketers and retailers have capitalised through impulse purchase displays and clever store layouts on the psychology of “I want it now!”. But thanks to technology and the ‘trade craft’ perfected by marketers over decades of having watched generations of toddler temper tantrums in the impulse isle, the concept of Impulse purchasing is rapidly going mainstream on what can only be described as an industrial scale.

Enter the “micro-moment” – Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to a device – increasingly a smartphone – to immediately act on a need or want. The impulse isle is now firmly in the palm of almost every consumer on the planet’s hand. Smart phones and tablet devices have ushered in an era where consumers’ every desire be it – to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something – can be immediately satisfied. These “I want-to-know,” “I want-to-do,” “I want-to-go,” and “I want-to-buy” moments are what Google calls “micro-moments.” (visit https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/micro-moments/ to learn more about Goole’s research into micro-moments)

“When we act on our needs in the moment, our expectations are high and our patience is low. This makes the quality, relevance and usefulness of marketing more important than ever.”- Joei Chan, author at Mention

We want things right, and we want things right now! Technology has re-awakened the terrible toddler sleeping inside all of our minds. Instant; accurate gratification is an expectation, not a nice to have. The computers caried in our pockets have trained us to expect brands to immediately deliver exactly what we’re looking for, exactly when we’re looking. If the impulse strikes, it must be fulfilled.

Increasingly, our preferences and purchase decisions are being shaped in these micro-moments and brands that do the best job of addressing customers’ needs in each micro-moment, most notably on mobile, will enjoy huge competitive advantages. By being there in these “micro-moments”, your brand has the chance to address consumer needs at the perfect and most precise time to help move customers along their decision journey. The linear sales funnel and accompanying customer journey is being disrupted and along with it the tried and tested idea of needing dedicated content for the awareness, consideration, and decision stages of the funnel. Returning to our retail store analogy, store success was reliant on foot traffic, and certain sales reliant on impulse buying. In the digital world impulses trigger buying scenarios, and micro-moments are the equivalent digital footsteps that lead customers to your virtual store. Your Brand must be in the moment with the customer.

Every time a customer needs or wants something, it is an opportunity for you to provide – provide information, provide options, provide a solution and thus be more than just an option but rather to become a trusted partner and an answer to the requirement. Micro-moments are intent-rich windows of opportunity when your audiences want to know or do something; when and where decisions are being made and their preferences shaped.

As marketers start identifying your prospects and customers’ buyer journeys, identify those “micro-moments” that matter most. Where do prospects want to find information about your products or services? Where do they want to learn about what it is you offer? How can you help them in the moment? How can you positively influence or affect those moments? What content can you deliver to engage them in a meaningful way right then and there? While we’re in the moment, if you’re interested in learning more about the current trends, theory and practices powering modern marketing check out our full time marketing course offerings at https://imm.ac.za/academic-qualifications/marketing-qualifications/ or our marketing short course offerings at https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/online_courses/marketing-advertising-short-courses/?utm_source=GoogleAds&utm_medium=SearchWithDisplayNetwork&utm_campaign=Brand&gclid=CjwKCAjw_LL2BRAkEiwAv2Y3SW7g_LtYKVJ_r6sWgBLQvm0-L-nGRf8HEAKEsJGJQHXPe95ii828OBoCJPQQAvD_BwE

When all is said and done, it simply comes down to showing your prospects and customers that you can help in their daily lives, not just when they are present in your office, store or on your website, but whenever and wherever they are experiencing that impulsive moment of need. To win in the micro-moments, you must understand your prospects’ intent, provide them with relevant, useful and high-quality information, directly addressing their need and most importantly maximise the ways you can find to be present in the moment. The strongest brands will capitalize on these micro moments and evolve to match these moments with valuable content.

Resources:

https://www.veriday.com/blog/micro-moments-marketing/

https://mention.com/en/blog/micro-moments-marketing/

https://medium.com/@Chadvertising/googles-zero-moment-of-truth-the-shift-to-micro-moments

https://www.singlegrain.com/digital-marketing/digital-marketing-trends-2021/

Benefits of online short courses (2021)

25 May 2021

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Categories: General, Marketing

Will a short course take your career to the next level?

The job market is becoming increasingly more competitive regardless of the industry you are in, this means that having a certain expertise is no longer sufficient and to truly thrive in your career it is recommended to take an approach of continuous learning.

There is nothing employers seek more than employees who are committed to self-improvement. If you are adamant to take your career to the next level, there is no better way to do it than online short courses.

What is a Short Course?

A short course is a learning programme that gives you combined content or specific skills training in a short period of time. Short courses generally are more practical of nature and have less theory than a university course. Short courses therefore leave you with more practical experience within your specific field. The duration of the short courses depends on the discipline, the workload and the aim of the programmes, but are not longer than one year.

Short courses play a pivotal role in developing South African job seekers and those already in the workspace. They are generally affordable, easy to take, and provide a way people can become skilled, upgrade their current skills if they need to, or acquire different skills.

Why should you do a short course?

Short courses are designed to teach you a new skill that you can easily apply in your working life, short courses can be a great help to anyone who wants to upskill themselves. Short courses give you the opportunity to learn a new skill that you can apply to your work or use to find a better job. You will also receive formal recognition upon completion of a short course, which can bolster your CV.

