Marketing in the New Decade
Is there a marketer among us who is not thinking of change? I think not. And if someone is not, my advice to you is: don’t admit it.
The world around us is changing and moving forward at an incredible pace, so how can we remain with the same old, tired marketing strategies and tactics – even if they are tried and true ones? We can’t.
I’d like to call your attention to this recent post about Marketers’ top issues for 2011. This will give you an idea of the challenges we face in marketing, not just for 2011 (that’s the tip of the iceberg) but for more than just a few years ahead. So, in no particular order, I offer my predictions for the new marketing we will see in the decade ahead.
- Using multiple digital channels will become the norm.
- Mobile marketing will emerge as a winning medium – with innovative use of location information.
- Spending on traditional marketing methods will continue to decrease at a fast pace.
- Social media will be used to build relationships with customers and will become a fundamental part of your marketing mix and branding strategies. This will also be the medium to receive feedback and to make adjustments to your messaging or tactics.
- It will be just as important to listen as it is to talk.
- Marketing will be more than about generating new leads; loyalty programs and targeted cross-selling to existing customers will be a prime way to generate new revenue.
- Marketing professionals will need to become conversant with new technologies, data and databases – this will be a hard requirement, not just a nice-to-have. The best will combine their skills in creativity and technology to create winning programs.
- Measurement, ROI and accountability will rule.
- Businesses will spend money to show value and draw customers to them (their website, their blog, their brick & mortar store) – this means education, useful information, specially targeted discounts and other benefits to prospects, customers and loyalists.
- Marketing will become used to more two-way communication between you and your target audience then ever before.
There’s really not anything groundbreaking in any of the above points, especially if you have been closely following developments in marketing. But, taken together, you can see why there is a tangible transformation that is taking place. This is indeed a time of change and an exciting one at that.
A decade is a long time. But, it has already begun. So, your time is now. As you think ahead, not just about your business, but about your personal future in marketing, there’s no time like the present to begin to plan and make changes that will result in your marketing success.
