FMCG marketers need to rapidly upgrade their digital skills to remain competitive.

That’s according to recruitment consultants Hays Sales and Marketing, which says marketers need to upgrade their skills because successful marketing strategies demand the right consumer insights and channel selections.

Peter Noblet (pictured), senior regional director of Hays Sales and Marketing, said: “The challenge facing FMCG marketers is how to balance traditional and new media to achieve the best results.

"The power of personal media technology can be used to increase sales, enhance brand identity, improve customer experiences, deliver location and contextually relevant information, deepen engagement, improve productivity and reduce costs for both consumer and employee audiences.

“Furthermore, as the sophistication of mobile devices improves, there is an opportunity for marketers to deliver compelling brand messaging where consumers are making their purchase decisions.”

Hays pointed to a recent survey by Adobe which revealed that less than half of professionals who consider themselves primarily digital marketers feel highly proficient in digital marketing. And the majority of digital marketers haven’t received any formal training in digital marketing, with 82% instead learning on the job.

Noblet added: “Striking a balance between digital and traditional marketing can be a tough challenge, but no marketing plan should be based around one tactic. Having combined marketing strategies will keep a company’s messages in front of its customers in many different environments.”