It can be disheartening to think that if you want to pick up a skill you must complete a whole 3–4-year degree or diploma just to get started. Fortunately, short courses are the solution to this problem. Short courses will help you upgrade your skills and knowledge and help you ensure that you have chosen the correct field of study.

Education is one of the fundamental building blocks to success by way of broadening your skillset and expanding your knowledge. With many different institutions now offering an array of online courses, it provides people with exciting opportunities to expand their knowledge and expertise, in the process making them more employable in South Africa’s competitive workforce.

Short courses allow you to continue your current lifestyle while improving your skills and your CV.

What are the benefits of taking an online short course?

Affordability

Education is expensive and not many people can afford longer expensive programmes. Online short courses take care of these issues as they allow professionals and students to learn in the most affordable way. Less costly does not mean that these courses do not offer quality education. They are developed and delivered by experts of their field.

Flexibility

Online short courses are conducted via correspondence which does not require you to be physically present. One of the main benefits of online short courses is that it provides flexibility where students can access their course materials and the lessons as and when they need it. Students also have an array of different mediums through which they can communicate with their lecturers and fellow students.

Mobility

Physical education requires that you commute every day and, in some cases, even have to relocate in order to study. An online short course only requires a stable internet connection and offers mobility, which means you can browse study material on your laptop, tablet or phone even while on the go.

Variety of options to choose from

There are short courses suited to everyone’s needs, budget and fields of interest. Ranging from anything between 1 and 12 months, at different costs and in any subject you might be interested in, short courses are definitely the way to go when looking at options to upskill yourself and further your knowledge.

Short Courses are for everyone

Whether you’re already in the working world trying to improve on your skills or you’re fresh from high school, everyone could benefit from short courses.

For individuals who just completed matric, doing a few short courses is a great opportunity to determine what field of study you want to enter.

Instead of not doing anything during a ‘gap year’, short courses are the best way to help you move forward without losing your momentum. During a gap year it’s easy to forget how to study, write exams and do assignments – short courses keep your mind working, and improve your knowledge simultaneously.

Short Courses make you more valuable

Even though short courses are not always accredited, they do show your employer or prospective employer that you are proactive and that you value continual learning and you don’t allow yourself to become stagnant.

Courses that focus on self-development, leadership, workplace communication and conflict resolution could show your potential employers that you are in fact ready for a more important role in the workplace.

Conclusion

While the idea of partaking in University education is merely a dream for most and not possible, there are other viable alternatives. The most practical way in which one can build on their skills or learn something entirely different is through online short courses.

Doing a short course is the smartest move to make to improve your knowledge, skills, and marketability within a specific field. A short course primarily develops and enhances your skills. While also helping you to continue your education and become a lifelong learner, someone that is consistently growing and developing.

Persons who rely on experience alone oftentimes learn by making mistakes before learning how to correct it, and in a corporate or business environment mistakes can be extremely costly. When climbing the ladder to a management or leadership position without preparing yourself to make the move will leave you short-sighted, as even if you have a good understanding of your current position, the lack of formal input may mean that you lack the necessary knowledge needed to excel. A short course can be the perfect option to help you close that gap if you feel like you might not have the necessary skills to progress your career.

IMM have developed an array of online short courses across a wide variety of subjects including marketing, project management, international trade and more. Reap the many benefits that online short courses offer you and take your career to the next level with our industry leading short courses.

Follow the link to browse our variety of short courses, sign up, or utilise our try before you buy option to ensure the short course contains the content you are looking for. https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/

Styling: Fashion tastes and preferences in three African countries

24 May 2021

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Categories: Newsletters

There is no doubt fashion is an important consideration on the African continent. Clothing retailers physically cross borders, and brands are also available online via ecommerce portals. FRANKLINE MWENDA KIBUACHA highlights the results of a recent survey in Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt, giving marketers useful insights into what consumers think.

How fashionable are you? What do you look for when buying clothes, shoes, and other fashion items? Where do you get that information, and where do you ultimately shop?

To get answers to these questions and more, GeoPoll conducted an App study in Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa. Here are the highlights from the report.

Fashion purchase habits

The first question we asked in the survey was how often the respondents bought new clothes. Forty-two percent said they buy clothes several times every year and 34% said several times per month.

The main reason for buying new clothes was to replace worn-out clothes (36%). A good number buy clothes for fun, whether because they enjoy buying new clothes (26%) or enriching their wardrobes.

What percentage of their income do people use to buy clothes, shoes, and other fashion items? Seems like a substantial amount. The biggest portion of the respondents (40%) said they allocate between 10 and 20%, while an additional 26% said they spend between 21% and 30% of their income on fashion.

‘Fashionability’

When it comes to the importance of being stylish, as expected, the younger people (between 16 and 34) mostly said they have to be fashionable (62%), while older people, who said they were more functional – don’t mind what they wear (45%), as long as it fits.

We observed a similar trend when we asked the respondents if they followed current fashion trends. Again, the younger ones are more likely to follow fashion trends either closely or to some extent. Between the countries, Nigerians follow fashion trends more (95%) than the other countries.

Most people said they wear a mix of both casual and formal (61%) in matters of personal style, with more people leaning towards casual than formal dressing.

“The older you get, the more function trumps over fashion.”

Brands and new vs. used clothes

Over the years, there have been raging conversations around how second-hand clothes from other parts of the world form a thriving business in Africa.

East Africa, for example, imports over $150 million worth of used clothes and shoes every year, and the industry employs 355 000 people, suggesting a significant demand for used clothes. However, the situation is changing, with cheaper clothes being produced in China and Turkey.

