The end of 2009 is very near and so everyone is sending out his lists with expectations and tips for 2010. I admit, I’m guilty too.
I found another list. It’s called ‘Five Smart Marketing Resolutions For 2010’ and it’s from Oxford Communications.
No, the company is not based in the UK as you might expect but is headquartered in New Jersey. Enough said, time for the five smart marketing resolutions that the communications agency sent via a press release. If you want to be a smart marketer: keep reading!
However, let’s start by looking at what this agency thinks about marketing today and (almost) tomorrow.
I quote President John Martorana: “For the past two years, marketing was focused on empathetic messaging and conservative spending as consumers and businesses weathered an uncertain economic climate together. For 2010, marketers will use optimism and engagement as core messaging platforms to facilitate the return to consumerism.”
Besides the optimism in the message, I notice the word ‘engagement’. Yep, again engagement marketing!
OK, you waited long enough, you want those tips, admit it. Here they are (and I quote a lot, I admit, on top of that I made six resolutions from their five, oops):
1. Work the crowd: This one must be about conversations, engagement and social media. And indeed it is : “go beyond basic ‘status updates’ and ‘tweets’ and start embracing the power of online consumer conversations. Social media needs to work in perfect harmony with more traditional marketing, engaging consumers in dialogue, offering personalized guidance and assistance, and presenting exclusive sales, promotions, contests and games”.
2. Get mobile: OK, I added this one. It was originally part of the previous one but I thought it deserved a spot on its own: “social-on-the-go will continue to grow in popularity as smartphone usage soars, so ensure your brand travels with consumers through dynamic mobile sites and pioneering applications”.
3. Be bold, take risks: “when competing for consumer attention, only brand messages that are energized, confident and risky will cut through the noise. As the economy recovers, we will hail the return of big, bold campaigns, blended with messages that appear in unexpected places. Tap all the senses to convey the taste, texture, smell, look and feel of your brand to consumers”. Nothing to add, I can sometimes shut up.
4.Harness the power of the screen: “With ever-progressive innovations in online and smartphone technology, digital distribution channels are the new frontier of marketing. Digital marketing delivers cost-effective, personalized brand messages to consumers with instantly traceable results and, thanks to increasingly sophisticated behavioral targeting, it’s an effective way to reach your audience”. Not much to add but remember the word screen here. There will be many more screens than only computer screens and smartphone screens in the near future in the digital marketing world: existing ones (think outdoor) but also new devices.
5. Be an open book: “brand trust will be a prerequisite to brand loyalty in 2010 as consumers question, research and compare before committing. Feed the appetite for facts and foster belief in your brand by giving shoppers details about product origin, brand stories, recommendations, craftsmanship briefs and company background. Consumers want to come to you with questions and know that you’ll give them a straight answer”. In my words: authenticity, the will to engage in dialogues and relevance are key.
6.Cater to a conditioned consumer: “we’ll see a more confident consumer in 2010, but one that will continue to look for quality and value over frivolity. Always ask, “How is my offer going to bring value to my audience?” If you can’t clearly recognize your value proposition, you’re most likely headed in a direction that isn’t going to move your audience”. Don’t know what to think about that confident consumer in what will be still a tough year but as always; it’s wait and see…
OK, now that I quoted so much from the press release (yes, I can be lazy sometimes, but then again: why rewrite good stuff all the time?), I think it’s time I link one more time to the good people of Oxford Communications.
I hope they forgive me my laziness.
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