It is an understatement to say that 2020 was an unpredictable, unprecedented, and challenging year. The coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing human tragedy that has upended many of our norms and routines. This year fundamentally changed how we lived, worked, shopped, and communicated.
Although virtual meetings don’t hold the same resonance and contact as in person meetings, we were no longer bound by the constraints of location and timing; we could chat with someone across the globe, pop in to webinars on a myriad of topics, and connect with people we may not have ever ran into. At NetElixir, we used the new virtual medium to bring together retail and academic thought-leaders in a greater capacity than ever in our 16 years. We got to hear from marketing legends Jerry Wind and George Day, business innovators Anindya Ghose and Sheena Iyengar, global strategists Matt Guffey and Bob Dillon, and retail executives Al Bessin, Carlo Savino, Parag Shah, and Ajit Sivadasan.
As Steve Jobs said, you can only connect the dots looking backward. So, NetElixir has compiled our top twelve ‘dots’ of inspiration from our speakers throughout the year to bring you the Gift of Knowledge in our new initiative 12 Days of Empathy. Insights. Innovation. These gifts are in the form of short, digestible video clips that will be delivered straight to your inbox starting on December 25th.
As we consider what the future will bring in terms of digital marketing and eCommerce, we need to reflect on what we have learned and endured throughout 2020.
Some tenets that will most likely carry into the new year and beyond:
- Nimbleness and agility is crucial in order to seize opportunities as they arise in order to meet customers where they are. Continual innovation and experimentation is key to maintaining this agility and trying something new.
- Data is the backbone of decision making. Having the latest real-time data will help guide your brand so you won’t rely on assumptions. Gather as much customer intelligence as you can and learn about industry trends and benchmarks in order to stay ahead.
- The new online shopping experience is mobile first, immersive, and responsive. The future is digital.
Keeping up with the digital future requires empathy, insights, and innovation. Inspiration comes in many forms – or in many gifts. One idea can change the future.