In this survey, respondents in South Africa, which banned the importation of second-hand clothes, only 4.36% said they buy more used clothes than new clothes. This contrasts with Nigeria, where 28% said they buy more second-hand garments.

Regarding brands, 60% of the respondents said the brand name plays a role in their fashion purchases. This was most pronounced in Nigeria (73%) and least in Egypt (52%), and more in middle-aged individuals between 35 and 44 years old (66%) than in younger people.

Fashion shopping online

While Africa is experiencing massive growth in online shopping, a big portion (43%) of the respondents said they shop for clothes and shoes less online than offline, with 27% saying they never shop fashion online. A further 26% said they shop online more often than they shop offline, while 4% said they shop fashion online all the time.

Probed on why they do not shop for shoes and clothes online, those who had said they either don’t shop online at all or less cited a variety of reasons. Trust, wrong sizes, and poor quality were the main reasons mentioned, with most people preferring to see, touch, and even fit before purchasing fashion items.

Although fewer people shop online, most people get information that influences their fashion shopping decisions online. Overall, 24% said they rely on online sources for such information, 23% look to family and friends for recommendations, and 22% are influenced by various forms of advertisements.

Digging deeper, however, we notice that these findings vary from country to country. Egyptians are more likely to buy fashion items that they have experience with (27%), Nigerians will go with what they see online (31%), and South Africans are more tuned in by ads (37%).

One of the biggest drivers of purchasing decisions globally is social media – people spend more time on social media sites and apps than other channels online. In this study, most of the people mentioned Facebook (27%) as the social media site that influences them most, followed by Instagram (18%) and e-commerce websites (17%).

Frankline Mwenda Kibuacha is Digital Marketing and Outreach Manager at GeoPoll in Kenya. Previously an accountant, he fell in love with the internet and the of power digital marketing.

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Between a hard and a soft space: What makes modern marketers more employable

24 May 2021

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It is not just Covid-19 that has turned the marketing sector inside out. The pervasive need for businesses to gather and analyse data and then use the resulting insights effectively is a much sought after skill, says AMELIA JACOB. At the same time, soft skills are essential too.

Marketing is one of the fastest growing functions in companies today. According to Career Junction’s Index for March 2021, despite an overall uptake in hiring activity, demand is volatile for marketing professionals.

So what is it businesses are looking for when it comes to the skills needed for modern marketing? What makes one marketer more employable or valued over another?

Data literacy, for one. It is one of the key technical skills and knowledge gaps that exist within marketing teams. It’s important for marketers to build new capabilities and skills in order to tackle the next challenges they face. Data literacy will help marketing professionals demonstrate their commercial ability and better influence business decisions and outcomes.

Professionals with a talent for turning vast swathes of data into meaningful and actionable insights will be in huge demand in the future. The evolution of data adoption and usage will continue to drive the marketing sector forward. The proper utilisation and analysis of this information allow businesses to create more specific and better-targeted marketing campaigns.

The problem is, despite knowing that data and analytics are vital, and a key area for them to build their capabilities, marketers still struggle to do so. This must be addressed urgently.

It’s not only hard skills such as data analysis that are essential in the current marketing space. Soft skills are equally important.

Even before Covid-19, the world of marketing was experiencing significant shifts. But now, the pandemic has placed new demands that marketers must grapple with. One crucial factor that will help future-proof marketing careers is to possess key soft skills that will enable marketers to more effectively navigate and operate in a changing landscape.

Driving and embedding a focus on the customer and improving customer experience can’t be achieved in silos. Marketing leaders need to lead by example and drive cross-functional alignment, engagement and collaboration – sometimes even act as facilitators. In particular, relationships with IT, sales, finance and customer service are really important.

Environments of change are far more volatile so businesses are continually adapting to a changing external environment. The path is less clear so knowing how to operate in ambiguity is a skill we all need. If you lead a team, it’s important to create clarity amongst the chaos and being able to move forward without having all the answers.

The best marketers and marketing leaders know what drives the business and how to best link marketing performance with business outcomes. Marketers need to demonstrate they have commercial acumen if they are to have greater ownership of the profit and loss within companies.

Organisations will speak of their focus on the customer but often they don’t know what it means or how to get there. Marketers need to bridge the gap and bring that vision to life. In order to do this, they should be experts in the needs and wants of customers, not channels.

Marketers are being given greater accountability but not authority – this makes influence vital for marketing leaders. Changing perceptions about marketing, embedding purpose and customer focus all require greater levels of influence across the organisation at peer, C-Suite and board levels.

To do so, marketers need to more actively contribute to strategic discussions that span beyond the marketing department, demonstrate an enterprise mindset when making decisions and speak the common language of the C-suite.

Hiring trends for marketing

Customer insights

Professionals who are skilled in analysing customer insights are becoming an integral part of the marketing function. Having the ability to understand, translate and manipulate customer insights can help to build a comprehensive customer strategy, as well as provide actionable insights to boost your business offering. Further to this, category analysis and in-depth knowledge of the market ensures that everyone across your business understands their stakeholders better, which makes for a more efficient approach.

Clearly communicating ROI

ROI is a crucial metric in the marketing department, where results and reporting is key. Professionals with the skills to analyse marketing metrics and report on trends, help drive business growth and development. This not only means being able to decipher results, but also knowing which tools are the best to use. Once the results are in, communicating back to senior leaders to get buy-in on any new ventures is critical to maintaining momentum. The delivery of ROI communications is essential to ensure marketing teams can develop their strategies successfully.

