D2C and E-commerce brands show increased inclination toward retention-led marketing, according to a report by WebEngage. 39.6 per cent of respondents declared data analytics as the top skill crucial for success in retention marketing careers.
The State of Careers in Retention Marketing report found that there are profitable career opportunities in the retention marketing domain, with potential for accelerated career growth. Of all the respondents, 35.8 per cent belonged to D2C and E-Commerce brands, 17.9 per cent to ed-tech, 10.5 per cent to BFSI, and 8.4 per cent to media and entertainment.
Around 52.6 per cent of the respondents belonged to the marketing teams within their organization while 31.6 per cent were in growth teams and 15.8 per cent in product teams.
After data analytics, respondents stated strategic thinking abilities (17.6 per cent) and project management skills (17.2 per cent) as important skills in retention marketing. The report also stated that retention marketing professionals need to possess the skills of a CMO, CTO, and CDO, in order to succeed.
“The last few years have brought the subject of retention marketing to the spotlight. While retention is not a marketing problem, the typical flag bearers of retention metrics now have a stronger voice and a seat on the table - to point out issues affecting retention - whether it’s the quality of acquisition, product journey, post-purchase experience, customer support NPS or any other consumer touch point that can make or break the customer’s experience,” said Ankur Gattani, Chief Growth Officer, WebEngage.
“Thus, it’s only fair that pros at driving retention be recognized for their impact on business and compensated accordingly. We see a serious uptick in the need for savvy retention professionals and see the early movers to this specialization gaining from their choices,” he continued.
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According to the report, “The head of retention at a brand over ₹500 cr stands to make as high as 50-70 LPA. Head of retention and user engagement at a large-scale gaming or entertainment brand can go as high as ₹1 cr.”
The study revealed that to achieve a salary range of 10-15 lakhs per annum in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector, one had to be a seasoned retention marketer with 3-5 years of core retention exposure. In the 40 lakh per annum salary bracket, most respondents hold a combination of a master’s degree and work experience. These roles are spread across marketing, growth, and product teams, and they are mostly vertical owners.
(Inputs from bl intern Vidushi Nautiyal)