With the ecommerce market around the world continuing to grow, countless retail companies are looking to expand more aggressively in the digital realm. Such expansion brings with it a higher demand for ecommerce leaders who can guide businesses through their digital transformation and beyond.
But what does it take to become a transformational ecommerce marketing leader? What traits do companies look for in their desired candidate?
In this post, we will share with you the top 7 traits ecommerce marketing leaders need to hone, to establish their brands in the ecommerce landscape in the coming years.
Contents
1. Possessing a Strong Strategic Mindset
The ideal ecommerce marketing leader needs to hold the ecommerce vision of the company. This individual can see from afar, the long-term potential in the market as well as other business opportunities.
An ecommerce leader with a strategic mindset is also an expert at making the most of data from customers and research to drive the business.
Furthermore, a strong strategic mindset can only be achieved through years of experience. This experience is what separates the top-tier talent from the rest.
2. Having the Ability to Innovate
With many ways to enter the market, many brands are now innovating in the ecommerce marketing industry to get ahead. Although much of the innovation is incremental, a good ecommerce marketing leader should have the ability to understand how it affects the whole value chain.
But in order to succeed at driving innovation, you and your team’s ideas must lead towards clear outcomes for the brand. This can be quite challenging, which is why great ecommerce marketing leaders are used to dealing with uncertainty while being adept at turning ideas into reality.
3. Proficient with Data
There’s no doubt that data is the fuel that keeps the digital economy going. The days when ecommerce marketing decisions were based on gut feelings are now long gone.
Although analytics is definitely not something new, the countless ways brands can now obtain, assess, and mobilise their insights have led to the demand for data-savvy marketing leaders. This is because leaders that can focus on transforming data into a realistic view of their target market opens up a range of business opportunities.
This is especially true since deep insights on customers can be leveraged to predict what consumers will want with regard to new promotions, products, and other business ventures.
4. Cross Collaborator
Just like every other digital marketing job, ecommerce is pretty much a team sport.
It is the job of ecommerce marketing leaders to engage with nearly all departments in a business. They also work with various vendors outside the company.
That is why interpersonal and cross-collaboration skills are vital in their role. Brands want leaders who can work effectively with various teams within the company and also collaborate with external partners.
In many cases, the ecommerce leader also fits the role of leading the business through a transformation from using legacy systems to advanced methodologies. In these scenarios, a leader equipped with the ability to cross-collaborate with others is highly sought after.
5. Expert in Project Management and Operations
The best ecommerce leaders offer a combination of technology and marketing skills. To these individuals, technology is always a way to convert visitors into customers.
Selecting the most useful technologies and projecting the mission of an online business is vital, yet at the end of the day, brands want leaders who can drive results. And this is how ecommerce companies will measure the success of their leader.
That is why ecommerce marketing leaders need to have deep knowledge of ecommerce metrics such as traffic, conversion, average order value, and shipping. Furthermore, they should also be familiar with attracting, hiring, and retaining solid talent while showcasing their leadership and management skills.
6. Social Listening Skill
The internet transformed the way ecommerce brands interact with customers nowadays. The popularity of social media has given brands a direct line of communication with consumers.
This channel allows consumers to provide feedback, share what they feel, and provide suggestions to brands. Such feedback can be invaluable to brands.
An ideal ecommerce marketing leader can leverage social media and utilise it within a bigger decision-making framework to drive success.
7. Intellectual Curiosity
Finally, the ideal ecommerce leader should have a strong desire to learn continuously. This is especially important during times of dynamic change, such as with the ongoing pandemic.
Ecommerce marketing leaders should immerse themselves in various types of content from videos to podcasts to study what subject matter experts are talking about. It is also beneficial to have a way to connect with innovators outside of the ecommerce industry.
To truly change the way from old systems and adopt new solutions, a different perspective is important, especially from someone who can apply these changes.
Conclusion
Although technologies will continue to change and evolve, smart ecommerce brands know that investing in top-notch ecommerce marketing leaders is the key to success.
By adapting and honing the 7 traits listed above, you can transform yourself into a high-value individual that ecommerce brands will always be on the lookout for.