Brand management

Brand managers are responsible for the management of your company brand, or your clients’ brands. In today’s market, where competition is fierce, these professionals can make or break a brand’s reputation through the management of and speed at which they move the brand forward. Brand managers should be proficient across a variety of functions, including running campaigns (sometimes multiple at once), new product development, and social media management. Brand managers are becoming increasingly important in 2020, as they affect brand performance and success.

PR and social media

The way your company is represented in both the media and on social media platforms has become a core focus for most businesses. As brand reputation becomes ever more crucial in today’s competitive market, professionals who can manage your brand image are key. Those who possess the skills to support brand messaging across social media and PR channels are important in ensuring that your company voice is delivered correctly and that your messaging resonates with your target audience. A combination of these professionals in your teams will help to identify new opportunities for your business.

Copywriting

Content teams in the marketing department help bring ideas to life, can develop engaging campaigns, and create thought-provoking designs. You should be looking for skilled copywriters to refresh your old copy, and create new content for your website and advertising materials. It’s also important to hire skilled designers who can produce different types of content suited to your project or campaign in the form of eBooks, whitepapers, infographics, and more. Talented copywriters and content professionals pride themselves on creating collateral that stands out in the market and beats the competition.

Stakeholder relations

Working with others is integral in most business functions. However, in marketing, it could be argued that it is even more pertinent to be able to work effectively with stakeholders, as there is so much cross-collaboration within teams – both internally and externally. Indeed, effective stakeholder management can be the difference between the success and failure of a multi-faceted project. Professionals skilled in stakeholder relations will enable your organisation to communicate more effectively, which will facilitate better working practices, now and in the future.

Ecommerce analytics

Ecommerce is now the primary battleground in the world of retail. With the online retail sector growing substantially, skills in ecommerce are becoming ever more sought after. Given that ecommerce is a multi-channel operation, it is important that professionals are versatile and have a solid understanding of the digital marketing mix. They should also have a keen eye for spotting trends in data and devising action plans to drive further growth.

UX development

Creating a unique user experience (UX) that is easy to follow and satisfying for your customers is the key to repeat business and a happy client. Not only should you look for skills in UX development, but combining this with integrated design and digital skills will mean that you have a professional that can take your processes to the next level. Consistency in your user experience and brand representation in this space will keep up conversion rates and encourage completions.

SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process by which the visibility of a website or webpage is improved in the rankings of search engines like Google, to increase traffic. Broadly, there are three key areas of SEO: technical/onsite, content, and link building. Professionals with a proven track record in one, or ideally all, of these areas have been in ever-increasing demand over the past decade or so. As Google’s rules on best practice change regularly, SEO professionals need to be adaptable and ready to find new strategies to improve website visibility.

CRM strategy and execution

Customer relationship management (CRM) continues to be a key skill in any marketing function. Not only to ensure you are communicating with your customers effectively, but also ensuring that you are making the most out of your audiences and targeting them correctly with your communications. CRM involves the management of many systems. However, CRM professionals must be able to analyse this data across multiple channels and use their findings to implement positive change across the organisation.

Amelia Jacob is Senior Manager of Sales & Marketing for Michael Page Africa. She recruits for marketing roles across Africa.

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The marketing and supply chain management interface: A marriage of convenience

24 May 2021

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Supply chain management and marketing are inextricably linked, write DR MYLES WAKEHAM and CARL WAKEHAM. Organisations should use their supply chain management capabilities and capacities as a basis to support and build their brands and ultimately strengthen their marketing mix strategies.

Supply chain management (SCM) is the process and activity of sourcing requisite inputs that an organisation requires to create need-satisfying products and service, and the ultimate delivery of such offerings to targeted customers such as businesses, intermediaries (retailers and wholesalers) and consumers.

SCM is the inter-woven co-ordination and integration of the flow of materials, information and money and includes the various logistics activities, the transformation process (operations) and finally, business processes. Without effective SCM, organisations cannot deliver on the promises that they make to their customers; nor can they deliver superior value and cost reduction, which represents the mantra of effective and efficient SCM.

Poor supply chain management results in the failure of all organisational strategies, including the marketing strategies that are designed, implemented and controlled to appease the needs of up and down-stream supply chain partners and customers.

Marketing, on the other hand, is the activity, set of institutions and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for targeted customers and society at large. It is therefore focused on anticipating customer needs and then satisfying them and that of the organisation by creating and selling need-satisfying offerings.

SCM focuses on the efficiency of supply by reducing costs, and the effectiveness of supply by generating superior customer service and value relative to competitor endeavours. Marketing, however, is more focused with the demand side of an organisation, although it has a major influence on product design, and therefore is also strongly related to the inputs of operations, which are converted during the transformation process into finished goods and services.

The synergies between marketing and SCM are therefore strong as collectively they can be used to create a sustainable competitive advantage by boosting customer value, reducing costs and by providing better-than-foe customer-centric service, which, can translate into increased revenue and profits. In essence, the co-dependence of SCM on marketing and vice versa is so close that without SCM, marketing strategies will never be realised as SCM has a powerful influence on all four of the marketing mix variables, namely, product, price, promotion and distribution (place).

