EMEA MOPS diary by Zoe Forman

LXA (formerly MarTech Alliance)

Keep Upgrading. Digital Transformation

MarTech. Ad Tech. SalesTech.

My first visit to anticon, which didn’t DISAPPOINT. the weather was wet and wild, the sessions were exciting, informative, insightful and the pavilion with its 80’s theme was fun. great to meet peers old and new and talk all things mops RELATED. sharing a burger, coffee, sweets and a drink or meal in real life makes a huge difference.

Ai was definitely the dominant theme, but the case studies around digital transformation from Philips and Southern Railways peaked my interest in the use and structure of people, platforms and performance.

While there were plenty of sessions to choose from, an 80’s themed Tech garage, space invaders & Super Mario arcade games, free tuck shop & coffee to amuse us and the best part was networking with mops peers.

Key Takeaways from AntiCon Event:

1. Marketing Operations Shift: Marketing Operations is evolving from a focus on excellence and efficiency to emphasising scaling and consistency.
2. People as Stable Resources: In a world of unpredictable change, people remain the most stable resource. Equipping them for change through training, commitment, and a culture of adaptability is crucial.
3. Personalised Training in Sales Enablement: Personalized training and learning are central to effective sales enablement.
4. Complex B2B Customer Journeys: The average number of interactions before a B2B purchase has increased to 9.55, signifying the growing complexity of customer journeys.
5. AI’s Real Hype: AI is a real game-changer, but it’s becoming a commodity accessible to all. To maintain a competitive advantage, businesses must innovate beyond AI.
6. Martech Vendor Proliferation: The martech landscape is expanding, with more confident vendors offering smaller, best-in-class tools that buyers are happy to adopt.
7. Customer-Centric Approach: Prioritise understanding customer needs before choosing the technology. Customer actions are still grounded in behavioral science, and ease of use is critical at every stage.
8. Martech Market Growth: The martech market has increased by 30% to $669 billion, highlighting its pervasive presence in the business world.
9. Importance of Skills: People remain central to success, but there’s a gap in skills keeping up with the pace of technological advancement. invest in your people and they will maximise the technology.
10. Brand Awareness and Lead Generation: Brand awareness is as crucial as lead generation, as emphasised by Matt Lewis, highlighting the need to engage the 95% of the market that isn’t actively looking to buy.
11. AI in Marketing: AI is a vital component of marketing’s future, but it’s not the sole focus. human Marketers will remain the most critical aspect of the industry.
12. Creativity as a Cure: In a world where everything is starting to look the same, creativity is the antidote to the age of average, especially in the B2B sector.
13. Training for Business Impact: Continuous training in MarTech is essential to demonstrate its business impact, similar to building muscles in the gym.
14. digital marketing landscapes don’t just happen, they need planning, space to grow, leadership, adaption and a willingness to change. Train your people and bring them along for the ride. Southern Railways and PHIlips demonstrated 5+ year plans and howthey are still changing and evolving.

Overall, AntiCon provided valuable insights into the changing landscape of MarTech, SalesTech, and AdTech, with a strong emphasis on the evolving role of people, the need for creativity, and the importance of adaptability and training in staying ahead in the industry.