It’s hard to believe, but 2019 is right around the corner! It’s not too early to start thinking about the marketing trends that you need to pay attention to for next year. In fact, knowing this now can help you get a jump on things for 2019 and put you ahead of the game — if you start implementing them immediately!
1. Think creatively
For 2019, creativity will trump conformity when it comes to marketing. This doesn’t necessarily mean doing something different just because no one else in your industry seems to be doing it. Instead, look for opportunities that others seem to have forgotten about or don’t seem to want to fund. For example, one company used software to glean the physical addresses of their clients and started snail mailing them print newsletters, bucking the email newsletter trend. This campaign was successful because it got their audiences’ attention.
2. Communicate in relevant ways
Technology continues to change the ways that businesses communicate with their customers. If you don’t keep up with them, you’ll lose their attention. According to some estimates, by 2020, nearly 50 percent of searches will be made using voice. This means that you need to market your business in ways that capture the phrases and nuances that are most relevant to your customer base.
3. People are shifting their trust
Ads aren’t what people trust when it comes to making purchasing decisions. Most people trust people they know the most with branded and editorial sites and reviews following. With nearly a third of all internet users currently employing ad blockers, this means that your traditional ads aren’t even reaching them.
4. Authenticity fuels relationships
It’s an unfortunate side effect of technology and the automation that comes with it: there’s a distinct lack of personalization to the process. You can do a great deal to add a personal touch to your interactions with each customer. This helps you build key relationships that help make people loyal customers.
5. Everyone needs to be on the same page
Whether your company has two departments or 22, they should all be working toward the same goal: moving your business forward. Doing this involves learning how to work together to create goals and content that fuels improved relationships, greater productivity and lower costs.
Head into 2019 with a strong marketing foundation and you could find that it’s your company’s best year yet! Which trend above will you implement first?