In terms of the four Ps, marketers produce products that are desired and needed by customers at a price that that they can afford and which will provide value-for-money. They use promotion to create awareness of their offerings, then attempt to generate product trial and re-trial so that their customer may hopefully morph into loyalists and product and brand advocates. An important additional aspect of the marketing mix is place (distribution), which allows marketers to deliver the right product, to the right person, at the right place, at the right time, in the right condition, in the right quantities and at the right price. In reality SCM provides time, place and possession utility whereas marketing facilitates form utility as it is associated with the conceptualisation, design and the development of physical offerings.

The great divide

The major problem with the great divide between SCM and marketing in many organisations is that supply partners, and particularly manufactures, have scant visibility of the demand side of the business. This leads to inaccurate forecasting, the underutilisation or overloading of organisational capacity, the carrying of too much or too little stock (resulting in either increased carrying costs or stock outs), an escalation in costs and finally poor service delivery. The argument for combining supply chain management and marketing is a compelling one as marketing endeavours have a significant impact on SCM.

For example, pricing, promotion, as well as product mix variables impact profoundly on supply chain costs and delivery times; whereas, supply chain costs strongly influence organisation’s profitability, which could result in a drop in product innovation and revenue. Therefore, if organisations integrate SCM with marketing they can outperform their competitors on a wide range of performance criteria such as revenue growth, market share, customer service, customer acquisition and retention and return on assets (ROA).

There is little debate that marketing’s strength lies in understanding consumer behaviour and the factors, which affect the way in which customers perceive value. Its strength also lies in the uncovering of the differing needs of various customer groups (market segments), the translation of them into product and service bundles to meet those differing wants and needs by means of the facilitation of customised products and services production and the marketing of the offerings through customer value propositions.

If both sides of supply and demand are individualised and separated, the supply side will view demand as having an external origin and will fail to recognise that demand is influenced by the organisation’s customers pull and interface. In addition, if consistent and timely information does not flow from the downstream customer to the supply side of the equation, the organisation will not be able to respond to the differentiated needs of individual customers and customer segments.

Differentiated demand for products and services is a key input to supply chain management as without these outputs there will be little need for SCM. The consequences of such information gap are substandard product and service development, and ineffective product and service delivery. Stock-outs caused by the mismatch between the demand and supply and the high price of products due to inefficient supply chain management will definitely have a serious impact on the brand’s reputation and as importantly revenue and profits.

The impact of SCM on the marketing mix

The impact of SCM on the marketing mix variables, as asserted before, is profound. From an offering (product or service) perspective, the organisation needs inputs such as raw materials, components, spare parts, energy, information and other required injections that are required to produce stock and services.

Supply chain facilitates such inputs by selecting qualified and reliable suppliers who provide affordable materials for the transformation of customer-needed outputs. Procurement, which is an important SCM function, ensures the end quality of the final offering by bringing in quality raw materials and other requisite augmentations. An integral part of a product is the brand under which it falls.

For example, Toyota as a world-renowned brand has several products under its ‘umbrella’ namely Corolla, Tazz and Fortuna etcetera. With brand strategy in mind, it is not possible to build a successful branding strategy by solely focusing on logos, slogans or advertising campaigns while ignoring the role of supply chain management.

Organisations should use their supply chain management capabilities and capacities as a basis to support and build their brands and ultimately strengthen their marketing mix strategies. It can ensure that the organisation’s brand is not undermined by fulfillment deficiencies in the supply chain. SCM has the strong impact on the organisation’s marketing mix strategy as it greatly influences brand promise, the customer buying experience and overall customer value proposition.

Hence, an organisation’s brand promise must align with its supply chain management capabilities. It is necessary for marketing managers to pay more attention to their supply chains. They must be accountable for aligning the product and brand promise with the organisation’s supply chain management capacity and capability, as it has a powerful impact on its customer value proposition.

SCM also has a marked influence on price as procurement, transportation and warehousing ensure that the aforementioned inputs are secured as inexpensively as possible and when and where the buying organisation needs them. As the final price of goods include fixed, variable and semi-variable costs, plus the requisite level of margin, if SCM input costs increase, the price of goods and services will likewise escalate, which could drive customers away to opposition offerings.

It could also reduce profits of the organisation if it bears the escalation. Transportation, as stated before, essentially provides time, possession and place utility, which could have a dramatic impact on price if fuel prices in RSA continue to increase and if interest rates rise, which could affect the lease payments of capital goods such as trucks, warehousing and so on.

SCM is already involved in the organisation’s place element of its 4Ps. Distribution includes (amongst other logistics activities), warehousing, customer service and transport. Warehousing comprises of activities relating to the space needed to hold or maintain inventories. Goods must be stored for later sales and consumption, unless customers need them immediately.

Generally, the greater time lag there is between production and consumption, the larger the amount of inventory is required. If a business can consistently provide its customers with the desired quantities and quality of offerings, where and when they are needed, it can gain market share over its competitors. A business might be able to sell its offerings at a lower price as a result of logistics efficiencies or provide a higher level of customer service as a result of logistics effectiveness or both; thereby gaining a competitive advantage. Tied in with warehousing and customer service is the important logistics activity of transportation.

Once the product is released from the warehouse, it needs to be distributed, based upon its distribution strategy (sole, limited and intensive). Transport as can be expected is needed to get the offering to the targeted customer, be it a business, an intermediary or a consumer. Warehousing ensures that the right quantity and quality of final goods are delivered post production, which ensures that customer service is being generated. Therefore, SCM plays an important part not only in the storage and delivery of the final good but also the transportation of inbound inputs, which are needed by production/operations to create end products for the consumer.

Although not sufficiently recognised and acknowledge, the last P in the marketing mix, namely, promotion and SCM should have a strong interface. Much promotion that is undertaken by organisations tends to concentrate on the features, advantages and potential benefits of a product or brand and very little is used to promote the services which should accompany the brand, namely on-time-in-full delivery.

Synergy between SCM and promotions

Many organisations lack the synergy between SCM and promotions. A central aspect of many organisations’ marketing communication strategies is to issue pamphlets, direct mail and advertisements to attract customers to stores (a pull strategy). Such promotion normally increases store traffic but if the marketing drive is not supported by SCM, customers might find that the items on sale are not there and could leave the retail outlet disgruntled and dissatisfied.

This is particularly the case when marketing goes on a two-for-one campaign to find that production and logistics cannot keep up with the surge in unexpected demand. There is a threat that after repeated experiences of this nature, customers might ignore promotion campaigns and even migrate to retail outlets that offer more reliable service and product access.

There is strong emerging evidence that the way a marketing mix strategy is designed and the way in which organisations support it with their supply chain management capabilities can be a real source of competitive advantage or a marketing and SCM nightmare. The success of an organisation’s marketing mix strategy depends on fulfilling the promise of delivering the right product to the right place at the right time.

An organisation’s SCM strengths, capacities and capabilities can make or break its ability to fulfill a promise that is made to its customers. As a result, SCM has a powerful impact on the success or failure of its marketing mix strategy. Organisation’s, irrespective of what they produce (product or service), should regard supply chain management as a market strategy differentiator, a customer service differentiator or as a profit center, as opposed to strictly a cost of doing business. SCM should therefore be seen not as a cost but rather as an investment in the brand and the organisation as it assists to enhance ROI.

Supply chain managers should have clear understanding of the SCM and marketing interface and their roles in the effective execution of their organisations’ marketing mix strategies. In short, marketing managers should know their organisations’ supply chain management capacities and capabilities and their limitations while supply chain managers should know the firm’s brand promises and marketing strategies, and as importantly their roles in fulfilling them. By doing this collectively, its transforms the organisation from a mediocre institution to one that is customer-focused and demand driven.

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Beyond ticking the box: gender advancement needs sustained and systemic effort

24 May 2021

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The odd advertising campaign paying lip service to gender is not enough to address fairness and equity by brands, says GLENDA NEVILL. To really commit to a transformative mindset in marketing strategies requires companies to put their own houses in order inside and out.

Recent advertising and marketing missteps have highlighted how brands and their agencies can get messaging so terribly wrong when it comes to advancing gender and race in marketing campaigns.

“The time for brands to turn a blind eye to race and gender equity is long past. Consumers and employees demand change, while knee-jerk responses and mollifying words offer cold comfort,” writes Dipanjan Chatterjee in the opening paragraph of a recent Forrester Report, Design a Programme to Advance Race and Gender Fairness and Equity.

Chatterjee contends that brands have pretty much steered clear of social issues for the past two decades. But that all changed when in 2016, US quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to sing the national anthem at the opening of the National Football League season, choosing instead to take the knee in protest against police brutality and racism. He was not signed again after his contract wasn’t renewed. In 2018, sponsor Nike, instead of booting him out in the face of then President Donald Trump’s outrage, instead crafted a new ad campaign around Kaepernick. Out went the legendary ‘Just do it’ slogan, and in came ‘Believe in something. Even if it means losing everything’.

“… In 2020, the reinvigorated Black Lives Matter movement triggered a universal reckoning for brands,” Chatterjee wrote. “Now, we’ve had almost a year to let the dust settle. In this time, many brands have realised that news-cycle-induced sporadic responses do scant justice to the underlying crisis. Addressing fairness and equity, not only in race but also in gender, requires sustained and systematic effort.”

Sustained and systematic effort goes way beyond simply crafting a campaign. For it to be authentic, it has to emanate from a business that is making a concerted effort to put its own house in order, as Chatterjee says. Forrester calls this the ‘4C Framework’.

Company (putting your own house in order)
Customer (including market audiences)
Community (the context in which your business operates)
Core competence (what your company does best)

Rayhana Erasmus is the Head of Global Marketing for Old Mutual Alternative Investments, and Nino Naidoo is the CEO of Duchess, a company within the DUKE Group that recently launched a 100% black female-owned, Level 1 BBBEE-compliant, full-service production facilitator. They share insights into how companies and brands in South Africa are advancing gender to create a more equitable environment.

“Gender equality has been a top priority of transformative strategies in most corporates for the longest while. In my recent comparative analysis to gauge the commitment to impact by Africa’s leading private markets investors, I’ve ascertained that there is an aggressive movement towards active stewardship of responsible investments,” says Erasmus.

“At the forefront of this shift lies transformative strategies such as gender equality, diversity and inclusion as well as job creation, linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Like Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI), brands like Harith and Investec have active gender equality strategies evidenced in published articles, public relations initiatives as well as various communications practices,” she adds.

Naidoo, who works closely with various brands in the advertising production space, says there is still a lot of work to do, but the conversations are happening to a greater degree than they ever have done before.

“There are a couple of forward-thinking brands and companies that have taken the time and trouble to listen to their audience and conduct extensive research around race and gender in our country and who also have sufficient representation within their staff structure to provide informed input into their branding activities. But there still remain those that are simply copying and pasting generic content obtained from international parent companies, without any thought to relevance and those who think a tweak here and there is sufficient to ‘tick the race/gender box’,” she says.

Naidoo believes the current climate has made clients extremely aware of and open to the need to be inclusive in all their communications “… I think there is also a genuine fear of the repercussions of getting it wrong. Very few clients believe there’s a ‘quick fix’ approach to this and our clients are all very receptive to input and guidance around these sensitive issues,” she adds.

Erasmus says senior professionals “can directly influence certain aspects of gender equality and diversity by driving the empowerment of women in our own business and our portfolio companies”. At OMAI, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices ensure gender and diversity discussions are held at the highest levels.

“As a woman in leadership I am well placed to directly influence the outcomes across the key diversity metrics through recruitment and advancement of professional marketing talent within the business,” she says. “Furthermore, partnership with creative agencies and suppliers with strong BEE ratings particularly aimed at empowering women also play a major role in the progress we make to close the gap.”

Naidoo’s company Duchess was incorporated to specifically address issues of gender in the advertising business. She began her career as a receptionist at Hunt Lascaris and worked her way up into production.

“In all that time there has always been a lack of female talent in our industry and Duchess has been created with the intention of changing the status quo. We are creating a space where skilled women in our industry can do what they do best in an environment that works for them, not against them, thus making it possible for transformative and lasting change,” she eplains. “Having women throughout the business and choosing to work with women not only throws a spotlight on highly skilled and talented women in our industry, but it will automatically give us a female-oriented perspective with which to view the work and hopefully help to change perceptions.”

Of course, this means working with businesses open and willing to change the way they operate. Erasmus says OMAI “partners with agencies that share its values and conduct business through the same philosophies as we do. It would be a rarity for an agency partner to be reluctant to follow suit in the quest for transformation in this respect”.

She says briefs into agencies are comprehensive to ensure OMAI’s philosophy is articulated in its marketing communications. “We certainly are a lot more mindful of the visual cues of our marketing communications and as the brand custodians, we are responsible for directing all visual touchpoints throughout client journeys,” she adds.

Erasmus believes the financial services industry itself is “consciously implementing transformative strategies in their marketing particularly as our audiences are more socially conscious. Whether we choose to use more women of colour in our visual imagery in our marketing communications, showcase new women in leadership positions, publish more female thought leadership pieces or elect more female participation as subject matter experts for industry body engagements, gender equality is always at the forefront of articulating our brand’s philosophy”.

It’s also vitally important to be consistent. A one-off campaign isn’t going to convince anyone a company has gender equity and advancement running through its DNA.

Naidoo says the proof is in the pudding. “… are female consumers and consumers of colour buying your product or using your service? Can they relate? First off, you need to be employing the right people – i.e. females and people of colour – so that your brand has an internal barometer and fundamental insights as to what your offering means to those groups. What type of research are you using for your campaigns that ensures you’re aligning with those audiences? Companies should be conducting in-depth research through a reputable company before trying to sell anything. There’s no such thing as a one-off campaign for a brand to be inclusive – this has to be part of who your brand is and what it is about,” she stresses.

Erasmus says gender equality and diversity is significant in our country where the legacy of exclusion remains prevalent. “While progress remains inadequate with many organisations, the key to unlocking progress is a demonstrative effort by direct influencers. This requires leadership to view gender equality and diversity with a different lens – as an investment opportunity that drives value beyond the prerequisite of compliance,” she says.

On a personal level, Erasmus says the corporate world can be brutal, and one has to have “grit to stick through it, take the challenges on the chin and keep the learnings in your back pocket”. She spent her formative years building her career as a young mother in a new city without support structures – and attending night school after working a full day.

“My work ethic has been cultivated over time, with the aim of expanding my depth and breadth of knowledge as a marketer. In fact, my friends would often criticize me and accuse me of being a serial academic, but I had one goal in mind and that was to be at the top of my game,” she says. “I wanted to know everything there was to know about marketing. I had to be tenacious in my pursuit as the environment I found myself in was male dominated where marketing was often disregarded.”

On that issue, she says it’s important to trust your intuition. “Take heed of your sixth sense, that feeling in the pit of your tummy, go with it. Too often we’re told to make decisions from our head space and not our heart space. The truth is, whether we’re making business decisions or personal decisions, allow your heart to lead you – it will never lead you astray. This is the power we hold as women – we’re innately intuitive beings.”

As for Naidoo, Duchess’s advantage is being able to offer real insights from a point of actual experience. “We generally find that our clients value the strategic input we offer them and try to incorporate the suggestions we make. But we also back up our approach with legitimate research findings – we’re not just offering our opinion,” she says. “A brand like Jive Cooldrinks for instance, has fully embraced race and culture in its communications and shows a true understanding of its target audience, instead of trying to make the consumer fit in with their own interpretation of where the brand should be.”

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How to pivot traditional marketing skills into practical digital marketing skills (2021)

21 April 2021

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Categories: General, Marketing

In a world that is continuously evolving, adaptability is a key characteristic. Adaptability is the ability to constantly adjust to new conditions. Since the Internet was first introduced, there has been a massive change in marketing. Businesses are no longer only using older, traditional ways to advertise their products or services. They are having to radically shift towards a more modern way which is being driven and fueled by digital technology.

In order to remain relevant as a marketer, those with a background in traditional marketing have had to pivot their skills to make them valuable resources again, but this time in the digital marketing space. Those who are not adaptable or who have not begun upskilling in this space will struggle to remain employed in years to come. Knowledge in digital marketing is no longer optional.

Traditional marketing vs Digital marketing

Traditional marketing generally refers to any type of marketing that is not online. That includes print, broadcast, direct mail, phone, and outdoor advertising like billboards. From newspapers to radio, this method of marketing helps reach targeted audiences. Traditional marketing is not only one of the oldest forms of marketing, but also one of the most researched. Marketers lean towards this method because it is tried and tested. Everyone encounters some sort of traditional marketing in their lives, whether it is reading a newspaper or driving past a billboard.

In contrast, digital Marketing provides marketers with a live platform to reach out to a larger target audience across a more diverse range of demographic groups, unlike traditional media. Today, most businesses are willing to allocate more than 60% of their marketing budgets to digital marketing, because of the great opportunities for advertisements offered by the digital media world. With a basic website, any business (no matter its size) can have a starting point for their digital marketing. This is the first platform they use to create awareness of their existence to their potential clients. A website is essential as many believe if a business does not have one, they are not established or able to compete. A website lends credibility and professionalism to a business. The website then opens up new ways for communicating including social media marketing, direct emails and newsletters among many others.

How to pivot your skills from traditional marketing to digital marketing

Digital marketing offers a wide variety of options for you to specialise in once you decide to take the leap and transition your career. The diversity of options is what makes the digital marketing world so unique as pretty much anyone can find a career path suited to their personality and skillset. Here are some examples of different paths in digital marketing:

1. Digital Marketing Manager

A digital marketing manager has the relevant knowledge on the latest marketing strategies and tools. They are responsible for driving the business communication strategy into action and running digital marketing campaigns, right from coming up with a concept to the execution and reporting afterwards. Managers also often work closely with supporting an entire marketing team to make campaigns go live.

2. Content Strategist

The fundamental function of a content strategist is to develop a content strategy based on business objectives and the needs of the target audience. A content strategist is meant to handle the company’s content requirements and come up with a content strategy to deliver on communication objectives.

3. SEM and SEO Specialist

A search engine marketing (SEM) specialist or a search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist is responsible for managing organic and/or paid campaigns on search engines. Along with that, the job description often includes handling or overseeing display ads on Google. The specialist has to manage everything related to these campaigns, including strategy, budget, execution, and reporting (usually in conjunction with an outsourced agency or freelance specialist).

4. Email Marketing Specialist

An email marketing specialist has to take the lead with strategies related to email campaigns. The primary duties comprise running an end-to-end email marketing campaign, managing the database, and coming up with email messages relevant to specific audiences and the industry.

5. Social Media Manager

The role of a social media manager is to administer social media accounts. The prime responsibility is to come up with eye-catching and engaging text copy along with visual designs, including video, images, infographics and more to increase engagement and followers on the company’s social media pages and drive traffic to the website.

Upskill yourself with a relevant course or certificate

Now that you know some of the possible career paths you can develop to pivot your marketing career, it’s time to equip yourself with the latest digital marketing knowledge and skills.

IMM’s industry-leading Applied Digital Marketing Certificate will teach you how to develop a digital marketing strategy and how to apply digital marketing skills through practical activities and assignments.

What sets this certificate apart from other digital marketing certificates is the practical nature of this course. Every bit of theory you learn will be applied and developed as a marketable skill for future job prospecting. Upon completion you will be armed with 10 different skills-based certificates as well as your own portfolio of work.

We developed this certificate after researching the needs of the industry. You will be able to study online from anywhere in the world, in your own space, at your own pace, guided by our industry experts. With our practical and business-relevant material, you will be given the latest hands-on digital tools to help you deal with real-world digital marketing scenarios.

For persons who already have experience, this course is your fastest route to obtaining hands-on skills in digital marketing. Visit the link to find out more about this one-of-a-kind course, or to sign up today! https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/online-course/applied-digital-marketing-certificate/

Remain relevant

Once you have chosen your desired career path to transition into, and completed a relevant certificate or course, you cannot become complacent.

This industry is constantly changing, and you should therefore always be learning. Don’t allow your skills to become outdated. It is important that you ensure that your digital marketing skillset remains updated with the latest tools, tricks and trends in the industry. The best way to ensure this is by continuously adding knowledge to your arsenal. Keep looking out for new updated short courses on topics that are relevant to you.

If you are looking for online short courses designed by industry experts, visit: https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/online_courses/marketing-advertising-short-courses/

Conclusion

Despite the benefit of possible full-time marketing opportunities, gaining the knowledge of digital marketing can also open several other opportunities in your professional career. It will allow you to be able to start your own business and market your product or service, fulfilling your dreams of owning a start-up. You will also have the opportunity to become a freelancer, as your Applied Digital Marketing Certificate would have equipped you with the relevant skills for freelance work including copywriting, content management, search engine optimisation, website design and much more.

Regardless of your chosen path in marketing, businesses recruit marketers who are an ideal blend of the traditional media and digital media worlds. Today still, traditional media does exist and plays an important role in marketing strategy.

If you are a traditional marketer that has been dragging your feet on upskilling into the digital marketing space, then this article should have alerted you that your time to make the switch and save your career is now! Pivot your skills before it is too late.

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